The Stats
Age: 22
Belt: Brown
Belt: Brown
Weight class: Middle Weight
Length of training time: 7 yrs.
From: Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia
Nicknames: Cofrinho (piggy bank in Portuguese)
Affiliation: Alliance
Sponsors: Shoyoroll Gi Company, Itsumo Fresh Ahi Tuna
2011
IBJJF Pan Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt
Middle (2nd)
2010
IBJJF World Championship Purple
Belt Middle (1st) Absolute (2nd)
IBJJF Pan Jiu Jitsu Purple Belt
Middle (1st) Absolute (1st)
2009
IBJJF World Championship Purple
Belt Middle(2nd)
IBJJF New York International Open
Purple Belt Middle (1st)Absolute (1st)
2008
IBJJF Pan No-GI Championship
Purple Belt Middle (2nd)
IBJJF Pan Jiu Jitsu Purple Belt
Middle (3rd)
Journey Jiu-Jitsu: At what age and how did you start
training Jiu-Jitsu?
Alec Baulding: I started training Jiu-Jitsu when I was 15. I was always
pretty good at school but I wanted to do something different, something that I
would be great at. I remember looking online to see which martial art was the
best and back in those days there was a website called Bullshido that raised
this question quite a lot. So I watched a lot of videos and went on a lot of
forums and Brazilian Jiu -Jitsu seemed to be the best. Luckily I live in Atlanta,
where there aren’t a lot of schools so Alliance came up first. I truly believe
that I was meant to do Jiu-Jitsu, because the way that everything in my life
has positioned me. Somehow I was able to keep training, and I was able to go to
college right in the city so that I could continue training at Alliance HQ.
JJJ: You are known as Jacare’s
prodigy, how did you first take to training? Explain some of the initial highs
and lows you had? Did it help that you didn’t have to take a Mecca to Atlanta
like some of your other teammates?
AB: I sucked for about 6 or so years then things started
clicking. I have some blue belt matches on the Internet that still make cringe.
There have been too many highs and lows to count. Jiu-Jitsu is a marathon and not a race. However, the best day of my life was when
I
received my brown belt on the same day that Master Jacare was promoted to red
and black belt.
I think starting at Alliance I was able to develop a
great base and to have awesome training partners. I really think that everyone
there can become a world champion.
JJJ: How has Jiu-Jitsu changed you as
a person?
AB: Jiu-Jitsu has made me into the man that I am today. I
have had so many mentors at Alliance that I feel confident that I can do
anything. Besides making tons of
friends, Jiu Jitsu has made me a smarter person and has developed in me a work
ethic that won’t stop until I accomplish my goals. I might still be shy but I feel that I will
become a Renaissance man.
JJJ: What do you feel is your strongest
position and favorite submission? What have you struggled with? Jon Thomas is
known for his guard at Alliance, what would you say you are known for?
AB: I think I’m known to be better on top but I play a lot of
guard. It really doesn’t matter to me. I
like all submissions but I usually get a lot of chokes. I am horrible at
triangles though because I’m short.
Inside the academy I think I’m known for being smooth.
JJJ: What positions are you working on
now?
AB: I have been doing a lot of work with shrimping and I
always create new moves whenever I step on to the mat.
JJJ: Jiu-Jitsu is a sport where you
drown until you eventually learn how to swim. With so many carnivores roaming
the plains at Alliance HQ, how hard is it to become a stand out? What is the
training environment like there?
AB: Standing out at Alliance HQ doesn’t just mean that you
are a great competitor and have some tournament wins under your belt, but that
you are educated and have talents outside of Jiu-Jitsu. Most of my training
partners are college educated, love learning and have mental prowess in
addition to physical prowess. The world
champions at our school have degrees in mathematics, mechanical engineering,
biology, and religious studies.
During tournament season things get very crazy and there
are a lot of characters. Emotions run high and every roll, positioning training
and warm up is like a world championship match.
