The Pink Panther

Today I got one of the biggest surprises ever....A BRAND NEW GI. Some of my AWESOME teammates pitched in and got me a brand new gi to match a pair of Kaylas socks, so imagine my delight when they were the EXACT SAME COLOR!! <3 my teammates, and will wear this gi in all legal competitions!!
">THE PINK PANTHER
- I'll show you how great I am.

Last weekend and this one.

Like I recently said, I had a very good win this past week. It was just what I needed. Everything lined up for me in a way that it usually doesnt. These things are things that I have complete control over, not random. So I guess what you could really say is that , I havent wanted to win this bad before. The thing that I struggle the most with is diet, although it is getting really easy to stay on track now. I see people eating gross food and gross meaning big juicy hamburgers with onion strings, BBQ sauce and pepperjack cheese....OH and bacon. And dont you dare forget fries, with ranch to dip it all in.. YUM....but when I see people eat things that I used to think were yummy, I want to vomit. It is absolutely disgusting. I think it comes down to my body adjusting to the more healthy foods I have been eating lately. I ended up being able to eat before my tournament, and I didnt have to sit in the sauna or do any last minute weight cutting, my mind was a 100 percent into it, and it showed. This weekend coming up I will also be able to do the same thing at the Chicago Open. It will be a good chance for me to test myself again before Pans. There is a guy I lost to at the Houston Open, rrather quickly mind you, that will also be at this tournament. I am excited to get to fight him again without the weight cutting I had done for the Houston IBJJF. I leave Friday, and come back on Sunday!! Time to get super focused for this weekend, there will be some wars. I cannot wait until class.


- I'll show you how great I am.

Research

Last night at the gym was pretty fun. I am having a hard time with Vins X guard, he seems to be able to get there no matter what. One thing that I was having success with is using the Brabo grip to prevent him from extending himself in half guard to bring my leg up onto his shoulder. I also have been pushing on this inside knee very hard, as I try and slide my weight off his X while keeping my hips parallel to the ground. I will have to try this more.
">X guard
Coach could fight Renato Tavares, he is a very good black belt and it will be one of the toughest fights he has had yet. Coach watches tape and asked me to watch tape as well and try to attack in some of the ways that he attacks. I studied him for about 2 hours last night and took quite a few notes, one of the things that he is very adamant about is setting up the Brabo grip, but not always switching hands, and sometimes he just feeds the lapel around the back. He also loves to underhook a leg from half and do the over under pass. He is very good at this. I have a list of notes I will put up one I am done looking at his material.
">Renato Tavares

">Danny Alvarez


- I'll show you how great I am.

Role Models

Something easily overlooked is our ability to influence others. It is my belief that martial artists should lead by example, especially higher ranks. Whether you teach, compete, or just love the sport you compete in you are a role model. You could apply this concept to just about any leadership role, or a role in which you are in public eyes. I say martial arts to point out something that really bothers me, I could give you countless names of people who epitomizes this. I could also give you countless names of people who do not. I understand that it is something to strive towards and not always achieved, but for goodness sakes. If you are in a position of authority, even more so around children or teaching children, you should not be using the F bomb. I was at a tournament recently where I heard AT LEAST 30 F bombs, not quite in one on one conversation, but LOUD F*** bombs. There were children around. It comes down to alot more than just swearing, it comes down to your actions, the core of who you are and how you behave, your beliefs. Many people may see it as cool or down to earth....I do not. In my mind we are raising the next generation to do better than we are, to be better than we are. I want my son to be a better person than I ever have been, and with that, I want other kids to have that as well. I want everyone to want that for their children. I still believe in ....it takes a village. Just a little blurp sorry I am rambling!!

">They are watching!
- I'll show you how great I am.

I felt great

So I must start off by saying I recently competed in IBJJF San Fran 2012. I placed 1st in Middle Blue Adult and 3rd in Absolute. It was awesome!! I started cutting weight at the beginning of the week and was right on point by Sunday when I competed. I would like to say I have never felt so good competing! Most times I have to dehydrate myself, and this leads to a very slow thinking, slow moving version of myself. This time, I had energy and food, I could think and therefore I could achieve what I knew I was capable of 1st place!! This is my first gold at an IBJJF, often times I run into a number of factors that do not go my way. It has been from dehydration all the way to mentally broken, but not at this one. I will be going again to IBJJF Chicago this weekend. A little sore but hey, comes with the territory. O O O and I fought me a bbbbbiiig boy, 320 lbs in the absolute, he pretty much gassed me lol. I need to work on my conditioning even more.
">1st Place Blue Middle Adult
- I'll show you how great I am.