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Ask A Champ: Jonathan Thomas

The Stats

Age: 25

Belt: Brown

Weight class: Feather

Length of training time: 8 Years

From: St. Louis

Nicknames: Macarrao (macaroni in Portuguese)

Affiliation: Alliance

Sponsors:   Ground Control Fight Gear, Gorilla StrengthResistance Bands

2011

IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Champion Brown Belt Feather

IBJJF Mundials Champion Brown Belt Feather

2009

IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Champion Purple Belt Feather

IBJJF World Championships Champion Purple Belt Feather

2007

IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Champion Blue Belt Feather

Journey Jiu-Jitsu: At what age did you start training Jiu-Jitsu? 

Jon Thomas: 17.

JJJ: Initially, how did your family and friends react to you training? Do they support you? 

JT: My family was cool with me starting jiu-jitsu.  They were less excited when I decided to quit my job to move to Atlanta and train full time.  Now that I am doing well with seminars and privates I think they see it more as a possible real profession when I open a gym one day.

JJJ: How did you first take to training? Explain some of the initial highs or lows you had? 

JT: I started in St. Louis with Rodrigo Vaghi, I trained there from 2004 until 2008, I learned all my basics and a lot of what I have accomplished today is from my time training there.  The strong basics I developed there laid a very strong foundation for me to build the rest of my game on.  

JJJ: Why did you make the switch?

JT: Once I had decided that I wanted to do jiu-jitsu full time and eventually compete at black belt one day, I started watching a lot of competition videos and saw a lot of the top level competitors using spider guard, x guard, etc and more advanced positions. I decided that I needed to have more exposure to some of the top level competitors who play these kinds of positions.  I found out Cobrinha and Jacare were in Atlanta, so I moved there. I saved up money for a year so I could train full time for 8 months and prepare for the 2009 Pans and Worlds, which I eventually went on to close out with Michel Langhi.

JJJ: How has Jiu-Jitsu changed you as a person?

JT: It has definitely changed me tremendously, when I started I was kind of a shy math nerd; I never exercised and all I did was play video games, (laughs).  After I started doing jiu-jitsu the crowd I was hanging around lead me to start going out more and making tons of friends, and now I am probably one of the most outgoing people you will ever meet.  I feel like I am very in tune now with what makes me have a happy life; diet, exercise, good friends, relationships, and goals.  You have to have balance.

JJJ: What do you feel is your strongest position and favorite submission? What have you struggled with? 

JT: Definitely the strongest trait in my game is my re-positioning.  A lot of people are concerned with their offense and want to work all the new fancy moves, but if you don’t have good re-positioning in your guard then none of that will matter.  When you compete and you have 4 or 5 matches at some point someone is going to get past your legs and try to finish a pass if you don’t have good re-positioning then you will give up the pass and you can’t afford that.  I would say my passing has always been weaker than my guard game since I spend most of my time developing my guard.  Guard is so important if you don’t come from a strong wrestling background, you can have the best top game in the world but if you can’t sweep the guy or get a take down then you will never get there.

JJJ: How did you improve your repositioning?

JT: Side control escapes. Developing a very good side control escape is one of the best ways to develop your re-positioning.

If you are very good at escaping side control then it is hard for someone to put you there in the first place.

JJJ: What positions are you working on now?

JT: I have been working a lot on my passing in general. I feel like my passing has come a long way in the past year. I really look forward to showing off my guard passing at this year’s Pans and Mundials.

JJJ: When did you first compete? Were you one of those guys that won at every belt level or did you go through a “suck” period? Looking back, do you ever cringe at the thought of your older competitions?

JT: I took to competition fairly well.

JJJ: A lot of people say that schools matter when it comes to competing. Do you think that it matters what school you attend, and why?  

JT: I came from a smaller gym in St. Louis. I won the Pan Ams at blue belt before I moved to Alliance.  I think if you train very smart you can become a world champion level athlete up to the brown belt level training anywhere.  I think it is easier if you train at a top gym.  However if you are trying to be a black belt world champion I do think you will eventually need to train with other top level athletes.  You need feedback that you can only get from sparring with world class competitors everyday.

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? 

