sensei8

I had set a goal at the outset, when I started BJJ full time, to compete at each rank. That really held true with me doing a bulk of my time during blue and purple belt, I was super active during that time. I got to a few comps at white and brown as well so I had check the box until now. So, I just wanted to make certain that I did one that counted at black belt before I couldn't hold up to a training camp anymore. It was a good card and a chance to take a good match. Solid post, all around, and I do completely understand!! How prepared are you for this, and what have you done, training wise, to prepare for this?? Will you also compete with each earned Dan rank in the future, as well?? Will you, at this up and coming tournament, be in similar Dan rank division or higher, and if higher, how much higher might your opponent be?? Great questions. I'm feeling really good actually. I went into a camp for this match 6 weeks out, which is pretty standard for me. I'd do a couple extra when it was MMA...and younger. It's been good. I started pushing the clock up and intensity incrementally from day one. In addition to rolling I broke into more positional drilling at comp pace also. The biggest thing I did was start really working my stand up. We touch take downs once each cycle thru the curriculum, like a lot of schools. It's by far my weakest link. One of our sister schools has guys that are stellar takedown guys. I got with them immediately and put together a plan and started to work it live every night for multiple rounds. Mainly controlling to the best guard pull I could, then sharpening a couple takedowns from there after watching tape of my opponent. Drilling endless series of arm drags and Russians, then executing them in rounds, has really elevated me on this front Next we focused on drilling positions he's good at, his favorites we see in video again and again. Getting a handle on intercepting the movements early to counter and breaking out of worst case situation with them. Then we put in filler rolls between those to work my strengths and get them tighter. Still at high time and intensity. Lastly, I put more mat time on the schedule in prep. I roll 4 days per week as it is. I added a fifth to get all this done in. With that, I've had to cycle intensity and focus of the camp thru the week. It's the only way I can physically keep up without breaking down. So Mon will be a hard nigh all around. Tues I'll back off and drill hard, but have fewer rolls. On Wed I'm back at a hard pace with full on comp level rolls. Thurs I don't roll. I'm off the mats altogether and focus on other conditioning. Friday is a killer night but not a lot of rolling. All drilling at a pace that makes we want to die. Saturday I go roll. That it, just roll. I drop the time on the clock to normal levels and just enjoy the day of jiu jitsu without making it like work. Out side of jits, I've stayed on the weights. My opponent is a strong dude and I don't want to come up short. I've been lucky in that I've been in the weight room a lot the last year so it's really just about keeping at it. I do so much cardio at my camp I don't do a ton of road work. One, I hate it. Second, my weight is spot on. That's a good feeling. I've usually been in a spot of cutting a few pounds, this time around I'm literally walking around at fight weight. This couldn't make me happier. For people who have had to cut weight you know that sometimes you're focusing so much on that the fight skills become almost secondary. This time I'm completely focused on the training. It's been probably the best camp of my life. That said, the guy is good. Really good. Anything can happen in high level jiu jitsu. But I'm a way better fighter now than I was 5 weeks ago. I could lose in the first 30 seconds and my jiu jitsu game would still be light years ahead of where it was. Aside from an elbow tweak and sore ribs from carrying pressure for specific rounds, I've managed to come thru healthy, which is way better than my last camp for the Pans when I trained myself into a knee brace. Next week will be all about peaking and recovering completely from the camp so I can go in fresh. My opponent is a 1 stripe black belt and has been for a bit. That means he's got about 3 years on me at BB level. That's a lot of time and, more importantly, experience at rolling at this level in competition. That said, it's a good match. He rolls much like I do. Very methodical. It's a pace I can keep up with. I have serious trouble with the wrestler types that move constantly for 10 minutes. We might not turn in the most exciting fight of the night, but it will be the most technically sound. I'm sure of that. I'm not sure about competing as I get each stripe. Right now I'm conflicted. I'm excited about competing again because of this, but I'm ready to be done with camp at the same time. We'll see Very impressive training regimen and discipline through and through leading up to Wanderlust; seems to me that you're crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i', and then some!! I believe, from what I've garnered about you through the many years we've been on KF together, that you come well prepared for whatever lies and awaits for you; not much surprises you. Your opponents rank, also doesn't surprise you either, nor does it cause you any troublesome because it is what it is; it's inconsequential. After all, you're going against the man, and not the rank, even though experience/knowledge aren't being ignored...that too is because it too, is what it is. Worry about that, then the fights already lost. I respect the fact that you're not sure if you'll continue to compete as you earn one Dan rank after another. That is in the future, and no ones future is guaranteed, neither is any rank. Train hard, train well, and have a blast; opportunities are before you, so make the best of it. As always, let the tournament take care of itself, as it always does, whether we like it or not. Are the divisions separate; men from the women??

