[quote]pch2 wrote:
…A Megaton rep’s school is where we went. [/quote]
Cool! tell the adventure!
you should take a week off and come out here for a visit.
a BJJ holiday. stay with your friend.
Life the last few weeks has been super busy. So it boiled down the the basics of Lab and BJJ.
Two weeks ago David Adiv did a seminar at our school. It was a little overwhelming, but interesting.
He talked a lot about the philosphy of BJJ and how there are just a few basic concepts and movements to master and that it’s just a matter of knowing when to apply them. It’s always remarkable how people that are really good at something difficult think it’s really easy. In theory BJJ is really easy, but doing it, my oh my.
There were a lot of people there (30ish) and we went through a lot of movements fairly quickly. So, for me it was more of a being exposed to new movements and concepts seminar rather then learn a new sequence.
He did promotions too, so now we have two new purple belts and a new blue belt. It’s really touching to see how much it means to the guys; and we get to whip them!
My brother came into town last week and so he joined me (reluctantly) on my adventures.
He went to class with me on Sa, Su, M and Tues. He’s big (200lbs) and new, so we didn’t really work together during classes, but on Sunday we did a private, where we learned a guard open, a kimura, gulliotine, and a sweep.
He really likes it, but I don’t think he’ll do it on his own. He’s still at the someone needs to hold my hand stage. It did manage to humble him a little, so maybe that’ll have a lasting - don’t get in fights in the street- effect.
[quote]pch2 wrote:
… It’s really touching to see how much it means to the guys; and we get to whip them![/quote]
Bah, ha, ha! 150 guys showed up to see Steve get his black belt promotion way back when and they all whipped him.
Politics suck, but seem to be a part of everything. Apparently when you’re part of a school/team you have teams that are under the same umbrella and they are okay to visit, but then there are other teams that you’re supposed avoid. Since we’re RGDA, we can go to other RGDA schools and schools under the same umbrella. I’m not really clear on the who’s connected to who, and why it matters so much, but it does seem to matter a lot.
Anyway, during David’s seminar a whole bunch of guys from a newly opened school came, and the new school is like 5 min from my house so I wanted to check it out. They also have classes on Tuesday, and they’re a little earlier. I’m not thinking of switching schools, just maybe occasionally adding a little variety. Since it’s a Megaton rep’s school, it’s apparently okay, but I still didn’t want to step on toes, and I wanted my hand held, so I asked coach to come with me. The coach from the other school (Mega Dave) is a purple belt and has come to a few of our classes, so I didn’t think it was a big deal for our purple belt coach to come to a class of his. Since it was an opportunity to train more, Andris (one of the new purple belts) came, and I drug my little brother along too.
We get there and Mega Dave says hello to the two purple belts, gives my brother the head nod, and ignores me like I’m the girlfriend dropping the guys off. It’s not like he doesn’t know I play. We’ve rolled together, and he acknowledged that I don’t suck. I think the two purple belts made him nervous. Also, since it was the Tuesday before Christmas only four of his boys were there. He kept apologizing to Darren for his guys not being there, it was weird.
The warm up was actually pretty fun, we did two lines and then did things down the mat -somersaults, cartwheels, forward rolls, shrimps- it felt a lot like playing and I loved it. Then we did positional warm-ups for four minutes a position. So, Mega Dave has only been teaching for 3 months, he doesn’t have any advanced guys, so he has no advanced classes, but this felt like an advanced class. We started with take downs and I ended up with my brother who has never done one before. I showed him a basic foot sweep and then how to break fall, but I’m no expert so it was more annoying then anything else.
Then we did grip fighting and traded partners just by moving down one so I was with a guy with Lesnar sized hands. He got my lapel and my elbow and I couldn’t get him off for the life of me. Mega Dave kept telling me to use both my hands on his one hand on the collar but I couldn’t get both my hands to my collar. The whole thing was just disheartening, if this is supposed to be self defense too, shouldn’t I be able to get some guys hands off of me? We then did escaping the mount, and the guy I was supposed to be mounted on just kept benching me off of him, I felt ridiculous. When he had mount, he gave when I did everything right though, so that was good but it still felt odd not to have to struggle. Then escaping the kola guard, which I’ve only seen once. I was with Mega Dave so he just showed me what the guard was and a sweep for it. I have no idea what my brother did, but he managed. Then escaping the x-guard, which I have never seen before. I was with coach though, so he showed me what was going on and just let me get a feel for being in and having the guard.
