A gentle touch

I've spent the past few years learning that I'm a little too forceful. Often attempting to use force in place of finesse. Often relearning that I can get more out of a situation by being more gentle. The interesting part is that I see it and am motivated to change. On a regular basis, I have to remind myself to slow down. To change things and try again. I control frustration and change my approach.

To see growth in my Ju Jitsu would be exciting on it's own. But the part that amazes me most is how I see it in life. How I am now able to articulate the effects of my actions in a way that I couldn't before. How I consider recourses and solutions in a matter that never seemed like an option. I can see how some people can open doors that seem to be shut. It changes quite a few things. It shows me that I don't just need to get better at a game, I can change the way the game is played.

It almost feels as if I'm an architect with an elaborate plan that is my personality. I know what I want & how to get there, but the magnitude of the task is very large. Every day, I construct and evaluate. Tear down the obstacles. Construct and evaluate. I like that.

Injuries

It's a shame that people outside of those who train in something like this won't be able to understand. But yesterday, I felt as if my injuries (neck muscle & knee) were pretty much healed. I had a chance to stretch and it felt as if I was getting the routine back. Half an hour into the class, I felt like a puppy who has been let out of a cage.

On the team

There are great members of the team & then there are members that make the team great. No matter where you find yourself, it seems that the smart move is to try to switch things up from time to time.

Something new

Endurance training has been pretty weak for me in the last six months. I'm slightly better off than I was 3 months ago, but far worse off than 6 months ago. This really isn't where I want to be (in terms of fitness), but it does provide me with an interesting opportunity. A chance to act!

In the past few months, I've taken to the idea of doing everything uke or ukemi related as fast as I can and not giving myself (or anyone else) a chance to rest. Then as my heart and lungs race to keep up, sometimes all I can hear is the pounding in my head. It is then that I practice the most calm, patient and even bored look that I can put together. It was harder to do in the beginning, but I wonder what people see today. I feel more calm, relaxed and even bored while my body does things that it would do in a state of panic.

I'm not exactly sure where this will benefit me. I can imagine that if I relax my mind, my body will follow suit. I can also imagine that I may one day use this to bluff in a real fight. But for now, I can only tell you that it seems like it would have value somewhere. And it's a fun personal challenge to make use of my current physical condition.