I've been doing Jiu Jitsu since August 2009. I took about a year off from 2011-2012 due to a shoulder injury. Since I switch gyms several times, I practically started over. In December 2012, I finally got promoted to blue belt by Professor Steve Cardenas (The Red Power Ranger) from Force Balance BJJ\ Paragon in Burbank. I switched gyms again because of work, life (I got married and then I started a family), and I moved a couple times. Then, in July 2015, I was awarded my purple belt by Professor Andrew Viado at Gracie Barra West Covina. Now, I'm currently a four stripe purple belt under Rodrigo Freitas at Rodrigo Freitas BJJ in Hawthorne.
My first 3-4 years of Jiu Jitsu, I was able to train and compete a lot, since I was single. Then, when my career started to take off and I got in a serious relationship, I started to whine down on the training. After that, when I started to have kids, then it got really difficult to get the training in of any kind. Going from 6 days a week to once or twice a week took its toll. There has been a couple of times in which I wanted to stop training.
For over a year, I found different ways to get my training in. I had to go for Win-Win scenarios. I traded my lunch hours for training. I had to make several sacrifices and different things to do training on the weekends if possible and even to compete as well. The one thing that I learned from all this is just to make effort and talk to people about my goals and objectives and if I can train with them. In Jiu Jitsu, the community is willing to help most of the time. In this, communication is key.
Through tournaments, I make a lot of friends and I'm invited to their training or classes. I sometimes go and sometimes, I can't, but I have good reasons. My family and work are priorities in my life, since I love my family and work pays for Jiu Jitsu and other important things.
I always go by the philosophy that something is better than nothing. I'm normally late to class. I miss warm ups, but I show up. Sometimes I have to leave early, but my instructors and friends know that I'm there during lunch or that I have to attend to family.
As I close in to the brown belt level, I have a lot to brush up on. Expanding my guard game, working on different submissions from various positions, and timing. Well, I'll note more on this journey next week. Good day and thanks for reading.
My first 3-4 years of Jiu Jitsu, I was able to train and compete a lot, since I was single. Then, when my career started to take off and I got in a serious relationship, I started to whine down on the training. After that, when I started to have kids, then it got really difficult to get the training in of any kind. Going from 6 days a week to once or twice a week took its toll. There has been a couple of times in which I wanted to stop training.
For over a year, I found different ways to get my training in. I had to go for Win-Win scenarios. I traded my lunch hours for training. I had to make several sacrifices and different things to do training on the weekends if possible and even to compete as well. The one thing that I learned from all this is just to make effort and talk to people about my goals and objectives and if I can train with them. In Jiu Jitsu, the community is willing to help most of the time. In this, communication is key.
Through tournaments, I make a lot of friends and I'm invited to their training or classes. I sometimes go and sometimes, I can't, but I have good reasons. My family and work are priorities in my life, since I love my family and work pays for Jiu Jitsu and other important things.
I always go by the philosophy that something is better than nothing. I'm normally late to class. I miss warm ups, but I show up. Sometimes I have to leave early, but my instructors and friends know that I'm there during lunch or that I have to attend to family.
As I close in to the brown belt level, I have a lot to brush up on. Expanding my guard game, working on different submissions from various positions, and timing. Well, I'll note more on this journey next week. Good day and thanks for reading.
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