個人資料
正文

Jiu-jitsu Month 38

(2024-09-05 14:14:10) 下一個

In the new gym, I easily converse with people and behave with dignity and

respect and according to my rank and age. Everyone reciprocates as an equal and

the sense of freedom felt intoxicating for me, an immigrant struggling for so

many years to adapt to America.

 

1. Compete?

Rarely in the first three years did I feel so obsessed as the past few weeks

with jiu-jitsu. (By the time I received the first stripe on my blue belt(month

33), I even felt I hit a technical plateau.) My health and recovery kept

improving as I showed up reguarly. Darren said I should compete, which reminded

me of Jon who encouraged me to step in the ring in 2023.

 

In tournaments, it'll be rare to find blue belts about my age and size, I am

sure from experience. I feel confident that I could do well in competition.

 

But what's the point of overpowering people my age, size, and belt level when on

the street I could face bigger, stronger, and younger ones? At this point in my

life, what do I really gain by competing? The improvement from preparing for

fights I can get by training regularly as I have been. Besides there is a whole

body of knowledge of rules that I don't need but have to learn. More ain't

better and moreover, it takes the time away from the things I do want.

 

2. Counter the Single-leg Takedown

The first time I rolled with V, a two-striped blue belt, was on Aug 10's

competition class. I got him by the single-leg but he grabbed my head in a

guillotine and sat back down, flipping me over. I drilled this move years ago,

with Gene or Pablo, I think, but this was the first time I was on the receiving

end of it. I should try to master the move as it's so intuitive. Besides I

learned again that, as the attacker, I need to keep the head to his chest to

avoid the guillotine. The fact was that I couldn't think of the possibility

before he did it to me.

 

3. Potluck

Aug 10 was a Saturday. After the morning class, we had a potluck, occasioned by

a brownbelt leaving for the east coast. I used to feel like an outsider in any

group and shun events like this. But my skin had thickened. I made rice the

previous night and gimbap in the morning and brought it over. They loved it!

Tim, a 40-ish dad and my training partner asked if I was Korean as he was.

    "No, I'm Chinese" I said.

    "I love your gimbap."

    "Thanks. I learned from Maangchi. That's the good thing about America. You

     can learn from anyone."

    "Right. BJJ is Japanese and Brazilian."

    "You've got it!"

We connected right away and started talking about kids, American culture, and

food. Sarah, a judo girl and three-striped white belt, whom I just rolled with,

was also Korean and liked my dish.

 

I saw James, the four-striped blue belt I met and fought at one open-mat. In a

tee and backpack, he looked a bit down, and told me he hadn't been training

because of life. It was hard for him to commute from south San Jose. I liked him

instantly as I knew what it takes for a small person to achieve his level in

BJJ. That guy was a fighter.

 

I entered the lockeroom where Ronaldo, a Filipino about my age and former

Australian Taekwondo national team member and now BJJ blackbelt, was gushing

about what a blessing jiu-jitsu was. As they turned to me, I told them the last

blessing the guy shared with me was an armbar. Everyone laughed. Ronaldo did not

practice Catholicism, as I learned later, but liked the Tao and Buddhism. We

talked about Kali, a Filipino martial art, Covid, food, exercises, etc., and saw

eye to eye on all of them. It was amazing.

 

4. Mr. Lee's back, Michael returned to school, and a Spaniard joined us.

Aug 16, Mr. Lee came back to the noon class! It had been a month and he told me

he had not fully recovered. I apologized again and he insisted it was not my

fault. Aug 28, I attended his class. He said he didn't go through any therapy

for his neck, although some pain would stay the rest of his life.

 

Michael the young Chinese whitebelt left for school as summer ended. He was light

but very strong and he made good progress in jiu-jitsu. I often asked him to

drill moves with me before the class started. We all liked him and wished him

well.

 

At the same time, Jorkey joined us from Spain. I learned later he was a dancer

visiting the Bay Area for six-month's work. He was small, strong, and intensive

as hell. He became my trusted training partner.

 

5. The Right Gym

It might be in the genes. Darren's family came from Japan where people have the

reputation of devoting a whole life to an art or a craft: tea ceremony, ikebana,

judo, etc. Darren had been taking our mugshots and putting them on the wall with

belt-and-stripe levels and the promotion dates. It was a lot of work and he

seemed to enjoy it, just as he painted gym logos and city skylines over the

wall. It was a labor of love.

 

6. The Sit-out and more on the Turtle

Brian was a knowledgeable purple belt and came during noon class. One day, when

I asked for feedback, he pointed out that a few times during sparring, I was

ready for a sit-out but never went through.

 

The fact was that I wasn't going to. I knew the move for a long time but was not

even aware I could do it. The following days, I did the sit-out whenever I

could!

 

The other day, he trapped my arm twice from the back and I asked why and he said

it was something from Danaher straight-jacket. He then kindly explained and let

me try the move.

 

Next, grapplingeric on Facebook posted sensei Vito's turtle lecture and I was

hooked! It's a wealth of knowledge and so far, I tried the turtleplata and leg

attacks.

 

7. Hip Pain

I feel a slight pain in my left hip when sitting half-lotus after jiu-jitsu, a

warning sign. It goes away the next morning and comes back with training. My

former instructor, Brenda, is a life-long martial artist and competed till 65.

She had her hips replaced over the past year and it was not pleasant.

 

8. To Be Trusted

Wed Aug 28, Mr. Lee taught half-guard bottom. The key was to scoot directly

under the opponent to start to sweep or get up. Don't get cross-faced. [Henry

didn't teach this. If his guard is passed, he would stretch away to create

distance and retract and bring his leg again to the front. He was big on the

far-side underhook.] He showed a hook retention drill which was new to me and I

didn't do well.

 

By Wed, half of the gym had gone to Las Vegas for tournaments. Darren sent me a

message asking me to open the door Thu noon and maybe teach something if I'd

like. I didn't plan to train as I would fly to Beijing that night but said yes

nonetheless. I felt so honored that my self-conciousness with my missing front

tooth was gone!

 

[ 打印 ]
閱讀 ()評論 (0)
評論
目前還沒有任何評論
登錄後才可評論.