Victory!

I'm so happy for my bro Ken Haddix, who won his first MMA fight last night! I wasn't able to be there to see it, and I don't think there is a video, but I heard that he won by armbar at 1:37 into the first round! He's been talking about wanting to fight in MMA for a few years, and he made it happen! Woohoo!

Ken is one of my oldest dojobros, and by that I don't mean he is old (he's actually about four years younger than I am), I mean that he has been my bro the longest. He's stood next to me since I began Karate, and then he started training Jiu-Jitsu shortly before I did. He's also a brown belt in Judo, which means that he is a true mixed martial artist!

I would like to think that Ken's victory had a little something to do with all of the sweat I've shared with him for the past eight years (some days in Karate class we were the only students there!) but he did this all on his own. He trains really hard, and even though he's a little older than most people when they make their MMA debut, his dedication paid off. David Danger cornered him for the fight, unfortunately I don't think many other people we know were there to see him win (because he didn't give us enough notice beforehand!), but we are all very proud of him. Way to go, Ken!

Since I don't have a video of his MMA fight, here's one of Ken winning a Judo tournament by armbar a few years ago.

Mentor Mike

Awhile ago I wrote a post wondering if I should ask one of my fellow Jiu-Jitsu students to be my mentor (so I wouldn't have to just bug Conan all the time), but I didn't know if that was the right thing to do, because I thought those kind of relationships should develop naturally. I never did ask anyone, but the other day when I was in class at LBJJ, I realized that there is someone I train with who has filled that role. In a way it's kind of weird to call him my "mentor", because I am old enough to be his mother (and he's been training Jiu-Jitsu about a year less than I have), but Mike has definitely become someone I look up to, and he helps me a lot.

Since we are similar in size, we often end up working together, and he's really good at helping me figure out the whats, wheres, and whys. He understands what it's like for me as a smaller person, and he knows what will and will not work for us. His technical knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu far exceeds mine, and he is able to correct my mistakes, which most of the time I don't even realize I'm making.

Given a choice, I would choose Mike to be my partner every time, and the nice thing about it is that he doesn't seem to mind working with me, either. If you've ever rolled with him, or even watched him roll, then you understand why I look up to my little brother!

Rolling with a purpose

Our BJJ black belt Greg taught Jiu-Jitsu class yesterday, and one thing that he usually does is incorporate more structure into our grappling at the end of class, instead of just having free open mat. He emphasizes the importance of "rolling with a purpose", and by limiting our options through positional grappling, we can focus more on certain areas. This is especially helpful for working on those things that we might not normally gravitate towards, or get a chance to practice, while rolling. It's also nice because I don't have to worry about asking anyone to roll, since partners are assigned.

I like the fact that when Greg has us do king of the mat, he often does it "up, down, and out", instead of the traditional way, where the loser leaves the mat. This is good for me because otherwise a lot of the time I only get to work one side, because I can't win against anyone. That wasn't the case yesterday, since there was a newer guy in class who I had no problem with, but it was still really nice to be able to work both sides with everyone.

Naturally, the positional grappling drills are focused on whatever techniques we worked on that day, and yesterday it was all about half guard, particularly the person on the bottom getting to a safe place. I don't think there could be a more perfect thing for me to practice right now, because I still seem to get stuck in that position, and then submitted, far too often (I remember Kitsune once said that she should have her mail sent to bottom half guard, because she was there all the time!). It actually felt weird to be able to get the underhook and take my white belt partner's back so easily from bottom half guard during the positional grappling yesterday, because I'm so used to getting crushed there!

I really enjoy learning Jiu-Jitsu from Greg's perspective, because he is one of us "little people", so not only can I usually understand what he is trying to tell me, but it also works for me (if I do it right). It's like we speak the same language, only he is fluent, and I am still learning how to talk. Greg can be seen at the end (around 2:45) of this guard drills video that I recorded about a year ago, and someday I hope my skills can be half as good as his!