But outside of competing Alliance is truly a family. I like to think of it as the world’s greatest
experiment because there are so many different types of people and somehow we
all converged at the academy and really forged unique and life long bonds. I
don’t know of any other place where this occurs.
JJJ: You hear a lot of elite fighters
speaking about training 3-4 times a day, eating clean, and avoiding many other
vices. How true is this for you? As a college student, what does your average
training day look like? What do you do to prepare for a competition? Do you
condition, do hot yoga, lift, drill, etc?
AB: I’m probably the most straight laced person in the
Academy, but I make a conscious effort to let myself have fun. During tournament preparation all of that is
normal and I probably won’t stray from eating healthy or training an excessive
amount for a good 6 months.
I normally just go to school, making sure to eat healthy
and to drink water throughout the day: go to the academy teach the kid’s class for 2
hours, take an hour study break and then train. Most of the guys at Alliance
are in school or have jobs. Only a few are able to train twice a day and live
the play boy lifestyle.
My training methods change every year, but I add a lot of
body weight exercises and I just started lifting and of course a lot of
drilling and watching videos.
I was doing hot yoga
but I had a crush on the instructor’s daughter that did not work out. I should
probably start up again…
JJJ: Jiu-Jitsu is getting to a level
where athletes are beginning to take a traditional approach to training like
watching tape or researching potential opponents and seeking assistance from
fitness professionals. Do you incorporate this and other methods into your
training?
AB: I have a lot of friends that like to watch video. Chris
Moriarty and Jon Thomas live by it, but I will watch a match and get fixated on
only one technique and will work on that technique for months. So I have to be careful
to maximize my time. I very rarely research opponents because I would rather do
something more fun.
I wish I could afford a fitness professional. There are
some in Atlanta but you can imagine the budget of a poor Jiu-Jitsu college
student. If you know someone hit me up.
JJJ: A lot of times in Jiu-Jitsu, you
never get any pure BJJ guys, especially those that are winning! Have you
trained any other martial arts or sports, and if so how did they help you in
BJJ?
AB: I started out doing Tae Kwon Do and then I found Jiu-Jitsu,
before that I just played normal American sports like football, basketball,
etc.
JJJ: Do you think it is imperative for
anyone serious about training BJJ to compete?
AB: Yes, everyone should try to compete at least once just to
try it out and to see how they react under pressure. There are so many
professionals and parents that just want to put on a kimono, not get hurt and
learn a little bit of technique. You can be passionate about Jiu Jitsu and not
be a world champion!
JJJ: What do you feel is the most
important physical attribute to take with you into a competition?
AB: Endurance is the most important physical attribute, how
else can you manage the insane amount of matches. Other than that, having heart
might be the overall best.
JJJ: You were a competing purple belt
for well over 2 years; did that contribute to your success over the years? Did
it make the transition from purple to brown easier?
AB: I think I received my purple way too early. Actually, I
got it right as I was starting college in 2007. I learned a lot of tough
lessons as a purple belt. I mostly
remember training a lot and losing a lot but it was a lot of fun. It also
happens that Cobrinha moved to Atlanta around that same time period and that
had an immeasurable impact on my game.
The way my game is just takes me a while to improve, I know some guys
that win everything at their new belts, but for me it is a long process of
trial and error. My transition from purple to brown was surprisingly smooth. I
did not win as much as I wanted to, but I had a lot of excellent experiences, especially
fighting at Abu Dhabi Pro and advances in my drilling technique. Growing pains
I guess.
JJJ: What made you start competing in
the first place? How much of a priority is it in your life?
AB: I started competing because it is a rite of passage at
Alliance. Jiu-Jitsu is a science for us, so a lot of the moves that work for
the advanced guys are taught to the lower belts. This is why Alliance has such a distinctive
style.
Jiu-Jitsu has always been one of my top priorities, I
remember always arranging my schedule around my training so there are a lot of
things that I missed out on while growing up. If you want to be the best, you
have to sacrifice a lot and this is something that any of the long time
competitors can verify for me. Other
than all the serious stuff, my life pretty much revolves around Jiu-Jitsu, all
of my friends train, I make a living teaching it, and it is something that I
will continue doing for the rest of my life.
