Respect and Honor.
Archive for August, 2014
Blue Belt Week 140, August 21 2014 Respect and Honor For The Masters
Posted in Uncategorized on August 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Blue Belt Week, 139, August 15, 2014 Developing Flexibility, Hamstrings
Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged avoid in injuries, Gracie Jiu Jitsu, hamstring flexibility on August 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Flexibility can be developed despite the current state one maybe in. With time and practice, working through the pain, hamstrings will become flexible. The belief is the more flexibility one has, the less likely to have an injury while studying jiu jitsu. There are three exercises, if done daily will give big results. See YouTube link.
A lot of people, myself include, talk about the hamstrings without a clue as to how they function. Medical text books show the hamstring muscles on paper but which muscles contract and which extends. How do I know if I have weak hamstring muscles? Where does the pain come from?
What is the hamstrings anyways? I used the term hamstrings a lot without much understanding. ” That area in the back of the legs is commonly known as the “hamstring.” The primary muscles of the “hamstring” group are semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris, located behind the leg, between the buttocks and the knee. Though each muscle can work independently, together they help bend the knee and bring the leg backwards. (And remember, our muscles work synergistically, never individually.) One muscle of the hamstring group also connects to a ligament that provides stability to the sacroiliac joint, the meeting point of the base of the spine and the pelvic bone. That same joint affects numerous important primary mover muscles in our backs. (Tight Hamstrings: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention by Andrew Duffy, NASM-CPT, PES July 27 2009) The tightness may be caused by 1) muscle weakness, 2) Pelvic tilt. When you have these two conditions, this may result in back pain because the back incorrectly compensates for the conditions.
So what can Anyone do to gain more flexibility and eliminate pain? F.Y.I, I still don’t have a clear picture of how the muscles work together. Anyways, I did a you tube search and found a video that I liked.
” 3 poses To Improve Hamstring Flexibility,” by Erkhartyoga.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVsCcH_U_kc
1) Laying down, one leg at 90 degrees, the other straight with toes pointing up. You will need a rope. Lift leg to 90 degrees, or as close as possible, and the other leg straight, 1 min both legs. ••• However, I recommend letting go of the belt after 15 seconds letting and maintain the posture for 45 seconds. I believe this will strengthen the muscles. This was something I discovered and was not part of the video.
2) Forward bend.
3) Half splits.
As always, I am not a doctor. You should seek consul and instruction from the proper source.
This blog is for information only.
Blue Belt Week 138, August 8, 2014 Enthusiasm
Posted in Jiu Jitsu, Uncategorized on August 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Learning Jiu Jitsu has not been easy. There have been weeks where I questioned my own sanity, what am I doing here? What life lessons have I learned?
So why am i doing this? As a kid, I wanted a black belt in judo which never happened. For now, I have the opportunity to study at a school that I have a lot of respect and trust. Simplified, Judo is a part of Jiu Jitsu. I still carry passion for judo and now for Jiu Jitsu.
Enthusiasm: 1. intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Blue Belt Week 137, Sparring After A Long Break \ Mouth Guard
Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged 40 and over jiu jitsu. sparring, Gracie Jiu Jitsu on August 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Many months had passed since the last time sparring. The biggest concern was getting an injury. I was rusty. Strategy, ” keep it playful”, talk to the sparring partner, be conscious of energy use. Go half power. I didn’t attack, defense. Be comfortable on back. Tap early. Reset. Keep going.
I sparred with a newbie blue belt, a friend, and first timer to sparring, 50 to 60 lbs weight difference over my body weight. The instructor told me to go easy on the guy. Actually, I was hoping to avoid a big weight mismatch all together, but no such luck. The new blue belt had that look of must win, ego. Three minutes in, he was in the mounted position and I was on my back, guard. As he grew tired, his technique became quite frantic. He looked exhausted. A little bit selfish of me, I should have tapped earlier, but I wanted to handle someone that would spass which he did. I made no attempt at an attack. I was comfortable on my back. I probably should have done an elbow escape. I was near a wall. I could have continued sparring but I tapped so as to reset.. No big deal. Perhaps that would boost his ego. After I tapped to reset, he didn’t want to keep going out of exhaustion. I was calm, uninjured, and had plenty of energy.
Later on in the locker room, he said that he was close to throwing up on the mat, or on me. I hope he keeps going. He took the sparring to serious, ” Keep it playful!”
Also, this was the first time wearing a mouth guard during sparring. The last time at the dentist, there were places on the top of the teeth that were missing enamel. I was grinding off teeth enamel by clinching the teeth at night and possibly at GJJ. This will lead to rapid tooth decay and expensive dental bills. So, I’m wearing a dental mouth guard at bed time and another type of mouth guard for protection during sparring/throwing class, to prevent losing a tooth from a strike, chipping a tooth, clinching the teeth, biting the tongue. The mouth guard forces breathing through nose, and protects the jaw bone. Before wearing the night guard, I had jaw pain but the mouth guard realigned the bones and the pain went away.
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