The Man

I like to give my Jiu-Jitsu teacher Conan a hard time because, well, it's fun, and someone has to do it, so he doesn't get an enormous ego! I'm pretty sure I am the only student who has ever given him the single finger salute while on the mat in front of the class (I am bad!), but the truth of the matter is that I probably would not be training Jiu-Jitsu if not for him. Not only did he personally encourage me to try it out, I also came into Jiu-Jitsu with some serious trust issues, and I would not have stayed if I didn't feel safe. With someone as trustworthy as Conan at the helm and on my side, I've been able to overcome a lot of fear.

Conan also has to take some of the blame for this blog, because he's partially responsible. He supported my first foray into blogging on The Jiu-Jitsu Fighter, which eventually led to me starting Ginger Snaps. He even reads my drivel sometimes, and helps me with specific problems that I discuss. He himself hasn't posted anything in about six months, and I really miss reading my blogging mentor's work.

To me, the quality of an instructor as a person is just as important as the breadth of their knowledge, and I feel very lucky to have a Jiu-Jitsu teacher who truly cares about his students. I know if I have any kind of problem, Conan has my back. He also takes my back a lot, but that's to be expected.

It shows my trust and respect for Conan that I allowed him to film and upload this video of us rolling three years ago, because I didn't really want to do it, and I don't like watching it because I didn't know anything then, so I think I look stupid. However, I decided to share it because it really lets me see how very far I have come under his tutelage. He has to work much harder than this to submit me now!

"Jiu-Jitsu should only to be used for good, never for evil." -Conan Schafer-Sensei

Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone

Joe said that sometimes you don't know how special something is until it's over, and I was pretty sure I knew the particular thing he was talking about, so I asked "Do you mean sparring class?" and he said "Yes". What made Sensei Dave O.'s sparring class so awesome is not just the teacher himself, but the people who attended week after week during those years. Every once in awhile a group of people come together at just the right place and time. The level of trust and respect among the students of that class is something I have never felt anywhere else. We had a lot of fun while beating each other up!

There's no question that class formed a large part of my martial identity. So many of my "firsts" took place there. My first black eye, the first time I threw up during training, the first experience I had with mat work. It was also the first place where I could really see that my training was paying off. I learned so much from that class, and many of the ideas I have towards training come directly from Sensei Dave himself.

I don't know where I would be right now without having attended that class, without that group of people who encouraged, supported, and guided me from the very beginning of my training. I seriously doubt I would be doing Jiu-Jitsu (Dave was big on cross-training!). Each of the sparring class regulars still holds a special place in my heart, although I rarely see most of them anymore. Some have moved away, and others are focusing on different aspects of their life right now.

We attended a reception on Saturday for Shihan's wedding, and Sensei Dave was there. It was bittersweet, because while it's always good to see him, it was also reminder of what once was, but will never be again. I don't think I appreciated his class as much as I should have at the time, because I didn't realize just how special it was.

The Good Guys

I've been following the story about the BJJ rape, but I've been unable to write about it, because the topic is too emotional for me.  I still don't want to really get into it, because I'm afraid my post would just be a profanity-laced rant, which would benefit no one.  But after reading this, all I have to say is that never in my life have I been happier that my main Jiu-Jitsu instructor is a cop.

I honestly trust Conan with my life, and I have no doubts whatsoever that my trust is not misplaced.  Our school is small, and while some "bad eggs" may come around, they don't stay for long.  The quality of students reflects directly on the person who leads them, and I'm glad I train with The Good Guys.

The Book

Sensei Gorman is also our
head Kobudo instructor.

I haven't been to a Friday night adult Karate class in a couple of years, but for my first few years of training, I went to almost every single one.  Not surprisingly, Friday isn't a popular night for training, and there were many occasions when class would consist of just Sensei Gorman, Ken, and myself.  I'm sure the fact that Professor X is known for running a highly physical class has absolutely nothing to do with the low attendance! 