JJJ: What matches have been
significant in your career? Which ones did you learn the most from?
AB: I think my most notable match was against Willie Leonard
from Team Lloyd Irvin, because no one thought I could win. My most
significant win in my career was wining the Pan absolute and my weight class as
a purple belt. I had a lot of setbacks in the years past and that was the
confirmation that I all my hard work was paying off and that I was getting
pretty decent.
I don’t know about other competitors but I always learn
something new from my tournament matches be it a new technique or mindset.
JJJ: Speaking of absolutes, you have won many titles, yet you are only a middleweight? What do you attribute to your success
in the open weight division? And how do you train for it?
AB: I wish there was some secret. I have been getting paired
up with the big guys for a long time and have lost count of how many times I
have been squished and smothered by our big guy gang. If I were to attribute
anything, it would be to desperation. If
there is a 280 lb guy trying to past your guard you have to develop a good
guard to survive.
JJJ: Do you go into competition with a
game plan, or do you wing it and allow your technique to manifest itself?
AB: Each competitor is different. If I know of the person
then I will try to nullify their strong points, but I really think of Jiu-Jitsu as
an art form and like the natural flow. Whatever happens happens.
JJJ: What are you thinking the moment
before you step on the mat in your first match and your finals match? Are they
the same?
AB: I used to get really nervous, almost like shivering, but
now I have learned to use those emotions to make me better.
JJJ: You are perhaps one of the most
complete competitors at your level, this seems to be a trait that runs in the
Alliance family. How important is it to be able to do everything, and how did
you develop it?
AB: At the end of the day, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial
art and an effective one at that. That means that all practitioners should have
proficiency on their feet doing takedowns, passing guard, playing guard and of
course everyone should know the key self defense techniques that make Jiu-Jitsu
unique.
I would like to think
that I am well rounded because of my old school instructors.
JJJ: What formula would you give to
anyone wanting to place at a major competition?
AB: (effort x time)+support=success
JJJ: In my last competition, I was
choked out cold. Have you ever been choked out in competition?
AB: Not so far, I tapped my first time in competition at the
Abu Dhabi Pro Trial last year…I bet you won’t get caught with the same move
next time right?
JJJ: Oh Yeah!
JJJ: A new year has started, meaning a
new year of grappling competitions will commence. What are your goals for this
year and what tournaments do you plan to compete in?
AB: I’m busy trying to finish up college and starting a new
business, but I hope to do the Pan Ams and the World Championship. It’s like a
big party!
JJJ: Alliance has continued to blow
many teams out of the water year after year by an impressive margin.What do you
think separates Alliance from many other organizations?
AB: There are so many things that make Alliance so
great. Everyone is family here and we are able to maintain that ego-free
environment that is rare with schools with so many good guys. You have to experience
it for yourself.
JJJ: You have some of the best
instructors in the world today. What have you taken from the likes of elite
teachers like Jacare, Fabio, and Cobrinha? How do you incorporate them into
your daily life and training routine?
AB: Fabio is a great instructor, probably the greatest. Anyone
that trains with him will become good and have great basics.
Cobrinha is awesome, he does things his way but he is
such an effective instructor that his move to Atlanta increased everyone’s game
exponentially. I have learned a lot from
him especially about the tenets of hard work and staying humble.
Jacare is my Mestre and I have nothing but respect for
him and for all the time and effort that he has put into me and all of the
other students. Jiu-Jitsu is his life. I know that we may not see eye to eye on
some things, but Alliance is my family and I cannot imagine training anywhere
else or with another team. All of my friends and family train there and it is
truly a special place with a lot of great individuals.
JJJ: Kids class at Alliance? Tell me
how and when you got started with that? What should all kids’ class instructors
incorporate into their teaching?
