Expect the Unexpected

I had plans to compete a compete a lot in last couple months in preparation for the Pan Ams.  I researched the local competitions, found three perfectly spaced, and got down to business.

Two weeks later, I had a bit of a health scare, and was loaded down with medications that made me feel absolutely horrible, and it took all I had to just show up and teach the women's class, so training was off the table for a little while.  Not to mention how one of the medications made my skin so sensitive I had to cover myself head to toe before going anywhere.

Or how I mistakenly told Fabio why I was taking time off, and he instantly went into, "Oh my gosh, Stephanie is a flower and will die if we breathe on her too hard" mode, and I grappled once a class even when I started to feel better.  (Thanks Fabio.  I know it's just because you care, and I appreciate that very much.)

All of that took competition number one off the table.

Then my biopsy got scheduled for two days before the Miami Open. Which took competition number two off the table.

My actual surgery was a month ago, which gave me barely enough time to recover and compete in the last of the three I planned to do.  But I skated back and fourth on the idea.  I have trained less in the past four months that I ever have, but I really, REALLY wanted to compete.  So, I decided to do it.  I figured the only thing that would likely be effected was my cardio.  I know it's lacking right now, but I still have pretty good cardio.

The night before the competition I laid in bed, went over my game plan and threw up in my mouth a little bit but was excited.  I knew a lot of good grapples were going to be there.

Wake up to a busted water pump in my car.

And spent the next five hours finding someone to squeeze me in and I can fix my car.  Five hours is by the way exactly how much time I had to get my ass to Tampa.  By the time noon rolled around, when I was scheduled to fight, I gave up mentally.  I was still in Lakeland, still at the shop, and emotionally spent.

So, I resigned myself to not competing, but was still going to go to support my friends.  I changed out of my fight gear and headed to the Sundome... only to arrive 90 minutes late.... to see the women's divisions walking out on to the mats.

- insert slew of profanities here -

But I was so drained from my crap morning and so out of the zone, I didn't bother running out to my car gabbing my gi, and seeing if it was too late to throw my name in the hat... I just enjoyed watching the grappling.  Florida has some super sick female talent! 

Needless today, the past couple of months have been pretty much the opposite of what I planned for BJJ wise, but I still count myself as blessed.  I am back to 100%, and have plenty of time to get ready for the Pan Ams!!  I have wanted to go for the past three years and this year I can finally do it!

The pros and cons of training in the heat.

I live in Florida.  

My gym is not fancy.  Not even a little.

It is basically an office, a singular bathroom, and mats.

Inside a warehouse, in an industrial park.

A far cry from the well know, absolutely gorgeous, state of the art, all white, glass front gym of the Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy of the Mendes Brothers. ... that I am sure is kept about 15 degrees cooler than the gym I (very happily) call home.

As you can imagine, in Florida in the summer at midday, it can get a little warm.  And by a little warm, I mean 91 degrees.  It is air conditioned, but again... warehouse, midday, Florida... sweating bodies.  It stays about 90 degrees.

In the summer time I am dripping sweat by the end of warm ups.  You could literately just sit in the gym and warm up.

By the end of the second grapple my fingers are pruney, and they stay that way all class.  This really isn't a problem except for the fact that when my skin is all soggy, it is much more easily ripped or rubbed off.  And of course, gripping and pulling on lapels and sleeves for an hour does exactly that.  For about a month now my finger tips have been raw... and the horrifying calluses I have developed on all my knuckles over the past three years have been slowly rubbed off from grappling in a constant state of wet handedness.

My elbows and knees are also getting rubbed raw from the same thing... damp skin, wet rough gi = rubbed off skin.  And of course, its sweat, not just water so it stings.

Insert more bitching and complaining about grappling soggy here.

The mats are also constantly wet and slippery.  It can quite literally be like grappling on a slip and slide sometimes.

And all of that on top of, grappling in heat makes it hard to breathe, its hard to catch your breath, and staying hydrated while not drinking too much water is a fine line to walk.

It sucks.... but I love it.  It is weirdly satisfying.
(I also love BJJ, my team, and my instructor, so that makes all the suffering much more bearable.)
The singular pro is that I will train like this all summer, and when it comes time to compete in the lovely air conditioned gyms it will a cake walk.

Well, I guess, a second pro could be that the excessive exfoliation is making me softer than I've ever been in my life.  That counts for something I am sure.

Copa America Competition

I competed today in the Copa America tournament here in Lakeland.

I took third in the blue belt division, second in no gi expert, and second in no gi all weight all skill level absolute.

Only one other teammate of mine competed, Jimmy.  He took second in purple belt absolute, and third in both of the all belts, all weights gi and no gi division.  He did really well, especially considering he black and brown belts in both of his absolutes.  