The benefit to me of being taught by Sensei Gorman in those small classes was enormous.  I was able to become comfortable around him in a short amount of time, which allowed me to better soak up some of the vast knowledge he has to offer.  His nickname around the dojo is "The Book", because he can remember just about everything, all of the time.  He's also most often Shihan's go-to person to demonstrate.

Sensei Gorman has been training martial arts for about thirty years, yet he is still physically able to do everything, and do it well!  I'm sure his ability to remember the details is partially due to his time training, but I've also seen him on the floor at convention still writing things down after everyone else left.  He is one of those people who is really talented, but equally humble. He quietly and consistently does a lot for the dojo, and I really can't express how much he has helped and taught me personally. 

I call him Professor X because he's the main teacher of the Friday night mutants.  He's also an intelligent and intuitive person, and sometimes it almost feels like he's reading my mind, especially when we spar!  One time when I rushed in to attack him, I felt something hit the back of my head, and I thought someone had sneaked up from behind, but no, Sensei Gorman had just kicked me in the back of the head, and I never saw it coming.  He has the X factor!

The Doggfather

There is only one person in our Jiu-Jitsu class who currently holds the rank of brown belt: Ray Petersen.  I call him The Doggfather, not only because he has swagger and he was born in the year of the dog.  He's also a black belt in Judo, which he has been training since he was a child, and even though he is about fifteen years younger than I am, he says his Judo training aged him faster, like in dog years!

Ray is a virtual encyclopedia of martial arts knowledge.  If you want to know the history of almost any art, how to say the name of a technique in six different languages, where the best place is to get a good deal on a gi, or who won the latest UFC fights: just ask Ray.  He has always shown an interest in my training, and he often offers help, even when he is just watching from another class.  Ray tells it like it is, but in a nice, respectful way.   Another one of his nicknames is Panda, and while pandas may seem all cute and cuddly, you should never forget that they are still bears!  Just roll with Ray if you don't believe me.
 
He taught most of Jiu-Jitsu class on Tuesday, and as the senior student in attendance, I got to be his practice dummy.  When class started, it was just the two of us and three white belts, and of course he had us work on some dreaded Judo, but I don't think there is anyone who I feel more comfortable doing Judo with than Ray (well, except maybe Ken), so I was glad to be his partner.  I love it when I get to run with the top dogs!

Appreciating Adam

During Jiu-Jitsu yesterday, I ended up working with one of our purple belts, Adam, for most of the class.  There were an uneven number of people, so Adam and I just rotated together and worked in threes with different partners.  When we were practicing the arm triangle, David laid down on the mat so I could do it on him again, but I said "It's Adam's turn, I haven't gotten to choke him yet!", and Adam questioned "Why is everyone always out to get me?!" Oh Adam, do you really have to ask?

Whenever we do any kind of king of the mat, Adam is usually out there most of the time.  Sometimes when he's not in class (which is rare), we devote the entire time on how to beat him.  He is big, strong, and talented.  He's not called The Incredible Hulk for nothing!  He came into Jiu-Jitsu with a solid wrestling background, and he becomes more unstoppable every day.

Hulk smash!

Adam also asked me to roll during open mat yesterday, which I really appreciate, he's a great grappling partner.  He has very good body awareness, which allows him to bring it without completely obliterating me.  He is one of the strongest guys in class, but he never abuses his size or strength against me.  Frankly, he doesn't have to! 

Of course he submitted me with the very same arm triangle that we practiced in class.  When we went again, he made me painfully aware of the fact that I am not doing a good enough job of protecting my feet and legs when I'm working open guard (I physically cannot close my guard around Adam).  He even locked up a couple of good knee bars, but he let them go before I tapped, so we rolled until time ran out.

