Cageside at Codella's

Sunday News: Asylum Fights, Mike 2K's 2nd Bout, Academy Page & Abu Dhabi Pros!

2012-02-12T19:43:00.000-05:00

Road Trip!! Oh yeah... It's on! On Saturday March 10th, 2012, Codella Academy will rolling deep to Atlantic City to support our fighters, Ramy Awad, Mark Feliccia and Mike Hanrahan as they gear up to bring their all in the Asylum cage. These three warriors, all coming off tough losses, are itching to get in there and take it to the next level. Prof. Codella feels confident that they're all working diligently to tighten up the holes in their games and if they play to their individual strengths, it will help them settle down more in the cage. There are four weeks remaining until fight night, so the hard sparring, weight cutting, mental challenges are in full effect! Let's continue to encourage our brothers during this tough phase and especially on March 10th!! Check in with the fighters or Prof. Codella for tickets, regular admission is $55.
Click here for the complete fight card.

Here is the video of Mike Hanrahan's second Golden Gloves match which took place on Jan 31st, 2012. It was a very close decision that required the judges to tally up the total punch counts to decide the winner! Excellent job by Mike to venture into a completely different fight game and put forth a commendable effort.

There's no doubt that this valuable experience will be carried into the Asylum cage in Atlantic City!!

Not sure if you all are aware of this tournament but it is one of the very, very few that pays out cash prizes. This competition should not be confused with the well known Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) submission grappling event that takes place every two years. The Abu Dhabi Pros is open to all levels and the first, second, and third place winners receive prizes. Also, thirteen of the first place winners receive an all expenses paid trip to compete against the many other trials winners at the World Pro Jiu Jitsu Cup on April 13-15, 2012. The trials will be held on Sunday March 11, 2012 in Flushing, NY.
This is a Gi tournament. For those that were interested in competing at the NY International Open in April this can be an excellent opportunity to help you prepare for it. For more information click on the link in the comps section on the right.

Last but by no means least, Prof. Codella has created an official Academy page on Facebook. He has started posting comments and adding pics and hopes to cover all the bases in keeping us all informed with academy news and updates. Presently, this is may prove to be a wee bit difficult because as of this posting, the page only has 15 likes!! Please help spread the word within the Codella Family and of course to rest of the BJJ community. The page title and link is: Codella Academy Team Renzo Gracie

P.S.- A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to my Codella Academy Family for helping to get Cageside at Codella's to over 5,000 page views!! Gracias, mis hermanos!

Mike '2K' Hanrahan: Victorious in Golden Gloves Debut!

2012-01-30T18:44:00.000-05:00


Mike Hanrahan- Photo from N.Y. Daily News 1/21/12

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

-- Theodore Roosevelt

Within the Codella family, one of our fearless young warriors is striving to excel in not one but three different forms of combat arts.

Mike Hanrahan, a blue belt at Codella Academy and a San Dan

(3rd degree black belt) in Goju Ryu Okinawan Karate, has been training in the "sweet science" for less than a year at Gleason's Gym under boxing coach Raul Frank. Just as a select few of us compete in jiu jitsu and grappling tournaments to test our skills, Mike, with the support of his coach, has felt the urge to apply his knowledge in the granddaddy of amateur boxing tournaments, the N.Y.C. Golden Gloves.

Here is the video of his debut on January 20th, 2012:

Following his fight, he sat with Cageside at Codella's and discussed his experience that night, the comparisons to his first MMA match, his preparation and his overall mindset both before and after his bout.

(Dramatic background effect provided Prof. Mike Codella & Mike "Killer" Katz!!)

As mentioned in the video, Mike's next fight will be on:

Tuesday January 31st at 7:30PM at the

Justice Sonya Sotomayor Center

1000 Rosedale Ave. Bronx, N.Y.10472

I'll continue to post the results and avilable videos as Mike progresses through the tournament. Again, Mike thank you kindly for your time and we all at Codella Academy are rooting for you and wish you all the very best!!

*** In keeping with the boxing theme, I wanted to highlight two links I added on the left that are dedicated to the sweet science.

Bad Left Hook is an excellent boxing news resource that always provides play by play commentary to all the major fights on TV and PPV. The blog Fights Gone By is an insightful site that breakdowns major fights and analyzes striking techniques not only in boxing but other stand up styles.

Finally here's a video of the UFC's Sugar Rashad Evans getting some outstanding pointers from boxing legend Bernard Hopkins. Yes, I know he's been known for hating on MMA in the past but I think he redeems himself here somewhat!!

Congratulations to Our Newest Purple Belt, Greg Marotta!!

2012-01-28T19:24:00.000-05:00

Prof. Mike Codella & Greg Marotta

This week Prof. Codella promoted long time Academy veteran Greg Morotta to the esteemed rank of purple belt. Greg has always been considered one of the most hard working and nicest guys on our team. There's no doubt he'll continue to train hard and honor his new rank and make Codella Academy proud! Congratulations on your much deserved purple belt, brother!!

Motivational Monday: "Putting The Team On Your Back!!"

2011-11-21T19:13:00.001-05:00

Ok so we're heading into the final third of the football season and unless you're a Green Bay Packers fan, the rest of us fans, Jets, Giants and my beloved Dallas Cowboys especially, have most likely been driven to cussing up a storm and drinking ourselves into oblivion with all the inconsistencies on the gridiron! But being the level headed disciplined martial artists that we are, we know better to stay the course, focused and prepared for whatever challenge or football fiasco lies before us.

For some of us this may prove more difficult. Distractions, obligations, commitments or just downright laziness become formidable foes to overcome. The above video hopefully, will not only make you laugh but remind you that you're not alone, we're all in this together, in the Marine Corps we referred to this as, Espirit de Corps!!

So the video is from last season's playoffs, when the Seattle Seahawks dramatically upset the New Orleans Saints with Marhawn Lynch's ridiculous touchdown run. The added commentary is quite colorful yet hilariously insightful. Below are more videos I found that were poignant, inspiring and just simply, in the case of Frankie Edgar's training video, badass!!

I also wanted to give a huge shout our cage warriors who without a doubt had their team on their backs. Big Al Medina, was like our version of the Crippler Chris Leben, this brother was unstoppable!! He fought two weeks ago in his MMA debut against a kid who was getting hyped big time and must of thought he was going to notch another highlight knockout off our boy. Al was not trying to hear that nonsense. He took his opponent to the deep end, caught some shots along the way but was unyielding in his efforts to turn the tide. He lost an unanimous decision but the Cyborg- like performance earned him Fight of the Night honors. Congratulations brother, the courage and tenacity you displayed was awesome!

Also, this past weekend Mark Feliccia fought in Rahway, N.J. for the KAP MMA organization. Unfortunately for me, this event was not being tele-casted via Go Fight Live, so I did not witness the match firsthand, but he defeated his opponent via arm lock in the second round! Again, another demonstration of putting the team in his back with 100% BJJ! Congratulations to you as well, Mark! I do know how hard you trained for this victory.