We took home six medals for Team Fabio Novaes between the two of us.  Not too bad. 

I had a lot of fun, and surprisingly had a whole new set of girls to grapple.  I have been running into the same girls over and over at these types of competitions, so it was a nice change of pace.  

However, I learned a really good lesson.  Never cut weight.  Ever.

EVER.

I went into my gi division feeling like crap, and not surprisingly grappled like crap.  I had tough girls in that division too, so that didn't help at all.  My second match I went to post my foot to hip out and my foot started shaking and I had zero energy, so I mentally quit. ... Until I heard Jimmy tell me I was down by five points with a minute to go, so I needed to move my ass.  Luckily I was able to return to my guard and pull off a triangle.  But I wouldn't have been in that boat in the first place if I had just fought strong six pounds ago.

By the time no gi rolled around I'd eaten and had plenty to drink so I feel like I grappled a lot better.   So, yay for that.   

Over all it was a really fun tournament, and I am looking forward to (hopefully) The Atlanta Open, and The Miami Open. 

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Pan Ams 2013 and Tattoos

Fabio competed again this year and brought home another medal!  Congrats Fabio!  Always proud to be one of his students.

I watched online, and serious props to Budo Videos.  Their multimat technology kicked ass.  I saw every single matched I wanted to see.  Absolutely worth it this year... my only request would be they have the scores on the screen for all the matches, not just the adult male finals... which by the way, were amazing.  Caio Terra is probably my favorite grappler, so I always enjoy watching him grapple... Third gold at the Pans in a row! Woohoo!

I would watch the Pan Ams online next year, but I'm going instead. Woohoo! I've wanted to go the past two years, but I am tried of just wanting to go.  I'm going.  I've already got it worked out.  So, 2014 Pan Ams.. I will see you there! =D

I am also doing the Miami Open in six months.  So, it works it self out perfectly.  Miami is in 6 months, and the Pan Ams are six months after that.  I'll have plenty of time before each to give my body rest, then kick my own ass training.

And speaking of rest.. .that is what I am doing now.  I am in the middle of a one month break.  My knee is being lame and I would like it to fully recover before I start competition training.  The break perfectly coincided with tattoo time as well.  So my arm and knee can heal at the same time.  Multi tasking for the win.

Sean Williams, my tattoo artist is all sorts of awesome as you can tell.

www.CollectiveTattoo.com

This tattoo is finished, but in all likelihood this will become a half sleeve.

Mission Accomplished!

This weekend Fabio Novaes BJJ took the NAGA Pan Ams by storm.

No seriously.  By storm.

This was far and away the biggest turn out we have had for a competition.

(We are missing four girls in this picture.)

We had more female competitors at this tournament then we had total for the Miami Open, most of them were competing for their first time, and every single one of our girls placed!  I am beyond proud of them, and not just because they all did well, but because they had the courage to get out there and do it.

This tournament was awesome.  Everyone who competed has been busting their asses for the past couple of months getting ready for it, and everyone had their hard work rewarded on the mat, not to mention the fact that because everyone pushed themselves so hard in their training, it benefited the team as a whole.  We are all better grapplers now then we would be if we didn't have this tournament to drive everyone forward.

Nicely done, Team Fabio Novaes!

   

And not to neglect the ever so slightly less pretty side of the team:

Thank you for all that you do Fabio and Roberta!!

Miami Open Results

I competed in the 2012 Miami Open this weekend, and much like last year I had a great time.  However, this year I took home gold instead of bronze... But more importantly, I got to see a lot of the other female grapplers in Florida.  SO many talented BJJ girls in Florida! It makes me happy.

I am also happy with my performance.  I set goals for myself and accomplished every single one.

I wanted to try a take down... I did, and I succeeded.  I didn't fall down like the last time I tried to take someone down.  hahaha  Yay for that!

And as I have mentioned before my biggest general failing in jiu-jitsu is that I don't go for and let go of submissions too easily.  So, I set out to be aggressive with my attacks and finish my submissions.  And I did exactly that.  It was a nice bonus that I finished my match with an armbar, because for the longest time I was horrible at armbars in general.  Progress!

The other lady in my division came all the way from California with her husband just to compete and she was a fantastic sport.  I love meeting other grappling moms especially when they are really friendly like she was.  Mad props to her.

Allie also competed  and not surprisingly won her division as well.  Allie is a tiny little blonde monster that will ruin your day... and she proves it over and over in competitions.

The ONLY regret I have is not being able to stay for absolute, but it was out of my control... so it is what it is!  Next time for sure!

 Gold medals for the McClish girls! Bear traps be trappin!

This was the woman in my division.  Wonderful person! 

FloridaFighter.com got some pretty cool shots of my armbar: