Polar Bear Swim

It's about time that a lot of people make New Years Resolutions.

I promise to NOT do any Polar Bear swims. Bet I can keep that one.

Should people start any of the activities that I do? Each has positives and negatives.

Running is a good one. Great exercise and a challenge to one's willpower. Sometimes it is very hard to hit that road and get the miles done. It can also be very hard on joints. It also needs serious footwear that doesn't last very long.

Biking isn't so hard on the joints and is a better method for actually getting places. It does require a bike, which is a major capital investment. Like running it can be hard to get motivated on crummy days.

Karate can be good exercise, but can also be the opposite. Joining a group that pushes too hard is worse than not joining any. I'd advise watching a class before joining. If they won't let you, just thank them and leave. Probably not the right group. Is everybody young? Not a good sign. Do they wear uniforms other than white? Leave.

Jiu-Jitsu can be a good choice. Any of the Brazilian forms are great for the young, but I especially recommend Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for the mature participant. It is non-competitive, which means nobody trying to really dislocate your bones.

If you live on the Sunshine Coast of BC, and are any of the adults who sometimes reads this blog, and if you might want to try Gracie JJ at the Gibsons school please give it a shot. I'll be there and be happy to be your partner. It takes a while to  get limber, and having somebody that really understands this would be nice.

Or maybe a nice PolarBear Swim is more your style.

Fragile

Plans are such fragile things.

This Christmas I'd planned to stay active by going for some lovely runs. It is now six days in and I haven't jogged an inch. A stupid nasty old cold has put an end to that idea.

In Jiu-Jitsu I am planning to complete my level requirements by next December. This means I'll need to complete 16 months of training in under 11 months. Not really hard, but there is little wiggle room. Anything could mess it up.

A bout with a flu, or an injury, or even a vacation with my lovely wife could cause an irreparable complication.

Not that it's really a problem. The goal is totally self- imposed.

So the fragility of the plan is really just an interesting aspect of the whole idea.

Must run

I keep myself centered with my physical outlets. Sure they have physical benefits as well.

With two weeks of Christmas vacation how am I going to keep active enough?

It isn't two weeks away from home non-stop. We will be back and forth to Victoria, and to Vancouver. We have lots of little trips to visit family and friends. We need to pop back once in a while to check on all our house construction. Our team plans on working on all the non-stat days, and who are we to complain?

The bikes aren't going with us anywhere, and both Karate and Jiu-Jitsu are down until the second week of January.

That doesn't leave me a whole lot of choice.

This is dangerous. Due to my usual level of activity I'm programmed to eat a lot. I bet over Christmas consumption will only increase.

Gotta do something.

The only thing left is running.

I'm quite used to this in Victoria, and know some routes in Vancouver, and lots around home. I always wake up long before anybody else. I guess that will be my daily run time. It's easy in summer, but this time of year the sun is still sound asleep. When home I can run later.

When in Van or Vic I can run through well-lit urban areas. I'm not scared of traffic, or night monsters. I just like to be able to clearly see the road ahead.

I've kind of drifted away from running lately. It will be fun to get back into it.

It just might help me stay centered, and to burn those Christmas calories.

　

　

　

Plain white suits

When I pick up a new activity, I usually get kind of obsessed.

The activity becomes a focus. It has been that way with computers, Karate, running, biking, and Jiu-Jitsu. I usually go a bit overboard even with activities that I only pick up in a minor way.

I like photography, and so have a total of 7 devices that can take pictures. This doesn't count Helen's iPhone. Maybe I'm not being fair to myself. Let's remove my iPod, which has a crappy camera that is rarely used, and my phone. OK, I only have 5 cameras. And I'm getting another for Christmas.

I've had a lot of computers over the years, but how many active ones do we currently have. Only 3, unless you include the two iPads.

I think you get the idea.

You'd think martial arts would be a perfect fit for somebody like me. There isn't any "stuff" to buy. Even running needs expensive shoes. Karate doesn't have even have footwear.

So just how have I managed to go overboard in Jiu-Jitsu? I take extra lessons, but what is there other than that?

I started last year wearing one of my Karate uniforms while I was trying the sport out. It worked, but wasn't really suitable once I'd settled in. The uniform wouldn't have survived all the grappling for very long.

The next time we were in the city I popped over to my favourite martial arts supplier to get a Judo uniform. My Karate instructor's discount made the price so attractive I got two.

By Christmas I'd added one of the official Gracie Jiu-Jitsu uniforms as well. After all, I like wearing a clean gi for each night, and I was training three nights a week.

The club's schedule received an overhaul over the summer, which meant a possible five sessions per week. Three uniforms just wasn't going to cut it. I bought another.

After a while actually going for five consecutive days per week, I found getting the uniforms clean fast enough was very difficult. The washing wasn't an issue, but the jackets need to hang dry.

I bought two more. Now I have a total of six, which works very well.

Sometimes we train without uniforms. When that happens we wear a tight, slippery shirt called a rashguard, and board shorts. Some people like wearing rashguards under their uniforms. It prevents floor burn. I tried it and like it a lot.

I now have six rashguards and five pairs of shorts.

I'm lucky we don't wear hats.

　

Mayan Apocalypse

Martial arts have ended around here until 2013. Year end is traditionally a time for looking back, and also for looking ahead.

Karate classes ended early this week, leaving only Jiu-Jitsu to wrap up.

The Jiu-Jitsu classes on Thursday were cancelled, and there was a big test for the 40 or so kids. I don't know how Shawn does it. They range from early teens down to pre-school age. Afterwards, it was a year-end party for all the students from every group as well as family. The food went fast and the place was packed.

Tonight we had the final two sessions. It was open mat, followed by Hapkido. I was there for the former, even though I've been down sick for the better part of a week. I went over my drills a few times, and helped a couple of the White Belts with their stuff. When the Hapkido class lined up, that was my signal to head home.

That's when I started thinking over the year past, and the year ahead.

A lot has happened in my martial arts world in 2012.

I started that year still attending Cheri's ISKF Karate Class. Last Christmas I was still a baby White Belt having only started at the end of September; not even allowed to attend the weekly Reflex Development class that the more advanced White Belts take. I was about a month into private lessons to increase my progress.

In January I stopped attending Karate altogether. In balance, I qualified for the Jiu-Jitsu Reflex Development class.

By April I was finished with private Jiu-Jitsu lessons, and by the end of the month had completed one fifth of my Blue Belt exam. I also launched a new Karate Club.

Most of my Karate Club were people who had left the ISKF club, or who had been former students of mine. Several were greatly overdue for belt exams. I pushed them, and by July most had completed two levels. Also by Summer, I had earned my Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt.

I stopped both activities for the Summer to be with friends and family. I did, however, realize a life-long dream to train at the Victoria Judo Club. It was very cool.

September had me back at both my regular martial arts. The progress of my Karate students has been steady, as has my own progress as a student of Jiu-Jitsu. I've started a schedule of private lessons again to enhance my progress.

My goals for the coming year are pretty ambitions. At Karate, it is all about the students. I'm trying to get us accepted as part of Karate BC and the Japan Karate Association. This year should see Cody wearing a Brown Belt, with others making similar gains.

In Jiu-Jitsu I plan on getting a stripe added to my Blue Belt, which would be more than 4 months early. I was quick getting through my first level, and would like to keep up this pace.

A Mayan Apocalypse would have ruined everything.

Filter

Technology isn't the problem. The solutions are the problem.

I teach at a high school, and things are very different than they were just a decade ago.

I have always been a big user of technology in the classroom. Back then it was desktop computers and the internet.

Now we have a great many more computers, still on the good, old internet. Most of the computers are now portable, and we also have a myriad of projectors and such.

The kids themselves now haul around their own computers in their back pockets. Of course, I mean Smartphone. Some carry iPads or laptops. Some have no such devices.

So we have access to a lot more devices, but what is the difference?

