My many faces

One thing I've always been is a coach's athlete. Even back in my track and field days, whatever my coach said I did. When I first came to Maguilla's back in November 2008 as a white belt I rolled super aggressively. This is the way I was trained by my first coach Lloyd Irvin who I was with from August 2005 until February 2006. Who always teaches get off first or you will lose because speed kills. So after my year and 8 month long hiatus I immediately fell back into the speed kills mindset. In April 2009, Maguilla and I had a conversation he said to me something I'll never forget. He said "Every round with you is like the 1st round of ADCC, slow down it's a journey not a sprint." This was way of making sure I didn't hurt myself or someone else. A month after this I got my blue belt. During this time, I would give taps to anyone who obtained and held a dominate position. A year after I got my blue belt I received my purple belt(May 2010) I was ready to t...

In the entry "Balance" I stated that I hate passing guard, especially guards that extend me or attack my balance outright. Butterfly guard is one of those guards that attacks your balance outright. When you face a guy with a good butterfly guard it's pretty horrible becuause you're flying across the room at his will. It's like being on a rollercoaster full of loops that keeps crashing. The crash being you ending up on the bottom usually in mount; so naturally, it gave me issues. Well, thursday I didn't train so I mentally review some DVDs I had seen recently, something I always do when I'm not training(I usually watch said DVD but I didn't really feel like looking so yea) and the match between Marcelo Garcia and Pablo Popavitch crossed mind as we trained butterfly sweeps in Wensday's class and Marcelo played butterfly most of the match then, I remembered something one of the Shawn's said(don't remember if it was Williams or Flannery) they w...

Well one goal for 2010 has been accomplished, that's making purple belt. I got promoted Monday night. All that's left is publish Emotions Volume 2: Better Days, which is another blog post all it's own and win Mundials. Sadly, there's no way I can make the trip(medical bills+no sponsors=No Worlds). I'm having surgery soon(September) and I want to compete before I go under the knife for what has be 1,000th time. So I signed up for the GrapplersQuest US Nationals. I placed last year at this event taking 3rd place, having said that, last year was blue belt level, and purple is considered the lowest rank of the upper-class. A bishop with a black belt being king(for my chess players). What that means is this will be a whole different beast. I really wish I could compete on the IBJJF stage especially since I'm trying make a run for ADCC and ADCC Pro in 2011.(Someday I will) However, due to circumstances beyond my control GQ will have to be my IBJJF Worlds. I may do IBJ...

I've been away for a while. Everything is cool I've just been getting things together for 2010. With Emotions Volume 2 now subtitled Better Days(yes, thats the official name) scheduled for a spring release and the fact that I'm still working on Secret Paradise which will be my first novel things have been busy. In BJJ News I just competed at NAGA DC on October 10 th , I've been playing my matches over and over in my head since I left the venue I'm still waiting on the videos from the teammate who recorded them. In 2010, I'll attend Mundials (The World Championships) and I'll be damned if I dont come back with a medal or two around my neck. Now the belt level of the aformentioned medal(blue or purple belt) is up to Maguilla and how he plans to handle promotions in 2010. Speaking of Maguilla he was away the entire month of October he went home to brazil on "vacation". I firmly believe he went to go take the test to get his 5 th degree stripe...

ok i've been away for a while I know. I've been working on my novel I should be able to release it within the next two to three years after the Emotions series is complete if all goes as planned. A lot has happened in the past two months the book sales are finally picking up and I'm working on a deal with a local store. I will let you all know when a deal is finalized please know the book will always be available on http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.booksurge.com/ . There is no exact date for the release of Emotions Vol. 2, I'm shooting for Spring 2010. I'm also saving up to start my own publishing company I'm aiming for my novel to be the company's first release we will also re-release the Emotions series. In BJJ news as advertised I went to New Jersey June 27-28. I got there Saturday morning at around 8am we drove all night. Saturday I was not scheduled to compete so I stayed and watched the Pro submission fights even though I was going on literally n...