32 years today

32 years young today.  I have been training for exactly half my life.  Started playing Judo at 16, then Aikido, Seibukan Jujutsu, then BJJ.  The Love for martial arts has always burned brightly.  But the appetites that have fed the desire have changed over time.  Self defense, self identity, self esteem issues were early sources: then a thirst for power sprung up, a reassurance that I had the skills to handle myself during crisis.  But you get over that too, and it just becomes something fun, and positive, and that’s enough in this world.  It’s a discipline, unique and special and effective.  Just like any other discipline.  Just as unique, just as special.

I went to another powerful discipline last night.  Bikram Yoga.  The hot yoga where it’s 105 in the room for ninenty minutes.  You never knew your body could sweat like that until you try it.  I always go on special occasions.  I used to kick off training for a tournament by hitting a class in San Diego, and it wasn’t unusual to see another jiu-jitsu guy in there.

Last night’s class was great.  The main heaters weren’t working, so only space heaters and our bodies were heating the space.  Not quite as hot, but enough to get loose.  Very crowded.  Packed in to a Sunday afternoon time slot.  Good energy.  Went with fellow Harris International grappling instructor Jimmy DaSilva. 

Then I watched a DVD I received as a going away gift from my friend Jeff Baldwin.  I had been saving it for the right moment.  It’s a Marcello Garcia seminar in Japan, plus some Andre Galvao matches as a brown belt in the Japan Championships, plus a superfight between Terere and Marcello Garcia.  High level jiu-jitsu, by players that make the art as beautiful as it is effective.  Terere’s speed is unbelievable.  Seamless and automatic combinations, especially in guard passing.  In the seminar portion, watching Marcello break down his well known armdrag/choke combination was incredibly useful.  That fits so perfectly into my game I can’t wait to try it out.  The seminar was in Portuguese translated into Japanese, but I got the drift.

Today is a workday.  Teaching class tonight.  Several new people joining us on the mats now that it’s December.  Many more I’ve encouraged to observe a class to see if it’s for them.  They usually know after one class.

I certainly did.  Either that’s the path for them, or it’s not.  Or maybe it’s just the path for a few years.  We get intersected all the time, there are plenty of opportunities to step off. 

But on this day, I feel especially grateful to have so many friends, old and new, that I’ve met along this path.  That’s really what it’s all about.  In another 32 years, will anyone really remember who won what tournament?  Probably not, but I’ll remember those I knew well, my brothers and sisters on the mat, who walked for a time beside me.