Way back when, one of the big issues was kids trying to use the school's internet to find pornography. Now they don't. If they want to find such material they can do so with their own or their home's access. I haven't found a kid looking for dirty pictures or video in years.

Sadly, our school is saddled with solutions to a problem that no longer exists. Our internet is filtered through automated censorship.

I wouldn't care if the filter didn't do anything at all, or if it actually worked to keep out the things it is supposed to. In reality the software is the laziest piece of programming I've ever seen.

Some sites are blocked, which makes some kind of sense. However, some of it is just ridiculous.

For example, educational mathematics sites are routinely blocked. The reason given is "gambling". Can't have the kids learning about probability at a math site.

News sites are also usually locked down. The reason for the censorship is "language". Such sites often have user comment areas, and I guess somebody might say something rude.

Saddest of all is how the software handles web searches. This only affects Google, as I suppose the programmers assume that there is no other way to search the internet. If someone tries a Google search that the filter thinks is naughty it will be blocked. Strangely, it always gives either no reason at all, or the reason is "pornography".

Sometimes the Google blocking works fairly harmlessly, but other times it goes insane, often for weeks at a time.

Do a Google search for "cat", and it gets blocked as "pornographic". Search for "school"; "pornography". Our school district's web site; "pornography". The web site we have to log into to do student attendance; "pornography". Any word; "pornography".

For most of our kids, this means that the internet won't work. If they can't Google then they can't use the web.

For my own classes, I teach them to use Bing when the filter on Google goes nuts. The lazy censorship programmers never bothered to set up their magic on non-Google search engines.

Being a schoolteacher I wondered what this all teaches the kids. When I ask them what they think it means, the only answer they have ever given it, "the government hates us."

Quite educational.

Bike no

I like riding my bike to work. It's great on nice days, especially if the sun is up early.

It's even cool when the weather sucks and the winter darkness is complete. Some of those days can surprise you. A break in the clouds, or a flash of scarlet sky can make it magical.

However, even when it really sucks it has a plus side. Doing it makes you feel tough. Look at me! I rode my bike through that crap!

Oh, yeah. It's also good for you, your wallet, and the environment.

Lately, however, I've been failing on all counts.

Our house has workers crawling all over it and I try to zip home whenever I can; as quickly as I can. I do so right after the school day ends, and whenever I have a spare block.

This doesn't work so well on the bike, so for two weeks I've been a car guy.

Don't get me wrong, the break is nice. The weather has been extra ugly lately.

And I'm not really all that tough.

　

Refuge

Something a friend said to me on the mat got me thinking.

Martial arts are potentially very dangerous. Why don’t more people get hurt? The armbars and chokes in Jiu-Jitsu; the kicks and punches of Karate. Why don’t people get hurt? They have to.

It’s really a matter of control.

Half is physical control. It is knowing exactly where each technique would cause damage, and the performing it just short of destruction.

An armbar rapidly applied could snap the limb before the person applying it has even completed the move. It is knowing how to hold the arm so as to not damage one’s partner. It is the punch that could incapacitate, thrown with frightening speed that lands almost exactly on the target’s skin. It is practised enough that it will land with perfect consistency.

The other half of the control is a mix of emotional and mental.

One must keep the dojo as a trusted safe place. Every person there must be confident that they can trust every one else.

But what if somebody hauls some baggage along with them from outside? Marriage issues, work troubles, or any of a myriad of other issues could cause a dangerous problem.

I haven’t seen this ever at Karate.

There are a number of rituals installed to separate the world of Karate from the world outside.

It is stressed that the dojo is a sacred place, even if it’s in a school gym. Karateka bow face into the dojo and bow whenever they enter or leave. Most instructors let beginners know that they are expected to leave the outside world outside, and the Karate world inside.

There is a class line-up, and a short ceremony at both the beginning and end of class. The structure doesn’t really matter all that much. The purpose is to give the students an official time to know when they are in training, and when they are not. It is a time to center oneself.

Sometimes I’ve been aware of Karateka who’ve been going through significant emotional upset in their outside lives. I’ve never seen it reflected on the floor.

I’ve many such friends who say that when they are at Karate, they are able to leave their problems outside. For them it becomes a refuge.

I’ve never needed such a refuge, but I think I know exactly what they mean.

A trusted safe place.

Full of violent technique.

Weekend days

In relating to weekends, I've always been more of a Saturday guy than at Sunday fancier.

Perhaps it's a function of age.

Yesterday was Saturday.

I drove to the neighbouring town, trained in Jiu-Jitsu, helped with Ryan's test, drove back and met Helen at our bank for a meeting, and then drove to three places to look at faucets and bathroom fans. After that, we dropped off stuff at the Salvation Army and perused their store, and then visited the used bookstore. Next was a quick stop at the bead store, and I dashed off to teach the Karate class.

I was finished there by 2:30 pm.

Oh, yeah; we went out for dinner later.

Today is Sunday, and I’m doing nothing. No stores, nor banks, nor teaching, and not training. Just nothing. Of course, something might pop up. Something could just as easily not pop up.

Right now on the big TV, some people in China are unravelling silkworm cocoons; in realtime.

It’s Sunday.

　

Boxing Gloves

At Jiu-Jitsu we sometimes put on big boxing gloves and test each other's technique.

One person is gloveless, and uses their best technique. The other plays a punching opponent.

It starts slow, and over time we ramp it up.

Everybody started having trouble covering the ground and clinching against punching opponents.

The instructor was unhappy, and made us work on it a lot more. He had trouble, too.

I had trouble at first, in spite of my Karate training. Now I'm more relaxed, and it's pretty easy. I get hit sometimes, but usually not. Somehow I am blending the two arts.

I can easily manage distance so that the punches miss, but not by all that much. I then zip in. Karate people are known for fast footwork and against these Jiu-Jitsu and Hapkido folks it seems true. They are mostly moving with a shuffle step similar to boxers.

When I'm the puncher, I find the others can all handle looping, hooking punches. However, straight punches cause them all sorts of difficulty.

The Jiu-Jitsu solution to the problem is limited. It doesn't seem to work well for the others, and I've pretty much abandoned it. Not totally, of course. That would be silly, but have blended it onto what I already do.

Nothing wrong with a subtle mix.

Too Polite

Those guys are crazy.

Last night attendance at the Blue Belt class was really good. There were five students present, all technically of the same level.

But none really were.

One has already tested for the next level up, and is waiting for the results. I'm at the opposite end, having only completed a small portion of the curriculum.

In between are the other three. Two fairly close to the top, and one a little ahead of me.

How do you teach to that?

The instructor is attempting to teach the appropriate lower level material with everybody doing it, and then switching to the higher stuff for the top guy and any of the others that had already done the lower techniques. He's trying to squeeze in two nights of instruction into one class and isn't happy with the result.

He also is trying to not bore those that have already learned the lower material by having them just repeat it too much.

Of the four low Blues I'm in the best situation. The rotation is always exactly the class I need in the correct order. One of the other guys expressed his desire to stick to the lower material to help him prepare for his eventual exam, even if he's done some of it before.

The other two are teenagers and either have no opinions, or are unwilling to state them out loud. Maybe they are happy to stick to the low stuff, too. They just won't say. Too polite, I guess.

It isn't always good to be polite.

　

Modern PE

Once a year at my school, for a month, the PE department runs a dance unit. All the classes do it. No basketball, no volleyball; all dance.

It is hugely popular with the kids.

I like to dance.

Helen and I took lessons for years. It all took a long time to sink in, but it did. After a while, we were taking the classes just to have an opportunity to dance.

We go to community dances fairly often, and boogie our shoes off when we go cruising.

It's funny how none of my current hobbies were part of my own student experience of PE.

Not exactly accurate.

One time, for a couple of weeks they made us square dance. Out of all the types of dancing in the world, they chose square dance. I know many people like it, but we didn't. It was poison for teenagers in the early 1970s.

