Marcelo Saporito!

He is doing a seminar at Fabio's this weekend.  I am really excited.  It will be my first seminar.

He is a black belt under Carlson Gracie, Sr.  He is/was Fabio's instructor.

I met him Wednesday night.  He was just hanging out during class.

I knew who he was the second I walked into the office, but he totally caught me off guard.  He looked like a super normal guy... save the grim reaper tattooed on the back of his neck.  He doesn't speak much English, but he was very nice and told me I looked like Kyra Gracie.  (LOL!)

I don't have any classes between now and the seminar, so hopefully my brain will make some room for a new technique or two.  Gushing about the seminar to follow.  =)

60 to zero in 5 minutes flat...

Tonight, I rolled with someone and afterward felt really good about the roll.  Not that I did anything to the guy... I think I got submitted even, but I still felt good about the roll.  I felt like I moved well, and did correct things.   


Next grapple.
BOOSH!
Insta-fail.


Another blue belt who is of around the same skill level, but totally different game.  


That grapple I felt clumsy, slow and generally retarded.  I don't know why, but it was just horrible.  And it's not like the guy was going hard on me.. quite the opposite.  He was nice, and helpful and went the pace I was going. ... but holy lord of light, I felt like I grappled like a moron.  


Lucky for me, it was my last grapple of the night.  No time to sneak in any possible redemption... and knowing myself as well as I do, I know I am going to dwell on it all night.  

Hey creepers!

So, apparently people read my blog.  Considering that it s a public blog, you probably wouldn't think that I would be shocked by this.

I don't mind and appreciate the feed back and comments that I get, but when people in class say ..."So, I was reading your blog the other day.... "  I get a little embarrassed and find myself wondering what I'd said in my recent blogs.  I blog mostly because my brain does not have an off switch and I enjoy putting my brain vomit into word form, but I never say anything in my blog that I wouldn't say to someone's face.  So, I don't have to worry about that... but when I blog about how awesome someone is... like, Kyle, who told me this morning he reads my blog, I feel like a idiot.  =)

So, this is to those of you who creep my blog.  If I gush about you, I'm sorry.  =)  I can't help it.  Be less awesome, and I won't go all squealing fan girl on you.

It is that time again...

www.floridabjj.org

I plan to compete.  I am starting to take a mental checklist of things I want to accomplish this competition.

Last NAGA, I made a list and was able to check everything off the list.  Woohoo!  I would love to be able to do that again.

I wanted to attempt a take down.  -  FAILED miserably, but I at least attempted one.  I am happy with the small victories.

I wanted to win at least one match by submission.  - I ended up wining both my no gi fights by submission.  Yay!

And I wanted to place. -  I took home a gold and silver. 

This time I want to:

Not get locked up in closed guard like I ALWAYS do. 

Make lightweight - 141 in my gi.  (I know I said I would never cut again, but I am too close not to do it.)

I would also like to stay calm... AND stay focused.  

Last time around, I was very calm, but I did not get in the zone at all.  One of my grapples we broke apart, and instead of scrambling to get on top, I sat there and let her come to me.  Idiot.  I need to remain calm, and also focus on the task at hand.... kicking butt.

And as far as take downs go...  The more and more I drill them, the more and more I think take downs are not my jam.  I can jump guard until I am blue in the face... go go gadget legs, but I feel like jumping guard is a cop out for some reason.  ... but at the same time, my only other option is to take the girl down, and I just FAIL miserably at take downs.  I took MYSELF down for crying out loud.  Oi!  

We shall see what happens.

I have three weeks to prepare.  

Girls, girls, girls!

When I started at Fabio's there was one other girl, and Allie and I were the only girls at Summerlin.