Adam is one of those awesome guys in Jiu-Jitsu class that I was talking about in my gratitude post.  From the first time I worked with him, he has always been respectful, helpful, friendly, and fun.  I don't get a chance to roll with him very often, because he is always in high demand, and I totally understand why.

Take My Breath Away

If you read this blog you might remember me talking about an unidentified guy from Jiu-Jitsu class who I call The SOB. He was one of the first people to seek me out to teach me and to roll with me when I first started training. He earned his nickname because he would repeatedly kick my ass (which I actually appreciate, especially since when I started most people treated me like fine china) and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't submit him. I have always enjoyed grappling with him, even though every roll has ended with me choking.

A few people have tried to guess who The SOB is, but no one has. Since I don't think I will ever be able to tap him out (mostly because he moved away and he is now training somewhere else), I have decided to reveal his identity. The SOB is Andrew Stock.

Not only can Andy submit me at will, he can also write circles around me. Besides co-authoring a couple of Hollywood movies (The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard and Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach), he also recently published a short novel, (G)Abe's Plan, which I read and thoroughly enjoyed. I was a little disappointed that there's no Jiu-Jitsu in it, but he told me there might be in the next one. Even if not, I'm still looking forward to reading more of his work.

The SOB is a lawyer and a writer, and he can choke me 100% of the time. Could I really have chosen a more formidable frenemy? By the way, contrary to appearances, in this case SOB does not stand for "son of a bitch". I've never met Andy's mom, but I'm sure she is a very nice lady. For his nickname, SOB actually stands for "Stoppage of Breathing".

Bad Brad

J.P.-Sensei & Brad-Sensei

We had a going-away gathering last night to honor John Pitts-Sensei, and it was great to look through some old photos from the early days of the dojo with him and Brad-Sensei.  Everyone had a lot more hair back then, on their heads and under their noses!  Some of the pictures were a little faded, so they were hard to make out, and Brad pointed to someone in one of them and said "That guy was a jerk!". Then upon closer inspection, he said "Wait, that's not who I thought it was...is that me?", and J.P. looked at it and said "Yeah, that's you."

Even though he is moving away, Pitts-Sensei will remain the head of the SRSK organization, but since he won't be at hombu dojo anymore, a new dai sempai needed to be named.  Shihan took the opportunity last night to officially announce that Brad-Sensei will now be in charge of the dojo, and he said if we had any problems, we were supposed to take them to him.  Someone quipped "Well, I guess there won't be any problems then." They don't call him "Bad Brad" for nothing!

I can clearly remember the first time I ever worked with Brad-Sensei.  It was shortly into my Karate training, and he was teaching a group of us white belts about etiquette.  At one point he remarked "If I was in charge...well, if I was in charge there probably wouldn't be any students because they would all quit...but if I was in charge, there would be even more of a focus on etiquette."  Brad is probably the most old-school traditionalist at the dojo, and he is a total bad-ass.  In other words "Because he is hard, you will not like him!".

"I don't make stuff up, because...because I don't have to!" -Siebler-Sensei

Personally, I like him very much, and I respect him even more.  A compliment from Brad-Sensei is a rare and wonderful thing.  You know when he says that you did something well, you can take it to the bank.  He really couldn't care less how you feel about him, and his expectations are high, because he cares so much about the martial arts.  I think having him as one of my teachers makes me work harder than I might otherwise, and the person who he's hardest on is himself.  He's only given me two compliments in the entire time I've been training; the first was when he told me I had a "mean" reverse punch, and the second was while he and I were sparring, and he said that I needed to stop going to sparring class, because I was getting "too good".  I walked on sunshine for at least a month after that!

Brad-Sensei is also a black belt in Judo, and he was the first person to ever take me down and mount me, while we were sparring in Karate class.  He was the also first person to tap me out, with a rear naked choke.  Not too long ago, he walked into an unknown gym and asked to grapple with the biggest guy there.  Alhough he's now retired from competing, his sparring ability is legendary, and at the Karate State Games a few years ago, I overheard someone who was upset about a point call that Brad-Sensei had made say "I would give $1,000 to fight that guy!", and I thought "I would pay $1,000 to watch him thoroughly beat your ass."

