Brent Bowers

8.29.06

What is Flow?

The purpose of this continuous column is to focus on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioners who embody the essence of the art on the mat. They flow when they grapple/roll. What do I mean when I say flow? Think of it as water rushing toward you. If you place your hand in front of the water in an attempt to stop the water, it will simply envelop your hand and find a way around it. This to me is how Jiu-jitsu techniques should be practiced. For example, if you have an opponent in the mount and you attempt a choke; but he pushes you away preventing the choke. You flow like water around the arm into an arm bar. To me if you do not have this flow, you are simply grappling. Jiu-Jitsu is flow. Flow comes from the blending of one technique into another, and another, ECT.

What I want to do is focus on a series of great jiu-jitsu practioners who have this flow. I want to share my experience training and rolling with them. Hopefully this will be a continuous column that will be updated with numerous contacts. This will be interesting in that as my technique improves, how will these great artists compensate for my technique and size.

Rolling With World Champion Daniel Moraes

This will mark the 3rd time I have trained with Daniel. Daniel is a 170lbs 1st Degree Black Belt under Royler Gracie. The first time was in 2001, when he was brown belt world champion at 17 years old. The second time was approximately two years ago. The most recent time was March 31st 2006. Before I begin the most recent analysis, I want to review the previous two experiences.

As stated above, the first meeting occurred around 2001 in Georgetown, SC. Daniel was assisting Relson Gracie for a no gi seminar there. At the end of the seminar, Daniel rolled with everyone there. There were approximately 20 guys attending the seminar and the majority of them were white belt. There were a several blue belts and if my memory serves me correct one purple belt. Daniel began to tear through everyone. He beat most of the fighters with an Achilles ankle lock. He taped most in less than twenty seconds. I was the second to the last person for him to grapple. We rolled for approximately six minutes. I am a large guy (over 250). This is rare for high jiu-jitsu practioners. Most guys my size would rather stay at home on the couch and eat junk food. Needless to say I played the top game. Over the years, I noticed that most high level jiu-jitsu players sit and begin rolling win butterfly guard. As I attempted to pass, Daniel kept moving his hips constantly shrimping away form me. On two occasions I almost got a pass. Relson even said something to Daniel in Portuguese. I say this as to joke in that he says something to Daniel, the Brown belt World Champion, and not to me the lowly blue belt. Eventually Daniel escapes and gets to his feet and I sit. I go into a butterfly. Daniel then turns on the quickness and fakes this way and that way to pass. I attempt to shrimp (move my hips in order to reestablish guard, but Daniel is having none of that. He passes on his feet and catches me in an unorthodox choke similar to the one that Carlos Newton caught Pat Miletich with in the UFC. Everyone watching applauded.

The second occasion that I rolled with Daniel was at the end of a one hour private lesson. This was in 2004, and now I was a purple belt and Daniel was a black. He had just one the world championship and defeated Gracie Barra Black Belt Marcio Feitosa. There is no other way to put this but to say that Daniel crushed me. When we rolled he immediately put me into the spider guard. He grabs both sleeves of my gi/uniform. He sweeps me in 10 seconds, and I establish half guard. He gets tight and goes for my neck. I protect and upa/bridge to reverse to get back on top. This leads me into an immediate choke. Daniel top game was indescribable. He stayed very tight and controlled my hips the entire 15 minutes. He just smashed me the entire time. I never felt so helpless on the mat. It was inspirational.

This most recent encounter occurred at the end of a private. There was a remarkable difference in Daniel rolling. He did not smash me this time. He played with a relaxed game. I was unable to pass his guard, but I did not get submitted from his guard. Daniel passed my guard several times. I always try to play like a small guy and work on my guard because what is a big guys weakness: HIP MOVEMENT. Daniel had a more relaxed game. He flowed. He would pass and go into knee on belly. He would reach into the collar, go for a choke. If I defended, he would flow into the next submission. Once he was going for a choke as I attempted to block the choke, he went smooth and lightning quick into an armbar. I just laughed.

The major difference on this occasion compare to the previous one was that Daniel had a more relaxed game. He FLOWED. I had improved since we last rolled. I was able to make him defend a submission attempt. I even attempted a triangle. It did not work, but I was able to attack this time. Daniel game has matured. He played a more relaxed game. He flowed. He was like water, my friend. He was like water.