Choose Strong
For Tim.
In the new gym, I easily converse with people and behave with dignity and
respect and according to my rank and age. Everyone reciprocates as an equal and
the sense of freedom felt intoxicating for me, an immigrant struggling for so
many years to adapt to America.
1. Compete?
Rarely in the first three years did I feel so obsessed as the past few weeks
with jiu-jitsu. (By the time I received the first stripe on my blue belt(month
33), I even felt I hit a technical plateau.) My health and recovery kept
improving as I showed up reguarly. Darren said I should compete, which reminded
me of Jon who encouraged me to step in the ring in 2023.
In tournaments, it'll be rare to find blue belts about my age and size, I am
sure from experience. I feel confident that I could do well in competition.
But what's the point of overpowering people my age, size, and belt level when on
the street I could face bigger, stronger, and younger ones? At this point in my
life, what do I really gain by competing? The improvement from preparing for
fights I can get by training regularly as I have been. Besides there is a whole
body of knowledge of rules that I don't need but have to learn. More ain't
better and moreover, it takes the time away from the things I do want.
2. Counter the Single-leg Takedown
The first time I rolled with V, a two-striped blue belt, was on Aug 10's
competition class. I got him by the single-leg but he grabbed my head in a
guillotine and sat back down, flipping me over. I drilled this move years ago,
with Gene or Pablo, I think, but this was the first time I was on the receiving
end of it. I should try to master the move as it's so intuitive. Besides I
learned again that, as the attacker, I need to keep the head to his chest to
avoid the guillotine. The fact was that I couldn't think of the possibility
before he did it to me.
3. Potluck
Aug 10 was a Saturday. After the morning class, we had a potluck, occasioned by
a brownbelt leaving for the east coast. I used to feel like an outsider in any
group and shun events like this. But my skin had thickened. I made rice the
previous night and gimbap in the morning and brought it over. They loved it!
Tim, a 40-ish dad and my training partner asked if I was Korean as he was.
"No, I'm Chinese" I said.
"I love your gimbap."
"Thanks. I learned from Maangchi. That's the good thing about America. You
can learn from anyone."
"Right. BJJ is Japanese and Brazilian."
"You've got it!"
We connected right away and started talking about kids, American culture, and
food. Sarah, a judo girl and three-striped white belt, whom I just rolled with,
was also Korean and liked my dish.
I saw James, the four-striped blue belt I met and fought at one open-mat. In a
tee and backpack, he looked a bit down, and told me he hadn't been training
because of life. It was hard for him to commute from south San Jose. I liked him
instantly as I knew what it takes for a small person to achieve his level in
BJJ. That guy was a fighter.
I entered the lockeroom where Ronaldo, a Filipino about my age and former
Australian Taekwondo national team member and now BJJ blackbelt, was gushing
about what a blessing jiu-jitsu was. As they turned to me, I told them the last
blessing the guy shared with me was an armbar. Everyone laughed. Ronaldo did not
practice Catholicism, as I learned later, but liked the Tao and Buddhism. We
talked about Kali, a Filipino martial art, Covid, food, exercises, etc., and saw
eye to eye on all of them. It was amazing.
4. Mr. Lee's back, Michael returned to school, and a Spaniard joined us.
Aug 16, Mr. Lee came back to the noon class! It had been a month and he told me
he had not fully recovered. I apologized again and he insisted it was not my
fault. Aug 28, I attended his class. He said he didn't go through any therapy
for his neck, although some pain would stay the rest of his life.
Michael the young Chinese whitebelt left for school as summer ended. He was light
but very strong and he made good progress in jiu-jitsu. I often asked him to
drill moves with me before the class started. We all liked him and wished him
well.
At the same time, Jorkey joined us from Spain. I learned later he was a dancer
visiting the Bay Area for six-month's work. He was small, strong, and intensive
as hell. He became my trusted training partner.
5. The Right Gym
It might be in the genes. Darren's family came from Japan where people have the
reputation of devoting a whole life to an art or a craft: tea ceremony, ikebana,
judo, etc. Darren had been taking our mugshots and putting them on the wall with
belt-and-stripe levels and the promotion dates. It was a lot of work and he
seemed to enjoy it, just as he painted gym logos and city skylines over the
wall. It was a labor of love.
6. The Sit-out and more on the Turtle
Brian was a knowledgeable purple belt and came during noon class. One day, when
I asked for feedback, he pointed out that a few times during sparring, I was
ready for a sit-out but never went through.
The fact was that I wasn't going to. I knew the move for a long time but was not
even aware I could do it. The following days, I did the sit-out whenever I
could!
The other day, he trapped my arm twice from the back and I asked why and he said
it was something from Danaher straight-jacket. He then kindly explained and let
me try the move.
Next, grapplingeric on Facebook posted sensei Vito's turtle lecture and I was
hooked! It's a wealth of knowledge and so far, I tried the turtleplata and leg
attacks.
7. Hip Pain
I feel a slight pain in my left hip when sitting half-lotus after jiu-jitsu, a
warning sign. It goes away the next morning and comes back with training. My
former instructor, Brenda, is a life-long martial artist and competed till 65.
She had her hips replaced over the past year and it was not pleasant.
8. To Be Trusted
Wed Aug 28, Mr. Lee taught half-guard bottom. The key was to scoot directly
under the opponent to start to sweep or get up. Don't get cross-faced. [Henry
didn't teach this. If his guard is passed, he would stretch away to create
distance and retract and bring his leg again to the front. He was big on the
far-side underhook.] He showed a hook retention drill which was new to me and I
didn't do well.
By Wed, half of the gym had gone to Las Vegas for tournaments. Darren sent me a
message asking me to open the door Thu noon and maybe teach something if I'd
like. I didn't plan to train as I would fly to Beijing that night but said yes
nonetheless. I felt so honored that my self-conciousness with my missing front
tooth was gone!
