Usually jiu jitsu is so all-consuming that when I do it, I don't think of anything else. I can't keep a good song in my head, can't hear music that's playing, don't stress about work or anything else in my life-- all I see, hear, smell, feel, think is posture, pressure, position.
In fact, it's such a good painkiller, muscle relaxant, and all around nerve-tonic that I can escape into jiu jitsu the same way I would dive into a good novel.
But on a rare occasion, something external will bug me to such an extent that it comes with me onto the mats, and then I am torn. Should I not train, so that I don't poison the experience? don't punish training partners by being a less-than-fully-present opponent ? Or would not training make it worse?
Well, I went to lunch class today and it was miserable in a cyclic fashion. I started out miserable for external reasons, then grappled like flattened dogsh*t, which made me more miserable, and then I added on some self-loathing for allowing XYZ to affect my grappling and felt even worse. I kept trying to tell myself that it was okay to have a shitty jits day and it was just my turn and that I had brought it on myself for blogging the other day about bringing it to two friends of mine.
You ever hear of someone throwing up into their mouth? (NOOOOO I DIDN'T!) Well, I cried into my eyes. I was so flooded with emotions, mainly related to my external issues but some from crappling, that I had several moments of crying while rolling/drilling where (fortunately) the tears did not spill over.. where they just rose to the surface and hung out until they were reabsorbed or evaporated.
I just couldn't do anything right, I was feeling sorry for myself, and I accidentally kneed a friend in the eye trying to control him from top cross-side. I spent the rest of class being sorry for myself, then rolled for 15 min with a friend from out of town who nicely made me feel like a complete noob.
So, heeding the advice of many wiser than me, I hied myself out the back door and up a small hill, sat down and just wept. Opened the faucets in my eyes and cried into my eyes and out of them again, making a wet place on the sidewalk stoop. Got it out of my system for about 10 minutes and came inside, sorted myself out, showered, and left.
At least night class was better.
EDIT: My good friend Josh recommended this video to me in his comment. I dig it.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Half guard sweeps plus dessert.
Check out this half guard sweep by Oli Geddes. Oli is a brown belt under Roger with a lot of competition success under his belt. It's a pretty standard sweep, I believe we call it the Old School, but I notice I'm not lifting their heel the way he does, so I'm going to try it today at lunch with that tidbit. By the way-- what do you think of the filming style? I dig it....
Slightly different entry than what I'm used to using, but I learned this alternative from my purple belt "wing" Scott Reis. It's good when they are accustomed to the Old School and drive into you to counter it... you just dive under and go with it. (See, flow!) And sorry-- while I love Hillary, I'm not a big Joanne fan. But I didn't feel like jacking around on youtube hunting for a non-Joanne version of this one.
And for dessert, here's a popover choke by Hillary. Hillary taught this move in a seminar in Dallas to our Girls in Gis group, but she didn't add the scissor sweep fake to our setup. I'm glad I saw this and not just because Joanne's the one getting choked. *simpering giggle*
Slightly different entry than what I'm used to using, but I learned this alternative from my purple belt "wing" Scott Reis. It's good when they are accustomed to the Old School and drive into you to counter it... you just dive under and go with it. (See, flow!) And sorry-- while I love Hillary, I'm not a big Joanne fan. But I didn't feel like jacking around on youtube hunting for a non-Joanne version of this one.
And for dessert, here's a popover choke by Hillary. Hillary taught this move in a seminar in Dallas to our Girls in Gis group, but she didn't add the scissor sweep fake to our setup. I'm glad I saw this and not just because Joanne's the one getting choked. *simpering giggle*
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
tonight.
I cried two kinds of tears tonight.
Hot, angry, resentful... squeezed out between panting breaths and a completely useless attempt at mount...
Cold, sad, full of self-pity... rolling down my cheeks as I walked under a lonely moon in the dark.
I wish I was a better person. I have so many regrets.
p.s. Sorry for the maudlin excess this evening... you are, in some ways, my diary, so at times you just need to bear with the non-Celso Vinicius, the non-Donald-is-amazing, the non-recipe crap.
Hot, angry, resentful... squeezed out between panting breaths and a completely useless attempt at mount...
Cold, sad, full of self-pity... rolling down my cheeks as I walked under a lonely moon in the dark.
I wish I was a better person. I have so many regrets.
p.s. Sorry for the maudlin excess this evening... you are, in some ways, my diary, so at times you just need to bear with the non-Celso Vinicius, the non-Donald-is-amazing, the non-recipe crap.
Flow.