Shugyo!! This isn't for everyone, and often times, it for no one in particular. Fortitude is needed in anything MA, especially when conditioning, of any type, is being considered as well as being currently trained in it. Pain no gain!! Well, I don't always subscribe to that mindset, especially if ones well being isn't seriously concerned with in the short and long of it all. I'll suck it up!! I've no problem with that within myself; I've been sucking it up for 52 years, and I will continue to do so because it's my choice to do so, and it's my choice to no longer do so. However, I will not purposefully injure myself, because that, to me, isn't the MA, nor is its existence dependent on my hurting myself in the scope of learning anything that is of the MA. Not yesterday...not today...not tomorrow; it serves no true purpose(s)!! I don't want my body to appear overly taxed, nor do I want my body to BE overly taxed literally!! Balance, as in anything, must be present through and through, no matter the goal and/or the way that goal is to be achieved. Research the conditioning that you're about to partake in, and don't come at it in a haphazardly manner!! What's for one, is for others, and therefore, not for everyone!! Condition your way, and not the way of others!!

I had set a goal at the outset, when I started BJJ full time, to compete at each rank. That really held true with me doing a bulk of my time during blue and purple belt, I was super active during that time. I got to a few comps at white and brown as well so I had check the box until now. So, I just wanted to make certain that I did one that counted at black belt before I couldn't hold up to a training camp anymore. It was a good card and a chance to take a good match. Solid post, all around, and I do completely understand!! How prepared are you for this, and what have you done, training wise, to prepare for this?? Will you also compete with each earned Dan rank in the future, as well?? Will you, at this up and coming tournament, be in similar Dan rank division or higher, and if higher, how much higher might your opponent be??

Good luck, Alex!! What made you to come out of retirement??

Happy Birthday, Noah; have a great birthday!! EVERYONE... Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Noah, Happy Birthday to you; and many more!!

All rank is earned; nothing is given away, and in that, ONLY the CI decides that, and in that, proof is on the floor!! I've a list, trust me, however, this, what I've written above, is at the very top of my list!!

At times, not often, but just at times, our Hombu's Governing Body is a band of dysfunctional misfits. They meant well, but not often!! Whenever they would scratch their own heads in the wonderment of trying to figure out where it all went wrong. My favorite reply to them when I was the Kaicho was... "The answer to your question is looking at you every time you look into a mirror. The faster YOU get out of the way, the faster the problem will fade away." The Student Body deserves that, not just whenever it's convenient to do so, but all of the time. The Governing Body is suppose to be that compass of understanding as well as the compass of reasoning. Not for the Governing Body, but for the Student Body, If the Student Body can't depend on their Governing Body during any time, whether the time be bad or good, then what good is the Governing Body. The Student Body looks to the Governing Body for guidance, and in that guidance, comes security. That should NEVER be a question, nor should it EVER be second; it should be the answer as well as being first!!

No, I've never broken anyone's wrist, intentionally or unintentionally!! Why? I'm not ever interested in doing that, with anyone. What I am interested in, is to control, if only for a moment, my opponent/attacker/etc; and nothing more. Having the proper know-how goes a long way whenever it comes to the subject at hand. Moving in concert in ones body movement, allows success with applying any type of wrist control. Yet, on the other hand, moving about haphazardly invites nothing but chaos because the opposite occurs. Instead of you controlling, you're being controlled in once fashion or another. Applying a wrist type hold one oneself, imho, teaches nothing effectively because the self either allows or denies the technique(s) at ones own suggestion and willingness.

Congrats, Spartacus Maximus; well deserved!!

