tallgeese

11/20 BJJ: Warmed up with passing half guard to side, knee in, and collar choke. 60 min free roll. Worked hard on standing guard passing and X guard from the bottom.

11/19 1.5 mile run lift of: deadlifts squats pull ups rows Skipped bench and shoulder work due to sore shoulder.

11/18 am- conditioning per 11/15 pm- night shoot cornering work in non-lethal shoot house

I have a coach who is fond of saying if you can't do it slow you won't be able to do it fast. Could be a learning tool, nothing more. Remeber too, kata's are not simulated fights. They are training modalities used to confer knowledge. Sometimes, they relate better to a physical text book than drill work. It's not mimicing a fight, it's trying to show you something. Granted, not many modern kata (if any) are designed this way, but the older ones are. Getting that will make kata make a lot more sense.

Maybe, but I'd still focus on technical sharpinging with the tools he's comfortable with just prior.

Welcome aboard KF!

I do have to disagree with ptr just a bit in regards to his last post. Yes, physical conditioning is highly important. However, a week out won't do much for your cardio. It's something you should have been working all along, cycled with how far out from competition you are. As to technique, yes, you need gas in the tank to make it go. However, good technique is the cornerstone of NOT burning needless energy. Sloppy or muscled movement will just burn you out faster. Good technique, properly executed will save the energy you do have. Good technique can also be practiced all the way up to the fight without fear of injury if properly worked. This way, your safetly increasing what is probabily the most ciritical componant of you game. Rather than forget about it, it gets paramount in my training a week out or so when I can't hit training hard for fear of last minute injury. It is also helpful to keep moving in the last week when I start scailing back on heavy conditionig so my body can be fully rested. Just a different out look, that's all. One that's worked for me in many different competitive venues.

11/17 early pm: light 1 mile run late pm: BJJ nite Worked over escaping side via a couple of methods then offense from top of side. 45 min free roll. Worked over X-guard and focused on setting it up as well as working from it.

Congrats!!!

11/16 early pm: Lifting. Again, part of the new program. 4 sets each exercise, small rest intervals Cleans Squat Pull Ups Bench Rows Bis/Tris late pm: Free roll x45 min. Focused on standing passes v. the guard. Working side from there.

The definition of "warrior" and "martial" can be debated to death. But, it's still a good topic to measure yourself against from time to time. Some would argue that only those going to war, soldiers, ect. classify as warriors. I'd suggest that going to the root of the definition that's probabily true. Likewise, some suggest that "martial" only to those arts that were specifically designed for warfare. Again, technically speaking this is probibly true. However, definations and connotations change over the years, something to consider. Forrest Morgan in his book, Living the Martial Way specifically states that when we look at all that connotatively goes into the word "warrior" that many soldiers, cops, ect. aren't truely warriors today. Just because one's job and duty demands that they not have to option to flee from a fight does not autotomatically mean that that individual is more than a paid employee. His thesis is that there is more that goes into warriorhood than simply fighting. I don't know that I agree, but he's certainly got interesing points. In the end, I think we get hung up too much on themes and titles like this. In the end, if you're training to take care of yourself in a fight, are you getting that done? Are you testing this in a realistic manner? That's the core of it I think. Now, as to if we, and the arts we study having outlived our usefulness, that is an interesting question. Given the prevalance of firearms in many socities, certainly amoung the criminal element and the advent of the volunteer army, the opportunities for the average person in todays society is rare given the sheer number of people in relation to the number of violent offenses. Unless one seeks out a profession of arms (military, police, ect.) then your odds are good as surviving as a sheep. Sad, but true. But occassionally it does us all good to look at the reality of the situation. So, have they (and we) outlived our usefullness. Well, if you're one of the unhappy few that falls into the assult victim catagory probably not if you've trained for that possibilty. If you are one of those who chooses a profession that takes you into unaviodable conflict with another human being, certainly not. But aside from those, the true "usefulness" become an internal matter of fulfillment. I know, shocking coming from me, but true on the utilitarian side of things. Now, if you're training for that possible assault, then it's best to not forget that in training-ever- or you stand to loose the focus you'll need to train to survive that conflict.

