Four Directions

All of a sudden I have far too much to work on at Jiu-Jitsu.

Usually, the situation is exactly the opposite. I can do extra drill on the stuff we've been covering in class, or come up with some kind of project of my own.

Right now, there is a flood.

Our head instructor, Shawn Phillips, will be around for almost two months. In that time, he wants to work on the highest material of the Guard curriculum. This is great, but it's also something that I am very shaky on. I could just take the lessons as they come, but would not get maximum benefit from them if I did that. What I should do is go over each of the lessons before we do them in class. That way I wouldn't be trying to pick up a basic understanding, and can focus on particular details.

So, I could and should be looking ahead to the level three Guard material.

I've also decided to start working towards completion of the BBS2 exam. This requires a great deal of review and drill, as well as figuring out how to best present the material during the test itself. I started on this a week or two ago, and chose the Mount/Side-Mount test as being the best place for me to start.

I could also continue working on second level Mount and Side-Mount.

Yesterday, Scott and Cosme showed up at open mat time, and it turns out they also want to work on the BBS2 exam. They were working the Guard/Half-Guard test segment, and invited me to join in. I gladly would have, but they do it in a way that doesn't work for me. They are both able to go much faster through the material than I can. For me, it is critically important to do every move a millions times or more. No way I can keep up, but if I did extra training getting ready to work with them, maybe I could.

Perhaps I should prepare second level Guard and Half-Guard a bit, and then train more with Scott and Cosme.

That's kind of what I did today. I was alone on the mat starting to work on Mount and Side-Mount, when Cosme showed up to work on Guard/Half-Guard. I helped him on his stuff.

So although thinking about the level three curriculum, or about level two, I am still involved with level one.

Both Tobias and Tawha are working to get their BBS1 exams done, and I've been helping them. Each is at a different spot in the testing procedure, he at Guard/Half-Guard, and she at Mount/Half-Mount. I know that stuff well enough that I don't have to practice it when on my own, but rather to work with Tobias or Tawha whenever they are training.

I count it all as being a total of four different directions I am taking during out-of class mat time. As much as I like having something to work on, this is too much.

For my friends, it would be best if I give priority to Tobias and Tawha whenever they are present and ready to work. I can also be of aid to Scott and Cosme as well.

It would be too difficult to try and seriously focus on my own BBS2 test preparation in amongst all of that. Therefore, beyond helping my peers, I shall work on the level three material that Shawn is covering in the next few weeks.

Best if my exam drops far, far down the priority list for now.

No rush. After all, it's optional.