As I continue my journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I notice that I have not done a good job in updating my blog. I have found many good BJJ blogs by people who post each training class and have written them in detail. I am not sure I will ever get to that point, but I think it helps in remembering what was taught in class.

I see my blog more about the journey, the ups-and downs of training and what I go through in all the years it will take to become a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt.

I just finished reading an article that someone from the Philippines wrote about his training in BJJ. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just keeps growing and growing worldwide.

It is nice to see how fast this sport is growing. To my surprise, I read that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was not all that well known until the mid-nineties. Even in Brazil the sport was not all that popular.

Their are currently 54 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belts that are contributing to the forums on the Grapplers Guide.

Now I’m back and ready to get put some time on the mat. The academy that I train at has recently moved to a new location. Last weekend we spent time painting the place and setting the mats down. The new academy looks nice and has some nice mat space. I am not sure on the exact size, but it is big enough for 6-7 pair of groups sparring.

Here is a video that my Instructor Roy Dean created recently.

I just returned from vacation in Mexico, and last night I went to class for the first time in a week. I really don’t like being away from training for any amount of time, but I had a great time in Mexico.

Training in BJJ can be weird sometimes. I have been training for well over a year now, and there are times I feel like I just got on the mat for the very first time. I guess this happens to a lot of people, even the ones I train with.

Yesterday I competed in the Bend Championship BJJ tournament (Gi) . There were only two people in my weight division 135-155 lbs.  Myself and Denny who trains locally. I was really surprised that there were not more competitors in this weight class.

I felt ready to compete. I knew, if anything, it was going to be a learning experience. I have not competed in one-on-one competition since my sophomore year in high school when I wrestled, which was 16 years ago. I walk around 140 lbs, so I did not have to cut any weight for this competition. I would like to have been a little heavier, but I felt I was in good conditioning.

My first and only match went the full six minutes. The way the competition was ran was by a point system not by the IBJJF  rules. The points were as follows: 2 pts for submission, 1 pt. each for a tie, 0 pts. if you lost by submission.

Since we went the distance we ended up with one point each. To make a rather long story short, at the end of the competition, Denny and I were called up to go for another six minutes to determine who would get first and second place. I was ready to go a second round, but Denny was exhausted and not able to continue. So, I was given first place.

Denny did really well. After watching the video of our match, he did somethings very good. When he went to stand up he kept me down and kept his head and eyes looking forward, and he kept his back straight. I was having a hard time breaking down his posture. He has long arms and was placing his fist in the right spot.

There were a few chances to go for the hip bump and I did not take it. I was focusing on breaking his posture and looking to go for a chock or arm-bar.  He end passing one of my legs and I had him in half-guard. I can tell he was tired, so I stayed calm and waited to see what he was going to do so I could recover to full guard. There was an opportunity to go for an arm-bar, but at this time, I was playing it safe and not taking any chances.

This experience has made me rethink my training. I will take my conditioning more serious and be willing to try new things while sparring with my training partners. I will no longer seek to tap anyone, but to learn more of the art of BJJ. My focus will be more on set ups, using my legs, feet, and going for sweeps.

Upward and onward in this journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

This year I have a goal of competing in BJJ. I will be competing this month on the 23rd. It will be my first time ever competing in BJJ. In this tournament I will be competing with a gi in the 135-155 lbs. weight division.  This will be fun since I have not competed one-on-one in a sport since high school wrestling. I am also looking at competing in a no-gi competition in April.

I believe I am ready. I have been training for 14 months consistently and I think it is time to see where I am at in my journey to Black belt, or should I say, purple belt.

I was promoted to blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on May 1st, 2007. I still remember the day I was promoted. I came home so excited that I woke up my wife to tell her. I think I even slept with my new belt that night. I do remember carrying it with me the very next day.

Since being promoted I have never washed my belt. I know that I should, however, I want it to look faded because of the training I put in, not because I wash it once a week.

I have seen blue belts that look like they have been a blue belt for many years, but come to find out they haven’t. They just wash it all the time.

So far I have not noticed any stench coming from my belt, if and when it does, then I will wash it. But for now, I will continue to train and let the faded look come from all time I put into training.

When I first started training again in November 1, 2006, I was training seven times a week. It was exciting to be training again and I could not get enough. I think my wrestling back ground and a short nine month BJJ training in 1999 helped my out a lot.

At first, I was soaking up everything that was being taught to me. I was holding my own when it came to sparring, but for a while now I feel that I have not improved much.

I remember talking to a fellow training partner and he made a good point. I was explaining to him that I felt like I was not improving, my game seem to be the same, but he mentioned that, “it is not that you are not improving, but that everyone else is improving too.”

That was it. I train with a lot of great guys that want to improve as well, and are doing what it takes to improve, coming to class, training outside of class, working on conditioning.

Although I do train a lot, it works for me, and I will continue train and stay focused