We took a drink break next and when I got back Coach was teaching class. I’m not quite sure what happened but he taught us the ezekiel from mount. No one wanted to drill with me, I looked around and everyone (even my brother!) looked somewhere else so I drilled with coach. He showed me little details that I was doing wrong, so I guess having girl cooties isn’t always so bad. Then we rolled, and my cooties continued, so I rolled with coach for two rounds, and then Andris for two rounds. I didn’t really want to roll with any of Mega Dave’s guys anyway, but it would have been nice to not be invisible. If this had been my first BJJ class, I doubt I would have ever gone back. I’m not sure if class was weird because Mega Dave was intimidated by coach, (because that’s the impression I got from him) or what. Anyway, I didn?t even get to see his teaching style. I’m not sure about going back. I think taking Coach and Andris may have worked against me, because I didn’t get to see an actual class and Mega Dave was focused on them and didn’t even see me. I’m pretty sure he has no idea that I was checking the class out and they were just there because I dragged them along.
You broke (unspoken) protocol by bringing two purple belts to another purple belt’s class. Mega Dave was totally threatened that he was going to be shown up in front of his students by your boys.
You either should have called first to say you all were coming or you should have come alone and probably would have been treated very well and given a lot of attention.
If you like the class, you should try going back on your own.
Difficulty: at some point soon you need to choose a teacher and stick with him. The teachers are very competitive and will resent you moving around. You might say Darren isn’t like that, even if he isn’t, the other teachers are and will give you a bad time and withhold promotions from you if you display perceived “dis-loyalty”
[quote]downwardog wrote:
You broke (unspoken) protocol by bringing two purple belts to another purple belt’s class. Mega Dave was totally threatened that he was going to be shown up in front of his students by your boys. [/quote]
I am very bad at unspoken protocol, ugh, it’s part of the reason I don’t get along with stereotypically girly girls. How am I just supposed to know? Is there anything else I’m just supposed to know?
[quote]You either should have called first to say you all were coming or you should have come alone and probably would have been treated very well and given a lot of attention.
If you like the class, you should try going back on your own. [/quote]
I think I’ll go back alone, just to see what the class is actually like.
I’ve picked Darren, but I can’t just pop into random other classes from time to time? Now that I’m not overwhelmed by the newness, I thought it would be nice to see how other classes are. Is this just a bad idea? I asked Darren and he said I could try whatever I wanted and he’d hold my hand whenever I wanted, but this unspoken rule stuff is making me think this maybe a bad idea.
I can always just pop into random non- BJJ classes and avoid the drama. Perceived disloyalty, it’s like joining a gang, lol.
I went to the YMCA with my mom on Friday. It was weird. They’ve put tvs on all of the cardio equipment, so you very much feel like you’re in some sort of psychology experiment. I didn’t have my head phones with me, nor could I figure out how to work the tv, or even the machine itself so I lasted about 5 min on the tread stair thing.
I told my mom I was going to play in the free weight room and she should join me. She refused and said she would walk (walk!) for 30 min then find me and we could finish her work out together. So, I played.
I did the BJJ warm up stuff from Steve, then YTLW for my shoulders. I managed 3 chinups, from not quite a dead hang. I was pretty surprised since I haven’t tried in months. Then I did one arm DB cleans with 30 lbs for 5x5. It was fun, I was the only one in the weight room. I just skipped around during rests.
Then my mom came and she said she was going to do weights. I’ve shown her simple stuff to do, so I though maybe she would be doing that, but no, we were going to do the nautilus circuit. I tried to get her to do some simple body weight squats but after 5 she said it was too hard and we were going to do the machines.
It’s incredible how proximity bias works, my mom will not listen to word I say about how to lose weight or work out.
The nautilis circuit was ridiculous. Intuitive machines are never intutive for me, so I spent a while just hitting buttons. Then I did a few reps on each machine, and mostly just skipped around and told my mom why she shouldn’t be doing the various machines and what she should do instead. The machines don’t even fit her well, they aren’t made for a 5’ small framed woman. She can’t get the curl machine to give her a correct angle, but the trainer at the Y said to do it, so she does.
