Tangled Triangle

Ninjas saved my hair: Product review

2012-02-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

So I'm finally writing a review of the zentai (more commonly known as a "catsuit") hood that I started using to protect my hair last year. Hair in jiu jitsu can be a serious liability...I still don't get how people with really long hair roll with it free. I just saw this great video of Leticia Ribeiro and I found myself watching that braid flopping around, waiting for it to get tangled or caught in something.

Anyway...the zentai hood. I'd gone hunting trying to find something that would protect my hair but wasn't as bulky as a wrestling slicker. A friend at work found this site. I purchased two to switch up just in case I ever forgot one in the recesses of my gym bag and it missed washing.

Ordering: The site (www.milanoo.com) is simple to use with a bundle of payment options, including PayPal...pretty standard for any company out of China that ships to an international market. They even have a handy-dandy currency converter that can be used while you shop. Shipping was what some would consider slow, as it took about 3 weeks to get it, but that does happen if you're ordering internationally. Shipping came in around $10.

Wear: Decently comfortable. Like the review on the website says, the neck is a little tight, but I've gotten used to it. It's made of spandex, so it's not bulky and fits snugly. I've noticed that during sparring, it does tend to slip back some and even completely off on some occasions, but 90% of the time, it stays where it needs to. Between rounds, I pull the top behind my head and just pull it back forward when I'm ready to train again.

Construction: The stitching is solid and one has just now started to have a little string come loose, but it's far from serious. It's made of six separate panels and zips up in the back. I was worried at first at grappling with a zipper (it's only about 3/4" long) but no problems yet.

Wash: It gets just as funky as any shirt/rashguard would. I just toss it in to wash with my gi and dry on delicate. No problems or deformities so far.

Effectiveness: Just got my highlights redone today and had to ask my stylist. She said my hair's light years better than it was after my first year of training. I've actually been able to grow it out while training, which I thought would have been impossible.

Overall: I doubt it's very effective in preventing cauliflower ear--I'm not really prone to it so it might not be doing anything at all. I definitely recommend it though if you're looking to save your hair or receive lots of ninja related compliments and cracks.

I got my muppet feet!!

2012-02-02T18:02:00.001-08:00

So I finally bought my Vibrams (a.k.a. "toe shoes" or "minimalist shoes").

I...love...them...and they love me.

I could seriously live in them. I've never considered myself much of a barefoot kinda person, but I think I am deep down and just have a fear of the floor/ground. Like...I HATE being barefoot anywhere but freshly cleaned surfaces because I don't like things getting on my feet.

I'd put off buying them for almost a year now because of the cost...I don't know why, but I used to spend more on plastic and rubber on my feet when I was a broke-ish college student. Now though, it just seems silly. Between the cost and the universal admonitions that you HAVE to go in to a store to get fitted (I'm also anti-mall) it just wasn't happening. Well, I finally went to the site and lo and behold, they had a fitting video.

So I got my handy-dandy measuring tape, found my size (not what I would have guessed it would be) and got to ordering. They came today and I was beyond psyched. While I do love them, it's um, likely going to be a while before I can get them on quickly. I keep jamming two toes into one toe slot (which is mad uncomfortable), but I'm slowly getting the hang of it. I love you khussa, but they seriously just may become my new work shoes.

I'm kinda now wishing I would have gotten a darker color, but I'll definitely be getting another pair.

Women's Open Mat: South Florida...spread the word!!

2012-01-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

I don't see a lot of these down this way, so I'm definitely heading down to this.

This is an all female bjj open mat, please feel free to invite anyone that might be interested!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

10:00AM-12:00PM

South Florida Fight Club

5400 N University Dr, Lauderhill, FL 33351

View Map · Get Directions

http://www.facebook.com/events/178046175633920/

2011: Some failures

2012-01-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

I don't tend to compound the good/bad in my life into blocks of time, but I was talking to a friend about the weight I've gained over the last year and she replied "well...yeah...you had a rough 2011".

I didn't really think about it, but between being worried over my brother experiencing, then fleeing from the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan, a facial infection that sent me to the ER for the first time in my life, 2 months off training after having my foot torn up in a sweep, my grandmother passing away, and upsets at my gym, I can see why it wasn't the easiest year for me to stay on track with one of my biggest vices.

No excuses, but I know my triggers and I'm almost proud (almost) that I didn't gain more than the 30lbs I've put back on. When I saw the number at the doctor, I was shocked and shamed. I braced for a good admonition on losing some weight or changing my diet, but it didn't come. From cardiologist to Chinese medicine doctor, I haven't gotten that in years, my 200+ lbs normally brushed off as "still normal for my height and frame". All my vitals are normal and my body fat % are higher than I'd like, but still in a healthy range. Vanity pounds though they may be, they need to go.

I spent a good part of last year coming up with all kinds of new commitments and eating strategies to take fat off and ignored what worked for me the first go 'round...Tae Bo in the mornings, a supplement regimen that included biotin and something I call The Food Snob Diet.

So today, having skipped yet another class because of crazy times at work, I popped in a disc of Billy Blanks and got to it. 20 min in and I was done...I've turned into pure puff-ball and I felt shamed. As a practitioner of jiu jitsu, I was beyond mere fitness DVDs. Clearly I was deluded. The DVD had beaten me once again. BUT...afterward, I didn't feel tired at all, which before, I'd feel drained. So I have to start cutting back on nigh time Adult Swim (I do so love Aqua Teen Hunger Force) so I can get some sleep, get up early, and spend some quality time with Billy.

Business in BJJ: Teachers, Competitors and Economic Success

2012-01-24T18:44:00.000-08:00

Still mulling over this teacher/competitor/starting a school deal.

After reading more posts on people looking to train, compete, win a whole bushel of medals and then start their own schools, it seems that there is a common line of thought that the skills needed to start and run a school come along with more training and education in jiu jitsu. I very much believe that starting a school puts an instructor back at the white belt level in new areas of practice (contract negotiation, hiring/firing, customer service, law, recruiting, marketing, all that good stuff).

So...I decided to play around with the BCG growth-share matrix and put a bit of a twist on it. It really could apply to language teachers, music instructors, dance, cupcakery...any area where the general public is paying for instruction and has full choice in instructor (as opposed to say, a school/university).

I borrowed a couple of terms from Georgette. who explains them beautifully...

"Hobbyists are the ones who are interested in jits for personal fulfillment, physical fitness, and the enjoyment of the sport but are content to come to class, train, and go home-- maybe 2-3 times a week, no seminars, no privates, no obsession.

Drivers are the ones who go above and beyond-- they take seminars, privates, travel to train, travel to compete. They watch instructionals and youtube and are always trying to add more to their game. They bring in occasional new techniques and force their teammates to step up their games in response.

You can be a driver at any belt level. Neither hobbyists nor drivers are "better" than each other."

The original version was and is used to analyze corporate departments and product lines. I think though, it is also useful in looking at an instructor who's starting a new school, or honestly even already in business and is looking to to improve/draw more business. I don't believe anyone is stuck in any particular box and that you can grow out of one or get lazy and fall into another.

Some factors that have a large impact on maintaining a successful school that aren't taken into account in the diagram...

Business skill and application...VITAL at any level. Business skills can make a Dog or sink a Star in a heartbeat. I think the application of business skills is the big difference between a Roy Dean and a John Danaher...I'd put them both under the Sage/Cashcow category, but Roy Dean has a much stronger application of his business skills, and therefore, a bigger name, though I would consider them both successful in their chosen areas.
Personality...big deal in making a good first impression. Jerks might have a harder time keeping students (though I think that's more true on the right side of the graph)
Price...depending on the income of an area, competitors' pricing and economic factors, this can turn everything on its head.

Business in BJJ: What keeps a gym open--The Paula Deen Effect

2012-01-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

Or maybe the Rachel Ray effect...or Bill Gates...or Gary Vaynerchuk...maybe even Tim Ferris.

So I saw a guy on a forum yesterday, debating if he should move forward with his desk-y career or compete in the Pan Ams this year (mutually exclusive for his situation). He wants to open up his own school one day and was looking toward placing in the competition as a step in building a solid foundation to start a school. Makes sense.

Kinda.

The industry of jiu jitsu is growing in strange ways right now and there's a lot of opportunity out there, just like there is in any highly fragmented market...breeding opportunity is just what fragmented markets do. It's about to grow from a niche art that only the bravest of MMA fans would attempt, peppered with a few oddballs like me and general martial arts enthusiasts. In other words, it's likely about to go mainstream. From MMA gaining more exposure through the UFC airing on Fox, to the increase in school bullying feeding kids' programs, there are a lot of factors feeding the machine.

All that really has me wondering...which students keep schools open, and what gets them in the door? I have theories that kids' programs do a lot of the heavy lifting and professionals are the most reliable sources of income, but I need to do some more watching and get some more exposure to find out if that's true. What I do know though, is that what most "inside" and "high level" practitioners respect isn't always what moves the people that pay the bulk of the bills. If it were, none of the people at the beginning of this post would be recognized names.

I feel like I may be hitting on a path to McDojoism, but I don't think this is the same thing. I think it's simply possible for an instructor to attract dedicated, focused, paying students who are more interested in environment, personal health and quality of instruction than competition record...which means I need to back-track on the title. It should have been, the Bela Karolyi effect...because the skills that build a brash, young, focused competition winning monster are very different from the ones that are necessary to build a well-organized gym with quality instruction that stays around for the duration.

Even looking at my own school and the stellar competition records and pedigree of our instructors, I'd be willing to bet that that's what gets less than 50% of the students in the door and an even lower % of overall income...and then there are people like Roy Dean and John Danaher, known more for the quality of their instruction than for their medals.

Just some thoughts.

Gina Carano and Haywire

2012-01-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big media person...TV, movies, I'm just not the type to sit down and watch. My brother is constantly prodding me to start sitting through entire movies and just watch. He's fighting a losing battle.

Anyway, somehow, the trailer for a new action flick somehow made it past my eyes. Another woman kicking and punching and beating up guys left and right...nothing too new. Immediately, though, I noticed something different. There was something clean and deliberate about the female character's strikes. Something that wouldn't come from a few weeks of personal training.

Lo and behold, it was Gina Carano. I'm not a big watcher of MMA of either gender (though I do have a thing for Vitor Belfort and Alistair Overeem), so I didn't immediately recognize her, but I DID immediately notice the indelicate neck and thickened ankles of a fighter.

I stand by my opinion that action movies take too light a hand when addressing physical confrontation between men and women, but I give this movie credit for not perpetuating the study of Waif-fu and actually allowing the visual reflection of the type of training it would take to hold any kind of ground fighting an adult male. I may actually go and burn some time in a dark theater trying it out.

Business in BJJ: Transparency in Gi Marketing

2012-01-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

Saw a nice example of it today...

The approach is pretty common on the blog and instructional fronts, but less-so on the apparel side. A video to announce backorders? Why not just a Tweet, FB post and a couple emails?

I remember when the most recent Storm gi went on backorder...one of the guys at the gym was royally annoyed. Jiu jitsu folk love their equipment and they want it yesterday. I know even finding out a random pair of shoes is going to cost me another month of waiting sets me on edge.

Watching the Datsusara video though, I'd like to think the informal video, (and the fact they took the time to actually make a video just to announce a backorder), took some of the edge off.

And here I thought I'd been in every awkward BJJ situation possible.

2012-01-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

I've grabbed onto handfuls of pretty much everything and been accidentally grabbed pretty much everywhere you can imagine. Some places I wouldn't even mention here. Gas, mystery odors...I thought that at blue belt, I was a seasoned veteran of the awkwardness of jiu jitsu. I thought there was nothing else that could surprise me.

Well tonight, at the behest of my Ryan Hall triangle DVDs, I dove head first into head control. That stuff WORKS. I was thrilled...that is until I stuck my finger up a man's nose. I was stunned. Genuinely stunned. I apologized profusely between laughs. He took it well. I'm still a little creeped out.

Why you're going to fail...

2012-01-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

So I've been knee deep in branding and development over the last few months working on a side project that I'm crazy excited about. There's a ton of advice in getting...well...anything out there off the ground, but this is possibly the best piece I've run across.

"Ask people why they think you'd fail."

That's a rough one. In business, training, school, work, the vast majority of people are drunk on the idea of encouragement and support. Not saying these things aren't valuable, rare or even necessary, but they can come cheaply. Honest, invested criticism though, I think is rarer and even more valuable.

When I first heard that advice, I thought of all the BJJ/MMA gyms that have come and gone in my area. South Florida is an MMA Mecca, so there's bound to be a lot of entrants...and outtrants...which makes me sad. (Here's a solid list of the top 10 reasons businesses fail if you're interested) Maybe it comes from being the daughter of a self-employed father, but seeing small businesses close always sends tiny little pangs through my heart. I love the idea of people making a living doing something they enjoy, and I'd like to see more people get that opportunity to do so over the long term. In all honesty though, it's a rare occurrence, and I wonder if that couldn't be changed, even a little, by, instead of asking for Twitter follows and likes on Facebook, people started asking what holes other people see in their idea.

It's a painful process though...painful for both parties and I see why it might be avoided. I've tried it before in my training by asking "what am I bad at?". Whatever the reason (my gender, their politeness, their gender, laziness in not wanting to actually take the time to give an honest answer, apathy, whatever) precious few have been able to be honest enough to do the painful work of genuine help. I've tried it on my project and let me tell you...it hurts. I've had multiple times when I've felt like my idea was completely lame and not worth even continuing with...and I'll probably have more, but I'm thankful for all the people, friends, acquaintances and otherwise, who have been willing to tell the truth in support.

It kind of ties in with a trend I've been seeing in resolutions and self-development. I saw one person (Liam, it may be you, but I'm on FB hiatus and can't check) dedicate all of 2012 to unlearning. Not just pushing ahead toward the positive, but instead cleaning out all the ugly, heavy, hairy things that weigh us down when trying to make progress.

We really don't spend enough time studying failure.

Pole dancing is the opposite of jiu jitsu.

2011-12-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

Besides some insight into breaking grips, that was my big realization of the night. I left the gym...somehow covered in glitter. A friend joked that I'd been to a pole dancing class that's all the rage now and it hit me that pole dancing is the opposite of jiu jitsu for the following reasons:

In pole dancing, clothing is minimized...in jiu jitsu, you're likely wearing a huge, unflattering, rough slab of thick woven cotton covering you from your neck to your ankles.
In jiu jitsu you're wearing no shoes. Pole dancing...

Pole dancing, it's rare to find a man in the class...in jiu jitsu, lots of guys.
Pole dancing, no contact, no touching...jiu jitsu, lots of contact, lots of touching. So much touching.
Jiu jitsu, 90% of the time, you're on the ground...pole dancing, you're spending a lot of time in the air.
Feel free to add your own!

**Disclaimer: Apologies to pole dancing aficionados if I got any of that wrong. I've never taken a class (I don't see how you guys get over the fear of falling) so I speak purely from the tales of friends.

Branding in BJJ: Best Commercial

2011-12-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

OK...there aren't a lot out there, but I was in the mood to watch some snippets of jiu jitsu set to uber-dramatic music, and I ended up here.

I've watched this a ton of times, but just realized that it was...in essence...a commercial...and the best kind of commercial. The kind that gives something to its viewer while simultaneously making them aware of a product/brand/service.

I admire the branding over at BJJ Weekly in general because I have a bias toward simple, straight forward...anything really. Clean colors, subtle international appeal, well structured emails. It looks like they may be moving to a more high energy image (with an energetic blue and orange replacing the red and black), which would be a shame...but brands do need to be refreshed from time to time. I've just always appreciated the way their polished, sharp and subtly aggressive image contrasted with most of what you see across the board.

The Year of the Triangle

2011-12-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

I've dubbed 2012 the year of the triangle. I've heard multiple times from KickboxerInstructor that I should be fantabulous (my word, not his) with this submission and I plan to make that real in 2012. I don't want to call it a "resolution", so I'm just going to say that, having been promoted to blue belt, I'm more comfortable sitting back and planning what I want to learn and improve. I basically want to be able to threaten a triangle from anywhere.

SO...first step. Information. I bought Ryan Hall's "The Triangle" because it's the first thing that comes out of anybody's mouth when you say you want better triangles, but honestly mostly because he takes a conceptual approach to the position, teaching it as both a submission and a type of guard simultaneously. I'm particularly enamored with disc 2: Angles, Mechanics and Entries. Why? Because I only catch elementary and accidental triangles. I can't impose one on anybody save very new white belts from mount.

I'm quite happy to say that first time on the mats and I'm seeing results. Mostly in rethinking head control and the base requirements for finishing, but the really big "a-ha" came for my mounted triangles. I've been setting them up from mount and finishing from guard after rolling over (lots of chances to lose them there) but I learned in one lesson, how to finish from mount and it really works. Before, I couldn't even pull it off when just working technique.

The other thing I've pulled from it is his hip shooting drill. Dude is CRAZY fast with his hips...something I'm definitely not...something you definitely need to be when using triangles. He's so fast his legs like bird wings flapping. I tried it once (it involves holding a regular hip shoot and switching back and forth between left and right locks) and came crashing down to the floor. My hips are HEAVY...and not just from the 10lbs I've picked up over the last two months. Anatomically, women just have more weight distributed down there and my hips are quite Black, so it's going to take a bit to be able to move them.

I'll definitely be spending some quality time with this one.

Behind the Branding: Roy Dean

2011-12-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

Really glad to be getting back to this series after some time off for testing, grieving, holidaying and general lifeness.

If there were an award for clean branding in jiu jitsu, this guy would take it hands down. I've written about my take on his bran d before, but he was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions about how it grew to be what it is. The key to it all though, is what he lists as his objectives. He started out, from the beginning, with a desire to put jiu jitsu in the "best light possible". That right there is what sets people who make positive change apart.

