Fantastic Gis

Even though I am not grappling right now, I can still blog about gis.  =)

http://www.fenomkimonos.com

They just put out their lotus series, and I love the Fenom Classic so much, I plan on getting a Fenom Lotus gi as soon as I get back to the mat.

Just wanted to pass along the news.

Saporito!

I still can not get over what a cool guy he was.  Friendly, nice, and all the while a little scary.  =)  He has this, I-am-awesome-and-I-know it kind of aura about him, but not in a cocky way, but these are just the facts kind of way.  I can't explain it, but he was just really great.

He taught the seminar, obviously, and two of Fabio's regular classes afterward.  He is leaving tomorrow morning at 8 AM.  I can honestly say I am going to miss him. I can NOT wait until next year!

My favorite thing I learned from him is this froward shoulder roll from top half guard that lands you with your opponent's back.  I love it.  A lot of the other techniques he showed revolved around getting to the back or attacking the back... which I really appreciated because, that is my favorite place to be.  Now I know 3 or 4 new ways to get there.

 I can totally see where Fabio gets his style of teaching.  I could see a lot of Fabio's style in Saporito, and it was really neat to see first hand where Fabio comes from.... well, where Fabio's BJJ comes from anyway.

Even off the mat he was a really great guy.  I take my kids to the day time classes, and he was really nice to them, played with them, and even let Zaile play with his belt!  I took pictures.  hehe

Smooth like butter....

This blog is specifically for my teammates.

I'd like to clear a few things up...  lol

You see the box to the right of this blog entry... "Search this blog".  In the entry field, I would like you to type "butter" and see that nothing comes up... at least nothing in reference to Kyle.  I never said anything about butter cookies, or grappling in butter, or that Kyle grapples like butter... and while all of said rumors may be true... (LOL) I never actually said them.  Which in turn also means that by comparison Paul is not ... what was it... rigid and mechanical.  I will admit that I have called him a machine in the past, but in a complimentary way.

So, just so we are clear.

While Kyle may grapple like butter, I have never uttered the word butter and Kyle in the same sentence.

Nor did I say that Paul was rigid.... in fact he is quite the opposite,  if a stick of butter could go to the Pan Ams, win two gold medals, and choke me out with ease, I would call it Paul.  ...at least on days he shaves... because some times he can get a little rough and scratchy.

And on that note, Paul and Kyle... I've got nothing but love for ya!  <3

I would also like to ask anyone who can, to please choke Sam out once for me.  =)  I hear he is the rumor mill!  LOL

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.