A part of me wants to completely give up on giveing her any advice, but she’s my mom, so I’ll be annoying her while I’m home. Anyone have any luck with getting mom to do the correct things? I don’t even give her hard exercises.
[quote]pch2 wrote:
I am very bad at unspoken protocol, ugh, it’s part of the reason I don’t get along with stereotypically girly girls. How am I just supposed to know? Is there anything else I’m just supposed to know? [/quote]
That’s funny. I’m pretty mystified by them myself…what do women want?
yeah, why not?
[quote]I’ve picked Darren, but I can’t just pop into random other classes from time to time? Now that I’m not overwhelmed by the newness, I thought it would be nice to see how other classes are. Is this just a bad idea? I asked Darren and he said I could try whatever I wanted and he’d hold my hand whenever I wanted, but this unspoken rule stuff is making me think this maybe a bad idea.
…Perceived disloyalty, it’s like joining a gang, lol.
[/quote]
You know, I’d just ignore them and do what I please. Why give in to collective bullshit? The only one you care about really is Darren, and he said to do what you like. I mean, you’re a new white belt still, why shouldn’t you be checking everything out?
Everyone is in the Royler association so wtf? Mega Dave can’t promote you anyway, so what’s he going to do, get miffed with you because you don’t choose him over Darren? I mean, he may very well do that but that just gives you more info about him.
I always hear about this loyalty stuff from Steve and it’s corny as…Ohio. We couldn’t train at a facility in Portland because of all kinds of lame protocol beginning and ending with “you-have-to-call-Relson-before-coming-here-but-we-won’t-give-you-Relson’s-phone-number”
Today I joined my brother on his trip to the Y. I took it as a chance to show him some new exercises and to show him some basics. He lifts, but sticks to the basics (pull ups, squat, DL) and doesn’t do any sort of mobility work or anything dynamic.
So we did the stupid 5 min on the treadmill that everyone must do as a warm up. Then some of Steve’s moving through base and MM mobility work. We ventured into the weight room and did movements that were completely new to him.
YTLW
Sumo Squats 125 5x5
DB Cleans 30 5x5
Straight arm pull overs 20 5x5
Front Squats 65 5x5
Wood Choppers 40 5x5
It was nice to be back with the free weights.
More playing with my brother and free weights today -
Warmup/Mobility
YTLW
Face pulls
DL 135 5x5
Lat Pull down (I was on a new machine, who knows what weights the numbers actually mean) 5x5
Single arm DB BP 25 5x5
Then we sat in the steam room for a while, being that warm is lovely. The last workout for 2008, wild isn’t it?
[quote]pch2 wrote:
It’s incredible how proximity bias works, my mom will not listen to word I say about how to lose weight or work out.
The nautilis circuit was ridiculous. Intuitive machines are never intutive for me, so I spent a while just hitting buttons. Then I did a few reps on each machine, and mostly just skipped around and told my mom why she shouldn’t be doing the various machines and what she should do instead. The machines don’t even fit her well, they aren’t made for a 5’ small framed woman. She can’t get the curl machine to give her a correct angle, but the trainer at the Y said to do it, so she does.
A part of me wants to completely give up on giveing her any advice, but she’s my mom, so I’ll be annoying her while I’m home. Anyone have any luck with getting mom to do the correct things? I don’t even give her hard exercises. [/quote]
have the same issue with my wife. Hell, I basically have a PhD in this stuff after 30 years of reading and training, yet my wife (who knows next to nothing) would not listen to a word I have to say on the subject.
[quote]KBurnett wrote:
pch2 wrote:
It’s incredible how proximity bias works, my mom will not listen to word I say about how to lose weight or work out.
The nautilis circuit was ridiculous. Intuitive machines are never intutive for me, so I spent a while just hitting buttons. Then I did a few reps on each machine, and mostly just skipped around and told my mom why she shouldn’t be doing the various machines and what she should do instead. The machines don’t even fit her well, they aren’t made for a 5’ small framed woman. She can’t get the curl machine to give her a correct angle, but the trainer at the Y said to do it, so she does.
