​Things are much grayer than the grappling world would have you believe. I think many times as instructors we teach techniques like there’s good and bad or right and wrong. While through time and experience we know more efficient or easier ways to do things, the truth is, if it works, it works. Perhaps it is the assumption of the student or maybe it’s the language we use, but there are a lot of valid escapes and ways to do things that I’ve seen people dissuaded from simply because their coach doesn’t like it. I will be honest if I don’t like a technique. I will also be more likely to give you the drawbacks of a move when you ask me about it. I don’t have all the answers and I never will, but we find better answers when we don’t search for perfect solutions.

​I am addicted to Jiu Jitsu, I have a need and want for Jiu Jitsu that negatively impacts my daily life. Although there are worse things to be addicted to, it is an addiction, nonetheless. To a certain extent it seems to be a must to move forward in grappling that you must have a compulsive need for it. It’s not that you don’t want to quit, you just can’t. The hole left by not doing Jiu Jitsu anymore would be too great. It takes your time, energy, money, and health. It also gives you so many things. In some ways I envy those for whom grappling can be just a hobby, but for me that ship sailed long ago.

​Have a goal that’s unreasonable, it’s good for you. Believe that you are capable of more. The best times of my life I was using up my days entirely, from 6am-10pm I was on a mission. Unfortunately, I got complacent, that’s not to say that I don’t use my days, but they’re not as fulfilling if my time and energy are not expressly dedicated. Expect more of yourself, show up to class, work out, do projects, create things, gain knowledge, and contribute to your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. Expect more, we all know we can.

​I’m starting to sound crustier, older, bitter, or some other adjective that matches someone who’s 85 as the days go on. I can acknowledge that, at some point though you have to at least try to not get beat up. If you come into the room and you’re not engaging in the exchanges, what’s the point? I’m not that much bigger than most of you and I’m smaller than some of you, being scared of me is ridiculous. I was a primary training partner for two nearly 300lb black belts for many years at the same size I am now and my main training partner for a long time was a 150lb masters athlete. You chose the activity, show up, work to defend yourself and also work to mount offense against others.

​Any athletic endeavor will cause nagging injuries, grappling is no different. Being sore and having parts of us not work the way they should or used to is the price we pay for the benefits we get when beating each other up. I usually have this talk with my brown belts that everything we do is hurting our health in some way simply because we are constantly deteriorating, it’s just a matter of choosing things that are either more or less beneficial in the long run. I have a plate in my hand and an ankle that sometimes still bothers me 8 years after injuring it, plus I live in a state of terminal soreness where I am so sore all the time, that I almost can’t be any sorer. No matter what path you choose there are going to be pluses and minuses, grappling is physical fitness plus practical skills, so it’s a decent path. Once again though, you have to determine what you can handle and whether it’s worth it for you.

https://youtu.be/FJzfDtiuj0s?si=B5_QyxlsVFjIxlsW
​https://youtu.be/ary963VdmqY?si=tvWmjiUcewI7flqd

1a. Spider web
1b. Free arm
1c. Bronx mount
1d. Exit danger
2a. High mount hyper extension 
2b. Legs in front or reverse 
2c. Mount hyper extension 
2d. Legs in front or reverse 
3a. Mount Rodeo- finish double closure/ arm attack for no gi
3b. Legs in front or reverse 
3c. Back Rodeo- finish double closure 
3d.  Legs in front or reverse 
4a. Full closed- pass
4b. Stop
4c. 1/2 guard- pass 
4d. Stop
5a. Up/down- pass
5b. Stop
5c. Side control- finish 
5d. Finish 
6a. Mount- finish 
6b. Finish 
6c. Back- finish 
6d. Finish 
7a. Heel catch
7b. Heel catch 
7c. Crucifix- finish 
7d. Escape 
8a. Undertook- block hips to off balance 
8b. Overhook- block hips to off balance 
8c. Tripod- breakdown 


8d. Stand up ​

​From white belt to black belt, you will basically hear the same advice or instruction just delivered in a different way. Keep your arms in, create space, get your legs in front, the goals never change. People just get better at accomplishing and nullifying the things we are trying to do. It might not seem like it at whatever level you’re on, but there’s only a limited number of things we actually do and a limited number of goals to accomplish. Get to the ground in a favorable position and bend a limb or close both sides of the neck until the match is over, a giant game of mercy.

​Make the other person uncomfortable. No matter what position you’re in if the opposition is uncomfortable, they’re not thinking as much about what they’ll do to you. It’s a little bit like volume punching in striking, when someone is constantly throwing little punches mixed with heavy punches, at least some part of you has to focus on defense. When all someone does is throw one looping haymaker every so often, yes, they may connect and do damage, but most of the time if you’re intelligent you can avoid the danger and mount your own offense. I need to be just annoying enough all the time, so I can minimize their opportunities and maximize my own. In summary be annoying and make them uncomfortable.

​If you have questions or if you want to work on something, ask. You may get what you want, you may not, but you won’t know if you don’t try. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so the more you put forward what you want to learn, the more likely it is to be covered. I always had something to put into the group when I was coming through the ranks, if there was an opportunity to learn something I wanted to learn I took it. If my introverted self can do that, so can you. Ask questions, it helps.