AB: This is my bread and butter. The current instructor Daren
Roberts approached me and asked if I like working with kids. Before this, I was
just a shy kid that did not have many friends at the academy and I really had a
hard time opening up my shell. I would also like to note that before working
with the kids Daren kicked my butt in my blue belt debut.
Our kid’s class is very structured because children love
stability in the class to the point that we are able to accomplish all of our
daily goals and have time for a fun game or training at the end of every
training session. After almost 7 years of teaching the kid’s class along with
Daren, I feel that we have truly been able to forge bonds with our students and
their parents that go beyond just the normal teacher and student relationship.
We really are a part of their families
I think the best thing that all kids instructors should
do is just listen to their students. Children just want attention and
affirmation from their role models and authority figures.
JJJ: Do you feel that in order to be a
good instructor you have to focus on it 100%? Same question for competing.
AB: This is a pretty open ended question. I believe some
instructors are great teachers while others should just focus on the
competition aspect. Luckily, there is a lot of in between. However, when it comes down to competing you
must give everything: time, money, social life. One of Jacare’s quotes is that
the guys in Brazilian will sell their sister for the chance to compete and win.
JJJ: With the advent of more and more
Americans on the podium at white-brown, how long do you think it will take
before Americans start winning at the black belt level? Do you think you will
be a part of that generation?
AB: I think it’s happening now with guys like JT Torres and
Lovato. The next shift won’t just be Americans winning but also European
competitors placing very soon.
I hope to make my mark on Jiu Jitsu in the future. I’m
taking a small break from training right now, but I have a lot of big plans for
this year.
JJJ: Being a black man, many of my
family members and friends still think I do karate. Have you dealt with any
of these issues? With a handful of blacks already making a name for themselves
in the competition circuit (you, DJ, the Broadnax twins) What do you think can be done to get more of us in the sport?
AB: I get asked this a lot, so I normally will reference the
UFC, wrestling, or judo which are more mainstream martial arts. The only way
people will learn is if you educate them and you have to realize that some
people just won’t understand. There are
a lot of blacks that train; just at the HQ there are four black belts with years
of experience. Back in 2004 Jiu Jitsu was really popular because of the UFC and
and TUF, but I think the move will be towards MMA gyms since they are marketed more.
Jiu Jitsu is a very expensive art form, especially in Atlanta. I don’t imagine many inner city folks will be able to afford it. I was lucky in that my family supported me in my endeavors. My friend Kenny, one the black belts that I mentioned above runs a non-profit Jiu Jitsu school that teaches inner city kids and they are all really good. So maybe this is one way to reach a group that is often overlooked in the Jiu Jitsu community.
JJJ: Last few questions, who is your biggest inspiration?
AB: I love watching the kids have fun training. You would be
amazed at some of the techniques that they happen upon by accident and they
genuinely have fun training.
JJJ: What do you feel is your biggest
accomplishment in Jiu-Jitsu?
AB: Being a good instructor is my biggest accomplishment. Winning
is cool, but nothing beats teaching a class full of 4 year olds and them giving
you a big hug after a great class.
JJJ: Any setbacks in 2011?
AB: I competed at the worlds last year but did not placeL. There is a picture of me being
awesome on GracieMag from that tournament.
Talk about a set back!
JJJ: What do you do for fun besides
train?
AB: Playing with puppies and watching Netflix.
JJJ: Have you gotten any ladies with
the “I’m a world champion” line? What other opportunities has BJJ given you?
What countries has it taken you too?
AB: I wish, Jiu-Jitsu is not as cool in Atlanta as it is in
California. Jiu-Jitsu has allowed me to get through college and to meet
professionals outside of the mat like my friends David Leibowitz and Enan
Stillman. I have done most of my traveling within the U.S., but I have been
invited to go train with the Japanese Olympic judo and wrestling teams. How
great is that!
JJJ: Top 5 songs ever, go!?
AB: Right now- Karate by Kennedy, Jail bait by PANTyRAID,
Headlines and Make Me Proud by Drake
In the past- People of the Sun by Rage Against the Machine
