One Ton Step

“Failing is the price for striving. Failing is essential to the process one undertakes to reach a position where he or she might succeed. Before achieving our goals we must learn the lessons of failure without getting in the habit of losing. And understand failure is a necessary component of self-knowledge.” ~Mark Twight: Founder of Gym Jones

It has been a few days since the Fargo Open. I only got one match during the tournament and I lost. If I said I was not disappointed I would be lying. My beloved caught the action so I could review it later.

Coming into this tournament I had only a couple simple goals.

1. Don’t Gas Out
2. Don’t Stop Moving
3. Don’t Land on the Bottom

I achieved 2 of 3.

Trying to explain the 2:46 I spent on the mat without making lame ass excuses is actually harder than I expected. The competition was stiff, my no-gi take downs are weak, I pummeled the wrong way a number of times.

Positives:
I kept moving and in side control my hands/elbows were much better than in the past. Breathing was constant, working on breaking the habit of holding my breath is paying off. Modest fitness gains are helping.

Negatives:
Very twitchy in the beginning. Did not have an “Oh Shit” plan for the stand-up. Pummeled the wrong direction (at least twice). Allowed opponent to control the tempo of the stand up. Poor aggression. Fitness.

The crew from Fargo BJJ continues to be top notch. As a whole we are not whiney, we are polite, honorable, and are not douche bags. We also hang in there till the last guy is done.

I need to figure out if I am going to do Submission Hunt down in the cities in a month or not. Deep down I don’t think I am ready to compete. The dredging of bad habits and forging of good ones is still on going. On the other hand they will actually have a genuine beginners division with more heavy weights competing. I am not willing to allow my loss become a habit. I am not clear on how exactly to do that yet, but I will figure it out.

JAU

Sometimes life is just not fair. If your my training partner for the night then you know life is not fair. Lets be honest at 6’4” 370lbs+ I am a beast. Not unlike this picture:

So here is the deal you be nice and I will work hard to be as light as possible. Which in the intro class equals roughly 30% of my energy output above and beyond what the activity requires. I work hard to be a good partner because I want my teammates to progress and learn. Also lets face it, if your going to get in a street rumble it will be with some giant meat head that is probably bigger than you. So really I am doing you a favor. No really. Yeah that reasoning fades fast the more you sweat.

Now if you had a bad day and the idea of horsing around the big guy seems like a great way to blow off steam … it will suck for both of us. Your forcing me to stop being nice, which I don’t like, and I am forcing you to bear the brunt of all my weight.

Really regardless of size discrepancies there is one rule when you train with another human being: “Don’t be a douche bag.” If your having a bad day, leave it at the door of the dojo, gym, academy. My wife commented that it takes me forever to change into and out of my gi before and after class. For me changing is the ritual to change my mindset. By the time I step on the mat my mind is clear of the days troubles and it is time to train.

Just a few thoughts.

JAU

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On October 25th is the Fargo Open. I have committed to competing in the tourney, in all four of the divisions which I am eligible for. As such the gun is aimed and cocked. Today is the trigger pull. That moment of truth, that spilt second before you jump out of a plane, step into [...]