Continued from Part 1
Jiu Jitsu is challenging…
Like a Rubik’s cube that can break your arm if you twist it wrong. For every submission, there are several escapes. For every escape, there are countless counters. People compare BJJ to chess, but everything gets compared to chess. Really, this comparison is pretty apt though. You try to look into the future, learning to try predict the movements of your opponent so you can counter, throwing out a sacrifice and making them think you are over extended, but really you drew them into a trap. It’s a fantastic game, and since you learn new techniques regularly, it is vastly different every time even with the same training partner.
the Kozen tournament, to no avail
Jiu Jitsu is addictive…
Like if crack was healthy. I started out only taking classes once or twice a month on Sundays. After a few months of this I began to dread the weekends I didn’t get to go to class, so I started going more, like maybe only missing one week a month. Even then, I hated the weeks off. At the end of last year, I decided I wanted to compete in an AGF tournament, and we started attending classes a couple days a week in order to prepare. Competition came and went, and we started attending classes three to four days a week, plus open mat after class on Sundays. And here we roll, even now wishing I could get more mat time.
So why do it? Why go through what seems like punishment?
I feel so fortunate to get to roll with higher belts regularly. Many of the regulars include blue belt competitors on the verge of purple, amazingly nice brown belts, and of course, black belt Thomas Williams. All of them push me, stack me, pass my guard, crush me with knee on belly, take my back, and tap me out. It’s a great feeling knowing that every time, it takes them just a little bit longer to do so.