So over the past few months, I have had less and less time to train. School has REALLY gone up a few notches, and I spend most of my time in the computer lab, crunching data, learning new software programs, and writing reports for class. All fueled by coffee and whatever food I have time to cook or run out to buy.
I try and go to jiu jitsu as much as I can; with two night classes that directly conflict with training, it's tough to do so. Thankfully, Rutgers has a BJJ club run by Garry Tonon that I can attend after my Wednesday night class, but getting a good amount of consistent training in has definitely been a challenge. Competing is out of the question between the lack of training, and being so sedentary means I will definitely not be able to make weight.
When I first realized I wasn't going to be able to attend BJJ as frequently, I had to make sure that at no point would I sacrifice school for BJJ, but that I also wasn't being lazy and making excuses. I am obviously here to get good grades, a master's degree, and ultimately a job; my long term goals do not lie in my jiu jitsu. I have slept in the past couple of days and missed morning training, but the lack of sleep from schoolwork has been so prominent that I knew if I went to BJJ with such little sleep, I would not be able to study the rest of the day and likely crash when I get home. The past couple of weeks have been exceptionally tough, and although I'm pretty resilient with lack of sleep, the past couple of weeks have had me unfocused and nodding off while working. To me, sleeping in was not being lazy; it was a matter of personal health and taking care of all aspects of my life. Not making it to class in my case is either due to A) physically being in class at school or B) studying and maintaining my health.
For those who aren't familiar with what I'm doing, I am getting my masters degree in urban planning at Rutgers University, with a focus in transportation. So I am learning how cities design various transportation systems, create transportation policy, and how to create sustainable solutions for transportation problems. This means I am learning a lot of new concepts as well as data collection and analysis methods. It involves learning new statistical modeling programs, collecting and crunching data in Excel, SPSS, and other programs.
I have the rest of my life to train jiu jitsu, but only two years to get a graduate school degree, which is something I keep telling myself when I look at the clock and realize that I need to be in the computer lab or at a desk instead of on the mat. It's quite frustrating, because I hate being inactive. However, I know I'll suffer more in the short and long term if I ditch schoolwork for training and get even less sleep. I just made a checklist of assignments that I need to get done by the end of the semester and I'm shuddering at the number of things I have to do as well as the time each one will take. Thankfully, I will be working this summer, and since my hours as an intern are capped at 28 per week, I will definitely have more time to train.
Now back to the lab!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Creating A Legacy: The Pursuit of What You're Passionate About
I started graduate school almost two months ago. It's a lot more work than college, but I love the material I'm learning. I feel like I'm learning the knowledge that I'll actually use once I get a job. I feel like I'm learning a lot, that I've become a sponge for knowledge once again. I feel as though I'm taking in enough and more to make me well-rounded, marketable, and even more interested and passionate about transportation and all things urban planning-related.
Now naturally, I'm training less. I'm writing less for Buddhasport. It takes weeks to get an article done because I write on study breaks, and training is no longer something I go to every day after work or only miss because of a big commitment. My time is now spent learning this new material, using the structure and framework of school to create a future path, or at least a substantial part of it. To show the world that I've accumulated enough knowledge and experience in two years to make an impact beyond the classroom and in the real world.
Not being able to write all the time and not being able to train as much as I like aren't fun. But at the same time, I get to spend all my time doing only things that I'm passionate about. My walk to class is spent largely listening to jiu jitsu podcasts and brainstorming for articles. Once I'm in class, my focus switches to the task at hand, learning as much as I can in 2.5 hours of lecture. Once I'm out of class, I'm either eating, training, writing for Buddhasport, or studying. Down time or relaxing is a meal in front of NetFlix or a brief break to write just one more paragraph in an article, maybe half a page if the idea is really good. The bonus? In each setting, I'm surrounded by people who are passionate about the same things I am, but are diverse in other aspects of their lives as well.
I still interview when I can, and even though I don't meet most of the people I interview in person, I feel like I'm "meeting" some of the people who have impacted my life the most. These people are from all walks of life and have made the martial arts a big part of their lives. I've always kept it a part of my life, and not always through competition; through writing, training, and covering events. Not everyone I speak to is a full-time competitor; some are balancing jobs and competing, some own brands, and some are artists. But they've all MADE time to train and spread the positive aspects of jiu jitsu or MMA because they want others to feel the same impact the art has had on their lives.
Writing about and covering the martial arts has become as much a cerebral as it has become an emotional process for me. When I covered Ring of Combat in September, I realized how different the fights are when you're so close to the cage, away from the crowds and comments and right up close to the fighters. To see the kind of training you've participated in (albeit in a much less intense setting for me!) taken to such a high level by such disciplined and passionate athletes is really something else. To see someone hit a combination, set up a takedown, or get the winning submission or knockout that you know they've practiced for hours in the gym is like nothing you can experience or explain. I've watched so many of these fighters come up through the amateur ranks and now through their early professional careers that I feel invested in them, invested in the sport in a different way than the competitor, but more than just a bystander. Watching how the loser truly walks away with nothing but the consolation of their team (assuming they had a decent turnout from their team) and how the winner is one step closer to their dream is something I can't describe; something that can only be witnessed, felt, and then understood.
When I interviewed Lou Neglia, the CEO and founder of the Ring of Combat MMA promotion, he pointed at my notebook and said "if that [writing] is what you love to do, then pursue it! Follow your passion and everything will fall in to place. Even if it's not your whole life, make room for it in your life." That stuck with me ever since he said that, and I've always made time to train or write no matter how busy I get. I'm currently typing up an interview with the brand 31Fifty, and the owner said that he doesn't run the brand full-time, because he had always wanted to be an X-Ray technician, so he's currently going to school to pursue that. He didn't want to give up on his dream even if there was an opportunity for him to run the brand full-time. He lives a busy but comfortable lifestyle in Northern California, running a company with a positive message, and alongside his wife, eagerly awaits the arrival of their baby boy. He now gets to pursue two things he loves, and has crafted a lifestyle based on his passions.
And that's what my goal is. To pave a path that allows me to pursue what I'm passionate about, to meld together what I enjoy doing and what I have to do to make a living. Writing, training, and urban planning are all dimensions of my life that will constantly change their level of importance and portion of my time they take up, each one will always be there in some way, shape, or form. Some people have fully committed to one thing in their life; I know jiu jitsu competitors who have truly made training and competing everything they do, and people who are so passionate about their work that it encompasses almost all of their energy. While that's definitely one way to go about pursuing your passion (I don't object to that way if it makes you happy) I feel very fortunate to be involved in many things that are shaping my present and future career paths.
And I'm working on another very special project that I hope to launch sometime in 2014, so stay tuned! Hint: women's grappling without all the pink and flowers :)
Now naturally, I'm training less. I'm writing less for Buddhasport. It takes weeks to get an article done because I write on study breaks, and training is no longer something I go to every day after work or only miss because of a big commitment. My time is now spent learning this new material, using the structure and framework of school to create a future path, or at least a substantial part of it. To show the world that I've accumulated enough knowledge and experience in two years to make an impact beyond the classroom and in the real world.
Not being able to write all the time and not being able to train as much as I like aren't fun. But at the same time, I get to spend all my time doing only things that I'm passionate about. My walk to class is spent largely listening to jiu jitsu podcasts and brainstorming for articles. Once I'm in class, my focus switches to the task at hand, learning as much as I can in 2.5 hours of lecture. Once I'm out of class, I'm either eating, training, writing for Buddhasport, or studying. Down time or relaxing is a meal in front of NetFlix or a brief break to write just one more paragraph in an article, maybe half a page if the idea is really good. The bonus? In each setting, I'm surrounded by people who are passionate about the same things I am, but are diverse in other aspects of their lives as well.
I still interview when I can, and even though I don't meet most of the people I interview in person, I feel like I'm "meeting" some of the people who have impacted my life the most. These people are from all walks of life and have made the martial arts a big part of their lives. I've always kept it a part of my life, and not always through competition; through writing, training, and covering events. Not everyone I speak to is a full-time competitor; some are balancing jobs and competing, some own brands, and some are artists. But they've all MADE time to train and spread the positive aspects of jiu jitsu or MMA because they want others to feel the same impact the art has had on their lives.
Writing about and covering the martial arts has become as much a cerebral as it has become an emotional process for me. When I covered Ring of Combat in September, I realized how different the fights are when you're so close to the cage, away from the crowds and comments and right up close to the fighters. To see the kind of training you've participated in (albeit in a much less intense setting for me!) taken to such a high level by such disciplined and passionate athletes is really something else. To see someone hit a combination, set up a takedown, or get the winning submission or knockout that you know they've practiced for hours in the gym is like nothing you can experience or explain. I've watched so many of these fighters come up through the amateur ranks and now through their early professional careers that I feel invested in them, invested in the sport in a different way than the competitor, but more than just a bystander. Watching how the loser truly walks away with nothing but the consolation of their team (assuming they had a decent turnout from their team) and how the winner is one step closer to their dream is something I can't describe; something that can only be witnessed, felt, and then understood.
When I interviewed Lou Neglia, the CEO and founder of the Ring of Combat MMA promotion, he pointed at my notebook and said "if that [writing] is what you love to do, then pursue it! Follow your passion and everything will fall in to place. Even if it's not your whole life, make room for it in your life." That stuck with me ever since he said that, and I've always made time to train or write no matter how busy I get. I'm currently typing up an interview with the brand 31Fifty, and the owner said that he doesn't run the brand full-time, because he had always wanted to be an X-Ray technician, so he's currently going to school to pursue that. He didn't want to give up on his dream even if there was an opportunity for him to run the brand full-time. He lives a busy but comfortable lifestyle in Northern California, running a company with a positive message, and alongside his wife, eagerly awaits the arrival of their baby boy. He now gets to pursue two things he loves, and has crafted a lifestyle based on his passions.
And that's what my goal is. To pave a path that allows me to pursue what I'm passionate about, to meld together what I enjoy doing and what I have to do to make a living. Writing, training, and urban planning are all dimensions of my life that will constantly change their level of importance and portion of my time they take up, each one will always be there in some way, shape, or form. Some people have fully committed to one thing in their life; I know jiu jitsu competitors who have truly made training and competing everything they do, and people who are so passionate about their work that it encompasses almost all of their energy. While that's definitely one way to go about pursuing your passion (I don't object to that way if it makes you happy) I feel very fortunate to be involved in many things that are shaping my present and future career paths.