Team Codella was also in full force at the NAGA Championships in Newark N.J. last Saturday. The fantastic squad of four consisted of Joe Peteroy, Bobby Brown, Joe Terranova and making his competition debut, Peter Lombardo. Four grapplers walked on to the mats, slapped their opponents hands, put it all on the line, and all four walked out of the arena with medals around their necks!

Joe P won two silvers, Bobby and Joe T bronze medals each in the advanced division, and Peter popped his tournament cherry with a shiny gold medal! Outstanding job, gentlemen!

Hope you enjoyed and were inspired by this Codella Service Announcement. We have the holidays coming up, so have a great time with your families, travel safely and let's return to the mats pumped and ready to put in work so we can put the TEAM on our backs!.

To the haters, the meddlers, the mental distractions and nagging negative energy, just recite out loud and let 'em know what you learned here,

"Hold My D*****k!!"

(Crotch clutch is optional!)

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations,

we fall to the level of our training."

Archilochus- Ancient Greek Soldier

Ralek Gracie Visits Codella Academy!

2011-11-04T18:47:00.000-04:00

Last week a select few got the pleasure of seeing Master Renzo as he stopped by our kids' class accompanied by one of the Gracie Academy brothers, Ralek Gracie. Some of you may know him from his victory over Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba last year or more recently from the awesome Gracie UFC breakdown videos. Here's the most recent one, a breakdown of UFC 137 Penn vs Diaz:

(At about the 10 minute mark of this video Rener mentions an excellent nugget of wisdom about making your opponent tap mentally, by shutting down all avenues of escape, before he eventually taps physically...powerful stuff right there!!)

If you don't catch these videos regularly, you should because the do an awesome job of analyzing and commenting on the techniques executed successfully and the possible reasons why they weren't successful. Subscribe to their you tube page and their newsletter, Gracie Insider (The email sign up is 1/3 down on the left.) The impromptu visit was not scheduled and Prof. Codella would have preferred to grant him a more welcoming reception, but he did give him an as yet unreleased soft cover version of his book, Alphaville, as a parting gift. Hopefully next time he visits with us he'll grace our mats with some great instruction and training!!

In other news, our golden boy Will Couchon was victorious last Saturday in his debut with Dead Serious MMA. He submitted his opponent in the second round by ezekiel choke from the mount. He looked very calm and collected in the cage against a stand up fighter with some grappling experience and a amateur fight under his belt. All that was neutralized with his relentless takedowns and submission attempts. Congratulation Will on a well executed game plan and your first MMA win!!

Next up for MMA fights are Albert "Big Al" Medina making his debut on 11-12-11 for Evolution Fighting Championships in Rahway, N.J., also Joe Peteroy and Mark Fellicia fighting for a new promotion, KAP MMA on 11-19-11 also at the Rahway Recreational Center. That same day there will a crew from the Codella Competition Team traveling to Newark to represent The Rock at the NAGA Championships.

If that wasn't enough Master Renzo has informed us that the Renzo BJJ Open (Invitational that is open to everyone) will be a part of the MMA Expo being held at the Jacob Javits Center, Saturday 12-17-11. Registration info will be posted soon. Looks like November will be continue to be an exciting month for our academy. Continue to support your teammates at the events and on the mats..TRAIN HARD, FIGHT EASY!!

Will Couchon: Feeling Good & Hunting for Win in MMA Debut!

2011-10-27T19:37:00.001-04:00

A couple of days away from his amateur MMA debut and and Will is surprisingly in good spirits. He clearly has that just before weigh in gauntness but doesn't appear to be weak at all. While hitting the bag and rolling with Prof. Codella, the focus and attention to detail was evident. In fact, he was almost unrecognizable! There was no goofiness or signature BWAAHH!! to be found this morning, just the machine on a mission. Well, for brief moment, as you'll see in the video interview, the silliness surfaces but I believe it goes to show that he's got a good handle in balancing the mental aspect of his preparation.

Despite some prior missteps, this Saturday 10/29/11, will mark his MMA debut for the Dead Serious MMA organization. The fights wil be held at the Rahway Recreational Center, Rahway, N.J. Although it is subject to change, he believes his fight will either be the third or fourth of the night. His opponent, Joe Scanish 0-1 MMA, fights out of Goju Ryu Martial Arts in N.J. and seems like a game fighter. (Here's a link to his opponent's first amateur mma fight New Breed Fighters.) Will is the only fighter from our academy who is on this card. Unfortunately for Mark Feliccia, all his potential opponents are either accident prone or highly susceptible to contagious airborne pathogens and strangely enough, all have the same initials: TBA! This brother can't catch a break. I suggest he assumes the identity of our infamous underground warrior and guaranteed the opponents come flying out of the woodwork!!!

Speaking of legitimate warriors, here is a video interview with our golden boy sharing his thoughts on his preparation for this fight and also a video of him and Prof. Codella rolling lightly at yesterday's open mat.

If you haven't already purchased tickets, check with Will or Prof. Codella to see if there are any tickets left. **This fight card will also be available on a PPV live stream through Go Fight Live for $10, but I have to share that my first experience with GFL was truly aggravating because the stream was experiencing technical difficulties for the first couple of fights and I missed Mike 2K's match. When it did come back online the quality of the feed was good but customer service was doo-doo: no apologies, no partial credit, nada!

So buyer beware. When you do purchase the stream you are able to see the replays of all the fights in a day or two which is good since you probably won't find these fights on you tube. You can get the details for the stream here:

Go Fight Live

also the address, google map and fight card info here: Dead Serious MMA

From my observations and the testimony of our esteemed Professor it looks like Will is prepared physically, technically and mentally to do battle Saturday night. But, when one of our senior veterans and MMA fighter, none other than our badass brown belt Chez Budgell, says the man is ready to do our academy proud, it means that warrior recognizes warrior!! So Will relax, follow your game plan, and leave it all in the cage brother, this is your time to shine!!

Team Codella Invited To Train at Renzo Gracie Academy!

2011-10-19T20:16:00.000-04:00

Prof. Mike Codella has recently announced that that our members, blue belts and above, have been invited to train this Saturday 10/22/11 @ 11:30AM at the main academy in NYC. It is not an open mat session. This is one of their scheduled no gi classes so for the love of Christmas do not be late!!
Prof. Codella is not sure who will be instructing the class but you can best believe all of Master Renzo's black belt instructors are certified badasses!! Those of us who are attending should wear our academy gear to represent "The Rock" and Prof. Codella properly. If you plan on going Saturday let Prof. Codella know by Thursday, if possible, so he can have an idea of how many guys the main academy can expect to be training that day.
There is no group transportation available but Prof. Codella has suggested that those of you who are interested in carpooling to midtown should make arrangements to meet at our school by 10:00AM to provide ample time for travel and finding parking. It's been quite a while since our team has had the privilege to train at the main academy so let's enjoy this opportunity to break bread with our BJJ family, get some great training and truly represent the Renzo Gracie Fight Team to the fullest!! Osss!

