Excuse me...could you help me pick up my shattered pride from the mat :)

All joking aside, we all have those days right? Please.....tell me that other people have these days too!!! :) So, I was reading "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu theory and Technique" and a couple good BJJ blogs over the last month prepping for the month of the guard and I ran across a good nugget (or so I thought it was at the time). Basically, and this is paraphrasing, you should put yourself in some bad positions that, if caught you're going to have to tap, and see how you handle it when trying NOT to tap. So, I do....and did. This month when I roll with blue's and higher I try to work my guard game, when I'm with white belts that are solid and I know have a good game, I work in their guard and try stuff I wouldn't normally try and you guessed it...sometimes I feel like a nut and sometimes I don't.

My theory is this, I hate being in the guard ALMOST as much as I hate someone being in top north/south on me. I have spent a lot of time trying to avoid being in the guard by pulling guard :) The problem here is that you WILL forget all the "no-no" things that keep you safe. SO, for instance, if your plan is to work in the guard you may be in some trouble. Now, we have fully arrived at tonight.

Win or loose on the mat I always learn something. Tonight, when pride was stripped away I learned I have to work in guard defense more. If I ever want to coach someday I'd better have some answers for questions that I posed to Coach tonight :) Between Coach and Rob I brought home several great nuggets to put into action this month when I work in someone's guard. So, once I collected the tiny shattered pieces of my manhood from the mat tonight I walked away a much richer person. What other sport will those with whom you do battle every week give you the keys to unlock their secrets to best them someday. You just don't find people like this very often.

Man I love jits :)