5 positive things I believe about myself

(working through the mental edge)

-I am intelligent and can learn new moves and concepts with ease
-I have a natural ability to learn and perform jiu jitsu
-I am more willing now than every before to admit ignorance and get help, clarification
-I have what it takes to be world champion
-I am disciplined and can train harder than just about anyone I know

The Mental Edge-Kenneth Baum

Since I'm not training physically, I might as well work on my mental game.

The Mental Edge
-maximizing your sports potential with the mind body connection-
Kenneth Baum





Perception Stretchers

1. a loss becomes a gain
-carefully evaluate “failures” by asking do I need to train differently, think differently, eat differently.... and what happened in that particular match and how can I make the outcome different next time?

2. if you do what you have always don you will get what you’ve always gotten
-be an experimenter, change things up, be willing to learn, let go of the ego and realize that you don’t have the market cornered on how to train the most effectively

3. the imagination is more powerful than the will
-use visualization

4. bodies work perfectly, minds get in the way
-learn how to relax, focus, quiet the mind so that the body can do what it’s been trained to do

5. limitations are temporary
-don’t get frustrated by plateau’s and remember limitations are usually temporary and come more from the mind than the body

6. anyone can play any sport better
-pattern the excellence of others

7. events have no meaning except what you give them
-remember a jiu jitsu match is a jiu jitsu match whether at the dojo, a local competition, or worlds... so, learn to set aside tension/anxiety

8. getting better is more important than winning
-the goal should be performing at peak levels

9. practice like you play
-if I am competing in 7 minute matches, I should train that way, etc.

10. the more you expect from a situation the more you will achieve
-modest expectations produce modest results, focus on the possibility of success

RESTING IS TRAINING

So, I haven't trained at all for 2 weeks. I am taking this week off too. And we are snowboarding from the 12-18... So there won't be any training until after that. And that leaves about 2 weeks until abu dahbi (in Montreal)... which I really want to win so they'll pay for my trip to compete there.

If I do in fact want to win, why aren't I training? Why is now the time I am taking a break? It was time. My body needed it. My body needs it. I've been hovering around 110 pounds which is too light for my height and I can feel it when I train. Today I was 115, which is good, but recent stress and illness hasn't allowed me to make much more progress on gaining weight. A short 2 days ago I was 110 again... But I have been eating loads the last few days and it's helping slowly. Trying to train when I'm around 110 is brutally tiring and exhausting. My body just has no energy.

Still, all of that wasn't really a good enough reason for me to take a break. It was seeing this osteopath that Daniel recommended named Todd. I have seen him 3 times and I see him again this Friday. He has been adjusting my body and organs and trying to get everything working better... So my body can focus on kicking cancer out. To make a long story short, he basically said I need rest. He had to word it like this to make it sink in for me: "what's more important, jiu jitsu or getting better from cancer?"

Talk about reality check. So I am trying to listen to my body and give it what it needs. It's hard because I am such a strong willed person I can push my body (with my mind) beyond the limits of most normal humans. But, that hasn't served me well really. Being disconnected from my body, having my mind over run my body. It's not to say I can't exercise or train... I just may have to go about it differently.

Anyway, who would have ever thought I'd willingly take almost a month off training (it will be about that by the time I go back)..... But this is for the big picture. I don't just want to do jiu jitsu for a year or two, even if I accomplish a lot. I want to do it for the next 30 years. In order to do that I have to heal. I have to get well. I am willing to take a break if it'll get me closer to that.

I miss training. But my body is feeling different and well and I know that I need this.

Some friendly advice

RLJ posted some awesome training advice on his blog: http://www.lovatojr.com/2010/01/there-is-no-winning-in-training.html

It involves, in training, not always playing your strengths... because you'll never improve the areas your weak at. It involves taking risks and opening up your game, even though you might get submitted. After all, it's training. And wouldn't you rather try something or make a mistake and get caught in training then competition??!!? I mean, if you screw up in training that's how you learn.

I default to what I am good at so easily. Even on the days that I try to intentionally train something I am weak at. Because it's so automatic to just transition to what you are good at or what comes naturally.

I don't want to have an ego.

I want to be a good training partner.

I want to make the most of training.

I want to force myself to face my weaknesses and work on them.

Not just in jiu jitsu, but as always, it parallels with life.

Wrestling Class

Today wrestling was great. We worked the two-on-one grip on the arm.
Key points
-use both your head/shoulder when stripping their arm off your neck
-keep the momentum going forward to make the moves work

3 variations:
-scoop and stuff the head so you are controlling the head and arm, then ankle pick them
-kick up on their leg, then block and trip them *momentum must stay forward
-scoop them into a fire-man carry and dump them over top of you (work on it being more of a throw rather than a dump)

Jui Jistu I was tired. And did the class up until the rolling. I rolled with Tim and cut my foot, which ended my night a few minutes early. But I didn't mind, I feel like I got lots of good training in.

We worked on a pass that translates into a choke, using the gi and the back of the leg... It comes so naturally to me. Leo Santos is teaching this week and he saw me do the technique an he said: "wow, that's perfect!"

Now if only my body would co-operate and heal completely from cancer, I know I could be world champ. I hope to be one anyway, either way.

More regular updates from now on... I swear

Trained Judo today. I really suck at it. It's so humbling being back at the beginning as a white belt. I have so much work to do on my judo.

The main principles that stuck out today were:
-always keep the person in front of you (Bobby learned this from his father)
-when doing throws where you are using your legs, it's often that your legs exchange places, not that you have both feet planted... one hops where the other was, while the other kicks or blocks the leg to complete the throw

I can't even remember the names of the things we did in judo (my brain sucks on chemo)... I'm going to have to write them down in/during class so I can start learning them... It's getting under my skin and I really want to get excellent. I want to compete in judo too... Not as much as jiu jitsu... but, a little bit at least... just to feel it/see it.

Tomorrow:
-IV treatment, which will help with the energy (YAY!!)
-helping teach women's self defense (for prostitutes/sex workers/street girls) 4-5
-maybe helping Deb drill 5-6 (need to call to confirm)
-break from 6-7 during white belt class
-wrestling 7-8
-advanced jiu jitsu 8-9

It's ambitious. I might end up only being able to watch the jiu jitsu class from 8-9... I had a hard time with one hour of judo today. I will push myself tomorrow since I will be off Thursday for chemo.