One of my most beloved gis is my first Toro. It fits great, is comfortable, has just the right amount of wear so I look like neither a first-day guy nor a slob, and it has my team and affiliation patches on it. It was my regular competition gi for a long time, and some of my favorite tournament memories happened in that gi. I still train in it regularly.
So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when it finally got the funky gi smell. I know because one of my training partners informed me of this in the manner of De La Soul:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJEArOnEbcE
Granted, this dude has scent powers comparable to Daredevil or Willy the Nose from the McGurk Mysteries. Still, the lesson was clear. If I wanted to keep using this righteous gi, I had to be a considerate training partner.
I’m a pound-for-pound sweating champion, so I try super-hard to stay on top of the standard BJJ hygiene practices — deodorant, regular showers, nails clipped, teeth brushed, etc. — but my “body as a temple” attitude had to extend to my gi, too. So I returned to a tactic that I’d used for months but gotten away from after I ran out of it. I want to tell y’all about it.
This embarrassing incident caused me to go back to Odoban, which is a product you can get for $10 at various home improvement retailers. They use it in fire restoration, so you know it’s powerful. Throw a little bit of it into the load of laundry and your old gi comes out smelling fresh. I’d used it before (for similar reasons), but had slacked off until being duly chastised.
I am not sponsored by Odoban and have not received any compensation for this unsolicited endorsement, although if y’all want to ship a case to the Dirty White Belt Mansion in historic Durham, NC, I promise it’ll get used.
We all know who That Guy is. None of us want to be him. I was him for a session. Don’t let this happen to you!
Hi folks! A couple of longer posts are in the works, but for now I just want to do a quick one announcing a couple of new offerings from Toro BJJ.
I haven’t been doing a ton of design work lately, since I’m organizing Toro’s first card of local BJJ superfights (more on that later). There’s a new shirt out today, though, and it hearkens back to those innocent days of getting up early to eat cereal and train:
I’ve been leading a 6 a.m. drilling group for a while that has now morphed into an early morning fundamentals class, and I firmly believe training is the best way to start the day — hence the shirt.
You can buy it here, and if you use the discount code “free15” you’ll get free shipping.
I’m also really excited about a forthcoming rashguard. You can’t buy this yet, but it’ll be available soon and I can’t wait to share it. (If you’re really psyched to get early previews of new gear, you can always follow me or Toro BJJ on Instagram: most of the works in progress get shared there first).
This one was inspired by the era where, in the words of Vast Aire, “when every video game was 8-bit / and you get popped in your mouth for …” … well, you know the rest.
There are some details I want to tweak, but here’s the gist:
And the close-up view, featuring inside jokes about the De La Riva guard:
Thank you for putting up with these commercial messages. We now return you to your regularly-scheduled programming.
It’s that time of year again: when the grappling tights come out, everyone wears rash guards under their gi tops and I write a gift guide post.
While you might assume that these posts are thinly-veiled ways of showing people what *I* want — and you wouldn’t be wrong — this time I solicited opinions from BJJ gear groups on Facebook, friends and other people obsessed with jiu-jitsu. And I’m recommending some items I already own and like — just to benefit you, the reader.
Show this to people that want to buy you things. Hopefully, this helps you get what you want under the tree this year.
For people looking to buy gifts for grapplers, you might want to take a gander at the 2012 and 2013 versions of the Gift Guide. The first one has general advice that’s still applicable, even if the specific product information is outdated.
Let me repeat a few suggestions from the first gift guide. You could get your grappler a private lesson with their instructor or with another great teacher; you could purchase a tournament entry for them, since tournaments are great training; or you could donate to a charity like the George Pendergrass Foundation or Tap Cancer Out.
If you’d like something tangible to stuff a stocking with other than a certificate, though, read on.
GIS, SHIRTS AND OTHER APPAREL
As most everyone who reads the blog knows, I do some design work for Toro BJJ. That’s full disclosure. But I am also an ethical shill, and I’m not going to recommend anything I don’t believe in. So let me get the Toro promo right out front:
We have a killer new gi out right now, the Toro “Dark Horse” black and gold gi. I didn’t design it, so I can’t take credit for it, but this thing is comfortable, light and looks great. I get compliments on it everywhere I train. It’s one of my regular training gis, and despite many washings, the color has held up really well. And I don’t even usually like black gis! You won’t regret it: pull the trigger on this one.
Majestic. And the gi is also nice.
For your off-the-mat wear, we have grey hoodies and thermal t-shirts that I think turned out really cool. And always be watching for the limited edition rashguards we put out! I don’t know if the Toro spats will be out by Christmas or not, but look for those too.