JT: You definitely need to train a lot that is for sure.  I hear a lot of people talk about training 4 times a day, I think this can be misleading.  When you train there are two things you are trying to develop physical attributes and technical attributes.  When you are trying to increase fitness levels such as strength, explosiveness, muscle endurance, or cardio you have to be intelligent about how you train.  When you work out your are breaking your muscles down, and the most important  thing for progress is allowing them to recover.  If you go to the gym and kill your body all day everyday then you sacrifice strength gains and can make your body worse off.  You have to train a reasonable amount while still allowing time for recovery and progress physically.  However some people who are very gifted or use performance enhancers can still make gains while training like this but they are the exception, not the rule.

Training technique is a different story.  You can train technically as much as you want there is no physical limit on that.  I train 3-4 times a day, but that means I do strength training once, sparring at the gym once, another session where I do light technical training to develop technique, and one more session where I do Positional Sparring  and drills to solidify stuff into my game.  So yes I train 4 times a day, but I am not killing my body all day everyday.  

JJJ: I have been hearing a lot about this thing called drilling and positional sparring. A lot of top guys live by it, and attribute most of their competition success to it. What is your take on drilling, and what is your preferred method?

JT: I have a slightly different view on drilling from a lot of people.  I prefer positional sparring over drilling.  The problem I see with drills is that people learn a move and start drilling it hundreds of times, the problem is that they have never used it in sparring so they don't really understand how the move works when someone is resisting.  When someone drills something 100 times and one detail is off they are strengthening bad technique.  The first time they try it while sparring they realize it is completely different from how they imagined the move to work.

The reason people drill is because they are trying to improve their pattern recognition.  Pattern recognition is your mind/body’s ability to respond to an action with out thought, automatically.  I prefer positional sparring to develop pattern recognition over drills.  

When I am learning a new move i will drill it 2 or 3 times to make sure i have the general idea of the technique.  The next thing I do is I tell my partner to resist the technique as hard as he can when I try to use it.  Usually the move wont work after this, then we will discuss what happened and keep tweaking the move until all the details are correct and it works.  After I can perform the move with resistance then I will start drilling it.  The other time I like to do drills is when I get closer to a tournament I will start drilling all the moves that are already in my game to keep them sharp and make sure they are fresh in my arsenal.

JJJ: How do you think the 10k hour rule relates to jiu-jitsu? Do you really put in time on this level?

JT: I definitely put in a lot of time, but I see some flaws with the 10k hour rule.  If you don’t train smart then 10k hours can be as useful as someone else training 4k hours.  You have to train smart, that is the most under valued aspect of training.  If I am doing intelligent positional training in specific positions I can learn in 10 hours of training what would take someone else literally a year sometimes.  

JJJ: Endurance is important in competition. What conditioning advice would you give to the up and coming world champion?

JT: I only recently started focusing on physical training and strength training before that all I did was train jiu-jitsu a lot.  I would say at the top level being very strong is important, but for the average white/blue/purple belt coming up strength isn’t as important.  The most important thing for the average white, blue, purple belts coming up is grip endurance, cardio, and good technique.

JJJ: One thing that makes jiu-jitsu unique from a lot of other sports is extreme effort takes you a long way and physical attributes seem to not matter so much. Do you agree with this, and just how hard did you work to get where you are today? 

JT: I agree hard work is incredibly important, but so is smart work.  Someone can kill themselves training all day every day, but if they go into competition and gets put in a new position and they have no idea what to do, then they are in serious trouble.  I would say its hard work done smart.

I worked very hard, but my work ethic is different than a lot of other people.  There has been many times I missed class to watch competition footage and positional spar at a friends house.  I think this kind of training is important it keeps you engaged and sometimes you learn an unbelievable amount.

JJJ: There is little monetary reward for competitors in BJJ, what keeps you motivated to keep going day after day?

JT: One day I am going to open a gym, so I know there will be some monetary reward at the end.  Right now I make my living with privates and seminars.  My main driving passion is my jiu-jitsu right now, I love growing my game and I love seeing things come together.  I want to be able to compete with the top guys in the world and win.  I want to make a game so technical and smooth that it inspires people to improve their own game.  I look at jiu-jitsu like an art, my game is my music or my sculpture and I am trying to perfect it into something that I am proud of and people would want to learn.

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 have they helped you?

JT: I actually started in Judo, although I never use any Judo when I compete, lol.  I think one thing I gained from Judo was my guard actually.  In Judo you can lose by pin, so a lot of my training in Judo I focused on escaping pins or side control.  I think in the beginning this laid the framework for my repositioning to become what it is now.

JJJ: Do you think it is imperative for anyone serious about training BJJ to compete?

JT: I would suggest anyone who does jiu-jitsu to compete at least once.  If you have never had to perform while having an adrenaline rush, it is a completely different experience and I think is beneficial for both street situations and in the gym.  I think it also helps build confidence in people.

JJJ: What do you feel is the most important attribute to take with you into a competition?

JT: Being calm is very important for me, I don’t go for the whole kill your enemy mindset stuff.  I really just go out there and I act like its a match in the gym with a friend.  I tell my self if I lose its no big deal its just a competition it doesn’t change how good I actually am, anyone can slip up during a match.  This mindset always takes pressure off me, of course I still try to win but I just try not to make it everything.

JJJ: One of the biggest things in competition is energy efficiency/conservation. You seem to make every move count. How does one train to be more minimal in their movements?

JT: I see a lot of people worried last second about some sort of strategy or some new move they need to beat the guy.  When competition day comes your game is what it is, the way you train and spar in the gym is how you will do in competition.  I would say the main thing to have confidence when you compete is to believe in your own skill and technique.  If you train properly and you are the most technical guy in the division it will show when you compete.  

JJJ: What made you start competing in the first place? How much of a priority is it in your life?

JT: My original instructor pushed me to go compete and I just did what he said because he was my instructor.  After I won my first competition I just kept going.  I remember one of the guys at my gym Joe Modica said “Jon you could be a world champion one day, I’m not saying you will, but you have the potential.”  For some reason that stuck in my head and I just kept believing that and trained hard to try to meet my true potential.

JJJ: Would you say you were obsessed with jiu-jitsu in the beginning?

JT: Yes, I would watch competition video all the time.  I still do to this day.  If you don’t watch a lot of competition video you need to, it is one of the most important things you can do to help you game. You learn moves by watching, but also your mind just seems to start understanding jiu-jitsu in general.  If you really want to get good at jiu-jitsu then you have to be passionate about it, you can’t just leave it at the gym.

JJJ: What matches have been significant in your career? Which ones did you learn the most from?

JT: I would say winning the Pan Ams at blue belt, it was the first big competition I ever won.  It gave me a lot of confidence and helped me make the decision to keep pursuing my passion.

JJJ: What are you thinking the moment before you step on the mat in your first match and your finals match?

A lot of times I just clear my mind and think about nothing all the way until the match starts.  A lot of guys I think stress out to much about what they are going to do and over analyze things, you are as good as you are you can’t change anything 5 hours before the match so stop over analyzing it.

JT: Sometimes during the finals or a significant match at Worlds or Pans I will try to take in the moment look at all the spectators and everything I see and kind of appreciate the moment.  I think big moments like that are rare and I like to really take them in, sometimes the most stressful things you do are also the best moments in your life.

JJJ: I watched a few matches of yours where at one point you were talking to your coaches about an advantage, and also actively listening to their suggestions. How did you develop such a calm demeanor? Was there a time when you were a shivering mess before competition?

JT: My first competition ever was a Judo competition when I was 14 or 15, the day I was suppose to compete I faked being sick to get out of it.  I remember feeling guilty after ducking out of the tournament so the next tournament I had a chance to do I did it.  I lost my first match by throw and my opponent scored the throw of the day award (laughs).  Then i did my first jiu-jitsu competition, my goal was don’t get submitted, I ended up submitting everyone I fought in 6 matches.  Once I started believing in my technique and re-positioning in general, it took a lot of the fear away.  If you train smarter and harder than all of your opponents you shouldn’t have a lot to worry about.

JJJ: For lack of better words, your guard game is bananas! When did you first realize you were a guard player? 