How about martial arts? I've been doing them since 1981. That was 7 years after I graduated from High School. Why didn't I find them earlier? A couple of years before that single square dance unit in PE, they did a week or so of wrestling. That was it. Over a decade of doing PE, and only a few hours of wrestling.

You'd think if I were suited for martial arts that this would have acted as a catalyst. Why didn't it? They only showed us Greco-Roman Wrestling. Greco-Roman is the square dance of the combatives universe. You try and make the other guy fall down using mostly strength. There is skill involved, but to untrained kids it is just strength. The weaker half of the class hated it, and the stronger half liked it. I was weak. We didn't even get to try Freestyle, which is much more speed and brains based.

I also bike a lot now. Biking got even less attention than wrestling or square dance. We never, ever did anything in any subject area relating to bicycles in any way whatsoever.

I am a runner these days. Fairly often they used to make us run. I liked those PE classes, but they were not common. Usually we were grouped into teams to propel some form of ball or puck towards some sort of goal or hoop. Definitely the emphasis was on team/ball sports.

On exactly one occasion we were allowed to pick from a variety of PE activities. One of these was to go for a run. The run they designated was the least-popular of the routes. It went for about a mile, then straight up Mount Tolmie, and then back. It was a gut buster. It was as if they wanted to punish anybody who didn't select a team event. I chose it gladly; one of only a handful of kids. When we got to the mountain, I was the only one to actually run it.

Things are so much better now.

There is the wonderful dance unit. Sometimes the bikes come to PE. There is a weight room. There is a small climbing wall. There are whole courses dedicated to outdoor activities, like camping, skiing, and caving. They often have wrestling units that cover the several variations of the sport.

This year they've added archery.

　

　

　

　

　

No Roof

We don't have a roof.

Actually, that's inaccurate. We have a lovely, brand-new, red metal roof. It's just all piled up in the yard. Our old roof is in a big garbage bin beside the carport.

We do have great, huge tarps pulled over the house in case of rain.

It's all going very well.

But that's not all.

Our big deck had stupid railings that merged with the roof in a big way. To do the roof we had to do the deck. It also had a surface that pulled water into the house sometimes, and was ugly besides.

Therefore, we had some other guys ripping off the old railing, and leaky surface. A new surface is going on soon, and we will be getting aesthetically pleasing railings.

The upstairs bathroom was showing some evidence of mold, so are having that gutted. No point in just removing and replacing drywall in a 25 year old bathroom. There will also be new paint, and tile, lighting, fan and floor.

Helen wanted to do the minimum in the bathroom. I brought home some interesting flooring samples, and now she’s hooked. We went back to the tile place, and she found a floor she loves, and killer shower tile.

She also wants to do the floor in the kitchen, which is more than fine with me.

She also asked if I wanted to do anything to the other bathroom. Strangely, I had to be the one to put on the brakes. I really don’t want to be without a complete, functioning bathroom while work is being done. We can do that one some other time.

We don’t change a thing for 22 years. Not even a kitchen floor that we both hate.

One must-fix roof, and suddenly everything is on the table.

Funny how that works.

One-on-One

Karate doesn't work for me on Saturdays, but Jiu-Jitsu is starting to.

At Karate, there were only two people present. One was a White Belt, and the other was me. He ended up getting a private lesson. I wouldn't mind at all, but that's how Saturdays usually run lately. This is not efficient.

At Jiu-Jitsu, it was my first private lesson in almost a year. It was the start of my accelerated training plan.

The lesson went really well. I feel confident I can now work on the material by myself and properly learn it.

The instructor had to leave right after my lesson, and the guy that was supposed to be there for the open mat time didn't show up. I agreed to lock up at the end so the instructor wouldn't have to come back later.

Saturday open mat time is usually pretty dead. There were three of us there. One was a Hapkido Orange Belt, working on his stuff off to one side.

I offered to do whatever the Jiu-Jitsu White Belt wanted. I was somewhat surprised that what he wanted was to free role. I agreed, as long as he would agree to take it easy. I know I wouldn't hurt him, but I don't need any of my old bones cracked.

Off we went. Like most people inexperienced in rolling, he was far too tense and hyper. In no time he noticed he was risking exhaustion, and geared down a bit. To keep it light, I'd stop the action every so often and show him something. Then back at it. We kept going for the better part of the hour. It was nice and playful, which is part of the Gracie philosophy.

I like seeing patterns in things.

Today I was a one-on-one teacher, and a student, and a training partner. It was three hours of training, with one other person at a time.

　

　

Finish Line

There were only 3 people at open mat time today. Only the instructor, me, and Amelia. The test process for Amelia began.

Amelia and I started off reviewing all of the mount test section. It was a just little last minute brushing up, and sequence familiarization. Then it was "go" time.

The instructor acted as her partner during the taping. We had a stationary camera all set up, and I called out the technique order.

She finished in under the 5 minute maximum, and it looked good to me. The video will all be reviewed, and if good enough then that section is complete. It was the first try, and it probably is a keeper.

Then, she was encouraged and gently bullied into attempting another section. As she just couldn't pick, the instructor selected the standing section. She asked to review a few of the techniques, and then it was time to record again.

After a momentary flub with the camera, it went quite smooth. Most likely it is another successfully completed section.

She has been on her road to Blue Belt for 15 months, and is nearing the finish line.

Finish lines are an illusion.

I have been on my road to Blue Belt Stripe 1 for six months. Tomorrow I pick up the pace.

I have a private lesson booked. I will be attempting to complete an extra technique every few weeks for the next year, largely on my own. I will take what I learn at the private class and then drill for several weeks. I want to do this for most of 2013.

I am trying to shave four months of the time it will take me to reach Blue Belt Stripe 1. This would put my promotion one year away.

When Amelia passes, she will start attending the Blue Belt classes. There she will experience much more sophisticated technique, as well as several types of sparring. It really changes everything in a very positive way.

When I pass, a year or more from now, the change will be much less dramatic. I will merely start work on the next level of Blue Belt material.

Again, it is more of a mirage than an actual finish line.

Pass where the finish line was, and you see that it's actually still far in the distance.

I can see it there, shimmering.

　

New Test

Two of my White Belt Jiu-Jitsu buddies are supposed to start testing tonight; Ryan and Amelia.

It can be a very long process. For me it took almost two months. Back then we did a maximum of one segment per week, and not every week. This time the instructor says he wants to just power through. It will still take a week or two.

It may seem weird, but I'm more nervous about their testing than I was about my own.

When a White Belt tests, they go through all the techniques in 5 five minute segments. They need a partner for all of it. The partner can be anybody, but the better they are the better it all goes. Another White Belt wouldn't be a good choice.

We pair them with a Blue Belt. The more experienced the partner is, the better. For my test I had our Instructor for half, and the number two guy for the other half.

I'm nervous because the way Blue Belt attendance has been lately, the partner might just be me.

When I screwed something up during my own test, we did it over. It was my fault. No big deal. My partners didn't make a single error.

If I blow something during Ryan or Amelia's test I'll feel horrible. I'm sure they won't think twice about it, but I will.

It isn't likely. Probably more experienced Blues will be there. Even if not, we'll practice a few times before the test, and it will all be fine. Even if I do make a mistake, we'll just laugh and start the taping over again.

　


　

Blood and Toes

So here I am, a very old man in martial arts terms. 56 years of age, and new to Jiu-Jitsu. I have trained for decades in Karate, but it's not very similar.

Relating to age and health, are there any issues?

There are a few.

They aren't the ones I was expecting. With all the rolling around and grappling, I thought back strain would be the problem. No back injuries at all, of any kind. In fact, I've had less back trouble in the last year than I've had in a very long time. I'd say grappling is actually good for backs.

My first weird problem happened early on in my training. I started injuring my toes, and re-injuring, and re-injuring again. I assume some of them were breaks, but didn't bother getting it checked. Taping injured toes to healthy ones helped a lot, and prevented injury. After a few months this passed.

