Reflections for 2010

2010 has been a  big year for me…no a massive year!  The best change was marrying an awesome girl.  This meant that the first half was very much taken up with wedding preparations and then the honeymoon. 

During this time I didn’t forget about BJJ.  The hiatus I took from my gym I feel was good for my outlook on training and what it was I really wanted to achieve in BJJ.  It’s interesting seeing how things have evolved.  I really decided to change my base philosophy in the second half of the year.  The hardest part was the mindset,  I wasn’t going to use strength and explosiveness to out muscle my partners in sparring. 

So I focussed many months just working resistance drills with a friend,  getting into the problem solving mindset,  exploring areas in detail.  Learning to use timing, and not resisting for the sake of it. The downside is by not going hard I’m I finding my partners are now submitting me a lot more than I am them.

Most times,  it’s because they are going harder and that increased pace gives them more opportunity.  Not always, there are people that definitely have a skill advantage AND use power – normally I get crushed in these circumstances.  Still I’m happy,  I feel like I’m learning and progressing in a way that is more technical and provides me the opportunity to go for hours.

Open mats previously revolved around me being exhausted after one 10 minute roll – needing a 10 minute break for another 5 minute roll.  My opponent would be exhausted too.  Now,  I’m usually rolling for 2 hours straight.  I try to ask my opponents to ease off the muscle and can they roll like that for an hour,  most admit that they get too excited and worked up and can’t.  Still,  I find the non technical ones may submit me once or twice, but they want to stop after 5 minutes because they are exhausted.  I’m not trying to brag about how long I can train.  I’m one of the least fit guys in the gym,  I can’t even run 5km’s.  I just choose a pace I can go I can maintain and really focus on structure and leverage to wear my opponent out.

Still the important thing is I’m having fun!  I’m having fun not taking my rolls like it’s do or die.  I’m not sure what people think of it in my gym, whether they see me as a weak blue.  I don’t care,  I’m having fun and trying to evolve to how higher level guys roll…it’s just going to take awhile.