So I feel old.
At least I feel old for beginning Brazilian Jujitsu. Now I am not claiming to be the oldest guy at the gym, and I KNOW I will have my cohort of over 30 friends telling me to shut it, but the amount of young guys (or kids) I train with is astounding.
I catch myself rationalizing when I watch fighters begin their MMA careers past 35 years old, but quickly realize most of the athletes who started MMA late were NASTY at some other athletic competition in a past life.
Now I was a 2 time (That's right folks 2 time) all-county badminton stud in high school, but that hardly qualifies me as having any type of background for what I am doing now.
But I figure I have a lot of youthful vibes going for me:
-I spend 6 hours a day with 24-seven year olds
-I rarely act my age
-I still get carded when buying booze
-I still have acne
-For christmas my parents bought me over 20 pro wrestling action figures (To be fair I did not ask for them)
-For christmas my wife bought me 4 WWF pillow wrestlers (ok.... I did ask for them)
I know there is more but let's try and keep some dignity shall we?
While I struggle with coming to grips with the sands of time slipping through the hour glass, I remember why I started this in the first place.
I began training as a way to celebrate a milestone year in my life. My 30th.
There is still a lot I want to accomplish throughout my time, but if I can keep the attitude that it is never to late to learn to read, well I have accomplished something significant now haven't I.
Wait something got lost in translation there... oh well.
Happy Reading,
Steve "Don't get choked out" Mahalic
I am turning 30 in a little over a year. As a celebration of this milestone, I am beginning to train in Jujitsu with the hopes that around the time of my 30th birthday I compete for the first time and.... "Don't Get Choked Out"
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Progress?
So I have been neglecting my online record of my ninja training again, and I must apologize to my 7 fans out there.
This blog should have been written over a week ago.
It is a very exciting blog and while I have my pessimistic, self doubting theories, I am here to announce my first BJJ milestone.
I am a black belt.
That's right folks a black belt.
But to quote the words of one of Vince Vaughn's best roles to date Jeremy Grey of Wedding Crashers:
"Perhaps play a little game called "just the tip." Just for a second, just to see how it feels."
Yes I received my first black tip on my shiny white belt last week and I must say it was glorious.
On a side note, let me tell you why I am a messed up loser.
My first thoughts about reaching this accomplishment:
"This has to be solely based on the number of times I have come to the gym."
Immediately followed by,
"I don't deserve this yet."
But even with all my pessimistic fervor, I feel like a million bucks.
Mostly because it was completely unexpected. Now I HATE surprises as much as the next guy. But I also LOVE pleasant surprises as much as the next guy.
Now I am going to come clean and admit I have no real idea of how my gym ranks belts and promotions.
But I have to state the obvious that this means I am few short weeks away from becoming a killing machine.
Seriously though, this was a real spirit lifter. It was on a night where 13 guys were packed into the gym, and I have to say I was proud of myself. It was a nice reminder that I have made a commitment, and even though it has been a difficult journey I plan on seeing it through.
Below is a picture progression of your favorite killing machine's wifey photo shoot with newly acquired black tip! *Notice the sudden changes in behavior as the photo shoot progresses
Til next time,
Steve
This blog should have been written over a week ago.
It is a very exciting blog and while I have my pessimistic, self doubting theories, I am here to announce my first BJJ milestone.
I am a black belt.
That's right folks a black belt.
But to quote the words of one of Vince Vaughn's best roles to date Jeremy Grey of Wedding Crashers:
"Perhaps play a little game called "just the tip." Just for a second, just to see how it feels."
Yes I received my first black tip on my shiny white belt last week and I must say it was glorious.
On a side note, let me tell you why I am a messed up loser.
My first thoughts about reaching this accomplishment:
"This has to be solely based on the number of times I have come to the gym."
Immediately followed by,
"I don't deserve this yet."
But even with all my pessimistic fervor, I feel like a million bucks.
Mostly because it was completely unexpected. Now I HATE surprises as much as the next guy. But I also LOVE pleasant surprises as much as the next guy.
Now I am going to come clean and admit I have no real idea of how my gym ranks belts and promotions.
But I have to state the obvious that this means I am few short weeks away from becoming a killing machine.
Seriously though, this was a real spirit lifter. It was on a night where 13 guys were packed into the gym, and I have to say I was proud of myself. It was a nice reminder that I have made a commitment, and even though it has been a difficult journey I plan on seeing it through.