And I'm working on another very special project that I hope to launch sometime in 2014, so stay tuned! Hint: women's grappling without all the pink and flowers :)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
New Chapter and Reflections Since College
"Where there's discomfort, there's fear, in these very tough positions, you're in a little piece of hell. And through this daily suffering, you learn to survive in these situations. You have to find comfort in uncomfortable situations. You have to be able to live in your worst nightmare. Jiu-jitsu puts you completely in the moment where you must have complete focus on finding a solution to the problem. This trains the mind to build that focus, to increase your awareness, your capacity to solve problems. Sometimes, you don't have to win. You cannot win. But that has nothing to do with losing."
This is a saying from Rickson Gracie that I've come across recently but have been understanding in my daily life for the past few months. It's something I've been doing and not realizing it.
For example, when I moved away from home in suburban New Jersey to college in Atlanta, Georgia, I had to do all the things my parents had done for me in the past on my own. I had to get used to paying rent and utilities on time, cooking for myself, doing my own laundry without being nagged, keeping an apartment clean, and making sure all my doctor/dentist/etc. appointments were scheduled by ME. Maybe your life was different, but my parents played a hand in either doing to nagging me to do all of these things until I left for college.
If I didn't go far away to college, I think I'd be a really different person. I'd be less independent, less open-minded, and less aware of a lot of things. Having to track my utilities made me much more aware of how much water/power I use, and having to cook for myself forced me to teach myself how to cook and how to shop for groceries without paying too much and still getting the good stuff. I had to make sure I didn't go over my monthly account limit and that I didn't overdraw any money.
About two weeks ago, I started graduate school. I'm only about 45 minutes away from home in the great state of New Jersey, but everything I learned in the time I moved out to college has come in handy once again. The transition to cooking, cleaning, organizing, and doing all those things by myself has come forth once again. And this time, it'll probably be much more permanent, as I'm hoping a graduate school degree will land me a job that takes me away from home.
Now with graduate school on my plate, training has taken less of a priority in my life. Which has made me realize that for a while, I was looking at training the wrong way. That if I wasn't winning medals that I was a loser, that if I wasn't good enough to hang with the people I compete with that my jiu jitsu was worthless.
Well that is totally wrong! My goal is to perform to the best of my ability given my circumstances. It has been, and always will be, but I think that I've lost sight of that at times. Losing is never fun, but taking it so seriously when, in the end, it's just a few minutes if your life, is not healthy! Having that mindset means that you beat yourself instead of building yourself up. And ultimately, I think the goal of most people is to build themselves up via jiu jitsu, whether that's on or off the mat. Jiu Jitsu is a part of my life, but it's not my entire life. I'm pursuing a master's degree in urban planning with a concentration in transportation to ultimately improve access to public transit across the country. My career goals are social justice oriented, while my spare time is largely jiu jitsu oriented. The two are separate but not necessarily equal.
This is a saying from Rickson Gracie that I've come across recently but have been understanding in my daily life for the past few months. It's something I've been doing and not realizing it.
For example, when I moved away from home in suburban New Jersey to college in Atlanta, Georgia, I had to do all the things my parents had done for me in the past on my own. I had to get used to paying rent and utilities on time, cooking for myself, doing my own laundry without being nagged, keeping an apartment clean, and making sure all my doctor/dentist/etc. appointments were scheduled by ME. Maybe your life was different, but my parents played a hand in either doing to nagging me to do all of these things until I left for college.
If I didn't go far away to college, I think I'd be a really different person. I'd be less independent, less open-minded, and less aware of a lot of things. Having to track my utilities made me much more aware of how much water/power I use, and having to cook for myself forced me to teach myself how to cook and how to shop for groceries without paying too much and still getting the good stuff. I had to make sure I didn't go over my monthly account limit and that I didn't overdraw any money.
About two weeks ago, I started graduate school. I'm only about 45 minutes away from home in the great state of New Jersey, but everything I learned in the time I moved out to college has come in handy once again. The transition to cooking, cleaning, organizing, and doing all those things by myself has come forth once again. And this time, it'll probably be much more permanent, as I'm hoping a graduate school degree will land me a job that takes me away from home.
Now with graduate school on my plate, training has taken less of a priority in my life. Which has made me realize that for a while, I was looking at training the wrong way. That if I wasn't winning medals that I was a loser, that if I wasn't good enough to hang with the people I compete with that my jiu jitsu was worthless.
Well that is totally wrong! My goal is to perform to the best of my ability given my circumstances. It has been, and always will be, but I think that I've lost sight of that at times. Losing is never fun, but taking it so seriously when, in the end, it's just a few minutes if your life, is not healthy! Having that mindset means that you beat yourself instead of building yourself up. And ultimately, I think the goal of most people is to build themselves up via jiu jitsu, whether that's on or off the mat. Jiu Jitsu is a part of my life, but it's not my entire life. I'm pursuing a master's degree in urban planning with a concentration in transportation to ultimately improve access to public transit across the country. My career goals are social justice oriented, while my spare time is largely jiu jitsu oriented. The two are separate but not necessarily equal.
Oh, and now I'm training at an Alliance Jiu Jitsu affiliate. The gym is called Maximum Athletics, and houses boxing, tae kwon do, and BJJ in one gym. The instructor, Nelson Puentes, is an Alliance brown belt and owns the company Inverted Gear. You know, the company that makes the panda gis! But Nelson's open minded-ness, excellent teaching skills, and strong work ethic have definitely helped me a lot on the mat.
In 2013, the gym I was training at went downhill in a fast and bad way, as the instructor stopped showing up to teach and ultimately closed the gym, leaving many "homeless". I trained at a Renzo affiliate for a few months before I moved out for graduate school, leaving me with some inconsistent training that did not help the mindset I had before. But with my new gym, new chapter in life, and new mindset, I'm feeling pretty good!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Slump, Big Time Slump
I lost my first match in the NY Summer Open yesterday. I lost 2-0, she either pulled guard and immediately swept or got a takedown, I honestly don't remember. I spent the rest of the match defending until the time ran out from bottom half.
I have not won a single gi match since the Renzo Open in December 2011. This is pretty upsetting to me because I've made a lot of changes since getting my blue belt in terms of training, diet, and general competition preparation. I'm in much better shape, am in a new weight class (featherweight), and am training 5-6 days per week, sometimes twice a day, with additional strength and conditioning thrown in. Here are some of the things I think might be contributing to my losses/losing streak:
- when I was at Shaolin's in 2012 (before my job switch forced me back to NJ for training), I was VERY stubborn and got frustrated very easily. I was able to change this aspect in the fall of 2012.
- switching schools- after I left Shaolin's, I began training at Jason Scully's academy. Jason has now closed his school, and due to the way I saw the school was operating, I left about a month before he shut the doors of the academy. I am moving in August for grad. school, so I'll be switching schools yet again!
- technique. Of course, technique is something we all work on
- aggression. I've had training partners tell me I'm not aggressive enough when rolling in class. I think this is because sometimes I think "I'm so much smaller than all these guys, what's the point in being aggressive if I'm just going to get overpowered?"
The first one is more or less resolved, the second I have minimal control over, the third is something I'm actively working on, but the last one is the biggest problem. I had much more killer instinct (to the point of it being a problem) when I was a white belt and a very early blue belt. I seem to have lost it for some reason and I'm not sure why. I want to win and I want to do well, but pulling the trigger in competition seems to be a problem for me. My conditioning/gas tank is very good, as I do a lot of outside conditioning and am rarely tired or unable to attack when rolling.
I'm was going to do a Grappler's Quest in NJ this week, but cutting to 119 is going to be very tough for me right now, and I have some cauliflower ear I need to take care of. I'm going to spend at least a week off the mat to take care of my ear and refocus myself. When I get back on the mat, I'm going to make a VERY conscious effort to go as hard as possible without being spazzy or careless.
I have not won a single gi match since the Renzo Open in December 2011. This is pretty upsetting to me because I've made a lot of changes since getting my blue belt in terms of training, diet, and general competition preparation. I'm in much better shape, am in a new weight class (featherweight), and am training 5-6 days per week, sometimes twice a day, with additional strength and conditioning thrown in. Here are some of the things I think might be contributing to my losses/losing streak:
- when I was at Shaolin's in 2012 (before my job switch forced me back to NJ for training), I was VERY stubborn and got frustrated very easily. I was able to change this aspect in the fall of 2012.
- switching schools- after I left Shaolin's, I began training at Jason Scully's academy. Jason has now closed his school, and due to the way I saw the school was operating, I left about a month before he shut the doors of the academy. I am moving in August for grad. school, so I'll be switching schools yet again!
- technique. Of course, technique is something we all work on
- aggression. I've had training partners tell me I'm not aggressive enough when rolling in class. I think this is because sometimes I think "I'm so much smaller than all these guys, what's the point in being aggressive if I'm just going to get overpowered?"
The first one is more or less resolved, the second I have minimal control over, the third is something I'm actively working on, but the last one is the biggest problem. I had much more killer instinct (to the point of it being a problem) when I was a white belt and a very early blue belt. I seem to have lost it for some reason and I'm not sure why. I want to win and I want to do well, but pulling the trigger in competition seems to be a problem for me. My conditioning/gas tank is very good, as I do a lot of outside conditioning and am rarely tired or unable to attack when rolling.
I'm was going to do a Grappler's Quest in NJ this week, but cutting to 119 is going to be very tough for me right now, and I have some cauliflower ear I need to take care of. I'm going to spend at least a week off the mat to take care of my ear and refocus myself. When I get back on the mat, I'm going to make a VERY conscious effort to go as hard as possible without being spazzy or careless.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Meeting John Danaher
One of the upsides of now training at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Holmdel is that I get to drop in at the Manhattan school at no extra cost. My work schedule allowed me to take the 1pm class today, which was taught by John Danaher. For those who don't know, John is a highly sought after BJJ instructor, and coaches many MMA greats like Georges St. Pierre and has a unique background. He came to American from New Zealand to get his Masters degree in philosophy from Columbia University. This gives him a really unique way of explaining techniques and understanding BJJ.
