Math and BJJ

So apparently when you go on vacation from work there is approximately 100x more things to do than when you left ten days ago. This has been the story of my life since January 3rd, but thankfully I've been able to train relatively consistently.

Shaolin has added a new BJJ drills class on Tuesday nights for the new year. It is largely a conditioning class based off of functional BJJ drills, like arm drags and takedowns. It serves a few purposes as it'll improve strength (I had to drag someone across the mat by their belt last time), conditioning, and drilling necessary techniques. There is no live rolling in this class at all.

I think drilling is a really underrated part of jiu jitsu. Many people (naturally) want to get as much rolling in as possible but I think it's really important to drill techniques your instructor shows you, especially since techniques often build off of and into various sequences and positions. In this way, I think jiu jitsu is a little bit like math. When you first start taking math, you learn what numbers are, followed by addition and subtraction. Slowly you learn addition and subtraction with double/triple digit numbers and move onto multiplication and division. This spirals you into Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, statistics, and other realms of math. However, you can't learn algebra without first learning how to add and subtract, and without algebra you certainly can't do trig or calculus. Similarly, in jiu jitsu, you start off with learning a few basic things, like what guard, mount and side control are, and moves like the americana and armbar. Then you learn how to use and manipulate open guard along with its extensions like spider guard and the de la riva. From there you have more sweeps and submissions which all build off of one another. But how could you have ever learned that spider guard sweep if you couldn't even figure out how to get there from closed guard?

Sometimes I think that's an issue with jiu jitsu. People want to learn fancy sweeps and submissions without first mastering the foundations. This is not to say that you shouldn't learn things like the berimbolo or inverted guard or even that you shouldn't eventually base your game off of them; I just think it's important that those things come after you've really understood the concepts behind more basic moves like closed guard, the triangle, etc. And even if you don't ever use something that intricate in your entire jiu jitsu career, it's important to have knowledge of them, because you will probably have to at least try and counter those moves at some point. I train with a few people who love the berimbolo and even they that's their go-to move, I still can't do smack from their closed guard.

I just registered to compete in the Long Island Pride tournament in the beginning of March. I'm anxious to compete again because even though the last tournament of 2011 ended on a high note for me, I know I can do much better and really want to redeem myself from my losses. Since I'm having a really tough time making the nogi classes, I'll be entering only the gi division.

New Beginnings and Back to Basics

Tonight's BJJ class had some pretty insane drills. Jason first had us go one round without using the right arm, then not using the right leg, and then two rounds with our eyes closed! Strange as it sounds, I think rolling with your eyes closed is less difficult than the other two. Once you grab someone's gi, you can kind of figure out what position you're in and what you can do. It also makes you think a little more while rolling, because it's more complicated to figure out what move to do and how you're going to do it. He has had us doing some very slow and technical drilling lately, and I think making us roll with our eyes closed made us apply it during rolling. I think drilling is very underrated, and one of my pet peeves is when people just stop drilling because they've "done it enough". Unless you have 100% effectiveness in pulling off that technique from any position and setting it up from any position against anyone, you haven't drilled it enough. The top level guys drill the same moves over and over and that's how they get as good as they are. If they're still drilling, you can certainly do it for a few more minutes.

This has been a crazy couple of weeks for me between being out of training and going on job interviews. After many rejection emails and phone calls, I finally have a job. I will be participating in the NYC Civic Corps program, which is a partnership between AmeriCorps and the NYC Department of Service. From August 2011-June 2012, I'll be working on a service project in one of the five boroughs. I'll receive my project assignment next week during orientation, and will start working at my host site the following Monday. Given that it's an AmeriCorps program, my stipend is smaller than the salary for a full time job. I am a little nervous about not being able to pay for training, as a great deal of the stipend will go towards my train pass and Metrocard. I'll see what happens and how my finances work out, but after next week, I'm not sure where or how much I will be training.