Enjoying the Process

Working for the double. photo by mma4ever.

So it's been awhile since my last blog, sorry about that. I have been having a few issues with my laptop which I believe is in its final stages of life. When it takes you well over an hour just to to start up, plug in a spare keyboard, upload, add photos, and post a blog it saps your motivation to do so. Add to that the amazing Brazilian spring and that motivation goes to zero. BUT i figured out a solution (one that didn't include me using Nicole's most prized possession, her macbook) and I am back at it. I am sure most all of you know I won my MMA debut a few weeks ago. Leading up to the fight I had trained so hard and had done visualization work twice a day everyday that when the fight came I was totally relaxed and in another place mentally. Instead of feeling like it was my first fight it felt as if it were my 100th because I had done it all before so many times in my mind. I truly cannot thank my coaches/trainers Dennis and Milton, my teammates at Rio Fighters, my sponsors Senki Kimonos and Connection Rio, and Nicole enough.

It was great to throw on my Senki Kimono and get
some excellent work in with Dennis. Photo by D. Asche

The week after my fight I trained very relaxed and enjoyed eating just about whatever sounded good. It was a great way to rejuvenate my body and mind. Over the last couple of weeks we have had many guys fight both in amateur and professional MMA bouts and we have had a great showing. Win or lose everyone is showcasing great techniques and mental toughness. I think after the month we have had a lot of people have taken notice of Rio Fighters many good things are to come. On a personal note is was great to see many of the guys who fought either show excellent takedowns or takedown defense during their fights. It is a definite reaffirmation that what I have been teaching is working and that the guys are grasping things both technically and conceptually. I got back to 2 training sessions a day this week, but the focus is more on  improving technique and enjoying training. Don't get me wrong I am training hard, but I am working on adding new skills into all areas. During my training camp it was about improving what skills I had and working towards the single goal of winning, so I wasn't working on brand new concepts and ideas. Now I can open up my game, try new things and drill new techniques. Right now is very much a "time spend in the laboratory"  trying to discover new aspects of martial arts. Included in this is a return to training in the kimono. Four of the 11 sessions I got in this week were on the mat with the kimono on. After about 8 weeks of training without a kimono the grip game felt foreign to me, and I frustratingly got my butt kicked most of the week during specific positional training. That said by the end of the week things began to click a bit more.

photo by mma4ever

As I said above I have been making sure that I have just been having fun with my training. I am trying new things and enjoying the process of making improvements. If something doesn't work or I get in a bad position/submitted, it's not a "I have to close up this weakness or avoid doing this because in a few weeks I can't make that mistake" moment but now I have time to reflect on what I did wrong and what I can do in the future. There is no immediate rush, at this point I can just enjoy the process and carry on down the path. Which in my opinion is what being a martial artist is all about.