Readers: Know your blogger
Rolling, rolling, rolling
I learned something from one of Ross Enamait’s recent blogs: Don’t assume anything about your readers. If you think they read your blog and as such know everything about you / are part of the training community / know what you’re talking about, then you could be setting yourself up for a fall.
With that thought in mind, it’s probably a good time to set something straight. If you didn’t know, I train. Quite a lot. Well, in comparison to some, maybe not that much, but I still do a fair bit. I get on the mat at least three or four times a week (currently I’m going through a grappling phase after a few month’s of hardcore stand-up). I’ve also upped my conditioning and fitness training, and now train every two to three days using principles as espoused by people like Crossfit, the aforementioned Mr Enamait, and my friends Barry Gibson of Grapplefit and Alex Gold of Hardcore Sports Training (who both, incidentally, write for the magazine. It all goes back to practising what you preach).
Tonight I started off with a little (hah) leg workout in the conditioning room at the gym, then joined in rolling with the BJJ class. I’m really enjoying the gi right now, but as ever, will probably get bored to tears with it in about a month’s time and be all about the Muay Thai or something. We had the usual class tonight, but there was a little something extra… My friend Anna got her purple belt tonight, which was ridiculously overdue. Congrats to her. Now I don’t have to feel so bad when she triangles me.
It’s always better to laugh at people when you triangle them
I bought a video camera a few months back, mostly for work for the mag, some of which you can see on the FO YouTube channel, some of which is up on my own. If you fancy seeing what your author has got to offer on the mat, then take a look at the following vid. It features me (purple belt) rolling with Griff, one of our gym’s top blue belts, in a nice chilled out Bank Holiday session. Also, it has my awesome BJJ mix CD on in the background, which is by far the greatest thing to listen to when rolling EVER. I may even get around to posting the track list at some point.
Anyway, the vid. Enjoy.
March 27, 2008 at 12:04 pm
its always on of those things where people think you just write from a comfy armchair without ever having given things a go yourself. you appreciate so much more when you have to push yourself to the same kind of limits, and then to find your way beyond them…
the Gi… hmmm, I hate being choked out by my own clothes, and i have to say that I have never really trained with it’s limitations/advantages. hmmm, maybe I should look into that when the groin injury heals… lol
March 27, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Post that tracklist mate…
March 27, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I’ll save it for another blog
March 27, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Lee, you should def consider sticking a gi on, even if you find you don’t like it, it’s one hell of a training tool.
My advice would be though, just because you CAN grab on to it, doesn’t mean you HAVE to. use it when you need, natural handles work best most of the time anyway…
March 28, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I agree about Anna and her purple belt, I got bitched by her that night!
Anyway, that’s dedication training on a bank holiday Hywel!
March 29, 2008 at 12:37 am
I hope tomorrow night to post a video of me being obliterated by me 58kg instructor. That should be good for laughs!
April 2, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Know your blogger! Japan edition.
Inspired by Hywel Teague over at Notes from Ringside, I decided to get some film of me sparring at OJJ on Sunday night.
It was another good session. We just did a warm up and then got straight into the sparring. Five minute rounds. I think I did ab…
April 6, 2008 at 10:11 am
Man i get self consiouse watchin myself roll.
Bored! of the Gi??… Blasphemy