Get Healthy 4 All

With everything in life, it seems to be a lot easier when there is a guide on how to do it, from something as simple as changing the oil in your own vehicle to learning how to groom yourself to be the next black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There are obstacles that we face in our continuous journey up that steep mountain to the black belt and then back down. Now it seems you don’t have to stumble over your own feet because there is now a blueprint to becoming a black belt. Yes, a road map and approach that will make it a lot simpler for you to get that elusive black belt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nic Gregoriades has brought this very complex but simple blueprint to our very own fingertips. I was asked to read his book and give my very best at reviewing this Black Belt Blueprint and I must say I am very excited about doing so. Well I am sure you would like to know who is Nic Gregoriades if you didn’t know already.

 

Nicolas Gregoriades is a South African grappler who was the first Jiu Jitsu practitioner to have received a black belt from the great Roger Gracie. Gregoriades is also an accomplished competitor and one of the founders of the “Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood”, a BJJ community with affiliates all over the world. As well as the aforementioned achievements, Nicolas Gregoriades is also part of the cast of “The Journey Podcast”.

 

But if anyone could help you get a better understanding of what it is to be a black belt and to help you with a blue print to receive your very own black belt it would be this man. Not only for what he has achieved, but Nic is a great teacher and very philosophical in his approach.

 

THE WEIGH IN: WHAT YOU GET

 

First off, with this book you are probably wondering if you will get anything out of it if you have been practicing Jiu-Jitsu for any amount of time and have already ranked up to a higher belt. The answer is simply, yes! The book can be used by first day greenhorns or by purple and brown belts that are feeling a plateau or stuck in a rut. There is something to be had for any level of practitioner. Even I got heaps out of it and I’m a black belt.

 

Black Belt Blueprint consists of 174 pages of knowledge and experience that you won’t see written anywhere else. It is about time we get a book on how to get to black belt step by step.

 

FIRST LOOK IMPRESSIONS:

 

Taking a glance through the whole book I stumbled across a lot of interesting topics that you don’t realize are so paramount in your progression until you actually sit down and read each section. It covers basically any questions that you might have about BJJ and progressing towards your goal of black belt.

 

CONTENT AND LAYOUT IMPRESSIONS:

 

The content in this book is absolutely great. Nic covers everything from what equipment you will need as a beginner to how to breathe and read your opponent to see who is more exhausted. The layout is simple and very effective and in my opinion one of the best books out. You will see the following in this book.

 

Before You Start

 

• How To Use This Book

• My System and Why it Works

• Where to Train

• Equipment

 

The Framework

 

• A Brief History of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

• How Jiu-Jitsu Works

• The Positions

• The Three Pillars of a Black Belt

• Progressing Through the Belt System

 

Concepts

 

• Breathe Control

• Dominating the Center

• Using Angles Effectively

• Expansion / Contraction From Center

• Posture & Structure

• Power Point and Base

• Eye & Head Movement

• How to Attack Joints Effectively

• The B.O.S.S. Principle

 

On the Mat

 

• The Importance of Repetition

• Memorize Techniques Efficiently

• Fundamental Movements

• Essential Defensive Techniques

• Essential Attacks

• Understanding the Grip

• Training for Competitions‘

 

Invisible’ Jiu Jitsu

 

• Awareness

• The Relaxed & Efficient Grappler

• Balance

• Practice Without Your Hands

• Training with Closed Eyes

• The Flow Drill

 

Improving Off the Mat

 

• The Power of Visualization

• Flow Diagrams

• Supplemental Training

• Basic Conditioning Workout

• Yoga & Jiu Jitsu

• Nutrition for Jiu Jitsu

 

The Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle

 

• The Essence of Jiu Jitsu

• Competing

• Avoiding Common Injuries

• Training in Brazil

• Overtraining

 

HIGHLIGHTS AND PERSONNEL FAVORITES:

 

I have to admit that the book is the most complete and in depth step by step guide to getting a black belt. If you can follow this book you will get a black belt! Overall I have to say that every part of this book is equally as good and I would break all of it down for you but that would take too much time. So, instead I will share with you some things that really stuck out in my mind as important and will explain the depth and attention to detail that Nic puts into this book.

 

1. Breathing Concept – Something that is as little as breathing can make up such a big part of being able to survive and ultimately win on the mat. Nic describes different techniques on how to breathe and how to read your opponent simply through feeling the opponent’s breathing patterns. Nic even points out that breathing can even control your own ego. If you are concentrating on your own breath and controlling your breathing then you aren’t thinking about winning, losing or anything other than making sure you are in control of your own body. It doesn’t seem like a big detail but it really is if you aren’t familiar with these techniques. Nic even goes into coordinating your breathing with your movements, which is paramount in optimizing your body movements. I don’t want to spoil all the points he brings to the table in that chapter, you just have to get the book to see what I’m talking about.

 

2. Flow Diagrams – Before you take any road trip, don’t you try your best to make sure you know where you’re going? BJJ is the exact same way! If you roll around without any real knowledge of where you want to end up, you might find yourself in a bad position and losing ground really quickly. Nic hits on using and making your own flow diagrams that are specific to your strengths and weaknesses so that you don’t end up getting caught in a position that isn’t advantageous to your game plan. He uses Rickson Gracie’s flow chart as an example and then explains how he uses his own flow charts to help him progress. Utilizing flow charts is a very awesome way to progress in BJJ and hit that black belt right on schedule. Kudos to Nic for adding this chapter. It was one of my favorites.

 

3. Honorable Mentions – Like I said at the very beginning of the highlight portion, every chapter in this book is necessary and useful to any practitioner. Nic even mentions in the beginning of his book to skip ahead to the chapters that are applicable to your rank, he doesn’t treat every reader like you must listen to everything he says. He simply acknowledges that not every reader will be at the same level and encourages you to use what will work for you at your current level and to forget the rest. With that being said I would still encourage everyone to set aside what he knows and just start from the beginning. Every academy I have ever visited has given me some new insight or way of looking at things and I was thankful for that. Some of the chapters I didn’t expand on but still deserve a mention are the following.

 

Invisible Jiu-Jitsu (the whole chapter) – one of my favorites’s and will always be the staple in Rickson Gracie’s BJJ game. I love this whole chapter and you will as well.

The Frame Work Chapter – This is a very good chapter for any level to go back over to refresh on. I have said it before and will say it again; the basics are what wins fights and are the basics for a reason. Go back over these and refresh your knowledge every three to four months to make sure you are still on point with those.

 

THE GOOD: AHEAD ON POINTS:

 

-The only book out there that lays out the best path to the black belt.

- One of the best “how to” BJJ books I have ever read.

- Years of knowledge from an awesome black belt packed into a couple hours of reading.

- You won’t find this anywhere else!

 

THE BAD: BEHIND ON POINTS:

 

- If you like reading for hours upon hours you won’t like this book. (It isn’t the game of thrones)

- If you know everything already don’t read this book. (You will see that you don’t know everything)

- There isn’t a single thing that I could say negative about this book! JUST GO BUY IT!!

 

FINAL THOUGHTS: WINNERS PODIUM

 

The bottom line here my fellow BJJ brothers and sisters, this book has the potential to put you on a track to filling all those gaps and insecurities in your own game. You will walk away with something from this book that is worth the cost of this product. Nic has put together years and years of training into a one of a kind book that is a sure fire way to progress and accomplish whatever your goals in BJJ are. Don’t waste your weekend party money on a couple of beers when you could spend it on the knowledge that would be equal to Indiana Jones finding the Holy Grail. Pick this book up the day and it could forever change the way you look at BJJ.