Beast Patch on SYR Sgt. kimono

Big Apple BJJ Open 2015

Vitor Shaolin's tournament at Martin Luther King HS in New York City. 

It's a very well run, organized, professional and good local tournament. 

Definitely one to check out and compete in if you are in the NYC area. 

ATH Organics Protien Bars & Protien Powder

Before I continue with my personal thoughts on ATH Organics' Hemp Gold Protein Bars and Hemp Gold Protein Powder, first check out my story of how I discovered the brand and hemp protein!

As serious jiujutsu athletes, we try our best to be savvy when it comes to nutrition. The champions of our sport set an example for us to follow strict diets to keep our bodies in top condition. The Gracies knew of the importance of healthy eating, giving us what we know as "The Gracie Diet".  Aside from healthy eating, we know to take advantage of supplements like vitamins, protein, and amino acids to aid in our bodies' recovery. 

Not long ago I read about hemp, as hemp gis became sort of cool because of its antimicrobial fabric. I researched how hemp is farmed, used as fabric, and how its seeds are HIGH IN PROTEIN.  That is when I found out about hemp protein. It's abundance in amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids. To summarize, hemp protein is Gold! Especially for combat athletes. 

I have had all types of hemp protein. All the brands in Whole Foods. I continued to use these brands for a while until one day a company named "ATH" liked my pics on Instagram. I decided to check out the page, and found out that Stu trains jiujitsu, surfs, and makes hemp protein bars and powders. So I decided to order some stuff because I am a fan and supporter of brands that support our sport. I tried it and completely fell in love with how GOOD their protein bars tasted. 

Hemp Gold Protein Bar:

Sight: looks good. Brown and nutty. 

Smell: Coconut and cocoa!

Taste: the flavor is vanilla bean, but the taste is nutty to me. I taste cocoa, peanuts, and coconuts. 

The Hemp Gold Protein Bar is delicious! And the ingredients speak for themselves. It's convenient and great for after you just made weight for your tournament, after training, or as a pre-workout. 

Hemp Gold Protein Powder:

Sight: golden green and earthy. Very fine powder.

Smell: why the hell would I sniff protein powder?

Taste: sweet coconuts. 

(BE AWARE of an absorbent pouch in the container. I almost ate it lol)

The Hemp Gold Protein Powder is 100% THE TRUTH! and beats all other hemp proteins out there in my opinion.

Now I have tried most hemp protein powders. Some don't blend well. Others have flavors that do not go well with fruits. And some just gross. The Hemp Gold Protein Powder is fine And soluble. The flavor is sweet but not overpowering. It mixes well with other flavors. It is great and you can tell by the taste that ATH really pays attention to the ingredients that go in their products.

If you are not sold on this product yet, let me mention the free shipping, free returns and overall great customer service. Check ATH out and give it a try! Support the brands that support our sport. Go to their page ATH Organics to learn more about the products, and some recipes for the protein. Also check them out on Instagram https://instagram.com/athorganics . 

Conca Fight Gear 33H Kimono (Overall 10/10!)

Conca Fight Gear 33H Kimono

The Athlete's height is 5.5ft. and his weight is 127 lbs.

Gi size: A1

I am not sponsored or paid by Conca Fight Gear to write this review. This review was of my own opinion of the product.

Conca Fight Gear is a company that produces brazilian jiujitsu gear out of California.  It is not a "mainstream" brand, but Conca has been around.  I found out about the company through Instagram a couple of years ago.  What doesConca stand for? The website states "CONCA is an acronym for "CONTINUOUS CALCULATED ACTION", which we found to be the common denominator amongst most, if not all, sports."

Moving on to the 33H Kimono review.  The gi jacket is 420 grams pearl weave, blue with orange contrast stitching, and EVA foam collar.  The gi pants are 10 ounce ripstop material.  Overall weighing 5 lbs.  

