What have I said in like every post on here so far? "BJJ, what a sport! You never know what kind of day you're going to have! blahblahblah!"
Yeah, well, for every one awesome day, there are a few bad ones thrown in there. The type of days where you think to yourself, "Why did I make the 1 hour train trip up here? What am I doing with my life? Where am I going? What is my future?" And then a 1 hour train trip back to continue thinking about why you're such a pussy.
My Australian friend said, as I was lamenting these things to him, "Well, you didn't fight any mugs tonight, mate, and I've been doing this for 10 years." True, true. And he weighs about 220. Maybe more? He's a big dude. But yeah. It's all about perspective, mainly like he said, I didn't go against any white belts. I had my obligatory roll with Phil, which is always a nightmare, and then strong blues and purples for about 45 minutes straight of rolling. How can I look at that as bad, really? Aside from the fact that I wasn't really able to do anything, that is. Whattevs. These guys are fucking assassins, and I didn't sit on the edges and shark white belts. :)
I'm a little bummed out because I haven't been able to train as much or as consistently as before. I don't regret getting married, but it's going to require some adjustments to my training regime, and I'm going to really need to start using my time wisely and searching for opportunities to train, rather than sticking to my set schedule that I had before. I'm also going to be in the states for a couple weeks, but if I'm lucky, I sneak off with my cousin and check out Big John's gym, which is like 5 minutes from my uncles house.....!
Anyway, more later after I get back. Peace--
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Trust issues?
Mon and Wed of this week was local rollage -- now that I've gotten married I'm not making the trip up to Axis much, though once my wife gets some stuff started around here, I'll start going up there once or twice a week. The sessions around here are awesome tho -- Henry usually comes up with some drills, I help out the new guys with their techniques, then we roll for a really long time. Great workouts. Two and a half solid hours of BJJ is immeasurably good on so many levels.
Last night a bluebelt came -- big dude, maybe 215, but rusty. Super awesome guy though and confident enough with himself to have a nice, smooth roll and not use his 35 lb weight advantage against me in a caveman sorta way, which I really appreciated. I'm not used to rolling with guys that big so it was cool. Things I did well:
He wasn't really able to pass my guard
Worked a couple good sweeps to mount
Took his back
Ever since I started constantly hunting for the underhook, my game has changed dramatically. I don't know what it is about jiujitsu -- you'll add one element that will totally revolutionize your game, and it makes you wonder why the hell you weren't doing it the entire time. This was also true when I started working a lot of open guard. Henry mentioned that I was going for a lot more opportunistic sweeps and being more proactive with my game -- these are all a result of constantly trying to get that underhook. It's funny too, because when I started really focusing on it, Matt Hughes was on TUF5 and said, "I'm going to show you the most important thing you need to know," and demonstrated the underhook. I guess he would have some insight eh?
Admittedly, I should have worked open guard on the big guy more. I did it a little bit, but he was really good at killing my legs and passing, so I kept him in closed guard and worked attacks from there and pulled X-guard when he stood up -- just really focusing on my bottom game, which is where I live anyway. Good shit.
I had a good time showing the new folks some stuff. I really love teaching (it's in my blood!) and it's really no wonder that people who can make a living teaching BJJ do it and love it. The tough thing about explaining stuff is that it's really important not to overwhelm the guy you're explaining it to, because you want to add so many details in there that are of utmost importance. It's also hard not to go off on tangents -- "Or you can work this here, or transition to an armbar, or work knee on belly like this, or switch up to this collar choke, etc etc", all of which have a whole laundry list of subtleties contained within them. Simplicity is best, I suppose.
It's funny -- Henry and I have been trying to get people to come out for so long, and now after almost two years some people have finally decided to stick around. This has given me a lot of perspective on "n00b behavior" -- namely, the psychology of people who are just getting into jiujitsu, particularly Americans, because I'm only really used to rolling with Japanese dudes. This also brings us to the reason I entitled this post what I did.
I think a lot of guys really really need to trust who they're rolling with in order to feel comfortable. And I'm not talking about being "roll dawgz" or whatever, I mean they need to trust that you won't make them feel like a pussy or treat them like a bitch if you beat them. I don't really feel like I had that kind of baggage when I started -- maybe because of the amount of "mantrust" involved in the job I had in the Marines, and the fact that I knew Henry came from the same kind of unit. I also didn't really give a shit if I got tapped out, because I fully acknowledged the fact that I had no idea what I was doing and had never done any martial arts outside of what we did in the USMC, which I knew was retarded.
In any case, the newer guys who showed up (that I talked about before) are getting waaay more comfortable with BJJ in general, and are actually being moderately responsive and receptive to instruction without feeling the need to throw their own two cents in. That's another thing I've noticed about new folks -- they always feel the need to add something based on whatever experience they have, even if it's nonsensical or bullshit. Sometimes it makes me miss the military, where telling someone that "it's shut up time, and I'm the one talking" was acceptable. I guess I've harped on this before. Maybe I'm just irritated because I feel I've put in more time than them and I don't really like them telling me "how it is" on their first day. Maybe I'm the one with the ego problem. Who knows.
Anyone else have some insight into the "new guy" phenomenon?
Anyway, while I miss going up to Axis twice a week, rolling locally with our crew has been completely awesome. I'll start getting back up to Axis once things settle down, because the 5 hour trip (get home from work, change real quick, run to the train station at 4pm for the 4:18 train, get back at 9pm) would leave my new wife bored and probably irritable when I got back, especially since I'd be tired and wouldn't feel like doing anything but sitting on the couch and drooling.
More later--
Last night a bluebelt came -- big dude, maybe 215, but rusty. Super awesome guy though and confident enough with himself to have a nice, smooth roll and not use his 35 lb weight advantage against me in a caveman sorta way, which I really appreciated. I'm not used to rolling with guys that big so it was cool. Things I did well:
Ever since I started constantly hunting for the underhook, my game has changed dramatically. I don't know what it is about jiujitsu -- you'll add one element that will totally revolutionize your game, and it makes you wonder why the hell you weren't doing it the entire time. This was also true when I started working a lot of open guard. Henry mentioned that I was going for a lot more opportunistic sweeps and being more proactive with my game -- these are all a result of constantly trying to get that underhook. It's funny too, because when I started really focusing on it, Matt Hughes was on TUF5 and said, "I'm going to show you the most important thing you need to know," and demonstrated the underhook. I guess he would have some insight eh?
Admittedly, I should have worked open guard on the big guy more. I did it a little bit, but he was really good at killing my legs and passing, so I kept him in closed guard and worked attacks from there and pulled X-guard when he stood up -- just really focusing on my bottom game, which is where I live anyway. Good shit.
I had a good time showing the new folks some stuff. I really love teaching (it's in my blood!) and it's really no wonder that people who can make a living teaching BJJ do it and love it. The tough thing about explaining stuff is that it's really important not to overwhelm the guy you're explaining it to, because you want to add so many details in there that are of utmost importance. It's also hard not to go off on tangents -- "Or you can work this here, or transition to an armbar, or work knee on belly like this, or switch up to this collar choke, etc etc", all of which have a whole laundry list of subtleties contained within them. Simplicity is best, I suppose.
It's funny -- Henry and I have been trying to get people to come out for so long, and now after almost two years some people have finally decided to stick around. This has given me a lot of perspective on "n00b behavior" -- namely, the psychology of people who are just getting into jiujitsu, particularly Americans, because I'm only really used to rolling with Japanese dudes. This also brings us to the reason I entitled this post what I did.
I think a lot of guys really really need to trust who they're rolling with in order to feel comfortable. And I'm not talking about being "roll dawgz" or whatever, I mean they need to trust that you won't make them feel like a pussy or treat them like a bitch if you beat them. I don't really feel like I had that kind of baggage when I started -- maybe because of the amount of "mantrust" involved in the job I had in the Marines, and the fact that I knew Henry came from the same kind of unit. I also didn't really give a shit if I got tapped out, because I fully acknowledged the fact that I had no idea what I was doing and had never done any martial arts outside of what we did in the USMC, which I knew was retarded.
In any case, the newer guys who showed up (that I talked about before) are getting waaay more comfortable with BJJ in general, and are actually being moderately responsive and receptive to instruction without feeling the need to throw their own two cents in. That's another thing I've noticed about new folks -- they always feel the need to add something based on whatever experience they have, even if it's nonsensical or bullshit. Sometimes it makes me miss the military, where telling someone that "it's shut up time, and I'm the one talking" was acceptable. I guess I've harped on this before. Maybe I'm just irritated because I feel I've put in more time than them and I don't really like them telling me "how it is" on their first day. Maybe I'm the one with the ego problem. Who knows.
Anyone else have some insight into the "new guy" phenomenon?
Anyway, while I miss going up to Axis twice a week, rolling locally with our crew has been completely awesome. I'll start getting back up to Axis once things settle down, because the 5 hour trip (get home from work, change real quick, run to the train station at 4pm for the 4:18 train, get back at 9pm) would leave my new wife bored and probably irritable when I got back, especially since I'd be tired and wouldn't feel like doing anything but sitting on the couch and drooling.
More later--
Thursday, May 3, 2007
What the crap?
In keeping with what I've said a few times about BJJ, you never really know what kind of day you're doing to have.
On Monday, we suited up for some local rollage, and a bunch of people came out. Again, more of the same weird newbie posturing that always happens when people come out. Why are people so insecure about grappling/boxing/whatever? If you don't know how to do it, shut up, listen, and don't worry about it.
I was showing a new guy techniques, and he kept trying to prevent me from doing them. I patiently explained, "OK now, I'm just showing you how to do this, OK? You don't need to resist", to which he responded, "Yeah, but I don't want to just lay here and let you do it like some kind've pussy, because I'm not a pussy."
What the fuck is that? You're not a pussy? Questionable. Goofus? Definitely.
I think Henry and Steve and I should institute a new rule: No egos on the mat. Shut up and learn. I dunno. Fuck.
All in all it was fun showing the new guy stuff, but again I just kind've wanted him to shut up and do what I was telling him to do without hearing his comments. It was cool to have that many people come down, but as always, we'll see how many of them actually stay for the duration! It's hard to get people to stick it out.
Last night was a weird night at Axis. Henry was having crazy eyed Pollack issues, dealing with insecurities that he has no right to have!! Not with that half-guard game. Sheeit. Just one of those nights I guess.
I rolled with this old guy that goes to Axis. He's a blue belt, and judging from how light his blue belt is, he's been there for a while, and judging by how he rolls, he will always be a blue belt. I absolutely hate rolling with this guy. He refuses to engage and if he can, tries to get you in his open guard and just push you away from him with his legs. He did this for about 4 minutes, and I swept him a couple times and used weight and balance to avoid whatever the hell it was he was trying to do, and finally passed into side control. But get this-- as soon as I completely passed his guard, he said "I'm out of gas, I need a break." Fucking weak. So I sat there for a couple minutes while he put his belt on and we re-engaged, and he started doing the same bullshit. So I just got my grips, got one leg in, and sat there looking at him. He sat there looking back. He ain't trying anything. He ain't improving. Another reason I don't like rolling with him is because if he happens to get an arm, he'll attack it like his life depends on it. It's really bizarre and frustrating and irritating. They play all coy and scared, but when they go for something it's like they're trying to kill you. If you do the same thing, they look at you like you're a big roundeye asshole. I think next time I'm just gonna start armdragging the shit out of him and making shit hurt really bad. Damn!!!
Next was Lee, which is always fun, because like I mentioned before, I can do whatever I want. It's good practice. Then I'll show him some stuff, let him try stuff, etc.. Like after I tapped him and we restarted, I just turned around and let him take my back so he could work on it.
Next I rolled with a female blue belt named Miwako, aka Henry's girlfriend. Not really, but it's funny to say. She weighs about 95 lbs, and it's hard to do anything with her and not feel like a jerk. Use any power? Jerk. Use no power and just your weight? Jerk. Get a submission? Jerk. Let her pass to a dominant position? Jerk. The funny thing is she gets really fired up. One night, her sparring consisted of me, Henry, and Christiano. I felt bad for her. The instructor was trying to tell her how to get a sweep on Henry, and she got all pissy and said, "HE'S HEAVY" (OMOI!) in Japanese. Henry looked up and said, "OMOI?!" and I about lost my shit. A few months later an older purple belt refused to roll with Henry (cuz Henry'd been tolling on him), and Henry looked at him and said, "OMOI?" and everyone in the academy started laughing. The purple belt then attacked Henry with a sword for making him lose face.
Just kidding.
Anyway, after Henry's girl was Phil, which is a nightmare as always. I've got nothing for him. Jiujitsu just makes sense for him, and he doesn't really have any explanation for how he does the moves he does or where he learns them. "Oh, I saw it somewhere. That sucks doesn't it?" His approach to rolling is so cruelly pragmatic that I can't help but smiling when he explains situations where he hurts someone. "So and so was complaining that I kept cranking his chin when I went for a RNC. So I told him to move his chin."