Photography by Rick Ellis epic as always.

1) You've mentioned that you've had professional input on your brand image. What made you decide it was something you wanted to pay purposeful attention to?

I had a few objectives when starting RDA. I wanted to do something different, something very clean, to put BJJ in the best light possible. I wanted to show that this art, which was so dynamic and effective, was also very sophisticated. BJJ could be more than just a martial art. It could be a budo, a way, a lifestyle path.

Brands are symbols, and can be very powerful. Therefore, every detail was critical. Fonts, colors, logos, and slogans. Everything matters. Detail in the branding implies detail in the technique. It implies mindfulness. There's a beauty in the art that I could always see that I wanted to share with others. All of this can be communicated in a glance.

2) Your music and videos are works of art unto themselves...especially those that are more for demonstration purposes than purely instructional. How did they come about?

I have a background in music and video, and looked to leverage those strengths in showcasing the art. At the time, there were very few videos that focused on the movement and rhythm of BJJ. Generally, BJJ through video was limited to instructionals and competition footage.

I realized that sometimes words can get in the way, especially during repeated viewings, and not every moment in a competition holds your attention. I was looking to show the best movements and techniques, and put it in a format that people would want to watch over and over again.

Spirals of Jiu Jitsu is a good example. There was no intention of creating anything heavy or even meaningful when we started this project. My students Rick, TJ, and myself were just playing around with a high speed camera, and thought it would be interesting to film several techniques. These included a flying armlock, flying triangle, spinning armlock from mount, kotegaeshi (wrist lock) off a straight punch, shihonage (four corner throw), an Aikido style shoulder throw and hane-goshi (springing loin hip toss).

I had recently put together a track called "Can't Talk Now" and when I combined the song and video clips, it was working. I then exercised some creative editing, added a Musashi quote, and we had a short video that displayed the beauty of jiu jitsu techniques, and taught some small lessons on direction and timing. We had fun. There was no expectation that anyone would like it. It was art for art's sake. And maybe that's why people liked it.

3) You've got crazy thorough branding...from the look of your school, gis, website, DVDs, you even mentioned that you explain the meaning of your logo in your student handbook...what ties them all together?

What ties it all together is a belief that jiu jitsu can change the world for the better. It's my path, and the more clearly I can communicate that message, the more effective I'll be in connecting with people.

4) Is your image something you think people notice straight out, or does it work more on a subconscious level?

It's easy for people to recognize things that are very good or very bad. It's intuitive. You know it. It's that first impression that Gladwell talks about in 'Blink'. But defining all the elements of what makes good or bad is more difficult. Crystallizing that into words is takes time and experience.

My goal is to have a person, who has perhaps never heard of jiu jitsu, watch one of my videos and like it. They don't need to know why. The positive impression of the art is the most important thing. Of course there are multiple elements that go into making this happen. Grooving music and artful cinematography are key. Clean technique and the distinct lack of force registers with the viewer. Smiles and laughter are also positive. For me, it's not about being loud or aggressive. It's about being quiet, moving less, and being more efficient. It's about communication and growth more than competition. The result is a video that has nothing to do with violence, and everything to do with empowering people.

The videos also allow my students to display heart and dedication in their rank demonstrations. It's about telling a story that others can be inspired and entertained by. All of this registers on a subconscious level, and the viewer consciously likes the video. By liking the video, they get a good impression of the art. This is my aim.

5) Your logo is very distinct and quickly recognizable. Is there any special meaning behind it?

(As described in the student handbook) The logo was modeled after traditional Japanese family crests, or kamon. The three circles in the center of the symbol represent the trinity of our consciousness: body, mind, spirit. The triangle is commonly used in Jiu-Jitsu, but here it is implied, rather than drawn. The outer white ring represents the external applications and benefits of the art, while the smaller ring parallels the inner realm. The heavy use of circles represents the circularity of movement. The balance between positive and negative space reminds us to remain open.

Thanks Roy for all your time and insight!

Shame and vulnerability...

2011-12-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

Not sure why, but this made me think of my jiu jitsu experience...probably because the last 2 years have been home to some of the most vulnerable and beneficial moments of my life.

Blue belt is such a relief.

2011-12-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

Call it maturity, focus, laziness or whatever you will, I've gotten to a point where I prefer to concentrate on one area of improvement at a time. This whole journey from white to blue, I've totally fallen off morning workouts. Yep...for 2 years. Partially because at first, my body couldn't handle any additional work. The second year though? I just didn't want to be disciplined enough to go to bed on time so I could get up early enough to knock out 20 min or so of exercise.

Don't get me wrong...I tried to...FlowFit was mandatory for me to get me a bit more mobile, but after the turf toe, that fell apart. I had brief stints with morning stretching routines, but nothing has stuck. I had dreams of all kinds of squat thrusts and lunges and pull/pushup challenges, but kept nothing going. And I'm 100% fine with that. I've thoroughly embraced the marathon that is jiu jitsu and fitness and life. I've never been one to cram to prepare. I spent exactly 0 nights in college, burning the midnight oil. I've never dieted for a graduation or prom or reunion or wedding. I either improve as a whole, over the long term, or I don't improve at all. Take me or leave me. I think that's part of the reason competition just hasn't struck too loud a chord with me...I find all the rush and high of preparation off-putting, despite the fact that I understand the benefits. I can see how much concentrated preparation for the belt test has helped me...still...I'd rather not. I'm such a tortoise.

Happy knees!

All that said, I want a morning routine again. I've gotten about half way through the 100 pushup challenge, and I'm starting again, from scratch. This time, I'm doing pushups with half burpees. Why half? Because I've accepted that the damage my knees endure with full burpees just isn't worth the payoff, so I've addapted. You come up like this and I'm omitting the jump.

I just did 12, and the knees are tingly, but good. The PUSHUPS though. I know I haven't done any in a while...but man...my form's totally fallen apart. I am reminded though, that I'm pushing up 200+ lbs, and it's not hard to lose the strength to do that with proper form.

...and there's the valley.

2011-12-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

So tonight was the first night post blue belt. I felt very minor twinges of belt induced feelings of inferiority...nothing worth writing about though. What got me tonight, was that none of the higher belts asked me to roll. Could mean nothing. Could be that big blue that joked twice about guys not wanting to roll with me because I'm "so big and strong"--was right. My first thought though, was that it's because I'm really boring to roll with. I'm back to mistrusting people's compliments, so even when WrestlerInstructor, KickboxingInstructor and PrettyvoiceInstructor all gave me genuine comments of "Good job!", I doubted every single one.

At the same time, I was proud to use the high guard, omoplata set up KickboxerInstructor had given me for the test. I didn't finish it, but instead stopped mid way to feel what was going on. It's honestly a really nice setup that I want to start using more often. Attacking from the guard is still a bit of a mystery for me.

All that made me realize that what I want more than anything in training, is confidence. For me, that doesn't come with a belt or compliments or prizes, it comes with proficiency...and that's going to take more mat time.

So I got my blue belt today...

2011-12-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

I am way more excited than I expected. We had the belt ceremony this afternoon and I sat back and realized how few people get to accomplish things they genuinely never thought they could do.

The night before, at KickboxerInstructor and WrestlerInstructor's tests (brown and black respectively), I was talking with one of the blues that had just gone to purple about preserving your belts. I like to keep the ones that are presented to me and buy new ones for training. Eventually I'd like to frame them all in one display case. We talked about the idea and he insisted I needed to exclude the white since it isn't earned or presented. I explained that that belt was incredibly difficult for me and that walking in that door the second time ready to run was one of the most difficult things I'd ever done. Possibly even more difficult than earning blue.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll go through all the feelings of inadequacy and confusion that are typical for new blues (though I think having been a green has buffered that some). I think though, a big help will be this definition of a blue belt that I found on BJJ Weekly. It's my favorite so far...

"A blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu really means that you are a serious student of the art. Nothing more, nothing less. When I see a blue belt I know that is someone who has put in a significant amount of time and effort towards improving their game. It doesn't really say anything about their ability to fight, or how many moves they know. It simply means that they are a serious student."

Since I survived, I want to try something different going forward. I was sitting next to Wrestler instructor at lunch after the ceremony (he'd just gotten his black belt...amazing thing to see) and told him I wanted to start weight training. Up until now, I've just wanted to survive. Now I want to optimize.

I'm officially giving up on the bump up into deep half...

2011-11-29T18:25:00.000-08:00

...which sucks because I'm just getting decent at it. I rolled with one of my favorite blues yesterday, all full of confidence in my ability to bump up heavy people. All that happened was a lot of me grunting...and he's only 195 or so...which means I can't even handle my own body weight. Sads.

It was a reminder that I need to start work on my review of the Bigger, Stronger DVD series by Stephan Kesting and Emily Kwok. I've been trying to digest it slowly because for me, as a bigger player, it really does turn everything I've known upside down. I feel like I need to start from scratch on even the most basic techniques. I use SO much power and strength in what I do.

I think the grunting was my last hurrah in trying to indiscriminately play big-people-jiujitsu. I've mentioned that I want to learn the little person's game and I'm going to start treating that seriously and not just trying "little tricks" as I go. I'm going to decide which way I'm going to go before I even start sparring. I also learned from that one roll, that I need MUCH better endurance. I was likely a tad out of sorts from not training for two weeks, but I fatigued quickly, and I think most of that was from trying to move more, like littler people do. I also learned that I don't look for space to move myself into or out of (like coming to the back instead of trying the bump). I instead look for things to force and move.

I don't know if I'll end up with a completely bi-polar game, or eventually develop a clean, flexible one, but either way, it's time to start fleshing out some spots.

Burpees with Bad Knees...any advice?

2011-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

I'd like to get going on these for some cardio, but coming up out of that squat kills my knees. Any alternative ideas?

See ya later, Granny.

2011-11-15T06:33:00.000-08:00

To the grandmother who after 96 years on this earth, many of the early ones painfully hard, still had hope, an enjoyment of life, bones harder than a middle aged man and a memory better than mine...
To the woman who knew, that if Chuck Norris got into a knife fight, the knife would lose and wore the shirt proudly...
To the woman who lived through the Great Depression, WWII, the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam, Korea, The Persian Gulf war, came out with fond memories and knew we could get through our issues now too...
To the woman who slept with a machete by her bed...
To the woman who gave me the genes to cook like I mean it...
To the grandmother who saw nothing wrong with a brownie and a Budweiser for breakfast...
To the amazing lady who showed me the meaning of real faith and prayer...
To the woman whose first response to my training BJJ was "that's my girl"...

Good bye, I love you, miss you and on this amazingly beautiful day, thank you, now and forever, for being a part of my life.

Bad Escapes from Technical Mount

2011-11-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

Since I just got to a point where I feel comfortable for my blue belt test (thanks to the help of my partner, NavyChick, and KickboxerInstructor), I can finally start working on applied techniques of my choosing again. Check out this video from the Part Time Grappler

This is one of the first "magical" escapes I learned from reading Jiu Jitsu University. I remember first seeing it and thinking "haHA! I'll never be caught in technical mount again!" To this day, I think I've pulled it off MAYBE twice, and then only on smaller opponents. Anybody with any decent leg strength or weight, and I find myself thinking "Crap. That didn't work...dah well...good chance to practice my hitchhiker escape." Basically, the failing of this escape leads me to mentally give up any hope of recovery before I'm in mortal arm bar danger. I think...not sure, but it's my best guess...is that I'm not pushing on the knee itself and am instead putting pressure too close to the hip and trying to apply that pressure from my core as opposed to my free arm. We'll see...

Getting serious about injury prevention

2011-10-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

I've been into Scott Sonnon's stuff since I first started BJJ and somehow, I've just discovered his blog. His most recent reflections on what kind of student he's been is a beautiful look back on a person's attitude during the training process.

And on that note, I've added the IntuFlow routine (first two levels available free on YouTube) to my morning routine. I already do FlowFit and occasional stuff from the Grappler's Toolbox. I think I latched onto it because he was the only person online I've seen to really address the movement and risks of grappling on such a holistic level--and being a total noob to the world, I need(ed) some major hand holding just to get through the door.

It's gotten easier, but just like FlowFit, I was HORRIBLE at it at first...and surprised at how crackly all my joints were. I need to stick with this though. As I'm progressing into BJJ, I'm accepting just how much the little injuries accumulate, and I want to be proactive about preventing them and keeping my joints as healthy as possible.

Jiu jitsu's getting scary again...

2011-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Today's been snuggle-tastic. I worked on the blue belt exam some and afterward, sat through watching KickboxerInstructor prep for his brown. I was surprised at how much I understood, but there were a few moments in there...a few sweeps from spider, a few attacks from half that made me feel like I did earlier this year, watching another student take his exam from brown. "No WAY you could learn that."

And that thought is progress. Before, I'd think, "No WAY you could do that." Now I worry about understanding and competent execution. I no longer think my body is incapable of things. A bit earlier in the afternoon, I noticed something else. I needed a sweep from spider and realized I had multiple to choose from off the top of my head, one of which I knew how to modify simply because I understood the mechanics. Quality.

Behind the Branding: Saulo Ribeiro

2011-10-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the Branding Series:

Not gonna lie, personal branding in the business world has come to annoy me. The concept was great when it started out a few years back, but what could have been a much needed turn toward individualism and self expression in business, quickly turned into an orgy of tweets, personal webpages (can't say I didn't participate) and shrines-to-self littered around the internet.

That's what's special about branding in BJJ. The sport is so raw, that brands tend to be direct and honest outgrowths of the people behind them, as opposed to something designed by an army of market researchers.

Saulo Ribeiro and his University of Jiu Jitsu is a perfect example. He imparts an academic theme and a humble, purist take on the art that's clearly reflected in everything from product design, school website and book composition (notice the sparse use of his name, and use of the view of his back used on the website and book)...and he was nice enough to tell me a little bit about how it all came about.

You've created a very academic feel around your image...why take that path as opposed to more of an emphasis on the physical?
The reason why you asked me this is because my students and all the ones around the World that have contact and experienced my Jiu-jitsu, are able to talk deeply about it. I don't teach moves, I teach concepts. They spreed the word...

My Jiu-jitsu is physical as can be, but is not for everybody. Some students just want to have fun on the mat and experience a great lifestyle and be educated in history and principals of Jiu-jitsu and self-defense. They are equally important as the competitors.

What do you want people to think when they hear "Saulo Ribeiro" or "Jiujitsu University"?
Saulo Ribeiro means intensity, heart, passion, family, honor...warrior way.

Jiujitsu University means my humble contribution to the Jiu-jitsu community and the World. Home of the no name students and warriors of life.

Your emblem...the samurai star. How did you decide to use that?
I did not. The symbol came to me in a very confused time of my life and was the focus of balance to me. Family, Honor, Respect, Discipline, Loyalty and Attitude.
Today, represent more than an association or a Jiu-jitsu style.... it's our LEGACY.

You don't use your name on your book, school and barely on any of your clothing. Why not?
Because the work I've done for myself will die with me, but the Legacy I share with the World will remain Immortal. It's never gonna be about an individual....it's about principal.

You're a judge and a lawyer. Did that influence the scholastic feel to your materials?
Education is always important to everybody. It helps me to explain myself and my art. Helps me to really understand my place in this World and that we live in cycles.

How do you make decisions on the appearance of things like your DVDs, website and clothing?
I'm surrounded by good people, students and advisers...they are the best people to say NO or Yes to me. Also, they pull my ears when I'm out of line. In the end I'm a Dreamer!

There is a video of you that seems to sum up your views on jiu jitsu. Would you say that's true? Do you believe the purpose of jiu jitsu is to bring joy?
I think that is only the t(i)p of iceberg. What I really think is way deeper than that, but is a good start. I think that Jiu-jitsu bring us a lot of JOY! It all depends how you treat yourself and respect your limits.

Big thanks to Saulo for your time!

I...don't think I've ever been quite so personally offended...

2011-10-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

And when I say personally, I mean something specific to my individual person. Something more particular than race, gender, age, profession...the normal things we tend to get offended over. It was two little words. Two tiny little, non-offensive words cut straight to my core:

"Calm down."

I heard them at a private last week and I was honestly taken aback. I'd like to say offense isn't what I felt, but to be 100% honest, mix it with a healthy dose of embarrassment, and that's what it was. It made me realize that this was one of those areas where my ego is up and running full blast. (Thanks to Liam and Jodi for helping me pin that down.) I hadn't heard the words really since I was testing for my green belt and was so nervous that I was rushing my way through an already botched tripod sweep.
"Calm down." I heard Parrhumpa say gently from his chair.

...and I was so... embarrassed. But not in a "pants down" kinda way. No one else likely batted an eye. Inside though, I took it as the outing of a crack in the strongest part of my armor. I am "the calm one" after all. I always have been. I'm logical, stoic, well skilled at managing my emotions for what they are, so when KickboxerInstructor softly urged me to "calm down" again last weak, I felt painfully exposed and weak...of character. I'm SUPPOSED to be more stable on the mats. I'm one of the older students, so if don't have that, what makes up for the bad knees and horrible cardio?

Harajuku area, just outside the Meiji shrine (one of my favorite places ever)

That calm maturity is something I've come to prize even more since I've spent a bit of time sitting in on the MMA class. I've been paying close attention when there's a decent age gap between two of the guys, and especially when that gap lies somewhere around the 25 year line. There's a solidness of movement and purpose after that age. A necessary and beautiful efficiency that makes the exuberance and excess of youth seem silly and futile.

...and thinking that I showed a bit of that futility makes me wince a bit.

I will forgive myself though. While I am older and calmer, I'm still young as a grappler, so keeping my cool is a skill that I acknowledge I'm still developing.

The guy who I have no hope of beating

2011-10-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

OK yeah...I'm not even a blue belt and there are a lot of them...people that are more technical, faster, more strategic, heavier, stronger, you name it. This guy though, he's heavier, stronger and more technical than I am, all at the same time. There's NOTHING I've learned to use that works against him. Techniques where I use weight are completely useless. Same deal with strength. If I know a technique, he knows a better one and knows the counter to it. I have a LITTLE bit of flexibility on him, but all it does is slow him down a pinch.

I used to feel so desperate sparring with him. He's not a squasher, but even his weight on the bottom is daunting. Just trying to throw his legs aside to pass his spider guard made my arms feel spindly and weak. Now, I've learned to appreciate it because I can see what are emerging as my "strengths", which have turned to "go to" moves, which will eventually become "crutches". Last night, I saw another light.

In all the impassable walls he throws up, I've found little bricks of encouragement. With some time, technique (and probably some QT with the resistance bands), I think I may one day be able to move him, at least enough to do what I need. He's inspired me to learn how to be a little guy...I knew it was coming, but I've spent the last two years getting comfortable using my weight. Now, it's time to try something new.

It's official: I'm half guard stupid

2011-10-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

We went over four variations on deep half escapes today. First one, I got a "beautiful!". Second? "Nice." Third...I don't remember, but it went well. Something happened on the fourth variation though. My brain crashed and exploded in a rush of frustration and confusion.

I have a serious mental block around the half guard. I've been going through the upcoming blue belt test requirements with another green belt at the gym. Every other position, I jump right into it. But half guard? Half guard sweeps? Complete blank. Deep half sweeps? Nothin'. I have to sit and concentrate. I've done an entire private dedicated to the half guard and I STILL freeze up in ignorance. I'm really ready for this block to be gone.

Branding in BJJ: Does Sex Sell?

2011-10-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yes it does...but there's a catch.

This goes beautifully with the Branding Series. Meg over at Megjitsu just broke the seal on something that I think is going to cause some very interesting ripples in the world of the company's online image.

*It was an image of two women "fighting" in skimpy shorts and bras and an exposed nipple. I took it down because, while the jury's out on sex selling, controversy almost definitely does.*

The image originally appeared in a men's magazine, but was then used by the company in question on their business Facebook page. I can say with quite a bit of certainty, that it's now likely I'll never purchase of a piece of their gear, and I've already heard similar comments from some female, and a few male grapplers. I don't think there are any questions about whether the image trivializes the concept of women practicing grappling, or whether it sexualizes the sport overall (something that's detrimental to both men and women...the last thing anyone needs while training is a man or woman walking onto the mats just to get some "personal time" with them.) It definitely digs up a pretty old question though...Does this kind of marketing work? Do bare breasts translate to increased income?

Judging by the reaction of most heterosexual men, who, let's be honest, make up more than the lion's share of the grappling/BJJ target market, you'd think yes--Meg's post prompted questions about the location of where these two women train and joking complaints about never having trained with attractive women. Fortunately ~~Unfortunately,~~ we don't live in a world where attention automatically translates to cash.

Back in 2005, a company named MediaAnalyzer Software & Research conducted studies that indicate that sexual stimuli can actually interfere with an ad's effectiveness. Men and women were shown four hundred print ads featuring varying degrees of sexuality and then evaluated on where on the ads their eyes fell and their retention of brand elements. Only 9.8% of the men that viewed the ads with sexual content were able to remember the brand or product, compared with 20% of men that viewed non-sexualized pieces. The results for women weren't far off. It actually makes a lot of sense...if someone viewing an ad (or any piece of marketing) is staring at a greased up thigh, they're not looking at your logo or your product. It makes so much sense and the results are so common that they actually have a name. It's called the Vampire Effect.

Think about it. How many times have you seen a billboard or commercial and thought "haHA...that was funny/hot/cool/disturbingly strange" and had no idea what was being advertised or what company placed the ad?

You could look at that info though and say "Hey, they used it in a Polish magazine where sex is used much more liberally than the US. Things are different there." Well, it's almost 2012 and nothing is contained to one country anymore. A brand image in the US is influenced by the sweat shop run in Thailand and the orphans you feed in Uganda...and that doesn't even touch on the comments that the image generated claiming the clothing maker uses sex to cover up for an inferior product...something a lot of potential buyers (like myself) likely wouldn't have heard if they'd taken a more straightforward or creative approach.

I seriously doubt this company will see any long term benefit from the sexual component of the image, and that's because yes, sex sells, but only when the product itself is sexually relevant...and I doubt many men grapple to pick up women.

I don't want to just pick on one company though, because they are far from the only one pushing the envelopes of sexuality to get attention. It would benefit anyone...whether they're selling gis, private lessons, rashguards or educational material...to remember what they're in business to do (mission statements are good for that) and make sure that everything they put out serves that purpose. I seriously doubt any clothing or equipment company's statement includes making customers laugh or titillating potential male customers.

Long story short, the purpose of ads isn't just to get people to look at them, it's to get people to notice and develop a positive relationship with your brand, and to get that relationship to somehow translate to actual sales.

Back on FlowFit!!

2011-09-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

My toes have officially let me get back to FlowFit. The first time was Tuesday...third round and I was already starting to fade. I just finished again, and I got through the 15 minutes (with a 1 minute break for some guard situps and hip shooting) and was pretty hyped the whole way. Oddly, my breathing has gotten better. You're supposed to inhale naturally through the nose and exhale with force, and that comes without much thought or effort now. It's also been a big help in maintaining my newly developed lung capacity.

I'm at level 3/4 for most, but I'm still a non-squatter with bad knees, so my transitions are modified...and that tripod twist? Not happenin'. I really like this guy's tape idea for marking your bases.

I'm also totally hyped about this book.

I haven't bought a cook book since the Flavor Bible, and while I love it, this book is for people who want to eat better but love food and can't eat chicken breasts and quinoa 5 days out of the week. Recipes to come.

Krav Maga vs. BJJ

2011-09-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

I just had my first "debate" with a standup guy! I was leaving the Wednesday night small group at church, and was talking training with one of the guys who trains Krav Maga. I could feel it coming...

"How many fights go to the ground anyway?"

I had a few choices...those fuzzy stats about fights going to the ground, the importance of learning strong takedowns...I took the more personal route. The fact that jiujitsu good rape training for women.

"Krav Maga is great training for women! Groin shots, eye gouges..."
"I...don't want to be in a position of exchanging blows with a man."

I then started explaining the first time I had a man laying on top of me, breathing on my neck and how that felt. How the realization of fighting a man was something I didn't understand until actually having to do it. And I then realized that most men, couldn't understand that feeling.

And in that vein, Facebook's wonderful new interface just insisted I check this out...

BJJ's Best Branding: John Danaher

2011-09-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

Getting on with the Branding Series, here's a guy that defies everything you'd expect to see.

Branding isn't always intentional. Sometimes people just do their thing and *bam*...a personal brand is born.

This black belt under Renzo Gracie is something of the King Arthur of the jiu jitsu community. The base of the legend of Danaher is the fact that he doesn't compete. It comes complete with fuzzy anecdotes, rumors of genetically deformed joints (he actually does have a misshapen patella and ended up with arthrofibrosis after a surgery gone wrong) and a healthy presence of online debates.

The big deal isn't so much what he does (though I'm sure it's amazing), it's who comes to him for said amazingness. He's served as submission coach for GSP, teaches at Renzo's school and co-authored Mastering Jiu Jitsu, one of the cornerstones of a complete grappling library.

The REALLY big deal is his attitude toward, and thoughts around jiu jitsu (which honestly make perfect sense considering his graduate studies in philosophy at Columbia University.)

TEACHING

“I love to watch the progress that my students, both the famous ones and the ones you’ve never heard of…I love to see the way they progress and they way the sport makes them happy”

That's his personal experience, and not something you'd receive directly as a student, but people who feel this way, bleed their pleasure into their work.

COMPETITION
“The idea of asserting myself over someone else and beating someone is not strong with me”.

Competition is a big deal in the jiu jitsu world and the choice to compete or not is a very personal, and very loaded one. An instructor's competition record scores major points with students when they're choosing a school. It ranks right up there with lineage when you ask anyone for their jiu jitsu resume. Genetics and surgeries aside, at his core Danaher is not a competitor. However, what he has done in his career, is to analyze and impart at such a level that it trumps competition experience.

He does, though, understand a fight. Danaher worked as a bouncer in his home of New Zealand and the US, and got into grappling because, apparently, unruly US patrons grapple more than our Kiwi cousins.

TRAINING
“It’s very very rare that someone becomes more unhappy by the study of jiu jitsu."

Even with his real world experience, I wouldn't put him into the category of self defense focused instructors. He has referred to jiu jitsu as an "infinite puzzle" and credits it with solving multiple levels of human purpose for him (the hedonistic pursuit of happiness, therapy for an obsessive compulsive personality and curiosity). By his admission, the level of grappling you need to handle a fight as a bouncer isn't very high, and if he were focused on training just to stop fights, I believe he would have maxed out his purpose long ago.

Danaher's brand...is nothing short of ground breaking. I think it's important not to label him as just a guy who doesn't compete. Non-competition seems to simply be an outgrowth of his approach to the sport. What he excels in is understanding, diagnosis and remedy. The ability to teach high level achievers to do something you haven't done yourself is amazing and a tribute to an individual's understanding of their art, and their students at a macro level. No, I don't think the "super-instructor-non-competitor" is going to be a trend in the future of jiu jitsu...there are just too many great competitors out there...and...well...teachers that function at his level are an exceedingly rare breed in any field. I do think though, that his existence and successes give credence to one of the many paths in the journey of jiu jitsu.

BJJ’s Best Branding: Grapplearts-Stephan Kesting

2011-09-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Now...for the inspiration of the Branding Series:

One promotion, one little promotion from Grapplearts totally woke me up to branding in BJJ.

This promotion has an interesting back-story, with 400 DVDs originally being given away, then after a decision by Stephan , another 400 being sent out, with the chance for three people to win a complete library of his material. Because of my lax email checking, I missed the first 400, but I was ready for the second. I set a phone alarm, told a friend to help me out (in case of any computer issues) and set up an Outlook reminder for the 12PM EST kickoff. Well, at 11:55, I decided to test the link. A video started. It was of Stephan driving, transporting and unpacking the DVDs. Almost instantly I felt a kind of excitement that I hadn’t felt since I first started watching Lost (you know…before it got annoying).

Stephan is nothing short of masterful at taking you along for the ride in his promotion and development process. He’d hinted at his “evil plan” for weeks through the Grapplearts Newsletter and even brought it up in individual communications. By the time it actually came around, I felt like I was watching a film from the Dharma Initiative.

That personal experience, combined with a purposeful focus on “concept-based grappling” is the foundation of Kesting’s/Grapplearts’ branding. It is very heavily based on the experience of the reader/practitioner with the express purpose that they understand grappling from the top down.

Check out one of his videos below. It’s his take on two of the worst martial arts techniques ever taught (below), gives you an insight into his sense of humor, which contributes greatly to the personal feel of all of his materials.

DVDs&Apps

His DVDs have a conversational, relaxed tone, with live explanation as he demonstrates—giving the feel that you’re looking in on a private lesson, moreso than watching an instructional DVD.

The apps have gotten me through quite a few boring flights…and prompted quite a few questions from my fellow travelers. They’re positionally focused (pin escapes, sweeps, etc.) crazy affordable (though I know $3.99 is like, platinum level app-priceage) and I give major props for using a small female (Jennifer) in the pin escapes material.

eBook

A Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is probably my favorite of all his materials…mostly because it saved my sanity in those first few months of training. For someone like me with no background in the martial arts or even seeing jiu jitsu in action, it was invaluable to my understanding of the basic elements of grappling, AND planning the foundations of my individual learning. Again, a deep focus on what the newbie grappler is experiencing (confusion, frustration) and specific steps to tackle those issues.

Newsletter

Like the DVDs, very conversational with a frequent focus on questions he gets from individual readers. Kesting writes very much likes he speaks (a lot of people don’t, most that do, probably shouldn’t, but it’s a good thing in this case), and combines that with a general focus on describing positions from the perspective of someone in the position in question—something all his materials have in common.

Website/Videos

Getting a feel for them all is almost daunting. Between Grapplearts, Beginning BJJ and Grapplearts.tv, there’s an absolutely massive amount of material. From articles to Q&A (I swear he must have saved every question anyone’s ever asked him), to hand picked videos and technique breakdowns, I feel like I could spend years going through and working on the free material alone.

I consider Kesting to be the Seth Godin of the BJJ world (no, not just because of the hairstyle). His take on the art and on instruction is so simple it’s profound and you’re left with the impression that he genuinely wants you to improve and succeed at what you do. He has more than 30 years experience in various striking and grappling arts from Jeet Kun Do to Gong Fu. This video sums up a lot of that training, and explains his open and honest take on relating information in the martial arts.

A Microbiologist's Take on BJJ

2011-09-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

So I've really been wondering about all this...information we've got floating around regarding treatment, prevention, cleanliness, the whole shebang. Thankfully, a girl I know from WAY back grew up to be a really cool microbiologist (she managed to work a reference to LeBron James into a conversation about bacteria) and she was nice enough to, after a weekend at Dragoncon, take the time to answer some questions I'd collected.

You can check her credentials below (she did her dissertation on MRSA), and if you have any questions about the critters you may be carrying to and from the gym, you can also email her at ms.oxide at gmail dot com, just tell her you read her interview with Megan. (Seriously, shoot her an email, she'd love the questions.)

If you have a few minutes, take the time to read the whole thing. She addresses the general "lifestyles" of bateria and fungi, the use of triclosan, MRSA, and general habits that we have around keeping clean in the gym, not to mention a bunch of other things (like not washing belts), that we could all benefit from. So, a huge thanks to Brea and...here goes!

PhD in 2010 from Emory University in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Dissertation on antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus (she used a MRSA strain)
Postdoc at the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Athens, GA a part of NARMS (National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring Service). They monitor, characterize, and describe antimicrobial resistance in the food chain. They also are involved in foodborne illness outbreak responses.

So first let me just say that my bias is definitely in thinking of bacteria in terms of communities. I did a postbac at the NIH in a lab that studied how bacteria build communities (aka biofilms) on your body. We used dental plaque as a model. What you have to understand is that you have basically three kinds of bacteria, and this can go for fungi as well, living on you: ones that are beneficial, ones that cause you to get sick, and ones that CAN cause you to get sick given the chance. There’s this beautiful and important balance that occurs when one is healthy. When one is sick and the proportion of the latter two categories overwhelm the beneficial bacteria, then you have problems. The other part of that is that many pathogenic bacteria are really only “visiting”. They live on you, but not all the time. If you have MRSA on you now, it doesn’t mean you will be colonized with it if you were checked in a month or so. We call that being transiently colonized, and about 30% of people are at any given time transiently colonized with MRSA. Doesn’t mean they get sick. So, from what I can tell, much of this antimicrobial craze is aimed at getting rid of the “visiting” bacteria before they try to make your body a more permanent residence.

OK so questions…

1) Is it best to wash with just regular soap and water?

Washing with plain old warm soap and water is the best thing you can do to stop the spread of disease. I know many people won’t believe it, but the mechanical activity of washing your hands is THE BEST way to get germs off of your body. Hand sanitizing using alcohol based hand sanitizers is not a substitute for hand washing, but it can be used to supplement a hand washing regimen. The germs a normal person might be exposed to on a daily basis don’t really require any fancy antimicrobial soaps, etc.

Furthermore, how often you wash and what you wash with really does depend on your day job. For people who are exposed to nasty bacteria on a daily basis (that would be someone like me), I keep hand sanitizer in my office. I don’t use it at home. Only when I’m at work, and I always wash my hands after I am done in lab. I found this nice little summary here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy732. Here’s another summary from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faq/hand.htm . It does a nice job of summing up the proper way to wash your hands…because yes, there is a proper way to wash your hands. For the majority of the readers of your blog, they could probably do with using an alcohol based hand sanitizer after they work out, in addition to washing their hands/showering.

One thing I do want to address is triclosan. Triclosan is the dominant antimicrobial that’s found in the majority of anti-bacterial products. Triclosan acts by inhibiting fatty acid synthesis in bacteria, and work by Stuart Levy (who is like the LeBron James of antimicrobial resistance research) has shown that getting triclosan resistant mutants in E. coli is actually pretty easy. They were able to generate a spontaneous mutant that had a resistance to triclosan 500x that of the normal strain. So, the take home from that experiment is that triclosan resistance is real, and overusage (antimicrobial window cleaner…really?) can lead to resistance. The problem with this is cross-resistance (resistance to one antimicrobial also protects the bacteria from another unrelated antimicrobial) can become a really scary problem. You can read the summary of that study here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm .

So, as someone who does nothing but study how bacteria acquire and disseminate resistance on a daily basis, I would hold off on the use of triclosan and other antimicrobial products. For many people, it’s completely unnecessary. We see and deal with the results of overusage on a daily basis.

2) Does bar soap tend to harbor anything? (lots of people favor body washes because of the idea that certain organisms can live on soap in showers)

This is an interesting and really great question and I had to do a little digging. So there wasn’t a lot of info on contamination of bar soap. Bacteria can absolutely live on bars of soap, especially ones that are frequently used for hand washing. Its recommended that bar soaps not be used in public places (makes sense), although I found a study that showed there’s no evidence that “in-use” soap bars can transfer bacteria to naïve hands (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3402545)

So, to address the body wash issue. As long as the body wash container isn’t being refilled (which I know is uncommon but you can buy the ginormous refills at Sam’s), I think its fine. Refillable hand soaps/body washes have been shown to transfer bacteria and can become easily contaminated (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126420/?tool=pubmed). So as long as its your bar of soap, and not a community bar, you should be fine.

3) Is not washing a cotton belt a bad idea? Lots of guys just…don’t…ever.

So…this is really gross. Like…really gross. Bacteria are really good at clinging to things,
especially S. aureus. It’s a freaking champ. Its particularly good at clinging to natural fibers (like cotton). Remember me mentioning bacterial communities and your natural flora earlier?

Your skin has an amazing abundance of bacteria that call it home including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes and our sweat is at the tops of their menu. I would imagine a sweaty cotton belt would be a perfect place for bacteria to set up shop. So if the goal is to encourage the growth of bacteria (cos remember S. epidermidis’s cousin S. aureus likes sweat too), not washing a cotton belt is a great idea.

4) Most gis are cotton and since they shrink, are washed in cold water and air dried or dried on very low heat. Besides getting sweat out, does that do any good? Does adding hydrogen peroxide to the wash help?

After proper washing, by the time most things make it to the dryer they’re no longer
viable. I think any vigorous mechanical agitation would definitely help in dislodging bacteria and other things from the fabric. As far as peroxide goes, the concentration you get in the drug store (which is usually 3%) won’t be nearly enough to make a difference if you put it in a washer full of water. Bleach would definitely work, as long as the gi is white. For a colored gi, I would imagine hand washing in warm water with detergent and air drying would be a good way to clean it.

5) How long is too long to wait to shower after training? (some people drive home and don’t shower at the gym) Besides spreading organisms to other surfaces, does it even make a difference? I’ve heard many times that if you wait more than 30 min, ringworm has had a chance to set in already and showering won’t help.

I don’t know what the doubling time is for ringworm, but the doubling time for S. aureus is about 20 minutes at 37°C, which just so happens to be body temperature. On warm, sweaty skin all bacteria would be able to multiply rather quickly, including any bacteria one might have picked up from the mat or a grappling partner. I would definitely take a shower as soon as I could after the session was over.

I would be most concerned about contracting fungi or other bacteria on my feet in a community shower. However, I think shower shoes are pretty standard practice in places like that. As long as you’re bringing in your own towels, soap, and shower shoes, I think the risk of taking home anything you didn’t want would be minimized.

6) Is disinfecting before training a bad idea? (are we killing “good” bacteria on the skin and weakening part of our natural defense system?)

So this goes back to what I mentioned earlier. You have a unique community of bacteria living in and on you. Its kind of like a microbial fingerprint, although as a species we have certain genera of bacteria present on all of us normally. Your own microbial flora acts like a first line of defense on keeping the bad “visitors” out by not allowing them to set up shop. Of course, from time to time bad bacteria do establish themselves, and most of the time, if you’re a healthy individual you don’t even notice it. Going into an environment that has bacteria, particularly pathogenic bacteria, without the full complement of your own flora intact is like leaving your front door wide open while you’re away on vacation. If you’ve been particularly sweaty before you go for your workout, then it’s a fine idea to shower. If you’re coming from work however, I dunno that its something I’d do. I would always shower as soon as possible after any intense workout.

7) Does scrubbing the skin after soap is applied make any difference? (Some people say scrub as much as possible, others say that this risks opening micro-tears in the skin and causing even more problems, so they opt to just let soap sit before rinsing)

I would just stick to normal washing. I think if you’re scrubbing so hard, you’re opening
micro-tears in your skin, you might want to scrub just a little more gently. The mechanical action here is key, but you don’t want to get carried away and actually cause breaks in your skin.

8) Are natural oil based products effective or are they just a gimmick?

I talked a little about triclosan earlier. I absolutely think it’s overused, and even as an
athlete coming into contact with other people’s bacteria, I still don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze. While it’s true that tea tree oil and other naturally derived products have antimicrobial activity, I would think that there would be problems with maintaining that activity in a soap.

Saponification is the process by which fatty acids are hydrolyzed using a strong base, generally lye. This makes soaps alkaline. To complete the reaction, you often have to let the soaps sit for a few weeks before you can actually use them to make sure there isn’t enough lye in them to harm your skin. While I wasn’t able to find any information on the concentrations of any of the additives in the natural sport soap bars you sent, I would think that their antimicrobial activity is either non-existent or negligible due to abrogation by the lye, or just not being present in a high enough concentration to make any real difference. The actual oil might be fine as an all natural disinfectant, but once again, washing with normal soap and water after a workout would probably do the trick.

9) Do topical steroids help prevent staph in cuts?

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory, and as someone who has had atopic dermatitis
all of my life, they are amazing at decreasing skin inflammation. Corticosteroids are produced in the body from cholesterol. There was a paper from 2008, from Victor Nizet’s lab that showed an enzyme that blocks cholesterol biosynthesis in humans could also block production of staphyloxanthin, the pigment that gives S. aureus its hallmark golden color. Staphyloxanthin is actually an antioxidant that protects the bacteria from neutrophil killing by your immune system. You can read about it here: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/319/5868/1391.abstract .

10) Do anti-fungal shampoos prevent ringworm or are they placebos?

I know they’re fungicidal. That’s pretty well established. I’m not sure if the
active ingredient in them is broad spectrum and can prevent ringworm. Not sure if they can be used as a prophylactic.

11) What kind of detergent/cleaner is best for killing living organisms on training surfaces (usually vinyl)? (There’s a lot of debate out about bleach, which a lot of academies use.)

I would think a dilute bleach solution would work best. Bleach kills just about everything. We use it in the lab to kill cultures.

12) Are skin barrier foams any good? (They claim to suspend contaminates and be effective for up to 4 hrs AND not be harmful to the body’s “good bacteria”. They seemed to be based on blends of lanolin, butane, and stearic acid. )
I had never heard of these until you sent me this link. I tried to find information on the specific ingredients and couldn’t. Its hard to say anything about these products since the company doesn’t provide information about its ingredients on its website. I’d have to have a little more info to really say anything.

13) Is using a disinfectant spray (like Clorox) on gym bags worth anything?
I’d think keeping a clean gym bag would be a huge help in stopping the growth and spread of harmful bacteria. I’d definitely wash my cotton gym bag regularly, and spray a vinyl one with Lysol or wipe it out with a dilute bleach solution.

14) Based on what I mentioned above, does anything jump out at you as an issue?
The grossest thing is not washing a sweaty, cotton belt. Why wouldn’t you wash a sweaty, cotton belt? I think the other thing is having common sense. We have an immune system for a reason, and our own flora are part of what keeps us healthy. Wash your hands (and your body) regularly. For most people, antimicrobial products are unnecessary. I think that’s it mainly.

P.S. Viruses are much less resilient than bacteria generally, but S. aureus can survive for a couple weeks on fomites (things in the environment like doorknobs, handles etc.)

My Interview over at JiuJitsuSweep

2011-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Manny over at JiuJitsuSweep for the interview! It's cool to hear so much of my training experience summarized in one conversation.

http://jiujitsusweep.com/interviews-with-bjj/bjj-blogger-megan-williams-talks-jiujitsusweepcom/

BJJ's Best Branding: Roy Dean

2011-08-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the Branding Series:

In these days of easy publishing, branding is especially important to anyone producing BJJ related media or learning material. An academy has location, a facility and learning environment to draw in or put off students, but if you're producing an e-pub, managing a Twitter feed, that logo, your color scheme, those photos...they take on a whole different meaning.

To summarize Roy Dean's brand, it's a juxtaposition of the traditionally stoic martial arts and modern, accessible individualism. As far as recognizability goes, this brand comes out on top. Check out that video. Listen to the music. What do you think and feel? It's clean. It's modern, maybe even futuristic, but tempered with flavors of Japanese culture and imagery. Go to the website. Tell me you don't see the same thing. Now go check out one of his DVDs. Pay attention to the production. Go to YouTube and look at some demonstration. You'll see similar color schemes reflected in the studio itself.

Sure, a marketing firm could duplicate it, but that's not what's going on here. I've never met Dean (though I hope to one day), but it's honest. He composed the music. I'm 99% sure that's his (very distinct) voice whispering on the track. The experience you get seems like a direct extension of his personality. In case you think the clean, fancy packaging is just for remote consumers, take a look deeper into the site. He lists when his seminars will be held. Tuition rates and schedule are clear and affiliate info is available.

But this is my favorite part. BJJ is an earthy martial art. It's not pretty, but it's beautiful. Roy Dean's presentation could easily be taken as cold or removed...but...you get get a look at his students individually. The site lists student ranks AND most of those names link to YouTube videos of them demonstrating technique. At the same time, you get a clear picture of who he is. The man's stuff is fully integrated, on multiple levels.

Imagery
All that though, I think is summed up in his logo. Look at it for a moment.

It evokes movement without change. You can see the circles spinning and passing. It's reminiscent of the model of an atom, conjuring thoughts of energy and technical analysis. My favorite part though, is that looking at it, the mind creates triangles, and there isn't one straight line.

Color
Take a look at the logo again. It's reddish-brown, which is intense, but still muted, controlled and organic. The rest of the site and images are based on a very calming and natural green, underscoring the accessibility of of his materials. He wears traditional gi colors of white, blue, and frequently black (which he seems to prefer for marketing material).

Photo and Video
All impeccably professional. There is an ABUNDANCE of video available on the site, both techical and artistic, and even more on YouTube. The photography though, is something amazing. You see a lot of closeups of live technique, a solid representation of his personal image, but also images of his students performing techniques. He shares himself and simultaneously highlights the students he's created.

Resources

DVDs, seminars, an eJournal, blog and online videos...point blank, free and paid, he's got a lot. What they amount to though, is a depth and breadth of knowledge that is up to date and accessible.

Dean's brand is clean, sophisticated and accessible. Most importantly though, all this is backed up by Dean's quality instruction and lifetime study of the martial arts.

BJJ's Best Branding

2011-08-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I had what I can only describe as an amazing purchasing experience fueled by some brilliant brand execution...and I'm not one that buys into branding easily. At the most, I've sipped the Apple Kool-aid via iPhone ownership. As we all know, the recently retired Steve Jobs has built one of the most loyal brand followings in the history of mankind (all you Mac folk out there know I'm telling the truth), and it's because he sold more than a product, he sold an image, an idea, a concept...he filled a spot in peoples' lives and identities.

There's been...so...much talk of branding in the last few years. It made me a little sad when it crept from the business world into the political world, but I get why. Branding is all about connecting, personally, with the people you want to inform/sell to/talk to/change/help. It's not just about telling your audience that you serve them better than your competitors, it's about letting them know that you are the ONLY option for the experience they're looking for.

BJJ is such an amazing niche market. (I really wish I'd been training while I was in school...it would have made a lot of the projects much more interesting.) It's (I believe) in its fledgling stages, in both the fan and practitioner stages, and it has the unique tie in with a growing sport (MMA) that I really don't think any other martial art has had before.

I believe there are a couple of people making some Jobsian (or maybe Godinian) moves in the world of grappling and BJJ and I can't wait to get writing on them. Stay tuned...

Accepting that BJJ has come, and will come, to me.

2011-08-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

So I've completely broken out of my Monday-Wednesday-Friday, I-train-three-days-a-week pattern.

As structured and disciplined as I can be, it bores me after a period and I need to shake things up to keep myself from feeling stagnant. Perhaps expectantly, this has helped me genuinely internalize the fact that I will internalize this art and, while periods of increased effort do provide benefit, if they are done so out of pursuit of one intangible or out of fleeing another, well, they've become to strike me as futile. It may be the stage in life at which I walked through the doors...I started after checking the "supposed to" boxes in my life and began when I decided I had room to get back to the things that are unique to, and define me.

Reflective story shallow, I had a good day today. Fiona helped another green belt and I today prep for some of our blue belt requirements. Something about training on a Saturday afternoon...with the lighter, less rigid atmosphere, absent of the pressures to get enough sleep to perform well at work the next day...that makes training feel genuine...or maybe more that I'm genuinely practicing the art, not just showing up for a class or trying to perfect a move.

The original hoary old man

Oddly, I heard KickboxerInstructor today reference a poem by Walt Whitman, and then a few hours later, my mother reference Abraham Lincoln, who the same poem is about. It's a beautiful and poignant call to a man who had a goal that he didn't live to see. It made me wonder how many goals in life we'd pursue if we knew there were a chance we'd never get that "prize".

Every day I find myself more fascinated with the career of John Danaher, much celebrated BJJ coach and instructor who doesn't compete, yet advises some of the best competitors in the business. Some say it's because he's injured or scared, others because he's simply of a type that isn't concerned with the "test". Perhaps for reasons of personal bias, perhaps not, but I'd like to believe the latter.

O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!	5
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

2 O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills;	10
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,	15
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

3 My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;	20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Bullying and the omoplata, revisited

2011-08-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at work today and got an IM from my mom.

"I saw your wallowing people on the front page of Yahoo!...this thing is going to EXPLODE."

She then sent me a link to this article about a Colorado mother who flew her son to California to enroll in the Gracie Bullyproof program and for private lessons with Rener Gracie after some pretty severe bullying episodes at his school. It's a very nice read.

We got a full hour of drilling in tonight...something I probably would have winced at if I'd known it ahead of time. It was a quality night of training...I'm starting to understand my full guard more, I'm not as reluctant to set up spider, and I've gotten a bit more conscious of shutting it down while I'm in it. The highlight though, was Parrumpha teaching my partner and me a different set up for an omoplata. It involved grips instead of controlling the head directly. When I went to set it up, he pointed out that I was telegraphing my intentions with my grips, which I'd really never considered. I've always just been too busy trying to grip...something.

Also, for the 18th time, I asked if there was a big difference between posting the foot you use for the hip escape on the ground and posting on the hip. For some reason, I have it stuck in my head that posting on the ground sacrifices some control...and for the 18th time, the answer was no. I don't know why, but I'm having a hard time internalizing that concept. Hopefully posting it here will help.

How to use deal-a-day sites

2011-08-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

I just got a gorgeous Tatami Zero-G midas from BJJ HQ and I love it...seriously. The weave on the pants is better than some of the high end slacks I have. It's made of a magic, hybrid weave that I have yet to test out...that post will be coming in the near future once I get a chance to break it in.

But yes...I don't know if it's because they're mostly guys and aren't necessarily savvy when it comes to online shopping or what, but after reading comments by some users on the site, I decided the BJJ world needs some education on using sites like Woot, Gilt and of course, BJJ HQ, the grappling-focused cousin of MMA HQ.

If you don't know what these sites are, they're amazing. The basic idea is that they have items on sale for a set amount of time and after that time ends, or quantities run out, no more item for you. I'm a person that hates shopping, but likes shiny stuff, but also refuses to pay retail, so my phone is full of apps and alerts and reminders to let me know when something good might be up for grabs. To get the good stuff, you've got to be on alert and know the rules, so here are a few pointers if you're new.

Be aware of when sales start. It may be 9am. It may be 12pm. Check the site and set an alarm, an Outlook reminder, whatever you have to do so you don't miss out on that Gameness ELITE you've been waiting for. On that note...know your time zone, know their time zone. Adjust accordingly.
Deals do run out. Very few of these sites have bottomless pits of items, just waiting to be snapped up. They don't last forever, so move quickly.
Don't be cost foolish. Let's say a gi made only in the UK costs £100 retail but is selling on BJJ HQ for $105. You live in Wisconsin. Before you start ranting that it costs more, do the math. With the exchange rate and shipping, you're saving over $75 buying online. Don't underestimate the REAL cost of obtaining an item.
Know the quantity limitations. Some deals are insanely good and yeah, anybody with any sense will try to pick up more than 1 gi if it's 90% off original price. I've yet to see a site that didn't put limitations up, so check their FAQs. It'll save you some disappointments.
You don't have to buy EVERYTHING that goes on sale just because it's a great deal. You don't want to become THAT customer that's buying things then trying to send them back a week later when you realize you have 3 pairs of ostrich feather earrings...I'm not saying that happened to me or anything.

I hope this helps make your online shopping experience a little better. Happy gear-shopping!

Moby and BJJ

2011-08-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

I just...love this...

Joint Manipulation-New Limitations

2011-08-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

So I went to the morning class today...and as it always seems to go, whenever I take a day off to go to a different class, I end up in a class covering something I LOATHE. Today...standing guard passes.

I've gotten MUCH better at them that I used to be, but they'll never be a go-to pass for me. Too much risk of knee pain (I'm low on cartilage) and bad balance (high center of gravity). I talked to KickboxerInstructor about it for a bit today, and he made some suggestions (again, not trying to dead lift my opponent) that should help some, but the whole thing got me really focused on the difference in emotionally dealing with things about myself that I CAN change, vs. those that I can't. I love self improvement and I can will myself through just about any quest I care about and set my mind to--but accepting short comings isn't always easy. I realized today that...

I can...

Lose weight
Build muscle
Increase my lung capacity
Improve my cardio
Fix my clicking hips (going well btw with the use of some of those stretches)
Improve my flexibility (The 100 day chin-to-toe challenge has restarted and is going well)
Eventually get my heels to my glutes when lying down. (Thanks to my chrio for finding the root cause of that issue)

I can't...

Become one of those "fast people"
Have good knees (weighted squats won't be in my future, and I may never do all the exercises in FlowFit)
Totally eliminate my breathing issues

Not gonna lie...having to talk to yet another instructor about my knee issues, it shuts me down. I was deeply frustrated and mentally checked out of the lesson until we got back to being 100% on the ground. As much as I've made peace with body, there are a few issues (like the knee deal), that I'm just starting to accept as limitations. I guess that's because before training, it wasn't THAT big a deal, just annoying and occasionally painful. Now though, it's kept me from working huge portions in class.

I think going into training this art, I had the mindset that I was going to "clean house"...break down old walls and find new horizons to work toward. I have, but I really didn't expect to find new ones that I didn't really know (or maybe admit) existed. I guess that's part of the process too.

Happy Food: Roasted Yellow Squash

2011-08-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

So...making steps to get back on track with the eatings. I'm back on the eat-more-vegetables bandwagon.

I don't really like vegetables, and I'm a cheese freak--I used to spend upwards of $40 a month trying cheeses from all over the planet, but I've cut back some since I've started training, trading in my high-moisture (usually means higher fat) cheeses for harder ones--so a cheese is almost a must when I do a vegetable preparation. This time I did yellow squash with parmesan, thyme and olive oil. Simple, fast, great flavor.

Not my squash. Click here for the original I always remember to photograph food after it's been eaten.

Basically it's just summer squash, sliced about 1/4 inch thick, tossed lightly in olive oil, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, salt and pepper. You roast it for about 15-20 on 375, top with parmesan, continue in the oven until the cheese is melted (some time under the broiler is an option too) and woo! Fun vegetables.

THE best weight loss solution

2011-08-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

Surprise! Yes. It's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I'm skipping the sheer loss of poundage this time and talking instead about the mental aspect. Over the last four months of skin infections and busted joints I've been inactive and have absolutely ruined my eating habits. I was in a boot for two weeks, off rolling for a month, quarantined for a week and spent 10 days stuffing my face twice a day, trying not to vomit up antibiotics...and it's not like I was loading up on broccoli and turkey breasts.

So yes, I've emerged from my hole of viruses, broken bones and bacteria noticeably fluffier. Pre-BJJ Megan would have been in a complete funk. But this morning, I looked at my fleshier middle and fuller thighs, marveling at how they now camouflage the grapply muscle I've picked up over the last two years. I chuckled and felt neither guilt nor shame. No disappointment or twinges of failure revisited. Nope. All I thought was "Look at how puffy you've gotten! You'll roll it off." The calmness was almost shocking, and I can't possibly understate the value of peace when it comes to weight management.

So I've been on a hair quest lately. I just got my highlights re-done, and getting my black hair to brown and deep blonde colors takes some pretty intense bleaching...even the really good quality color and followup protein treatments leave my dyed hair too fragile to survive rolling. A couple of the ladies at the gym use swim caps, but no way I'm covering my head in neoprene then trying to roll. I'd tap to my own sweatiness. Instead I wanted a dive cap, just made out of the stuff Underarmour's made of. I went on a quest to surf and dive shops, had a very interesting conversation with a shop owner about the exchange of heat between diving bodies and surrounding water and returned home empty handed.

This morning, one of my coworkers found the cap above (an accessory for zentai suits)...I have two on the way. I wanted to try an Underarmour skull cap, but I'm thinking there's no chance of that staying on. Test results will be posted soon.

...and I still love Defense soap's body wash. Hair and skin are very happy. Loving the wipes even more. I barely feel like I need a shower after training (though I still take one.)

Defense soap and my week and a half with a MRSA diagnosis.

2011-08-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

So yeah...about 2 weeks ago, after having a little sore spot under my nose rapidly turn into a painful, swollen face and 100 degree fever (while taking Advil), I was informed I had a MRSA infection in my face (which, since martial arts practitioners are in one of the high risk groups for community acquired MRSA infections--I was told that was probably the source), sent to the ER for IV antibiotics and put on quarantine from kids and old people. Interestingly, I found out that MRSA is treated empirically, with no tests, but, thankfully, my dermatologist did a nasal culture and it turned out to be klebsiella, the bacteria responsible for pneumonia and many lower respiratory infections. Thankfully it responded to the treatment for MRSA.*

Needless to say, at the time, I was pretty freaked out. I had one of those quiet, reflective moments in the ER. I found myself, sitting crossed leg on a hospital bed once again, reconsidering training and praying over my decision, health and calmness. Oddly, it was an enjoyable visit. The people there were a lot of fun, patient, informative and everybody, techs, doctors, clerks and nurses alike, had a great bedside manner while performing their jobs professionally.

I immediately started reassessing some of my behavior, and decided to lay off the triclosan based anti-bacterial products. As to not contribute to the problem of resistant-bacteria strains, I'd laid off the hibiclens long ago, using only in the case of open wounds. I started using just anti-bacterial soap after training, but after this roller coaster, I'm done with that too. I'd been pondering switching over to Defense Soap, but hadn't since my current routine was working fine.

After checking out some of the products, I contacted the creator/owner, Guy Sako, and he was great. Amazing customer service to say the least. He sent me samples of some of the bar, body wash and wipes. I didn't have to do much research on the two main ingredients in most of the Defense Soap line of products. They're based on tea tree and eucalyptus oils, which, from my days of lotion and hair product making, I already knew had anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties without giving rise to resistant strains.

So I was psyched at the chance to use it after coming back from my 2 week quarantine--which, by the way, was really nice. I came back to an open mat night and was beyond glad to be back. I sat down to stretch and two of the ladies I've been training with forever were there...it was so good to see them, the kids, the guys, everybody. I expected to be terrified, but instead my soul smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

I'd packed the wipes to use after class and was excited (I do love new products that work). I skipped off to the restroom and opened the container. They smelled exactly as I'd expected...the scent might be a little strong/medicinal for some people, but it's not at all unpleasant. I walked back out to the changing area to chat some more, and immediately..."what's that smell?" "It's me. I'm trying some new stuff after all this infection drama."

Let me just say, I LOVE the body wash. It has the tea tree and eucalyptus, but also has coconut oil. Do a search on Google, and you'll find a bunch of body washes in the beauty sector marketed with similar ingredients, which explains why my hair felt soft and moisturized after using it...yes...I always use whatever I'm de-funking my body with on my hair too...it's a veritable sponge and I can't imagine what could end up hiding in it.

I'll definitely be picking up the barrier foam next. I haven't tried the bar yet, but overall, I feel normal-clean after using it. I told a friend a few weeks back, after time off because of toe issues, that I felt "fat and clean". It may be completely mental (I'm pretty germ-aware), but I feel like there's always a little something extra hanging out on me while I'm training. But yeah, I'd definitely recommend at least giving Defense Soap a try.

Check out this surprisingly funny TED talk on the future of antibiotic development. It's interesting, informative, and personal, since the speaker lost a friend and colleague to the infections he's researching to fight off.

*I have a theory on how this came about. While it's entirely possible that I picked it up spontaneously from the gym, it was odd that it showed up in an area where I had no cuts or abrasions. About a week before I noticed the issue, I'd started using Protpic (topical immunosupressant) for a skin condition in the exact spot where the sore spot showed up. I looked up the side effects, and one was skin infections. My dermatologist (and the ER doc) immediately and logically assumed that if I'd had MRSA, it had come from the gym. Since I didn't though, she was unsure of where it came from. Klebsiella is pretty common, but it frustrates me that I won't ever 100% know where I picked it up. Needless to say, I've stopped use of the Protopic.

Props to teachers

2011-08-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

I find it disheartening that in the U.S., the concept of teachers and students is relegated almost completely to the formal schools and universities.

One of my favorite lectures during my business studies was given by a small, bearded man named Michael Kami.. He told us of his life as an immigrant and path through the business world. Students marveled as his $10K/hr consulting fee. What struck me though, was his background. Was his degree in organizational management? An MBA from Wharton? Maybe the Saïd Business school at Oxford? Nope. His degrees were in education (from state schools no-less). He said his job as a consultant was the same as teaching. You go in, you find out what's needed, and you show people the best way to change themselves to achieve desired results. I don't think I'll ever forget that lecture.

Kano sensei teaching uki goshi

In researching my last post, I learned that Kano Jigoro's day job was at a university. He was a professor of economics at Komaba agricultural college. I believe it was his drive as a teacher, not as a martial artist, that gave birth to what we all now practice as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Reading of his life off the mats, I was honestly surprised. He served as director of primary education at the Ministry of Education, traveled through Europe and China, establishing a program that allowed Chinese students to study in Japan. This man lived the the life of a true Teacher and it was no surprise that he sent Maeda Mitsuyo to Brazil to spread the word of Kodokan Judo.

The very essence of teaching is something special. Real Teachers...real, quality Teachers believe that their students can achieve what they're being taught. They inspire genuinely and effortlessly, they give of self and they allow themselves to be transformed by the experience of guiding another human being. Coming from a family of teachers, I have immense respect for the profession, and consequently, disgust at those who take the position as just a paycheck. I love Matt Damon...love...but I feel like his comments below missed the mark and are part of the problem we have in our educational system now.

That said, I'm thankful that BJJ seems to attract so many minds that are constantly at work on the best ways to break down this complex and confusing art. Roy Dean's, Saulo Ribeiro's and Stephan Kesting's works have saved me much pain. I've heard so many amazing things about John Danaher, I'd love to just watch him give a lesson, just to see how he communicates jiu jitsu.

So yes...much respect to all you great teachers out there.

*I don't disagree because he didn't have grounds to be insulted as an actor, but instead because a title alone does not make someone a good teacher, or even a mediocre one. It doesn't mean they give one iota of a thought to the well being of their students. (I'm personally anti-tenure the way it stands now) Not all teachers "just want to teach". I've done enough time in school to have met enough that didn't care if their students learned, and a few horrible ones that enjoyed watching them fail. I believe that the attitude that anyone who goes into teaching is inherently giving and motivated is the other side of the corporatization of education he mentioned.

Kano Jigoro's last living student receives the highest rank in judo at 98

2011-08-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

A compassionate soul is inner beauty. I believe this is true beauty. ~Fukuda Keiko

I love this lady. Sensei Fukuda Keiko, at 98, recently became the first woman to reach 10th dan in judo. Only three people in the world have attained the rank. The video below is a great documentary on her life and training.

Jiujitsu and the Boardroom

2011-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

I would honestly recommend that any woman who works in a male-dominated environment take BJJ.

Before I start, I think what I'm about to talk about is a direct outgrowth of the "sizing up" that I started doing a few months after I started training. In line behind guys in the grocery store..."I could lock a triangle on him in 30 seconds." "Tapout shirt...no way he trains with that body." "No way I could take that dude. He'd murder me." Once you start thinking you can physically handle yourself against certain men, it leaks into other areas.

I don't end up in a lot of face-to-face meetings (thanks to today's, geo-nonspecific work environment), but every now and again, they do happen. Since I've been training, I've noticed a difference in how I handle non-physical confrontation with men--which is notable, since size is a big deal in any confrontation and I already have a good 4" (7" in heels) and 15lbs on your average office-dwelling American male. Between that, education and IQ, I don't shy away from arguments or confrontation based on gender.

The last time I had a slightly confrontational meeting with a man, I noticed something different. I spoke the same, maintained the same eye contact and vocal control...but...my physical presence was different. I started trading the same, subtle cues of physical intimidation that he was giving to me. It got me paying attention to how men and women behave in a conflict and women (most of us)...we throw words with more understated body language. Men though, there is more physical posturing...more leaning in with shoulders squared. Training has definitely changed how I respond physically to non-physical confrontations.

I say it's important to women because there are subtle (ok...not THAT subtle) cues men give each other in conflict situations. All too frequently I've seen women try to mimic the aggression of men by simply turning up traits of female aggression...speed of speech, volume, emotional reactions...all of which are gambles. Any of these gestures can easily be perceived by any gender as an indication of loss of control, which is a stereotype women in business already face.

I'm not saying that women should "fight" like men, but conflict is a constant in life with nuances that change based on culture, age, race, gender and who knows what else. Speaking someone else's language is always a good thing.

I never know what to do with my mouthguard.

2011-08-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

After reading a post on rolling after oral surgery, this really has me thinking.

Since day 1, I've been fascinated by how people treat their mouthguards. I don't think there's any other element of potential contamination on the mat that is so directly and consistently internal. I'm a bit...let's call it hyper-aware...of what goes on with the mouth--I've cracked my share of teeth and have had my share of issues in the oral area.

When I'm sitting out and want to have an actual conversation, I never know where to put my mouthguard. I don't even want my hands on it. All I can think of is some nasty bit of fungus taking up residence in my mouth (thankfully you can't get ringworm in there). Do you put it on the mats? On the floor? On your shoes? There aren't a lot of options. There's one of my favorite blues that I've seen put it inside his shirt under his gi, to which my first thought was "eewwww" but honestly, it's probably the cleanest spot available if you need to take a break. I'd rather have my sweat in my mouth than everybody else's everything.

And that doesn't even touch on how you clean it after use...if it's being cleaned. I rinse mine and bathe it in Listerine after each use...it's likely only harboring my germs (it's probably the only piece of BJJ equipment that can make that claim) but I still don't want them back in me after they've had time to marinate.

I haven't seen this discussed much, so I'd like to hear what everybody does with theirs.

Can you donate $10 for Orphans?

2011-07-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is riding all the way around one of our local lakes (Lake Okeechobee) to raise money for International Orphan Support. Any donation you can make is appreciated...but all we're asking is $10. So check it out, donate, pass it on!

Here's the Crowdrise site: http://www.crowdrise.com/120forOrphansRide

Thanks!!

Eating tips don't work for foodies.

2011-07-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

Know what that is? It's a picture I took on vacation. I photograph a lot of food...memorable meals, recipes gone right and wrong. I plan trips around restaurant offerings. Right now, I'm thinking of hitting up Vancouver for days of seafood and evenings of training. Food is a big deal to me. I am genuinely, at my core, what you call a foodie (gourmand if you want to sound fancier.) Starting BJJ has me thinking more deeply about eating right. Now, healthful eating is real. Almost a necessity. And I feel conflicted.

This isn't my first dance with eating better though. Somewhere in my early 20s, I came to the realization that eating better wouldn't change who I was. I wouldn't become "one of those people"...chugging protein shakes and stuffing down chicken breasts (though I do both for a good percentage of my meals) and forever lose my relationship with the sense of taste. I could eat better and not lose my identity.

Still, I fully understand those who worry about never again tasting hollandaise or full fat dairy. There is a great divide between healthy eaters and those with a healthy appetite...and I think the latter is unfairly demonized. Somehow, it's ok for people self identify with their love for shopping, sex, TV, movies, music, but taste? We get tossed on the heap because the overindulgence of our preferences is...well...visible.

Because of this, the world of health is full of suggestions to help us eat better and live better lives. From applesauce in brownies to chocolate tofu silk pie. Straight up, I have yet to see one of these "substitute" suggestions that actually work. I don't know if the taste-buds of the super-healthful are slow or lower in number, but I can taste low fat, LOATHE sugar substitutes and I can spot carob a mile away. I've run across quite a few that I think are a complete waste of time:

If you're craving a cookie, have a carrot!
The rationale behind this one is that you crave foods based on superficial traits. In this case, cookies are sweet and crunchy, carrots are sweet and crunchy so they should be interchangeable? Let me know how that cod oil tappenade works out for ya.

Low fat
It's hard for me to accept, but some people are really ok with 1% milk. I don't even drink milk and I know the 1% is an abomination. (Go ahead and click. Yes, that's what I taste when I drink it.) I use either almond milk (in shakes) or heavy cream/whole milk for cooking, and that's because I can taste fat levels in dairy. Substitutes don't work.

Food isn't a trophy
Yes it is. The deal with this one is that you shouldn't reward yourself with food. I'll go along with that sometimes. It's a good mantra if you're trying to change your relationship with food. In its stead, it's been suggested that you contribute to a vacation fund or massage. So being tenderized or traveling is a trophy and food isn't? Ok. Whether for negative reasons or not, some of us find a buttery lobster tail more fulfilling than a trip to the spa.

Fake sugar
Tastes like cancer. On top of that, it's completely devoid of all the subtlety of natural sweeteners. Give me desserts made of cane sugar, molasses, Splenda and stevia, I'll know the difference and the difference will annoy me.

Bland foods
Not happening. Subtle is cool, but rice cakes and the like? Nope.

What doesn't feel like punishment?

Portion size
If a person really is a foodie (prefers quality over quantity), this won't be a big deal. Cutting a third, or even half off my portion size is pretty painless for me.

Moderation of unhealthful stuff
Not gonna lie. Cream, animal fat, sugar, salt and the like...not good in high quantities. Used sparingly though they can be great. A little butter in olive oil for flavor. A small scoop of premium ice cream...quality.

High quality ingredients
No Kraft parmesan. The real stuff is much better and I use less. Scharffenberger instead of Hershey's. You get the idea.

Focus on flavor
Since we focus on taste, proper management is key. Boiled squash? Ew. Roasted squash with parmesan and thyme? Amazing.

Know what you like
I don't care if raisins are sweet. I don't like them, I don't care how they're prepared. Choking them down does nothing but make me resentful of grapes.

Know what you feel
A foodie gone wrong is frequently a person that eats to manage emotional stress. Jiu jitsu has helped me with being very aware of what my physical body wants, and distinguishing that from the emotional is of key importance.

It's all about being honest. I'll never be that person that eats perfectly for extended periods of time...and that's ok. The most sustainable and successful diet I've ever been on (not sure why I fell off) is one I stumbled on and referred to as "the food snob diet". No low fat cheese, low carb bread, fake meat or...Splenda. I ate well, watched portions and ate real (read: no fast or processed food). I stuck to the outer rim of the grocery store, ate more fruits and vegetables and I cooked a lot. I acknowledged my preferences and taste needs, fed them and walked out 60lbs lighter with normal cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels.

...off to get back on that with some spiced orange roughy and roasted broccoli.

Somebody pinch me, I think I'm enjoying group activities.

2011-07-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

And not just on an individual level. As an introvert, I'm almost hesitant to admit this, but between BJJ and church, I'm beginning to genuinely appreciate community*. One big qualifier though...there has to be a point. That point has to be easily identifiable and that "point" has to be shared. Any members that don't get the point, need to be corrected or gotten rid of ASAP.

Great organizational book. Great.

I've been a member of a lot of communities in my time...family, race, church, dance, college, Chinese learners, and probably a few I didn't even realize. The ones that were true communities, truly supportive, truly focused and truly mindful of people are and have been amazing.

