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Archive for March, 2012

Blue Belt Week 16, March 30, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, Martial Arts, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 31, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This week, I partnered up with an enormous guy.   When I was in high school, I didn’t have the experience of wrestling with a heavy weight, so this was virgin territory.   I estimated him to be at least 6-3. and possibly 260 lbs or more.  I’m 6-0 ft and 168 lbs.   I could barely put my feet together around his waist when I had him in the guard position.   All he had to do was move around which would cause my legs to immediately open.   That class we practiced the amass pan and the amass pan defense.  The Amass Pan is a kimono choke where the  pinky knuckle and knuckle next to it are pressed deeply into the side of the neck next to adams apple, which painfully cuts off blood flow to the brain. When I was defending against the amass pan, that is when you grab the top of the knuckles and pull back on the opponents choke hand, he put his full body weight on his arm.  It was a lot of weight, a lot of pressure.  If I didn’t bridge and pull back with a lot of effort, he would have choked me out just from his body weight.  It was an enlightening experience to say the least.

From an earlier post you know that I was knife attacked when I was an exchange student in Madrid, Spain.  I escaped with no harm.   Professor Pedro is considering including some weapons defense techniques in the fundamental classes since people are attacked with more than just fists.  It could be a knife, bat, stick, gun, etc.  Today was special, we studied a knife attack defense.  Normally, weapons self-defense is a separate class that you pay extra for. So, if someone tries a stab attack to the heart, my arm should raise to defend automatically.     As a blue belt, we are focused on learning reflex action. For the record, I don’t recommend anyone taking on an opponent with a knife or a gun just because you took a self-defense class,  but if you don’t have a choice,  you should know how to defend  yourself.  This reflex defense could save your life.

On Friday, Valente Brothers Headquarters had a seminar taught by Professor Ryron Gracie, truly a great teacher and the grandson of Master Helio.  Also, I want to give the BBJ view on the Trayvon Martin case.  I will write two separate post on each.

 

 — “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”       Buddha  500 b.c.

 

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Blue Belt Week 15, March 23, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, Self Development, tagged , , , , , , on March 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This week I had a great class under the instruction of Joaquin, the youngest of the Valente Brothers.  The class was a realistic fight sequence leading into the pedalada, a foot strike from the guard position.  The sequences were clearly explained and easy to follow.  Also, there were a lot of new white belts that recently joined.

How many years of study does it take to become a black belt?   From what I have learned, it will take up to nine years of regular practice.   In today’s world, businesses come and go in that time frame.   I think that the Valente Brother’s Studio, dojo,  will be here nine years from now since there are at least four capable people to do it.  I definitely believe it will be around in 2021; hopefully, so will I.

Since I have started training, I have become more peaceful.  In an interview on Youtube.com, Grand Master Helio mentioned that this would occur with the study of Jiu Jitsu.

 

” He who formerly was reckless and afterwards become SOBER, brightens up this world, like the moon when freed from clouds.”

Buddha, Bhammapada, 2500 years ago.

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Blue Belt Week 14, March 17, 2012

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on March 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

To be honest, I have been off all this week and out of town, Disney World.  I tried to eat healthy on the road which I did; however,  I didn’t see any organic food at Disney World, not one.  Anyways, I kept up with the push ups and situps.  In reality, you don’t need a gym.   Jiu Jitsu training, gracie diet, and push ups / sits ups is all you need to stay fit.    Unfortunately,  I didn’t review the 27 fundamental lessons.   I focused on my family.  Hopefully, I can get back on track this coming week.

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Brown Rice, Frozen Fruits and Vegetables, and Is Mankind Designed For Eating Plants?

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 10, 2012| 2 Comments »

When ever you have a choice of rice, always choose brown rice.  Read on.  Have you seen rice in its natural form?  It is a brownish color.  The white rice is white because of processing.   Also, next time you read white rice packaging, look for the labeling that nutrients have been re-added.  This is because the making it white process strips the rice of all its natural nutrients so the food process has to be re-added.   If the rice is left in its natural form, it retains all its great properties. There is a great article on all the amazing things that brown rice has and its special properties, anti-oxidants, Selenium, Manganese,  Natural oils, weight loss, whole grain, slow sugar release, and high fiber.  See below link. Website, healthiertalk.com

8 Reasons Why Brown Rice Is Healthier Than White Rice

By Dr. Edward Group on 03/22/2011

http://www.healthiertalk.com/8-reasons-why-brown-rice-healthier-white-rice-3617

Is frozen food healthier than fresh produce?  I was surprised by the answer.  Unless you have your own vegetable garden or fruit garden, cut, wash, and immediately eat, not necessarily.   It makes sense.   Frozen food is immediately frozen which freezes the nutrients into the vegetable or fruit.  I saw a show the other day, that as soon as a vegetable or a fruit is cut, it starts losing its nutrient value.   How long does fruit and vegetables stay on the shelf at grocery stores?  Anyways, the freezing process halts this decay.  See article below.

Frozen food ‘healthier than fresh produce’, scientists claim

The Telegraph.  Health News.   Author Andrew Hough. See Below.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6170232/Frozen-food-healthier-than-fresh-produce-scientists-claim.html

As a kid I was always told I have to eat meat.  Who was I to question?  Did you know that some flesh-eating animals, lions, tigers, will not eat cooked meat? They want it raw and bloody.  I have never eaten meat bloody and raw.  To make it short, we aren’t designed to really eat meat as the focus of our diet.  We should eat very little of it and focus on eating fruits, vegetables, and grains for optimal health.

The Comparative Anatomy of Eating

by Milton R. Mills, M.D.

http://www.eatveg.com/anatomy.htm

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Blue Belt Week 13, March 9, 2012

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on March 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This week, I recovered from a bad flu.   I don’t want to bring sickness to the school.   Even though I had the flu and minor injuries, I am not happy with my mental toughness.  I am mentally weak.   I have been avoiding the sparring class and the throw class.    What is it? Fear of competition? Fear of total committment?  Fear of meeting new people? Fear of losing?   I am embarrassed but it is the truth.

Also, I am playing the belt game.  When am I getting the next stripe?   I got to stop this.   I did that with judo.  It created a lot of anxiety and negativity.  “Oh, I should be promoted, I won such and such tournament.”  The truth is a belt is nothing more than color, cotton, and thread.  The belt is the representation  of your mental knowledge.  So, do I really want to be falsely promote?  No, I don’t.  When the professor’s are ready, they will promote me or give me the stripe that I deserve.  I am in a rush to no where.

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Blue Belt Week 12, March 2, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , on March 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Valente Brothers had a weapons self-defense seminar last week. I couldn’t attend; however, it did bring up a bad memory.  At the start of the first Gulf War, I was living as an exchange student in Madrid, Spain.  Every Friday at the University, after the last class, the communist party along with the socialists, would have a parade in protest against capitalism and the US.   It really got heated up when we declared war on Iraq in 1991.  Very very anti American.  One weekend, my friend and I were attacked by a Moroccan guy with a knife in an old part of Madrid, Spain. My friend and I were American exchange students going to the bars. That night, it was the wrong time, wrong place. A guy approached us, I didn’t understand him. We began yelling at each other.  I heard a click, then I saw a six-inch knife blade.  I saw the knife blade coming towards my face in a slashing motion. I pulled my head back. It barely missed me.  I knew this guy didn’t speak English so I told my friend to run in the opposite direction when I tried to draw him towards me.  It worked.

As the knife attacker and I circled each other, my mind was racing.  What should i do? I was thinking about all the possible outcomes. I came to a quick conclusion, there was no up side.  The best decision was to run away.  Could I out run this guy? I took off.  He followed not far behind.  A block later, the attacker was still close. I thought to myself, ” Great, I’m going to be knifed in the back.  Then I heard shouting from the attacker.  The guy had stopped running after me. His hands were on his knees. He was out of breath.  I kept running. I watched him from across the street while I was hidden in the shadow of a building.    It looked to me that this guy was either ill or out of shape. Once everything was clear, I went to bar.  There was my friend.  He was all shaken up and so was I.  We ordered a drink then called it a night.  We didn’t go to the police because nobody was injured, we couldn’t speak the language very well, and we didn’t want other problems.

This week we learned a self-defence attack that may render the aggressor permanently disabled.  I had some ethical questions about learning this.  It is a strike to the ear. When done properly, the ear slap would cause a rupture to the eardrum. Your ear is where balance is stored. I believe it would be very difficult surgery to fix. If the eardrum is ruptured, it would be difficult for that person to maintain balance.

When should you even consider using the ear slap attack?  First, I would quickly analyze the pre fight situation.  Do I feel confident to take the aggressor without this move? Are their multiple opponents?  Second, escalation of violence. Does the aggressor have a weapon? A knife? A gun?  If the aggressor flashes a hidden weapon or I believe he has one then this attack would be certainly justified. If you choice to fight someone with a weapon, you need to take them out.  I maybe able to handle a knife. I may not be able to handle a gun.  Third, if the attacker has a knife, could I avoid the attacker all together by an escape? Could I escape an attacker with a gun?

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