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.