John explained the takedowns and techniques we did in class very clearly, but looked around as the class did them as opposed to walking around. However, this doesn't mean he wasn't carefully observing us; after class ended, I came over and spoke to him and he pointed out a couple of things he noticed I was doing. He asked a little bit about myself, and I explained that I was one of Rolles' students from Holmdel, but worked in the city. We discussed what I did at work, and I explained that I'm a program coordinator at Fordham Law School. It was then that I saw that John and I see things in a similar light. We got in depth about how my boss helped write the constitutional amendment for Presidential succession, and how brilliant you have to be to understand the law at that level. While he referenced my boss's likely "encyclopedic knowledge" we agreed that at the highest level is where the application, understanding, and dissemination of that knowledge is what separates the elite from just the smart.
And that's where I began speaking about my journey in jiu jitsu. I explained my rut to him; that I hadn't won a gi match since December 2011, and he immediately asked if I felt any turning points. I thought for a second and then explained that I am starting to learn how to set up moves instead of forcing them. Throughout 2012, I tried to force moves in competition instead of looking for openings. Now with every pass, sweep, and submission I learn, I try and learn it in context; what to look for, how to set it up, and what to watch out for.
I also mentioned how I am no longer intimidated by my opponents. How I used to obsessively check the registration list, how I would freak out if I saw a big name like Alliance/Gracie Barra/CheckMat, etc. on the list and immediately defeat myself. He made the point that you are "fighting a person, not their reputation".
He thanked me for speaking with him and said he looked forward to seeing me at future classes. It was reassuring to know that the way I approach jiu jitsu now has been used effectively by someone else and isn't as overly analytic as others have led me to believe. Too bad his private lessons run at 150/hour!
John explained the takedowns and techniques we did in class very clearly, but looked around as the class did them as opposed to walking around. However, this doesn't mean he wasn't carefully observing us; after class ended, I came over and spoke to him and he pointed out a couple of things he noticed I was doing. He asked a little bit about myself, and I explained that I was one of Rolles' students from Holmdel, but worked in the city. We discussed what I did at work, and I explained that I'm a program coordinator at Fordham Law School. It was then that I saw that John and I see things in a similar light. We got in depth about how my boss helped write the constitutional amendment for Presidential succession, and how brilliant you have to be to understand the law at that level. While he referenced my boss's likely "encyclopedic knowledge" we agreed that at the highest level is where the application, understanding, and dissemination of that knowledge is what separates the elite from just the smart.
And that's where I began speaking about my journey in jiu jitsu. I explained my rut to him; that I hadn't won a gi match since December 2011, and he immediately asked if I felt any turning points. I thought for a second and then explained that I am starting to learn how to set up moves instead of forcing them. Throughout 2012, I tried to force moves in competition instead of looking for openings. Now with every pass, sweep, and submission I learn, I try and learn it in context; what to look for, how to set it up, and what to watch out for.
I also mentioned how I am no longer intimidated by my opponents. How I used to obsessively check the registration list, how I would freak out if I saw a big name like Alliance/Gracie Barra/CheckMat, etc. on the list and immediately defeat myself. He made the point that you are "fighting a person, not their reputation".
He thanked me for speaking with him and said he looked forward to seeing me at future classes. It was reassuring to know that the way I approach jiu jitsu now has been used effectively by someone else and isn't as overly analytic as others have led me to believe. Too bad his private lessons run at 150/hour!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Slump
I lost my first match at the New York Open by a referee decision and my first match at the Big Apple Open by 5 points and 1 advantage.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. It occurred to me after I lost at the Big Apple Open that I haven't won a gi match in a tournament since December 2011 at the Renzo Open. That's 8 tournaments that I've been eliminated in the first round. The first three times I lost after December 2011 it was by points, decision, or advantages, then I lost by armbar submission, then began losing by points/advantages/decision again.
In 2012, I took a break from May to October to not compete and just focus on improving. I feel that I've improved during training; I have better body awareness, have a better idea of my own strategy, and feel like I've learned some important details in several techniques. I've dropped to featherweight after my weight naturally changed and feel much more comfortable and healthy; I've never had to starve myself or doing anything crazy to make featherweight; I just avoid junk food and alcohol. Despite all these things, it clearly has not carried over in to the competition aspect. I think part of this is the aggression factor. "Pulling the trigger" in terms of going 100% is a tough thing to do, because there is fear of injury, fear of being a jerk, or simply not being used to going that hard if not everyone chooses to compete. I remember when I trained at Shaolin's, he put the people who were competing on one side of the class so they could roll hard against each other without any of the issues I just mentioned.
Additionally, it's been a rough few months of training. The school I was training at is now set to shut down. In the 6 or so months leading up to this, our instructor began teaching less and less, and sometimes did not even show up to class. A purple belt with the key would then hurry in ten minutes late and end up holding an open mat. Slowly, the school turned from a structured atmosphere in to one with more open and less structured training. I left the school about a month ago because it simply wasn't a structure that I could thrive in; I have no ill will towards the school owner and wish him the best in whatever he chooses to pursue.
I don't blame anyone but myself for poor performance. When you step on to the mat, it's just you. If there is something bad going on, it's your job to fix it before you compete, and maybe I should have switched earlier or sought out different resources so I could improve.
I am now training at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Holmdel, NJ. It's only about ten minutes away from my house, and there are several black belts as well as a great brown belt who teach class. I am also allowed to drop in at Renzo's in New York City for no additional fee, so I can complement my training the days I'm working in NYC and can't make it home on time. The switch has been pretty seamless, and some of my friends from my old academy are at Renzo's with me and are happy. Unfortunately, since I'll be attending graduate school at Rutgers University in the fall, I will have to switch schools yet again! The inconsistency of switching schools has definitely slowed me done in some aspects, but I'm much happier now.
I'll be doing the IBJJF NY Summer Open and possibly a Grappler's Quest at the end of July. I'm hoping that this new structured training environment will help me develop a game plan and that I'll be less preoccupied with other factors.
To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. It occurred to me after I lost at the Big Apple Open that I haven't won a gi match in a tournament since December 2011 at the Renzo Open. That's 8 tournaments that I've been eliminated in the first round. The first three times I lost after December 2011 it was by points, decision, or advantages, then I lost by armbar submission, then began losing by points/advantages/decision again.
In 2012, I took a break from May to October to not compete and just focus on improving. I feel that I've improved during training; I have better body awareness, have a better idea of my own strategy, and feel like I've learned some important details in several techniques. I've dropped to featherweight after my weight naturally changed and feel much more comfortable and healthy; I've never had to starve myself or doing anything crazy to make featherweight; I just avoid junk food and alcohol. Despite all these things, it clearly has not carried over in to the competition aspect. I think part of this is the aggression factor. "Pulling the trigger" in terms of going 100% is a tough thing to do, because there is fear of injury, fear of being a jerk, or simply not being used to going that hard if not everyone chooses to compete. I remember when I trained at Shaolin's, he put the people who were competing on one side of the class so they could roll hard against each other without any of the issues I just mentioned.
Additionally, it's been a rough few months of training. The school I was training at is now set to shut down. In the 6 or so months leading up to this, our instructor began teaching less and less, and sometimes did not even show up to class. A purple belt with the key would then hurry in ten minutes late and end up holding an open mat. Slowly, the school turned from a structured atmosphere in to one with more open and less structured training. I left the school about a month ago because it simply wasn't a structure that I could thrive in; I have no ill will towards the school owner and wish him the best in whatever he chooses to pursue.
I don't blame anyone but myself for poor performance. When you step on to the mat, it's just you. If there is something bad going on, it's your job to fix it before you compete, and maybe I should have switched earlier or sought out different resources so I could improve.
I am now training at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Holmdel, NJ. It's only about ten minutes away from my house, and there are several black belts as well as a great brown belt who teach class. I am also allowed to drop in at Renzo's in New York City for no additional fee, so I can complement my training the days I'm working in NYC and can't make it home on time. The switch has been pretty seamless, and some of my friends from my old academy are at Renzo's with me and are happy. Unfortunately, since I'll be attending graduate school at Rutgers University in the fall, I will have to switch schools yet again! The inconsistency of switching schools has definitely slowed me done in some aspects, but I'm much happier now.
I'll be doing the IBJJF NY Summer Open and possibly a Grappler's Quest at the end of July. I'm hoping that this new structured training environment will help me develop a game plan and that I'll be less preoccupied with other factors.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro's Perspective on the "Jiu-Jitsu as Chess" Analogy
My old instructor, Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, posted on the school's blog that he felt that jiu jitsu was more like paintball than a chess match. To summarize the post, which can be found here, Shaolin says that chess is more like "you move, then I move, then you move", while paintball is much more about pushing the pace, taking initiative, and attacking.
The chess analogy is so common in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that I'd never honestly thought about alternative ones. The chess one isn't really one that stuck in my mind either, but I never thought of any other analogy. While I don't think there is ever a truly complete analogy for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I think the paintball one is very accurate. Paintball requires strategy and there is rarely a time where you're just waiting; you're either hiding or attacking (at least from my one experience with paintball). You can't really defend in paintball like you do in jiu-jitsu, as your main defense is to avoid being shot, but in paintball I suppose avoidance should be your first line of defense in jiu jitsu anyway. Additionally, you shouldn't really wait for the other person to move in jiu jitsu before you attack; the idea is that you are constantly attacking for a submission, fighting for a better position, or defending so you can do one of the two former things.
It also reminded me of the atmosphere in Shaolin's academy. Shaolin has a great energy about him; his enthusiasm for learning and competition are infectious and he always encourages his students to push the pace appropriately. I definitely learned a lot about that aspect of jiu-jitsu while I trained there and it helped me "grow in" to my blue belt for sure!
I'd love to hear feedback on this one to whoever stumbles across this! And visit Shaolin's academy when you're in New York City, you won't regret it!
The chess analogy is so common in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that I'd never honestly thought about alternative ones. The chess one isn't really one that stuck in my mind either, but I never thought of any other analogy. While I don't think there is ever a truly complete analogy for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I think the paintball one is very accurate. Paintball requires strategy and there is rarely a time where you're just waiting; you're either hiding or attacking (at least from my one experience with paintball). You can't really defend in paintball like you do in jiu-jitsu, as your main defense is to avoid being shot, but in paintball I suppose avoidance should be your first line of defense in jiu jitsu anyway. Additionally, you shouldn't really wait for the other person to move in jiu jitsu before you attack; the idea is that you are constantly attacking for a submission, fighting for a better position, or defending so you can do one of the two former things.
It also reminded me of the atmosphere in Shaolin's academy. Shaolin has a great energy about him; his enthusiasm for learning and competition are infectious and he always encourages his students to push the pace appropriately. I definitely learned a lot about that aspect of jiu-jitsu while I trained there and it helped me "grow in" to my blue belt for sure!
I'd love to hear feedback on this one to whoever stumbles across this! And visit Shaolin's academy when you're in New York City, you won't regret it!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Chicago Open Recap
Last weekend, I competed in the Chicago Open. This was my first tournament at featherweight, and pushed me out of my comfort zones for a few reasons:
- I went without a coach
- This was in a completely new city
- first time competing at featherweight
- I had spent the past week watching my weight, as I had been in Hawaii the week before that
- Saturday was gi and Sunday was nogi, meaning I had to watch my weight for 2 days
Thankfully, one of my old teammates from NJ goes to college in Missouri, so I had the support of him and his teammates. My old teammate, Marcus, drove me to and from the venue that weekend, so I didn't have to worry about renting a car. I'm not even old enough to rent one anyway!
After nearly missing my flight on Friday because of the bad weather, I got to the hotel at around 6pm. I had weighed myself that morning and had been 119.5, but was very wary of taking in too much sodium. I walked a mile and a half each way to get dinner, which was grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. It's pretty miraculous I found it, because the area had mainly fast food. I dodged the now fading black patches of snow and ice, but did get my dinner!
I started at 9am the next day, so Marcus, myself, and one of his teammates left for the venue around 8am. One of his teammates was in my division, but we're both pretty relaxed people and were friendly the entire time. We never had to face each other anyway, but even if we did, there was no tension.
I weighed myself on the test scale and weighed in at a whopping 125.5 pounds with my gi on (the upper limit for female featherweight is 129). I had ample time to warm up, and felt pretty confident. My first and only gi match was against a girl from Brazil-021, a team led by Hanette Staack and her husband, Andre Negao. The girl pulled guard, and I spent most of the time trying to pass and break her spider guard lasso and grips. She eventually swept me, and I was unable to get any half guard sweeps, although I was able to creep out just before the buzzer sounded. The final score was 2 points for her and 1 advantage for me. I was pretty bummed about losing my first match. I ended up "winning" a bronze medal because I first had a bye, and went on to compete in the absolute. Once again, my opponent pulled guard, and I spent what must have been about 3 minutes of a 6 minute match stuck in a triangle. She won on advantages I believe and was only one weight class above me. I was very upset after this match, because I had really wanted to redeem myself in the absolute.
The next day was nogi. I won my first match via rear naked choke about 2-3 minutes in to the match. I lost my finals match on points. She pulled guard, I somehow ended up with her in my guard, but was unable to get a submission or sweep. She ended up passing and winning on points. This won me second place, but I decided not to do the absolute, as I feel injuries are more likely in nogi than they are in gi.
On a somewhat related note, Hanette Staack came up to me and shook my hand a little while after I competed against her student. She was really friendly! I'm a huge fan of hers so it was really cool to meet her and even more awesome to see that she was willing to chat with me for a little. I also got to see Comprido and Carlson Gracie Jr. Comprido annihilated the masters black belt division by the way.
Despite the fact that I only won one match, I feel much more confident about competing than I did last year for the following reasons:
- I lost every match in every tournament I competed in in 2012. One win isn't what I'm gunning for, but it's a step in the right direction
- I didn't obsessively check the athlete list like I have in the past. I checked it occasionally just to make sure that a decent amount of girls that signed up, but I wasn't intimidated by any of the names or teams on the list.
- I realized that I need to work on imposing my game more and being less afraid of taking risks. I feel like I could have been more aggressive with implementing my passing game
- I definitely avoided some weaknesses that have stopped me from competing well in the past
I'm happy I spent the money and went to Chicago to compete. I have to give a huge thanks to Jesse from Killer Bee Gi for sponsoring me and for providing me with the best gis! In all seriousness, I really only reach for my Killer Bee gis now for training unless they're all in the wash. I'll post a review soon.
I'm now preparing for the New York Open, I can't wait to compete again!
- I went without a coach
- This was in a completely new city
- first time competing at featherweight
- I had spent the past week watching my weight, as I had been in Hawaii the week before that
- Saturday was gi and Sunday was nogi, meaning I had to watch my weight for 2 days
Thankfully, one of my old teammates from NJ goes to college in Missouri, so I had the support of him and his teammates. My old teammate, Marcus, drove me to and from the venue that weekend, so I didn't have to worry about renting a car. I'm not even old enough to rent one anyway!
After nearly missing my flight on Friday because of the bad weather, I got to the hotel at around 6pm. I had weighed myself that morning and had been 119.5, but was very wary of taking in too much sodium. I walked a mile and a half each way to get dinner, which was grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. It's pretty miraculous I found it, because the area had mainly fast food. I dodged the now fading black patches of snow and ice, but did get my dinner!
I started at 9am the next day, so Marcus, myself, and one of his teammates left for the venue around 8am. One of his teammates was in my division, but we're both pretty relaxed people and were friendly the entire time. We never had to face each other anyway, but even if we did, there was no tension.
I weighed myself on the test scale and weighed in at a whopping 125.5 pounds with my gi on (the upper limit for female featherweight is 129). I had ample time to warm up, and felt pretty confident. My first and only gi match was against a girl from Brazil-021, a team led by Hanette Staack and her husband, Andre Negao. The girl pulled guard, and I spent most of the time trying to pass and break her spider guard lasso and grips. She eventually swept me, and I was unable to get any half guard sweeps, although I was able to creep out just before the buzzer sounded. The final score was 2 points for her and 1 advantage for me. I was pretty bummed about losing my first match. I ended up "winning" a bronze medal because I first had a bye, and went on to compete in the absolute. Once again, my opponent pulled guard, and I spent what must have been about 3 minutes of a 6 minute match stuck in a triangle. She won on advantages I believe and was only one weight class above me. I was very upset after this match, because I had really wanted to redeem myself in the absolute.
The next day was nogi. I won my first match via rear naked choke about 2-3 minutes in to the match. I lost my finals match on points. She pulled guard, I somehow ended up with her in my guard, but was unable to get a submission or sweep. She ended up passing and winning on points. This won me second place, but I decided not to do the absolute, as I feel injuries are more likely in nogi than they are in gi.
On a somewhat related note, Hanette Staack came up to me and shook my hand a little while after I competed against her student. She was really friendly! I'm a huge fan of hers so it was really cool to meet her and even more awesome to see that she was willing to chat with me for a little. I also got to see Comprido and Carlson Gracie Jr. Comprido annihilated the masters black belt division by the way.
Despite the fact that I only won one match, I feel much more confident about competing than I did last year for the following reasons:
- I lost every match in every tournament I competed in in 2012. One win isn't what I'm gunning for, but it's a step in the right direction
- I didn't obsessively check the athlete list like I have in the past. I checked it occasionally just to make sure that a decent amount of girls that signed up, but I wasn't intimidated by any of the names or teams on the list.
- I realized that I need to work on imposing my game more and being less afraid of taking risks. I feel like I could have been more aggressive with implementing my passing game
- I definitely avoided some weaknesses that have stopped me from competing well in the past
I'm happy I spent the money and went to Chicago to compete. I have to give a huge thanks to Jesse from Killer Bee Gi for sponsoring me and for providing me with the best gis! In all seriousness, I really only reach for my Killer Bee gis now for training unless they're all in the wash. I'll post a review soon.
I'm now preparing for the New York Open, I can't wait to compete again!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Self Evaluation and Brainstorming
The good thing about Jason Scully's academy is that we have a decent amount of open mat sessions. A lot of them are impromptu, and if someone with a key is available, I can get a couple hours of drilling or rolling in the middle of the day on my days off work.
Evaluating yourself and figuring out what to work on in jiu jitsu (or in life, for that matter), can be difficult. The sport is so multifaceted that the number of guards, positions, concepts, and techniques can become overwhelming. I find that it takes at least a few months before you find out what kind of game or style you prefer and what you're good and bad at.
As you progress, you start to think about jiu jitsu a little bit differently. As you learn what the different kinds of guards were and many basic concepts, you slowly start to develop a style, and eventually a game plan if you compete. You probably know a little bit about everything, but haven't identified my own strengths and weaknesses.
For me, this mindset and ideology manifested itself after my first tournament as a blue belt. After I received my blue belt in May 2011, I competed in June 2011 in the blue belt division at a local Grappler's Quest. I figured it couldn't hurt to jump in and compete, right? I ended up winning one match and losing my next two. While I was definitely disgruntled at losing, as most people are, it became apparent to me that I had some glaring weaknesses in my game that were being exploited by more experienced blue belts. This experience has given me a lot more focus in jiu jitsu and has made me more methodical.
It was after this tournament that I made it a point to attend an open mat session as soon as I completed a tournament; wherever I've trained, there is always an open mat on Sundays. I used to avoid open mats because I felt like I wouldn't learn without formal instruction. However, I've realized that open mat is an awesome time for brainstorming. I feel like I have been so scatterbrained in the past regarding what to work on, but having that unstructured space allows you to work on your own gameplan without having to drill what your instructor wants to work on. I think this is especially critical as you move up the ranks and are developing your strengths and gameplan for competitions. Even if you don't compete, I think it's important to see what your strengths and weaknesses. Those are often revealed during rolling in class, but you don't always get the chance to work on those details during class.
So what makes a good brainstorming session? This is only what I've come up with, but it has been working well for me.
I don't think it's productive to focus on just passing or just guard work. I think passing gives you a greater understanding of the guard, and vice versa. I keep a notebook in my backpack. I write down a couple of details from the technique portion of class and then pick one or two weaknesses from my top and bottom game that I noticed during rolling.
This is where it can diverge. Sometimes those weaknesses are more conceptual, like what to do when in bottom half- where to position yourself, where you should get grips, etc. Sometimes the weakness can be very specific, like a certain sweep or pass that just isn't working the way you'd like it to. You can ask your partner if they notice anything you're doing wrong. After rolling with the same set of people so many times, you and your teammates will begin to notice the type of game you play, your strengths, your weaknesses, and consequently, the mistakes you make when rolling because it's during rolling that they capitalize on those mistakes. It's much better to see those mistakes during class or open mat than to figure them out at a tournament!
Another important thing is that if you're in class and the techniques your instructor is teaching you that day aren't sticking with you, don't sweat it. Sometimes you aren't ready to learn a certain guard or set of techniques. For example, some find the inverted guard game very tricky to learn. Getting used to being in that position, transitioning to that position, and figuring out the attacks and defenses can be tough for less flexible or limber people. Each component of the jiu-jitsu game requires a certain kind of movement, and getting used to moving your body that way can be difficult for some. If you don't get it, you can "shelve it for later". This means that instead of harping on what you completely don't understand, you should focus on something that isn't necessarily intrinsic to you, but something that you need to work on that's a little more feasible. As you progress in your jiu-jitsu career, you'll eventually become familiar with all types of games and styles; there is no pressure to learn a certain guard or style your instructor is teaching that day or week. If you approach jiu jitsu the right way, you'll a jack of all trades and master of some. You'll have your stronger and weaker points, but the different between your strong and weak points will decrease over time.
Evaluating yourself and figuring out what to work on in jiu jitsu (or in life, for that matter), can be difficult. The sport is so multifaceted that the number of guards, positions, concepts, and techniques can become overwhelming. I find that it takes at least a few months before you find out what kind of game or style you prefer and what you're good and bad at.
As you progress, you start to think about jiu jitsu a little bit differently. As you learn what the different kinds of guards were and many basic concepts, you slowly start to develop a style, and eventually a game plan if you compete. You probably know a little bit about everything, but haven't identified my own strengths and weaknesses.
For me, this mindset and ideology manifested itself after my first tournament as a blue belt. After I received my blue belt in May 2011, I competed in June 2011 in the blue belt division at a local Grappler's Quest. I figured it couldn't hurt to jump in and compete, right? I ended up winning one match and losing my next two. While I was definitely disgruntled at losing, as most people are, it became apparent to me that I had some glaring weaknesses in my game that were being exploited by more experienced blue belts. This experience has given me a lot more focus in jiu jitsu and has made me more methodical.
It was after this tournament that I made it a point to attend an open mat session as soon as I completed a tournament; wherever I've trained, there is always an open mat on Sundays. I used to avoid open mats because I felt like I wouldn't learn without formal instruction. However, I've realized that open mat is an awesome time for brainstorming. I feel like I have been so scatterbrained in the past regarding what to work on, but having that unstructured space allows you to work on your own gameplan without having to drill what your instructor wants to work on. I think this is especially critical as you move up the ranks and are developing your strengths and gameplan for competitions. Even if you don't compete, I think it's important to see what your strengths and weaknesses. Those are often revealed during rolling in class, but you don't always get the chance to work on those details during class.
So what makes a good brainstorming session? This is only what I've come up with, but it has been working well for me.
I don't think it's productive to focus on just passing or just guard work. I think passing gives you a greater understanding of the guard, and vice versa. I keep a notebook in my backpack. I write down a couple of details from the technique portion of class and then pick one or two weaknesses from my top and bottom game that I noticed during rolling.
This is where it can diverge. Sometimes those weaknesses are more conceptual, like what to do when in bottom half- where to position yourself, where you should get grips, etc. Sometimes the weakness can be very specific, like a certain sweep or pass that just isn't working the way you'd like it to. You can ask your partner if they notice anything you're doing wrong. After rolling with the same set of people so many times, you and your teammates will begin to notice the type of game you play, your strengths, your weaknesses, and consequently, the mistakes you make when rolling because it's during rolling that they capitalize on those mistakes. It's much better to see those mistakes during class or open mat than to figure them out at a tournament!
Another important thing is that if you're in class and the techniques your instructor is teaching you that day aren't sticking with you, don't sweat it. Sometimes you aren't ready to learn a certain guard or set of techniques. For example, some find the inverted guard game very tricky to learn. Getting used to being in that position, transitioning to that position, and figuring out the attacks and defenses can be tough for less flexible or limber people. Each component of the jiu-jitsu game requires a certain kind of movement, and getting used to moving your body that way can be difficult for some. If you don't get it, you can "shelve it for later". This means that instead of harping on what you completely don't understand, you should focus on something that isn't necessarily intrinsic to you, but something that you need to work on that's a little more feasible. As you progress in your jiu-jitsu career, you'll eventually become familiar with all types of games and styles; there is no pressure to learn a certain guard or style your instructor is teaching that day or week. If you approach jiu jitsu the right way, you'll a jack of all trades and master of some. You'll have your stronger and weaker points, but the different between your strong and weak points will decrease over time.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Mad Scientist Jiu-Jitsu
The past month or so has been a whirlwind. I recently accepted a job for the website Buddhasport; Buddhasport is an action sports website, and I write articles for them regarding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. It's really cool to be able to channel my writing skills in this way. I'm working on a really cool BJJ project for them; I'll release more details once I've begun working on it a little more, but I think you'll all like it! I also have a new part-time job working at my old office, so I've successfully gone from a part-time, unpaid internship to TWO paid gigs!
Because of this project, I've visited a few BJJ schools in the NY/NJ/PA area. I've realized I take a much more analytic approach to jiu-jitsu; I don't learn as well from the instructor showing me the move and then me trying to copy it, but I do learn well when the instructor explains why the move works. Understanding concepts like pressure, position, posture, and even physics are really help me understand certain moves ways of passing/sweeping/submitting. It's really changed the way I approach class and ask questions. It's lessened my frustration and it's made me think about jiu-jitsu in a whole new light. I call it the "mad scientist" approach, which fits well with my personality!
But that isn't all I've been thinking about....
Unfortunately, the recent rape case involving two Lloyd Irvin students has plagued my mind since the story broke. I didn't know any of the people involved, but it truly makes me sick to think that this could happen, let alone happen in the BJJ community in this way. I've tried countless times to express my feelings and what I think should be done, but frankly, I can't put my thoughts in any coherent fashion. I'm angry at the incident, how some people associated with the team have acted, the reactions of many on various Internet forums, and even the reactions of a couple of people I know personally. However, there are a couple of people who have been able to sum up the situation much more coherently than myself. Check out the links below for some more perspective on the situation.
The Real Issue in the Schultz/Maldonado Rape Case
Ryan Hall's Open Letter to the Martial Arts Community
Because of this project, I've visited a few BJJ schools in the NY/NJ/PA area. I've realized I take a much more analytic approach to jiu-jitsu; I don't learn as well from the instructor showing me the move and then me trying to copy it, but I do learn well when the instructor explains why the move works. Understanding concepts like pressure, position, posture, and even physics are really help me understand certain moves ways of passing/sweeping/submitting. It's really changed the way I approach class and ask questions. It's lessened my frustration and it's made me think about jiu-jitsu in a whole new light. I call it the "mad scientist" approach, which fits well with my personality!
But that isn't all I've been thinking about....
Unfortunately, the recent rape case involving two Lloyd Irvin students has plagued my mind since the story broke. I didn't know any of the people involved, but it truly makes me sick to think that this could happen, let alone happen in the BJJ community in this way. I've tried countless times to express my feelings and what I think should be done, but frankly, I can't put my thoughts in any coherent fashion. I'm angry at the incident, how some people associated with the team have acted, the reactions of many on various Internet forums, and even the reactions of a couple of people I know personally. However, there are a couple of people who have been able to sum up the situation much more coherently than myself. Check out the links below for some more perspective on the situation.
The Real Issue in the Schultz/Maldonado Rape Case
Ryan Hall's Open Letter to the Martial Arts Community
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Jiu Jitsu Is (Or Can Be) Selfish
I recently spoke to one of my friends who is moving back home and coming back to train with me at Jason Scully's academy. He was previously training full-time; he trained three times per day and competed all the time. He trained at Jason's for a long time, but left with Jason's blessings after finding an opportunity to train full-time and compete as much as he could.
I spoke with this friend online and he said that he realized he didn't want jiu jitsu to be his entire life. He will always want jiu jitsu to be a big part of his life, but not his entire life. He told me there are so many things he wants to do and see, and training full time gets in the way of that. Training that much often doesn't allow you the opportunity to go to school, see your friends/family/significant other much, work a regular 9-5 job, or even go out and eat/drink if you're watching your weight for a tournament. Most likely, you're probably very tired throughout the day because of training and don't even have the energy to do a lot of those things.
It becomes more difficult to relate to others as you let jiu jitsu take over your life. I find it very hard to relate the intricacies of jiu jitsu, the fun and rush of competing, the thrill of learning new techniques, or even just explaining why certain jiu jitsu matches are exciting (because let's face it, unless you train, watching competition footage is definitely a "WTF is that, I don't get it" moment for a lot of people) to people who don't train. It's hard for others to understand why you've chosen not to go out and drink that night or why you're forgoing the dessert so you can make weight. Because for others, it just doesn't make sense. Most people who play sports after college are doing so in a casual recreational league atmosphere where people are balancing their lives with their activity of choice, not balancing their sport with their lives, as is done in BJJ.
Now this isn't to say that it isn't possible to work and go to school and still train full-time and be successful. Pulling Guard Zine recently published an article that shows Justin Rader's schedule. He works 40 hours a week, goes to school, trains, does strength and conditioning, and is one of the most successful BJJ competitors in the country and the world! So is it possible? Yes.
But my main point here is that jiu jitsu is/can be selfish. Training and competing primarily benefits yourself. You're constantly focusing on your own progress, strength, health, and mindset all as it relates to jiu jitsu. For those who work 9-5 jobs, practice is often soon after work meaning he or she doesn't get home to the family or significant other until late. You do, of course, end up building a strong school or team because your hard work pushes others on the mat, but in terms of your relationships off the mat, jiu jitsu certainly takes away from them to a certain degree. Of course, many other things in life can have this effect, like a job that requires long hours, but I think most people are more used to balancing something like a job (which is more necessary and financially beneficial, unless BJJ is your job).