Below is a picture progression of your favorite killing machine's wifey photo shoot with newly acquired black tip! *Notice the sudden changes in behavior as the photo shoot progresses
Til next time,
Steve
 | ||||
| That's what you call a first tip! Looky Looky First Tip Everyone! OK, enough already.... Enough pictures Woman!!!! |
 |
| ARRRRHHHHH!(Sweet tip) |
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I suck at finishing (that's what she said)
"Does Steve Mahalic have to choke a bitch?"
Cause if so, he's screwed....
It's a Wednesday night and it iced and rained pretty bad Tuesday, so I am confident it will be a small class tonight. When I pull up to the gym and can't find parking I realize, I was wrong.
13 guys tonight crammed into a pretty small place can make for a frustrating night if you let it, and if you and your training partner don't gel well. I try and stay positive and I pair up with Charlie a familiar face. Charlie is yet another of the endless young guns at this gym. He is a few inches taller than I am, he doesn't say much, but I like training with him and he is comparable in size to me.
(This is key, because usually at the end of class, you will roll with your partner for at least a little while, and who wants to roll with a guy with 50 extra lbs of muscle? Yeah, yeah I remember the pep talk about "It will make me have better technique, but right now I just want to get through the basics without getting hurt by having a giant fall on me wrong)
First move of the night: Single leg take down defense
We learn a move while standing which is pretty new to me and very exciting to me.
What is way more exciting is the move is similar to a monkey flip like in Pro Wrestling.
Move set up:
While your opponent goes for your leg, you reach over his back and grab his belt, you then grab under his arm pit with your free arm hop forward with your free leg and basically sit down. When you sit he falls onto your legs and you kick him off to the side so you can get side control or mount. It is very judo-esk and I like it, and I am picking it up pretty quickly.
Tonight's Sensei are Billy and Matt. Both are awesome to work with, and are really committed to making us better. This is a quality I find in each Sensei I have trained with thus far, and it is totally refreshing and inspiring. They really want you to get the move and get better, which in turn makes you want to get it that much more.
Part two of the move:
So if you have been keeping up with my blog, you will see a trend in training routine. In simplest terms this is how class is broken down. Learn position, learn a way to finish from position, roll.
I am pretty good at the first part of class. I can get through all the mechanics of getting into a dominant position. And the third part of class I know I will get better with in time.
The part that I struggle mightily with at the present is the second part: Finishing an opponent.
Whether it be by choke or by arm bar, or by wedgie I am bad at finishing. I think this is partly due to the fact I have no experience in trying to choke a person or break their arm. It is also that the finish is the part of the move that is the hardest to instruct. Everything could look right to the trainers but if I am not putting the pressure in the right place the submission is ineffective. And for the life of me I can not (for lack of a better or more eloquent term) figure out how to choke a bitch (a la Wayne Brady).
Tonight's choke is one of dozens of variations of a Gi choke (We actually learn two variations tonight).
When you are attempting a Gi choke you usually are grabbing a part of their lapel close to their neck, and then grabbing something (anything else really) that completes the choke on the other side of the neck.
As usual I get everything down except for the most important part, the choke. Sensei Billy comes over to instruct, and shows me how easy it really is supposed to be. His chokes were effortless. I don't mean effortless as in he makes them look easy, and they are smooth. I literally mean EFFORTLESS. He looks like he is relaxing on the couch, but with everything in position he puts the slightest pressure on his choke and his training partner is tapping out faster than Samuel Morse (weak simile, I know).
Luckily, like I said earlier my trainers are their to make me better. Eventually I get the choke down. When it works, I must admit, it's awesome.
It will always intrigue me how much body positioning is crucial in pulling off submissions. Getting the move almost right is great, but if every limb has to be in a spot for a reason. Jujitsu is a very meticulous art in this sense. In a way it's like anything else but magnified. Let me explain, in golf you if you keep your head down, follow through the swing, keep your elbow in blah blah blah, and follow all these rules you will hit a good shot, forget one thing, you can still hit a good shot just not as good. When building a table if your measurements are off a touch, your table will still be a table, just not a perfect table.
In jujitsu it's a little different, everything can look right, and the move could LOOK like it will work, but if something is off (especially as a beginner) the submission or the sweep or the pass, or whatEVER you are trying to do won't work.
I would like to tell you when I finally got it, I had a light bulb moment. And to be perfectly honest, in the moment it felt like thatsensation. The sensation that you get when it all comes together,
That ohhhhhhhhhh, ok moment.
So I did have THAT feeling, which was cool, but I can not say it was a lightbulb moment, because even though I got it that time with Billy watching and assisting, I KNOW it a match I would not get it locked up. But that is what practice is for, and I am slowly learning this process takes time.
As much as you know it going in, and tell yourself that fact constantly, when you are doing it you WANT so BADLY for it to come faster than it inevitably does.
So with that being said my friends, I look forward to writing you more about when things actually DO all come together.
The good news is I can feel myself getting better. I am learning a lot. Wish me luck on being able to choke a bitch a la Mr. Brady (or anyone else for that matter).
Till next time,
Steve
P.S. My wife is at a baby shower so this post has been SELF edited. That basically means it is probably riddled with typos, so back off.
Cause if so, he's screwed....
It's a Wednesday night and it iced and rained pretty bad Tuesday, so I am confident it will be a small class tonight. When I pull up to the gym and can't find parking I realize, I was wrong.
13 guys tonight crammed into a pretty small place can make for a frustrating night if you let it, and if you and your training partner don't gel well. I try and stay positive and I pair up with Charlie a familiar face. Charlie is yet another of the endless young guns at this gym. He is a few inches taller than I am, he doesn't say much, but I like training with him and he is comparable in size to me.
(This is key, because usually at the end of class, you will roll with your partner for at least a little while, and who wants to roll with a guy with 50 extra lbs of muscle? Yeah, yeah I remember the pep talk about "It will make me have better technique, but right now I just want to get through the basics without getting hurt by having a giant fall on me wrong)
First move of the night: Single leg take down defense
We learn a move while standing which is pretty new to me and very exciting to me.
 |
| Kinda like this. |
Move set up:
While your opponent goes for your leg, you reach over his back and grab his belt, you then grab under his arm pit with your free arm hop forward with your free leg and basically sit down. When you sit he falls onto your legs and you kick him off to the side so you can get side control or mount. It is very judo-esk and I like it, and I am picking it up pretty quickly.
Tonight's Sensei are Billy and Matt. Both are awesome to work with, and are really committed to making us better. This is a quality I find in each Sensei I have trained with thus far, and it is totally refreshing and inspiring. They really want you to get the move and get better, which in turn makes you want to get it that much more.
Part two of the move:
So if you have been keeping up with my blog, you will see a trend in training routine. In simplest terms this is how class is broken down. Learn position, learn a way to finish from position, roll.
I am pretty good at the first part of class. I can get through all the mechanics of getting into a dominant position. And the third part of class I know I will get better with in time.
The part that I struggle mightily with at the present is the second part: Finishing an opponent.
 |
| Mr. Brady would definitely be better at a Gi choke than me presently. |
Tonight's choke is one of dozens of variations of a Gi choke (We actually learn two variations tonight).
When you are attempting a Gi choke you usually are grabbing a part of their lapel close to their neck, and then grabbing something (anything else really) that completes the choke on the other side of the neck.
As usual I get everything down except for the most important part, the choke. Sensei Billy comes over to instruct, and shows me how easy it really is supposed to be. His chokes were effortless. I don't mean effortless as in he makes them look easy, and they are smooth. I literally mean EFFORTLESS. He looks like he is relaxing on the couch, but with everything in position he puts the slightest pressure on his choke and his training partner is tapping out faster than Samuel Morse (weak simile, I know).
Luckily, like I said earlier my trainers are their to make me better. Eventually I get the choke down. When it works, I must admit, it's awesome.
It will always intrigue me how much body positioning is crucial in pulling off submissions. Getting the move almost right is great, but if every limb has to be in a spot for a reason. Jujitsu is a very meticulous art in this sense. In a way it's like anything else but magnified. Let me explain, in golf you if you keep your head down, follow through the swing, keep your elbow in blah blah blah, and follow all these rules you will hit a good shot, forget one thing, you can still hit a good shot just not as good. When building a table if your measurements are off a touch, your table will still be a table, just not a perfect table.
In jujitsu it's a little different, everything can look right, and the move could LOOK like it will work, but if something is off (especially as a beginner) the submission or the sweep or the pass, or whatEVER you are trying to do won't work.