WOW!! A so so sales pitch VS an excellent post; post wins with a knockout opinion!! Excellent OP, Alex, excellent!! I agree with what you've penned wholeheartedly!! I've had LEO's as students for as long as I can remember. In that, I'm no LEO, and I don't ever believe that I can understand and appreciate that industry having not ever been a LEO myself. I've something of value to teach to anyone, including any LEO. And what it is that I do teach is depending effectiveness on the LEO, in part, and on unforeseen circumstances, on the other part. I provide some tools, and how the LEO uses/applies said tools is dependent on a wide parameters that chance, or can change, per the event, per the situation, per the circumstance at that very moment. My job as a MA instructor is to teach that what it is that I'm qualified to convey to said student. My job isn't to interpret the entire scope of the world that a LEO is thrust into daily; with policies and the like that dictate the every movement of a LEO. No, my job is to teach, and the LEO's job is to apply what I've taught wherever it's applicable and sound and lawful. I teach the LEO, for example, how to punch utilize our brand of Tuite effectively, then, the LEO must decide, at that very moment, and without fan fare, if the Tuite I've taught that LEO is proper, and appropriate, to execute or not. Should a MA instructor run the SD course at a academy for LEO's?? As Alex has already mentioned...NO!! I agree!! Hard to teach a LEO anything without having lived in that world. However, a MA instructor can provide specifics on a MA subject that a LEO might be able to utilize while on the their job, even though a LEO can't be expected to fully understand the world of a MA instructor, or for that fact, the MA in itself. Tools!! Tools are utilized to complete said task, whatever the task might or might not be. Without tools, what do we have?? Assumptions!! Wonderment!! Raised hair on the back of ones neck!! LEO's are subjective to many of things departmentalized as well as things not departmentalized. Whereas, I, as a MA instructor, am not!! I teach the MA so that student might be effective. I did say might, because humans are quite fallible to the Nth degree. Crud happens!!!! What a LEO does with what I can teach them is entirely up to that LEO!! I never pretend to know the comings and goings of a LEO, and I never will unless I don the badge as well as the oath!! Albeit, the MA is a free expression of ones knowledge and experience, and I've more than my share. I don't expect the LEO student to appreciate what I might possess unless they don the very same things that I've experienced these 50 plus years in the MA. I believe that a LEO is a not a unique student of the MA. NO!! The LEO is just another student!! Please allow me to be quite candid, if I may, concerning what an average LEO can do against someone of my particular skill sets...NOTHING!! Without the strapped on tools of their trade...a gun...a tazer...etc., I'd pretty much eat them up and spit them out!! This isn't to say that I'm uncontrollable!! No one is uncontrollable!! Again, crud happens!! One simple lapse of thought, and the average LEO will eat me up and spit me out!! Even those of us MA instructors that are not LEO's of any degree, can still provide solid MA instructions. Once that's been done, or is being done, how the MA is applied while on their job as a LEO, will be left to that LEO, and not the MA instructor!! I teach, the LEO learns...Then the LEO has to apply EVERYTHING, and every bit of their knowledge in and out of the MA...that's up to that LEO, and not up to the MA instructor!!

I agree with The Pred; awesome job!! You could've decided to just chill, seeing that the dojo was closed, but instead, you decided to train; that's called dedication!!

Example would be similar to KF's most latest April Fools Day joke, yet tweaked way much more. Patrick is the furthest thing from what he proposed to be, yet, the website that was created to further on the April Fools Day joke was excellently, and professionally, done. Therefore, had that website been activated within the wild world web, some unexpecting prospective student might've been manipulated to join by the sheer preponderance of how Patrick manipulated the internet to the Nth degree; he made money, the poor student received nothing of any MA value!! The unbelievable, as in KF's April Fools Day joke, can be made believable, especially if one knows how to manipulate the internet!!

This, I sincerely believe, can be said of any MA Governing Body!! The government of any MA Governing Body can stand to learn a thing or two from what President Reagan is saying. If the Governing Body determines them to be the sole solution to any situation, then their own agenda is themselves, and not the Student Body. The Governing Body isn't the solution, but the solution lies within its people, the Student Body. Imho, this shouldn't be taken lightly by any MA Governing Body, and in that, without the people, the Student Body, there is no Governing Body. This should be true at all times. Your opinions, please!!

However, not everything found on the internet is true; it can be manipulated to the Nth degree. Alas, many will believe what they're reading, and fall victim to it's untruthfulness. As in anything, research into it's validity can not be taken lightly!!

That's exactly what people has to understand & that's I guess is the main reason for frustration ! Frustration for the CI or for the student/parent/whomever else?? Frustration for Instructors ! Imho, I sincerely believe that frustrated instructors are those that are still unseasoned on the floor in their role as an instructor. In time, and with proper guidance, that which is unseasoned turns into a well seasoned instructor. I, too, once was that unseasoned and frustrated instructor until time and proper guidance seasoned me. Time tempers everything and anything, if it's allowed!!

