Tomorrow I'll start warming up for my eight-week "training camp" in preparation for the Revolution tournament, my first as a purple belt, in early March.
My goals here are to start getting into superior cardio shape, get my new priorities straight, and establish the habits that will hopefully prepare me to train at a high level.
It looks like I'll be able to train at least four times this week, and maybe five: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday. I'll need to pace myself, stick to my discipline/gameplan and remember to survive and escape when I'm not in a position (or condition) to advance my agenda. But it should be a thrilling return back to the mat.
This first week, one goal is to make sure I have as little wasted movement as possible. That means recognizing threats and obstacles, and knowing (or feeling) what is the immediate move to ensure surival (or control, if I am on the attack). For the rear mount defense, for example, it's Saulo's "scoop." For the mount defense, it's the hip frame.
From there I have a beat or two to make the next move. And here is where I want to make sure that I am proceeding deliberately, technically, so that I know and remember afterward what exactly it was that I was doing that worked or didn't work.
I think that 2009 can be a very good year for me, a year when a lot of the stray pats can start to come together. I think a little more awareness, more focus and deliberateness when I'm training - as well as more consistent training, of course - will be key to helping me become the sort of advanced jiu jitsu martial artist I can be.