I can honestly say that after having experienced organizations that can work and function productively, I have more of a belief in what they can accomplish than ever. I've developed a genuine enjoyment of the existence of positive organizations.

*Not to say that we introverts don't need or can't thrive in communities, we just form and join them differently (read: smaller/slower)

Thought patterns tripping me up

2011-07-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

So that basic butterfly sweep I was having issues with. I was just cleaning out my email and found a GrappleArts Newsletter devoted to that very topic. Yays:) Turns out I was getting stalled (and frustrated) during the hip switch because it just felt insanely difficult. I drilled it a few times in class and decided I wasn't strong enough and needed to go home and work on some shoulder bridging to get stronger.

It just hit me though, that considering how long I've been doing this, my build and the principles behind the art, "not strong enough" is seldom going to be the issue. (The actual issue was, as it turns out, that I was trying to brace all my weight on my head/shoulder and not putting any on my inside leg).

There are still all these weird little bits of insecurities I have left over from when I first started. These are the big ones I've noticed (and why I logically know they're not true).

I'm not strong enough-I've always been strong enough for pretty much anything. I used to have big issues handling my bodyweight, but FlowFit has helped with that a lot.
I'm not coordinated enough-straight up not true. I've always had above-average coordination. If I'm doign something wrong, it's because I don't understand the theory behind the move.
I'm not smart enough-again...just not true. I used to theorize that the kind of "smart" I am wasn't the kind of "smart" I needed to be for BJJ and that I was just doomed to suffer or quit. I'm not exactly a kinetic genius, but I've got enough body awareness to learn and execute what I need to.
I'm not flexible enough-Even with my tight groin and hamstrings, I'm still more flexible than most guys that train.

What I've noticed is usually going on is that...

I don't understand the theory-big deal for me. Huge deal for me.
I'm not being aggressive enough-I underestimate how much momentum plays a part is certain technical elements.
I'm trying not to hurt a smaller partner. I'm much less concerned and more open to learning with a larger partner.

I can't really hold them against myself. I'm working against a couple of decades of ignorance of physical activity. What I can do though, is be aware of them when they crop up and learn how to work past them.

First night back...charlie horse.

2011-07-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sad spider is sad again, sadly.

Last night was one of the hardest I've had in a while. Point blank I left feeling incompetent, questioning whether or not I can do this with any reasonable expectation of success. That was almost certainly fueled by my expectation that my time off would have amounted to some amazing cementing process, allowing my body and mind to become one, awesome jiu jitsu machine.

Yeah...that totally didn't happen. What DID happen, was that I got stomped by a white belt. I know, I know...the three months I spent trying to not get worse, he was spending getting better. I know he weighs 220+. I know he's a he. I know my full guard is all messy because I'm just coming off an injury. Funny how little emotions listen to reason.

So we started from the knees and I took KickboxerInstructor's advice of someone taking the top and someone taking the bottom (as to not waste time with unrealistic grip fighting). I went for the bottom since this guy was stripping my grips like crazy and pretty aggressively. He pinned a thigh to the ground, passed my guard and ended up in half. I'm honestly floored by how bad I am about making decisions on how to get out of side control/bottom half. Well, he started passing with some nasty shoulder pressure and I tapped to that alone. I don't think I've ever done that with ANYONE, but I felt pressure on my neck/jaw that felt like, had he decided to apply a bit more, would have cracked my face open or injured my neck.

We reset.

I was feeling a lot of strength and quick, hard movements from him, so I fell to guard again. He started to pass and normally, I take the few extra moments my long legs give me to set up grips for spider...well...my foot tweakiness has almost completely eliminated that time, so as soon as he started to pass, he was able to get a knee up and smash my left thigh down again. Pass again. Lapel grip. Mount. Choke. Futile defense. Tap.

We reset.

I decided it was time for me to try to start from the top. After grip fighting he fell back with me in his full guard. I started passing and he set up a sweep which failed. I fell to the side and got him in my guard. CHARLIE HORSE. I winced as he smashed my left leg once again. Some other stuff happened and choke. This time though, it wasn't set up properly and I decided not to tap. Then he started doing something that completely caught me off guard. He started pulling my upper body up off the mat and pushing it back down while holding the choke. Did it about 3 times. I can't say it did anything to make the choke tighter or correct, but I tapped just to avoid being someone's choking experiment.

Next roll was with BlondeBlueBelt who I absolutely adore. After a musclee roll like the previous one though, I read his usual helpfulness as patronization, which I think was totally in my head. He defended my beloved triangle from mount properly, which no one has ever done before, so I learned of a new hole. He then submitted me in two triangles because of arm placement mistakes I was making when passing open guard, which he later pointed out and explained.

I felt light-headed and dizzy, so after we lined up, I spent a few more seconds with Blue, going over what got me caught in those triangles. I left immediately...the earliest I've ever left on a Friday. Said goodnight to no one. No waves through the glass while walking to my car. I noticed that the sun was still up, which I knew meant I was leaving crazy early.

This though, is what I love about blogging. Up until I sat down to write, I'd totally forgotten about drilling with NewBlondeWhitebelt and his gas issues and me telling him about my...incident in a very quiet gym when I first started. I'd forgotten about BlondeBlueBelt mistaking my commentary on his beard for me offering him a beer (gotta love mouthguard-ese). Writing it out also got me thinking that I may need to talk to dude about wrenching chokes. On top of that, I'd forgotten that I need to work on staying tight in butterfly sweeps and the spider guard sweep I'd learned from a purple just before the boot. I covered a lot of specific things that will be good for me, but I forgot them all last night because of a very uncomfortable round.

So I guess things will even out as I, out of necessity, learn to branch out beyond full guard and deal with stronger, heavier, musclier opponents.

Do you shower too hard?

2011-07-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

I was going to ask if you shower too much, but considering I shower both too frequently and too aggressively, I decided to change the title.

Two weeks of not training is enough time to feel like your life has reset to pre-training status. Long story short, I feel fat and clean. Amazing, since I've only been showering twice a day recently. So no gym contact along with a case of some very uncool mat-nasty has me reexamining my showering practices.

A Dornbracht shower. Ain't it purdy?

So I'm going to roll with The Part Time Grappler's theme of skin care. I ran across this article on showering frequency and, not surprisingly, those of us on the North American continent spend WAY too much time getting clean. What DID surprise me though, is the recommendation that medical personnel not shower immediately before a procedure since washing with non-antibacterial soap just disturbs colonies of skin-critters as opposed to getting rid of them. It also recommended against the "Japanese" exfoliating rag I've been using for...years now. I love the thing. I even got my brother one because where he lives in Japan (strangely, where nobody had heard of said rag), towels and washcloths go funky overnight and this thing holds almost no water. Apparently, I'm doing my skin more harm than good by shredding off the upper layer twice a day. Dah well. Back to the washing board.

Of Recipes and Recovery

2011-07-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

Onward and upward in the quest to eat more vegetables. Today, I'm filling out my work lunch rotation with an improv dish...fresh tuna and mushroom casserole spiked with sweet peas and spinach.

It's pretty simple and you cut back on the salt by making the "soup" from scratch and using fresh tuna (gives it less of a fishy taste) instead of canned. I shaved a lot of the time off by not pre-boiling the noodles (works with lasagna too). You just water down the sauce some after you pour it into the casserole dish.

In other news...I'm clear to train again! I went to Dr. Fox today to get cleared to wean myself off the boot and start training again. I made my way back and he introduced me to a visiting doctor. He then explained that I hurt my toe training "for UFC". Doctor #2 laughed it off as a joke.

"Ha...I'm serious...I don't joke about that stuff."
"Oh wow..."

It was my third appointment since I started seeing him and I figured this visit would be similar to the others. Testing the bones to see if there was pain. Some nice banter about training. Oh-ho was I wrong. Little did Megan know that today it was time to clear out some of the scar tissue and adjust the clicking in my toes. He explained to me in his usual, calming tone (he has total yoga-voice) that he was going to manipulate my toes in order to remedy some of the clicking issue. Cool. He demonstrated how he was going to grip my toes and bend them away from the rest of my foot. Cool. He then stood up and I thought to myself "hmm...I wonder why he's standing up. He probably did that for better leverage. Wait. Why does he need better lever...AHHHHH!!!!" I didn't actually scream...well, I did, but I swallowed it. After that though, my toes move more smoothly and the articulation is better than in the non-injured foot. Woo!

And now...dancing cats.

Toe shoes, Sombo or tape?

2011-07-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Me and Bootsie at work. I've been wearing crackle nail polish to coordinate and make a statement about the state of my toe bones

So I SHOULD be getting the all clear tomorrow to be rid of the boot () and go back to training. I'm getting a little (and by that I mean a lot) tired of taping my toes...so...I'm considering footwear.

I've heard good things about wrestling/sombo shoes, but then just had someone suggest those toe shoes that people have such a love/hate relationship with.

I'm really curious to see how my training has changed after some time off. Sure, I've been itchy, but I've always found breaks in the learning process to be a great way to take a step back, let your mind cement what it already has and to clarify direction. We'll see.

Healthy Foods I actually like

2011-07-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

So I've been checking out some of the nutritional guidance at Precision Nutrition. I'm on part 4 for the free tutorials for women and fat loss and I'm proud to say that I seem to have discovered most of their tips on my own...I uh...just haven't been following them.

Five hours a week of exercise? Check. Better fats and more protein? Check. Not starving yourself? Done. They even suggested my exact protein shake recipe. My big problem has just been that I've been slipping on portion size and have stopped replacing carbs with vegetables. So...I need a little reminder on healthy foods I really like...

You win this round.

Broccoli...eating a broccoli omelet right now. I love the taste of it when it's overcooked
Spinach...even in its non-creamed state, it's good stuff
Asparagus...LOVE it baked (over baked) with lemon and olive oil
Nuts...pecans, cashews and pistachios only need apply
Herbs of all kinds...extra flavor with greenery points!
Fennel...cooked only. Cooked. Only.
Anything out of the sea...seriously...anything.

So yeah...making a small change back to where I used to be. Dinners that are based more on greens than potatoes again. Hopefully I won't miss the red creamers too much.

Freemind Upgrade!

2011-07-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

To keep this blog as readable as possible, I keep my techniques in a separate database using Freemind's mind mapping software.

Well They just upgraded and fixed a lot of the bugs that used to irk me. Notes no longer automatically pop up if you hover over a cell. The interface is cleaner overall and you can edit them using HTML. The preview pop up is pretty nice too. As far as keeping a technique journal is concerned, it's definitely the best solution I've run across.

I haven't hit my learning groove.

2011-07-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Seriously...less than a minute ago, it hit me that I haven't yet hit my BJJ learning groove. It all still feels somewhat awkward and bumpy.

I miss training. I know what I want to improve...what I want to specialize in...what I'm ignoring because I know it's just going to be an uphill battle (taking the back).

Not sure what that means, if it's a problem, or if injury fatigue is starting to set in. My best guess is that I've hit a point in my training where the newness has totally worn off and I want focus and a game plan and direction.

On a side note, I'm really starting to worry about my foot. I've been in the boot for a week and I still have shocking pain if anything bumps into my big toe. (Thankfully the two baby-fractured ones seem to be healing ok.) It's terribly ironic that I hurt it the same day two purples and a brown belt gingerly walked me through the mystery and intimidation of stapling passes. All I want to do is drill them and I think it's going to be a while before I can do that properly.

If BJJ teaches you nothing else, it teaches you deep, internal patience.

Confessions of a Feminist Nutritionist

2011-07-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

Seven years in and protein shakes are starting to get to me once again.

I'm posting this partially to remind myself to come back and read this when my eyes are a little less fatigued. It's a timely article for me, since, years before starting BJJ, I decided to start eating better overall to lose weight. Well...I ate less and lost weight, but I was eating only about 1200 calories a day of not-so-good food. So the weight came off, and I was working out, but I don't think I qualified as healthy. So I'm kicking around a new challenge in my head...one harder than under eating or working out too much or learning Mandarin or stepping on the mats for the second time (it was way harder than the first). I want to find the place in me that has a balanced relationship toward food. The place that understands that food is both nutrition and pleasure and abuses neither.

Here's the speech I'm reading through. It's long, and good. It's a pretty academic read, but it makes an effort to bridge the gap between movements centered around body image and actual programs to create change. Here's an excerpt...

Social justice advocates from all fields have made important critiques of:

media representations
publicly disseminated scientific knowledge claims
and body-related practices and domains of knowledge such as medical science

This is important, because we are avid consumers of health- and body-related information. There are industries – such as the pharmaceutical industry or what I call the fitness-industrial complex – that profit from our bodies and from particular discourses.

And it’s especially important because it’s often the people who are most marginalized who have certain regimes enacted upon their bodies.

In other words, it is essential to have a critical social justice framework that takes up questions of ability, aging, racialization, access to care, etc.

I'm not announcing starting a diet or a goal or reaching a point of dissatisfaction. It's more that I've reached a point of decision to pick up a journey I started ten years ago. Funny, at the time, when I made a lot of permanent changes in my attitude toward food and eating, I thought I'd "finished". It's crazy how few things in life are ever, really "finished".

Adjusting to a BJJ body

2011-07-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

Your body changes a lot when you train regularly, especially if you weren't previously active. Rougher skin, more muscle, less fat, more flexibility...and that's not to mention all the changes that can come from injury.

Several weeks back, I went out with my best friend to test out her newest photography gear. This is a sample of what resulted.

Trudy's photographed me many times before, but usually under more prepared circumstances...either I'd done my makeup and hair or my appearance was softened by the happiness of travel or peace of restedness. I'd never before been photographed wearing regular clothes, the emotional weight of a day's work and no makeup. On the way downtown, I had brief apprehensions, but I thought to myself that there was no reason I shouldn't be able to handle being photographed in my "natural" state, even knowing the pictures would be up for public viewing. For the first time, I didn't try to undo the strain of a day staring at spreadsheets, highlight my eyes or wear a top that camouflaged my short leg to torso ratio.

Once I saw this photo (my current Facebook profile pic) the very first thing that struck me was how much of jiu jitsu I could see on myself. I've always been self-conscious about my mid-section, and I saw a trunk that had been thickened through months of hip escapes. I saw short nails and thighs that are the thickest they've been in a long time.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not 100% happy with where my fat content stands right now, but jiu jitsu has allowed me to accept my body in ways I haven't before.

Would you choose BJJ over your toe?

2011-07-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

I guess the question is, which one? Maybe? No? Honestly, probably not, but I just heard about this story of Randy Couture's trainer, Neil Melanson, who, instead of facing a year off training, had his problem toe amputated.

Hard core. Redefined.

Most grabby position...

2011-07-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a post I read on Sherdog about reasons not to train with women...freaks aside, what position do you find yourself getting genuinely accidentally grabbed in?

I've heard a lot of complaints about full guard (a guy bracing on your chest to posture up), but I've had more issues when a guy takes my back and goes for a lapel.

Men who won't roll with women...

2011-07-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

So a couple weeks back at open mat, I noticed that my partner, who I've rolled with for...months now, had mysteriously disappeared mid drill. I figured he needed to tape a joint or something, so I stretched and watched some of the other guys drilling. A few minutes later he came back...

"Hey Megan. I have to tell you...when my wife's not here, I can't roll with you. We've been married for 20 years and..."

I explained that I had no problem. I'd rather a guy be up front with me about any issues they have rolling with women (don't know how to hold back, don't know how to control themselves, psycho significant other, girlfriend that trains, whatever) than to go through with it and risk injury, drama, or uncomfortable situations.

It got me thinking about what reason for not rolling with women WOULD actually get to me. The only one is the idea that they couldn't learn from a woman. Even men who don't spar for religious reasons don't bother me as much. While I don't like it, I'd rather someone manifest their abstention in their personal behavior than trying to restrict mine.

I'm curious as to whether lesbians have the same issue. I know of a few that train and have sparred with a couple and imagine it works the same way. Partners just assume gyms will be full of big sweaty guys.

I gotta figure out how to shower with no water...

2011-06-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

So West Palm Beach is down to 8 or so days of water. We just got a good rain, but I'm still a bit...concerned. I've tried to cut back, but my showering frequency is a matter of health, not just hygiene.

My MMA Secret...again

2011-06-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

The guys seemed extra friendly tonight. I came in to a gauntlet of "Hi Megan!"s

Something odd has happened. I guess I should have seen it coming. I couldn't be the newbie-whitebelt forever. There's a whole new crop of guys that have no idea that I went deaf after training or saw me fumbling around with forward rolls. Now I think I'm just the big chick that rolls with the big guys.

But yes...my MMA secret. Assuming no one from the gym reads this blog (really not sure about that one), nobody knows how little exposure I have to grappling/BJJ/MMA.

Tibau

Before training I'd never watched a match. Even now, I'll stop just to check out some ground work every now and again. Normally I know when Parrhumpa's out of town cornering somebody, but this time, I knew one of the ladies (Congrats Jessica!) had a fight pretty close to home, so I figured he was here. Well, I was channel surfing and saw Cole Miller's face, so I stopped. Then I heard Parrhumpa's voice. I've seen him before and it's always cool to see him working on TV.

Next up, Gleison Tibau was fighting. I'd seen him in the gym before, and heard some of the new guys gushing "Oh my gosh! There's Tibau! There's Tibau!", so I stopped to watch. It was an interesting fight with a lot of takedown attempts that I'm glad I got to see. I was leaving the mats today and saw him coming on to train. It still amuses me how mild mannered and chill the pro-fighters are. Totally unassuming, totally dangerous.

You have no idea what your body can't do.

2011-06-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I say this to other couch potatoes. I say this as a natural couch potato. No, not those of you who were football players in high school and college and got lazy after your daughter was born, or even those that were karate champions at age 10, but gave up after the priorities of friends and fun took over.

