Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Gracie Jiu Jitsu’

Blue Belt Week 71, April 25, 2013

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on April 23, 2013| 2 Comments »

On Tuesday, we practiced submissions from the side mount. During the review part of class,  I practiced the clock choke; however, I couldn’t remember the counter move.  I will ask for help next class.  Upon arrival, there was a new group.  The last big group of vistors was from Qatar.  It was a good experience. I worked out with Mohammad, a blue belt, from the U.A.E.  I was impressed at the end of class when he said that he liked our school enough to want to move to North Miami Beach. That says a lot.

Over all, I had a very unproductive week. I didn’t do any jiu jitsu, except Tuesday, Iyengar yoga, nor work out from Wednesday on, dental appointment, sick kid, etc.

To be honest, I need to get tougher mentally. I really don’t want to give up. I know deep down that would be a mistake.  I’m reading a book called ”  Mastery,” by George Leonard.  The book has helped to see clearly where I am going.   The book, Mastery, should be a must read for the Gracie Jiu Jitsu student along with the Gracie diet.

Longevity – I upped my omega three dosages to 10 grams a day.  I am hoping to reverse any brain damage I may have caused it. Also, I started taking CLA and Probiotic.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 70, April 19, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on April 19, 2013| 1 Comment »

I’m a bit delusional about my abilities. However, I keep having a reoccurring thought, ” Extreme training will give extreme results.” I think that statement is generally true. Not sure where I heard that.

Here’s the rundown. I went to fundamentals class on Monday. It was good to review the move, throw back from the guard. It is when the opponent, while in your guard, decides to stand up. When they do this, unhook the legs, hips on the floor, grab their ankles, and push then down with the knees. I think that would be useful in a fight. We then worked on a sleeve choke.

On Tuesday, I went to advanced grappling taught by Professor Pedro. I would say that doing a Kimora and an Americana is slowly becoming a habit. We learned a new arm bar, new to me, from the side mount. I had a good partner and extra help from Black belt, so I think it will be remembered.

This weekend was a seminar with Rickson Gracie at headquarters. Regretfully, I wasn’t able to attend. That reminds me to rewatch the documentary movie featuring Rickson “, Choked.” Every student of BBJ should watch it. The documentary was on YouTube the last time I checked. Bbj cult film.

Longevity. High Dosages of Omega Three Fish Oil. I am basically experimenting on myself. I would like for my mind to be more stable, hopefully repaired. I have been reading the healing power of the brain if it has the right materials, omega 3, fish oil. So, I increased my dosage from 1 gram to 10 grams a day. Since I started, I feel better mentally.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 68, April 2, 2013. Fear Can Stop Your Development

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on April 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It has been along time since I sparred. I had avoided sparring because of injury and an over competitiveness, actually, a fear of losing. I had played a bad game. What mattered was that I was in the game. I had my butt kicked by a teen, apparently he trained at the dojo through the kid program, a South Beach bouncer, an ex division one college wrestler, and another ex division three college wrestler. I had been arm barred six times and choked a few times. I’m obviously doing something wrong and repeatedly. My goal was to survive, not to take this serious, this was a game, and I was taking it easy by conserving energy. I was getting mounted and my opponent would get up in my arm pits at least four times. There were two arm bars where they sat on my chest. I kept trying to pass the guard without breaking the guard legs. That didn’t work at all. I was getting pinned and smoothered. I tried not to panic and remained calm. When it was over, I wasn’t injured and my ego was less competitive so I would call this a good day.

I did the advanced class before sparring. We did reflex striking defense drills. Professor Gui explained ” It is a miss conception that Jiu Jitsu is only grappling. Stay far. Use the side kick. Hopefully with your back to a wall.” I know going to the floor in a bar sometimes there is broken glass on the floor, and concrete is definitely not my first choice. I lucked out and partner with a judo black belt whose a brown belt in jiu jitsu. Also, he had some boxing skills. We worked on striking defense, something I needed to work on and a throw. We did some unscheduled randori. I was thrown left, right, and center. We both wanted to do some judo. I liked working out with opponents that have skills. That will make my skill level develop quickly. The combination of this class and sparring, I felt that I’m beginning to really learn how to fight, not that I need to learn.
.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 65, March 15, 2012.

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , on March 16, 2013| 1 Comment »

In our life, a lot of present time goes un noticed. I’m trying to live in the moment. Right now. Not the past. Not the future. There is little benefit in dwelling in past memories. There is little benefit in worrying about the future. The eteneral present which is really the only time there is.

As we lined up to bow to our professor on Friday’s fundamental class, I was the highest ranking belt, a first time experience. However, a little later, a purple belt and a brown belt showed up late. I didn’t feel conformtable being the one being looked up too, not yet. I thought to myself of my very first class which was a distant memory and here I am now. For me, the joy of the journey isn’t the final destination, black belt, but the journey to it.

Longevity. I am now taking vitamin D3. I was shocked to read that 100 million Americans, out of 300, are vitamin d deficient. A chronic low level could lead to cancer. Your body needs direct sunlight to make it. So, if you don’t get out in the sun very often, you should get tested. You body needs vitamin D for skeleton and muscle health. You need a blood test to know the actual level.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 64, March 8, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on March 10, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I had a great class on Tuesday, the advanced grappling. We worked on a pin and a technique to maintain it. I am feeling confident I could keep the Russian strongman pinned with the technique we just learned, unless he out smarted me. It is a fact that Russian’s are great fans of chess which jiu jitsu is similar. I have to depend on technique. Professor Pedro is going to teach the nine pins in the coming weeks which is something I knew about when I was a kid, they didnt teach everything at onetime, but wanted to learn but didn’t. So, I am looking forward to the coming weeks. That was the only class I could make because of the flu. I got it from my kids.