Nobody else experienced it, or had ever heard of it. I assume it was caused by all the interesting twisting we do that my old feet were not used to. They got used to it and the toe broken toes stopped happening.

I can't move as fast as the young people, but can move fast enough. It isn't a problem.

My scrapes and bruises seem to last longer than other people. This is a classic characteristic of aging.

More annoyingly, the skin on my face and head seems to injure more easily than younger people. This is also a classic aging phenomenon. There is a lot of abrasion during free rolling. Sometimes other people get a little discolouring or bruising. My skin starts to bleed. It then is unable to heal completely by the next session, and so bleeds with even greater ease.

I've started trying a layer of liquid bandage over my facial weak spots as a preventative; with a bandade over top of that.

That seems to be all the issues so far. I can do everything, and don't end up all hobbled.

I've taken no injury since I started that prevented me from training. No impact damage, nor sore backs, nor joint issues.

There was the short-lived period of recurring toe injuries that were handled by taping them up and continuing. I'm a bit of a bleeder, but a few bandades and liquid bandage helps there.

So far that's it.

Grappling is fine for old folks.

Pace

September of 2014 is when I would have been earning my first Blue Belt stripe.

Last year I chose to accelerate my progress through White Belt. I moved my Blue Belt promotion up by about 5 months. It wasn't hard, or terribly expensive. In fact, it was fun.

April of 2014 is when I will actually be able to earn my first stripe.

I have decided to accelerate my training again. By coincidence, it looks like it will be realistic to shave 5 months off the training time again.

December of 2013 is my new target testing month.

I'll then be 10 months ahead of where I should be.

I wonder if I'll then continue to try and shave 5 months off all my levels.

It seems to be silly to push towards distant goals, but why not? Rushing through White Belt was more fun and challenging than not doing so.

Accelerating at my current level is much more challenging. If it also turns out to be fun, why wouldn't I do it?

The danger in martial arts isn't burnout. The danger is stagnation. Some people call it reaching a plateau. The danger is those times when progress just isn't obvious. The result can be frustration or boredom. It is hard to keep doing an activity that is both boring and frustrating. We often lose people when plateaus occur.

I haven't been at Jiu-Jitsu all that long; just 15 months. No sign of stagnation. There would have been if I hadn't pushed ahead at White Belt.

I've allowed no chance for stagnation to worm its way in, or for frustration.

Of course, if my plan turns out to be too ambitious I might prove unable to pull it off. If that case I guess I'll bail, and carry on as before.

There is certainly nothing wrong with a steady pace.

The only facet that intimidates me is financial cost. The odd private lesson isn't expensive, but I'm about to move into retirement. That means a much reduced level of income. I'll have to play that by ear.

Anyhow, I'm excited to be doing this now. The instructor has OKed my idea, and I'm hoping to get started this week. That would mean one down before Xmas, after a private lesson and three weeks of self-drill.

Time to pick up the pace.

Black Christmas

I'm pretty lucky with my holiday shopping list. I have very few people to shop for.

This is good because I'm not a particularly gifted shopper. If I had to get a gift for somebody named Sally, and there was a store called, "Things Sally Wants," I would pick out the one item there that Sally doesn't want.

This year I thought I had a good idea, and I went after it. The order arrived today, and they let me know on my cell. We arranged the delivery time for when I would be home a couple of hours later. It all seemed perfect.

It arrived before I was there, and it all turned into a huge problem. Lovely.

Now the gift is tainted, and the recipient is angry with me. I understand as it was my responsibility.

A lovely backfire.

Usually I stick to buying exactly what I'm told, at exactly the correct store, in exactly the right colour. I guess this is wise.

　

Warm it Up

I've never been a cold weather person. I don't mind summer rain, but the cold, dark month stuff kills me.

I like warm, and I like hot even better.

At the start of the cold months my back muscles sort of tighten up, and they don't really relax again until it's warm. I can induce short bursts of relaxation in between, but it's always short lived.

Some of my activities suffer. I run just about daily in the spring, summer, and early fall, but only rarely beyond that. I continue my bike rides to work regardless of the weather, but my recreational riding is on a schedule similar to my running.

Karate and Jiu-Jitsu are both indoor activities and continue unaffected.

Next year, for the first time ever this pattern will be broken. We will be spending one of the dark months in Los Angeles.

The main reason is for me to train in Jiu-Jitsu, but it means so much more.

Right now it's a rainy 7 degrees here, and will reach a lousy high of 8. In LA it will reach 17 and it's not raining. Tuesday it's going to hit 21. To me it will feel like summer.

A month of summer in the middle of winter. That will be sweet.

It will also be great spending that much time in a place I really like. Over the years we have seen many great sights in Los Angeles, and done wonderful things. The place is just so big and fascinating. Being there for an extended time will allow us to revisit our favourites, and to discover new ones. Never seen the La Brea Tar Pits. I've wanted to for years. Haven't been to Hollywood in decades and really should.

Don't even get me started on Disneyland. Many people poo poo it altogether, or dismiss it as kid stuff. They are wrong. Every inch of the place is a miracle of design. It is a massive work of art. If I were not allowed to go on any of the rides, I'd still love being there; just being there. Fortunately, I am allowed to go on the rides.

A month of Hollywood, Disneyland, Jiu-Jitsu, and warm weather, and Helen.

I just hope it's a month plus travel time, rather than a month including travel time.

Every day will be precious.

　

　

　

Accelerate

Had a hell of a nice day today.

I've been trying to get motivated to take on extra work in my Jiu-Jitsu training. It's hard to do. The goals are just so very, very far off. Accelerating just didn't seem to make a significant difference.

I thought a Purple Belt would be almost 8 years away, a Brown 16, and a Black Belt 24 years in the future. At that rate, I couldn't see me ever getting a Brown or Black Belt, and even Purple was darn far away.

Tonight the instructor explained to me how the ranks actually work. Each fifth level is review, and need not take much time at all. Let's say they only take two months.

This changes the timeline to; Purple in 6 and a half years; Brown in 13; Black in 20.

If I accelerate my training, I think I can shave this, too; Purple in 4 and a half years; Brown in 9 and a half; Black Belt in 13. Suddenly, a Purple Belt is virtually staring me in the eye. Brown and Black are still well over the horizon, but the changes are huge.

I am pumped, and want to start extra training immediately.

　

Ambitious?

A tiny milestone tonight. It's the last class of my first Blue Belt chapter at Jiu-Jitsu. I have completed roughly one seventh of the material I need to work through before I move up to the next level.

It's a long road.

This chapter took all of September, October, and November. The next will occupy December, January and February. I'll be retired before I complete the third.

Next year at this time I'll be working on chapter six, with only number seven left to do.

Somewhere towards the end I want to spend a month training at the Gracie Academy in LA. If I haven't finished my level and earned the first stripe for my Blue Belt, I'll be training in LA on the same material I will have been working on for a year and a half. If I manage to get my stripe before we go, my California month will be spent working on my upcoming level.

I would much rather work ahead, rather than working back.

To do that, I will need to finish my stripe material and exam before Christmas of 2013. That will be hard. That's about exactly a year from, well, now.

If everything runs smoothly until then I will still have a chapter and a half to go. Can I complete a chapter and a half ahead of schedule? That is a pretty daunting task.

Can I teach myself one extra technique and all of its variations each month? Maybe. I could do a private lesson on the technique, and then drill it afterwards on my own.

I wonder if any of the other Blue Belts would like to join me on this quest. That could work really well.

This all assumes no interruption in training. Getting sick, or hurt, or any changes in the class schedule would certainly throw a monkey wrench into everything.

Once I retire, I can find extra training time, but I'm not there yet.

Maybe I should run this all by the Instructor. It can't be done without his help and support.

If I go for it, I'd like to do one a month until I retire and then two per month thereafter until it's done. This would get me done a little early. This would be good in case of unforeseens.

I must be nuts.

　

Time

Three weeks and two days until Christmas vacation, not that I'm counting.