A part of me wants to completely give up on giveing her any advice, but she’s my mom, so I’ll be annoying her while I’m home. Anyone have any luck with getting mom to do the correct things? I don’t even give her hard exercises.
have the same issue with my wife. Hell, I basically have a PhD in this stuff after 30 years of reading and training, yet my wife (who knows next to nothing) would not listen to a word I have to say on the subject.
[/quote]
Yeah, Shugs wrote an article on it http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/diet_blog_hammer_velocity_shugart/proximity_bias_a_discussion the discussion is pretty interesting. I figure if I give her little things to change that aren’t too far from her what she does I’ll be able to nudge her to the right places eventually.
[quote]pch2 wrote:
… I tried to get her to do some simple body weight squats but after 5 she said it was too hard and we were going to do the machines. [/quote]
Try the Amasov squat:
Are there any straps at the gym you can use?
Or she can hold onto the barbell in a power rack and lean back.
Perfect for your mom.
I got back to Cleveland on Monday, and fell right back into my regular insane schedule.
Monday BJJ - My first class back in two weeks. We did chokes from the back. I love chokes from the back, so it was a nice welcome back class. We did an ezekiel, and variations of bow chokes. Bow chokes over and over equal wicked gi burns! I wasn’t feeling rolling so just drilled Americanas from the guard.
Wends BJJ - Self defense for standing chokes from the back. They were basically take downs, so a trip and hip toss. I really like hip tosses, too bad I never get the right position when actually starting from the feet, ugh. I rolled a bit, then drilled guillotines from guard.
Thursday BJJ - Open guard sweeps. We’ve done these before, but this is the first time I’ve been comfortable elevating someone up and over my head. We then played a game where everyone rolled with everyone for 4min. It was a bit insane. I was like an hour of rolling. I tend to just roll with a few guys that I’m comfortable with, so it was interesting to feel different body types and styles.
So, it turns out that a few of the other guys went to Mega-Dave’s classes over break. They were all treated like they had cooties too! It’s not just me, I just happened to be first.
[quote]pch2 wrote:
… We then played a game where everyone rolled with everyone for 4min. It was a bit insane. I was like an hour of rolling. I tend to just roll with a few guys that I’m comfortable with, so it was interesting to feel different body types and styles.[/quote]
Sometimes I think about how amazing you are to you go out there and roll, late night, with all those guys and keep going back for more.
Everybody there must really like you.
[quote]downwardog wrote:
Sometimes I think about how amazing you are to you go out there and roll, late night, with all those guys and keep going back for more.
Everybody there must really like you.
[/quote]
Since it’s my life, I tend to forget that it’s not all that usual. I was telling some guy the other day the getting double legged in the bar story and afterwards he was like - it’s funny that you’re making something so insane sound so mundane.
I don’t know if they all like me, I still have days when I feel like I’m just a big ball of cooties. I’ll have to admit, I’m really jealous that you have a whole class of girls. I just want one!
Knees bent, ass out, come on push your ass out
Bring it up then back down, bring it up then back down
All my ladies on the floor, all my ladies on the floor
Pick it up then dip it low, pick it up then dip it low
Oh shit, shake that ass ma, move it like a gypsy
Stop, woah, back it up, now let me see your hips SWING
Stop, woah, back it up, now let me see your hips SWING
Now drop it looooow and let me see your hips SWING
We had a snow day yesterday, coach called to say no class. I can’t really deal with two off days in a row when I’m in Cleveland so bundled up and headed to the gym. I didn’t really have a plan. If I have no consistency with my weight training, do I need to have long term plans? Can I just go and do whatever I feel like? Anyway, that’s what I did.
Warm Up
One arm DB snatches 30 5x5
Sumo Box Stand on Box Squat (I was only up a little, I think next time I’ll have higher steps) 100 5x5
YTLW (I forgot these in the warm up so threw them in here)
DB BP 30 5x5 (These really sucked, next time I’ll do push ups)
Wood choppers Magical Pully machine Weight 7x5 (I got into them and wanted to keep going so I did)
[quote]pch2 wrote:
So, it turns out that a few of the other guys went to Mega-Dave’s classes over break. They were all treated like they had cooties too! It’s not just me, I just happened to be first.[/quote]
Awesome avatar. I got all sorts of strange looks today when using my Cheshire Cat socks.