Omai Adalim – Pan Asians BJJ Open Highlight

I’ve been meaning to try video editing and try making a BJJ highlight reel.

Here’s my first attempt using Windows Movie Maker, displaying my girlfriend’s gold medal run at the 2015 Pan Asian BJJ Open:

You may also check out the full matches below:

• Match 1
• Match 2 (Semifinals)
• Match 3 (Finals)

Pan Asian 2013 – Almost doesn’t count.

Pan Asians, probably the most prestigious jiujitsu competition in the country. I don’t have the words for it, title says it all. Almost never counts.

Pan Asian Weight Dilemma

Winter is coming. 😀

I mean the 2013 Pan Asian Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Competion is coming.

 

And I have a weight dilemma. 13 days until competition and I still haven’t decided which weight division will I compete. I weighed myself last week,  the scale read 64.5 kg without the gi and 66.5 in my Shoyoroll Ring.

There are two options:

1.  Cut weight and try to make it to 64 kg with the gi where I usually play.
2. Compete at a higher weight class (under 70kg).

I have never tried to cut weight and thats 2 effin kilos.

 On the other hand if I play on the next division:

Jiu jitsu is a sport where technique prevails, but at the end of the day it never hurts to be bigger and stronger than your opponents. And I am definitely the smaller opponent.

 

 

Fuck this, I’ll burn the fucking bridge when I get there.   

7 days till registration deadline.

Jiujitsu and trash talk

In basketball, some would argue that the game’s greatest players are also the greatest mouths. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Gary Payton aside from being hall of famers (at least the first two) are also infamous for getting into their opponents head and beating them with smack talk. The bragging, making fun of your opponents, to some extent humiliation are all considered part of the game. If it is somehow acceptable on the hard wood, I wonder if it has a place on the mats.

The mental aspect is a huge part of the jiujitsu game, just like in basketball. The body may have been trained or program to move without thought, but we can safely say that it takes a toll in our mind just as much in our bodies. As we roll, we continually engage our mind in solving puzzles with our bodies -our limbs acting as the interlocked puzzle pieces. A slip in our focus can be the difference between a pass, a sweep, a lock, a choke, a win or a loss. No wonder, top level BJJ competitors often talked about the mindset they need to have whenever they step on the mats. Trash talking can be used against your opponent’s mind in the same way you use an effective move or technique on his (or her) body. Trash talking at first glance, does not seem to fit with jiujitsu though. Why? The quick answer, Jiujitsu is a martial art where respect should be of utmost importance. Looking at it on another angle, Jiujitsu is a form of self defense, in the streets there are no rules. Your attacker is trying to dominate you physically and mentally, and I’m sure they wouldn’t have any problem taunting you verbally.

In our gym, we do engage in bit of trash talk, there are no written rules, but we sort of follow an unspoken one. We keep it within the techniques I.e. “your guard sucks”, “now that sweep(I just did) was beautiful” -definitely no fat momma jokes. We have fun doing this to each other, I wouldn’t know how others would feel about that. We’re a tight group and basically friends with each other that’s why we get away with such.

I am very torn on this, a part of me sees trash talking as disgusting and just doesn’t seem to belong in our Jiujitsu. Another part of me, thinks just the opposite, that maybe we should train with it, learn to deal with it. While my two personas are arguing on that matter, a third one tries to find the middle ground for both argument. I wouldn’t know how to implement an environment where mind games and trash talk are ok yet at the same time ensures that utmost respect is given to everyone, if possible, that would be perfect.

How would you feel if somebody starts talking to you during your tournament match? Would you feel that such shouldn’t be allowed or something that we should accept and prepare for?

Late post. Silver and blue.