So watch out, there's a new sheriff in town, and he goes by the name of Bad Brad.  You can take any problems to him, if you dare! 

I'll Be Missing You

Pitts-Sensei, Roseberry-Shihan, Siebler-Sensei

On my first day of Karate class, our Dai Sempai (the most senior student) John Pitts-Sensei taught class.  After the introductions he looked right at me and said "I don't think you know what you've gotten yourself into".  At that moment I knew he was right, but I didn't know how right.  His acknowledgement of my nervousness made a big impression on me that day.  He can be an intimidating man, and it could have scared me away, but instead I felt the goodness of his heart, and I knew I was in the right place.

J.P. (as he is affectionately known) is the person who will take over the SRSK organization when Shihan retires.  Technically he is already the head, but Shihan isn't quite ready to leave yet.  Sensei Pitts started training with Shihan in 1975, shortly after he graduated from UNL (where he was a member of the '70-'71 National Champion Cornhusker football team!).  He has been an LPD officer for about 37 years, and he's now retiring.

After so many years in the cold tundra known as Nebraska, upon his retirement Sensei Pitts will be moving to Arizona, in just a couple of weeks.  I've kind of been in denial about it, because every fiber of my being does not want him to go, it just won't be the same here without him!  He plans to open his own dojo there, and he will be coming back to Lincoln frequently to train, but I will miss him terribly.  It could be much, much worse, because he was recently diagnosed with cancer, but thankfully he seems to be recovering well.

He's been trying to get as much training in as he can before he moves, so he's been coming in some mornings to teach a couple of students who can't make it to the evening classes.  Today Joe and I joined the party, and we had a lot of fun.  He even took us over to the mat, and we worked on a joint lock takedown for awhile!

For me, one of the hardest parts of martial arts is when people who I enjoy training with leave.  J.P.'s presence is so big that I can't help but feel like there will be a huge hole when he's no longer there.  However, instead of being sad that he's moving away, I am going to focus on being grateful that I had the chance to train under him, and do my best to remember all of the things he's taught me.  He's an excellent martial artist, with a big heart and a warm personality.  From my very first day of Karate, I knew he was going to be someone I greatly admired, and he has always treated me with the utmost respect and kindness.  I might not have known what I was getting myself into on that first day, but because of Sensei like him, I've never regretted it.

Gary the Great

One of our Sensei at the dojo, Gary Gabelhouse, is an accomplished writer, and he has written several successful novels. He is the head instructor of our Daitoryu Aikijujitsu program, and he is also an advanced dan in Goju-Ryu Karate, but since I have never really trained with him, I don't see him as my instructor, but rather as my friend, and what an amazing friend he is!

Gary has lived a life that most of us can only dream of. He started out as a poor kid living in the hood I now call home, and he ended up traveling the globe on epic adventures. He's climbed the highest mountains, and been befriended by people like Sir Edmond Hillary. He's had the opportunity to get to know authors such as Isaac Asimov. He's studied many different cultures and religions, and he's even had private conversations with the Dalai Lama. One of the best things about Gary's books is that some of it is taken directly from his real life. He's experienced things that most people cannot begin to fathom. He even died once, and lived to tell about it!

Another great thing about Gary is that he truly embodies the philosophy "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." Gary has been in many confrontations that could have ended in violence, but he was able to diffuse the situation with words instead. Sometimes it was by showing compassion, other times by making a joke. A particularly memorable story involves Gary spouting nonsense phrases until the potential troublemaker was so confused that he just wanted to leave.

Gary is a real "tell it like it is" kind of guy, which I appreciate. He is an excellent storyteller, with all kinds of stories to tell. Some of them are touching and profound, some are violent or dirty, but they are always entertaining, and often funny.  One of my favorites is the story about the time Ido Pariente competed in the Cornhusker State Games Karate Kumite, and got hit over the head with a chair, which led to an all-out brawl. What I wouldn't give to have been there to see some of my Karate teachers in the middle of that dogpile!

I'm lucky I've been able to get to know such an interesting and inspiring man. Another perk of martial arts training is that you get to meet people who you probably never would have met otherwise. I am grateful to share this journey with so many outstanding people like Gary. He recently paid me the highest of compliments by writing me in as a minor character in one of his upcoming novels, and I am truly touched and honored. To be so respected by someone I so respect is almost overwhelming. Budo has given me much more than I ever anticipated, and the friendships I've formed fill my heart and life with joy.  One thing I learned from 9/11 is that tomorrow is not guaranteed, so every day we must show appreciation toward the people who make a difference in our lives.

"Words are magic. They allow us to talk across time, read each other's thoughts, know people who have died centuries before, do and be anywhere in an unlimited universe--make us feel--make us laugh, cry in remembrance and promise." -Gary L. Gabelhouse

Bubbles

Conan & Amy

I was just thinking about a conversation Amy and I had during Sunday's class, and it made me really appreciate her journey to gain the knowledge she's now sharing with me.  In a recent post I wrote about the pre-Conan Jiu-Jitsu class at the dojo, and how I was intrigued, but intimidated.  Well, Amy saw that same class every day as she was going to Judo, and instead of being afraid, she thought "That looks interesting, I think I want to try it.", and so she did.

At the time she joined the class it consisted of her and just a few men, all of whom already knew much more than she did.  They did not take it easy on her, and no other new students joined the class for her first few years of training.  Which meant that literally all Amy did when she grappled for those first years is to tap out, repeatedly.  She couldn't even begin to put together an offensive game, because every roll was an all out fight just to survive.

Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup

She told me that is why it is so important to her that I am able to submit people, because she doesn't want me to spend all of my time just defending, like she did.  Although I am naturally an offensive fighter, my time spent training with Amy has definitely encouraged it.  When we are drilling or grappling, she will often push us to submit as fast as possible, or give us time limits in which to do so.

Amy's first Jiu-Jitsu instructor Darin was an MMA fighter, and he helped teach her how to persevere.  She often imparts lessons to me that she says came from him, like "Why are you tapping, you're not choking, stop being stupid!".  Almost all of our current Jiu-Jitsu students came up under Conan, but Amy was taught by both Darin and Conan, and I get the benefit of all of her knowledge.  She was the very first woman in our school to be belted in Jiu-Jitsu, and if it wasn't for Amy blazing the trail and helping me along, I honestly don't know if I would still be there.

Return of the King

The King has reentered the building!  No, not Elvis, face it ya'll, that dude is DEAD.  I'm talking about Patrick, a Jiu-Jitsu brother who I once dubbed "King for a Day".  He is the blue belt who stands to my right in line, and I can tell he's my big bro because he likes to pick on me a lot (and vice versa ;).  Sometimes obligations take him away from the dojo, but he's been around, off and on, for a long time.  Several years ago I even helped teach his kids in the tiny kids martial arts class we used to have on Saturdays.  "Tiny Kids" wasn't the official name, but that's what most of the students were.

The reason Patrick got to be King was because a couple of years ago I happened to catch an awesome moment on video, where he did the unthinkable, and submitted our Jiu-Jitsu instructor Conan.  I wasn't even filming their roll, then something told me "Turn on the camera NOW!", and I was just in time to catch the sub.

Conan was a good sport about the merciless teasing I heaped upon him, but in the interest of fairness, both Patrick and I will readily admit that Conan was taking it easy on him, and he let Patrick get him in side control.  Still, Patrick deserved to be named King, because the sight of Conan tapping brought joy to many people across the land.  It's not every day someone defeats The Barbarian (and someone else films it)!