I would like to tell you when I finally got it, I had a light bulb moment. And to be perfectly honest, in the moment it felt like thatsensation. The sensation that you get when it all comes together,
That ohhhhhhhhhh, ok moment.
So I did have THAT feeling, which was cool, but I can not say it was a lightbulb moment, because even though I got it that time with Billy watching and assisting, I KNOW it a match I would not get it locked up. But that is what practice is for, and I am slowly learning this process takes time.
As much as you know it going in, and tell yourself that fact constantly, when you are doing it you WANT so BADLY for it to come faster than it inevitably does.
So with that being said my friends, I look forward to writing you more about when things actually DO all come together.
The good news is I can feel myself getting better. I am learning a lot. Wish me luck on being able to choke a bitch a la Mr. Brady (or anyone else for that matter).
Till next time,
Steve
P.S. My wife is at a baby shower so this post has been SELF edited. That basically means it is probably riddled with typos, so back off.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Week wrap up: To tell my class or not to tell my class. Also Rolling sucks.
This week was a Tuesday, Saturday week for me.
I had to scale down my training to twice a week because unfortunately I have responsibilities outside of BJJ. Lesson 1 this week:
For the forseeable future, I will look like I am leaving work to go to fight club. The first two bruises on my face I did not capture on picture (and they were MUCH worse).
I didn't take pictures of them because I thought they may be aberrations and not the norm. As I am quickly finding out, bruises are par for the course, even on my face. Below is a small sample of some fresh and some healing bruises around my body since I have started:
I had some neck and chest bruises on film too but they are healing nicely and don't really come up great on camera. Anytime I get a blog worthy bruise I'll try and post it.
Getting beat up is not the hard part for me. I mean I have an older brother who is 7 years older, so it was NEVER a fair fight, and most of my friends are gargantuan so I've been beat up my whole life. The hard part is that I am a teacher of 7 year old children and I don't want to set any sort of bad example. And once I got that first very noticeable bruise on my face, I knew my exceptionally observant students would question me.
The question is how would I respond?
At first I thought, I would say I got the bruise from playing basketball. But in the end I decided to tell them the truth. My favorite teachers in my lifetime treated us as people first and students second. They never patronized or talked down, I try and model myself after them the best I can.
Sure enough one of my best and brightest noticed my face before I even told them to line up to come to the classroom. I explained my whole story,
"As you know class Mr. M just celebrated a birthday. Who remembers how old I turned? They knew.
Thats right! 29. What comes after 29 class? They knew. That's right 30! Well to make his 30th birthday a special one Mr. M decided to challenge himself to try something new......" and the rest is history.
They were surprisingly satisfied with my answer and not too inquisitive which was great because the last thing I wanted to do is waste class time on my training. I am worried though that if I keep coming to work with my face all bruised up that I will not look very professional.
Second lesson I learned this week: Rolling sucks, and I suck at rolling.
So here's the deal. I got lucky my first few times rolling. The more I rolled the LESS successful I have become and I am starting to understand (for me at least) this is going to be the norm for a while.
I have NO experience in combative sports (wrestling, martial arts, etc.) and most of these guys have been training for 6 months to 3 years and have some other background. Even though I am game during our rolling sessions and I put up a good fight, and show some technique, ultimately I am submitted or lose my position. I would think I am the perfect sparring partner for the more advanced white belts. I am someone who tries really hard, but is incompetent, a real live tackling dummy. Someone to practice moves on without fear of reversal because of my lack of knowledge. This is my fate for at least a few more months, especially since I am only training twice a week. I am trying to come to terms with it.
It is exceptionally difficult to come to grips with giving your all in something and failing and not understanding how to fix it or what you are doing wrong. This is why rolling sucks.
I look forward to the day when things begin to click more and I write to you all gloating about how I actually used the techniques I have learned to win rolling sessions.
The best way I can explain it is this.
We practice the move of the night over and over. Just when you feel like you are comfortable with it, you learn part two, usually a way to submit. Just when you feel comfortable putting those pieces together, you roll at 100 percent and are supposed to "practice" the moves you just learned.
This is not only easier said than done, but when you are a rookie, nearly impossible.
You practice the moves at 5 percent speed. When you roll, you go ALL out. You do not have time to sit and think what is the next step. Everytime we roll my mind goes blank. I am sure I go back into terrible form and survival mode and I feel like I get systematically taken apart until I lose position or get tapped out.