Non-self-promotion category: I own a good deal of E Nois gear, and I’m really pleased with it. Their gis are comfortable and stylish, and their designs are original. Scope out their t-shirts and sweatshirts: I like the “choke from mount” one myself, but maybe that’s because one of their other design is printed on a gi that I already rock on the regular. Have a gander, I practically guarantee you find something you like there.
As for other gis, I’m intrigued by Tatami’s The Tank. Tatami is a longstanding company with a good reputation, and this is a heavyweight double weave gi that comes in at 950 GSM (compared to 450 for the Toro). Not an everyday use gi, at least here in North Carolina, but you can bet that this thing is going to last — and it’ll be tough to choke you in it.
Maybe you want to give something that isn’t necessarily wearable, but will help someone improve their jiu-jitsu. Well, consider …
DVDS AND ONLINE SITES
Look, jiu-jitsu players love to watch videos. One of my training partners just told me that whenever he looks at my instructional collection, this is what he sees:
As for DVD sets and apps out now: Ryan Hall is an elite competitor and a tremendous instructor. I’ve bought each of his DVD sets and never been disappointed. It’s too late for someone to buy his Defensive Guard and Open Elbow set for me — they’re already on the way — but if you’re looking for a great DVD set, I’m sure you can’t go wrong here.
I can also personally endorse Roy Marsh’s guillotine seminar instructional. I was at this seminar, and Roy put together an amazing set of principles, concepts and techniques. At $20, it’s a steal. This might be the best value for the money instructional available.
As for something I don’t own but am intrigued by: Shawn Williams has a Williams Guard DVD set that’s also available as an app and on BudoVideos On Demand site. This looks awesome and I’m excited to learn it.
One warning: I wouldn’t buy the On Demand stuff again. I bought the Michael Langhi material On Demand, and Budo Videos did a site upgrade which has cut off my ability to watch it for several weeks. This is a huge bummer, and I wish I’d bought the DVDs.
Grumbles aside, online sites can be excellent resources. The two online membership sites I always recommend are MendesBros.com and the Marcelo Garcia site, MGInAction. But Braulio Estima and Rafael Lovato Jr. also have membership sites now, and while I haven’t checked those out, I’d be really excited if someone got me a membership. ART
I’m talking to you, people who date martial artists: don’t you want to brighten up your living space with a little artwork? If you are, just bypass the usual quibbling about whether the Dogs Playing Poker are funny (spoiler alert: they are). Go straight to the martial arts themed artwork.
If you wanted to make me squeal with delight, though, you’d get me this incredible Bruce Lee print by one of my favorite artists, Phil Hansen. Phil karate-chopped the paint onto the canvas to create the work. Don’t take my word for it, either:
This thing hanging on the wall would annoy my girlfriend, of course. But isn’t annoying the ones you love what the holidays all about? Between that and open mats, I think we have it covered.
A couple of long posts planned: Mundial recap plus a historical post I’m excited about. But Toro just released a shirt I made, which is a bit of a regional in-joke, but if you’re from the south and like biscuits, maybe you think it’s funny.
Just a quick post since I’m swamped training for the New York Open: the rashguard I made for Toro is up on BJJHQ tonight at 11! I know some people wanted one and missed out last time. It sold out fast last time, so try to get yours early this time!
It’s been a while since my last post for two reasons: first, a lot of great stuff is happening (a few long-in-the-works designs are about to come out); and second, I’m in the process of finishing up a snazzy new website where I’ll migrate the blog. Stay tuned on that.
To me, a nerd is someone that is passionate about something that is not mainstream. … BJJ is an immersive culture, as are many nerd subcultures as well, and I think that’s not a coincidence. I think that folks that get passionate about certain aspects of cultural experience, [and] there is a particular personality type that is drawn to that. For some of us, that may be Doctor Who or comic books. It may be science fiction or ren faires or Dungeons and Dragons. Or martial arts history. It’s different for everybody, but it’s kind of cool to see the two parts of my world that are important to me fold in on themselves.
Shorter version: Nerd Life, that’s my alibi.
TARDIS training!
Anyway, it’s a fun interview. Check it out if you’re so inclined: you’ll get a preview of some new designs I’ve got coming out!
If you’re reading this, you either do Brazilian jiu-jitsu or know someone who does Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Last year, I put together a Gift Guide post that had the latter folks in mind. Let’s do this again, once more with feeling.
If you train, you probably have a pretty good idea of what makes a cool gift for your friendly neighborhood martial artist. If not, you might wind up with beautifully-wrapped karate gi under the tree and a recipient trying desperately to force a smile. Don’t let this happen to you!
Note: I own and enjoy most of the things below, so I’m not just shilling for myself, I promise. And as most folks who read the blog know, I do some work for Toro BJJ, so I’m only going to have one Toro-related entry.
Items on this list range from $10 or so to “however much you want to spend,” so hopefully there’s something for everyone.
INEXPENSIVE ($10-20)
Jiu-Jitsu In The South Zone, 1997-2008: Like BJJ history? Check this out. I got this book earlier this year on the recommendation of a black belt, and it didn’t disappoint. The lesson, as always: listen to what the black belts say. It combines the Global Training Reports into one handy package, and contains excellent slice-of-life material about incredible jiu-jitsu practitioners — including many you might not have heard of and including stories you almost certainly haven’t heard.
Toro BJJ T-Shirts: Yes, I made these shirts. But I wouldn’t do work for Toro if I didn’t believe in the products, and obviously I made the Hapkido Man and Double Guard Pull shirts because I think they are funny takes on our unique subculture. Unfortunately, the “Just Train” shirt appears to be sold out right now. All the Cageside and Toro shirts are very comfortable and moderately priced, and a good shirt is a great gift.
MODERATELY EXPENSIVE ($21-70)
Roots of Fight Brazil Hoodie: Generally, I am a huge hoodie fan. Specifically, I am a huge fan of this one: it’s modeled after the original Academia Gracie gear. One of my good friends has this. It’s comfortable, stylish, and distinctive. It’s also versatile: if your friends are always giving you static for wearing only jiu-jitsu gear, this is subtle enough that only the in-the-know will notice.
A Hemp Belt: I’m a big believer in hemp as a fabric. I also support efforts to bring back America’s manufacturing sector. That’s why I’d like my next belt, whenever that comes, to be The Green Gi’s American-made hemp belt. (Sidenote: their hemp gis are shipping this week as well, and I’m very excited to get mine. I pre-ordered.)
Important note for non-BJJ folks: if you’re considering buying a belt as a gift, here’s one thing to do. You want to get the belt, not tell them about it, and give the belt to their instructor. Just say “hey, I don’t know anything about this whole belt promotion thing. But I wanted to do something for [Insert Name], so whenever it happens, could you hand them this belt and let them know it’s from me?” I know some people don’t mind having a spare belt around, but personally, I want to wear the belt my instructor hands me.
An Art Print: I’m a huge fan of Meerkatsu, who is a terrific artist and also does a great deal of charity stuff. He has a bevy of products to choose from, including rash guards and shirts and spats and … you name it. This year, how about an art print? I’m particularly fond of the Rosie The Riveter “Try Jiu-Jitsu” piece. Personal tastes can vary, so if Meerkatsu isn’t your speed, maybe something by John Smalls suits your fancy.
Dom Gi Material Jacket: For a little heavier-duty jacket, I love this offering from Dom. I got to try one on at the Mundials and really dug the look, fit and feel. It’s the season for warmth and collar chokes, and what better to serve both needs than a jacket made of gi material?
Membership to an Online Site: This could be tricky, because there are a lot of sites out there. The good thing is, a lot of the sites are great. I have a membership to MendesBros.com and have been really happy with it. The Marcelo Garcia site MGInAction has a mountain of content from one of the greatest of all time. But if you want something fresh and new, the Caio Terra online training site is supposed to open in about 36 hours.
Ryan Hall’s Guard Passing DVD Set: Ryan Hall is an elite competitor and a top-notch instructor. I’ve only had the chance to watch a little of this, but it is just what I expected so far: excellent concepts, critical details and an expert’s ability to convey the information. His earlier DVDs are also excellent, and this is new: a great addition to any grappler’s video collection.
Of course, the Toro Uchina gi should be out sometime in February, so if you want to give *me* a present, you could wait and get one of those. In the meantime, I hope one of these works for you.
I have seven or eight t-shirt designs in the works for Toro BJJ, and one of the first ones is out now! The best jokes are in-jokes, and this one hearkens back to the Gracies In Action videos.
Check it out, and watch an excerpt of the clip it’s based on here.
I love gear bags. A great bag is the ultimate marriage of function and form.
When my trusty Cageside mesh bag (a perfect fit for me, since I could use it for scuba diving as well) finally gave up the ghost this fall, I was in denial. I kept lugging it around until I almost lost several pieces of gear through the ever-growing holes. That bag was tough: I’d carried it around the world, exposed it to saltwater, and generally beat it up until it finally couldn’t take any more.
The timing turned out to be perfect. Because I needed a new bag right before the Pans, my mom got me the Datsusara Gear Bag Core, one of two new releases from the company, for my birthday.
If you feel like exploring all there is to know about the Core, check out Datsusara’s 5 minute video tour. If not, let me give you the capsule summary: this bag is fantastic. It’s huge, but light, well-organized, and versatile — it’s not just a great grappling bag, it’s luggage you can take on vacation, jiu-jitsu or not.