Now, counting Allie and I there are eight.  One of our blue belts, Salsa John, always brought his girlfriend to class.  Her name is Erica, and she finally started training this week!  I am so excited!  I really get the feeling she will pick it up VERY quickly.  She is in very good shape, and has been watching us grapple for a long time, so she had the general idea her very first grapple.  If I hadn't known it was her first grapple, I wouldn't have believed her.  She also happens to be almost my exact same size.  She about an inch shorter then I and around my same weight.  I am really excited to have a similar sized training partner, esp since I already know her fairly well, and we get along.  Though I must say, it is a little annoying to finally get a taste of my own medicine.  Her legs are super long too.  She feels like she is all legs sometimes.  lol

And we may be getting another girl soon.  Tony's girlfriend came to class last night, and I talked to her about it, and she said she is going to try it out next time she comes to class.  She on the other hand weighs maaaybe 80 pounds... hehe  It will be good partner for for Joyce though.  Joyce is also super tiny.. and it's not like I mind the tiny girls either.  Small people do things big people do not... so it is always fun.  ..I just feel like a huge oaf when I grapple them.

I am really excited to have so many girls to train with.  ... Though, not to take anything way from the guys... I love them all too.  hehe

Top or upside down?!

I need to work my passing and top game.  It is lacking in comparison to my guard.

But, I also want to work inverted guard.  I can do it (not well) and have in the past, but I am not comfortable doing it...so I don't.  I even think sometimes... I should go upside down.. but I don't because it doesn't feel safe... It feels like I will get squished.

I can not work my top game and inverted guard at the same time.

I am probably going to keep working my passing/top game on those who I know can school me, and work inverted on people who of are my same skill level, or below.  ...  Which will leave me working top game much more then inverted guard because I am a lowly white belt, and everyone is better then me.  LOL  Which is good because my top game NEEDS a lot of work, and inverted guard is just something random I want to work on.  Plus, I can't really work passing unless it is on someone who's guard I have trouble with.  As of right now, most people fall into two categories, I either can easily pass, or can not pass at all.  There are a couple of people who I have to work really hard to pass but can pass, but it's like two people.  Everyone else is either easily passed, or not possible to pass.  (Obviously the larger group is the can not pass.) Ya know, Gandalf and the Balroc ... "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"  ...That's me... the Balroc...

Maybe one day, I will be Gandalf.

Age?

How old were you when you started training BJJ?


How long have you been training?


Do you have a planned cut off age?  (I doubt many people do... at least, I know I plan to go until my body won't let me do it anymore.  lol )




I used to think I was a little old to be starting BJJ, but I am starting to think other wise.  I think I may actually fall somewhere around the middle.  


I started when I was 27.  I'm 28 now, but I'm still a big newbie to the sport, I've only been training about 8 months.

This is how I roll...

Ben got the Summerlin BJJ site up!


http://www.summerlinbjj.com/


http://www.fabionovaesbjj.com/


http://www.brotherhoodbjj.com/

Rip it, roll it, and punch it!

You know that scene in Finding Nemo where Squirt is talking to Marlin....

It's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it. Look, you're really cute, but I can't understand what you're saying. Say the first thing again... 


That is pretty much how I felt Saturday morning grappling Ben.


He swept in pretty much the same fashion about 10 times...after the first few, I started thinking... Okay, he clearly wants me to do something other then what I am doing....  but in the five minutes I couldn't figure out what he was trying to show me...  I kept trying to get my base off of him, and on to the mat, but I couldn't figure out how to do it...  So, I basically kept trying, and failing to kick my leg backward to get out of his hook and post my leg out.  (What is the definition of stupid?  Repeating the same thing expecting different results....lol) 


After the grapple, he told me to wait right there for a second because he wanted to tell me something.... so I knew my suspicions were correct.  Ben was trying to tell me something I just wasn't getting.  And it of course was pretty much one of those, "Oh, duh, I am an idiot." moments.


He wanted me to go the way he was pushing me... Step my foot over his head and get to side control.  


It was an extra duh moment because it was a simple motion.  Step.  Take a step.  And doubly stupid because Ben has probably told us 1000 times to go with what you are being given.  Don't force anything.  


So, I am going to actively start trying to just go where I am being pushed...  Going with the flow.  You push, I pull... Or you push, I step over your head and get side control.  lol

FABIO NOVAES BJJ!!!!

