a jakby go ktoś nie znał......
Antonio "Nino" Schembri has got to be one of the great Jiu Jitsu stars of today. At just 25 years old 176 Lbs, this two time Brazilian Champion and Two time Pan American Champion, has already inspired a whole group of youngsters with his sensational style of Jiu Jitsu. Romero "Jacare" Cavalcante said after this years Pan Ams that "to watch Nino fight is a sight for sore eyes". The first time I saw him fight was at Joe Moreira's Tournament a few years back, at the time he had just received his Black Belt and was teaching at Ralph Gracie's School. He got matched against the famous Johnny Machado. He proceeded to display his style of Jiu Jitsu and defeat the surprised Machado brother. His patented moves are his reverse knee on the stomach to a mount and his sit down mounted attack to the neck and arms. The truth is that Nino's moves are not so different, you watch him fight and you have seen all the same moves, other people have done most of them, it is just how he applies then, never stopping at one position, never fighting with power. He is like water, find a rock in his way and he immediately goes around it. Nino trains Jiu Jitsu at the famous Gracie Barra, and he teaches Jiu Jitsu at Gracie Sao Paulo. While he has had bad luck with the Worlds( the first year having Hepatitis and this year a broken ankle), a World Title is just a formality for him. When you watch Nino fight, you understand why we love this art so much. You understand why this art gives you the power to overcome strength and weight differences. You understand what Jiu Jitsu is really all about.
We caught Nino at his house, while he is recuperating from a broken ankle, Let'ssee what makes Antonio "Nino" Schembri tap . . .
How are you doing. how is your leg?
AS- I am doing well, my leg is recuperating fine. I am starting to walk now but I have at least a couple of months before I can get on the mat again. It has been four months since I got injured and i have been fortunate that the leg is responding well. I thought it was going to take much longer due to the seriousness of the injury.
How long have you been practicing Jiu Jitsu?
AS- I have been doing jiu Jitsu for ten years. I got my Black Belt in October '95. I started training Jiu Jitsu with Silvio Behring at my Condominium. Then I stopped and restarted when I was 14 years old again at my Condominium complex, at that time Jorge Pereira wa teaching there. I trained with him for two years and then went to Gracie Barra with Carlinhos (Carlos Gracie Jr). We did the same things we do today, we show a position and then we practice it over and over and then we free spar.
One of the things that most everyone says about you is that you have a very fluid and beautiful Jiu Jitsu. You are geared to submit. What made you want to be that way?
AS- Well, when I was growing up all I heard was that Rickson would always submit his opponents. He wasn't interested in scoring points, he would just try to submit, and that really inspired me. That was the way I wanted to be. In my mind I don't worry about points, I just think about submission, the points are a consequence of that. The other thing that I have is that I have a tremendous amount of flexibility and that really helps my style of fighting. It really helps my guard game. I try not to fight strength with strength, because when you fight like that then the strongest person wins. I decided that I have to use the technique to overcome strength, so when ever I feel power I just have to find a way around it.
How did you develop this ability to submit ?
AS- Well what I do is I take one week and I just try to front choke people, the next week only finish with arm lock from the guard, the next week just shoulder lock. When you limit yourself like this, you also make yourself become a lot sharper in each of the finishes and what it takes to get to that position. You begin to develop a much deeper understanding of the position and the timing and options of the position until you get really sharp.
And how do you develop these trademark position that you have?
AS- These things happen while training, a position just occurs and I notice it. I then proceed to try it with the white belts. I do it enough with the white belts until I have had a chance to repeat it many, many times, because with a white belt you can come back to the same position easier, the same position may not repeat itself twice while training with a Black belt. So I start there and after I really have it down I try it with the Blues and the Purples and so forth, until I feel I can do it with the Black Belts.
When you teach, what do you try to transmit to your students?
AS- I try to understand that each person has a different body type and that the game needs to be adapted to that persons characteristics. If they're flexible then they'll have a good guard. If stiff maybe better to pass the guard and fight from the top. Of course you have to have a complete game but it can be suited to your particular style. I also try to show the competition end of the sport as a lot of the students are into competing.
The first time I saw you you were fighting John Machado. What was that like?
AS- I had just gotten my black belt then and I was visiting Ralph and helping out at his school. The Joe Moreira Tournament was coming up and they asked me if I wanted to fight and I said yes. It turns out that I was matched up against Johnny Machado. I was really bummed. My first Tournament as a Black Belt and I was going against one of the Best in the World. I was fortunate enough that I beat him. Rickson was in the audience and came and gave me some encouragement, i was really overcome by the whole thing as Rickson is one of my heroes.
Who do you admire in Jiu Jitsu and who inspires you today?
AS- I think Rickson's Jiu Jitsu is certainly the most efficient today, but I think Renzo Gracie's Jiu Jitsu is the most beautiful. He has taught me a lot about the guard, about both sides of the guard , about moving from side to side. Because there are various types of guard, the sitting guard, the spider guard. He always wanted me to do the sitting guard and to be able to do it right for both sides, because there are a lot people who can do the guard but only to one side and if the attacker changes direction they don't know how to defend.
Do you plan to enter in next years ADCC?
AS- Yes I am very interested in the Tournament, unfortunately this year I didn't get a chance to submit my application, because I was so involved in teaching and Competing in the Pan Am. I think the contest rules are very good and they really fit my style. I think I can do well in this type of event because it gives the athlete incentive to submit. I am really looking forward to next years and hope I get an invitation.
You have a thing about Elvis Presley?
AS- Yes, I went to Hawaii to surf and I started to listen to his music and I liked it. Then I found out he used to live there and had a mansion on the hill above Pipeline, and I really got a connection there, so I am into his music.
What are your plans for the future?
AS- I was already training to debut in
Vale Tudo. I want to make a professional career of that. I want to get my feet wet and develop as a fighter and make a go of it.
Get well Nino, hope to see you fighting again soon, you cannot miss succeeding . .
"Strong coffee, much strong coffee, is what awakens me. Coffee gives me warmth, waking, an unusual force and a pain that is not without very great pleasure."
...Jesus Christ forgave the bastards. But I can't. I hate them....
KAIN
Krzysztof Piekarz
Marian.B.
saku
BJJ BOY
Anonim