The other night in competition class, Donald showed me what REAL flow rolling is. I have seen youtube clips of flow rolling but I didn't connect that it is rolling without resisting. Whatever they give, you take.. and whatever they push for, you give. Shama and I tried to flow roll before nogi worlds and before I knew what Donald meant, and it was ugly. I resisted everything. Then Donald rolled with her and it was a beautiful dance! And then he rolled with me, and I was halfway getting it. I felt like I intruded on the rhythm and the grace of it when I thought about what to do next, but if I just went with everything, things clicked effortlessly. And I bounded up from the mat with an ecstatic smile on my face afterwards, feeling like choirs of angels were singing and rainbows were falling out of my gi, because THAT is how jiu jitsu should feel. If they're stiff or resisting in one aspect, there WILL be another place that they're giving you something, so don't bother with your original plan-- just be water and flow into any crevice that's open.
I spent some time playing around with a friend yesterday, working on the rules of open guard (femur-torso angle never greater than 90 degrees; femur-femur angle never less than 90 degrees; one foot on either side of their body always; 3 points of control always). Then this morning I tried to combine those rules with the flow rolling concept (but haha, it doesn't work so well when your partner is going for the gold.)
Just now, read this useful bit on Dave Thomas' blog Jits Happens.
"The slow march towards mastery includes moments where your growth, energy, and motivation are at their greatest. Coincidentally with my discussions on this topic, [Daniel] Pink calls this "flow." He equates flow with play, in that the labors and efforts of the work you are engaged in become effervescent and lost in the moment of unconscious progress you enjoy in flow. How can you find your flow and how can you make this a means to accelerate growth and enjoyment? How do we work to get lost in the moment? Translated as a Zen kōan, we should concentrate maximum effort to release effortless play. The more you flow, the more you grow, and the more fun you have on the path. Having fun is a great counter balance to the pain of training hard."
The whole 'maximum effort to release effortless play' pretty much sums up my addiction to jits.
This weekend was pretty cool, because we had the NoGi Worlds on at my house and a few training partners came over for spaghetti and shouting at the screen. Wooo, our teammate Daniel Moraes took silver in middle heavy! Here's what GracieMag had to say:
"Pablo “Weapon X” Popovitch, of the newly-formed and very successful Avengers team, defeated Daniel Moraes of Relson Gracie on points, 6-0. Popovitch finessed and muscled his way to a big win to become 2010′s medium heavyweight no-gi world champion."
Speaking of which, check out some killer pictures from the NoGi Worlds here.
Mitch's first day at his new job was yesterday and it went well. He's still in school full time also, so he's incredibly busy. This weekend he'll be in Dallas for the Dallas Salsa Congress, and I'll be training a bunch, gardening a bunch, and cooking a bunch. You know those soft white frosted sugar cookies available at a lot of bakeries, called Lofthouse cookies? Found a recipe to make them at home which I'd like to try:
2 cups Jiffy baking mix
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 tbsp Crisco Shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix, drop on parchment paper lined pan, bake for 8-10 minutes and remove to cool.
My stupid toe is still jacked but it's not stopping me from getting some good training in.
Hope you're doing well!!!! :)
I spent some time playing around with a friend yesterday, working on the rules of open guard (femur-torso angle never greater than 90 degrees; femur-femur angle never less than 90 degrees; one foot on either side of their body always; 3 points of control always). Then this morning I tried to combine those rules with the flow rolling concept (but haha, it doesn't work so well when your partner is going for the gold.)
Just now, read this useful bit on Dave Thomas' blog Jits Happens.
"The slow march towards mastery includes moments where your growth, energy, and motivation are at their greatest. Coincidentally with my discussions on this topic, [Daniel] Pink calls this "flow." He equates flow with play, in that the labors and efforts of the work you are engaged in become effervescent and lost in the moment of unconscious progress you enjoy in flow. How can you find your flow and how can you make this a means to accelerate growth and enjoyment? How do we work to get lost in the moment? Translated as a Zen kōan, we should concentrate maximum effort to release effortless play. The more you flow, the more you grow, and the more fun you have on the path. Having fun is a great counter balance to the pain of training hard."
The whole 'maximum effort to release effortless play' pretty much sums up my addiction to jits.
This weekend was pretty cool, because we had the NoGi Worlds on at my house and a few training partners came over for spaghetti and shouting at the screen. Wooo, our teammate Daniel Moraes took silver in middle heavy! Here's what GracieMag had to say:
"Pablo “Weapon X” Popovitch, of the newly-formed and very successful Avengers team, defeated Daniel Moraes of Relson Gracie on points, 6-0. Popovitch finessed and muscled his way to a big win to become 2010′s medium heavyweight no-gi world champion."
Speaking of which, check out some killer pictures from the NoGi Worlds here.
Mitch's first day at his new job was yesterday and it went well. He's still in school full time also, so he's incredibly busy. This weekend he'll be in Dallas for the Dallas Salsa Congress, and I'll be training a bunch, gardening a bunch, and cooking a bunch. You know those soft white frosted sugar cookies available at a lot of bakeries, called Lofthouse cookies? Found a recipe to make them at home which I'd like to try:
2 cups Jiffy baking mix
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 tbsp Crisco Shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix, drop on parchment paper lined pan, bake for 8-10 minutes and remove to cool.
My stupid toe is still jacked but it's not stopping me from getting some good training in.
Hope you're doing well!!!! :)
Friday, November 05, 2010
On fire!
One of our purple belts said some very nice things to me after lunch class yesterday. He's been pushing me to be more aggressive, which is good, and I'm definitely giving it my best effort. Then during night time open mat, I happily brought it to two bluebelt friends of mine who are male, bigger, heavier, and stronger than me. It's not like I didn't get passed, swept or submitted (I did) but I did feel like I held my own and then some. I passed some guards really well-- I did some sweeping-- took some backs-- barred some arms. :) It was really, really good and I was on cloud nine for a few hours afterwards.
Such a relief that for all the times I feel like I'm falling behind, not getting it, not executing, without a plan, flailing and the like... there are glimmers of light through the clouds. Intermittent reinforcement leads to learning that is more resistant to extinction (forgetting.) Well, my successes are intermittent enough to give me hope :)
Here's the 2009 World Pro BJJ Cup Under 75kg Final: Marcelo Garcia vs. Michael Langhi....
Such a relief that for all the times I feel like I'm falling behind, not getting it, not executing, without a plan, flailing and the like... there are glimmers of light through the clouds. Intermittent reinforcement leads to learning that is more resistant to extinction (forgetting.) Well, my successes are intermittent enough to give me hope :)
Here's the 2009 World Pro BJJ Cup Under 75kg Final: Marcelo Garcia vs. Michael Langhi....
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Think outside the box.
This morning I rolled nogi with two purple belts who are very patient with my attempts.
I think it's funny that I'm often told I am technical, because really, if I had strength, I'd be using it! In the absence of comparable strength, we (girls, smaller/weaker people) experience true Darwinism of technique-- the only things that ever work are technical things. I always *feel* like I'm hauling on stuff, pushing, pulling, heaving, working, so it doesn't always seem technical per se, but I guess my feeble strivings come across that way by comparison. Whatever, I don't care, I just like to have fun.
And I did. I lay beneath Bentley in a semi-half guard, semi-had-his-back kind of thing, with my arms pretzeled around his and his shoulderblade in some couldn't-recreate-it-for-love-or-money kind of way, and he laughed that I always do these unorthodox things he doesn't expect that impede his progress in a move. I replied it's solely due to me not having a clue... I don't even know what the box is much less have it, so I can't think in or out of it. I just play.
I think it's funny that I'm often told I am technical, because really, if I had strength, I'd be using it! In the absence of comparable strength, we (girls, smaller/weaker people) experience true Darwinism of technique-- the only things that ever work are technical things. I always *feel* like I'm hauling on stuff, pushing, pulling, heaving, working, so it doesn't always seem technical per se, but I guess my feeble strivings come across that way by comparison. Whatever, I don't care, I just like to have fun.
And I did. I lay beneath Bentley in a semi-half guard, semi-had-his-back kind of thing, with my arms pretzeled around his and his shoulderblade in some couldn't-recreate-it-for-love-or-money kind of way, and he laughed that I always do these unorthodox things he doesn't expect that impede his progress in a move. I replied it's solely due to me not having a clue... I don't even know what the box is much less have it, so I can't think in or out of it. I just play.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Reverse engineering, I said!
La la la la, I love Cane Prevost's way of teaching.
*ahem-- it'sremarkablylikehowDonaldteaches--*
Check out the new addition to the Gentle Art here... how to escape cross side...
It comes complete with video! and breakdown! and lists! for the reverse engineers in the crowd.. like me :)
*ahem-- it'sremarkablylikehowDonaldteaches--*
Check out the new addition to the Gentle Art here... how to escape cross side...
It comes complete with video! and breakdown! and lists! for the reverse engineers in the crowd.. like me :)
Controlling the hips... essay and videos
Just found a post this summer by Small Axe BJJ on how to effectively control the hips. I haven't watched the videos yet... but wanted to share.
Here's a sampling:
"Combat Mount, High-Side, or “Rickson” (whatever you want to call it)- this position is a great strategy to employ on an opponent determined to elbow escape from your mount. Again, the secret to making the High-Side a valuable position is controlling your opponent’s hip movement. Watch how I demonstrate a method to tighten down your high-side."
Whatcha think?
