Street vs. sport.

So, while I haven't been training much "pure" jiu jitsu this month at all, I have been dropping in on some judo classes and some kajukenbo classes, both run by old friends.  It's been fun because I get to see a wholly different group of tendencies.  Judo people have no problem giving up their back (well-- the ones I play with) and neither do wrestlers.  However, I know judo matches get set back up on feet fairly quickly, and my kajukenbo friends seem to rely on the view that "if this were a real fight, I'd just punch you out."  And everyone looks at me as the representative from Brazilian jiu jitsu and wants to test themselves (even though I'm "just" a girl.)  So I get to spar a variety of opponents who don't do "the right things" and I have to find responses to them.  As a result, my jiu jitsu is getting a little garbled up with more street-y stuff and less sporty stuff.  I think Helio would approve.  I just keep telling myself (as I wrassle around with a 19 yr old kid, 6' tall and 215 lbs, and no training at all) that if they're not submitting me, if they're not in a position to punch my lights out, then I'm winning.  I might not be "beating" them-- but if they can't beat me, in the end I have succeeded.

Rener and Ryron just posted a video on a similar topic-- it's on the long side (22 min) but worth your time.



When I started jiu jitsu, I pooh-poohed the boys at my academy who seemed overly focused on "if I get in a bar fight" type situations.  When asked, I emphasized that I was NOT training jiu jitsu for self defense, but was exclusively interested in the sport aspect.  And, I had attended, and later taught, so many womens' self defense seminars through the Sexual Assault Crisis Center in my city, that I really felt quite confident I could handle myself in a "stranger attack" type situation even without jiu jitsu.

But when I started training with Donald Park, I began to see that I would do a great disservice to this art that I love, if I did not practice the self defense aspect of it.  Sure, I don't go to "that kind of bar" often if ever.   Sure, I doubted anyone would attack me, mount me and start punching away.  But what if?  How embarrassing if I were training jiu jitsu for years and got beaten up! or worse, got taunted by a 19 yr old kid after a judo class!

So I happily prioritize self defense.  And you should too.

I will say this-- guillotines! loop chokes! arm drags! take the back!  soooooo much fun against big strong 19 yr old apes ;)

A beautiful thought, a call to action...

My instructor's blog post on Saturday was inspiring and, yes, felt a little bit like a horoscope entry-- you wonder whether it was written for you because it feels incredibly specific and topical and appropriate.

Lately I've been pondering my lack of motivation to go train.  What I have come up with is a combination of-- feeling fat and out of shape (this is getting better now that I'm back to working out 7 days a week and often doing two-a-days)... being tired at the end of a long work day and not wanting to train at 8pm (my old academy had early am, lunch, and 5pm classes and I would be home by 9pm)... feeling like once I miss a couple classes, I'm too far "behind" everyone else....

But Donald's post helped me face an icky, ugly truth-- part of my reluctance to train is fear.  Fear of sucking and fear of people talking about how much I suck.  Over the weekend, I happened to have a conversation with a guy who trains at another school, about his experience when he visited another academy.  He alluded to a training partner's belt color (an advanced belt) and expressed disappointment over how this person's skills did not seem to match up to his belt color.  We've all heard comments like that, whether about people from other schools or not, haven't we?  I don't know about you, but they're the ones that used to galvanize me to train harder-- to make sure if someone from another school rolled with me, that I never let my instructor and my team down.  That I always repped them well. And yet now, my confidence has receded like the tide going out, and I'm afraid I've become a girl with a ratty blue belt who rolls like a ratty white belt.  That fear is my failure.

I am not close enough to my instructor to fancy myself his personal friend in the true sense of the word, but I feel I know him a little better now, and it is somewhat reassuring to know someone I respect so much has also failed. 

Thought I'd share with you the conclusion of his post:

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.

Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and nothing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.

Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

-Tecumseh

Gluten free!? dairy free?!

On Friday my husband and I had a conversation with my Reproductive Immunologist.

