I have decided I will compete. My instructor bullied me into it. Here was our conversation: Jiu Jiu’s note: I showed Diego the picture to make sure he was okay with me posting it. He responded by saying: The point is not that competition just makes you improve; it’s that it makes you improve fast. It […]
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Tag: Frustration
BJJ: The Mind F*ckery of Improving
Newsflash: When I started BJJ, I never expected to be good. I never expected even to be okay. I fully believed that I would stay a white belt, eating paste in the corner, making everyone feel better about themselves because “Well, at least I’m better than Jiu Jiu!” I was happy and satisfied with this […]
BJJ: Use Your Words
Confession time: I got pissed this week. I’ve started back training consistently! Congratulations to me!! I’ve been training Mondays and Wednesdays even when I’m really tired or just don’t feel like it. So this week we were working on something I’m TERRIBLE at: keeping mount. Generally speaking, when I roll, if I’m bucked off, I […]
BJJ: Advice for Children (and Adults!)
American readers: Happy Independence Day! Non-American readers: Happy weekend! Jiu Jiu’s Note: Big news in my household: we are NOT moving this fall. My husband’s orders were rescinded, as the band he was going to move to is shutting down. Most likely in response to this amendment which would ban military bands from playing any […]
BJJ: This Pain is WRONG
After heading back to jiu jitsu three times in the span of a week, I got broken. My hips were absolutely killing me. Husband has this AM/PM beginner yoga dvd and literally me just sitting cross legged was TOO PAINFUL. I eased into it, then experienced GREAT PAIN just changing which leg was on top/bottom. […]
BJJ: The dangers of “I’ll Do Jiu Jitsu When…”
I have been caught in a terrible trap. Stop me if you’ve heard this before: I’ll do jiu jitsu when I’ve lost more weight. I’ll do jiu jitsu once I’m in better shape. I’ll do jiu jitsu after I move. Ah those conditional clauses. I’ve found that they tend to be wonderfully convenient, best-intentions, excuses. […]
BJJ: Is Your Gym Like a Bad Boyfriend?
*Please change the pronouns to your preferred gender. Realizing you are at a Bad Gym sucks. What sucks even more is when you don’t realize you’re at a Bad Gym. I think some warning signs for “Are You Dating an Abusive Dude” articles are applicable here. YOU FEEL ISOLATED It’s totally normal to join a […]
BJJ: Reflections on 5 years in Jiu-Jitsu
This summer I hit my 5-year BJJ anniversary. Hitting five years into something is a lot different than a 1-year anniversary, in that there is more to reflect on. Things I am proud of: 1. My coach believes in me. He had enough faith in me that he let me start teaching beginners! How cool […]
BJJ: Should I Quit Jiu-Jitsu Part 1 – I’m not good
Welcome back! I recently had a comment on my blog that I wanted to address: I just started Bjj […] I’m almost in my third month. I can’t seem to get a submission, though I get caught plenty. I don”t get it. I have some strength, so flexibility, and I try my best to listen […]
BJJ: No One Cares About Your Body
Something I’ve learned in the last five years is that really and truly, no one in jiu jitsu cares about your body. Because of that, you have to be your own bodyguard. In some ways, I was “lucky” that when I started jiu jitsu, my physical difficulties were visible – I was overweight, huffing and […]