I was antsy on the way to class today. I have a good friend who is traveling abroad and making me pea-green. Everything he said to me made me want to go be there too! I might have to dig out my Central America journal and pictures just to torture myself.
Then, I was really pissy in class today. I was pissed because it seemed like I was doing all the right techniques yet none of them worked. I know, probably wasn't doing them correctly then. But really, I promise, I was even getting feedback like last night from Dan (who told me I was doing the right thing at the right time, it just wasn't working because he's stronger.) It just made me steaming-mad. A good example is a butterfly pass where you flatten them on their back, head to sternum, hands gripping their sides, sucking your arms in tight and back so they have their heels in their butt and your elbows touch your own knees. I won't bother describing the rest of the pass because every frickin' time I do that I can't even move to step 2 because they just straighten out their legs.
What makes me mad about that is it's arms versus legs. Even if it's core, it's arms+ core versus legs+core. Legs beat arms. WTF!
So once again near tears, several times. Get tired of being squashed and forced and made to feel weak.
But then... at the end of open mat... rolled with a much bigger and stronger blue who is very talented and has a beastly rep. Granted, he kind of gave up the pass or halfguard, twice or three times... but I tapped him with a rude but legit farside reverse armbar from side, and then later, with a Monson choke.
Hot damn.
8 comments:
Sweet!
On the pass, send me a vid and I'm happy to look into it.
Remember, leg has many muscles and some of them are weaker than arm+core. That's the angle you want to approach. Besides, you're working it, it will click and when it does you'll be crying with laughter :)
Georgette,
I really enjoy reading your blog!! I'm not so great with language skills so doing a blog is such a scary prospect for me as an individual. So thank you for having the skill and guts to do it! I must say that you offer insight into what most of us feel or have felt through our jiu jitsu journey. I applaud you for being candid about how you feel both good and bad. However, I do wonder sometimes about your approach to the journey you are on.
(Please realize this is all speculation as I don't reside in your brain or even the same state as you! =))
As I see it, much like me you sometimes focus too much on the end result and outcome as opposed to the process. (My husband gets after me all the time about this in basically all areas of my life =)
Jiu jitsu is not easy. . . it is not the memorization of moves or katas. . . it is the execution of the RIGHT move at the RIGHT time! Mat time (which you seem to do a TON of!!!) is the way this happens. If the person is way stronger you have to pick a different pass/submission/position . . .period end of story. It is not the right move at the right time. There is nothing wrong with you or your technique or the blueness of your belt... it is simply just not the right move.
Let me give you an example. . .
My sister and I both do bjj I'm 125 lbs 5 ft 3 in . . .she is 98 lbs 5 ft 1 in . . . I do armbars all day on the boys of her skill level why? Because it is the weakest point for many of them. They are long and exposed while they try to work past my guard. . . on the other hand, I've never armbared my sister! why? because she has little ass arms. . . this being said the arm bar is not the right move at the right time on her in 95 percent of the situations we find ourselves in. . .
I guess what I am getting at is you wont feel like crying (I've felt this way too!) on the mat if you flow along the path of least resistance. . . Since you aren't the most athletic, strong, tall, technical, and seasoned of the group all in one package, you aren't going to make everything you want to work at all times.
That being said. . .listen to your instructor's feedback be encouraged by the "goods" "greats" "perfects" and then work your game. Learn the technique and try to apply it but don't keep doing something that isn't working over and over again. Shelve it and figure out how to get past the persons guard in another fashion. . . Then in your next roll, go back to the pass and try it on another person. . .maybe it will work on them. But avoid the beating of the dead horse she isn't going to get back up and let you ride her
Jiu jitsu is fun. . .it is exciting. . . it is physical. . .it is cerebral. . . it is hard. . .but it will always be there for you to practice. I guess what I am getting at in this long ass comment is just enjoy and have fun. The rest will happen in time!
@Anony: You do yourself a disservice. Language is not your weakness! :)
I hear you. I would say the same, and have said it, to others. But ... this is ME. And I want success NOW. I am extraordinarily hard on myself, I know. Thank you for the perspective. I appreciate the kind words!
Feel free to friend me on facebook...
I hear you, Georgette! I have been having some trouble with guard passing recently because I am literally getting tossed off when I try to pass. The only thing that works for me right now is to out-squirrel them and eek around one side or to somehow get their legs together, sprawl and come around that way. Anything else lately and they fling me into outer-space. Which is why I am getting a private on guard passing. lol
Hi Georgette,
On the pass you are describing, if they straighten out their legs isn't that the perfect time to hop straight over their knees, directly into mount? Food for thought.
@Matt-- if they fully straighten, sure, but I believe they keep their hooks in and only straighten enough to push me away, then sit up and launch for a butterfly sweep.
I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one near tears on the mat.
Mollie-- far from it. If you like, read a post a couple days before this one, titled something like "I cried this morning." I was amazed by the stream of comments afterwards letting me know I wasn't alone.
I'd be interested in hearing more about your jiu jitsu journey-- on your blog or via email :)
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