Out of Retirement

[tallgeese]

It's been about five years since I competed in the Pans. I was a brown belt at the time, pretty new at it, and it was the last major competition I had done. I competed a ton and blue and purple belt, but it just got tiresome and I had lost interest in that facet of jiu jitsu.

Fast forward to now. I'm back! I'll be headlining a local level pro jiu jitsu event in May. Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/292720587815510/

It's actually pretty exciting and my camp to date has been solid. My weight is on point early and I feel like it's been the best run up to a comp ever. I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.

It feels like I've walked away from competition every few years (from karate tournaments, to shoot fighting, to MMA, to jiu jitsu) and always come back. So, here we go, one more time.

[LLLEARNER]

good luck

[sensei8]

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

[tallgeese]

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

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.

[sensei8]

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

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??

[tallgeese]

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

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

[sensei8]

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

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??

[TJ-Jitsu]

Good for you man. Too many people get comfortable once they've been removed from the game for too long, or they fear that their students will see that they're "mortal" if they compete.

Good luck. Day of or night before weigh ins?

[bushido_man96]

Sounds like you're putting in a ton of work, Alex. Best of luck! We'll be pulling for you!

[tallgeese]

Good for you man. Too many people get comfortable once they've been removed from the game for too long, or they fear that their students will see that they're "mortal" if they compete.

Good luck. Day of or night before weigh ins?

Thanks. It's night before, which makes for a bit more cushion, but I'm within a pound on either side each morning. It's making me feel really happy. I hate sucking weight.