Deborah's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Arnis-Eskrima Training

So, I decided to start naming my posts, as the blog automatically dates each post anyway, I shall be redundant no more. Also, I did some interior decorating on the blog, added some links and color and pizzaz.   AND the Pan Ams are in March.  I have chosen December 3 as my official start date for training.  The last two months I have been training BJJ only once or twice per week, two KB and CB work outs, with pull-up and push-ups thrown in and an occasional run.    I have not thrown my guts into my workouts,  they have been more of a whimsical, jaunty play around.  My goal is to keep the whimsy spirit,  and add the elements of discipline, concentration, and hard work.  I want to go into the competition knowing I trained and worked harder than anyone else.   I am going to give Paleo a try.  I know that wheat and sugar are the two things that drag my system into the mud, so Paleo should be a good match for my body. Yawnnnnn, it's l...

So I did a killer KB workout Wednesday night. Part One, using the 12 kg KB: 5 reps of  the "four-way," which consists of a one arm: swing, clean, two presses from the clean, snatch, then a throw to the other hand. 12 Push-ups (working up by two a week, next week I will do 14) 6 Pull-up(s) okay I did my one pull-up, then 3/4 of the second pull-up, then 5 reverses. Again, this is a still a work in progress.  My push-ups and pull-ups are still sitting at the kids table. Part Two,  using the 8kg KB: 5 reps of:  a Turkish Get-Up, using a form of standing up in base while holding the KB overhead.  I concentrated on really exploding up while pushing the KB up from the core, as if stretching upward.  After getting into the standing position, I carefully re-positioned my feet and hips to perform a slow and deliberate Windmill, followed by a reverse to the TG-U start position. 15 reps: holding a 10 pound medicine ball while laying back on a large...

Happy Thanksgiving! Today I am thankful for the bounty of love, health, and goodness that saturates my life.

Hey kids!  There is a new gal in town named Michele Welti, and if I was brilliant I could link her blog here, but alas, my linking skills are sad.  If you click on "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" on your profile, you will see her.

The Journey of Fenix posted this great BJJ workout. the journey of fenix: Home Bjj Workout : "There is some really good stuff here. It will give me some idea for the summer break, where there won't be classes. And for any other day wh..."

I DID ONE PULL-UP YESTERDAY. that is all.  the conquering will now continue.

I just returned from Felicia and Valerie's seminar and I had a blast!  First things first.  I have long admired these two fine ladies from afar based on their fight histories and records.   When I walked in the door at Team Karate Center, I was directed to one of the school's mats where they were sitting. I humbly introduced myself, as I could not believe these two women, who I had been reading about for a couple of years were right here in front of me.  Felicia asked me where I trained?  "Fabio Santos in San Diego."  They were both taken aback.  Felicia  said, "You drove up here from San Diego?  I am honored."   Ha!  Are you kidding?  Felicia has enough gold to keep a team of dentists employed for years, I said, "No, I am honored to have an opportunity to train with you ."  Drive two hours to train with a couple of badass BJJ  blackbelts?  Well worth the trip.  (no traffic!) Class began with a few ...

It's Friday!  Time for videos.

A word about discomfort. I was rolling with Mario yesterday, who is one of my oldest BJJ buddies.  He and I started training at the same time 5 1/2 (5 1/2!) years ago.  We were working on half guard escapes to achieve side control and at one point, I was trying to adjust my weight back and forth to drive my shoulder into his neck and cause my friend misery....:)  Mario laughed and said, "Yeah, you got it, that makes me very uncomfortable."  The rest of class we kept joking about moments of discomfort.  ("Yeah dude, that arm lock is making me uncomfortable.") Discomfort.  The gift of life.  May we all embrace discomfort and celebrate the ways it brings verve and spirit to our life.  Discomfort is the parent of improvement, excellence, triumph, wisdom, and confidence. When I started BJJ, I was unsure about my fighting abilities, my confidence level was a lukewarm medium, not rock solid.  Fighting ability was/is important for my job, as I...

Training and working out were a little thin this week (after Tuesday) due to an unexpected and frankly upsetting event at work, but today I got into the gym. I did three sets of 15 swings with the 36 pound KB.  One set of 30 with the 26 pound KB.  A smattering of yoga. and... I did 1/2 of  a pull-up!  I have never been able to do pull-ups.  I am annoyingly all Polly Positive with people with my go-forth-and-conquer-of-course-you-can! advice.  And yet, here I sit, accepting, acccepting, that I can't do a pull-up.  That's a bit of a dumb attitude on my part and I am a little ashamed that I gave in to such a non-existent hinderance.  So now Dagney is going to take her own advice. I started with five reverse pull-ups, meaning I jumped up to the "finish" position and lowered myself down, then, I did five attempts from a dead hang, no kipping or struggling.  Much to my surprise, I made it half way on each one! This is all part of a slight ...

I just signed up for women's grappling camp with Felicia Oh in Woodland Hills, CA.  Anyone going?