For me it's always been the longest haul of the year. It doesn't matter exactly when the holiday starts, I manage to just barely crawl over the line and collapse.

Somehow this year it doesn't feel like that. Maybe it's still too early to tell.

After school starts up again in January, there are traditionally no days off until Spring Break. Keep in mind that I don't consider teacher proD days to be days off. We still go to work. Sometimes the days are quite delightful, and other times I'd rather be at the dentist.

Spring Break is a week in my district, but many have two. This year the Easter 4 day weekend falls one week later. May holds Victoria Day, and June is the end of the year.

There is a new holiday in BC, introduced by a government desperate to buy votes. February 11th will be "Family Day".

This is what the rest of my final teaching year looks like, assuming I make it all the way until June. I could leave any time.

Clearly, I'll make it to Christmas. I'll even return all rejuvenated and perky in the new year. This never lasts long, but should get me to the end of January. This would be a good spot to bow out, as it is the halfway mark in the year, the end of second term, and the end of the first semester.

It will, however, still be all dark and cold and dreary. I'd be quitting my job in order to spend time trapped indoors, or be outdoors and shivering. I really doubt I'll want to go then.

The next logical exit time would be Spring Break, which is the third week in March. This is tempting, but if I come back afterwards I'll get paid for the week off. Must take everything into consideration.

This would effectively leave the months of April, May and June.

The hours of daylight will be long, and the weather will be nice. I'll be doing a lot of window gazing, assuming I don't retire.

I only have so many Springs left. Do I want to spend another one in a classroom? We'll see.

The longer I stay, the more I'll earn and the better my pension will be. However, by this logic, I should stay 8 more years until age 65. At some point I will pull the plug, and I will do it this year.

I'd call it either the end of the year, or maybe sometime in the last few months.

I've known people who hold their career as their central focus and identity. They often shrivel away after retiring.

I've also known many who retire into a new era of contentment and self-improvement. They seem to fluff up, and their pre-retirement wrinkles largely relax away.

I can't wait to get started.

　

　

Nice Drive

Today I was really impressed at Jiu-Jitsu. All the usual hard work was happening but there were a couple of surprises.

I was really impressed with Amelia and Juan. She is rapidly approaching her Blue Belt exam, and Juan is super keen to progress. Both are pushing hard towards their goals.

Juan has asked me to help him progress through his White Belt stuff. We did this on Friday, but he's doing even more. He got the Chief Instructor to give him a real private lesson. It is nice to be an adult and be able to spend a few bucks doing this. Last year I did over a dozen private classes with Stirling. They were huge in my progress.

Anyhow, last week Juan completed two regular combatives classes out of the 69 needed to qualify for testing. He then did an extra one with me, and still another one with the Chief Instructor. If he can keep this up he'll be advancing twice as fast as anybody else.

Amelia impressed in another way. She grabbed Madeline to help her. The rest of the White Belts were working away on a single technique. Amelia and her Blue Belt worked their way through the material Amelia needs to brush up on for her coming exam. They didn't waste a single second.

Nice drive.

Repeat

Most people are content to let progress in martial arts just happen. They take the training as it comes, and do the test when the instructor says it's time. It is a perfectly fine way to progress, kinda like the seasons.

Others look ahead, and try to achieve their next level as soon as they can. They understand that missed classes can cause significant delay, and do what they can to maintain near-perfect attendance.

The only way they can improve upon this is to take private lessons.

Our instructor is the best one to approach for this. However, he already has a full-time job, a family, and teaches up to five hours per day. He can only do so much.

When I was a White Belt, I got Stirling to teach me privately. He's the only one certified to give full private lessons besides the main instructor. Unfortunately, he's moving to Australia soon. I'm gonna miss him.

This leaves all the other Blue Belts. We cannot give full, private lessons. This means we cannot teach any class that a student hasn't experienced at least once, but we can do subsequent repetitions. Each class must be repeated three times in order for a White belt to qualify to test. We can run them through their second or third repetitions.

I've done this a couple of times. I don't mind at all, but it does cut into my own training at the Friday open-mat sessions.

I've figured out a solution. I've stopped going to Saturday open-mat as I find that so few people show up I can't get motivated to work hard.

If anybody asks me to help them repeat lessons, I'll suggest Saturday. I'd train them for half the time, which is enough for them to get credit, and then make them help me with my Blue Belt stuff. I can always use a victim....I mean partner.

Don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.

　

　

LA?

This is my last year of teaching. It isn't for my wife, but she is planning to match me for a while by taking a year off.

Sometime in that year off together, I'm hoping to spend a month in Los Angeles. Helen seems to be on board with the idea.

The question arises; how much Jiu-Jitsu training can I do in a month?

I could attend over forty classes, and as many private lessons as I care to pay for. How much progress can I make with all that opportunity?

Let's say we wait until the weather at home gets nasty, and go after Christmas for the month of January. I will have only one chapter of my Jiu-Jitsu level left to complete before my exam. At home this would take me until April. Can I expect to accelerate this? You would think so.

There are 11 techniques in that chapter. At home, each takes three classes to complete. No way to predict how many of the Los Angeles classes will be addressing those 11 techniques. To be safe, I'd best be ready to take enough private lessons to cover each of these at least once.

My math skill says 3 private classes a week would guarantee coverage. Easy peezie.

So back home all Hollywood and Disneyfied after January is over, and ready to test. That would be February instead of April. A month in Los Angeles will move my exam up by two months. Cool.

So what do I get besides a couple of months earlier promotion? I will have trained under and with world class martial artists. This is an entirely different kettle of fish. It will deepen my understanding in a fundamental way.

And it will be fun.

　

Dropping Saturday

I've stopped going to the open-mat session on Saturday. I make every other class in the week; all seven of them.

Why do I miss Saturdays? It's only an hour long, and requires an hour of driving to get there and back. The main reason is that nobody else goes either.

Not exactly true. Cosme shows up. He has the key and usually works on his Hapkido. He's often the only person there besides me. Now, I guess, he's sometimes the only one there.

My feeling is that if I'm going to be there alone, or almost, it isn't worthwhile.

If somebody wanted to work out with me and asked, I'd meet them there. Nobody has.

Another reason that I'm not going is that I don't need another hour to work on my own technique. I'm pretty happy with where I am right now.

We've been working on the Mount chapter since the start of September. There have been 27 classes dedicated to learning the techniques followed by 9 classes of review. We have an extra 3 review classes left before we move on to the next chapter.

I've also done 16 open-mat sessions where I've worked at review on my own. I'll continue doing open mat on Fridays to continue this.

I think I'm good.

If I hear that Saturdays have gotten popular, I'll be there in a shot.

　

　

　

14 Months

It's weird how things go.

I started out in Karate about a million years ago. Becoming a teacher of any kind was the farthest thing from my mind.

I started in September. A little over a year later, in November, I was asked to take over half of the teaching at the club. Asked is not exactly the right word. When your Sensei asks you to do something, you really can't say no.

But that's all ancient history.

In September of 2011 I started training in Jiu-Jitsu. I had no interest in becoming an instructor. I already teach Karate, and am a high-school teacher. I was enjoying simply being a student.

It is now November, a little over a year later. I've been asked by one of the White Belts to give him some private lessons. As I'm always around, our instructor has suggested to several people that I might help them that way.

I attend all the Blue Belt classes, and none of the others do. As a result, I help them learn the techniques that they've missed.

14 months after starting Shotokan I was teaching it. I find myself teaching Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in a tiny way 14 months after starting.

Maybe I should start another martial art next September, just to see if 14 months later I end up teaching it.

Maybe I should look for other patterns and hope they hold up. It might work if I twist things a bit.

I got my Karate Blue Belt 18 months after starting. 18 months after starting Jiu-Jitsu I'll be wearing a Blue Belt, even though I earned it 9 months in, and will still be wearing it years from now.

I got my Karate Purple Belt 21 months in. If I could get a Jiu-Jitsu Purple after 21 months I would be stunned, as would everybody else.