Renzo Gracie Academy 224 West 30th St. (between 7th & 8th Aves.) #212-279-6724

***There is no academy sign on the building. When you enter, the doorman will direct you to the end of the hall, on the ground floor, and down the stairs.

BeltQuest.com Technique of the Week #2 featuring Prof. Mike Codella

2011-10-13T00:05:00.001-04:00

Our good friends at BeltQuest.com present their Technique of the Week segment featuring Prof. Mike Codella. This is the second video where Prof. Codella demonstrates two separate moves from the knee on belly position, a slick step over collar choke and a powerful back take. Let's continue to show our appreciation to Belt Quest by subscribing to their You Tube Channel: Belt Quest and liking their Facebook: Belt Quest. FYI- these gentlemen train at the AMA Fight Club in Parsippany, NJ, home of UFC fighters Dan & Jim Miller, head trainer Mike Constantino and BJJ coach Jaime Cruz who's a Renzo Gracie black belt. Much love for their support.

***Some members have mentioned to me that they have had difficulties trying to post comments on the blog, so I have made some adjustments that should facilitate the free flow of feedback. To post a comment:

1. Click the comment link

2. Select Profile- Click "Anonymous"

3. Write your response..(try to leave your name within your comment if possible..agree or disagree, like or don't like, it's all good. Just be respectful, please.)

4. Click Publish/Post. You'll then have to type in a word verification in the box, and you're all set.
You can also opt to check off one of the reaction boxes: funny/interesting/cool.
I truly appreciate the Codella BJJ Family support and all the positive verbal comments I've received thus far. I've recently added a visitor counter at the top of the page and I was pleasantly surprised, shocked really, that since June 1st there have have over 3,200 site visits!! My sincere thanks to you all for your collective input, efforts and encouragement! Obrigado!!

Congratulations to New Blue Belt Anton Lischchenko!!

2011-10-05T22:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday at the morning Gi class, and after some tough non-stop sparring Prof. Codella broke out a spanking new blue belt and applied the ceremonial smack down on our teammate, Anton. I had the distinct pleasure to be rolling with Anton when Prof. Codella intervened to promote him, which was fortunate for him because I was about to blow him away with my unstoppable sweep from bottom mount to signature foot lock finish..but I'll divulge the unique details of this high level maneuver in a future post..this is Anton's time to shine!! ;)

In all seriousness this young man is a beast; tough yet humble, always eager to learn and constantly looking to roll. Also, if you don't already know, be wary of the judo throws!!

Let us all congratulate brother Anton on his promotion...and continued success in your Jiu Jitsu journey!

BeltQuest.Com Visits Codella Academy!

2011-10-03T21:45:00.000-04:00

The fine folks at Belt Quest stopped by last week to check out our academy for a tour video of the facilities. They also interviewed Prof. Codella and had him demonstrate a sneaky forearm crush for their Technique of the Week.

Many thanks to Belt Quest for helping to put the spotlight on our humble academy, including Jimmy Lopez & Co. of Monkey Bar Gymnasium, and featuring the slick and certified skills of Prof. Mike Codella!

When you check out their site, you'll notice interviews of and techniques by Master Renzo Gracie and many of his black belts so be sure to show your appreciation and lend your support by subscribing to their youtube page, following them on twitter and liking their facebook page. All the links are on their website.

***Poll Question: Prof.Codella mentions in one of the videos that his book is being shopped around for the rights to be made into a motion picture. What actor do you think can pull off playing Det. Mike Codella?

Master Renzo's part will of course have to played by himself. He has to one up Master Rickson's for his role on the "Hulk"!!

Codella Academy Repping At 2011 Pan No Gi Championships!

2011-09-30T19:07:00.001-04:00

This weekend two of our warriors, Chesley "Chez" Budgell and Joe "Thiago" Peteroy will be traveling to City College, NYC, and putting it all on the line for the chance to medal at the 2011 Pan No Gi Championships! At this amateur level ( no cash prizes) this prestigious event ranks just below the No Gi Worlds which is usually held in California (Nov 5, 2011). Needless to say this a big deal on the east coast and draws the toughest competitors from all over; all the major BJJ squads will certainly be flying their flags on Saturday!

I had the opportunity to interview Chez and Joe yesterday at our academy with the hopes of gaining some insight into their preparation and mindset not only for this event but for competitions in general. For those of us who have competed in the past or are considering to compete in the future, we will all come away from these interviews more enlightened about what it truly takes to participate in tournaments. You will also, without a doubt, be fired up about being a part of the Codella Family and be reminded that everything that you need to compete at the highest levels is right here: awesome training partners, quality instruction, inspiring leadership, excellent conditioning facility, and as Chez mentions in the video, "a support system that understands and cares..". Enough said!!

Here is the link 2011 Pan No Gi Brackets to view the brackets Chez and Joe will be competing in. Point of interest, Joe's first match is against a Marcelo Garcia purple belt who he mentions in his video having lost to at another tournament. Time for redemption indeed!! Joe's division: Purple Adult Medium Heavy and Chez' division: Brown Master Light. There are also some big names competing at the black belt level: Caio Terra, Davi Ramos, Kayron Gracie (Master Carlos Gracie Jr's son), Clark Gracie, Lucas Lepri, and Warren Jefferson (Gracie Barra).

***I want to apologize in advance for some video quality flaws, such as the camera instabilty. My objective was to share these videos, unrehearsed and unedited, before Saturday. I am confident that the content quality and the insight gained from these videos will make up for it. Stay tuned for Part II- Post Comp videos!

Thank you again, Chez and Joe, for sacrificing time from your training to sit down with Cagside at Codella's.We wish you both the best of luck, God Bless; and we look forward to hearing about your results and experiences!

War Codella BJJ/Team Renzo Gracie!!

ADCC 2011 This Weekend, No Gi Pans Next!!

2011-09-23T02:29:00.000-04:00

This weekend in the United Kingdom the high royalty of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling will hold court at the mecca of No Gi competition, ADCC 2011. All the participants, 16 competitors each in five different weight categories, have either won regional trials to qualify or have been invited for past performances, name recognition, or both. There will also be 16 women competing; eight each in two weight divisions. The Gracie Princess, Kyra Gracie, has a great chance to make it to the Under 60 kg final, most likely against Michele Nicolini or Luanna Alzuguir, the reigning ADCC U60 champion. The women's 60+ final may come down to the Alliance heavy hitter Gabi Garcia and 2009 champion Hannette Staack from Team Brazil 021.

The super fights this year will be Jacare Souza versus Gracie Barra's Braulio Estima and the Masters version: our very own Master Renzo Gracie versus Mario Ze Sperry from the famed bjj documentary, "Day of the Zen".

No question, definitely rooting for Master Renzo to pull out the win this weekend and while Jacare will be itching to get rid of the sour taste from his recent MMA loss, I believe Braulio has put in the work, training with Roger Gracie and Georges St.Pierre, and formulated the recipe to serve Jacare yet another loss.

