Back in BJJ after 3 years

[Ronin]

Well, you can officially let me back in the club-house!

Tonight I started class with Kyle Saunders, a Machado-trained purple belt out of Rochester, NY.

Kyle kicked my ass. It was great.

Every part of my body is going to hurt tomorrow. Thanks, Kyle!

I am very psyched.

Bring the love, fellas!

[SweepEm]

Better buy a big tube of Ben Gay or some tiger balm.

I don't leave home without it.

I was sick for 6 weeks and was dying from that, i can't imagine a 3 year layoff.

[Ronin]

Thanks, Sweep!

Tylenol will probably be my best friend tomorrow.

Who cares! I'm excited. I am now on the road to grappling mediocrity! (up from completely clueless)

[Quad]

Good to hear that!! give it a week or two and you´ll be feeling great.Don´t vomit!

[John Bennett]

Ronin why were you out of BJJ for so long?


Kyle is a little guy. That makes the fact that he is a Machado purple even that much cooler.

I'm getting discouraged at my lack of BJJ progress. I'm thinking of dropping out for a year or so to re-evaluate whether this all my training time could be better spent on some other endeavor like a second job.

[Tony10]

Lack of progress in what way, John?

I know exactly what you mean I think; I often get frustrated by the seemingly one-step-forward, three-steps-back pattern of my BJJ evolution. Just when you have a good night on the mat, the next time you get your ass kicked. I took off for about 5 months and just recently re-entered.

Is it truly lack of progress, or that you're just not progressing as fast as the others? I know in just about any school I've been in there's those guys that go 4-5 or more times a week, which I'll never be able to do.

I have to accept that I'll never be as good as them. But on the other hand, I never got into this to compete--purely for self-defense. So while I lose mostly on the mat, against Joe attacker in the street... well, I hope I ruin his day!

But if you truly want to be good at it, that's 90% of the battle right there. It just may not be going as fast as you'd like. I wouldn't give up.

[Hawk]

John,
Kyle isn't all that small unless he's lost weight.
Ronin,
Kyle is an excellent fighter and teacher. He won 3 or 4 fights at the Pan-Am last year and I think the fight he lost would have put him in the medal category. He's a good guy & tough fighter. He used to work out in Dallas.
Hawk

[Ronin]

Hawk:

Yeah, I was impressed! From his photo I thought he looked a bit like a stoner dude, but in person he had that steely glint in his eyes which made me think, "This guy knows his stuff." The fact that he pulled a "Rickson" on me (held me off using only his legs) impressed me even more.

Kyle receives my enthusiastic endorsement.

JB:

Well, I moved back to upstate NY from D.C. in late '97, and when I got here there wasn't any BJJ available. Plus, I was busy with life-stuff, and kind of out of the loop. I talked to Kyle on this forum a few months ago and was impressed with his credentials and attitude. I like that he doesn't inflate his rank, and the fact that he is trained by the Machados. So I guess my pickiness had something to do with it. I want to learn from the best, or at least someone who has learned from the best, and is on his way up, like Kyle.

BTW, Kyle has also trained with Roy Harris, another plus.

Fortunately, I worked out Monday night, so I don't hurt as much as I expected.

[Edited by Ronin on 10-18-2000 at 11:16 AM]

[EJ]

Ugghh...

In the months preceeding and following my wedding, I went on BJJ hiatus.

My return had me wanting to start over again as a white belt.

[Ronin]

Speaking as someone who has been out in the grappling wilderness for three long years, you guys should just be happy you have the opportunity to train on a regular basis with qualified instructors.

Tape-training just ain't the same.

Plus, just do what I'm doing, and don't get hung up on rank, and pecking order, and all that garbage. Train 'cause it's fun, and so you can kick ass if you're ever put in a bad situation. I'm sure most of you guys have already reached that level, so comparing yourselves to Rickson or Renzo is kind of silly.

[John Bennett]

Well Tony, I feel like I've reached the point of diminishing returns.

You see, I live in a small town with no BJJ or even a Judo club. I started my own club just so I would have a place to train.
I have to recruit.
I have to design the class plans.
I have to go over the same boring stuff eveytime a new person comes in.
I have to pay the rent.
I have to deal with the old drunk who lives in the building.
The roof is leaking on my mats.
I have to put up with the dumbasses who call obstensibly to inquire about classes but in reality to jaw about all the stupid martial arts they read about.
Attendance is spotty.
As soon as I get a guy built up enough to give me some good resistance, they leave for college or something.

The whole thing is getting to be a big pain in the ass.

I'm tired of hurting all the time. I'm thinking that the time I spend thinking about, reading about, recovering from and training jiu-jitsu (a lot) could be better spent on building an addition on my house or working a second job.

My BJJ is good enough to win just about any streetfight, but I'll never make blue belt because I'm too injured and old to keep competing.

Wha Wha Wha. I'm a big crybaby today I know.

I'm scheduled to go to Carlos Machado's school this weekend and I'm actually kinda dreading it. I know I'll get smeared all over the mat and hurt for days afterwards. That's pretty darn bad.

[Tony10]

Yikes.

Maybe you do need some time off! LOL!

Having heard all that, I know another maxim: you quit (at least temporarily) when it's not fun anymore.

Sorry to hear that. Maybe you'll start missing it after it's been a while.

[Hawk]

John B.
What kind of BS is that? You're not as old as me, you're not as crippled up, your school isn't near as bad as mine,
and your town is much bigger. I don't want to hear anymore talk like that!!!! Everybody slows down around this time, even my animals!!! Relax a little during the holidays, then hit it hard after the 1st. I do not feel sorry for you, so quit feeling sorry for yourself. Also, if you get in touch with Cliff, please let him know B.J. Miller took third at Carlos's No Gi Tournament in the under 145 class and ask him if he'd put it on our tournament page. I can't seem to get him. Come see us!!!
Hawk

[KyleS]

Hey, Ronin, glad you liked the training! And I hope you're not too sore today. Next time I will not use my legs either, and stop your guard pass with just my chi

Hawk:
Thanks for the kind words, I really do appreciate it!

JB:
Hey, I'm not that little! Though I have lost a few pounds recently, now I could comfortably compete at 169.

And stick with it man! Outside of facilities issues, I have similar frustrations. But I don't give up because I've got a goal I intend to make.

- Kyle

[Mr. Miyagi]

What city is this stuff happening in? Ronin, where the hell do you live now? Weren't you at SUNY Fredonia? So maybe this is Buffalo...