Links
Nov
30
Miles Vigil
Filed Under Uncategorized | 6 Comments
. . . I won’t be writing anything about jiu-jitsu today. My friend and West Side brother Miles Vigil passed away yesterday and I’m not really in the writing mood. I will write something tomorrow. I would love to write something wonderfully insightful about life and death, but the truth is it’s all a crock [...]
Nov
29
You are not a caveman (or cavewoman); you should not be grunting. Grunting in jiu-jitsu means you’re using too much strength. It means you’re new and you don’t have the skills to accomplish what you want without strength, or it could mean you have meat-headed tendencies and you want to force everything instead of using [...]
Nov
28
Repetition is the key to learning, not knowing, but learning. There’s a Taoist quote that goes, “The more I learn, the less I know,” on the surface it seems like a simple paradox about the infinite nature of knowledge. This ties in really well with jiu-jitsu, the more techniques you are taught, the faster you [...]
Nov
27
Don’t let the fear of being passed out keep you from training. Chances are you probably won’t be choked out too often, if ever; it’s happened to me only three times in twelve years, and all those times I was being stubborn or stupid or both. The first time I went out, I was a [...]
Nov
26
Balance is Good (Day 27)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | Leave a Comment
I’m a believer in balance, both literally and philosophically. Balance is good. In jiu-jitsu, you will of course have to have physical balance, but also a balance in your ability to apply techniques. This is a lesson that I was late in learning, and now I have a lopsided game (I’m working on fixing it [...]
Nov
25
Don’t be Bragadocious (Day 26)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 5 Comments
You will eventually tap a higher belt; it will take some time, but it will eventually happen. It will feel like you conquered Helio himself, and although you will want to shout at the top of your lungs; you’ll want to do a celebratory dance–I suggest humility. Everyone gets caught; we all tap, and one [...]
Nov
24
Jiu-Jitsu will Teach you About Yourself and Possibly the Universe (Day25)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
. . . . *I wrote this last year, and I keep coming back to it. I really believe that the longer you study something the closer you come to not only understanding the thing you’re studying, but also yourself. I will write at least two books in my life; the one I’m doing now [...]
Nov
23
On my body, the only things more important to me than my testicles are my eyes, so if anyone threatens either pair–I get angry. Usually in jiu-jitsu those things are off limits. Somone may accidently smack your junk with their knee, or untentionally jab you in the eye with a finger, but it’s only ocassionally [...]
Nov
22
Your T-shirt Collection willl be Dominated by Jiu-Jitsu (Day 23)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
The average American has about twenty-five T-shirts in their wardrobe. You’ll find that your collection of T-shirts will undergo a wonderful metaporphisis and the majority of your current shirts will be replaced by jiu-jitsu or MMA T-shirts. I’m not talking about Tapout or Affliction poser shirts. I’m talking about BJJ tournament T-shirts, your buddy’s fight [...]
Nov
21
You will Lie Awake at Night Thinking About Jiu-Jitsu (Day 22)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 5 Comments
. . . If you suffer from insomnia, jiu-jitsu will not help you sleep, as a matter of fact, it will make matters worse. It will keep you awake even if you normally have no problems sleeping. You will think about it; you will ponder; you will replay things in your mind; you will be [...]
