As work teaching English is starting to wind down I've had more time to focus on BJJ. I've been spending quite a lot of time focusing on my students development as opposed to my own. Although,I've found that teaching the basics to people new to BJJ really helps me reinforce my fundamentals. It has also forced me to step outside of my self enforced boundaries and look into new techniques as they evolve in the sport.
There as been a lot of noise about the berimbolo in the BJJ community lately. "What is the berimbolo?" you might ask. The Berimbolo is a position(?) or movement(?) used from - but not exclusive to - the de la riva guard or when someone is standing or kneeling in your guard and you are controlling one of his legs.
Take a look at Renato Tavares' video for a good example of what potential the berimbolo has.
It's a pretty crazy position. Anyone without a good understanding of the fundamentals of de la riva or open guard might pass this movement off as one of those "exotic techniques" or "low-percentage moves". However, if you take a look at this video of Rafael Mendes, you can see that the berinbolo can be used at the highest level of BJJ tournaments.
There will be a number of people out there who might argue against learning the berimbolo as an offensive tool because they: don't like playing guard, lack the flexibility, or whatever. I have to admit that I probably would have been in this camp until I was swept with a berimbolo sweep by Roberto Yokoyama, a recently promoted black belt in Nagoya. I had a eureka moment and immediately asked him to explain the sweep's fundamentals. So to those of you out there with doubts, my reply would be that everyone needs to know what is out there, how it works, and how to defend against it regardless of level, belt color, or lack of interest in the gi. Otherwise you will be limiting your own progression and ignoring a developing technique in BJJ.
Berimbolo rolling into an armbar!? Hell yeah. LOL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dKRkqFav2-I
