The Excuses We Make

[rhino]

I shall enjoy this activity vicariously through you sweaty people and your stories.

 

[Jackson]

For a while there I felt like I wasn't progressing and I was just making the same mistakes repeatedly, getting caught in the same things by the same people. And I still am overall. This week though, I had a couple small victories. They'd seem insignificant to most people, but I saw them as a sign of progress.

Sometimes it's hard to see progress when you're training with the same people all the time and they are learning all the same stuff you are. So progress appears to come in tiny increments if it comes at all.

I was drilling side control with a new guy last night. He's young, about my size, but stronger, faster, more powerful, and seems to have some wrestling experience. He also seems to have only two gears, high and higher. I was able to escape, recover guard, and generally keep him off of me without passing out or getting killed, or even exherting maximal effort. The stuff I'm learning actually works as intended. Sometimes I don't see it day to day. Especially when I was new and everyone knew more and had more experience.

What I'm saying is, stick with it. You'll get better and eventually you'll see progress and it's worth the frustration.

 

[jsharmon7]

Still attending class twice per week. I still lose...a lot...but I put up a little better fight until then. Also, the way I felt the first couple classes compared to now is completely different, so it's helping with overall fitness.

 

[jsharmon7]

Still at it. Still losing. Still learning.

 

[cedartop]

Still at it. Still losing. Still learning.

Excellent! Keep at it.

 

[iChokePeople]

Excellent! Keep at it.

+1. One day you'll play with someone who isn't training like you and you'll be amazed. You lose track of it when you're always swimming with sharks.

 

[rhino]

I'm walking more (pushing a little more each day) now that I have a couple of knee braces that are helping quite a bit. I'm also learning how hard I can push without hurting myself too badly.

 

[iChokePeople]

I'm walking more (pushing a little more each day) now that I have a couple of knee braces that are helping quite a bit. I'm also learning how hard I can push without hurting myself too badly.

Rock on, hermano. Do what you can do. My first goal every day is to be a little better than I was yesterday. Second is to choke Jackson.

 

[rhino]

Rock on, hermano. Do what you can do. My first goal every day is to be a little better than I was yesterday. Second is to choke Jackson.

I think we'd all like to choke Jackson, but I'd settle for watching someone else choke Jackson (preferably you). In fact, I'd rather watch because you don't have as good a view of the choke-ee when you're the choke-er.

 

[rugertoter]

BJJ: To the fat person googling jiu jitsu ? Jiu Jiu's BJJ Blog
I ran across this blog post and it made me think of a time chezuki posted here about whether he was too out of shape to do BJJ. So I'm posting this for him.

I'm posting it for everyone else that makes excuses too. I'll get some training when I have time. I'll start working out when I start this new job. I'll learn self defense when I lose weight. I'm too old to do this, too young to do that, and too fat to do the other thing.

You're not. Just get out there and try it.

I just go shoot, as much as I can. You still have to put food on the table and pay your bills, and if your like me, you work a lot.

 

[Jackson]

I just go shoot, as much as I can. You still have to put food on the table and pay your bills, and if your like me, you work a lot.

Hey, I'm not criticizing you. I do believe there is more to effectively defending yourself than pure shooting skills. Fortunately, we have a lot of great resources in Indiana to learn those other skills. I'm just encouraging people to get out there and avail themselves of those resources.

 

[tatertot]

For a while there I felt like I wasn't progressing and I was just making the same mistakes repeatedly, getting caught in the same things by the same people. And I still am overall. This week though, I had a couple small victories. They'd seem insignificant to most people, but I saw them as a sign of progress.

Sometimes it's hard to see progress when you're training with the same people all the time and they are learning all the same stuff you are. So progress appears to come in tiny increments if it comes at all.

I was drilling side control with a new guy last night. He's young, about my size, but stronger, faster, more powerful, and seems to have some wrestling experience. He also seems to have only two gears, high and higher. I was able to escape, recover guard, and generally keep him off of me without passing out or getting killed, or even exherting maximal effort. The stuff I'm learning actually works as intended. Sometimes I don't see it day to day. Especially when I was new and everyone knew more and had more experience.

What I'm saying is, stick with it. You'll get better and eventually you'll see progress and it's worth the frustration.

Your small victories are still a lot better than the guy who doesnt come in to train at all. I dont care how small your victories seemed. When you keep piling small victories on, they quickly turn into medium ones and so on. Keep it up, and youll be tapping a blue belt once in awhile, and youll start piling on some more success.

 

[jsharmon7]

One year of BJJ down.

 

[Jackson]

One year of BJJ down.

And what have you learned?

 

[jsharmon7]

And what have you learned?

That a year of experience in BJJ barely scrapes the surface!

 

[rhino]

In the same year, I have received zero brazillian jujitsu-related injuries! Woo-hoo!

 

[RiNo6589]

I agree wholeheartedly with OP. I was very shy and hesitant when I was younger, and made all the excuses I needed to hear in order to talk myself out of doing things I was that I wanted to, but was not confident about. It just clicked one day, that I'd be a lot happier if I just pursued the things I wanted, instead of talking myself out of them to maybe save a little face. My life is much more interesting now(;

 

[Flagg]

BJJ is magic. I was paired with a 160# blue belt in my intro class and lost count of how many times he tapped me.

 

[VERT]

In the same year, I have received zero brazillian jujitsu-related injuries! Woo-hoo!

No BJJ for me. I am too old and fat. Managed to tear my ankle up pretty good in TKD three weeks ago doing what my wife referred to age inappropriate activity. Tonight was my first night back to taekwondo class and I am feeling it. The body after 40 just does not bounce back.

 

[Jackson]

No BJJ for me. I am too old and fat. Managed to tear my ankle up pretty good in TKD three weeks ago doing what my wife referred to age inappropriate activity. Tonight was my first night back to taekwondo class and I am feeling it. The body after 40 just does not bounce back.

We have plenty of guys in their 50s in BJJ. Wasn't this about excuses?