Student Hightlight - Lucas Burwell

Why did you start training in martial arts? I started training martial arts (specifically BJJ) so that I could understand some of the submissions and ground positions that I saw in MMA fights.

Why did you decide to train at Pendergrass Academy? Well I was originally planning to visit a bunch of different schools in the area and see which one I liked best. I went to Midnight Blue a few days before I came to Pendergrass, it was pretty cool, but after I the first day I trained with you guys I knew that this was where I wanted to stay.

How long have you've been training in martial arts (including any prior experience at Pendergrass Academy)? I have been training for 18 months

What advice would you give to a new student starting to train at Pendergrass Academy? DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. Everyone gets swept, reversed and submitted, especially the new students. The only way to get better and progress is to stick with it. Keep coming to class, keep drilling and keep rolling.

What is your short-term/long term goal(s) related to BJJ/MMA? My short term goal is obviously to win next MMA debut next Saturday. My long term goal is to win the pan-ams and possibly the worlds.

Favorite takedown? Actually I prefer pulling guard to get it to the ground. I guess in an MMA fight, I would use the single leg.
Favorite submission? It’s a toss-up between the kimura and the straight ankle lock.

How many days a week do you train? I try to train 4 days a week. Lately I've had to train fewer days, with a lot more training per day.

Favorite music to train to? Training is the only time that I ever listen to rock music, but it really pumps me up. "Let the bodies hit the floor", "Down with the sickness" and "That’s fatal" are a few of my favorites.

Ratio of Drilling to Sparring you recommend? Drilling is very important especially when it comes to striking, it is very important to know the safety and defensive position thoroughly, but I think that rolling or open sparring is more important when it comes to BJJ since there is little risk of being hurt if you make a mistake. So i think that a 1:3 ratio is pretty good for bjj. Meaning I try to roll three times for every move i learn.

Favorite thing to do outside of grappling? Definitely working out. Summer time is the best time to hit the gym.

Favorite jiu-jitsu guys to watch? Marcelo Garcia, Ryan Hall, Andrew Smith, and Wilson Reis are a few of my favorites.

Favorite MMA fighter to watch? The lesser known lightweight champ Ben Henderson is my favorite right now.
Biggest mistake that new grapplers make? Thinking that they understand submission grappling because of what they see on tv and Youtube. Take it from someone who made the same mistake, until you actually get on the mat, you have no idea what’s really going on.