Wow, our Pit Monsters are really stepping things up right now.
Although we always give our training 100%, this effort takes many forms and is always a balance of physical and mental fortitude. With the amount of information that is included in our curriculum, there’s a saturation period when the concepts and applications have to find their place in the whole scheme of things for each student. Although everyone is being taught the same stuff, each student’s integration of this into their previously established skill-sets will be an individual process.
With our next belt promotion fast approaching, it’s exciting to see everything coming together for our Pit Monsters. I can see the results of students practicing at home. I can see the affects of the modifications that have been made during our warm-ups and I can see the realization in the eyes of our students as they become aware that with faith in this process, they can reach increasingly greater heights.
Great Job Pit Monsters, from your fitness to your traditional and fighting skills, everyone is looking like they’re on track for their upcoming testing.
In addition to our students looking exceptionally sharp, this week has been exciting with several visitors, some welcomed and some causing problems in the parking lot threatening to beat me up (not so politely).
Included in our week was a visiting student from The Pit San Luis Obispo as well as Iraq War Veteran SSGT John Hoffecker W/Raven 1446 who was out vacationing from New Jersey. John is responsible for tactical combat instruction to specialized teams where he trains them in NJ as well as the tours he's done in Iraq. It was great having him there and for him, he was stoked to find a place that isn’t just "Playing" karate.
While we have fun in a family atmosphere, it’s also very clear that we take our training seriously and most importantly, that our stuff works. So when someone is training that needs to be spending time on realistic material that he can share with the teams who rely and trust him to provide them with solid & proven curriculum, it felt good to know that The Pit was contributing to this process.
It was also very kind and heartfelt for SSGT Hoffecker to leave his uniform patches with me that he wore during his last tour. A symbol of his appreciation for us opening our doors to him for his time here. Any active duty military who is in our area is always welcome to stop by for a workout on us.
Awesome training session for a very heart-felt cause.
All 100+ participants did awesome today, including, of course, our Pit Malibu students.
Huge thanks to Shawn Yacoubian for putting the event together as well as Mark Parra at the House Of Champions for hosting the event. Between Shawn, Ricky Okane and of course, the ALWAYS phenomenal Peter "Sugarfoot" Cunningham, it was a great learning packed 2 hours.
In addition to learning some great kickboxing techniques, we also were able to pay respects to someone that will be deeply missed. Everyone's hard work and coming together seems a fitting tribute.
House Of Champions – Van Nuys, Ca.
No-gi grappling tournament
Rules = Single Elimination, 10 minute time limit & Submission Only
This meant that the only way to move on in the division was to win by submission with no points earned by anything other than a submission.
Man On, Luis and Barbara decide to enter at the last minute.
Most of the competitors are getting ready for the upcoming Gracie Nationals, a prestigious grappling tournament held every year here in Los Angeles.
All of the women who are competing are extremely tough and knowing this, Barbara decides to compete and although she was tough to take down, she is submitted. As it turns out, the person who submitted her with a front guillotine choke went on to finish every girl in the division with the same technique. She was completely dominant and left no doubt whether or not Barbara had anything to be ashamed of regarding her match.
Up next, Man On. While Man On had decided that he’d like to compete about a week ago, he also knew that he’d be away in Vegas for this past week for a work with no chance to spar and little time to train. We figured out some workouts he could do in his hotel room and that was the best he could do after long days “working” in Vegas – lol
So Man On’s match begins and before it really gets going, Man On gets submitted with a front guillotine within the first minute of the first round. Once again, the competitor who submitted Man On went on to submit others with the same technique and win his division.
The next division was Luis’s division. With this being an event where all the competitors were there to learn and be safe, we all took good care of each other. In the nature of true sportsmanship, everyone was very up front about skill level and experience. It became clear that Luis would have to give up somewhere around 20-25 lbs in order to have a match with someone that was the same rank and experience level so he did. What came out of the following ten minutes was a clinic by both competitors. Easily the fight of the day, Luis and his opponent Dave Brooks worked at an exhaustive pace for all 10 minutes with the only breaks taken when the ref had to stop them to bring the bout back to the center of the mat after they ended up in the audience. At the end, both opponents’ hands were raised to the deafening applause of all who attended. Neither competitors were allowed to advance to the next round but both were viewed and treated as winners.
Luis gave up some serious size and weight so that he could get the experience. This is what learning is all about. There ‘s no doubt that both Luis and his opponent went away and are still thinking of what they could have done to get the win but they both gave it everything they had at that moment. They talked afterwards, compared notes and will undoubtedly draw from the experience for many training sessions to come.
Well, this could have been the end of the day BUT there was still one division left, the “absolute” division. This is a division that anyone can enter, any size, any skill and any experience level. With Man On’s match ending so quickly earlier in the day, he decided that he’d enter the absolute division ...
Man On has his first match that was back and fourth of great positioning, a sincere showing of heart and an amazing demonstration of resourcefulness and overall toughness. Man On goes on to submit his first opponent with a beautiful Peruvian necktie.
After a quick rest, Man On is back on the mat and then has to fight again. This time, once again, it goes back and fourth and Man On wins with a "Luis Snuggle Squeeze" for the tap.
Man On Li wins 1st Place in The House Of Champions “Absolute Division”
All three of these students stepped out of their comfort zone and all three had different results.
The one thing that is guaranteed for Barbara, Luis and Man On is that with a desire to make use of all that our martial arts has to offer, they will continue to draw from this experience for a long time.
Each competitor should be very proud ~ I know I am !
| Monday | 8:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Thursday | 8:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Friday | 8:00AM - 8:00PM |
| Saturday | CLOSED |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
22601 Pacific Coast Hwy Suite 228B,
Malibu, CA 90265
Phone. 310-456-0090
Email. info@thepitmalibu.com