I'm talking to those of you who hate moving and have always hated moving. Those who only moved during P.E. or on Wednesdays when your parents forced you into a ballet class. I'm talking to those of you who were more interested in D&D, WoW, Magic or Pokemon than...tag. Yes. I'm speaking mostly to my nerdish and bookish brethren.

We have many reasons for disliking movement. Maybe you're like me and were set against outside play from birth because a grass allergy discouraged you from playing in the lawn with other kids. Maybe your parents were overprotective and wouldn't let you leave the house. Or...again...like me, maybe your knees hurt and your chest burned like fire when you exerted yourself. Maybe you were just clumsy and embarrassed by movement.

When, at age 12, I took the Presidential Physical Fitness Test and couldn't get my hands past my knees because of tight hamstrings, no one told me that could be changed. No one told me that the fact that I got winded within minutes of running could be remedied. Not even a hint. Teachers focused on the athletically gifted, tolerated the mediocre and the rest of us were expected to survive. One crucial thing they didn't teach me in PE that, for whatever reason, was hammered into students in every other field through homework and writing and repetition...

You can do better.

I had no clue what my body was capable of and no one, from what I could tell, seemed to think it was capable of more. I just assumed that the genes that had my athletic father, uncle, cousins and grandparents on both sides playing college and pro basketball, running track and playing baseball had skipped me.

Actually...I take that back. I think there can be a draw back in focusing on what a body is capable of. First off, a person has to believe you when you tell them what they "could" do. After the pre-teens, self-perception is pretty much set and everybody involved ends up fighting a losing battle. Even now, let's say my body "could" run a five minute mile. Even if I believe you, so what? Do I need that skill in my daily life? If I don't have a desire and there's no use, why should I even try to reach my full potential?

I don't care what I'm capable of if I don't need or appreciate those capabilities.

What Brazilian jiu jitsu HAS taught me to care about though, is what I'm NOT capable of. It's a small twist on perspective, but it's made a huge difference for me. I know that I'm not capable of squatting with my feet flat on the floor. I've learned to notice times in my life when I couldn't go about my daily business without an increase in heart rate. I've learned that I couldn't handle my own body weight aside from basic walking and jogging and stair climbing. That last one...really disturbed me. Even if a person never becomes an elite athlete, I believe they should be able to handle diverse spectra of movement of their own physical being. I would have known none of these things had I not started practicing.

Learning the not and conquering the not, has made me aware of the could and want the could.

I believe we are a special and uncommon student. I believe that we have a chasm to cross that most other people in gyms don't. I can't name one other person at my gym that isn't an athlete or former athlete or at least a former tomboy. Breaking the negative association with or dismissal of physical movement is a task unto itself, and one I think BJJ is especially well equipped to complete.

My doctor knows what the full guard is!

2011-06-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

So I was sitting at the chiropractor's office today. I'm getting an MRI on my foot instead of das boot. Hopefully it'll be smoother sailing than clomping around in a chunk of plastic.

The visit was great though. This is the second...no...THIRD doctor I've seen about this, so I wasn't expecting too much. I explained how I'd hurt myself and he replied "Yeah...we're going to have to take you off running, but I don't want you to have to stop training completely. If you do spar, work in full guard and escapes only. Nothing from the top." Say what? Did he just give me a BJJ specific prescription? I knew going to a chiro that specialized in sports medicine meant that there would be a deeper understanding of the injury, but it turns out this guy works on a couple of big name MMA fighters when they want to treat their injuries with as much secrecy as possible. This was the exact OPPOSITE of the kiais. I guess that's the benefit of training in an area where MMA is so big.

We talked more about treatment and diagnosis options and something he said totally caught me off guard "I want to interrupt your training as little as possible. I don't like to keep athletes from their activities." Athletes? Me? An athlete? No way.

Afterward, we discussed my chronically crackly knees, which thankfully, are only due to genetically tight quads. Apparently the tight muscle offsets alignment, causing pain. The grinding comes from decreased cartilage (which I knew) and apparently, grappling helps rebuild it.

Creepiest prank EVER...

2011-06-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

But first, I need to confess my massive jiu jitsu crushes on Saulo Ribeiro and Roy Dean. My ears perk whenever anyone even mentions their names. I sleep with a copy of Jiu Jitsu University in bed. I'm dead serious.

And now...the prank...

Tonight was cool. We worked a flowing drill (I know there's a technical term for them) that went from a standing guard pass to side control to mount to bridge mount escape, then your partner starts. I don't know why, but I love continuous flow drills.

There's a new guy in class...white belt...looks to be early 20s. He's gonna be goooood. Watching him learn is so cool. he catches everything quickly, has a really good attitude and is humble. I love cool, good people.

BJJ and church, Intimacy and Men

2011-06-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

So I've spent the better part of the past six weeks limping, facially bruised (I just got kneed REALLY hard in the cheek on Friday) and wearing a wrist brace. I think this is the first time I've really started to "show" that I train. I hobbled into my small group study at church a couple of weeks back and between that and a fading black eye, I knew I probably needed to do something proactive in explaining my injuries. The pastor that leads the group knows I train, has trained himself and to my surprise, was elated to find out I trained at American Top Team.

So last week we were discussing Biblical warriors (David in particular) and situations where technique, agility and training win out over larger, more powerful opponents. I knew he wanted me to mention jiu jitsu, since honestly, it's a perfect example of the concept. I hesitated, unsure how it would go over. Why?

Because church...gender wise, is probably the opposite of what goes on at the gym. Genders hold the same positions in relation to one another...men do manlier things and women do womanlier things...but the environment is shifted toward that of the less physical...making the men not quite as manly (at least not while physically in the building) and the women not quite as manly as you'd see in class.

So yeah, being a 200lb, 6' tall, Black woman with a stoic personality and relatively non-feminine communication style, I paused a little before adding "MMA fighter" (because you know people won't differentiate) to that list of the superficial breakdown of Megan.

He kept talking, wanting to discuss, but not wanting to "out" me. "I know someone in here trains physically for something very similar to what we're talking about." He didn't stop for me to "step forward". I took it as his wanting to engage in the subject, but at the same time, being aware that not everybody wants every part of their life revealed to a group of people. He moved on through the topic. I sat and thought about why I was concerned and decided to just come out with it. As I was talking, I could feel my label shifting, growing, being reviewed and recalculated. I didn't care. If people can be open about divorce and alcoholism, abuse and abandonment, I surely should have no shame or qualms about what I do for fun and challenge.

Of course, there were changes in people's reactions to me...mostly on the male side though. The pastor's wife already knew I trained, so nothing changed with her. We discussed books and Chinese and stress as always. The other women...no shifts that I could see. The guys though, once again, I noticed them being more open to discussing their own physical pursuits and interests...more emotionally open overall and more relaxed...and this came simply from the factual knowledge that I did something physical.

...which got me thinking back to something that hit me about men and physicality as a gateway to intimacy.

Every week I get men and the physical bonding deal even more. I think it breaks down walls and establishes trust. We've all read and heard often how important sex is for men to feel close to their partners in a relationship and I'm starting to think the physical closeness is a HUGE component in that. That it's a big deal for men in any relationship, romantic or otherwise. Which...on a side note...has me lamenting how our society sexualizes almost all forms of physical contact...but I really digress.

After open mat and a really good roll, I sat with one of the blues, talking about why we started training and he told me how little confidence and how little focus he used to have. He spoke of how much of a positive difference training has made in his life. I told him about my first day training after years of the school/work grind and how it was a release after almost a decade pushing to learn business, health care and foreign languages. The conversation shifted into Spanish...his a fluent Cuban, mine a solid, but stumbling work in progress. He continued to talk about training and the gym and I taught him some basic principles of Chinese. I know that I would have never had this conversation with this man had I not been training...and honestly, wouldn't have if I hadn't been rolling with him on a regular basis.

There are walls that exist between men and women, founded on our differences and constructed by societal norms...some I believe exist for a reason, but many of them, don't. I see now, that the cleanest way to break down walls with men is through physical activity as a trust building exercise... after all, it's hard to hide your true character in a fight. My only question now is, assuming that women have some mechanism for breaking down those same barriers of trust, what that mechanism is.

Battling the Baker

2011-06-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

My eternal struggle to eat better persists.

In my 20s, I pretty much conquered the beasts of portion size and boredom eating. Now I have two, almost Herculean obstacles to overcome. Pastries and Greenery.

I love to bake. I bake when bored. If I want a chocolate cake with mousse filling and a hazelnut ganache, I can get one together as an after work project. Stressed? Better make a creme brulee. So, in an effort to slow down the eating, I've started freezing. It seems to be helping, since eating is more of result of seeing the effects of my cooking than an end unto itself. My freezer is now happy brimming with chocolate chip cream cheese brownies, a cupcake, leftover creme anglaise (which I FINALLY made without it curdling) and a couple slices of chocolate bourbon chess pie.

On the greenery front, I've started making Indian for work lunches. Honestly, I've always been scared of eating foods that were too heavily spiced on days that I train. I'm paranoid I'll be sweating curry from my pores. Not like I'd be able to tell, but things seem to be going ok so far. I've been trying out some pre-packaged sauces (which I learned from a cashier, are pronounced, "Shere Hahn" and are actually Pakistani in origin) and amping up the vegetable content. I think this will be a battle I'm fighting for the rest of my life.

200mL to go until I have normal lung capacity!

2011-06-14T19:09:00.001-07:00

That is all.

"Wow...it actually doesn't look like sex."

2011-06-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

That paraphrases what a friend of mine said after I sent her a video of Roy Dean demonstrating an armbar. I've found myself watching his videos just for the sake of seeing him spar. Admittedly, there aren't a lot of people with a lot of slo-mo video available, but I still think there's something insanely graceful about the way he flows.

Top 10 Fight Songs

2011-06-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here festering in injury funk so imaginary rolling has been a good friend this last month of half-sparring. Here are a few of the songs that make me feel like I NEED to fight somebody. need.

1) Xzibit-Concentrate
2) System of a Down-Chop Suey
3) Beyonce-Run the World
4) Tan Dun-In the Chess Court (the track from that awesomely insane fight between Donnie Yen and Jet Li in Hero)
5) Jay Z- On to the Next one
6) Goodie MoB-Who's that Peeking in my Window
7) Shiro Sagisu-Storm Center
8) Biggie Smalls and Bone Thugs 'n' Harmony-Notorious Thugs
9) Disturbed-Stupified
10) Clint Mansell-Requiem for a Dream

*honorable mention-Trick Daddy-Bet That

How I got over my anxiety...and a night with old dudes and a hybrid.

2011-06-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

That shirt down there, is from my middle school physical education uniform (I can't find the dark blue daisy dukes). Our year was broken into six week segments learning the rules and techniques of different sporting events. Football, basketball, golf, baseball, soccer, bowling, tennis, raquetball, track and field...I'm sure I'm missing a couple in there. I love my little middle and elementary school, but PE was the source of some of the most embarassing moments in my life.

I sometimes forget about the wide range of non-physical issues people are dealing with while training. I saw a post on a forum today of a guy who, 2 years into training, is still getting really bad anxiety going into class. He got quite a few questions from people who suffer from social anxiety issues and people who were just straight up scared. It got me thinking of how I got past that horrible, gut-wrenching fear that used to have me hiding in my car and the bathroom before class.

I started noticing I was much less anxious on open mat nights, which had a few differences from the regular class, so I started mentally removing every small component of the class I could think of...watching the "big kids's class", lining up, running, drills, watching a technique, repeating a technique, being corrected on a technique, getting water, picking a partner for rolling, rolling, shaking hands, changing...everything I could think of, and imaging how I would feel stepping into that class.

Turns out it was the warmup and ending up "the sweaty one". It had me going back to days as "the slow kid" in middle school. I started paying more attention to higher belts and realized I wasn't the only one having problems. Seeing that I wasn't alone combined with time helped me get past the anxiety. Now I just dislike it. Not running is the only perk of otherwise suck-tastic turf toe.

Tonight's class was a weird mix. Lots of 30+ guys and some converts from the no-gi class. After class, one of the higher belts whispered to me "hey...you hear all the old guys?" They were all in the corner, comparing ages. "I'm 45." "I'm 42." "Oh yeah, I'm 48." We chuckled and he asked how old I was (I think that's a big hallmark of of acceptance...the guys asking your weight or age without stuttering.) I then, once again, revealed my nerd status.

I've rolled with most of them before and normally they're chill...but let me tell you, tonight? I was glad to be with Mr. ThisismysecondgiclassandeventhoughIagreedtogolightI'mgoingtotrytocrackyourjawlikearipepecan. The old dudes were going for BLOOD tonight. There were four of them and the previously chill guys turned to flaming balls of aggression. But yeah...Mr. NoGi. Rolling with someone lost in a gi, but who knows non-gi related moves makes for a weird flow. At one point he let out a little yelp, looked at me and said "everytime you grab for something, I get worried at what you're about to do"...and then exploded into a clean guard pass.

It was a funny, great night, despite being toe-limited.

Teacher punching student: What would you do?

2011-06-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just saw this on the news...

Watching, I wondered what I would have done in a similar situation...pre-BJJ, throwing a punch probably would have been my first reaction when threatened with larger male backing me into a corner. After training though (especially since I don't train striking), I honestly think I may have gone for a takedown. The thought of seeing that on video though...a teacher taking down and choking out a student...the visual...I feel like the court decision would have turned out differently.

I suck at new levels.

2011-06-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

I've felt like I suck before, but tonight, I was able to feel inferior while doing NOTHING. I have half a mind to pat myself on the back for accomplishing such a feat of self-deprecation.

I went to the no-gi class despite my distaste for the slippery-art and my turfed-toe. I told myself "Self, we're gonna go to class, not run, do drills from the bottom, pushups from the knees and we will NOT train. We will not." So what'd I do? I trained. I was pleased to find that I made it through with no problems at all, save getting stuck in guard because of my limited passing options. Afterward, I was playing with one of the babies as competition class was starting when the head instructor looked at me and asked "what are you waiting for?" I went and put on my snazzy new Vulkan (which I love...to...death) and entered the mats just as the drills were ending. Then I heard it..."Against the wall!". Crap. Judo. Judo makes me feel like a fumbling basket of uncoordination.

I know it's useful. I know it's important. I just canNOT get into it. So I made it through a few runs up and down the mats, fumbling and stumbling, pleased that I was at least able to get grips right. We started taking the throws all the way to the floor, so I sat out the rest of class. I was cool for a bit, but I felt so silly. I was sitting next to the instructors wife and told her how it was bothering me how I couldn't train. She replied that it was good that I came and got something in instead of just sitting at home. Still felt crappy. Talked to the lady pro fighter who was also nursing wounds. Still felt crappy.

Tomorrow's non-competition class should help me get back to a normal state of ego. Oh...and I'm starting to understand Portuguese.

What I learned (and didn't learn) from armbars from mount.

2011-05-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

This submission has plagued me like no other before...though I think I may be glamorizing the good ol' days of triangle frustration.

I think though, that it is an excellent example of the recent clarity I've had in how I learn physical things. Not surprisingly, it is very similar to how I learn the intangible. I'm a top down learner, which means details are little more than disconnected lists of rote memorization until I know what the whole puzzle looks like. Always making comparisons to my adventures in language learning, I'm starting to make efforts to translate what I learned not to do while studying Japanese, and learned TO do in Spanish and Mandarin.

Here are the methods I use when studying language:

Listen as much as possible. 8 hrs a day of foreign radio at work, more at home and while driving if possible.
Study grammar, but in very, very small pieces that you concentrate on identifying during your listening sessions throughout the day.
Study vocabulary, but no more than 2-3 words a day that you keep an ear out for during listening sessions.
Engage in small, simple conversations as much as possible
Spend as much time as possible talking to native speakers.
Spend time with other learners for the sake of explanation and guidance from someone who's walked the same path you have.
Spend time with less advanced learners for the sake of explanation and guidance. Minimize listening, especially when starting off.
Change little parts of your life for skills that require pure memorization (counting stretching in your non-native tongue, reading off numbers on signs you see, etc.)
Watch movies and shows in genres you enjoy in a foreign language
Listen to rap in that language (sounds nuts, but it does wonders for comprehension, listening speed and accent if you start to sing along)

This part right here? The bane of my jiu jitsu existence.

Basically, I prefer a more subconscious method of language acquisiton partnered with light use of bottom-up methods like drills and vocabulary.

What's that mean in the world of BJJ? I find rolling more helpful than drilling. Now before the drilling police find me, I appreciate the importance of drilling...after 10 years of piano scales and finger exercises, I know all too well that certain muscle function is only acquired with massive amounts of time spent in repetition of movement. Beyond that though, when it comes to understanding a position, I need to see it in action. I need to watch other people react. I know I'm at a disadvantage because I've never watched MMA or grappling before training, so I have to watch more matches and more higher belts rolling...higher only. If I watch lower belts, I'll pick up their habits. I spent a year teaching newbies to Mandarin the basics of pronunciation, thinking "Yay! I'm helping someone learn Mandarin and at the same time, will improve my own because teaching helps you learn!" Yeah...only kinda. It helped me in my understanding of theory, but application? My tones muddied and I slowed massively in vocabulary acquisition.

So last week, I was sitting in a lesson with WrestlerInstructor (brown) and KickboxerInstructor (purple), having the steps of an armbar explained to me. While trying not to completely smother the poor teen that was my dummy for the day, I would imitate, and then go off on my own tangential efforts of understanding overarching concepts, letting go of any details that had just been given me.

I'll imitate a detail to advance a lesson, but I don't focus until I get the purpose. As a child, I did this in private, trying to follow along while my mind was racing, looking for the big picture. As an adult, I've learned to repeat what I see as the purpose of a detail, out loud. I have yet to have an instructor that didn't respond with a confirmation or correction.

