It’s nice to be back! I’m getting more excited about blogging again. Work feels a bit like I’m the Titanic and I just hit an iceberg – and I’ll slowly be sinking for the next 9 weeks. Please expect me to implode by the end of the semester.
There are a lot of new folks who have found my blog, so I wanted to share a little bit about me, then encourage you to share, too, especially if you haven’t commented before!
MY ABBREVIATED BJJ STORY
I found BJJ when I was 33. I had already lost a good deal of weight, and I was looking to add some physical exercise that had a social element. I had been a professional, nerdy couch-sitter before BJJ. Turns out that jiu jitsu and I were star crossed lovers who finally connected, and I’ve been faithful since. I have a much longer “Why I Started Doing BJJ” post that you are welcome to read!
HOW BJJ HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE
Jiu jitsu has really taught me a lot about myself. For me, it’s about persevering when things are difficult. It’s about doing something you love even when you’re terrible at it. It’s also about helping reach out to people around me. I have friends in my life who I never would have met, and I have an appreciation for things I used to hate. My life is so completely different than it was before jiu jitsu – it’s almost like old-me was replaced with evil, alternate universe Jiu Jiu.
NOW it’s clear that I’m the Mirror Universe Jiu Jiu!
PLUG YOUR BLOG AND/OR SCHOOL!
Blog I am so proud of the community this blog has brought together. I really love coming here and connecting with folks. People are kind to one another, and it really is a positive comment-space. I hope you keep sharing and hope you keep commenting!
School I’m currently at Queen of Jiu Jitsu with Heejin Lee. I have another four months in Korea, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to study with her! When I move to Virginia next year, I’ll be at Jiu Jitsu Institute, and I could not be happier! I trained there for a month this summer, and Ben Eaton was so welcoming and awesome. I’m excited to train with him!
Jiu Jiu’s Question: What’s your story? I’d love to hear your abbreviated BJJ story, how jiu jitsu has impacted your life, and I’d love you to tell about your awesome blog and/or school!
Hello Julia! I’m so glad to see you back blogging again; this has been a great site for me – first blog post ever was Starting Jujitsu Late in Life which is still getting responses. Amazing! I started jujitsu aged 54 and I’m still at it three years later (older, but more flexible, stronger, more knowledgeable and even a little thinner), with one lovely stripe on my blue belt. I’m proud to be a member of Shawn Woods’ Gracie Humaita Jujitsu in Columbia Missouri.
Excellent! What’s the link? I’ve not seen it!
I’m actually taking a break from grading mountains of paperwork. 🙁 Next week is midterms, so I will have a LITTLE leeway, but right now I have 8 more quizzes and 30 papers to grade tonight, then another 60 to grade tomorrow, and 60 the day after, then next week I have 160 midterms and 150 journals to look at.
Please excuse me while I die.
I understand mountains of paperwork; story of my life. I recommend a glass of wine and a break answering Facebook comments. You can find our stuff at http://www.graciehumaitacolumbia.com
White belt noob, more than a year now on one stripe because I’m too inconsistent with training (I’m confidently guessing) but I love BJJ so much, moved from Australia and knew once I found my gym (fightzonelondon.co.uk) I would feel at home and it has worked out exactly like that. Keep a blog at gypsygirlingi.com and try to post halfway interesting things. LOVE your site Jiu Jiu.
Hey, I’ve been reading your blog for some time and I think it’s great. You’re very passionate about this and I love you for that. 🙂
So here’s my deal. I’m kind of on the fence about joining the BJJ gym my boyfriend trains at. He took me to watch him roll the other day and I was really excited. However, I saw something that made me want to reconsider. I saw a guy get choked out! I mean out. Until his eyes rolled back into his head and he started spazzing. Everyone gathered around him and raised his legs to get blood back to his head. It was scary! I don’t want that to happen to me.
My boyfriend told me that it’s okay and that it happens once in a while. He says it’s not uncommon and that some schools even choke out everyone as a kind of rite of passage. Sure, the guy that was choked out got up after a minute and was rolling again a few minutes later and seemed okay, but it’s still terrifying to me. What if I don’t wake up?
So I was wondering if you’ve ever had to deal with this sort of situation? Have you ever seen someone get choked unconscious or have you ever been choked out yourself? Will I be okay if I get choked out? Does it scare you too or is it just me? I know I have to tap in case I get in that situation, but accidents do happen, so it’s always a possibility.
Thanks for reading. Love your site. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Jessa! Sorry, I’ve been drowning in grading papers!
In my (almost) 5 years of BJJ, I’ve seen 3 people get choked unconscious. I’m not concerned about it at all, and I wouldn’t even be concerned if you told me 100% I was going to be choked out in class tomorrow. Honestly, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for folks to be choked out – first, it would let you lose some of your fears, both of choking someone out and being choked out; second, it would let you know the warning signs, and how quick it came on.
Why am I not concerned: the people who don’t wake up from being choked out either have an underlying condition (rare) or they are doing it unsafely and not letting go when passed out. Think about how many hundreds and hundreds of folks pass out both in martial arts schools and in middle school parties all over the world. Sincerely – it’s nothing to be TERRIFIED of – otherwise think about how many schools would be going out of business if someone died. It’s just not happening.
Usually what happens is that either the person doesn’t tap because they’re stubborn and don’t WANT to give up, or they honestly just have no idea that they’re that close to passing out (you keep breathing with a blood choke), or the choke comes on so quickly that you don’t really have time to tap (that happened with a baseball choke).
The reality: you probably won’t be choked to unconsciousness. I’ve never been, and I would guess most folks haven’t. It’s a rarity, but not something to be terrified of. Don’t let that fear stop you! Remember that folks will be more “kid-gloves” with a newbie woman, as they don’t want to frighten you off!
I started Bjj about a year ago, just before I turned 36 … and I absolutely love it. I have always wanted to start a martial art. I had taken 5 or 6 months of judo 17 years ago and have craved it ever since…. man that was a long time ago.
A coworker of mine goes to The LAB (JCBJJ) and told me how much fun it was and that there were a handful of other women who trained. He bugged me a few times to take my boys, saying it would help give them confidence and they would have lots of fun. My older son started training in 2012 at 10. My younger son joined a year later at 7… and I always talked about how I wanted to join, just saying… oh some day. .. but never worked up the courage to start. Then my husband started and realized what the hype was all about. He loved it. My older son did a few tournaments and did very well. My younger son wasn’t interested in competition at all. He just wanted to punch things.. so we are working on that.. lol. I still just watched.
Finally, end of spring 2014 I took the leap. I saw our gym was offering a sale on membership and couldn’t pass it up. I went twice a week at the beginning. Then upped it to 3-4 times a week. I fell in love. Learning to use techniques rather than strength is very special to me since everyone is usually bigger and stronger than me… my real goal was to submit my husband on the mat. 🙂 4 months into training was my 36th birthday and my gift to myself was to enter a competition. I hate being in the middle of so much commotion, being in the middle of a college gym with many spectators was very nerve racking. I had only done Gi training, but no Gi entry was no extra charge and they didn’t have many female competitors. So I thought it could be my warm up. : ) I then found out the no gi didn’t have anyone in my weight bracket, so I went up in the weight bracket and experience level. I got stuck in a triangle and had to tap after 2 minutes trying to get out of that. I got second place :). Lessons learned. My second match was my weight and experience level in Gi. I got first with points. I can’t remember how many. The entire experience was extremely fun … preparing with extra classes, rolling at home, eating well, preparing my mind etc…The women I rolled with were super nice. I was a little nervous because of some stories I heard about mean girls, I did not experience any of that. After that I had to take some time off for family issues…6 months, ugh. It was so much fun .
I’m now back to training 2 days a week. I’m sad I took so long to get back. But I am back and feel great. Also, I train once a week at the gym with my older son while my younger son is in his class. My 12yo son and I are about the same size. I have 20lbs on him. Its a good challenge for us both. He has great technique. I love that we can roll together. I am enjoying this beautiful journey. I hope I am able to continue this into old age.
And thank you for this blog. I enjoy reading when I have a free minute. Its nice to see someone elses perspective on this way of life.
That’s so exciting! I’m so happy for you that you found a great home with jiu jitsu and had a positive experience with competitions! It’s so very cool that you have found a healthy way to bond with your son – healthy both for your relationship and physically healthy! At our gym we have one family that trains together – the parents and both their children. It’s awesome to see!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope we see you on here more often!