Today Jester Blaze, a 35 year old man with a chemically addicted body - characterized by most as a "quitter" in this life - took the first steps down the BJJ path as a day 1 White Belt. The last time I submitted another person was with a rear naked choke at age 5-7 area. Since then every move in every fight I've been in has been a strike of some sort or a set up for a strike, including a quick boxing stint in 2000. I know nothing of this "grappling".
As warm-ups ended and I was dripping sweat despite doing some drills half-assed and incorrectly, I looked to my side to see an attractive girl with perfectly dry skin apparently unfazed by the workout thus far. This was going to be an ugly hour!
After running on fumes for drills on breaking guard and also on gaining side control against someone on their back and kicking up, it was time for some 1-on-1 grappling. Naturally, the pair-ups are most experienced Vs. least experienced (which is great for details during the drills but makes for a David/Goliath situation come head-2-head time) so knowing solely a rear-naked choke it was "go time" for me to submit the best in class. After a few minutes of being twisted into akward positions but doing enough to disrupt potential submissions with balance and a possible plyometric strength advantage I found myself victim to an Oma Plata.
I always wondered what it would be like to tap. Strangely, the pain never reached a high point... it was just a quick message to the brain that something was going to "break" and not just "hurt" which caused an instinctual reaction to tap.
Next up was a prototypical lesson in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as I faced a shorter/smaller opponent who I rather easily overpowered but without any technique I eventually gassed and was choked out. I wasn't exactly on empty but I was "knocking" and every time I had a momentary lapse of stamina this dude improved position like a boa constrictor. Humiliatingly, I accepted the choke before it actually happened which is tough to swallow.
It was then 5 minutes before the end of class and time for me to head to the bathroom just in case I puked.
First thoughts: I don't like Gi's. Can I compete physically for a full hour with non-potheads? I "left it all out there" and I love this game!
******
Fun fact: There seems to be a lot of farting in BJJ due to the positions/pressure.
As warm-ups ended and I was dripping sweat despite doing some drills half-assed and incorrectly, I looked to my side to see an attractive girl with perfectly dry skin apparently unfazed by the workout thus far. This was going to be an ugly hour!
After running on fumes for drills on breaking guard and also on gaining side control against someone on their back and kicking up, it was time for some 1-on-1 grappling. Naturally, the pair-ups are most experienced Vs. least experienced (which is great for details during the drills but makes for a David/Goliath situation come head-2-head time) so knowing solely a rear-naked choke it was "go time" for me to submit the best in class. After a few minutes of being twisted into akward positions but doing enough to disrupt potential submissions with balance and a possible plyometric strength advantage I found myself victim to an Oma Plata.
I always wondered what it would be like to tap. Strangely, the pain never reached a high point... it was just a quick message to the brain that something was going to "break" and not just "hurt" which caused an instinctual reaction to tap.
Next up was a prototypical lesson in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as I faced a shorter/smaller opponent who I rather easily overpowered but without any technique I eventually gassed and was choked out. I wasn't exactly on empty but I was "knocking" and every time I had a momentary lapse of stamina this dude improved position like a boa constrictor. Humiliatingly, I accepted the choke before it actually happened which is tough to swallow.
It was then 5 minutes before the end of class and time for me to head to the bathroom just in case I puked.

First thoughts: I don't like Gi's. Can I compete physically for a full hour with non-potheads? I "left it all out there" and I love this game!
******
Fun fact: There seems to be a lot of farting in BJJ due to the positions/pressure.



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