Fabio took gold in his division at the Pan Ams!!! (Black Belt - Medium Heavy - Senior 1)

Paul took gold in his division and also in Absolute! (Brown Belt - Heavy - Senior 1 and Open Class)

I am SO happy for them, and so proud to be one of Fabio's students!

And congratulations to all the competitors!  It takes a lot of nerve to step out on to the mat in a competition as scary as the Pan Ams!

Fabio on the Podium!

I'm going to do it...

I really, REALLY want to go to the Pan Ams next year.

I think I am going to start myself a go to the Pan Ams piggy bank.

A year from now, I figure I will either be a good white belt, or an awful blue belt.  LOL  However, my driving force behind wanting to go is just to experience it.  Placing would just be icing on the cake...I never go to a competition expecting to place... I want to, but I never expect to.

I'll talk it over with my coaches... perhaps I should at least wait until the current Pan Ams are over before I start talking about the next one, but I will see what they think.

There is a small IBJJF comp here in May.  I plan on going to that one... I'll get a feel for the IBJJF rules, and see how I fare there.

I will make it to the Pan Ams one day though, if not 2011, then 2012.  My kids will be 4 and 7 by then, so leaving for a week would be easier on them... Zaile might be a little young next year to go a week without me... Or at least too young for her Dad to agree to watch her all week... Grandmas are available though.  I don't go away much with out my kids.  I've only gone away over night once, and that was for my first NAGA.  We'll see.... but I will make it there one day!

Some recent observations...

This is just a a few random observations I've recently made...

No gi - It sucks.  I grappled a guy no gi today and it was by far one of the most annoying things I've had to deal with grappling.  I had on short sleeved underarmor, and he was wearing a tee-shirt.  Normally when I go no gi, I wear long sleeved rash guards to protect my elbows.  Anyway, with both of us being a bit sweaty, I could NOT for the life of me create any traction with my arms against his arms or legs.  So, I will be 100% sure to always bring my long sleeved underarmor to competition from now on.

Cutting weight - I will never do it again.  When we went to South Shore, I had not eaten breakfast...  Not on purpose or anything, I just had a hectic morning... then we had to meet up, and travel and we didn't start grappling until about 1:30 - 2:00.  And like I said in my previous blog... I hit a wall like you would not believe.  I think the heat may have been a factor, but it may also have been that I'd not eaten.  Annoying?  Yes... but it did teach me that food is important for grappling.  This last NAGA I cut weight, and didn't eat anything all day... Then I grappled.  It was fine, but I really didn't have much trouble in the novice division..  But this time I did have to work, and it drained me.  I'd already decided I wouldn't cut weight again, but this cemented it.  I would be SO angry with myself if I hit a wall in a competition because I wanted to cut weight.

Wrestlers - They are interesting when they first start BJJ.  One of our purple belts is also a wrestling coach.  One of his students came to class night and that kid gave up his back, and suck his neck out like a turtle ALL night.  I understand the very basic of wrestling, so I know why he did it... and even during one of his grapples, he said "Man, this is like speaking another language!"  Toward the end of the night he was doing it less, but still... It was interesting to watch.

Big New Guys - Not so scary anymore.  Well, at least the ones who don't flair and panic when I girl is choking them out.  I rolled with a fairly new guy today, and was able to submit him a few times, but the thing I was most proud of with that grapple was the fact that when I sat out in side control I could hear and feel the air being squished out of his lungs.  LOL -  I that may sound kind of jerkish, but the fact that I could do that to a man who easily had 100 pounds on me, meant more to me then the submissions.

I also got a very nice compliment today.  "Man, you are really light, but you feel so heavy."  Only a fellow grappler would understand why that is a compliment.  lol

And oh look.. I managed to type out all of this and manage to say nothing at all.

So long, farewell....

Some of my teammates, and instructors leave today for California.

Fabio, Paul, Rhino, Enrique and Doug are competing in the Pan Ams!  I am so excited for them!

One of these days, I'll make it there too.

May your preparation meet lots and lots of opportunity guys!

Holy gassed girl, batman!

When I started Jiujitsu, I was totally an out of shape mom.  ... That being said, I have NEVER not finished a grapple.. .even when I thought my lungs were going to burst, and felt I was actually dying.  I always finished.