The brackets for the five weight divisions were posted today and can be viewed here. (Click on each bracket to see expanded version.)

By the way, Renzo Gracie Family is being represented by phenom Gunnar Nelson (-89.5 kg) who opened many eyes at the 2009 ADCC Absolutes and Gerardi Rinaldi (+99 kg) of Silver Fox BJJ.

Now, I watch my fair share of competition matches, Pans, Worlds, Abu Dhabi Pro, but I still have no idea what direction to go in with regards to making predictions so I'll just list my favorites in each category.

Under 65.9(145 lbs): Rafael Mendes, Cobrinha Charles, Robson Moura

U 76.9(169.2 lbs): Marcelo Garcia, Vagner Rocha, Murilo Santana

U 87.9(193.4 lbs): Andre Galvao, Romulo Barral, Gunnar Nelson

U 98.9(217.6 lbs): Rudolfo Viera, Xande Ribieiro, Antonio Peinado

+99(217.8 lbs): Cyborg Abreu, Vinny Magalhaes, Jose Junior

Absolutes: ??? Rudolfo Viera vs. Xande Ribieiro???

The live stream for this event is available only via PPV at Budo Videos. Updates and news of the event can be found at Gracie Mag ADCC Blog.

If you're interested in the results of past ADCC competions, you can check them out here.

I'm certain all the action this weekend will have you pumped up to want to get on the mats asap and maybe even get your competitive juices flowing. Well you can put your no gi skills to the test at the No-Gi Pans next Saturday at City College but you have to act fast because the deadline to register ends this Saturday 7/24/11. Fee to register is $117 which is pricey but this competition is considered to be a prestigious event to medal at. Here's the link to register: No Gi Pans

***The form requires that you select your academy from a drop down list. Prof. Codella has been trying to get our school added to the list but given the short amount of time you can select Renzo Gracie Academy.

Also, you have to have approved ranked rashguard and black shorts to compete. Click here for details: No Gi Uniform Requirements

Fajardo-Conroy BJJ: Brothers in Armbars, Comrades in Collar Chokes!

2011-09-11T21:33:00.001-04:00

In a quiet residential neighborhood of Secaucus, NJ you'll find the local recreational center, where on this early Saturday morning it's being populated by seniors power walking along the track above the gym, housewives escaping their daily routines with a yoga session and the Fajardo-Conroy BJJ Team. Not far from here is the Whatchamacallit Stadium, not sure of their new name (Met Life??) but it is the home where Jets soar and Giants roar. Like these teams who make the most of co-existing under one roof, FCBJJ manages to blend in just fine with the yoga wives and senior walkers. This task is made so much easier when one believes wholeheartedly in the old adage, "home is where the heart is" and heart, perseverance and dedication to their beloved art are qualities that both Prof. Fajardo and Prof. Conroy embody.

The professors, black belts under world renowned BJJ legend, Master Renzo Gracie, also have backgrounds in the traditional martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kun Do, Kali and wrestling for Prof. Fajardo and various forms of Karate and Filipino Arts for Prof. Conroy. Their individual paths converged at Master Renzo's Academy where they trained with the likes of John Danaher, Matt Serra, Shawn Williams and many others including our very own, Prof. Mike Codella.

Patience is not only a virtue but a skill one must strive to master, especially in Jiu Jitsu. The FCBJJ team practices this skill regularly as they wait for the yoga class to end so that they can set up. In comes the dolly cart with an assortment of folding mats and puzzle mats and the transformation from mirrored dance room to BJJ dojo begins. The lesson in patience continues as the team collaborates on how to situate the mats to cover the room properly. The joking and teasing that ensues is good-natured and more importantly, it's a vital part of developing camaraderie and team spirit.

The gi class begins with a light throw/take down session to warm up. (The Saturday classes alternate week to week gi and no gi.) Then Prof.Conroy demonstrated two excellent judo throws. [I am a huge fan of Judo throws and sweeps and Prof. Conroy has a sick repertoire of throws in his arsenal..and he just became my new best friend!!] After practicing these throws, there was a throw drill, whereby each student had to perform ten judo throws. If you have never trained break falls before this drill will convince you to incorporate them into your warm ups asap!

Ground techniques consisted of a omoplata counter when your opponent goes for a single leg:

Prof. Fajardo also demonstrated a wicked arm bar re-counter when you're unable to complete the omoplata. (A video of the armbar re-counter will definitely be posted on the blog soon- stay tuned!)

Once the technique drills were completed the students started to roll live with each other and then with their instructors. This is an excellent opportunity that provides a priceless experience for the student and an invaluable tool for the instructor to evaluate the student's techniques and assess their progress. One can't help but to be impressed by the good fortune of these team to have not one but two legit black blacks present in every class to provide quality instruction. Two sets of experienced eyes to make on the spot corrections. Two keen minds to help troubleshoot and formulate the student's developing game.

With sparring completed, the team stack the mats back on the cart, wave goodbye to their neighbors in the gym and roll out of the rec center feeling great from the hard training, looking forward to the next class to practice this hallowed rite all over again!

Check out the academy website for more information and schedule: FCBJJ

Many thanks to Prof. Fajardo, Prof. Conroy, Mike, Bryant, and my training partner for the day, Ray. Osssss!

To The Opponents Of Ramy & Mike 2K, "C'mon Son!!"

2011-09-03T16:43:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to check in with a quick motivational chuckle for our boys fighting tonight in Rahway, NJ for the Evolution Fighting Championships 7- Summer Bash!! Although this site has been quiet due to I.T. issues (laptop was out for service!!..C'mon Son!) are boys have been everything but! We all know Ramy has been working hard and is looking to put a hurting on his opponent and get back to savoring the sweet taste of victory.

Mike 2k on the other hand..I don't know..this kid has been starving for two months, itching to fight. I bet he can walk on to set of the next Twilight movie and kill it, he's so damn bloodthirsty!!

For those of you looking to see the fights live, it all goes down at the Rahway Rec Center, where Ramy last fought, at 6:00PM. Be sure to get there early because Mike is scheduled to throw down first. Tickets are $45.

If you can't make it, like myself, you can watch the fights on PPV via

Go Fight Live for $9.99. I will also try to post results via twitter, @jaystorm15 and facebook, Jay Storm.

Mike 2K is planning to have his after party at Lee's Tavern in Grant City, Staten Island..I think it's on Hitchcock St.

Count on them running out of pizza with Mike's starving ass!!

Here's a couple of Ed Lover videos promoting some UFC fights..I think he's hilarious! Although I'm a Rampage fan this is pretty funny! Stay tuned for more articles coming real soon, especially one on my visit to Fajardo-Conroy BJJ!!
Codella BJJ/Team Renzo Gracie.."IT'S TIME!!" TO KICK ASS AND TAKE NAMES!!

Gustavo says, "Go with Gaspari Nutrition, My Friend!!"