Either way, I'm bruised today. Last night I was pretty immobilized, as I have been following the last few rolling sessions. I'm in pretty good shape at the moment, so it's nice that I can push myself like that several times a week and continue to be pretty wiped out by the end of training.
More later・
On Monday, we suited up for some local rollage, and a bunch of people came out. Again, more of the same weird newbie posturing that always happens when people come out. Why are people so insecure about grappling/boxing/whatever? If you don't know how to do it, shut up, listen, and don't worry about it.
I was showing a new guy techniques, and he kept trying to prevent me from doing them. I patiently explained, "OK now, I'm just showing you how to do this, OK? You don't need to resist", to which he responded, "Yeah, but I don't want to just lay here and let you do it like some kind've pussy, because I'm not a pussy."
What the fuck is that? You're not a pussy? Questionable. Goofus? Definitely.
I think Henry and Steve and I should institute a new rule: No egos on the mat. Shut up and learn. I dunno. Fuck.
All in all it was fun showing the new guy stuff, but again I just kind've wanted him to shut up and do what I was telling him to do without hearing his comments. It was cool to have that many people come down, but as always, we'll see how many of them actually stay for the duration! It's hard to get people to stick it out.
Last night was a weird night at Axis. Henry was having crazy eyed Pollack issues, dealing with insecurities that he has no right to have!! Not with that half-guard game. Sheeit. Just one of those nights I guess.
I rolled with this old guy that goes to Axis. He's a blue belt, and judging from how light his blue belt is, he's been there for a while, and judging by how he rolls, he will always be a blue belt. I absolutely hate rolling with this guy. He refuses to engage and if he can, tries to get you in his open guard and just push you away from him with his legs. He did this for about 4 minutes, and I swept him a couple times and used weight and balance to avoid whatever the hell it was he was trying to do, and finally passed into side control. But get this-- as soon as I completely passed his guard, he said "I'm out of gas, I need a break." Fucking weak. So I sat there for a couple minutes while he put his belt on and we re-engaged, and he started doing the same bullshit. So I just got my grips, got one leg in, and sat there looking at him. He sat there looking back. He ain't trying anything. He ain't improving. Another reason I don't like rolling with him is because if he happens to get an arm, he'll attack it like his life depends on it. It's really bizarre and frustrating and irritating. They play all coy and scared, but when they go for something it's like they're trying to kill you. If you do the same thing, they look at you like you're a big roundeye asshole. I think next time I'm just gonna start armdragging the shit out of him and making shit hurt really bad. Damn!!!
Next was Lee, which is always fun, because like I mentioned before, I can do whatever I want. It's good practice. Then I'll show him some stuff, let him try stuff, etc.. Like after I tapped him and we restarted, I just turned around and let him take my back so he could work on it.
Next I rolled with a female blue belt named Miwako, aka Henry's girlfriend. Not really, but it's funny to say. She weighs about 95 lbs, and it's hard to do anything with her and not feel like a jerk. Use any power? Jerk. Use no power and just your weight? Jerk. Get a submission? Jerk. Let her pass to a dominant position? Jerk. The funny thing is she gets really fired up. One night, her sparring consisted of me, Henry, and Christiano. I felt bad for her. The instructor was trying to tell her how to get a sweep on Henry, and she got all pissy and said, "HE'S HEAVY" (OMOI!) in Japanese. Henry looked up and said, "OMOI?!" and I about lost my shit. A few months later an older purple belt refused to roll with Henry (cuz Henry'd been tolling on him), and Henry looked at him and said, "OMOI?" and everyone in the academy started laughing. The purple belt then attacked Henry with a sword for making him lose face.
Just kidding.
Anyway, after Henry's girl was Phil, which is a nightmare as always. I've got nothing for him. Jiujitsu just makes sense for him, and he doesn't really have any explanation for how he does the moves he does or where he learns them. "Oh, I saw it somewhere. That sucks doesn't it?" His approach to rolling is so cruelly pragmatic that I can't help but smiling when he explains situations where he hurts someone. "So and so was complaining that I kept cranking his chin when I went for a RNC. So I told him to move his chin."
Either way, I'm bruised today. Last night I was pretty immobilized, as I have been following the last few rolling sessions. I'm in pretty good shape at the moment, so it's nice that I can push myself like that several times a week and continue to be pretty wiped out by the end of training.
More later・
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