Not today.

I don't know what happened, we were visiting another school like I mentioned, and it was SUPER hot.  I grappled twice, and during my third grapple half way through, I had to go to my guard, and just hung out there.

My fourth one, I hit a wall..  like... I just could not move.  It felt like I was grappling in quicksand.  I couldn't really even defend myself.  The guy I was with, went for an arm bar, and after I tapped, I sat up, and my hands were shaking like crazy.  One of my teammates,  Phil, who came with from Fabio's came over with some water and asked me if I was okay.  I said I was okay, and took a sip of the water, but when I tried to turn around and get back to the grapple, I couldn't even hold my arms up.  Phil had to take over for me.  

I went out side to cool off for a bit... and felt like such a MORON.  

I've never had that happen to me before... never.  I don't even know what brought it on.  I know I have had to take a little bit of time off this month because of my side, and being sick, but I am assuming it has more to do with my body still having a lingering bit of run-down-ed-ness... and perhaps the heat..though, the more I think about it, it may also have been the fact that I didn't eat anything.  ...I'm such a moron. 

But man, if those guys can train in that heat, they are going to be machines in normal temperature!

I did have fun though.  I just feel like a putz for having zero gas.  Next time I head out that way, I am going to go to a night time class.  hehehe

South-Shore BJJ....

....We are coming for you!

That might sound threatening if it wasn't coming from me.  lol

Tomorrow morning we are visiting one of our sister schools.  Two of Fabio's students opened a small school of their own in Apollo Beach.  If I am not mistaken, then opened the school 3 or 4 months ago, and all of their students have that much training or less.  From what I understand their students expressed an interest in rolling with some people with more experience... or at at least some of their girls did, specifically with girls with more experience.  (Though it boggles my mind that anyone would consider me any kind of experienced.) One of the instructors there, is good friends with Ben... so voila.  We are making a field trip!

I am really excited for several reasons.

I always love the chance to grapple a new people, and girl specifically, in a non-competition environment.

It is a branch of my home school, so I know that it will be a friendly gathering.  I think I might bake cookies!

And because Kyle teaches there.  Kyle is one of my very favorite people to roll with.  He attends Fabio's Brandon branch, and I the Lakeland one so I very seldom get to actually roll with him.  He is an awesome grappler, and he sweeps me from here until tomorrow all the while talking trash.  Friendly trash talk... I love talking while I grapple, but there are very few people who seem to share that love, and twice as many who prefer the opposite.  I've gotten choked for the soul purpose of shutting me up.  Admit it, your not shocked are you?

If I don't get to grapple him during class, I am going to attack him afterward.  Teehee!

I tried to grapple a banana.

Why is that statement always followed by "Are you drunk?"

No, I am not drunk.  I really tried to grapple a banana.  A man in a banana suit I should say.

I went to the 100 Monkeys show tonight, and afterward, I decided to stand in line with all the crazy Twilight Moms and Grandmas to meet the band... Though, my real objective was to try and convince them to let me grapple Marty, the Banana.

Unfortunately, I was turned down.  I was not permitted to grapple Marty, the Banana.  He said he bruises easily.  I was however, offered the chance to take Marty home with me for the very fair price of 15 dollars.  LOL  I was the one turning down the suggestion at that point.

The conversation went something like this....

"Hi, I don't really have anything for you to sign, I was just wondering if I could grapple the banana."

*confused looks all around*

"Wait.... What?!"

"I do Brazilian Jiujitsu... and I really want to grapple the banana."

"You wanna do what to Marty's Banana?!"

"No, no, not HIS banana.  THE banana!  I want to grapple THE banana!"

"I am disturbed by this...."

"No!  I bruise easily!"

"You can't grapple him, but you can sleep with him for 15 dollars."

"Hmm... Can I grapple him after?"

"You can do whatever you want to him after you pay me... I am only interested in the money."

I should have paid him the 15 dollars and jumped guard.

ANYWAY!

I had a blast tonight!  The Monkeys were fantastic, and I discovered a new band... Lions after Dark.  I liked them a lot.