Got to Brown after about 2.5 years. A Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt in a similar time would be unbelievable.

Black? That took a hair over 4 years. Surely I can get a Jiu-Jitsu Black on a similar timeline.

Stop laughing.

Maybe I just leave things at the 14 month teaching coincidence.

Time

One of the guys at Jiu-Jitsu is really keen. He wants to get to his Blue Belt test as soon as possible. This is pretty much what I was doing at this time last year.

He is now currently 6 months away from his goal.

To speed this up he asked me if I'd give him private lessons every Friday. I am allowed to do this for White Belts.

This would move his goal closer by about two months.

I don't really want to commit to this, but said I'd be willing to do it every second Friday. I want to keep the other open sessions for working on my own stuff. This would make his test be about 5 months away.

A private lesson takes about half an hour, so it's not an onerous commitment on my part. He offered to pay me, which I declined.

If somebody were really, really keen they might be able to talk several of the Blue Belts into helping them out.

There is enough open-mat time at the academy to crank out 3 private lessons. If my friend could arrange this, he could be all done in 2.5 months.

I wish such an option were possible for the Blue Belts.

My next test is 17 months off. If I could take bonus classes at the same ratio it would knock off almost a year.

Not possible, of course.

I resent every delay in my own progress. There are 60 items on my next test. Each of them takes a full week to learn and drill. I thought that would mean a bit over a year to complete. Wrong. It is longer than that.

Between each of the 7 chapters, there are three or four weeks of review. I admit review is necessary, but hate that it takes so many weeks. I review on my own like crazy, but most don't. We are currently in week three of a four-week review. We start new material again on December 4th, and will crank out three more techniques before Christmas.

That will put me at 12 competed out of the goal total of 60.

We had a Blue Belt meeting last night. Everybody that could come, did. Looking around I was jealous. They are all much less than half my age. If they dawdle along, they can still eventually progress. Every one of them can someday be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt.

I cannot dawdle. If I progress as fast as is theoretically possible, I would reach Black Belt by the age of 80. Somewhere between now and then my rate of progress will slow significantly. A single old-guy injury could end my training altogether. A Brown Belt would put me ONLY into my 70s. Realistically, I cannot expect to reach this level either.

Purple? My early 60s. That’s realistic.

In any case, I have limited time to get as far as possible. Each Belt or added stripe is a victory.

I really understand my White Belt's drive to move on quickly through private lessons.

　

Responsibility

I'm declaring it official. Our Blue Belt class has gotten tiny. At Tuesday's class there were 3 of us, Wednesday just one, and Thursday there were 2.

That is an average of 2 per night.

In any learning endeavour it is important to take responsibility for your own progress.

I attend every class. My peers are averaging about 50%. I attend most open-mat sessions. They rarely come to that at all.

They trust the instructor to present the material to them in the best way possible. I do, too, but understand that I have to do extra to solidify his teaching. If you are studying algebra, you can't just work in class time but also need to do some homework.

Since September we've worked on the first chapter of the curriculum. There have been 9 items, all with about 3 or 4 variations. That adds up to over 27 separate techniques. Each of these has probably half a dozen separate points to remember. Let's call it 150 things to learn.

I know I can't learn all this in the time allotted. I can't afford to miss classes, and need to do extra study.

I want each chapter solidly in my data bank before we move on to the next. I want to be ready to test in a year and a half when I get done with chapter seven.

Would you decide to learn a musical instrument, and then only attend half of your lessons, and not practise at home? I doubt it.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Rare

Another weird Jiu-Jitsu night. For the second time in a row I was the demonstration dummy. That's the guy that the instructor uses to demonstrate the technique. I was the only Blue Belt guy there tonight.

When the White Belts went home there was almost nobody left for the advanced class. It was just the instructor and me.

It was really a private lesson. I can't complain about that.

The question is, "where were the other Blue Belts?"

One is out of town right now, and another is off with a nasty work-related injury. Of the others I have no clue.

Last night there were three Blue Belt students there, and tonight just me. That's pretty low turnout both nights. I wonder if it will go that way again tomorrow. I sure hope not. We need a healthy group.

A healthy advanced group means a source of assistant teachers. It also means smoother progress for the members within the advanced group itself.

People also become friends over time. Sometimes they just vanish. It happens a lot in martial arts, but it isn't ever good.

Demo-boy

Yesterday was interesting. I had a dentist appointment, and so was running a little late. It could have been a car day, but I decided that if I were a few minutes late for the White Belt class it wasn't the end of the world. After the dentist, I rode home on the bike.

Grabbed a bite. No panic if I should be a few minutes late for the White Belt class. Packed my gym bag. No need to rush.

Drove half an hour to the gym. No panic.

Still managed to get there a moment or two before the 5:30 start time and headed to the changeroom.

The mat was packed. Just about every White Belts was present.

So I was changing, and Sterling exploded in saying the class couldn't start until I was on the mat, and then he vanished again. Strange, but I hurried.

Was he kidding? Why would they need me?

Class started and it was instantly clear. The instructor was away and Sterling was teaching the class. He needed somebody to demonstrate on. There was only one other Blue Belt there. Madeline is often used as the demo partner, but she wouldn't be a good choice with Sterling teaching.

He is about twice her size, and it would just look bizarre for Sterling to demonstrate defending himself against such a tiny attacker. He did use her for a demo where she didn't portray an evil attacker, but wanted me for the much better size match.

Sterling taught a fine class, and I didn’t screw up at all.

Funny that it was the first time ever that I didn’t arrive plenty early. Strange that Stirling should be teaching on exactly that night, and that none of the other large Blue Belts were present.

I’ve been used in demos a few times, but this night I was used more than all those other times combined.

　

　

　

Split-Levels

It is very hard to teach martial arts well.

Image a group of students. Typically, each is at a different level, and requires different instruction to prepare them for their next exam.

In Karate there are 9 levels below Black Belt, but even that is an illusion. Two new Green Belts are pretty equal, but if one is not new, but rather about to test for Blue they are not.

It's actually easier to teach a room full of beginners than it is to teach a room full of different levels. One can't even modify the curriculum to make things easier. The exam requirements are incredibly specific, and the tests come about every three months.

Our Jiu-Jitsu instructor has an even nastier problem. The White Belt class functions beautifully. The techniques come like clockwork and everybody is about the same.

In the Blue Belt class he has two groups of students. The first is a bunch of rookies, and the other is working on the next level up. Each evening he has to teach totally different and very complicated material to each bunch within a one-hour class.

What makes it even harder is he is teaching himself the higher level techniques as he goes. It's all new to him.

I have no idea how he does it.

Some nights I'm the only low-level Blue there. When that happens he focuses on the higher stuff. I'm happy enough to join in when I can, and review my own stuff when I can't.

So far it's all working. The goal would be for the current low Blues to be ready to test for their first stripe in a year and a half, and that the higher group of Blues to test for their second stripe.

A complication is that the lower group will be getting occasional additions as White Belts earn Blue Belts.

If it all works, things will get even harder. There will be the lower Blues, a new crop of Blue-with-one-stripe, and a top group of Blue-with-two-stripes starting the three-stripe material.

I wonder how they do it at the Headquarters school. There the advanced class could potentially contain five levels of Blue Belts, with five levels of Purple Belts, alongside five levels of Brown. They, at least, have several instructors to call on.

　

30 Days is Easy

I've stolen an idea at work. There is a TED thing by a guy called Matt Cutts. He has filled his life with 30 day challenges.

They are something done every day for a month. Some examples are; take a photo, walk to work, draw daily, eat a new food each day....and almost anything else.

The idea is that it is enough time to give each thing a fair shake, but short enough that they can be completed.

I've did this with my kids last year and it was a huge success. There is a ton of enthusiasm in this year's group, too.

I do one alongside the kids in support. Don't know what I'll do this year.

I think this is a great idea, and not just for kids. It seems to have done wonders for Matt Cutts.