Let me take a step back. For just going to class, maybe the bag you select isn’t super-important. You can always just tie your gi up in a belt and sling it over your shoulder. But when you train a lot, and when you travel to train, it makes life a lot easier to not worry about how you’re going to fit that extra gi, where your mouthguard is, or where you set your nail clippers.
The Core solves a lot of problems, all in one. Let me list them in order.
1. This bag will fit all of your stuff in it. This thing is so huge that I’m curious about the demographic that buys the larger version, the Pro. I mean, I’m a little guy, but look at my attempt to re-create some of the stuff I took to the Pans in this photo.
In case you can’t decide between your white, black or blue gi …
Look at all of that! It includes three complete gis and vale tudo shorts for wearing under said gis; belt; three complete no-gi uniforms, including full spats; bathroom scale; Sambazon smoothie and protein bar (no fresh fruit in the house today, sorry); water bottle; ibuprofen; notebook and pen; mouthguard; Leatherman tool with nail clippers; headphones, media player and e-reader for those boring times between matches.
That’s plenty to meet your needs when you travel for a big tournament, go on vacation and want to have plenty of gear, or do a training camp where you have three sessions a day. Right? Well, the Core doesn’t just fit all of that stuff, it fits all of that stuff easily.
No stuffing required.
All of the major gear fits in the main pouch without any effort whatsoever. I’m talking about no rolling, no stuffing — you just set your mountain of gear in there and it fits easily. also notice that there are two large side pockets that I didn’t have to touch for this: for vacation trips, that’s where your boring real-world clothes can go.
The bottom is wide enough to accommodate even larger scales, so you can bring your own weight-check apparatus when you travel to compete. Believe me, this is a major help, and even if you’re habitually on-weight, your teammates will thank you.
2. The pockets make it easy to organize your stuff. If you’re like me, you don’t like having to dig through everything to find out where the rattle of your ibuprofen bottle is coming from. Don’t worry: there are tons of pockets with intuitive size and spacing, so there won’t be problems designating where your mouthguard, nail clippers, media player and other stuff goes.
Four pockets on the side.
Even if (like me) you’re Obsesso The Clown in terms of tourney prep, this bag will cater to your crazy. There’s probably a pocket for that stupid good luck charm you have that doesn’t work. There certainly is for your notebook, pain reliever, snacks, mouthguard, clippers, and whatnot. Especially the whatnot.
Easy access mesh pockets on the end for beverages.
3. You don’t have to worry about getting your gross wet gear mixed up with your fresh gear. This is huge, and is actually the best part of the bag for me. I’m chronically prepared to train, so I like keeping extra gear everywhere. But it sucks to step out of an excellent session and have some sweaty gear that either must sit open in your car, smelling up the joint, or go back in your bag, contaminating your fresh gi.
The Core comes with an internal Dry Bag where you can stash your stanky stuff. Also, this is cool: it has a gi bag-style design, so it’s easy to wear as a mini-backpack. At the Pans I used the main Core to house all of the gear I’d need for the weekend and the Dry Bag as my day pack, where I put my wallet, keys, ID, mouthguard and whatever else I thought I’d need in the bullpen.
De-stinkifying my gis since last month.
A tiny quibble is that the Dry Bag is really only big enough to fit one gi and related garments, so if you’re training a couple of times a day without going home, you might have to pack it in or leave some nastiness out of the bag. But in that case — or if you’re a huge human who wears an overcoat or something when you roll — you can always designate one of the side pockets for spillover.
4. It’s the little details. I haven’t said anything about the fact that the bag is made of hemp, which is durable and has anti-microbial properties. It’s not that I don’t think that’s important — I pre-ordered The Green Gi, after all — but the other stuff actually impressed me enough that the fabric is relatively low on my list of things I like about the Core.
Another nice touch: a lot of larger bags skimp on the shoulder strap, which makes the bag no fun to carry. Not so here. I lugged this thing all over New York City, and it was very comfortable every step of the way.
[Arnold voice] “Strap in.” [/Arnold voice]Convinced yet? Great! … I probably should have mentioned that the first run is sold out. But Datsusara says “there is another larger batch coming later this month and should be shipping by the first week of November.”
Note: I’ve never worked for Datsusara in any capacity, freelance or otherwise, and this is actually the first of their products I’ve used. I just dig the bag.
THE BOTTOM LINE
PRODUCT: Datsusara Gear Bag Core PRICE: $109.95 ON A SCALE OF 1-10: 9.5 (I’d give it a 10 if the Dry Bag was a little bigger).
![[Arnold voice] "Strap in." [/Arnold voice]](http://dirtywhitebelt.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/img_5781.jpg)