[Side note:  When I was obsessed with jiu jitsu, for like the last 3 or so years of my life, I got a kick out of saying "my chiropractic neurologist" or "my myofascial massage therapist" or "my ortho guy".  But now that I'm a little bit obsessing with trying to make a training partner I can ALWAYS dominate, ha ha... I have a new set of specialists.  And the newest addition to that stable is the reproductive immunologist, who is tasked with stopping my body from killing the embryos it apparently doesn't like.  Anyway.]

This doctor walked us through the latest round of blood test results, gave me some good news (the partial DQ alpha match is not a problem; I won't need super-duper expensive injections to permit and maintain a pregnancy) and some bad news.  The bad news is, my body is agitated about something, and that agitation isn't good for implantation.  His advice-- the next time we try to conceive I should be on some prescription meds like prednisone and lovenox... also I need to be taking monster doses of antioxidants, fish oil and the ACE vitamins... and...

I should reduce or eliminate gluten and dairy from my diet.  "But I don't have any problems with gluten! or dairy!"

Yes, you do-- your cytokine levels show that something in there is agitating your body, and we suspect it's gluten and dairy.  So abruptly on Friday, I came to the end of consuming most yummy things.

No more cookies, sandwiches, Belgian waffles, cereal, cool glasses of milk, yogurt, fried chicken, pizza, pasta, potstickers, etc. etc. etc.

Saturday I moped around the house, eating inordinate quantities of fresh strawberries and roasted almonds by the handful.  Not the most varied diet but I survived.

Sunday lunch with our niece, I had quinoa/corn/black bean salad, with a roasted ear of corn, and some green beans.  The tortellini with pesto taunted me.

Sunday night at the Mexican restaurant I had fajitas on corn tortillas, no cheese, and I don't eat sour cream any way.  They were okay.

It really aggravated me for a while and I'm sure it will continue to do so.  But I am trying, because I want to have a little one, and maybe this is what it takes.

However, all you Paleo people can start telling me about how to make gluten-free flatbread if you want.  Please?  Or whatever it is you eat sandwiches on.  I know-- you're grain-free, not gluten-free.  I'm just hoping for suggestions, from anyone.

Come get your Rickson fix here!

HENRY AKINS SEMINAR in Austin  – SATURDAY JUNE 30th – REGISTER TODAY!

HENRY AKINS GI SEMINAR
Rickson Gracie Black Belt

Where: GRACIE HUMAITÁ AUSTIN | 828 AIRPORT BOULEVARD, AUSTIN, TX 78702

When: SATURDAY JUNE 30th | 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Price: $85 per person

The third American to receive his black belt from Rickson, Henry began his training in 1995 at the Rickson Gracie Academy in West LA. Having spent more time on the mat with Rickson than nearly anyone on the planet, Henry is is a true product of Rickson’s teachings. A remarkable talent with unparalleled Jiu-Jitsu skill and knowledge, Henry served as the Head Instructor of the Rickson Gracie Academy from 2004 – 2008 and is now the head Jiu-Jitsu instructor of his own school in Santa Monica, CA – Dynamix Martial Arts. (www.dynamixmartialarts.com)

Don’t miss this chance to train with one of the country’s best black belts, as he passes on the lessons he’s learned from arguably the greatest Jiu-Jitsu practitioner alive, Master Rickson Gracie.

You MUST pre-pay and register-- click here to pay by paypal...

PRIVATE LESSONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON

FRIDAY JUNE 29th and SUNDAY JULY 1.

email INFO@GRACIELEGACY.COM for price info and

to schedule a private or semi-private lesson

How to be a great mediocre BJJ student...

Wow.  I just read a great post by Cane Prevost.  If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you will recognize the name because I really enjoy his pedagogy of jiu jitsu.  He's a blackbelt in the SBGi school under Matt Thornton, and his blog The Gentle Art captures some interesting insights in the teaching and learning of jiu jitsu.

Anyway, for those of us who aren't full-time jiu jitsu athletes, (us Part Time Grapplers like Liam) living in an all-expenses-paid jiu jitsu house like I've heard the Team Lloyd Irvin people have, Prevost's article on how to be a great "ordinary mortal" is pretty slick. So if you're not one of the Miyao brothers... Mackenzie Dern... or Buchecha... if you just enjoy jiu jitsu as a part of your life... give it a read here.