The Good:

The gi colors are made for a New York team fan.  It looks like Patrick Ewing's warm up suit!  If you are a New York Knicks or Mets fan, this gi is definitely for you.  

It is a well fitting gi.

It fits well without constricting or hindering movements.

It is lightweight

The collar is nice and thick and is made of ripstop material.

The tapings on the wrist are soft and do not scratch.

The patches are embroidered and well designed.

Very well made, fine attention to stitching and details. Great Quality gi.

Lastly, I ESPECIALLY like the stitching inside the back/shoulder part of the gi. It is definitely made for function as my training partners said that it is harder to get a cross collar grip or reach over the back for any slack.

The Bad:

.....

The same stitching that I like on the back/shoulder is like a padding and gets hot and makes the gi weight more? I don't know. I have rolled several times in the gi and I am YET to find anything bad about it. I get nothing but compliments about howgood the gi looks all the time.  Honestly I tried very hard to find a flaw or something...anything bad...NOTHING.

The Ugly:

...............

I love this gi.  If i have to dislike or hate anything about the gi is that it's not that popular, and IT SHOULD BE.  

This gi competes with the other high selling popular gis in the market, and has far better quality than the everyday mainstream gis that are out. 

I LOVE THIS GI! 10 out of 10 IT IS A PERFECT 10 GI!

Comparison with White Shoyoroll SGT Kimono and CTRL Ground Squad Kimono:

I Chose these gis because they have lightweight pearlweave jackets with ripstop EVA foam collars, and ripstop pants.

The 33H, SGT, and Ground Squad have similar thick EVA foam ripstop collar.

The 33H gi jacket stitching and reenforcements favors a Shoyoroll.

The 33H ripstop pants stitching and reenforcements favors a CTRL.

This is a well made, top notch quality gi ladies and gentlemen.  There is nothing more to say!

IF you want to check this gi out, buy it, and check out other Conca Fight Gear products, go on their website: www.conca.us   Also check them out on Facebook and Instagram

Shoyoroll BEAST

Shower Like a Pro | Presented by Defense Soap | Jits Magazine

We need to shower properly, especially as JiuJitsu athletes if we want to stay on the mats and not have to take time off because of annoying skin aids!

I was going to write an article about this but I was saved!!! Thank you JITSTV JITSMAGAZINE.COM!!!

Here it is:

Personally, the shower is my favorite part of training and I use different products that are nice to your natural flora. (Dont judge me!)



Products that I use:

In the gym, I use Defense Soap's liquid formula for my body, face, and hair.  This product just lathers better than the soap bars and is very convenient.



At home I use The Armbar Soap Company's soap bars.  They smell very good, and they come in different types so you wont have to smell the same all the time.



I use The Armbar Soap Company's Body Wash for my face.  I personally think it is better for the face. It leaves your face with a tingly fresh feeling.



For my hair, i use Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Special Shampoo.  THIS IS MY BEST KEPT SECRET shared to those who read this hehehe.  If you love your hair, and want to keep it healthy AND CLEAN, this is the product. You're welcome.



I use Defense Soap's Barrier Foam as a lotion to keep my skin from drying and crackling after my shower.  You can obviously use any lotion but i like to support companies that cater to grappling and our sport.



There you have it!!!

The Good Fight Submission Only Tournament

So a couple of weeks ago I accompanied a teammate of mine to compete at The Good Fight tournament in Brooklyn. I was immediately caught and intrigued by the submission only rule! One match started at 1:30 pm and ended at around 3:30 pm. 

Here are the rules: No point. submission only. 15 minutes and after 15 minutes there is NO DRAW. The shootout rounds begin. One competitor starts on backmount.  If the other escapes, they reset the backmount with the other person taking it, until there is a submission and a winner. 

This is such a cool tournament. Especially if you are a Metamoris fan and really hate those "draws". Well here it is my friends, your very own Metamoris. 

The tournament is still young and a little disorganized. But I hope more competitors will compete at these tournaments.