2011-08-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

What's up Codella Family! I just wanted to share some info that may be of interest to you all. Of course you know that are academy is now sponsored by Gaspari Nutrition, and they were kind enough to provide our fighters for the upcoming Evolution Summer Bash with supplements and apparel with Gapari and Codella Academy on them to wear for their fights. For those of us who aren't fighting but want some awesome supplements to help us with our protein intake and recovery from our tough training sessions, pay attention.

My supplement routine consisted of Vitamin Shoppe brand whey protein and multi-vitamins, Barleans fish oil and H-Blocker, a beta-alanine product I use before workouts and Food Fight, a greens super food product; I haven't recovered from my childhood hatred of veggies!! Yup, that's all I used to help maintain this Dominican Sumo Stud figure!!

If you go to Bodybuilding.com, correction, WHEN, you go to that site and vote for your favorite products you will receive a discount code for 10% off your total order. That code is: SUPPAWARDS

What that means is, after the discount, you can try the Gaspari Myofusion protein, 5lbs, for about $40 or the 2lbs for about $20. For comparison, VS has it for $50 and $27 respectively. Also, when you order the 5 lbs of Myofusion you'll get a free 160 gram size container of Super Max. The Banana Perfection flavor is fantastic and can only be purchased online! I have also tasted the strawberry flavor and I'm already thinking of creating some tropical daiquiri concoction with these two!!

You may also want to check out the free samples section, in the store site under "On Sale". I did order the Labrada EFA fish oil on my recent shipment but I haven't tried them out yet. The Anavite multi-vitamins are on back order at this site as well as the Gaspari site but they are available at the VS on Richmond Ave. for $30.

Lastly, if your order is over $75, you can get a choice of a free gift, like a shake bottle, or use it as a donation toward some charitable organizations. I opted to make a donation to fellow Marine, UFC fighter and Gaspari sponsored athlete, Brian Stann's Hire Heroes USA.

I'm not sure when this discount code will expire so act fast.

By the way, I was prompted to share this info by my newest training partner and the Most Interesting Canine in the World, Gustavo!

Bodybuilding.com
Gaspari Nutrition
Food Fight

*Disclaimer: All of the above products were purchased by me. The only discount I benefited from was the code mentioned above.

Codella Competition Team Is Coming To Conquer A City Near You!

2011-08-01T22:19:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday a team of seven fearless and focused competitors, led by purple belts Joe Peteroy and Ramy Awad, contended with the weekend getaway traffic on I-95 North with one sole purpose in mind.

Destination- Hartford, Ct.Convention Center

Mission: Test individual mettle at NAGA Grappling Championships

Goal: Excellence above all else..utilizing conditioning, heart, cojones and of course, 100% BJJ!

Codella's version of the 'Magnificent Seven' rolled into Hartford intent on doing their absolute best and leaving it all on the mats. All their hard training and sacrifices paid off handsomely because not one of them came back to Staten Island empty handed! The crew won a total of eleven medals: (2) Gold/Sword, (7) Silver and (2) Bronze. What an awesome accomplishment and a true testament to the caliber of talent at our Academy as well as the quality of instuction by our leaders, Prof. Codella, Prof. Fajardo and Prof. Conroy.

I've recently started posting info on local tournaments, basically NY and NJ, but it appears I have to broaden the geographical range since our teammates are now willing to venture out to Ct and even Massachusetts!

This also reminds me that in our presence are two seasoned veterans that I know of, who have journeyed to Ohio and garnered the gold at the Arnolds..(rhymes with (1) A-Capella (2) Presley)..so it's exciting to witness the resurgence in out of state tournament participation by our members.

I sincerely look forward to that day when I'm writing about Codella Academy doing damage on the big stages of the Pans and Worlds!! Here We Go!

Joe, thanks for the updates on Twitter and Facebook! The results were as follows:

Ramy Awad 1st No Gi Adult Advanced Middleweight

2nd No Gi Masters Advanced Middleweight

Joe Peteroy 3rd No Gi Adult Advanced Lt. Heavyweight

Albert Medina 2nd No Gi Masters Intermediate Cruiserweight

Bobby Brown 2nd No Gi Directors Intermediate Middleweight

2nd Gi Directors Blue belt Heavyweight

Katlyn Chookagian 2nd No Gi Adult Advanced Lt. Heavyweight

2nd Gi Adult Blue Lt. Heavyweight

Jarret Steiner 3rd No Gi Beginners Cruiserweight

Kieran Brown 1st No Gi Intermediate 70-79.9 lbs

2nd Gi Advanced 70-79.9 lbs

*Edited- Results provided by www.nagafighter.com

Congratulations to each and everyone of you, certainly, you made us all proud!!

Back to Basics With The New Fundamentals Class!

2011-07-16T21:40:00.001-04:00

On a steamy Friday evening when most of us are seeking the soothing comfort of our pools, or at the local Ralph's Ices drooling over the endless flavors of coolness to help escape the heat, there are a select, dedicated few who chose to keep sweating on the mats, drilling the basics! Under the direction of Prof.Mike Codella and the watchful eye of Coach Sean Gibbons, purple belt, these white belts work on the essentials: shrimping, bridging, framing, elbow/knee escapes and apply them to the common positions.


Coach Sean Gibbons

This class caters to white belts only, to provide them a 'smash free' environment to sharpen their BJJ survival skills. Two nights a week, Tuesdays after the advanced class, with the gi, and Fridays at 6:30pm, no gi, the students will do movement drills, breaking the guard drills, go over techniques then roll live with directions and encouragement from the instructors. The mood is relaxed and the students are invited to suggest areas they are having the most trouble with for specific drilling. Given the size of the class, from 6-12 students, this amounts to invaluable private instruction in the basics that many of us intermediate and advanced players are now "discovering" and coming to grips with their importance in our development.

Prof. Codella stated that Master Renzo Gracie has always preached the necessity of a fundamentals class. While a previous attempt at such a class didn't reach its intended target- it was difficult keeping the advanced students from seeing available mat time and smelling fresh meat!! Couldn't blame him really with the way the Carnivores of Codella have been just killing it on the mats and in the cage! Well, we all know that individual success and growth comes at a price. What we may not know is how it may impact the growth and development of the academy, our team. Over a dozen and a half of new members in recent past are members no longer. Regardless of the reasons for their quick exit it hurts the academy in so many ways. I mentioned in a previous post about the burden we bear as members to represent Codella/Team Renzo to the fullest. It may require us to serve as ambassadors or recruiters or even mentors to our fellow teammates. Whatever it takes, brother! We've all progressed under the wings of a senior student ahead of us. Also, what greater example of an ambassador can we have than Master Renzo, with his lethal gap-toothed smile and who addresses everyone as champ!! Hence, the birth of the exclusive white belt fundamentals class!!

Sincere thanks to Jean, John, George, Junior, Carl and Coach Sean for allowing us a sneak peek of your crew! Keep up the great work!!

Some of Dis, Some of Dat Sunday!!