I also recently noticed that jiu jitsu pushed out some of my other hobbies. I rarely pick up my guitar anymore, or read a new book that isn't martial arts related. I've been making a conscious effort to bring these things back in to my life and balance them with training. Reading has been the easiest one since I have a 1.5 hour commute to work each way!
So am I saying jiu jitsu is bad? That you should quit because of these aspects? No. But I am saying this "selfish" aspect of it is something that I've noticed and have tried to keep in mind.
I spoke with this friend online and he said that he realized he didn't want jiu jitsu to be his entire life. He will always want jiu jitsu to be a big part of his life, but not his entire life. He told me there are so many things he wants to do and see, and training full time gets in the way of that. Training that much often doesn't allow you the opportunity to go to school, see your friends/family/significant other much, work a regular 9-5 job, or even go out and eat/drink if you're watching your weight for a tournament. Most likely, you're probably very tired throughout the day because of training and don't even have the energy to do a lot of those things.
It becomes more difficult to relate to others as you let jiu jitsu take over your life. I find it very hard to relate the intricacies of jiu jitsu, the fun and rush of competing, the thrill of learning new techniques, or even just explaining why certain jiu jitsu matches are exciting (because let's face it, unless you train, watching competition footage is definitely a "WTF is that, I don't get it" moment for a lot of people) to people who don't train. It's hard for others to understand why you've chosen not to go out and drink that night or why you're forgoing the dessert so you can make weight. Because for others, it just doesn't make sense. Most people who play sports after college are doing so in a casual recreational league atmosphere where people are balancing their lives with their activity of choice, not balancing their sport with their lives, as is done in BJJ.
Now this isn't to say that it isn't possible to work and go to school and still train full-time and be successful. Pulling Guard Zine recently published an article that shows Justin Rader's schedule. He works 40 hours a week, goes to school, trains, does strength and conditioning, and is one of the most successful BJJ competitors in the country and the world! So is it possible? Yes.
But my main point here is that jiu jitsu is/can be selfish. Training and competing primarily benefits yourself. You're constantly focusing on your own progress, strength, health, and mindset all as it relates to jiu jitsu. For those who work 9-5 jobs, practice is often soon after work meaning he or she doesn't get home to the family or significant other until late. You do, of course, end up building a strong school or team because your hard work pushes others on the mat, but in terms of your relationships off the mat, jiu jitsu certainly takes away from them to a certain degree. Of course, many other things in life can have this effect, like a job that requires long hours, but I think most people are more used to balancing something like a job (which is more necessary and financially beneficial, unless BJJ is your job).
I also recently noticed that jiu jitsu pushed out some of my other hobbies. I rarely pick up my guitar anymore, or read a new book that isn't martial arts related. I've been making a conscious effort to bring these things back in to my life and balance them with training. Reading has been the easiest one since I have a 1.5 hour commute to work each way!
So am I saying jiu jitsu is bad? That you should quit because of these aspects? No. But I am saying this "selfish" aspect of it is something that I've noticed and have tried to keep in mind.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Abu Dhabi Pro Trials Recap
I lost my match at the Abu Dhabi Trials on points. People keep telling me it's okay because I was small for the division (I weighed in with all my clothes on at 122lbs; the upper weight limit is 139), but frankly I didn't care. I entered that tournament knowing I'd be on of the smallest people there and that it wouldn't stop me.
On a somewhat positive note, I was not as upset as I could have been. For the first time in a couple of tournaments, I didn't feel the same helplessness I have felt the past 2 tournaments. I definitely "lost better" (does that make sense?) than I have in the past in that it wasn't a quick submission, I was able to block some sweeps, and some of my past weaknesses weren't as glaring or capitalized on by my opponent. I also got to see some incredible matches afterwards. Of course there were big names like Cyborg, Keenan, DJ Jackson, Tanquinho, Mackenzie Dern, etc., but one of the cool things was that I got to see some of the rising colored belts. There were some INCREDIBLE purple belt matches; it's always great to see this sport continuing to progress and to see who are going to be the future big stars.
I've already moved on and am focusing on how to prepare for the Big Apple BJJ Open in December. It's a gi and nogi tournament being put on by Shaolin. Kinda weird that it's his tournament and I'm not with his school anymore, but I didn't leave with any bad blood so it's all good!
Training has been put to a temporary halt because of Hurricane Sandy. I'm EXTREMELY thankful that my house was not hit badly; we have no power (running on a generator though) and don't expect to soon, but my house wasn't damaged and there were only a few downed trees. My thoughts go out to those near the beach who were hit much worse.
On a somewhat positive note, I was not as upset as I could have been. For the first time in a couple of tournaments, I didn't feel the same helplessness I have felt the past 2 tournaments. I definitely "lost better" (does that make sense?) than I have in the past in that it wasn't a quick submission, I was able to block some sweeps, and some of my past weaknesses weren't as glaring or capitalized on by my opponent. I also got to see some incredible matches afterwards. Of course there were big names like Cyborg, Keenan, DJ Jackson, Tanquinho, Mackenzie Dern, etc., but one of the cool things was that I got to see some of the rising colored belts. There were some INCREDIBLE purple belt matches; it's always great to see this sport continuing to progress and to see who are going to be the future big stars.
I've already moved on and am focusing on how to prepare for the Big Apple BJJ Open in December. It's a gi and nogi tournament being put on by Shaolin. Kinda weird that it's his tournament and I'm not with his school anymore, but I didn't leave with any bad blood so it's all good!
Training has been put to a temporary halt because of Hurricane Sandy. I'm EXTREMELY thankful that my house was not hit badly; we have no power (running on a generator though) and don't expect to soon, but my house wasn't damaged and there were only a few downed trees. My thoughts go out to those near the beach who were hit much worse.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A New Mindset for Competition
Tonight was my last night of training before the Abu Dhabi Trials and Grapplers Quest this weekend. For the first time, I feel relaxed. I remember the last time I did the Trials, I looked at the competitor list and promptly bugged out. I googled all the names, tried to figure out their rank, and tried to find video footage. This time, I saw the list of girls in my division, and continued what I was doing. I don't really care who is in my division, what their games are, how tall/big the other might be, or where they train. Because frankly, it's irrelevant. I'm 121lbs right now and the upper weight limit for the Trials is 139; I know I'm going to be one of the smaller ones in my division, but who cares! Is my game going to drastically change in the next 3 days because of something I found out about them on YouTube/the Internet? Probably not!
I've realized it's best for me to just focus on implementing my game against my opponent as opposed to worrying about what they will do to me. And logically that's made sense to me for a while, but it's finally clicked in my brain. I'm relaxed and confident without feeling cocky. This time, I doubt I'll be listening to loud music while getting amped and tense before I compete. I'll probably read or listen to something calm before I go out to compete. I'll post an update after Sunday!
Also, I'd like to thank Killer Bee Gi. After emailing them to ask when their women's gi was coming out, they responded by asking if I was sponsored. Since I wasn't, they extended a sponsorship opportunity to me! This is especially great for me because I'm not getting paid right now. Without the support of Killer Bee, I would not be competing this weekend because I wouldn't be able to afford to do so. I can also honestly say that the Killer Bee Gis are awesome; they are durable, have a clean design, and are within a VERY reasonable price range. I'll post a review in the coming days, but for now, go on over to Killer Bee Gi's website to check out their selection of men AND women's gis!
I've realized it's best for me to just focus on implementing my game against my opponent as opposed to worrying about what they will do to me. And logically that's made sense to me for a while, but it's finally clicked in my brain. I'm relaxed and confident without feeling cocky. This time, I doubt I'll be listening to loud music while getting amped and tense before I compete. I'll probably read or listen to something calm before I go out to compete. I'll post an update after Sunday!
Also, I'd like to thank Killer Bee Gi. After emailing them to ask when their women's gi was coming out, they responded by asking if I was sponsored. Since I wasn't, they extended a sponsorship opportunity to me! This is especially great for me because I'm not getting paid right now. Without the support of Killer Bee, I would not be competing this weekend because I wouldn't be able to afford to do so. I can also honestly say that the Killer Bee Gis are awesome; they are durable, have a clean design, and are within a VERY reasonable price range. I'll post a review in the coming days, but for now, go on over to Killer Bee Gi's website to check out their selection of men AND women's gis!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Shelve It For Later
After a weekend in Atlanta for the wedding of one of my old coaches and training partners, I came home on Monday and went to the gym yesterday as well as this morning to make up for lost time. We've been doing some drills in class that have really been helping my game, and I've been rolling outside of class to stay sharp.
Jason said something about BJJ that really resonated with me. He said that sometimes you just aren't ready to learn certain moves or positions yet. For example, when he was shown Reverse De La Riva, his first thoughts were "What the heck, this is just some kind of weird half guard, why would I ever use it?". Of course he eventually learned Reverse De La Riva and can use it/teach it in many situations. But his advice was not to get frustrated if something doesn't click immediately or quickly because sometimes you just aren't ready for it yet. By the time you're a black belt, you'll have strengths and weaknesses, but there won't really be any more "mysteries" in terms of knowing and understanding moves, concepts, and positions.
That sentiment is kind of how I feel about my jiu-jitsu journey. I would see some of the things my coaches taught and it just wouldn't click. And I'd think/wonder for months if I was a bad student, if I was dumb, would I ever understand it, is it the teaching style, etc. But in reality, I just wasn't ready for some moves. I know some blue belts who LOVE the berimbolo, but to me it's still kind of a mystery. What seems "fancy" and intricate to some isn't to others, and it's not really anyone's fault nor does it point out some kind of deficiency. Sometimes you just need to shelve things for later.
Jason said something about BJJ that really resonated with me. He said that sometimes you just aren't ready to learn certain moves or positions yet. For example, when he was shown Reverse De La Riva, his first thoughts were "What the heck, this is just some kind of weird half guard, why would I ever use it?". Of course he eventually learned Reverse De La Riva and can use it/teach it in many situations. But his advice was not to get frustrated if something doesn't click immediately or quickly because sometimes you just aren't ready for it yet. By the time you're a black belt, you'll have strengths and weaknesses, but there won't really be any more "mysteries" in terms of knowing and understanding moves, concepts, and positions.