I've met tons of people who praise me for riding my bike to work. They should try it for a month. Some think it's cool that I run in the summer. They should try running for a month, or even going for long walks.

You have no idea how many people have told me that they've always wanted to try martial arts. They haven't.

It's like anything else. It all seems too big and intimidating. Does trying something for 30 days seem as bad?

Matt Cutts has done many, many challenges. Most ended on day 30, but a number have become part of his life.

I'd like to get into photography, and get back into fine art. I could use daily practise on my advanced Katas. I should dress better.

How about stopping something negative in your life? Could you do that for a month? Drop certain foods, or smoking, or drinking. It's only 30 days. Maybe it could stick, too. Why not try being a vegetarian?

Introverted? For a month go up to somebody and ask them how their weekend was. Last year one girl did this. It scared her, but she learned the knack in no time.

One picky eater managed to eat a new food every day. A lot of them she hated, and most of the rest she didn't mind but wouldn't try again. She found about a dozen she actually liked. She no longer resists trying new things.

The big surprise last year was the number of kids that came up and asked if they were allowed to do more than one.

That doesn't usually happen with homework.

　

　

Keep Calm and Carry On

This fine sushi restaurant is packed. I've stopped on my way home to pick up some treats.

 

I've just come from open mat time. I was drilling myself on the Blue Belt mount techniques. I like to go over things many times. Tobias was there, and asked for a hand with some of his material. By my showing him and doing the drills for a half hour or so he gets credit for a class he is missing.

 

We did that, and then rolled for maybe ten minutes. By the end he was bright pink. All White Belts find it had to relax and conserve energy. He noticed, and said, "You don't look tired at all."

 

It's funny to have to work at relaxing, but it's true.

 

 

Necks and Wings

My stupid cold cost me a week of Jiu-Jitsu training, but I was back at it tonight.

Somehow I'm going to have to do some work on my own to make up the gap. I can do that, as long as I don't miss any bigger chunks of training.

Tonight we were working on a thing called an arm triangle. It's a nasty method of choking somebody. It turns out there is something about me that makes me very, very hard to choke this way. It was a real problem. We all worked away to find out what was going wrong. My neck meant that we had to figure out a more perfect way to do it. Once we found it, everybody learned the better method. We all got better because of my tricky neck. That was cool.

When I got home, things managed to get even better. Helen had made me a big heap of barbecued chicken wings. I was expecting to have to cook them myself, and I was really too tired to want to do that. She saved me, and they are so delicious.

Chokes, a tricky neck, and chicken wings.

A good evening indeed.

Cam

The closer I get to retirement, the more creative I am feeling. Likely this is caused by my anticipation of time to do creative things.

Anyhow, I like making slightly unusual videos. Time-lapse stuff is really fun.

I also have a camera that can strap onto bikes, or cars, or the human body and can take a fair amount of abuse. It is called a Gopro.

I've made some bike and car videos, but want to do something more original.

I'm going to strap the camera to either my chest or head, and wear it to Jiu-Jitsu. Just what does it look like to roll around? I wish I knew. Only a small part of the sensory input used is visual. The camera records only the visual.

There might be nothing worth seeing from so close up. It would have to be worn a number of times before anything interesting ends up getting captured.

Of course, the instructor might not like the idea. Things like this are his call.

Playing with a chest cam could be nasty. A lot of the time it will end up between the two competitors, being ground into each with intense pressure. The cam itself is a small, hard, rectangular device. I don't think it could injure anybody, but it will be uncomfortable.

A little editing, and then off it goes to Youtube.

　

Sicko

It's been a lousy martial arts week for me. I usually go to Jiu-Jitsu five times and teach Karate twice.

Monday evening I could feel a cold coming on, but didn't let that interfere with Karate. Sometimes colds are nothing.

Waking up Tuesday I knew it was going to be nasty. Dragged myself through the workday, but knew I shouldn't train. It's the night when the techniques for the week are demonstrated and explained. I went in civies, sat in a chair, and watched. Not as good as doing it, but much better than nothing.

Wednesday and Thursday I was home from work, and stayed away from Jiu-Jitsu, too.

Friday? Back at work, but I shouldn't have been. Stayed home from training.

Tomorrow, I won't be at Jiu-Jitsu. Can't miss Karate as I'm the instructor, but that's easy. It isn't draining like training is.

So, I'll have made it to both Karate classes, but will have not trained at all in Jiu-Jitsu. I watched once.

I wonder if I've made progress. Don't answer. It's rhetorical.

Again?

Three weeks ago missed work due to a stupid cold. Even worse, I missed a night at Jiu-Jitsu.

I have yet another stupid cold. This one is worse, and I predict a mess of lost training. I was at work today, but won't be tomorrow. I'm too sick for martial arts, either. This will likely cost all three of the week's technique classes. That's a pain.

I'm going to go tonight. This is the day when we get the movements all explained and demonstrated. I can't train, but can certainly sit in a chair and watch. If I stayed home, I'd just be sitting in a chair watching TV. This is the by far the worst night of the week to miss.

Wednesday and Thursday will likely be shot, too. Those are drill days and I'll stay home.

We soon go into three weeks of review. I can likely do the necessary drill on this week's techniques during that time.

We won't be returning to this particular material until the summer of 2014. Certainly wouldn't want to have to redo it then. Best to learn it now and move on.

I was really fortunate last year, and managed to push through the White Belt curriculum without any time lost to colds, flu, or such nonsense. No such luck this time around.

Teachers pick up a lot of viruses from work. Schools are breeding grounds. Tons of people packed into overcrowded rooms. That's certainly one aspect of the profession that I won't miss when I retire. That's still months away.

The Hardest Thing

I sometimes get asked what the hardest thing is in martial arts.

The answer might surprise you. Many of the things are very difficult.

The very first thing I learned was Karate's basic punch. I've been working on it for over 30 years, and it still needs work.

The stances need constant monitoring and correction.

Kicking is difficult.

Miss a block and you're screwed.

Grappling is no simpler, and there are many more movements to learn.

None of that is the hardest element.

The hardest part is the uniform. It ain't like any other clothing you've ever experienced.

The easiest way to tell a beginner is by the belt, and I don't mean the colour. It's the knot.

Even belts tied perfectly will often come undone in the midst of training.

I've started tying mine in a manner specific to some grapplers. Most people use the usual, self-undoing variation, but there is another way. I've started doing mine the fancy way, too.

It works really well. My belt hasn't come undone since at Karate, and only rarely when rolling at Jiu-Jitsu.

The knot's difference is hard to detect to an observer, and nobody has asked me about it.

Bet you didn't know there was even an issue.

　

　

How far?

The material I have to learn for my next test is divided into 7 units or chapters. It has been all chapter one since the start of September. There is one more week to complete, and then we go into a few weeks of review.

After that it's on to chapter two. I won't see chapter one again for a year and a half. At about that time I'll be expected to test.

I won't have done some of the techniques in a very long time.

Not really true, as I'll be using them when rolling around, but I won't see them in a formal class setting.

I plan on getting them down pat before we start the next chapter. When we do review again at the end of chapter two, I plan on reviewing everything in every chapter I've covered. I want to do this during each subsequent review period.

When it's all done, I want to be ready to test the very next day. I want it all tight. I want it all solid.

My age definitely works against me. A young guy needn't think about it, but we all only have so many good years. I want to get as far as I can. A Purple Belt is about 5 or 6 years away and is a realistic goal. A Brown Belt is just as far away again.

Will I still be rolling around like this a decade from now? I hope so, but I'll be in my late sixties. A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt for me is a long shot.

I enjoy the learning itself, and the techniques, and all the sparring around.

The training is currently no problem for an old dude. My body is holding up well, and I can roll with any of them. Nobody seems to avoid the old guy, and some actively seek me out as a partner. I don't see anybody taking it easy on me. I take this as a compliment.