11/15 early pm: conditioning circuit- 1 min rounds no rest of: box jumps medicine bell slams belt pull ups rowing kettlebell swing push ups burpees shots sprawls crunches shrimping rest 2 min and repeat. late pm: BJJ nite Worked on side mount escapes the choke from knee in. 45 min free roll.

Wow, I can't believe I hadn't chimed in on this one yet. In fact, I went back and double checked just in case . Anyway, judging by the primary post I'm guessing we're talking less about actually "defending" oneself in a street confrontation with a boxer and more about working with them on the mat. It's a distincion that I think we should make, because a good boxer would make me disengage and escalate to a weapon real fast in a live situation. Ok, that out of the way, JJN kind of beat me to the punch. There is no way I'd trade with a boxer or work tactics anywhere near his comfort zone. Shoot, work the angles and take the fight to the ground. Proceed from there.

With fights going on on the 20th, that's real short notice. It's really to late to integrate anything new into your game. Espicially if it's unfamiliar terriroty or untested by you in training settings. Instead, focus on sharpening up what you have. Look at your timing. Make sure your technique is perfect as possible and start thinking tactics while you're working out. Light is king a week out. No need to get busted up with the time you looking at. Lots of mitts, light contact and movement. Drill foot work and downshift on running and lifting if you're doing it. Mental prep is BIG from here on out. The biggest thing at this point it to have fun. Stay loose and enjoy the thing. You can go back to the drawing board afterwards. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Yeah, hard training, resulting is sore can be a sign of good training. I can also lead to injury if not heeded and thus more lag time in training. I'm not saying stop, but don't be afraid to modify your training protocols around your body's response to the stress you put on it. Maybe a light day the day after, skill work, ect. The key is to stay healthy so you can keep training. You can only do that by training smart.

I aim to please, GS. today- off day There. Plus I splurged at Olive Garden today, I'm planning to start a new routine tomorrow so I'm letting go a bit today. I want to trail a new competition prep routine before I really have to use in next year. We'll see how it goes. I have added a regimine of stretching to my day everynight before bed for 10-15 min. Man, it's amazing how it's helped me out just with general sorness. Worth a look if your an old guy like me. Hope the bambi hunt went well.

11/13 Drilled over collar choke from knee in. Then moved straight to free roll. 75 min free roll.

11/12 Day at work spent with force on force training, target discrimination, room entry. Heavy CQB day. Lots of sims rounds fired. 1.25 mile run legs

11/11 chest abs

Welcome to KF! Keep us posted on your school hunt.

Welcome aboard!

11/10 BJJ nite: Moving to back from closed guard followed by sweep. Arm bar. Several rounds of closed guard v. pass Free roll 45 min

11/8 BJJ nite: Worked on back mount to arm bar, followed by defense from negitive position. Short rounds from back mount position. 40 min free roll. 11/9 Got about 100 rounds of handgun at the range. 2 mile run arms abs

Nice job!

I'm with ps1 here, I'd like a historical breakdown on that. Now, I think it's obvious that once you really dig into the old forms that there is a much deeper connection to grapping that one would expect. However, not in the way it's though of today. There are alot of movements that deal with tuite, with sweeps and reaps, with what would most likely be close quarters striking, often to pressure points and instances of joint destructions via what is typically called "locking" (these are what you'll often hear me refer to as "joint manipulations"). I know, odd hearing this sort of thing come from me, but I've been very fortunate in people I've trained with thru the years. Many have been much more tradition in their upbring than mine, and did their best to pass this on, even if it didn't really take with me . Even so, I don't think you'd call it grapping in the way we think of it today. Ceratinly all that I learned could be called more accuratly clinch work by todays standards I suppose. One of my pet peeves is groups that went and created ground techniques in their katas after the Gracies hit the States and suddenly ground tactis were "found" in exsisting kata. I know, it sounds silly to me too, but pleaty of that happened. Be proud of your art for what it does, don't try and make it fit every hole. If it's lacking in something, ie ground if it's a karate based art, weapons if it's an mma based art, ect, the go and find and art to study that fills in these gaps. Don't try to reconfigure one tool to make it do a job it's not designed for. Everything ends up getting the short end. Now, I'm not saying that the "grappling" I'm aware of in kata couldn't go deeper. Certainly, kata has not been my area of expertise thru the years. I'd just like to see deeper proof of the statement.