I can though, see how this could be frustrating for an instructor. I imagine it can come off as if I'm forgetful or not listening, which in actuality, I'm simply not ready for the details I'm being given at the time. I'm thinking I'd benefit from discussion of a position before any demonstration begins.

Here are some issues I've found crop up for me in the step-by-step method of BJJ instruction:

I can repeat steps when they're presented to me, but retention is far from optimal.
I can explain steps when they're presented, but application while rolling will be difficult.
I miss steps because I find myself concentrating on the entire move.
If a step has to be modified for my body type and I haven't grasped the entire big picture, I have to start rebuilding said picture from scratch.
Performing variations becomes difficult.
Countering an opponent's reactions becomes a daunting task of memorizing prescribed reactions to prescribed situations...neither of which can even come close to covering all the possibilities that come up in training.
I stall. A lot.

I'm comforted somewhat by a gong fu friend of mine who "suffers" from the same issue. His sensei told him that his method of learning is much slower at the beginning, but provides for a more solid foundation of understanding since you are trying to learn much more from the get go.

Oh...the translation of that language rules...

Watch as much as possible. Get on YouTube and watch matching of grapplers you respect. Especially those with similar body types and strengths/weaknesses
Study principles, but only one or two at a time. Find people at the gym who execute them well and watch them.
Study moves but only a couple at a time. Focus on identifying them while you're watching others roll.
Position specific, full resistance drills are your friends.
Spend as much time as possible with high level belts.
Spend time with blues and high whites for the sake of explanation and guidance from someone who's memory is fresh on what it's like to be a newbie.
Teach other white belts. When rolling, play offense as much as possible. (I'm finding that defense against white belts isn't a very valuable skill.)
Incorporate drills into your life. Stretch at work. Bridge and hip shoot to get moving in the morning. Use bodyweight exercises to come down from work.
Watch Red Belt.
Listen to Brazilian rap.

Jiujitsu as Religion

2011-05-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

From the use of phrases like "Oh my Rickson Gracie" and "Rickson Gracie bless you" to long, heart-felt posts on how much meaning and camaraderie training BJJ has brought people, you don't have to travel far across the internet to see the juxtaposition of religion and our art. Being a practicing Christian, and having had my share of ups and downs navigating the world of the church, it concerns me.

Why? Because, like in the beginnings of many religions, I see, on the surface, gushing triumph, bonds being formed and monumental personal success and growth. In private, from personal experiences and the testimony of others, I see people working through the all too human, and all too common issues that come about when people do things with other people that might not be doing things for the most pure reasons. On a larger scale, the idea of BJJ losing its potency and incredibly unique camaraderie, like so many religions and other arts have done after becoming more commodity than personal journey, saddens me.

I've said it before, but I do not believe in doing anything solely for its own sake. The art can advance to the point where we're levitating ourselves into mount, but if that means we leave in our wake a trail of broken, scarred or disappointed souls, the loss was not worth the gain. As Roy Dean put it...

Allow the discipline to transform you. A lot of people end up serving the discipline; they get injured, they give up their wife, they give up their job to chase the discipline. The discipline should enhance your life, you should never serve the discipline. And sometimes you lose perspective on that. I have certainly stepped over that line where I’ve lost perspective and overtrained. “Oh, this means so much.” Where you’re crushed after a loss, you’re elated after a victory. Hey man these are just markers, they’re milestones on your own journey. No one else is watching. It’s your own trip. Enjoy it. Craft your journey carefully and you will discover who you are.

No, I do not take this as an emergency, and I love to see the amazing transformations practice has brought about in people's (my own included) lives, but it is, I think, a bit of a warning sign...a reason to stay vigilant in the behavior of people we see around us and do our personal best to be the most honorable, responsible, caring and contentious practitioners we can be.

I'm so glad I ended up in a martial art that involves live sparring.

2011-05-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

I spent years trying to find a martial art that suited me. Tai chi lessons, years of research and multiple rejections of BJJ because of the physical proximity...at least a solid five years of active searching.

I remember one night dancing at a local Salsa club and coming out of a cross body lead, I got this nagging feeling that the dance would never quite fulfill an internal need for competition and aggression.

So yeah...looking on Wikipedia under the BJJ article and seeing that the hardness level BJJ registers under is the highest possible for training an art...well, it makes me smile.

Can't wait to try the new Vulkan!

2011-05-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

I just got my new Vulkan Pro Light. Goldweave is rough in Florida heat...especially black Goldweave...

But yeah...I really like it. It's an A3 and I'm surprised that it's a little too big (should be fine after some shrinkage) but the pants are already short. Figures.

This video cracks me up and I have no idea why...

2011-05-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen. Two days later, driving, I remember it and start crying laughing.

Spiders are evil.

2011-05-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

Seriously...they are.

So I've been limping around on my bum toe for two weeks now. After I got the all clear from the podiatrist to train with the qualification that I try to stay off my toes, I went to a private (that turned out to be a not-so-private since the MMA class ran long and there were like, 8 million people hanging around afterward) and aside from a couple of scary moments, it went fine.

Until that night. I don't know if they felt enlivened by the threat of the Rapture, but spiders have been out in full force lately. Last night, I needed some green onions from the garden and ventured outside, making sure to wipe a broom around the doorway to catch any crafty arachnids. Well, I must have missed a web and felt it brush my arm as I walked out. Remembering the HUGE spider I'd seen earlier in the day, I jumped back, planting on my injured foot. Great. There really may be an MRI in my future.

Sads.

In other news...it's really time for me to stop kidding around about my diet. I went to lunch yesterday after training with a couple of the ladies and we got to talking about weight. The blue belt I started with mentioned the day she noticed that, after months of not being able to get me in closed guard, one day, all of a sudden, she closed it with no problem. Now, she's starting to have difficulty again. I've spent months in the mindset that I'm not going to go buck wild, but that I'm also not pushing too hard to eat right. Well, the toll has been taking and it's time to reevaluate.

I'm really enjoying flow rolling btw. It seems to do a lot for me in clearing out cobwebs and stalling to think. Definitely must do more.

Am I worthy of this gi?

2011-05-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my best photografriend today about people and the gear they buy for photography. Basically, some photographers buy expensive cameras, lenses and filters and believe it's a replacement for actual ability.

It really made me think how, after ordering my Vulkan Pro Light, I still have a nagging feeling that I'm not "worthy" of a gi that costs much more than $100. Now hold on. I KNOW that a gi means nothing, and you don't earn your way to an expensive gi and a gi doesn't have any effect on your abilities...but still, since day 1, I've never wanted to be "that white belt with the crazy nice gi".

I did the same thing in salsa. Part of it was related to commitment...I wasn't going to buy $150 shoes if I weren't sure I wanted to keep dancing, but I also didn't want to be one of the beginners with the super flashy shoes. To me it just screamed "they're in this for the short term".

I'm going to be doing this as long as I can, but still, I paused just a little before clicking that purchase button.

BJJ's costing me how much per year?!?

2011-05-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

I went to the podiatrist today...after going to urgent care. My foot just isn't healing the way I felt it should (also, seeing one of the guys who broke his arm playing with his kids after ignoring "slight" injuries on the mats got me moving) so I decided to get it checked out. Trying to explain BJJ injuries really takes some skill. You say "martial arts" injury and doctors start diagnosing impact related injuries and "kiai" starts being thrown around. I had to do it about four times between there and the podiatrist.

Thankfully the first doc was wrong in his first guess and it wasn't an occult fracture. The podiatrist has me in a sesamoid pad and off running/dancing/anything that involves putting my weight on my toes for two weeks. I can spar if I'm careful. If there's no improvement, I go for an MRI. Oh...and I have to wear sneakers...which is driving me nuts. I LOVED sneakers in college. I had a pair to match almost every top I had. Now...they feel bulky and annoying. I had a pair of cross-trainers at the office that I stuffed my feet into and I was miserable. I'll have to dig out a lighter pair to get me through the duration. At least my heels will stay cute.

Love the arrow they drew on...

But yeah, after paying for a couple copays today (and ordering my Vulkan Pro Light yesterday), I started to wonder how much I was putting out pure year on BJJ. Here's the list of expenses...

2 gis per year
1 bottle of hibiclens yearly
1 bottle of wrestler's foam per year
Special body washes, band-aids, disinfectant gels, disposable wash cloths, etc.
gas...
monthly membership
monthly privates
increase in use of shampoo and conditioner
assorted supplements that I wouldn't be taking otherwise

Grand total...just about $3,000 annually. Note that this doesn't include any tournaments or major injuries. I've never been one for cheap hobbies. It was a bit surprising, but it's totally worth it.

Do you let people help you up?

2011-05-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Back in the day...

I've gone back and forth on this since day 1.

The first time a guy got up and offered me his hand after a roll, I took it. The second, fearing I'd look weak, I didn't. Well, after judo month I have a new policy.

Why? Well, because during the month of judo and all the falling down and getting up, I learned that a lot of people don't know how to help other people to their feet. I got my arm contorted, had my body yanked well past standing, my shoulder stretched and all kinds of lovely things. Some guys I think just don't know the difference between helping someone up and dragging them to their feet by their pinky. After that happened a couple times, I started turning people...ok...guys...down. The ladies and a choice couple of guys know how to offer a hand/pull without interfering with the standing process.

My policy was confirmed tonight. My foot's still tweaked and getting up takes a moment of negotiation. I was partnered with one of the bigger guys today and twice he offered to help me up. I ignored his hand both times, but the second, I gave him a solid tap on the bicep and a "thanks".

Great interview with Emily Kwok

2011-05-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Found this interview over at GrappleArts.com. It's a really nice look at a great BJJ competitor and teacher that discuses size issues, awkward situation and a lot of other useful topics. Her story about "third knee" issues is particularly interesting. Check it out!

I doubled my lung capacity!!

2011-05-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

It's up to 3000mL inspired volume...which means I'm up to 94% of the recommended lung capacity for a female my age and weight, up from 48%. I love this thing an recommend it to ANYONE who'd like to improve gassing issues.

Happy Spider's breathing happily.

I may go to the doctor...

2011-05-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

So last Friday at the all levels class, I was rolling with a new purple, got swept, and something happened to my foot. I gave it a week off and things started to feel normal. I even got up to dancing on it and thought all was fine...fine enough to wear heels to my cousin's graduation at the University of Miami...big school=lots of walking.

Well, it felt like it had been set back a tad the next morning, but nothing horrible. Today though, I stubbed four of the toes again, which honestly hurt worse than the initial injury. I decided to ease my way back into it with some Flow Fit. I couldn't jump my way from squats to push ups like I normally do without some serious pain, so I slowed things down and got through my circuits.

I'm noticing that the toes are lacking some feeling, the big toe cracks when I bend and straighten it and it's starting to ache even when at rest. Might be time to go see an orthopedist and get my clicky, crackly knee checked out while I'm at it...and maybe I'll throw in the wrist I can't bend to the side without pain too...ugh. Weird that it's all on my right side...

Getting my chin to my toes...

2011-05-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

The 100 day Chin to Toe challenge rages on. I've modified my technique a bit after reading of this lady's success.

My biggest impediment to the forward bend? My hamstrings. When stretching with my back flat in a cold stretch, I could only get to about 90 degrees (Sad, I know). I've made some good progress and it doesn't hurt to stretch anymore...I'm down to mild discomfort.

On the side split, I actually enjoy that one now. Groin is still tight, but I'm noticing some positive impact when rolling already.

Maslow and BJJ dropouts...who's most likely to hang around?

2011-05-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

I was participating in a discussion on a jiu jitsu forum about BJJ dropouts. It turned to a question of who's most likely to continue training and an instructor suggested that two groups are most likely to push through the pain longer...those looking for self-actualization (level 5...more likely to have lives stable enough to commit long periods of study) and those looking to do it as a job (level 2...survival motivation).

As an activity, BJJ has the potential to satisfy all the highest four levels. I would guess that those on level two though, are more likely to quit because of pure economic forces...it's crazy difficult to make money and even to sustain as a training period to eventually make money from. Basically I don't know if BJJ is best suited to get them what they're looking for (not saying it's not worth the effort, it's just a very difficult path). Level 5 though, I think it's very well suited to achieve needs for creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, acceptance of facts and thankfully, provides an environment that supports morality.

I think jiu jitsu falls under level 5 for me (which actually explains my current apathy over competition and belts.) So what level are you and who do you see staying the longest at your club?

UFC SportsCenter Commercial

2011-05-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

I love this commercial...mostly because if you close your eyes, there's no way you'd know it were George St-Pierre sitting there in fight shorts.

How to know if you're on the right track to a triangle.

2011-05-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

So this is like, round three of my focusing on triangles. Gotten much better at not losing people in the locking process (I'm keeping better pressure and don't need to really look anymore). I'm not forgetting the arm, and I've started going straight for the lock more (at the gentle encouragement of a couple of the guys).

So I just ran across this article from InsideBJJ. I've been referencing Rob's stuff pretty much since I started training and it's all been really helpful, especially his piece "33 Grips Every Grappler Must Know".

The video that comes with it gives a few things you should aim for when setting up the submission. The one that I think is going to be the most use to me (in cases where going straight for the lock might not an option) is heel placement-getting the heel in contact with with at least the middle of the back. I think shooting for that will help me get past lazy hip-shooting.

My poor foots.

2011-05-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

So there was this new purple there tonight. He asked me to drill and his face looked crazy familiar. I'd seen him before, but I'm so bad with faces that I immediately starting wondering if I'd gone to high school with him or been his lab partner in college biology. Turns out I'd just run into him after Saturday classes. Maybe it's just me, but people look way different in gis than they do in a rashguard.

The one on the left is the victim.

Anyway, I went my first round with him and he went to sweep me. He directed me backward over my foot, which got twisted under me, and I heard a *pop* then an immediate, louder *POP* come from my foot. I can't even say it was painful, it just felt weird and swellzy at the base of the toes and right behind the ball of my foot. I could move everything and it only hurt when I put pressure on it.

Gotta learn to keep my toes "alive" in guard. I apparently have a habit of sitting back on my feet with shins rotated outward and instep flat on the ground.

On a positive note, I got to work on more standing passes (which I hate and am bad at) and stapling and moving (which took some personal coaching and help from two purple belts and a brown)...some serious intensive therapy.

Fighters are so...nice

2011-05-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

I've been making my first contact with some people from the Muay Thai world and they're just as nice and respectful as the BJJ people. I know we all know it, and I know it gets said eighteen times a day, but I really think there's a higher percentage of genuinely kind, personally open and humble people in the world of BJJ/MMA than the rest of society.

**I'm writing this under no influence from post-training snuggly-hormones.

What have you learned from a lower belt?

2011-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

So I was rolling with this new blue yesterday. I had him in scarf hold and managed to pull off this armbar. I saw it sitting there and went for it. He locked his hands up to defend and I started pushing (carefully) to break his grip. I did it, he tapped and I got a "good job, you got that, just push higher up on the arm next time."

We'd never learned it in class, I just know that for about a week, one of the bigger kids was catching me in it left and right (and now I see why. People just seem to walk into it.)

So...what has a lower belt taught you?

I had a quick conversation with our lady black belt about all the bumps and pitfalls your run into training BJJ and this video speaks pretty directly to that. If you've got a couple minutes, check out this video. I teared up a little.

Doing "manly" pushups...

2011-05-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

The resistance bands are really working. I'm up to doing full on military style pushups during the warmup...range of motion is still WAY too shallow, but the bands 3x a week are making a huge difference.

I know people recommend that you build perfect pushup form first, then work on number from there, but the opposite way seems to be working better for me. I think, starting out, I was so weak that bottoming out, I didn't have even close to enough power to get my 210 lbs back off the floor. I still don't, but I've started doing the workout above to build what I need during that phase of the movement. I highly recommend these for anybody looking for a portable, challenging resistance workout.

Happy news on the squat front too, I'm able to get my thighs below parallel with feet flat and hold without pain for a decent amount of time. I wouldn't have suspected that loosening up lower body flexibility would be so hard and slow.

I look like Popeye...

2011-05-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting in church and I noticed that my right forearm felt funny. I look down and it's all puffy and swollen. No discoloration that I can tell and only VERY minor pain when I turn my hand outward. It's not warm and ice seems to be getting it to go down. I'm keeping an eye on it. On the other hand (literally), my thumb brace should be in shortly.

Funny...after I'd been training a year I thought "Wow, I must be crazy lucky or not training hard enough" because besides joints being taken too far and not warming up properly, I didn't have those weird little foot-toe-hand-finger issues that other people did. I'm off to a good start to catch up.

I did this today and I'm proud...and I feel like a jerk.

2011-04-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Being one of those rare jiujitsukas that has no athletic experience at ALL, every now and then, we do something and my reaction is WOW! I did it!

Tonight was nice and chill. I showed up and it was me, NiceVoiceInstructor, four blues and one of the kids. Long story short, we did this...

I was so happy when I finished. Before we started, NiceVoiceInstructor told me it was a flashy, but not-too-difficult move he was going to teach. I don't know if it's because it was his class that I first took, but I always get scared when he says things about class. Somehow I heard "I'm going to do that to you today" and my nerves went all a-flutter. He's never hurt me, never had a bad experience and my nervousness is a thing of the past...I guess I just associate him with the scariness of starting BJJ.

Anyway, I ended up drilling with a blue that sounded EXACTLY like one of my cousins from New York and it went off without a hitch. Nice finish to judo month. I'm quite proud.

What I'm NOT proud of is yelping for joy when I thought I managed to make my way out of a judo throw one of the blue belts tried on me, only to find out a few seconds later that his groan wasn't one of failure, but instead one of pain because he'd actually strained his hamstring part way through. Oops.