Tobias

It can sometimes be hard to measure any progress that is achieved during an intensive training period.

My recent two-month visit to LA was just such an intensive training period.

I learned a lot of technique, and got lots of practice, but did I actually get any better.

I am fortunate that there is a pretty scientific measure that can be applied.

At our local training centre before my trip, there was another Blue Belt named Tobias, who was almost exactly my match in free rolling. He's younger and stronger, but I had a bit more experience and training. I used to regularly beat him, but he was catching up fast. Around Christmas he had caught up and the tide was definitely about to turn.

While I was gone he continued to train. In LA I got over four times as much training as Tobias did. I was also rolling with a very wide range of partners, including every rank from Blue Belt to Black.

Since getting home, I've rolled with just about everybody. It seems much easier than before, but Tobias is my measuring stick.

Against him, I'm ahead again.

At least for a couple of months, and then he'll catch me again.

New Rules

I train in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. They have three types of training.

You can train directly with Rener and Ryron Gracie down in Southern California, or through their online distance program called Gracie University. My situation is sort of half way in between.
 

I train at one of their Certified Training Centers.
 

All of their programs are great, but their system of rank progression has left a lot to be desired.
 

Most martial arts award their practitioners a Black Belts after about five years of training. Down in LA, it is possible to earn a Gracie Black Belt in about 11 years. It's a long road.
 

Being away from the center meant an even longer journey. To earn a Black Belt took 24 years. That isn't a typo.
 

The program, however, is only five years old. The Gracies chose to err on the side of progression that is too tough, rather than too easy. They've now had a chance to see things in operation for a while, and have decided to change the process somewhat. Rank progression has become more in line with what happens at the main academy.
 

Under the new system, a distance Black Belt can be earned in about 14 years. This is still longer than if one can train directly with the Gracies, but is much closer than it was.
 

My rank was Blue Belt Stripe One under the old system. Under the new rules, I was already qualified to receive a second stripe. I received this promotion earlier this week. I am now a Blue Belt Stripe Two. This leaves two stripes left to go, and then the jump up to Purple Belt.
 

Under the old system, a Purple Belt was so far off as to seem unattainable. Now I can see it waiting for me about three years away.
 

The big jump from Blue to Purple, or from Purple to Brown does have one new requirement. They can only awarded after an in-person evaluation by the Gracies, or any of their authorized Black Belts.
 

This would have to occur at a seminar somewhere, at the Gracie Academy in California, or by bringing an evaluator in specially for the purpose. This is no biggie for me as Helen and I often visit the Los Angeles area.
 

A much improved system, in my opinion.

Home Mat

Quiet night at Jiu-Jitsu. There were five Blue Belts, and an even dozen White Belts. A cool feature was that five of the White Belts were new faces to me. That's what two months away will do.

I was only there to watch as I've picked up a crummy virus. I couldn't train last night either, but observed at the Blue Belt class. There were seven present then.

So why not stay home if I'm a bit under the weather? I don't want to miss the new material that the Blue class is covering. I'm sure I could pick it up later, but want to use all my free time on the mat to review what I did in California. I figure that will be my most efficient use of time.

The Guard Sweeps stuff is all quite fresh, but I haven't done Guard Submissions in a month and a half. They have faded greatly. In Torrance we moved away from Guard Submission Counters three weeks ago, so they are somewhere in between.

I intend suiting up on Friday and Saturday. There are free mat times on both days and I want to get reviewing and remembering. There will be other people there. Maybe they'll want to work with me, or maybe not.

I hope someone does help. They would learn the techniques they assist me with and there would then be two brains to retain the knowledge, and not just one.

Two is better.