Every so often, life needs to be reflected upon. I wrote this post while I was living in Florida during the summer of 2013. It was a difficult and challenging time for me because of such a dramatic difference in climate and landscape than what I was used to. Before moving to Florida, I had lived in the northeast for all my life. I hiked and climbed mountains regularly, so needless to say, an adjustment was necessary. Florida wasn’t exactly host to hiking and mountain climbing. Click through to read about some of my thought process while I lived down south. As usual, I serve it up with humor and introspection. Continue reading…
When We Forget Why We Train
If you’re about to read this post, you’re probably one of two types of people. You’re either interested in getting into BJJ/just started or you’ve been training for a while and want to learn even more. The first type is very common. When I began training, I scoured the internet for anything I could get my hands on that would teach me something. As I progressed and became more mature in the sport though, I began looking for answers to more complex questions that I had. One of them was, “Why am I training?” In this post, I discuss exactly that. I’m happy to report that the answer, at least for me, is simple and straightforward. Click through to find out what it is. Continue reading…
How to Get Better at Jiu-Jitsu
If you’ve trained BJJ for any number of years, you’ve most likely realized that it’s sometimes a mental game more than a physical one. In the beginning, all you want to do is stay alive. That’s straightforward and easy enough. As you get better and mature into the sport though, successes and failures begin to burrow into your head. The submissions you inflict upon your opponents don’t feel as satisfying as they once did and getting submitted is more painful than it ever was. Unfortunately, there’s no solution to this problem, no matter what anyone says. Click through to learn more. Continue reading…
Learn Checkers to Improve Your BJJ Game
If I could only remember all the advice I give on this blog while teaching my classes, I think my students would get so much more out of what I’m attempting to convey. As it stands, I fumble through my lessons with not nearly as much thought as I once gave them. It’s a shame really, because my students deserve it. They’re wide-eyed and eager to get better. I’ll need to make it a point to find the same eagerness within myself. In this post, like so many others I’ve written, I first question the status quo and then make a few comparisons. Finally, I offer some advice that (I hope) will make the world of BJJ a better place. Continue reading…
Jiu-Jitsu Theories, Principles, & Techniques
There’s a lot more to Jiu-Jitsu than hitting the mats a few times a week to wrestle your training partners. That’s the physical part. The intellectual part has to do with how the movements and actions within Jiu-Jitsu are perceived by the mind. What’s the goal of the move? Does it really work and if so, why does it work? How exactly is the move applied? Is there a right way and a wrong way? Which way is most effective? Why is it more effective this way? Obviously anyone can eventually learn all these things without thinking much about them and just practicing. It’ll just take a long time and the person may never achieve their full potential while training. There are many marginal black belts among us. It’s only when a player takes a more mental approach as well as a physical one does he or she fly as high as he or she is meant to. Continue reading…
Comparing Jiu-Jitsu to the Game of Chess
I absolutely love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I hold the rank of black belt and have been training for over a decade. I also teach the sport, so for me to call myself a BJJ contrarian is rather odd. I know this, but that doesn’t stop me from asking questions that are difficult to answer as well as critiquing our sport. What I found when I first began training was a set of rules and statements that almost everyone accepted as gospel. I accepted them as well, but as time went on, I began thinking more deeply about them and finding them to be not as acceptable as I once found. In this post, I delve into the fascinating topic of comparing BJJ to the game of chess. As I think you’ll soon discover, things don’t turn out very well for those who repeat catchy sayings without giving them due consideration. Continue reading…
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Summary)
The financial health of the American public has seen better days. While incomes seem to be okay in many parts of the country, spending has gotten out of control over the past few decades. With the rise of consumer debt and the availability of wonderfully tempting and attractive products to buy, folks far and wide have generally spent everything they’ve got – and what they haven’t got. They’ve used all types of consumer debt to achieve their goals, from mortgages to credit cards to loans from friends and family. The fact of the matter is, not only is this type of behavior unsustainable, it’s downright destructive. That’s what Dave Ramsey says anyway. I read his book titled, “The Total Money Makeover” and wrote a comprehensive summary of its contents. Click through to read a synopsis of this wonderfully thought provoking book. You might be surprised at what you learn. Continue reading…
The Basics of Blogging
Blogging has presented so many benefits to me through the years that I’m nearly certain I can’t recall every one of them. Or even most of them. I can, however, recall the most important benefits and that’s what I discuss in this post. If you’ve ever thought about jotting down your thoughts on the internet, in a serious manner, I can’t sing the praises of blogging enough. Mind you, blogging isn’t like contributing to social media. Blogging takes time and preparation. The posts are much longer and far more in depth. They’re things people will want to bookmark and pass around to one another. Dare I say, blogging is for adults. Please click through to read what I have to say on this topic. And if you’ve got any input of your own, I’d surely be interested in reading it. Just leave a comment at the bottom of the page. Continue reading…
A Friend in Cuenca, Ecuador
The wait continues. This post was written during the few weeks Laura and I spent waiting to move from Connecticut to Florida. We had already emptied half the house and were basically sitting on the floor at that point. We had also just taken in a stray cat we planned on bringing with us when we moved. We had gotten him “fixed” and there was a severe adjustment period to go through for all of us. In this post, I also discuss a friend of Laura’s who moved to Ecuador with her husband. Very interesting people. Click through to learn all about them. Continue reading…
One Big Jiu-Jitsu Family
There’s a heck of a lot more a person can get out of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu than mere exercise. When I first joined a club, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My plan was to learn some self defense and then move on. What ended up happening was very different. Yes, I learned self defense, but I also made many great friends and learned a lot about myself in the process. Learning and practicing BJJ is an all-encompassing adventure. Ask anyone who’s been training for more than a few years. On any given day, you’ll likely find them wearing a Jitsu t-shirt or hooded sweatshirt. Most of their friends are from class. Jiu-Jitsu has become an enormous part of their life. This isn’t uncommon. In this post, I write about training and many of the relationships that are formed because of that training. Click through to read all about it. Continue reading…