A punch is just a punch Mike...

So, tonight Coach worked in half guard from no-gi. We concentrated re-pummeling for the under-hook, protecting the cross face and working the grapevine on the legs. After that we worked a little position sparring. Now, I love to position spar, BUT not so much from half guard. You all know how much I LOVE training half guard lately :-p It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. During sparring I even had a chance to roll with a couple really tough players, including Coach (who toyed with me like a giant lion playing with a little mouse - HA!).

Once again my money came after class during open mat. I had a chance to talk with Coach about my half guard issue. I actually broke down and admitted to him that I'm pretty much scared sh!#-less getting there. At this point he looks at me and says "you know, you really shouldn't be so upset that you haven't mastered half guard in two months." Whoop there it was! He followed it up by saying that Bruce Lee once said "when I first started training in the martial arts a punch was just a punch and a kick was just a kick. After training for awhile I learned that a punch was much more than just a punch and a kick was more than just a kick. After a lifetime of training I saw that a punch was just a punch and a kick was just a kick." What does this have to do with jiu jitsu you say? Well, it tells me that I have to give it time. I always tell people the biggest thing I love about jits is that it is a life long journey of learning, YET I then turn around and expect myself to conquer a position that I have never willingly gone to...in only to months. Ridiculous I say! I am hereby calling shenanigans on myself!

I talked with coach about some strategies to make it an easier transition for me. Like perhaps using it as a transitory position for getting to the back (which is a HUGE position in my "game"...if I can even say I have one!). He showed me a couple really good nuggets for shucking and taking the back.

So, in the end - yes Mike, a punch is just a punch. Don't expect a life time of skill and knowledge to come in some epiphany over two months. Enjoy the ride...even if that ride is getting it handed to you every time you attempt half guard. Sooner or later even a blind squirrel will find a nut in the forrest :)