Welcome back to King Patrick, I miss him when he's not around.  Until his duties take him away from the dojo once again, I am happy to stand by his side.  I should've extended his reign beyond one day, because the kingdom needs him!  For every time The Barbarian is defeated, he merely comes back more powerful, and even my wizardry proves to be no match against him.

Super Saiyan

Around five years ago, I was in a karate sparring class at the dojo, and there was a guy there who I had never seen before.  We struck up a conversation (which is unusual for me), and he told me that he'd been in his first amateur MMA fight just the night before.  I said "Well, you don't look too beat up, so I guess you did alright".  He smiled and sheepishly said "Yeah, I won."

He was mainly at the dojo to train Jiu-Jitsu, but he kept coming to sparring class occasionally, and he kept competing in amateur MMA matches.  A couple of months or so later, the two of us finally sparred.  During that bout he threw a kick that I caught, and I swept him to the floor (which totally surprised him).  Then I retreated, because I hadn't started training Jiu-Jitsu yet, and I knew I didn't want to end up on the ground with him!

After we sparred I told him I liked his gloves, because they were silver, and he immediately took them off and gave them to me.  He got new gloves every time he fought, and he had signed that pair to give away to his adoring fans (which he already had by then!).  I've worn those gloves ever since, and his signature has all but faded away.

James Harrington has now been a professional MMA fighter for a couple of years, and watching him grow from an amateur to a finely tuned fighting machine has been awesome to see.  He's won some, he's lost some, but he never loses heart.  All of the time and energy he puts into training is a full time job, with very little pay.  When I told him that sometimes when I go out in public with a black eye people look at me with pity, he said "Try being the guy riding a city bus with one, everyone is terrified of me!".  Which is too bad, because James is one of the nicest, most good-hearted people I know.

I try to make it to as many of his matches as I can, but I don't really like watching him fight. I guess it's too personal for me.  A couple of years ago, he left in an ambulance after one of his fights, and it was heart-wrenching.  Luckily he was just a little dehydrated, but his crappy-paying full time job is also somewhat dangerous, and I don't want anyone hurting Sweet Baby James! 

He will be fighting in Omaha tonight, and no matter how the fight turns out, or where his MMA career ends up, I will always be proud of him.  I just need to get him to sign those gloves again, before he gets so famous that he starts charging for his signature. Psshhh, he knows I will just sweep him if he tries to charge me, and I'm not afraid to go to the ground with him anymore! ;)

Be like Mike

One of the people in our Jiu-Jitsu class whose game I would like to be able to emulate is Maryland Mike. I call him that because he is a college student from Maryland who is in Nebraska studying at UNL. And, um, his name is Mike.

Mike's been training with us for a little over a year, and before that he trained BJJ in Maryland. He received his blue belt from Roseberry's shortly after he came here. I believe he's been training about two years total, and he is technically my junior, but he is light years ahead of me in knowledge and ability.

He weighs about 140-145lbs, and he has said that when it comes to Jiu-Jitsu, he considers himself to be a woman. The same kinds of things that apply for female grapplers apply for smaller men. Mike is also predominately a guard player, so our styles are similar.  Watching him roll with the big guys, and be so hard to control, inspires me.  Fuji once said that Mike was like one of those springs inside a pen; when you try to compress him, he just sproings away!

Mike's grappling has a high energy level that would be hard for me to maintain (due to my old-age-ness), but otherwise I think I could physically do the things he does, I have the flexibility.  If only I had his understanding!  It's nice to have a "little brother" to help give me a vision of what my game could be.  I like being Mike's partner in class, not only because we are similar in size, but because he is patient about helping me with the things I don't get.  Sometimes he will even give up his own reps to let me get a few more in if I need the practice.  He also has long hair, so that makes him super cool!

