First, let me take you back to a fine afternoon in early April. As it is wont to do, my mind was on Jiu-Jitsu, what class we’d be doing in Jiu-Jitsu, how many more hours until Jiu-Jitsu. Finally, overflowing with eager anticipation, I messaged Mrs. Instructor.
I finally finally FINALLY made it to a legit Class 20, the one I conned cajoled kindly asked Surfer Dude to give me an X on my card for after I demonstrated mastery and played 5,000 rounds of rock, paper, scissors.
I returned the next day for class 21, and what did I see on my card????
I approached SD at the desk and pointed out the problem. “Of all the classes for me to miss getting a second X. The one for which I worked so hard to get the first X.”
“Let’s do rock, paper, scissors,” he suggested.
“No!” I fake-yelled and walked away as he marked my card.
“Not even for fun?” he asked.
“Well, okay.” I returned to the desk. I shot rock. He threw down
I studied up. I watched the videos and did multiple mental reps to prep for the next mini Reflex Development class.
I knew the moves before the first mini RD, yet they alluded me when I needed them. Not this time, brain. Not this time.
I messaged Mrs. Instructor:
Since I was the only one staying for RD, lounging solo on the mat, waiting, Instructor walked over and said something roughly to the effect of, “When Surfer Dude is ready, just do a minute each of mount control.”
“Okay,” I said, disheartened. I wanted to prove myself by doing the moves I had utterly failed at the first night.
However, SD sauntered over, not having been given instructions, and said, “Let’s do the stuff we did the first night.” That you utterly failed at was kindly left unsaid.
In one Jiu-Jitsu class, Instructor was watching me do the moves and pointed out that the position the “bad guy” wound up in was perfect for Twisting Arm Control from a different lesson.
Do I know how to do Twisting Arm Control? Why, of course I do.
Could I remember in that moment how to do Twisting Arm Control? Why, of course I couldn’t.
Instructor had to remind me of the steps, but, before he could say, “Jump into side mount,” I proudly jumped into side mount! Facing. The wrong. Direction.
Later I reflected on what had gone wrong there and realized it was probably because it was his left arm, when I’ve only practiced this move right handed.
Knowing I need to work on that, I was excited to learn of new mini-Reflex Development classes happening after most regular classes.
In the first one, run by Surfer Dude, it was just me and one other student. I’ll call him…
Before Jiu-Jitsu class formally started one night, two students were trying to do a particular move. They couldn’t remember how it started (the indicator) and were doing the parts they could remember rather clumsily. Doing it incorrectly repeatedly is not a good way to practice. It would’ve been wrong for me to stand by and watch.
“You doing class 20?” I asked.
“Take the back from the guard?” one said.
I nodded.
“Wow, she even knows the numbers,” one said to the other.
I know this number, for a very specific reason, which I’ll tell you in a moment.
Frequently I’m partnered with the kid, whom I’ll call Billy. (Get it?) Even when I’m not the only female, I get matched with Billy. That’s not my favorite, since I’m unlikely to be attacked by a 6th grader, but I get it. I’m closest in size to him, since I, too am built like an 11-year-old boy.
Anyway, one night he did some move which was apparently cool. I didn’t see it, but Instructor asked if he had done it on purpose. Billy said no. (Points for honesty!) Instructor said he shouldn’t admit when he does something cool by mistake.
Later, Instructor told Billy to really make me work for it, which I appreciated. So Billy put up a fight. Instructor: “Whoa, Betsy. You got your knees up behind his back. Pulling out stuff from class 11.” He turned to Surfer Dude. “Did you see that?”
“Yeah.” Surfer Dude nodded appreciatively.
It’s a good thing I had just learned not to admit when I do something cool by accident.
In another class, we learned a new-to-me way of doing the headlock escape superbase variation, so I had no muscle memory to carry me through on this one. Instructor sat down in front of me to watch, so of course my mind immediately went blank.
I recently hit my 20th class of Betsy’s Jiu-Jitsu Journey: Round Two. During that class, Instructor said to me, “I’ve never given a fifth stripe before. Do you want me to add it to your belt?”
I pointed out that my first, first stripe was falling off anyway, so he might as well replace it.
“Do you want me to just do it after class, or should I call you up in front of everyone and do it then?” The latter is how stripes are normally awarded. I’m not usually one to want attention and fanfare, but this would mean I had just completed my 100th Jiu-Jitsu class.
And, darn it, I wanted some fanfare.
I paused mid-hairbrush and smiled.
They’re back, baby!
Later, I discovered two on my forearm.
While writing my last post, I had a bit of a revelation: What if partnering with Sensei is the problem?
When in doubt, Sensei is always the problem.
But maybe it’s a combination of me being distracted by my desire to show that man up because I’m so annoyed at him being better at me in everything, and his inability to turn off the teacher switch. Like, dude, stop telling me what to do and let me think for myself a moment. (I’ve since said this to him, and he said, “Sorry,” so we’re cool.)
After this revelation, I considered asking Instructor to put me with someone else. Then I thought better of it and decided to leave the partnering to fate.
As fate would have it, Sensei was late, so Instructor partnered me with someone else. How’d I do?
But before I get to that… (I know, I’m such a tease.)
It happened.
I’d been keeping an eye on my Jiu-Jitsu place’s Insta to see when and who would earn their next belts. When I finally saw it, the sucker punch wasn’t as bad as I expected. Probably because I was surprised it took so long for someone else to pass the test. Also, further vindication that it’s HARD to pass the test! Thank you! Not that I failed, but the one piece I was able to complete before my injury took… a while to perfect.
I really miss Jiu-Jitsu, but it was hard being out so much in the evening. Instructor told me if he starts daytime classes up again, I’ll be the first to know.
I also miss it because I’ve begun the self-defense class for students again. (And it’s NOT killing my foot. Had to mention the foot somewhere, right?) It is showing me how rusty I am, however, making me all the more want to get back to class for some serious refreshing. Le sigh. We’ll see what the future holds.
Now on to the amazing thing…
The beautiful and wonderful Wynne Leon graciously invited me on her Heart of the Matter podcast. Thus, I made my zombie debut.
Motherhood and Martial Arts 