Looking back on that first day and those first few posts of side control, it is interesting to see how techniques I was taught years ago continue to be techniques worth learning and refining. In some ways it is sobering. Two years later, I'm still trying to recall, execute and perfect the same sweeps, escapes and submissions I've been shown class after class after class ...And in some ways it is inspiring. While all that I've learned in the past two years hardly reflects the totality of jiu jitsu knowledge, it is true that I've learned--or at least have been shown--a tremendous amount. If there is one goal I should have, one set of resolutions to take me from my second anniversary in jiu jitsu as an eight-month blue belt to my third anniversary in jiu jitsu as a 20-month blue belt, then it might be to own what I know, to make sure that I fully understand the techniques I've learned up to this point, and to be better able to execute them with ever increasing accuracy.
It was interesting to be at the Marcio Feitosa/Kyra Gracie seminar in Belleve on Friday night. James got his blue belt. Jason, who I hadn't seen in months, also picked up a blue belt--maybe around the same time as Mike. When you factor in other recent blue belts: Jason (Garcia), Griff, Lindsey, Dave--to say nothign of those like Jeff and Big Mike whom I haven't seen in a real long time--you've got a real growing crew of new blue belts. The next big move for all of us will be the move to purple, and although I continue to be especially impressed witih Jason (Garcia)'s technical ability, there's no way I'm going to handicap which one of us--or which few of us--make it to that purple finish line first.
I don't say that out of a competitive sense, but more out of a sense of wonder. I've pretty much seen all of these guys since they were white belts. Some of them started out at pretty much the exact same time that I did. So in watching them grow and improve, I am also in a way watching myself. As exhilerating as the run to blue has been, the marathon stretch to purple will be all the more amazing to experience.