I know that the more I train the more comfortable I will get with this, but right now,
Rolling Sucks.
I had to scale down my training to twice a week because unfortunately I have responsibilities outside of BJJ. Lesson 1 this week:
For the forseeable future, I will look like I am leaving work to go to fight club. The first two bruises on my face I did not capture on picture (and they were MUCH worse).
I didn't take pictures of them because I thought they may be aberrations and not the norm. As I am quickly finding out, bruises are par for the course, even on my face. Below is a small sample of some fresh and some healing bruises around my body since I have started:
 |
| Under eye cut, smile mark cut. |
 | |
| This one hurt like a mofo. Not great pic of elbow bruise from take down drills. |
 |
| Old bicep bruise. My biceps get the MOST bruises. |
 |
| Another old Bicep bruise |
I had some neck and chest bruises on film too but they are healing nicely and don't really come up great on camera. Anytime I get a blog worthy bruise I'll try and post it.
Getting beat up is not the hard part for me. I mean I have an older brother who is 7 years older, so it was NEVER a fair fight, and most of my friends are gargantuan so I've been beat up my whole life. The hard part is that I am a teacher of 7 year old children and I don't want to set any sort of bad example. And once I got that first very noticeable bruise on my face, I knew my exceptionally observant students would question me.
The question is how would I respond?
At first I thought, I would say I got the bruise from playing basketball. But in the end I decided to tell them the truth. My favorite teachers in my lifetime treated us as people first and students second. They never patronized or talked down, I try and model myself after them the best I can.
Sure enough one of my best and brightest noticed my face before I even told them to line up to come to the classroom. I explained my whole story,
"As you know class Mr. M just celebrated a birthday. Who remembers how old I turned? They knew.
Thats right! 29. What comes after 29 class? They knew. That's right 30! Well to make his 30th birthday a special one Mr. M decided to challenge himself to try something new......" and the rest is history.
They were surprisingly satisfied with my answer and not too inquisitive which was great because the last thing I wanted to do is waste class time on my training. I am worried though that if I keep coming to work with my face all bruised up that I will not look very professional.
Second lesson I learned this week: Rolling sucks, and I suck at rolling.
So here's the deal. I got lucky my first few times rolling. The more I rolled the LESS successful I have become and I am starting to understand (for me at least) this is going to be the norm for a while.
I have NO experience in combative sports (wrestling, martial arts, etc.) and most of these guys have been training for 6 months to 3 years and have some other background. Even though I am game during our rolling sessions and I put up a good fight, and show some technique, ultimately I am submitted or lose my position. I would think I am the perfect sparring partner for the more advanced white belts. I am someone who tries really hard, but is incompetent, a real live tackling dummy. Someone to practice moves on without fear of reversal because of my lack of knowledge. This is my fate for at least a few more months, especially since I am only training twice a week. I am trying to come to terms with it.
It is exceptionally difficult to come to grips with giving your all in something and failing and not understanding how to fix it or what you are doing wrong. This is why rolling sucks.
I look forward to the day when things begin to click more and I write to you all gloating about how I actually used the techniques I have learned to win rolling sessions.
The best way I can explain it is this.
We practice the move of the night over and over. Just when you feel like you are comfortable with it, you learn part two, usually a way to submit. Just when you feel comfortable putting those pieces together, you roll at 100 percent and are supposed to "practice" the moves you just learned.
This is not only easier said than done, but when you are a rookie, nearly impossible.
You practice the moves at 5 percent speed. When you roll, you go ALL out. You do not have time to sit and think what is the next step. Everytime we roll my mind goes blank. I am sure I go back into terrible form and survival mode and I feel like I get systematically taken apart until I lose position or get tapped out.
I know that the more I train the more comfortable I will get with this, but right now,
Rolling Sucks.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Ugh
So I only trained one time this week, and I feel like a waste of space.
Between the snow and work it was a rough week, but I can't help but feel like I am WASTING money!
I will get back on that horse next week. Monday, Tuesday, Friday.
I expect all of you to get on me about it too, if I don't follow through!
Talk to you all next week!
Steve
Between the snow and work it was a rough week, but I can't help but feel like I am WASTING money!
I will get back on that horse next week. Monday, Tuesday, Friday.
I expect all of you to get on me about it too, if I don't follow through!
Talk to you all next week!
Steve
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Friday night 's alright for fighting
So I have decided Friday night's are going to be my favorite night for Jujitsu for two primary reasons:
First, less guys show up. Why is this great. Again a matter of simple math.
Less guys rolling means the Sensei has his eyes on me more.
More instruction, more correction, get better faster.
Second, one of the few blackbelt Sensei will be instructing on Fridays.
Blackbelts are better than brownbelts or bluebelts.
Move of the night:
So tonight I trained with a guy named Matt. College kid, and former high school wrestler, got probably 40 or 50 lbs on me. He's a nice guy and easy to train with.We work on two moves. The first is breaking down a fighter in turtle position.
Turtle position is when you crawl in a ball with your hands wrapped around your neck to protect from a choke, and your elbows crunched into your hips. I actually like this position a lot. It feels like a very strong defense to me, and being coiled up you possess a lot of power for a spontaneous attack.
The way you try and break down a fighter in turtle position is to pull on them from the back at a 45 degree angle. We practice this movement drill style, and it is deceivingly exhausting. While we are practicing this our blackbelt trainer comes in.
Blackbelt Sensei
Our blackbelt sensei is named Nick. It is actually really exciting to be learning BJJ from him because not only is he a blackbelt but he is one of the guys who run the gym. He is very laid back, and continually gives advice while training the move, it is great to train with him. He comes in and shows us move number two of the night.
Move number 2:
It is the move I trained just a couple days ago (mounting from side control into an arm bar), which I am elated to see. I have been thinking to myself lately that training a move each time I come is great, but without constant practice remembering all the steps to complete the move is very difficult. Being able to actually practice a move two nights in a row is a pleasant surprise. Matt and I get to training and no surprise, I am feeling confident in the movements and feel I am getting this technique down well.
Changing it up:
I am very excited that Matt suggested that we try the move from the other side. I have not done this yet. I am afraid. It is enough to try and get everything straight from one side of the body. Imagine being taught to hit a baseball, and then trying to hit from the other side. Most people look like they are recovering from a stroke or have some type of muscular dystrophy when doing something from the other side. I am somewhat ambidextrous but training BJJ is still VERY new to me. I would never be the one to suggest trying to the move from the other side, but if my partner is game so am I.
It is highly interesting to me how the moves were pulled off when we attempted them from the other side of our bodies. We followed the same steps, but all the angles felt strange and unfamiliar. The move was still successful but it did look and feel different.
I think to myself,
"Interesting. Now lets go back and practice it from the good side."
We soon go back to the normal set up, and keep practicing until Sensei brings us back to show us a variation.
Variation:
The variation is also fun to learn. After we get the mount from side control, the man on bottom sweeps the mounted fighter. ( A sweep is a reversal of position. Basically the guy on bottom rolls the guy on top over)
When this happens Nick shows us an armbar from the bottom. We practice, and train, and JUST like I learned from AJ, no more courtesy tapping.
Matt actually doesn't have the move set in perfectly once, and I do not tap. The thing about Matt is even if his technique was a little bit off, his angles and body positioning is always solid and he is so strong he can tap me from any position.
I have trouble with this technique more than the first, and I realize,
I am very good at getting to the submission set up. I am just really bad at finishing them.
I hope this comes with time and experience.
Finally its time to roll. My first thought:
"Uh oh. I hope he doesn't make me roll with Matt"
I am reprieved from rolling with the much stronger Matt and am paired up with Mason.
Rolling:
Mason is one of the only guys, shorter and lighter than me, but that means nothing.
It reminds me of the Wonder Years episode where Kevin tries out for the wrestling team and they throw him in there against "Spider". (You remember that one right?)
Well Spider is smaller than good ol' Kev, but Kev manages to get tossed around regardless.
I like to think I hold my own with Mason, and it is the best rolling session I've had yet. I say that because we are both completely exhausted when it is through. (I also didn't get gi choked this time, so that's a plus)
I also almost got Mason's back, but he kept defending one hook. He eventually turned it around on me and got top position of course, but still, I almost got his back, so that's a start. Overall Mason got the better of me much more than I got the better of him. I have learned you will usually win some and lose some during rolling. Right now I lose much more than I win. When I start getting closer to 50/50 I'll be a happy camper.
OK thats all for now folks.
