No A/C training and a little nutrition news

We had our first really hot night training no A/C jiu jitsu last night at Dirty Bay MMA.  Whew.  It was really, really, really hot.  I have to admit though that I enjoy seeing the sunshine and smelling fresh air while I train.  I sit in an office all day without a window, so I’m a little bit sunshine-deprived.  We warmed up with fundamentals – grips, arm drag, takedown.  We drilled fundamentals - simple sweep (1, 2, and 3), defending the simple sweep, and the hook sweep.  Our instructor showed us drills we can practice at home on our own or with a partner to help enhance what we learned that night.   In case you were wondering, Dirty Bay MMA is affiliated with Solis Martial Arts Academy.  Our class is being taught by one of their black belts.  He’s a nice guy with a laid back style who is teaching us good, solid, fundamental jiu jitsu.  Tonight is Muay Thai Kickboxing.  Last week we learned some of the coolest stuff ever, and it’s all I’ve been thinking about since.  I used to hate knee kicks when I did cardio kickboxing…but oh my goodness…I have a whole new perspective now.  Let’s just say…I had a blast and my daughter got to be the recipient of my enthusiasm on the mat.  Good times! 

On the nutrition front - I’m easing myself into Paleo.  I’m working on cutting out grains right now.  It’s ended up being just a little bit harder than I thought.  I bought a couple of Kindle books to browse through.  The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson and The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf.  Good grief, grains are everywhere and I need to figure out what I can snack on now instead of my granola bars and 100 calorie packs??  I’m open to suggestions.   I want to thank Chris Kelly at Crossfit Baytown for sitting down with me and talking about nutrition.  Baby steps, breathe, more baby steps. 

“Perfection is impossible.  However, striving for perfection is not.  Do the best you can under the conditions that exist.  That is what counts.”  -- John Wooden, legendary UCLA basketball coach

Change is a good thing!

I recently made the decision to go train at a different academy.  It wasn't an easy decision and I cried many tears and spent countless hours agonizing over it.  In the end, it was the best thing for me and my daughter.  Mostly because I needed to be somewhere I could do other things besides jiu jitsu.  I'm now taking Muay Thai Kickboxing and I will start crossfit next week.  These are in addition to two days of jiu jitsu.  I've been needing a change for quite some time and I had gotten very discouraged with not being able to lose weight with jiu jitsu alone.  I needed to be somewhere that offered all the things I needed in one handy location.  Then along comes Dirty Bay MMA and Baytown Crossfit.  All your MMA and Crossfit needs in one place!  I am happy with my decision to move and I am excited about the new things I am going to be doing.  My daughter has found a new passion in kickboxing and we are both excited to go train.  Right now they don't offer a teen crossfit class, but by early fall they should have that available for her as well.  She can't wait.  This journey started with my decision to get fit and lose weight and start a new legacy of fitness for my family.  This is just another piece of the puzzle falling into place. 

Changes they are a coming!

Change is a good thing.  It represents new beginnings and transformations.  Change allows us to grow.  I’m making some changes.  So many times in my life I didn’t listen to what my heart was telling me…instead I listened to that little voice that told me to do what was expected of me, do what people want you to do, be a good girl, people will be mad if you do that.  Today I’m doing what my heart tells me to do.  It might not be what some people want to hear, but it’s what’s right for me and my family.  So stay tuned…changes they are a coming!  In the meantime, I’m going to leave you with the beautiful rendition of “A Change is Gonna Come” by Seal.  :)

The Wait is Over...Leticia and Bia are coming to Texas!! :)

I've been waiting patiently hoping that Leticia and Bia would come back to Texas.  The wait is finally over.  They are going to be here June 29, 30 and July 1st in Dallas.  I won't be able to do all three days, but at a minimum I will be there on Sunday with my daughter and the MMA Lady.  Woohoo!!  These ladies are amazing and they put their hearts and souls into teaching others.  Can't wait.  See the link below for details.  Just in case you were wondering, I attended a seminar with these ladies last year and I'm still working on the stuff I learned.  They have a great teaching style and their passion for jiu jitsu really shines through. 

Leticia Ribeiro Women’s Grappling Camp in Dallas, TX

Happy One Year Anniversary...to my blog!

I’m reading a really good short book right now.  It’s called “Jiu-Jitsu on the Brain” by Mark Johnson.  It’s full of good practical advice, laced with good humor and candor.  I’m about halfway through it and I’m convinced that everyone should read it.  It’s full of those things that every new practitioner of the gentle art should be told before they begin their journey.  It’s been a good reminder of what I love (and love to hate) about jiu jitsu.  Sort of like a rule book or a play book.  I guess I’ve worked in corporate America for too long.  I like rules and processes and I especially like them in writing.  It makes people accountable.  But I digress, the reason I wrote this post, the book reminded me why I started training jiu jitsu to begin with... 

·        I love the healthy, physical exertion of jiu jitsu.  I started training as an avenue to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle.  I want to leave my children with that legacy.  I have had too many family members die from health related issues that could have been prevented.  I want more for my children and I have to lead them by example. 

·        In the process of discovering this healthy, physical lifestyle, I fell in love with the gentle art.  I can’t explain this love, or even put it into words that adequately reflect what I feel.  So I’m going to steal from my very first blog post -- I want my jiu jitsu to become a thing of beauty.  I watch some of our guys and their jiu jitsu is so graceful and fluid and beautiful.  That's what I want mine to be like.  I believe that someday it will be.

May 27, 2012, marked the one year anniversary of my Jiu Jitsu blog.  I’ve had a whole lot of ups and downs and blood and sweat and a whole lot of tears, but I’m still hanging on.  Not giving in or giving up.  I know I’ve been having the jiu jitsu blues for a while now, but don’t count this old lady out yet, I’m just busy and tired and worn out from my regular life and sometimes jiu jitsu has to take a back burner to all those other things so they can become complete and resolved and I can become happy and content so I can be balanced enough to open my mind to learning this beautiful thing called jiu jitsu. 

I am thankful to so many of you out there in blogger land for encouraging me as I walk this journey.  Your writing has inspired me, given me hope, made me laugh and cry and reminded me that we are all one big happy jiu jitsu family.  To Dagney and Gina and Jen and Megan and Leslie and MMA Lady and Julia and Triin and Jodie and Georgette and Shark Girl and Shama…if I forgot your name here I’m sorry, there are so many of you – thank you from the bottom of my heart, your writing encourages me and it moves me and it reminds me that I’m not walking this journey alone.