Karaoke for Karin

The Goddess Karin

Ever since we met, my martial arts sister Karin has been trying to convince me to do karaoke with her. Even though I love music, and according to my daughter I know the lyrics to every song ever written, karaoke seems like a form of torture to me. Unlike other delusional souls, I know I can't sing, and one of the last things I ever want is a roomful of people looking at me.

Karin moved away from Nebraska, but she will be visiting soon to attend the annual SRSK Karate Convention. Awhile ago, before I actually knew she would be coming to the convention this year, I agreed to do karaoke with her the next time she was in town. Now she is going to be here in less than two weeks, and I'm thinking "Oh, why did I promise to do it?!  Now I actually have to do it, and I don't want to do it!"

I am going to go through with it, because I love Karin that much, and also because maybe she'll never ask me to do it again after she realizes I'm not being modest when I say I cannot sing to save my life! I think I'm a much better rapper than singer, but no one wants to hear a Ginger and a Canadian lady rapping! I know the main reason Karin wants me to sing karaoke with her is to help me get over my fear, and having her by my side might be the only thing that keeps me from totally freaking out!  I let Karin chose the song, and she selected "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty, because she thinks it suits us both well, and I agree.  I'm just really glad she did not choose this song...

Itsy Bitsy Spider

You know, I thought I knew a little something about spider guard (mostly from random videos), and then along came Gregory Lawson, and I found out I didn't really know much about spider guard at all! You see, in 2011 Greg received his BJJ black belt from Mauricio ‘Tinguinha’ Mariano, the man who made spider guard what it is today! While I'm name-dropping, I'll add that Greg started his BJJ training in 2001 with Saulo Ribeiro, before moving to California in 2005 and studying with Tinguinha.

Greg taught Jiu-Jitsu class yesterday, and it was all about the spider. His understanding of the technique, and his attention to detail, is starting to open my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. I don't always easily grasp new concepts, but Greg seems to be able to figure out how to explain things so that they make sense to me. Of course, his knowledge extends far beyond just spider guard...and I want to soak up every bit of it!

Besides the obvious excitement of being able to learn from someone who is as talented and knowledgeable as Greg, I think the reason I'm so happy he joined our family is because when I see him grapple I think to myself "I could do that!" (not anytime remotely soon, but maybe someday). I feel like what Greg does, what Tinguinha does, is custom-made for someone like me. Neither of them are big guys, and watching them effortlessly controlling those who are, I can see a vision of what I hope my game will eventually be. Right now this itsy bitsy spider is still getting washed out by the rain, but one day I will make it to the top of the water spout!

"I didn't find the spider guard, the spider guard found me." -Mauricio ‘Tinguinha’ Mariano

Crawling King Snake

Yesterday I learned that you should not tell your Jiu-Jitsu Sensei that you think he is slow. If you do, there's a good chance he will prove otherwise by submitting you in less than thirty seconds.

When my teacher Conan grapples, he usually has a slow, methodical approach. He calls it "Anaconda Style". It's very frustrating, because even though it seems like he's moving in slow motion, most of the time I don't realize the extent of the danger I'm in until it's too late. Even when I do know exactly what he's trying to do, I'm usually powerless to stop it. Although I am normally an overly aggressive fighter, sometimes I'm reluctant to even engage with him. I will find myself thinking things like "I can't do that, because it's probably what he wants me to do, so I'll do this instead! Oh no, what if that is really what he wants me to do? Crap!"


Now I think I understand that it doesn't matter what I do. He's usually not trying to trick me, or set me up, he's just taking advantage of whatever I do. He knows so many options that he can adjust his game plan accordingly, regardless of what I might do. For each scenario that I can come up with, he has an answer, a counter, another possibility. I bet most of the time he doesn't even have to think about them.

Conan often says that you will win if you know one more thing than your opponent. If you know four sweeps, but they only know how to defend three of them, you have an advantage. Eventually, he will teach me everything he knows, and I will be able to see all the possibilities as well as he can. Let's see him try to submit me in thirty seconds then! ;)