2011-07-10T19:31:00.002-04:00

Here is an excellent video recap of Master Renzo's recent visit to our academy, put together by one of our teammates, Brian Ruppert and his ace, Steven Badagliacco. On this very same evening one of our brothers was receiving a very special promotion.

Now,let me preface this announcement with this segue- there is a particular traditional martial arts organization, which will remain unnamed, that catches a lot of flack at our academy. In fact, some of our training partners were former members..and currently well on their way to 100% BJJ recovery!! While many organizations will make all sorts of outlandish claims, the traditional martial arts in general must be given their due respect. For those of you that may not know, Prof. Codella studied Kajukenbo, a Hawaiian martial art, and Estacada for many years. Let us not be short-sighted and sleep on these martial arts. I hope to explore the subject of the traditional martial arts and their influence on BJJ practitioners further with Prof. Codella in a future article.

Someone else we can discuss this matter with is Mike 2K(Karate/Kimura) Hanrahan who earned his Sandan- 3rd degree black belt in Okinawan Gojuryu! Congratulations, brother!!

*** Prof. Codella is taking our Academy to whole different level, future world class training facility certain to be mentioned with the likes of Greg Jackson MMA, American Top Team,..ok,a bit lofty but the best badass facility on the East Coast for sure!! We will now be offering classes in Muay Thai- The Art of Eight Limbs!- to be taught by Dom Piscitelli, the training partner of Master Renzo's Muay Thai instructor, Jamie Crowder. Imagine the countless combinations in your arsenal when attacking your opponent: from knees in the clinch to Mike Valente take down or spinning back fist to flying cow hands ala Prof. Fajardo! Unstoppable is what we are destined be!!

***But wait, there's more!! Codella Academy will now be sponsored by Gaspari Nutrition! fine makers of Myofusion protein, Super Pump and Size ON supplements! More specific details regarding Team Gaspari will be forthcoming.

***Save the date- Saturday August 27th, 2011. Evolution Amateur Fights in Rahway, NJ will be featuring our warriors Mark F., Ramy and Mike 2K so far. I'll be sure to keep you posted with ticket and fight card info.

***For all those interested in competing, I added a list on the blog, with links, to upcoming local tournaments. If there are other ev that you would like me to add please contact me via email or leave a message for me at the academy.

Now get to training!!

Who's House Is This? Renzo's House!!

2011-07-08T20:13:00.000-04:00

Master Renzo left our academy over a week ago and our house is still abuzz with that awesome feeling of positive energy and team pride that feeds us all to not only train harder but help our fellow teammates to be the best martial artists they can be. That unselfishness, camaraderie, and display of utmost respect is clearly evident when our Professor, Mike Codella and his teacher and mentor, Master Renzo Gracie are together. This is a relationship that some of us may take for granted or many of us may fail to understand how fortunate we are to be taught and led by a professor who has direct and immediate access to his instructor for not only technical knowledge but moral support and guidance as well. Then there's always the opportunity to roll with Master Renzo and get submitted by him to help one put all that valuable information into perspective!!

As I get older and have spent about four years now at the academy, it's impossible to not appreciate this rich and vibrant lineage that 'We' are integral part of. We, as benefactors, just like our Professor, bear the burden and responsibility to represent Codella Academy and Team Renzo Gracie to the fullest, on the mats and in our daily lives!

Enough with the preaching to the choir, on to the good stuff!! When Master Renzo is in the house, there is always great stuff, laughs aplenty, awesome techniques, hilarious anecdotes, and well deserved promotions!!!

It has to be fantastic feeling to be slapped with your new belt by Master Renzo himself!! Congratulations!!

The following members were promoted:

Yellow belt- Allan

Green belt- Sam, John I. & Chris P.

Blue belt- Marco Codella, Matt Fallon, Hiram Martinez & Anthony Truscelli

Purple belt: Nick Assini, Anthony Balestrieri, Steve Fallon & Sean Gibbons

**Black belt- Mark Conroy

**Black belt w/ 1 stripe- Gerry Fajardo

I'll have the technique videos up on the next blog post. Here are some pics for now...

Master Renzo Bringing The Whoopaz to Staten Island!

2011-06-27T20:59:00.000-04:00

tokyo five brand/renzo gracie

Start to finish, the month of June has been very special for us at the Codella Academy. From legends of BJJ gracing our humble mats, to our teammates, young and old, displaying the tried & true techniques of the Gentle Art in the competition arenas and in the cage. We were honored to receive a masterful and mesmerizing seminar by the esteemed Prof. John Danaher. We also celebrate the launching of this blog, Cageside at Codella's, and look forward to doing bigger and better things with this site for your entertainment and edification!

There was a small but determined squad of two and a half men who invaded New England and just wrecked and pillaged the mats at NAGA and returned home with a treasure trove of medals, championship belts and swords! Props to Big Joe Terranova, Bobby Brown and his son Kieran for repping our Academy in "enemy" territory! Our very own walrus enthusiast Will Couchon took to it the next level at the Dead Serious Tournament, giving professional MMA fighters all they can handle on the mats and coming away with a bronze medal!! At Grappler's Quest, Rene, Joe, Albert Medina and Mike Bergamo brought their A games, fought tough matches and left it all on the mats! Despite some questionable reffing, they all held their heads up high in victory and defeat! Congratulations to Mike on his Silver Medal!! Later that same evening, at Asylum Fight League, Joe 'Thiago' Peteroy would go on to completely dominate and submit his opponent in a grappling match; Nick The Hammer Scianna put up a valiant and determined effort that led to a majority draw; and unfortunately, Mike 2K Hanrahan would not have the opportunity to unleash his skills due to his fight being cancelled as a result of poor cage surface conditions.

All of the above brings us to the Why we're able to do battle in all arenas and excel at it! More specifically, the Who.. our champion and torch bearer for 100% Brazilian Jiu Jitsu...Master Renzo Gracie!

This Thursday, June 30th at 5:30ish!!, Master Renzo will be at Codella Academy to lead the no gi class. Prepare to be wowed, not only by his disarming smile and infectious humor but by his extraordinary knowledge and brilliant breakdown and delivery of these techniques!! Here are some videos of Master Renzo to whet your appetite until Thursday!!

No Excuses! Now Get to Training!!

2011-06-22T22:52:00.001-04:00

"Dad, I thought you said we were going to FunStation??" "No sweetie, I said you were going to have fun at the heavy bag station!!"

At Codella Academy you're never too young to train!! For some of our teammates, babysitting the little darlings isn't going to keep them from getting their rolls in!! No way! Check out the Codella Cub Day Care...excellent supervision provided by certified white belts!!

**Just wanted to share some upcoming projects I have planned, rumors I may have heard, and reminder about an excellent weekend of free fights on cable.

Negotiations have been settled and our very own Ches has cleared his schedule to grant this blog an interview on video as well as share one of his favorite techniques with us. I believe this is an awesome opportunity to gain valuable insight on our senior brown belt. To make things interesting, I'd like to ask the Academy members to provide some questions, in the comments section, to ask of Ches. Nothing crazy or too personal, you will eventually cross his path on the mats! Possibly, his favorite techniques, training routine or competition experience, future plans, etc. There may be something in store for those who submit questions that are selected for the interview!

Its been over a week since the John Danaher Seminar. What do you remember?? There was so much information and details, that unless you were a good black belt who happened to bring his notebook, Prof. Chris Savarese, there are things he stated that have been forgotten or difficult to mentally connect the pieces. I was hoping to create a flow chart of the Seatbelt vs Whizzer position, with the input of those that attended, print copies and make them available for the Codella Team. While the comments will be entered online, the flow chart will not be available online. Are you starting to see a theme here??..Participation is priceless!!

**Rumor- there may or may not be some chatter about an in house tournament, possibly days vs nights!! "But, yo no se nada, I no speakee inglish!!" What I do know is that it is a great training tool for those that are preparing for upcoming tournaments! That is, if it actually becomes a reality! :)

Finally, this weekend will be be great for the MMA fans:

      Friday    6/24 Strikeforce Challengers on Showtime 11:00 PM
   Saturday 6/25 Bellator Fighting Championship MTV2 9:00 PM
   Sunday 6/26 UFC on Versus Channel 9:00PM *All 8 prelim fight to be shown on facebook/ufc!!

Enjoy! See you on the mats and remember, when you're not training, your opponent is!!

Fight Night!

2011-06-19T22:37:00.002-04:00

Who in their right mind would want to mess with a crew of bad asses such as this!! Unfortunately there are many fools who tempt fate and although none of them would find any success, we all, fighters and fans alike, would fall victim to Mother Nature and horrific cage conditions. The setting was perfect, outdoors, cage was set up over home plate, Blue Claws stadium was not overcrowded, the view was great and the company of Codella supporters was awesome!
The first match of the night was announced as a grappling match and everyone was surprised to see Joe competing instead of fighting. Turns out his opponent was over ten pounds underweight and could not or would not fight, not sure of the circumstances, but this seem to coincide with a loud rumbling felt and heard below the stadium seats. Apparently some Team Coach took to redecorating the Blue Claws locker room in disgust of said slight..but at the time of this writing the above incident has not been confirmed!! " Thiago" would win the match by straight armbar from the mount. Speaking of mount, I don't believe I've seen anyone get taken down and mounted as much his opponent was with the exception of Bubba the Grappling Dummy!!
Amazing job, Joe! BTW, The Garv.com posted a recap of the fights and had the audacity to omit the clinic you displayed. I posted a comment on their site to add the results of the match. They responded with praise and a at-a-boy for you but no results. I tried brother!
Nick the Hammer...this is one bad m..dude! He was catching some serious shots and knees from his opponent in the first round. His opponent would get penalized one point for an illegal knee to the head in that round. Rounds two and three were fought mainly in the clinch against the cage, and while his opponent was tiring the Hammer was scoring with shots to the body and short, crisp, T-Rex uppercuts! The fight ended with a majority draw decision. The details are being worked on for a rematch between the two to settle the score. Nick showed a tremendous amount of heart in this fight, fighting back the entire time. You made us all very proud, brother!
The remaining fights at the Asylum Ice Palace would eventually be cancelled, for fighter safety, due to the slippery surface of the cage. As disappointed as Mike 2K was, it was probably for the best because your plan to keep it standing would have would have been seriously hampered. You'll get him next time brother. There are many of your teammates very eager to see you handle your business in the cage!!

While the night ended prematurely, the after party started early in the stands! Some fans felt they should get their moneys worth and put on their bouts! There may have been more fights in the VIP section than in the actual cage!! The last song of the the night would be a piss poor rendition of "Who Let The Dogs Out" by the Lakewood P.D. K-9 Unit!! Until the next time, Peace!

Special Weekend for Codella Academy..

2011-06-17T16:56:00.000-04:00

It's the calm before storm...night before our warriors enter the cage at Asylum Fight League at BlueClaws Stadium. The sky above Lakewood, NJ may appear dark and gloomy tomorrow evening but only because our stars will be sparkling and illuminating the arena when the bell sounds! Joe P. looks like a silent assassin for hire except this hit is going to be on the house! Nick "MB" S. has taken up residence at the academy, putting in mad work, and rain or shine he's coming to deliver!! Mikey 2K H. may be the rookie of bunch, but don't let the friendly smile fool you, this kid is the real deal!
So let's all come out to show support for our brothers, and if you get there early look for Frank Caruti, our first contest winner, he's looking to get the tailgate party started off right!!

This Sunday is an extra special for the Academy..our teacher and fearless leader will be one year.. younger!! Haven't gotten confirmation if this is a "milestone" birthday for Prof. but truth is curiosity may get this cat choked out!! So, that will continue to remain a mystery much like his jiu jitsu!!!

Prof. Mike Codella,
Have a Happy and Blessed Birthday!!

Finally, we honor all the fathers and grandfathers(?? yes, we have at least one of those!!) in the Codella Academy Family. May you all continue to be strong stewards and shining examples to your families!!

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father." Lydia M. Child

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a rope!" Bill Cosby

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong!" Charles Wadsworth

Happy Father's Day!!

**Clipart from www.kidsturncentral.com

And The Winner Is...

2011-06-15T14:00:00.003-04:00

Truth is, if you are training hard at Codella Academy and a part of Team Renzo Gracie you're already a winner!!

Since that already is a given and without any further delay, Prof. Mike Codella, author Mike Mongelli and I were all in agreement and we selected poster "100deuce" as the winner of the essay response contest!! Here is the comment he posted:

100deuce said..I feel the perception of thought changes over time, not the balance of "thinking or feeling". We all have one dollar of concentration to put towards a technique. For example , my triangle that I could never pull off. I put 90 cents into the four steps of getting my leg over my opponents shoulder, controlling the other arm, locking my legs and pulling the head. So much thought and emphasis leaves 10 cents for any problems, adjustments or counters. Professor Mike, through years of practice and thousands of successful triangles, puts 5 cents into the same four steps. This action is more muscle reflex then technique. He now has 95 cents of concentration left to think of where my body is. Does he have to adjust or block a counter. He has thought left over to think of two or three further steps depending on my reactions. This extra room of thought now makes it seem like he's just feeling his position rather then having to deliberately think of each step. I believe with training and experience the required thought for each step diminishes and leaves room for our mind to adapt to a situation, however still thinking. I beleave the statement of "no mind" would be better said as "all mind". The technique needed so little effort that we still have our dollars worth of concentration left to see the smallest detail to make the technique more effective.

June 15, 2011 12:04 AM

Whether it was intentional to remain anonymous or the name was inadvertently omitted, "100 deuce" has until 6:00PM EST today 6-15-11 to identify themselves via email: jaystorm15@yahoo.com

to claim their prize: choice of (1) ticket to Asylum Fight League on 6-18-11, or Codella Gear( 1) Tee or Shorts. If this person is not identified by then, a runner-up will be announced..stay tuned!!