Here's a sampling:
"Combat Mount, High-Side, or “Rickson” (whatever you want to call it)- this position is a great strategy to employ on an opponent determined to elbow escape from your mount. Again, the secret to making the High-Side a valuable position is controlling your opponent’s hip movement. Watch how I demonstrate a method to tighten down your high-side."
Whatcha think?
NoGi Worlds....
My purple belt teammate Shama Ko leaves tomorrow to compete in the 2010 Worlds Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championships. Her matches are on Sunday but it starts Saturday and it will be amazing. You can look through the brackets here.
In the black belt lightweight division JT Torres and Lucas Lepri will certainly meet again. Torres submitted Lepri at 2010 Brazilian Nationals, while Lepri beat JT in finals at both the 2009 Pan No-Gi and 2009 World No-Gi. This past 2010 Pan No-Gi, the two champs won separate weight classes (JT in light; Lepri in middle).
Here's their match at the Brazilian Nationals this year:
And for grins, here's Lepri v. Mike Fowler, JT's teammate, at (I believe) the NY BJJ Open...
Keep an eye out for Leticia Ribeiro (Gracie Humaita) and Sofia Amarante (the Avengers) who are in the same division. Here they are in last year's NoGi Worlds finals:
And Leticia Ribeiro v. Michelle Nicolini, last year's Worlds (in gi):
Ana Claudia Dantas v. Michelle Tavares, Brazil ADCC trials last year:
Budovideos will be broadcasting live, so pony up the $10 and watch it.
In the black belt lightweight division JT Torres and Lucas Lepri will certainly meet again. Torres submitted Lepri at 2010 Brazilian Nationals, while Lepri beat JT in finals at both the 2009 Pan No-Gi and 2009 World No-Gi. This past 2010 Pan No-Gi, the two champs won separate weight classes (JT in light; Lepri in middle).
Here's their match at the Brazilian Nationals this year:
And for grins, here's Lepri v. Mike Fowler, JT's teammate, at (I believe) the NY BJJ Open...
Keep an eye out for Leticia Ribeiro (Gracie Humaita) and Sofia Amarante (the Avengers) who are in the same division. Here they are in last year's NoGi Worlds finals:
And Leticia Ribeiro v. Michelle Nicolini, last year's Worlds (in gi):
Ana Claudia Dantas v. Michelle Tavares, Brazil ADCC trials last year:
Budovideos will be broadcasting live, so pony up the $10 and watch it.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Why didn't I compete?
This past weekend our sister affiliate in San Antonio hosted the Gracie Grappling Cup. My teammates competed, of course, and brought home lots of bling. I did not compete. Why not?
I'm just not in the mood, I guess. I feel like I'm a squirrel, madly gathering nuts for winter-- I have so much technique to learn and add to my collection, and I'm just not ready to put it on the line. If I competed now I feel like I wouldn't have any of the holes (exposed by prior comps) filled yet. So what's the point?
It was a nice tournament, though small, and Relson Gracie was there which is always special. It was great to see old friends and make new ones (there's yet ANOTHER new jiu jitsu school in Austin, with a new-to-me female blue belt I'm eager to see at a Girls in Gis someday) but I'm happy to just have been a scorer.
Royler is coming to our academy for a seminar on November 18, and Kathy Brothers (America's second female black belt) will be attending, so I'm keen on that. It's only $85 for three hours, so if you're interested, go to this page to preregister.
Some eye candy for your Monday...
Oceane Talvard x Angélica Ferreira, black belt, Brazil Nationals this summer... I dig the passing, the back take, and the triangle transition...
Luana Alzuguir (one braid) v. Ana Maria India (two braids), Brazil, ADCC trials, 2009...
I'm just not in the mood, I guess. I feel like I'm a squirrel, madly gathering nuts for winter-- I have so much technique to learn and add to my collection, and I'm just not ready to put it on the line. If I competed now I feel like I wouldn't have any of the holes (exposed by prior comps) filled yet. So what's the point?
It was a nice tournament, though small, and Relson Gracie was there which is always special. It was great to see old friends and make new ones (there's yet ANOTHER new jiu jitsu school in Austin, with a new-to-me female blue belt I'm eager to see at a Girls in Gis someday) but I'm happy to just have been a scorer.
Royler is coming to our academy for a seminar on November 18, and Kathy Brothers (America's second female black belt) will be attending, so I'm keen on that. It's only $85 for three hours, so if you're interested, go to this page to preregister.
Some eye candy for your Monday...
Oceane Talvard x Angélica Ferreira, black belt, Brazil Nationals this summer... I dig the passing, the back take, and the triangle transition...
Luana Alzuguir (one braid) v. Ana Maria India (two braids), Brazil, ADCC trials, 2009...
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