That sentiment is kind of how I feel about my jiu-jitsu journey. I would see some of the things my coaches taught and it just wouldn't click. And I'd think/wonder for months if I was a bad student, if I was dumb, would I ever understand it, is it the teaching style, etc. But in reality, I just wasn't ready for some moves. I know some blue belts who LOVE the berimbolo, but to me it's still kind of a mystery. What seems "fancy" and intricate to some isn't to others, and it's not really anyone's fault nor does it point out some kind of deficiency. Sometimes you just need to shelve things for later.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Tatami Women's Zero G V2 Gi Review
This gi was given to me by BJJHQ for the purposes of review. In no way, shape, or form does this influence my opinion of this gi. BJJHQ offers a "deal of the day" on BJJ gear and apparel, ranging from tshirts, gis, rashguards, and more.
Tatami is a British BJJ company that has made waves in the United States in the past year thanks to distributors like BudoVideos and MMA Outlet who now carry the brand. Tatami has also come out with a women's line of gis, as the amount of women participating in the sport continues to rise and there is a continued demand for gis that fit a female body type.
There was a delay in me posting this review because I've lost some weight from the time I initially received the gi, so it fits a little differently than it did when I first bought it.
First Impressions
This is a really sharp looking gi. The teal color really stands out against the white fabric. There are rectangular patches on the top side of the pants leg and the top of the shoulders with "Zero G" written on the patch. There is an embroidered "G" on the bottom of the right leg.
Direct from Tatami's website, the specs are as such:
- jacket made from 475gsm pearl weave reinforced gi material
- rubberized collar to stop moisture absorption during training and competition
- single piece jacket for reinforced strength, durability, and comfort
- 10oz heavy cotton stitching on all areas of the jacket and pants
- tapered fit for maximum competitive advantage
- 8oz double reinforced lightweight competition pants
- NEW Zero G V2 brand embroidery is strategically placed on the jacket shoulder, back of the neck and the bottom of the right leg
This gi is INSANELY light, under 3lbs! I received the F3 size, which is for someone who is 5'3-5'6" and from 52kg (about 115lbs) to 65kg (about 143lbs). When I initially received the gi, I was about 138lbs, but now I'm only 122lbs.
Fit
I've only washed this gi on cold and hung it to dry, and didn't notice any shrinkage.
The pants were a little tight on me when I was in the high 130s, but are a great fit now that I'm in the low 120s. I'm 5'5" so the length is just right, as the bottom of the pants fall just above the top of my feet without touching my feet. The pant material is almost like my old karate pants, very thin and light. I'm wondering how durable these pants will be over time, but as of now I don't see any fraying or tears. They're quite comfortable and I expect this is how the pants of most really lightweight gis will be unless the manufacturer opts for ripstop pants.
The sleeve length is good as well, definitely IBJJF legal and the width of the cuff is a good size; not too big that it's easy to grab and not too narrow to not pass a gi checker. The collar on this gi is reasonably thick- not quite as thick and stiff as a Keiko or KF gi, but definitely study, especially since this is such a lightweight gi.
However, the top of this gi is far too long. The skirt comes well below my bottom, which is a bit bothersome to me. I also find that the gi top comes out of my belt and undone too frequently during training. The actual material of the top is a nice pearl weave, very lightweight and breathable.
Overall
Overall, this is a great competition gi if making weight is an issue for you, but there are some sizing issues that Tatami should take in to account. The length was bothersome to me, but perhaps there are some people that prefer a longer skirt. I am wondering if this is a true women's cut or simply a men's gi that was made a little smaller. On their website, Tatami does say that they did a lot of research for this gi, but I'm wondering if most Tatami gis are known for having a longer skirt or if it was simply a mishap on Tatami's part. It's a solid gi, but the fit isn't right for me. Given the chance, I wouldn't get another one of these gis, but I'd recommend it to someone who might be a bit taller than me.
You can buy the gi through the website "Martial Arts Supplies". They offer hassle-free returns as well as free shipping on all items. The complete line of Tatami gis can be found by clicking here.
Tatami is a British BJJ company that has made waves in the United States in the past year thanks to distributors like BudoVideos and MMA Outlet who now carry the brand. Tatami has also come out with a women's line of gis, as the amount of women participating in the sport continues to rise and there is a continued demand for gis that fit a female body type.
There was a delay in me posting this review because I've lost some weight from the time I initially received the gi, so it fits a little differently than it did when I first bought it.
First Impressions
This is a really sharp looking gi. The teal color really stands out against the white fabric. There are rectangular patches on the top side of the pants leg and the top of the shoulders with "Zero G" written on the patch. There is an embroidered "G" on the bottom of the right leg.
Direct from Tatami's website, the specs are as such:
- jacket made from 475gsm pearl weave reinforced gi material
- rubberized collar to stop moisture absorption during training and competition
- single piece jacket for reinforced strength, durability, and comfort
- 10oz heavy cotton stitching on all areas of the jacket and pants
- tapered fit for maximum competitive advantage
- 8oz double reinforced lightweight competition pants
- NEW Zero G V2 brand embroidery is strategically placed on the jacket shoulder, back of the neck and the bottom of the right leg
This gi is INSANELY light, under 3lbs! I received the F3 size, which is for someone who is 5'3-5'6" and from 52kg (about 115lbs) to 65kg (about 143lbs). When I initially received the gi, I was about 138lbs, but now I'm only 122lbs.
Fit
I've only washed this gi on cold and hung it to dry, and didn't notice any shrinkage.
The pants were a little tight on me when I was in the high 130s, but are a great fit now that I'm in the low 120s. I'm 5'5" so the length is just right, as the bottom of the pants fall just above the top of my feet without touching my feet. The pant material is almost like my old karate pants, very thin and light. I'm wondering how durable these pants will be over time, but as of now I don't see any fraying or tears. They're quite comfortable and I expect this is how the pants of most really lightweight gis will be unless the manufacturer opts for ripstop pants.
The sleeve length is good as well, definitely IBJJF legal and the width of the cuff is a good size; not too big that it's easy to grab and not too narrow to not pass a gi checker. The collar on this gi is reasonably thick- not quite as thick and stiff as a Keiko or KF gi, but definitely study, especially since this is such a lightweight gi.
However, the top of this gi is far too long. The skirt comes well below my bottom, which is a bit bothersome to me. I also find that the gi top comes out of my belt and undone too frequently during training. The actual material of the top is a nice pearl weave, very lightweight and breathable.
Overall
Overall, this is a great competition gi if making weight is an issue for you, but there are some sizing issues that Tatami should take in to account. The length was bothersome to me, but perhaps there are some people that prefer a longer skirt. I am wondering if this is a true women's cut or simply a men's gi that was made a little smaller. On their website, Tatami does say that they did a lot of research for this gi, but I'm wondering if most Tatami gis are known for having a longer skirt or if it was simply a mishap on Tatami's part. It's a solid gi, but the fit isn't right for me. Given the chance, I wouldn't get another one of these gis, but I'd recommend it to someone who might be a bit taller than me.
You can buy the gi through the website "Martial Arts Supplies". They offer hassle-free returns as well as free shipping on all items. The complete line of Tatami gis can be found by clicking here.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Redirecting My Energy
I'm finally ready to compete again. I've signed up for the Grappler's Quest in New Jersey and am debating doing both the under 119lb division as well as the 120-139.9 pound division. Through not drinking too much, eating healthy, doing strength and conditioning, and some other mystery I can't seem to fathom, I now walk around at 123 pounds. This is kind of astonishing, considering that about a year ago I was around 140lbs!!
Additionally, the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials are the day before Grappler's Quest, but Abu Dhabi weight divisions are MUCH different and for women, consist of only under 139lbs and over 139lbs. I would likely be one of the smallest in that tournament, but if I can weigh in for GQ on Friday, do the Trials on Saturday, and do GQ on Sunday, I'm down! Experience is experience, right?
Coming back up to compete has reminded me that I need to fix the mental aspect of my game. While I've become much less frustrated during class, I get WAY too amped the night before I compete. If any of you know who the UFC fighter Diego Sanchez is, that's pretty much what I'm like the night before I compete, sans Jesus/God references. Okay, and maybe less "YES!" cartwheels, but you get the idea. But I think getting amped like that ultimately drains you. And while an adrenaline dump can help you get started, it's also an awesome way to gas during a 6 minute match.
Instead of listening to really intense music and pacing the night before, I'll probably relax a little and take my mind off the competition instead of being so preoccupied with it. Even in class, I've been less preoccupied with "winning" and more so with getting better.
Another thing I've added to my workouts is sprinting. I've been a distance runner since I was 14, and let me tell you, doing sprints for five minutes is 532049205x more exhausting than a ten mile run! I darn near collapsed at the end, but I think it's better for the explosiveness and speed needed in jiu jitsu. I'm no fitness expert so I can't back that up with any science, but it's helping me!
Additionally, the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials are the day before Grappler's Quest, but Abu Dhabi weight divisions are MUCH different and for women, consist of only under 139lbs and over 139lbs. I would likely be one of the smallest in that tournament, but if I can weigh in for GQ on Friday, do the Trials on Saturday, and do GQ on Sunday, I'm down! Experience is experience, right?
Coming back up to compete has reminded me that I need to fix the mental aspect of my game. While I've become much less frustrated during class, I get WAY too amped the night before I compete. If any of you know who the UFC fighter Diego Sanchez is, that's pretty much what I'm like the night before I compete, sans Jesus/God references. Okay, and maybe less "YES!" cartwheels, but you get the idea. But I think getting amped like that ultimately drains you. And while an adrenaline dump can help you get started, it's also an awesome way to gas during a 6 minute match.
Instead of listening to really intense music and pacing the night before, I'll probably relax a little and take my mind off the competition instead of being so preoccupied with it. Even in class, I've been less preoccupied with "winning" and more so with getting better.