For the moment, I've NO OCCUPATION; I'm on a hiatus!!

That's exactly what people has to understand & that's I guess is the main reason for frustration ! Frustration for the CI or for the student/parent/whomever else?? As a CI, I've no illusions as to the owner of frustration because I've no frustration whatsoever. The ownership of frustration belongs solely to the student/parent/whomever else!! However, they can take their frustration out of my dojo because I will not permit it to permeate the inside of my dojo. You want to be unreasonable with all of that whining and complaining and whatever else?? Take it outside where it belongs!! Leave your cares and woes anywhere else beside in my dojo!! I JUST DON'T CARE WHAT A STUDENT/PARENT/WHOMEVER ELSE THINKS THAT THEY THINK THEY DESERVE!! EARN IT!! As the CI, I, and only I decide who has earned it and whom hasn't!! Whether it be harsh or crude or rude or whatever, is of no concern of mine, now or ever!!!!! Proof is on the floor!!!! Always has been, always will be!!

I love and respect your values and the fact that you put your students before yourself. Again I bow to you. Thank you so very much, MatsuShinshii, for your kind, as well as, supportive words; they mean everything to me!! Please allow me to reciprocate the bow to you, sir....

Let me just say this, for now, and possibly, I might add some more concrete thoughts... You want it?? THEN EARN IT!! Don't want to earn it?? Then get off my floor!! This goes to the student(s) and/or the parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or whomever... I run the floor...NOT YOU!! Don't assume anything on my floor, and this includes a position that you do not possess; not now, and not ever!! EARN IT...HUSH...TRAIN!! That's all I require of anyone on and off the floor!! You came to ME, I didn't come to you, for training in Shindokan Saitou-ryu!!

Welcome to KF, jaacvb; glad that you're here!! I, as well, haven't heard of this gi brand my entire MA career, which spans over 52 years. However, what stoneheart suggests is quite possible. I'm sorry that I can't offer you any concrete leads in your search. Hope you find it or at least have a closure, if that brand's no longer being manufactured anywhere.

I've been on the floor with you, Brian, and in that, you're solid across the board as a MAist, without a doubt!! I'm glad that you eventually began your MA journey, and I've your dad to thank for that!!

So, because I'm no Olympic medalist or a Pan American medalist or a WKF Grand Champion or a UFC Champion, and/or the like, and/or by any thought of qualification(s) that define what is an elite MAist, I'm, therefore, not qualified to be an elite MAist?? That's cool; I'm good with that!! I despise labels, even though, within Shindokan, we've our share of them...that was Soke's idea, and not mine!!

Yes, you're right! It's not something easy to ever forget. I remember my first tournament. I was a 7 year old white belt. The tournament was an open tournament. I lost!! I lost in both the Kata and Kumite divisions...badly!!!!! I was scared to death!! I did nothing right. Bowed in and out incorrectly!! Forgot my stupid name!! Couldn't remember Pinan Shodan!! I couldn't remember the Kata!! I ran away from my opponent right out of the ring over and over!! Butchered the name of our style, as well as my Sensei's name!! It was a disaster. I was ready to quit Karate all together, and for good!! I had trained for 3 months, which is the total amount of knowledge/experience I had; I was still a 10th Kyu. As far as the training being to unrealistically too soon to compete, well, both of our Soke and Dai-Soke (My Sensei) was dead against it, and didn't train us for sport karate because, according to them, sport karate was unrealistic. Still, he didn't prohibit it either because "We're not your parents!! Do what you want to!! But do not talk about your experiences inside the Hombu, ever!!" So, I competed, as did many others of my dojo mates for quite a long, long time. I competed until my last tournament in Bakersfield, CA back in 1994. Those were the days!!

Thank you, LLLEARNER, for your kind and supportive words; they mean everything to me. Hopefully, one day we shall share the same floor; it would be an honor!!

Steady is good!! It's the saying in weight training, that says, less weight, more reps...unless you're a body builder. When I first swam, I struggled to be consistent in my lap count. After all, one way in a pool at my gym is 30 yards. Doesn't sound like much, until you try it after having not done that for so many years. I was lucky to finish 1, and not 1 lap, just once from one side of the pool to the side. Then, staying steady, I'm now able to do 12 full laps, but I'm not trying to go as fast and hard as I can, but to just a slow and steady, NON-STOP!!