I am falling a little behind here but what can I tell you, these take time, and life's not cake walk when you have a 9-5 with 24 eight year olds every day!
Over and Out,
Steve.
First, less guys show up. Why is this great. Again a matter of simple math.
Less guys rolling means the Sensei has his eyes on me more.
More instruction, more correction, get better faster.
Second, one of the few blackbelt Sensei will be instructing on Fridays.
Blackbelts are better than brownbelts or bluebelts.
Move of the night:
So tonight I trained with a guy named Matt. College kid, and former high school wrestler, got probably 40 or 50 lbs on me. He's a nice guy and easy to train with.We work on two moves. The first is breaking down a fighter in turtle position.
 |
| Turtle Position |
 |
| Actual turtle position (kinda) |
Turtle position is when you crawl in a ball with your hands wrapped around your neck to protect from a choke, and your elbows crunched into your hips. I actually like this position a lot. It feels like a very strong defense to me, and being coiled up you possess a lot of power for a spontaneous attack.
The way you try and break down a fighter in turtle position is to pull on them from the back at a 45 degree angle. We practice this movement drill style, and it is deceivingly exhausting. While we are practicing this our blackbelt trainer comes in.
Blackbelt Sensei
Our blackbelt sensei is named Nick. It is actually really exciting to be learning BJJ from him because not only is he a blackbelt but he is one of the guys who run the gym. He is very laid back, and continually gives advice while training the move, it is great to train with him. He comes in and shows us move number two of the night.
Move number 2:
It is the move I trained just a couple days ago (mounting from side control into an arm bar), which I am elated to see. I have been thinking to myself lately that training a move each time I come is great, but without constant practice remembering all the steps to complete the move is very difficult. Being able to actually practice a move two nights in a row is a pleasant surprise. Matt and I get to training and no surprise, I am feeling confident in the movements and feel I am getting this technique down well.
Changing it up:
I am very excited that Matt suggested that we try the move from the other side. I have not done this yet. I am afraid. It is enough to try and get everything straight from one side of the body. Imagine being taught to hit a baseball, and then trying to hit from the other side. Most people look like they are recovering from a stroke or have some type of muscular dystrophy when doing something from the other side. I am somewhat ambidextrous but training BJJ is still VERY new to me. I would never be the one to suggest trying to the move from the other side, but if my partner is game so am I.
It is highly interesting to me how the moves were pulled off when we attempted them from the other side of our bodies. We followed the same steps, but all the angles felt strange and unfamiliar. The move was still successful but it did look and feel different.
I think to myself,
"Interesting. Now lets go back and practice it from the good side."
We soon go back to the normal set up, and keep practicing until Sensei brings us back to show us a variation.
Variation:
The variation is also fun to learn. After we get the mount from side control, the man on bottom sweeps the mounted fighter. ( A sweep is a reversal of position. Basically the guy on bottom rolls the guy on top over)
When this happens Nick shows us an armbar from the bottom. We practice, and train, and JUST like I learned from AJ, no more courtesy tapping.
Matt actually doesn't have the move set in perfectly once, and I do not tap. The thing about Matt is even if his technique was a little bit off, his angles and body positioning is always solid and he is so strong he can tap me from any position.
I have trouble with this technique more than the first, and I realize,
I am very good at getting to the submission set up. I am just really bad at finishing them.
I hope this comes with time and experience.
Finally its time to roll. My first thought:
"Uh oh. I hope he doesn't make me roll with Matt"
I am reprieved from rolling with the much stronger Matt and am paired up with Mason.
Rolling:
Mason is one of the only guys, shorter and lighter than me, but that means nothing.
Well Spider is smaller than good ol' Kev, but Kev manages to get tossed around regardless.
I like to think I hold my own with Mason, and it is the best rolling session I've had yet. I say that because we are both completely exhausted when it is through. (I also didn't get gi choked this time, so that's a plus)
I also almost got Mason's back, but he kept defending one hook. He eventually turned it around on me and got top position of course, but still, I almost got his back, so that's a start. Overall Mason got the better of me much more than I got the better of him. I have learned you will usually win some and lose some during rolling. Right now I lose much more than I win. When I start getting closer to 50/50 I'll be a happy camper.
OK thats all for now folks.
I am falling a little behind here but what can I tell you, these take time, and life's not cake walk when you have a 9-5 with 24 eight year olds every day!
Over and Out,
Steve.
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