Kit with his team of non-drillers. Photo: Personal archive
I’m not sure what aspect of Australian black belt Kit Dale makes him so notable. His beard has been considered the best in the Jiu-Jitsu community, his fast-paced journey to black belt is one that rivals most black belt’s, and his newest stance against drilling has made its way across newsfeeds.
While he wasn’t able to compete at the Pans this year, he has secured his registration for the 2014 World Championship coming up on May 28 – June 1. Learn more about this Aussie and his preparation for worlds here:
GRACIEMAG: Tell me about your training schedule and your new academy.
KIT DALE: My training schedule consists of two classes at the moment: a competition class at 2 p.m. that goes for roughly one hour, this consists of sparring rounds from 6-10 minutes with one minute rest in between, then again at 6 p.m. I teach class which I regally roll in as well, but concentrate more on my students than myself.
My academy has been open for five weeks now. I’m very happy and excited because the gym is really nice, the location is amazing, and it’s located central to Melbourne so a lot of competition-serious grapplers have come over and joined my club–which is good for all of us. Now I have better guys to train with.
How long have you been training and how did you receive your black belt?
I’ve been training five years now. I received my black belt from Yuri Simoes and Lucas Leite after the worlds last year. I progressed fast because I wanted to fight at the highest level–even if it means I’ll get beaten more at the start. I want to compete against the best. I don’t want to be the best of the second or third division.
Kit touches himself. Photo: Personal archive
What was the biggest difference in moving to the black belt division?
The biggest difference from brown to black is mindset. So far I haven’t competed at my best internationally yet, especially at black belt. It’s a confidence issue for me. I progressed quickly from white to black (in 4 years) so the downfall is experience. But this is something I’m working on diligently at the moment. Once I get the mind right I will be competing at a completely different level to what I am at the moment.
Tell me about your distaste for drilling and what the alternative is. Do you do more specific training?
Yes I do not like high repetition drilling. And I could pull information from about 100 different sources to back up why I don’t. But no one wants to read that these days haha. I basically want to have a game based around improvisation and timing, not of predictable reactions and rehearsed routines.
I replace it with specific training. Now all my training is against live partners. So timing and experience is always levelling up. I’ve tried to remove the whole concept of singular techniques and just feel my way through to rolls now. At the moment I think then do. But soon I won’t even need to think. “And where there is an opportunity, I don’t hit! It hits all by itself” -Bruce Lee
Kit promotes student Joshua Flint to purple belt. Photo: Personal archive
How many high-level belts do you train with regularly?
I have several purple belts now to train with and a couple brown. Which is a big improve man to what I had before.
How much does working out come into play for you?
Strength and conditioning plays no part in my training, I haven’t done conditioning for years now. Not because I don’t believe in it as it’s an amazing advantage. But simply because it is time I’d rather spend doing something more productive to my life. Winning competitions is great but there are bigger things in my life. I don’t want to finish my BJJ career with nothing else happening for me. I have about six other ventures I do, which I enjoy equally as much. Life’s too awesome to spend it doing the same thing every day.
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Have you registered for your own division at the 2014 World Championship? There’s still time. Head to www.ibjjf.org and register before the May 19 deadline!