JT: I guess I realized my guard was good after I won the Pans at blue belt.  I didn’t really know how I would do with guys from top gyms until that tournament.  After that tournament I realized even a lot of top competitors had a hard time passing my guard that when I really started getting a lot of confidence.

JJJ: If you only could tell a student how to improve their guard and guard passing in two sentences, what would you say?

JT: Re-positioning is the most important thing for your guard period.  it doesn’t matter how good your spider, de la riva, closed, etc is someone will do something crazy and get around your legs at some point, and if you don’t have good re-positioning then they will pass.

Understand guard first, once you understand your guard it is a lot easier to start learning to pass.

JJJ: What formula would you give to anyone wanting to place at a major competition?

JT: You have to develop a very smart training schedule.  You can’t just go to the gym during normal class and expect your game to magically come together you have to put thought into it.  You need all these things in your schedule; Positional Sparring, Watching Videos (Competition Footage), Take notes after you spar to analyze, time at gym for regular sparring with different guys, and training trips if you can afford it.

JJJ: A new year has started, meaning a new year of grappling competition will commence. What are your goals for this year and what tournaments do you plan to compete in?

JT: My main goal is to start bridging the gap between me and the top level guys.  I am going to compete in Pans and Worlds again this year, but my real main goal is getting my skill level up to where it needs to be.  I really want to evolve my game and keep taking it to the next level.

JJJ: Alliance has continued to be a force to be reckoned with year after year. What do you think makes Alliance so successful?

JT: Jacare is so passionate about jiu-jitsu it rubs off on everyone.  He is still at every class, most people lose passion for things, but even after decades of training and leading Alliance he is just as passionate as the first day he started.

The group of people we train with every day is so high level it pushes everyone to evolve to keep their self competitive.

JJJ: You have some of the best instructors in the world today. What have you taken from the likes of legendary teachers like Jacare, Fabio, and Cobrinha? How do you incorporate their teachings into your daily life and training routine?

JT: Its great having these guys around because they have seen it all before.  When ever you are having a hard time taking your game to the next level it’s good to have people with so much experience give you insight from their own experience or any of the other great competitors that have come out of Alliance in the past.

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 at the majors? 

JT: I think you will start to see it happen more and more, but we still have a long way to go.  The guys in Brazil are always one step a head we are always playing catch up on the techniques they are working.  With a lot of top guys coming to the States like Cobrinha, Marcelo Garcia, Michael Langhi, or Lucas Lepri we will probably start seeing higher level Americans.

JJJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

JT: Owning  my own jiu-jitsu gym, still training and trying to improve my jiu-jitsu and evolve.  I also would like to be able to take more time to enjoy other things like rock climbing, traveling, just relaxing with friends and family really.  I train so much now I don’t have time for other things that are also very important.

 JJJ: Who is your biggest inspiration?

JT: I don’t have one person in particular, but  I am inspired by people who pursue their own goals and follow their passion.  I like it when people have the courage to do what they believe in whether or not anyone else agrees with them.  

JJJ: What do you do for fun besides train?

JT: Rockclimbing, Chess, Video Games( Skyrim, Age of Empires 2 The Conquerors, Black Ops Zombies)

JJJ: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

JT: I guess teleporting could come in handy.  Fast travel and easy to rob banks.

JJJ: Top 5 places you want to visit in the world!?

JT: UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Spain, Brazil

The Charm of BJJ

The charm of BJJ is that hard work and dedication will get you the results you want. It does not matter if you are a man, woman, or child. If you are ultra heavy or a featherweight. It does not scout you based on what country you hail from, or even the color of your skin. If you can't do a single pushup, jiu-jitsu does not care. You could have been captain of the football team or apart of the glee club. Jiu-jitsu will never ask you who your father is, what school you went to, or what your SAT score is. If you are rich or poor, none of those things matter. What matters is the time you put on the mats, and the sweat you wipe from your brow after a hard session. Unlike other sports, jiu-jitsu does not require you to be anything special before you step on the mats. All it requires is that you love it with all your heart and you give it your all each and every day.

Theo dropping knowledge

"It is not the critic who counts: nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and  who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory or defeat."- Theodore Roosevelt (1910)