I am no longer a mat noob! White belts please start referring to me as sensei. Hahahaha! Just kidding, I just wanted to share my joy for being promoted to blue belt. Sorry for the late post, this happened last december at our team’s last general assembly for the year 2012. I’ve always imagined myself bragging about it immediately but I guess i couldn’t find the words for it. I am actually forcing myself to type this, just get it done with. Please don’t get me wrong though I’m so fucking proud of it. 🙂

Another thing to be proud – I won silver (in other words I lost the final match, but let’s keep it positive) at the ADCC Asia Pacific Trials 2012 held here in the Philippines. Check out the links listed below for my matches.

First ever competition match where I wanted to play on top, this was a big improvement for a guard player like me.

I was hitting that sweep quite a lot weeks prior the comp.

Overwhelmed!

I don’t exactly remember it but somewhere along my BJJ journey, I said to myself that I should start learning something deeper from this art. It is a martial art after all and I’ve heard countless stories of wisdom emerging such scenarios ( it even comes with a long white beard). If there is one thing I can share about my journey so far it would be two simple words: “SHOW UP”.

And that is my white to blue belt lesson. Improving your skills; technique speed, strength, timing are all very important but before all the hoopla you need to show up. Keep showing up, and your cardio improves, keep showing up and your techniques improve, keep showing up and you improve. The first step to every achievement is showing up, be it in the mats, the office or life in general.

Show up!

P.S. I also added two new blogs on my list:

Andrew’s, this guy is a killer in the Philippine Competition scene and a great person on and off the mats.

Omai’s, a lover of mountains and waves, an amazing person starting out her BJJ journey.

How do you make Jiu-jitsu special?

I finally made it back on the mats after a week of hiatus due to colds, work and various reasons. I could have trained once or twice last week but grappling with your nose dripping isn’t exactly ideal. It felt such a long week. Jiu-jitsu has been keeping me sane, another day off would have killed me.
During training, a teammate asked how long I’ve been training. I quickly replied that I’ve been training as long as him, he then responded “but I spent time off from Jiujitsu”. I explained to him that we both went through that phase: training for two months, wouldn’t show up for a half a year, train a month, and then off again for another month. It was a cycle of practicing and slacking off Jiujitsu. He asked me another one: “Why did we ever stop?” Maybe it was rhetoric but I tried to mumble a few words: Basketball games and practices, 5K run, work overtime, just being plain lazy. “Yeah that’s it!” he replied as we moved on to the next drill.
I found a simpler answer today, “I stopped because I did not make Jiu-jitsu feel special”. Replace Jiu-jitsu with a name and that line could probably answer thousands of couples asking the same question “Why did we ever stop?” Mat time was easily replaced with an hour or two of shooting hoops, watching TV and sometimes getting a bigger beer belly. Jiu-jitsu was just another thing, another sport, just another after work activity back then.
“This time I’ll be better”
How do I make feel Jiu-jitsu special? I prioritize. Jiu-jitsu training now goes on top of the “extra curricular” list. I stopped drinking. I decided to minimize competitive (very low standard) basketball and fun run. Don’t get me wrong, cross training is good for me and my grappling game but I make it a point to use it as a complement and never as a substitute.
Keep it special. You won’t go wrong with that.
P.S. I got that “make her feel special” quote after watching this WongFu video 😀

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMSixENoid4

BJJ couple fight

http://www.graciemag.com/2012/09/copa-podio-launches-first-ever-couples-jiu-jitsu-showdown/

http://bjjhacks.com/2013/01/tanquinho-mackenzie-dern-bjj-black-belt-couple/

I wasn’t actually referring to those mentioned above. I’m talking about a real couple fight.

Well my girlfriend and I had an argument after training BJJ. I won’t bother you with the details, you know how it is with couples. There are times when both of you blow things out of proportion.

I don’t want to sound like a zen master or something but it amazed me how jiujitsu got me through the argument. Earlier during open mats I rolled with her. She happen to be naturally good at keeping me inside her closed guard. My efforts were in vain, I was draining myself trying to pass from that position. After miserable attempts, it hit me -I need to disengage and restart. I did just that, almost running away from her. I got to my feet and saw that the only way to pass was to keep her legs and grips out of the picture (basically her tools to get back her guard). And with a bit of speed and misdirection, I finally got the pass which led to an eventual tap.

