Great interview with Emily Kwok

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!!

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...

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...

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?

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

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.