The instructor enjoys rolling with me, too. This is an even bigger compliment. My repertoire is still very limited, but I'm pretty good at making things hard for him. I think I present him with puzzles that he enjoys solving. He always gets me eventually, and then we keep on going.

I wonder how far I can go.

　

　

Gender Balance

Today it was weird at Jiu-Jitsu. Not crazy weird; just a little different.

There were four White Belts guys there. There were also four White Belt girls. The class was exactly gender balanced.

This is unusual. It required every one of the ladies to attend, and for a lot of the guys to be away. Regardless, we were gender balanced.

I am being a little selective in my count. The instructor is male as are both of the Blue Belts who were there to help out, but it's really the White Belt's class.

Martial arts classes almost always have significantly more men than women, and I suspect this is even more true in grappling classes.

My Karate club is pretty balanced. There are ten of us, and four are female.

Neither Jiu-Jitsu nor Karate is better for either gender physically.

In Karate you strive to do the best strikes, kicks, and blocks possible with the body that you have. A big, strong person hitting hard, but with only 75% of their potential is doing less well than a smaller person who hits with less force, but who is performing at 95%.

Jiu-Jitsu is similar. The biggest and strongest people have the hardest time. They are used to generating force through muscle power. In grappling this is a big disadvantage. They are the ones who push too hard when we are rolling around. It just doesn't work. A person with better technique can avoid what the big guy is attempting. The big person then pushes harder, and it still won't work. In no time at all they are exhausted and become easy prey. They have to unlearn their lifelong habits.

In both these martial arts the idea is not to be able to defeat a larger attacker. The way to do this is to work at maximum efficiency.

Efficiency is not a gender determined trait.

Not fair fights

It is quite a fall season for the heavier weight divisions of the UFC, but all the title bouts are very one-sided.

In September the UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones defeated Vitor Belafort in the 4th round. Nobody thought the challenger had any sort of chance. The only surprise was that Jones ended it with an armbar. He usually beats his opponents to a pulp.

In October the Middleweight champion Anderson Silva took on Stephan Bonnar. This time it was impossible to claim Bonnar was anything other than a tomato can. Silva is the most dominant champion ever in the UFC, and Bonnar is nothing more than a second tier fighter. He's never had a title fight before, and had already decided to retire when the call came to fight Silva. Silva toyed with him until there were only 20 seconds left in the first round. He then turned it on and crushed Bonnar with ease.

The UFC used to be known for putting on balanced bouts. I don't know what has happened.

It doesn't really get any better for the upcoming Welterweight title fight between George St. Pierre and Carlos Condit. I've seen both fight, and Condit doesn't stand any chance at all. The only interesting element at all is that St. Pierre has been off for over a year and a half due to injury. Has he become an old man? Has he forgotten how to fight? If he hasn't, then Condit is mere cannon fodder.

In December the Heavyweight division has the only interesting big-man fight. It is a rematch between current champion Junior Dos Santos and the man he took the title from, Cain Velasquez. Dos Santos is the favourite, but Velasquez has a good shot.

I think the problem is that with St. Pierre, Silva, and Jones the Champions are just too good. All have already defeated every legitimate contender.

Jon Jones, for example, has had the shortest reign of the three champions just named. Other than the Belafort mismatch, he has had just 4 title fights. In all of them he faced excellent men who were all former champions.

He knocked out Rua, choked out both Jackson and Machida, and earned a unanimous decision over Evens. After breezing through that granite-hard field there is really nobody available to offer a serious challenge.

For Silva and St. Pierre it's even worse.

This isn't happening at Heavyweight, as Dos Santos has only had one title defense so far.

Maybe all the competitive fights will have to come with the lighter weight categories. They have yet to develop dominant champs.

　

Strange lens

I tend to forget stuff. Usually, it's the small items.

Can't even begin to list the number of times I've ended up someplace without my glasses. They aren't needed for driving, but without them reading isn't going to happen.

My old solution, if you can call it that, was to have cheap, drugstore reading glasses scattered liberally about. That way if my real glasses weren't to hand, I could still get by. The problem was that my safety net only worked half of the time. The spares tended to migrate as I moved about.

Yesterday, I was waiting at a restaurant for Helen. My glasses were a coupleof blocks away parked inside my car. There were no spares in my bag.

I did have my iPad with me, and it came to the rescue. The camera is good enough I could point it at the printing, and then stretch the image nice and big.

Granted, I looked like a geek using a tablet device to read a menu. I couldn't use my less noticable phone, as its camera is just not up to the task. Helen's iPhone would be dandy.

I've known for a long time that this was possible. I've use my iPad to record documents photographically several times, but this was the first time I've done it "live".

I could imagine going to Vancouver solo for Karate sometime and forgetting my glasses.

Bet I'd have my iPad.

Small Group

Attendance at Jiu-Jitsu today was low. It happens. Sometimes the place is packed, and sometimes it isn't. Tonight it wasn't.

At the White Belt class there were only seven of us. This total included the instructor, and two Blue Belt assistants.

The training was grand, but when the class ended there were only three of us left for the Blue Belt class, including the instructor.

No problem, we just forged ahead. It was a little tricky, as I'm working at the lowest level of Blue Belt, and they are both at one level above me.

I was presented with a mini-review of my material and a short drill with the other student as my partner.

After that, they worked on their material. I scooted off to the side and played my techniques over and over solo. This isn't an ideal situation, but it works for me. I always need lots of drill to get things down pat.

With about half an hour left, we got back together and rolled in five-minute rounds. First it was me and Sterling, then I rolled with Shawn. After that, Sterling and Shawn had at it. Then we did the cycle all over again.

By the end we were all sweaty, and had gotten a lot of good practise. It was fun.

I'm glad the attendance was so light, at least for the one evening.

I like the big groups, too, but this was a nice change of pace.

　

and fun

Things are looking bright for the Karate Club. We need to be able to pay the gym fees. We also have to pay membership for the Japan Karate Association and Karate BC.

It isn't a lot of money, but we were down to only three people, including myself. No way we could make it work.

Posters went up and seemed to get a response. A bunch of folks showed up to try.

It isn't my intention to sell them a bill of goods, so I told them not to pay until they've had two trial lessons.

What has been the result? Our three increased to five with the return of two old friends, and we also have five brand new beginners.

It looks like we number ten souls. That will work.

It also makes for a nice learning environment. Tonight for part of the class I had the old folks paired up with the new ones to teach them a technique. Both groups enjoyed it.

There is also a chance we can move to a no-fee area at the high school. This would not only eliminate any tightness of money, it would allow lower fees. The space might become available due in part to our providing training to school district students. Six of our members are students. I hope this works out.

Our plan is to charge as little as possible, while providing quality training.

And have fun....don't forget the fun.

Gems

Last night was a pretty good open-mat session. Those are times when anybody can show up and roll around.

Two White Belts, Juan and Tobias, showed up and practised together for most of the time. I rolled a bit with Juan. He's fun. Although new to Jiu-Jitsu he's messed about with MMA quite a bit. He is full of surprises and does everything just a little bit different.

Colin and Sterling were there and worked on Hapkido technique for their upcoming exams.

Most of the time Shawn and I just rolled around a lot. He's the instructor. Understandably, he is much more skilled than I am. I think I do a pretty good job of making things difficult for him. It is my natural tendency to fight defensively. He lets me get stuff sometimes, as the goal isn't to "win".

Today it is Saturday, and there is another open-mat session. I hope just as many show up. It is always worthwhile, but strangely only certain folks ever come.

Even when attendance is crappy, the time is worthwhile. A week ago only Shawn, Tobias and I showed up. Tobias casually asked a question about takedowns other than the very few the White Belts learn. We ended up getting specialized private lesson just about that. Shawn taught from his non-Jiu-Jitsu repertoire and we did tons of Judo-esque drills. I think I got twice as much out of Tobias's question than he did.

There have been 11 open-mat sessions since they were first introduced at the club. I've been to all and consider them the gems of the training week.