Going back to our argument, NO I DID NOT PASS HER GUARD TO WIN THIS ONE. We were sort of verbally fighting each other, she was defending her position like hell, her “guard” was impenetrable. I on the other hand was relentless in attacking yet going nowhere. It was a virtual draw, with both of us losing. Then jiujitsu came and saved the day!

Applying the same technique, we both needed to disengage, step back and restart. And with a bit of patience and open mind, finally got the “pass”, finally understood where both of us coming from. Once the tough part was out of the way, we knew it was an eventual “tap”, a win for our relationship.

As the saying goes:
“the couple that rolls together, gets to choke each other”
(that wasn’t what I had in mind, toinks!)

EPIC Week

Epic week!!!

I finally got to train 4 times in a week. 3 Solid gi class with DEFTAC MAKATI, truly epic indeed as our mats were graced by returning teammates and visiting blue-purple belts from our sister teams. Training with a bigger group really gets your mojo up, you get to have an extra boost fueled by enthusiasm to roll with the other guys.

Earlier I got my chance to return the favor (in a way) by visiting DEFTAC MOJO QC. It was  a no gi class, finally had an excuse to use my (ehem) UNDER ARMOUR compression shirt and (ehem) JACO Resurgence Philippine Fight shorts. I’m not that vain but looking good really thus make you feel good and maybe roll good? Maybe not, we have to practice for that (enough of this bull). The class focused on wrestling head control moves. I sucked at them but I really enjoyed the class, I guess I found another facet of BJJ that I need to work on.

Now back to EPIC. Its the 2012 epic relay  weekend!!! 250 KM across Zambales and Bataan, 10 persons to conquer them. Good luck to those participating particularly to my team, TEAM SMART. GO!! GO!! GO!!!! Unfortunately I couldn’t join them and help defend our “MOST GOOD LOOKING TEAM” title (I’m not kidding they had that award probably for fun  and we won that). I have nothing to worry  though, TEAM SMART will kick butt, after all they have my awesome girlfriend running for them.

I saw an internet ad, it goes:

DETERMINATION, that’s what’s beautiful.

I can picture my girl running under the blistering heat. She really is epic.

an update of sorts

Better yet, call this “sort of an update”. I’ve been lazy and have delayed writing a post for the sole reason of being just lazy. Anyway let me just list down a few things:

1. Last time I wrote my, I was preparing for a tournament. I lost on my first match (hey!! he was a tough guy). Learned my lesson though and now working on other options from my half guard.

2. I’ve finished my 100 day burpee challenge. Day 100 was during an adventure race that my mountaineering club organized for our new members, I* even managed a few guys to start their own 100 day challenges.

3. I celebrated my successful attempt by pigging out on BAGNET 8065.

4. I just got back from a recon climb of Mt.Mabanban, if the lazy bug don’t bite, I’ll write a post about it.

5. I just added a  BJJ teammate’s blog on my list. Check out her second life after her office hours.

That’s it for now!

homework done, jitters be gone

Last day of training before PAN- ASIANS, nothing special. Flow roll and a couple of pointers and reminders. I believe I’m playing my best jits ever (that’s not a lot though).

The brackets were released earlier today and yes it finally hit me. I’m competing and I’m nervous!!!

I’ve competed twice before and lost both of my first match, but I never did get this anxious before. My reason, I used to not care. I was competing just to test the waters. I knew that both times I came unprepared. I was there and simply did not care.

This time it’s different, I’ve put hours on the mat. This time, I did my part. I may be putting a little pressure on my shoulder,  but maybe this is how it should feel. I should embrace this jitters, this might mean that I’ve sacrificed enough to asked for something in return.

Bottomline, I’ve trained for this and as long as I give it my all. I’ll be fine.

 

 

P.S. I found myself a post from COMBAT BASE’s BLOG that sort of calmed me, just sharing the love:

http://combatbase.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/competition-nerves-and-anxiety.html