With winners, sparkling hardware always follows be it competition medals, trophies, championship belts( it won't be long until Codella Academy has its own MMA champion!!) and fine jewelry??

Check out this piece from our teammate and brother Juan Rubert & Family at Serenade Diamonds!!

Now that is one beautiful medallion you can wear all day every day with pride!!

***Update- Our winner has been identified and it's our teammate, Frank Caruti (big Hog rider and Paul's brother!). Congratulations. to him...he'll be rocking some Codella Gear compliments of Cageside at Codella's!!

Featured Essay: Thinking versus Feeling

2011-06-09T21:17:00.001-04:00

This short, but thought-provoking essay was written and submitted by our teammate, blue belt Mike Mongelli. Please take a moment to read it and reply, whether you agree or disagree with his premise. It doesn't have to be long but I do encourage you to show your support. You can also check the +1 tab or the reaction box at the end of the post if you elect not to write anything.

**Just to make things a little interesting, for all those that post a comment, one of those entries will be selected, by Prof. Mike-Mike Mongelli and myself, and the winner will get a choice of (1) ticket to Asylum Fight League fights on 6/18/11, (1) academy tee or (1) academy shorts, compliments of Cageside at Codella's. Winner will be announced here on Weds 6/15/11 You don't have to log in to the blog but you do have to write your full name at the end of your comment if you're an academy member; non- members can email me their contact info and guest # assigned to post at jaystorm15@yahoo.com

One complaint I frequently hear from practitioners of martial arts is that they often cannot commit to memory the techniques they perform in class. It is certainly beneficial to do your best to remember what your teacher demonstrates, such as by internalizing these movements by working drills, or even by actually writing down what you observed and executed, but it is not the end of the world if one does not retain everything that is shown. Personally I’ve spoken to and read many articles by black belts who believe that once one reaches the so-called level of master that one then realizes that the martial arts journey is far from over; rather that it begins all over again as though once more, one were a white belt. The point is, learning any legitimate martial art is a commitment to undertaking a lifelong journey – it is absolutely impossible to remember everything!

However, I believe that there is a deeper issue at hand here; one that goes further than simply not being able to commit techniques to cognitive memory – and it is not exclusive to beginners. What I believe is the true problem that these martial artists commonly struggle with, a problem that may cripple their growth and demoralize them into quitting if not addressed, is that they place too much emphasis on the intellectual aspect of learning an art over the concept of learning it by feeling. The way that I learn martial arts is by looking for a balance between my mental and emotional approach to them. While of course one strives to know proper technique, or know how to escape sticky positions, obsessing over every detail in order to attain some semblance of progression or “perfection” will place too much emphasis on the cerebral part of learning, and this poses a legitimate risk of stunting the growth of the martial artist. Seldom do these artists realize that the issue is not that there is too little memory in their approach, but rather instead that there is too little emotion in it (outside, of course, of the frustration they feel, no doubt caused by over-thinking). There comes a point where sometimes one must stop thinking about what is happening and just let the body, which has been physically trained and encoded with the knowledge of the martial art, react instead. I vehemently believe that the entire point of martial arts is to protect yourself through finding this balance.

If you disagree with me and believe that mental obsession is a good thing, or that emotionalizing or feeling martial arts is not important – since you value thought so much, then philosophize over this scenario: if someone on the streets points a gun in your face, how much time are you going to have to “remember” what technique you should use? A bullet can travel faster than the speed of sound; your reaction needs to be even quicker. You will not think about what to do; you will just do. That is the emotional part of training; that is the part that feels the martial art. Do not underestimate the value of learning a martial art by feeling it – it may save your life. Once you attain that balance between the intellect and instinct, only then may the boundaries in your martial arts journey – as well as the boundaries in the overall journey of your life – be removed.

Feel it!

"Pressure...Builds Diamonds!"

2011-06-06T05:09:00.001-04:00

After a recent class, there was a discussion going on amongst teammates regarding one of our fighter's preparations for an upcoming fight. The match would mark the first time this fighter enters an MMA cage. He stated that, other than a grappling tournament, he had no extensive competition experience to draw from in his efforts to suppress the anxiety, or command the dragonflies in his gut to fly in formation!
This fighter has been observed putting in work on the mats- many of his opponents, after rolling, are seen rubbing their shoulders trying regain the feeling in their arms. Conditioning is peaking under the guidance of elite trainer and task master, Jimmy Lopez of M.B.G. as well as the fighter's recent mode of transportation, the messenger mobile. One should not be surprised to hear that one day soon he opts to swim from Brooklyn to Staten Island to avoid the tolls and get in an extra workout! Needless to say his conditioning appears to be on point.
He went on to say that visualization is a technique he's been using to help him focus on his goal. Seeing himself execute his game plan. He has also asked his parents and friends to sit mat side while he spars to cheer him on, to simulate, as much as possible, the crowd and noise effect. Training his body, his mind, his spirit! Hmmm, two things come to mind:(1) this young lion has truly committed himself to suceeding inside the cage, (2) concern and worry are mounting for his opponent for has no idea what he is about to encounter on the night of June 18th!

An older teammate who was listening to the fighter, says to him, "you know, pressure builds diamonds!" Now, rest assured you will not find this statement in any anthology of quotations, but no truer, more meaningful words have been spoken. More importantly, we all understood. It resonated among the group and with good reason. Codella Academy is the cauldron where the transformation begins...where steel sharpens steel!!

Get your tickets and come out to cheer for our brothers, Joe P., Nick S. and Mike H. as they rep Codella Academy at the Asylum Fight League on Saturday June 18th.

****Speaking of diamonds, be sure click on the link to check out and support Serenade Diamonds!!

Rolling Remix #1

2011-06-03T21:36:00.001-04:00

Here's a video of Rene and Emerson rolling no-gi on Thursday morning. I just added some of Prof's favorite music, Black Eyed Peas!! This is my first attempt at this but with persistent practice i hope to create some jazzy highlight videos to showcase the talent of our team members!!

This didn't make the final cut for reasons that will remain "unexplained", but I had to add a still shot of a sweet submission that appears to be heaven sent:

Unfortunately, it was "applied" well after the timer sounded!! :)
It also captures the Codella Academy Warrior Spirit- Never Give Up and Always Look for the Finish!!

Many Thanks to Rene and Emerson....Stay Rolling!!

First Twitter, Now Blogdom!!

2011-06-01T23:30:00.000-04:00

With Prof. Mike Codella's blessing, I, John "Big John" Norman, started this blog as a unofficial academy resource. My intent is to provide a means to let the members 'shine' by posting competition videos, interviewing our senior belts, as well as showcasing the kid's classes and the hardcore Monkey Bar Gym crew!! I hope to add videos of techniques taught in our classes, post tournament info and results, seminars, etc.
Feel free to catch me in the morning classes or contact me via email at jaystorm15@yahoo.com if you have any suggestions or content you would like for me to add to the blog. Looking forward to all comments, good or ...constructive!! :) Peace!