Anti aging stuff. I wouldn’t recommend Flex-a-min double strength, glucosamine. I’m now trying Kirkland Glucosamine HCI 1500mg with MSM 1500mg, 375 tablets, 2 times a day. This has 3x MSM than flexamin and it was 3 tablets a day. Side note, Costco, besides selling cheapest gas in the area, they have great supplements at low prices.

I started taking two baby aspirin, Kirkland, 162 mg, at bed time. There are some risks which you should consult a doctor before starting this.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 60, February 8, 2013, Upa

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , on February 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Around this time two years ago, a purple belt, had brought me to Gracie Jiu Jitsu for my first lesson. Upon entering the mat, he immediately taught me the Upa. That was what new students learn in their first lesson. The upa is a defense against an attacker where the aggressor has you pinned and is throwing strikes to the face. The aggressor’s hips must be on top of your hips in order for this to work.

Normally, an instructor will show the student, but the fundamental class was on lesson 15 and the Upa is lesson one. I was impressed and knew that was a great defense. After class, I signed up for a year.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 59, February 2, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , on February 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

After two and a half months, I went to a fundamentals class, which I had avoided. I’m trying to push myself out of my comfort zone by attending advanced classes. I admit that advanced courses has not been easy. In fact, it has put a lot of self imposed self doubt upon myself. However, I was glad to see the white belts that I worked out with there before, as well as, higher belts. It was like a reunion. I will re add a fundamental class into my weekly schedule.

This month, February, makes two years of Gracie Jiu Jitsu study. I would say that my life has improved a lot because of it.

I planned a 24 hour fast for Sunday but moved the fast to next week because of the Super Bowl.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 55, January 5, 2013. Keeping fit with judo pushups.

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on January 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

A good conditioning exercise for jiu jitsu is the judo push up. Judo push ups kept me fit during the winter break. So what is a judo push up? See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etHzNRxMfZw

In words, you start out in a bear crawl position. Try to get low to the floor while you pass over your hands then stretch into a cobra with arms fully extended. Come back to start in reverse order. It is a tough exercise. I try to do three sets of 10 judo push ups when I workout. The judo push up works more muscles than a standard push up. Also, the motion of the judo push up helps to remind you to use your body weight to pin your opponent.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 50, November 30, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , on November 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I went to a grappling techniques class to test my shoulder.  The focus of the class was the guard position, something I have been wanting to work on.  From my time away, I was worried that I would start to forget but it was all their in my subconscious mind. Once again, same height; however,  I was miss matched 170 lbs to 210 lbs but that didn’t slow me down.  I am amazed at how much energy I have from my five banana and whey protein smoothie breakfast.  Over all, the grappling class went well; however, I did aggravate my shoulder, but not badly. I need a little bit more rehabilitation before I can go full force.  The only cure for my shoulder is rest.  I have bad health insurance so I have been using yoga as physical therapy.  I am not a fan of it.  I will be taking a break until next year then fully commit til June.

I will try a twenty four hour fast on Sunday. I am suppose to do a 24 hour fast once a month as per the Gracie Diet book. Let’s see how that goes.

Read Full Post »

Blue Belt Week 47, November 10, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, Self Development, tagged , , , , on November 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I need to stop over thinking and just do. I’m worried about getting injuried and stepping out of my comfort zone to push myself to a higher level. I felt that I needed time off to get my head straight and to heal. I went through something like this, taking time off to prepare myself mentally for tougher competition, because I moved to a higher weight class in judo. I left for a while but I learned that I missed judo competition and would have comeback but moved.

One thing that I remember about my judo training as a kid, many, many, many years ago, which kept me coming back, I used to train with my best friend who was stronger and smarter than I was. We were in tremendous competition against each other all the time. I rarely beat him. That was the best training for competition and for life.

<p

This week I started Iyengar yoga classes to try and fix my shoulder, old sports injury. I prefer yoga over physical therapy. I am doing it twice a week. I am not a fan of yoga. I find yoga painful and difficult. What exactly is Iyengar Yoga? Iyengar Yoga is a type of yoga that uses props to get you where you need to be. Because of Iyengar's frail health as a child, he created a special type of yoga that uses props. Today, he is one the most recognized yoga teachers in India.

If your in South Florida area and your interested in learning yoga correctly, I recommend Iyengar yoga at Yoga Rosa of Hallendale, Fl. See web page. yogarosa.com. Most of the teachers have been to India and many years of experience. It is intense, or as intense as you want yoga to be. What I like about Yoga Rosa is that is all it is, yoga. No free weights. No spinning cycles. No aerobics. It's not a gym. That is something I like about Valente Brothers also. You go there to study Jiu Jitsu. It is not a gym either.

Getting back to the Gracie Diet, I am on chapter five of the Gracie Diet Book. I started the log book chart in that chapter. I would like to dive right in but I don’t have a firm grasp of the rules and they recommend doing a three phase in. Start with small changes. I learned that I snack all day long.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »