2. February 2010 by Martha Benavides.

Last we met you were showing of your teeny bruises made by your opponents fingertips and the oh so vicious mat…..

Get used to it.

Most of my injuries have not come from the cage (although I’ve had my share there), but instead, the mats at West Coast Jiu Jitsu. I got my first black eye trying to backdoor escape from mount, had my lip busted a few times, got kneed in the nose from a pass, and am currently dealing with a messed up knee/shin from a sprawl during Aguilar’s class.

I was told you get to the point where “you just have to work through this”. And you will. Someone will kick you in the face one day and you’ll find yourself saying “Meh….happens all the time” It will, and believe me, it will definitely prepare you for the more heightened pace of competition. It’s what Todd was trying to give you a taste of when he came at you a little more aggressively during your last roll. It’s what it felt like to have Brian sub you 7 times during that round (and I bet he had his eyes closed for at least five…, seriously) and just WAIT until you do a live takedown round with Aguilar. These are tools you will take to your first tournament and you will NOT get thrown off because you’ve been there before.

You are doing well…only one note from me so far. I don’t care if you are tired. Keep going. Those are the times you will just have to depend on technique. I rolled last night still nursing a bad chest cold I had over the weekend but it was one of the best classes I’ve had in a while. I couldn’t rely on muscle or a faster pace so all I had left was slow deliberate technique…and it didn’t always work(!) but it was awesome.

And congratulations on your weight loss!!! I know that some people question whether or not it’s true so I have provided a BEFORE photo along with a computer “age enhanced” AFTER photo so that we can see the true results that your training will achieve.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Oh yeah, baby, One Man’s Quest indeed

Posted in From Don | 3 Comments »

17. January 2010 by Martha Benavides.

I was happy to work with you today! But as we briefly spoke about notes afterwards, I can tell you that time and time again, it is the same with new students. I got the very same notes myself.

1. Do not expend too much energy while rolling. Listen to your breathing, if it is sounding like there is a man chasing you with an axe….relax, Jiu-Jitsu translates as “gentle art” or “soft art”. Watching some of the senior guys will show you that taking it easy is just as effective if not more so.
2. Don’t get too grabby. As I was just starting I would be frustrated that I didn’t think I was learning anything and Todd told me “At this point you should be concentrating on staying safe”.  The more you expose yourself, the more open you become to submissions.
3. Work on the cardiovascular fitness that will help you with Jiu-Jitsu. We need to get you past the stage that is gassing you during the warm-ups. That definitely ties into relaxing into this sport.
4. Definitely keep asking questions as you have been doing during each practice.
5. Utilize your training partners as much as possible. We can help drill many of the foundation moves including arm bars, triangles, hip heist and so on. Never stop working on the basics as they are essential in building a solid foundation.  There are a ton of special people at West Coast of all sizes and skill levels that would be totally excited to help as they would be getting in work themselves. It is one of the main reasons that I was attracted to the school and a huge factor in why I am still there, everyone has something to offer.

And, remember, to be successful in this sport is to be humble. Use the time at West Coast to practice the things you will be applying during competition. Take those risks during practice, there’s no one keeping score and we don’t give out medals at the end of every class.  And, let’s face it; there will be times during your learning process where it ain’t gonna look pretty.

And, thank you for including me as a part of your team. As your time has begun here at West Coast, I have thought to myself, “What do I have that I can offer him on this journey?” I mean, Brian is the head instructor, legit black belt, Todd is a pro, and a more senior blue belt, Mervin is the man when it comes to fitness and nutrition. Me?  Well…what I have to offer is my support. Whenever you need it, brother.

 Here we go…..  

Posted in Notes from Martha | 2 Comments »