Another thing I've added to my workouts is sprinting. I've been a distance runner since I was 14, and let me tell you, doing sprints for five minutes is 532049205x more exhausting than a ten mile run! I darn near collapsed at the end, but I think it's better for the explosiveness and speed needed in jiu jitsu. I'm no fitness expert so I can't back that up with any science, but it's helping me!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Full Circle
This morning I stepped on the scale and weighed in at
124lbs. This gives me five pounds for my
gi, belt, and rashguard, meaning I'm good to go for featherweight! I'm excited
because I think this is the weight class I really belong in. I can't say I've altered my diet too much
other than cutting out snacks/junk food and replacing some of my carbs with
vegetables. I feel much better and think I've even gained some strength. I'd
never starve myself to go down a weight class or deprive myself of food, because
in the long run it'll wreck my metabolism.
I've been experimenting with different recipes and I'm happy I'm not one
of those people who has to miserably eat a salad for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner!
Since I've been very busy studying for the GRE and applying
to graduate school, I've held back on competing. I also recently picked up a part-time
internship, but since it's unpaid, I'm also on the hunt for something paid
(tuition money anyone?). That being
said, I'm back at Jason Scully's school in NJ because I am no longer in the
city every day and can't afford to pay to train there and don't have the time to go into the city on days I don't work solely to train.
Jason's school has a mixed-levels class that goes for about
an hour and a half. When I trained at
Shaolin's, I took the 5:30pm and 7:30pm classes, giving me about 2.25 hours of
training per day. Even though I'm only getting 1.5-2 hours of training per day in
now, I feel like I'm improving. Improving a lot, in fact. I'm not running out of the door after class with wet hair so I can catch the 9:30 bus back home and wake up at 6am. Instead, I'm leaving the school and driving 20 minutes home, and the latest I'm home now is 9:30pm and I only have to wake up at 7:15am every other day.
This brings me to the title of this post. A year ago around this time, I was getting ready for my new job in NYC and signing up at Shaolin's. Now I'm just getting started with my internship and once again joining a new(ish) gym. As busy as I was last year, I'm even more busy this year because there is more on the line (grad. school). I'll be working like crazy until the winter, and then hopefully I'll get to train even more in the spring!
Although it would be nice to stay at one jiu jitsu school for more than a year...
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Strength and Conditioning
One thing I've been adding to my training repertoire lately has been strength and conditioning. I had never really done strength and conditioning outside of just training before winter of this year. I saw many of the higher level belts at the school doing pull ups, sandbag exercises, and other lifts/exercises to help increase their strength for BJJ.
For a long time, I thought that just rolling a lot would help me develop BJJ-applicable strength. However, most competitors are on some type of regimen. I don't have access to a gym, so I've been working on developing my own setup without the use of a gym. I thought about posting all the exercises here, BUT I am not a health/fitness professional and therefore don't feel comfortable posting my regimen in case it isn't the best one you can do. I have, however, been using a bulgarian bag, which I've found VERY useful. It makes you utilize your core to stay upright and you can work pretty much any and every muscle in your body using all the exercises. I received mine as a present and it came with a DVD, so I've been working from that.
If you're interested in starting a strength and conditioning regimen, it's probably best to talk to your coach, as he/she has better knowledge about where to go, especially if he/she was/is a big competitor. I received most of my knowledge from my training partners, and have been satisfied with the results so far. And as always, be very careful when starting a new exercise regimen, as taking it up too high too fast can cause injuries!
For a long time, I thought that just rolling a lot would help me develop BJJ-applicable strength. However, most competitors are on some type of regimen. I don't have access to a gym, so I've been working on developing my own setup without the use of a gym. I thought about posting all the exercises here, BUT I am not a health/fitness professional and therefore don't feel comfortable posting my regimen in case it isn't the best one you can do. I have, however, been using a bulgarian bag, which I've found VERY useful. It makes you utilize your core to stay upright and you can work pretty much any and every muscle in your body using all the exercises. I received mine as a present and it came with a DVD, so I've been working from that.
If you're interested in starting a strength and conditioning regimen, it's probably best to talk to your coach, as he/she has better knowledge about where to go, especially if he/she was/is a big competitor. I received most of my knowledge from my training partners, and have been satisfied with the results so far. And as always, be very careful when starting a new exercise regimen, as taking it up too high too fast can cause injuries!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Revelation
Since I've stopped training at Shaolin's, I've noticed I'm much more prone to try out new moves and work on my weaknesses. A friend pointed it out to me and it kind of confused me. Shaolin is a great coach and I love the atmosphere at his school. So why am I suddenly more calm, patient, and willing to try out new techniques?
I realized that during my time at Shaolin's, I was putting too much pressure on myself. I wanted so bad to so well that I took every failed sweep and submission quite personally. I got crushed A LOT at Shaolin's. I would leave class distressed but with no plan on how to improve. I was focusing more on the fact that I was getting crushed than the fact that I needed to improve. I had no process in place for fixing my mistakes, not a good one at least. So why did my attitude change just from training elsewhere?
**I'd like to note that this is NOT a knock on Shaolin's school. I enjoy training with his students, I like learning from Shaolin, and I'd recommend it to anyone. The problem here lies within myself**
At Shaolin's school, there are beginner classes for white belts and advanced classes for blue belts and up. Jason just has a mixed class, but will sometimes assign different drills for white belts. Since I often pair up with the other girl in class who is a white belt and am more likely to be paired up with someone who is of my experience or a lower rank, I can work on similar weaknesses and am not thinking "oh my goodness, I'm going to get owned AGAIN". Now don't get me wrong, Jason also has students that can crush me like a bug, but there is a larger gradient of experience available in any given class. Whenever I roll with white belts, I'm more likely to work on my weaknesses, as you don't get much out of imposing your "A" game on someone who doesn't have the same experience you do.
I know my mindset shouldn't be limited to who I pair up with, so I've been working on just remaining calm during drilling and rolling. I can't let a class format dictate how I act. What I may consider doing is taking a couple of private lessons to really work on my weaknesses.
If I get a job in NYC, I will return to Shaolin's with a new and better attitude regarding my training. And if I end up staying in NJ or moving anywhere else, I plan on carrying around this new attitude with me!
I realized that during my time at Shaolin's, I was putting too much pressure on myself. I wanted so bad to so well that I took every failed sweep and submission quite personally. I got crushed A LOT at Shaolin's. I would leave class distressed but with no plan on how to improve. I was focusing more on the fact that I was getting crushed than the fact that I needed to improve. I had no process in place for fixing my mistakes, not a good one at least. So why did my attitude change just from training elsewhere?
**I'd like to note that this is NOT a knock on Shaolin's school. I enjoy training with his students, I like learning from Shaolin, and I'd recommend it to anyone. The problem here lies within myself**
At Shaolin's school, there are beginner classes for white belts and advanced classes for blue belts and up. Jason just has a mixed class, but will sometimes assign different drills for white belts. Since I often pair up with the other girl in class who is a white belt and am more likely to be paired up with someone who is of my experience or a lower rank, I can work on similar weaknesses and am not thinking "oh my goodness, I'm going to get owned AGAIN". Now don't get me wrong, Jason also has students that can crush me like a bug, but there is a larger gradient of experience available in any given class. Whenever I roll with white belts, I'm more likely to work on my weaknesses, as you don't get much out of imposing your "A" game on someone who doesn't have the same experience you do.
I know my mindset shouldn't be limited to who I pair up with, so I've been working on just remaining calm during drilling and rolling. I can't let a class format dictate how I act. What I may consider doing is taking a couple of private lessons to really work on my weaknesses.
If I get a job in NYC, I will return to Shaolin's with a new and better attitude regarding my training. And if I end up staying in NJ or moving anywhere else, I plan on carrying around this new attitude with me!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Transitional Drilling
As I posted previously, the grant for my job in NYC ended, so I've been training at Jason Scully's school until I can find another job. Jason's a great teacher and incorporated a really cool drill this past week that I'd like to keep doing.
He didn't have a name for the drill, but it consisted of each person doing two different movements against the other person and alternating back and forth. For example, if two people start from the knees, one person might grab the collar (one) and then grab the pants leg (two). The person would respond by kicking their leg out to break the grip (one) and try to get an underhook (two). If you fail to break/establish a grip or position, it still counts as one movement. It's a good way to see how you do your transitions. I know that personally when I roll, it's tough for me to remember why I was swept or what led to me being submitted. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find someone else who is interested in doing this drill at Jason's or Shaolin's open mat.
Additionally Jason had us roll for 45 minutes straight yesterday. He said that if at any point you got tired you could take a quick sip of water and come back, but for the most part it should just be straight rolling. Each person stayed with the same person the entire time. I was paired up with a 6-month white belt girl, and to my knowledge, is the only other girl who trains at Jason's school. I like training with her because everything she does is somewhat calculated; there's no random pushing, flailing, or movement without any thought behind it. Even when she makes a mistake it's not a frustrated and tense attempt to get out of something. Additionally, we have similar competition games so it's nice that we work on the same weaknesses and have similar strengths.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some more cover letters to write, the GRE to study for, and a personal statement to write. AHH!
He didn't have a name for the drill, but it consisted of each person doing two different movements against the other person and alternating back and forth. For example, if two people start from the knees, one person might grab the collar (one) and then grab the pants leg (two). The person would respond by kicking their leg out to break the grip (one) and try to get an underhook (two). If you fail to break/establish a grip or position, it still counts as one movement. It's a good way to see how you do your transitions. I know that personally when I roll, it's tough for me to remember why I was swept or what led to me being submitted. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find someone else who is interested in doing this drill at Jason's or Shaolin's open mat.
Additionally Jason had us roll for 45 minutes straight yesterday. He said that if at any point you got tired you could take a quick sip of water and come back, but for the most part it should just be straight rolling. Each person stayed with the same person the entire time. I was paired up with a 6-month white belt girl, and to my knowledge, is the only other girl who trains at Jason's school. I like training with her because everything she does is somewhat calculated; there's no random pushing, flailing, or movement without any thought behind it. Even when she makes a mistake it's not a frustrated and tense attempt to get out of something. Additionally, we have similar competition games so it's nice that we work on the same weaknesses and have similar strengths.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some more cover letters to write, the GRE to study for, and a personal statement to write. AHH!
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