The most interesting aspect of jiu-jitsu is – of course the techniques are great – but the sensibility of the the opponent, the sense of touch, the weight, the momentum, the transition from one move to another. That’s the amazing thing about it. You must allow yourself to go as an automatic pilot. You don’t know exactly where you’re going, until the movement happens. Because you cannot anticipate what’s going to happen. You must allow yourself to be in a zero point, a neutral point, and be relaxed, and connected with the variations. So you pretty much flow with the go. This is a point beyond knowledge. It is from years and years of playing around and sensibility.--Rickson Gracie
This is what the drilling, the specific training does. What I need to be doing twice as much of. Guard/pass guard. Mount/escape mount. Not just techniques, but movements, repetitions, building the wiring, the circuits.
Decided to do some conditioning at the BTT HQ here on the Sound instead of training tonight. A 2-mile LSD followed by three Berardi circuits. I think I prefer doing the cardio first, both warming up and pre-fatiguing a little bit before having to do the shorter, more anaerobic workout (HR around 160). Something about that seems to better simulate what happens on tournament day: the low grade rapid heartbeat of warming up and anticipation that can last for longer than expected, followed by the need to explode in a measured but persistent way as you press your game when the match starts.
Or so I think right now. I've also decided to start throwing the iron around a little in the six weeks between now and the 8 Weeks Out for the March 2010 Revolution. With the planned weight category switch, lightweights will go up to 167.5 in the gi, which may mean a few heavier opponents. So a little extra strength will probably come in handy - if for no reason other than to ward off injury. I'm trying a 2-day, push/pull split, MWF, from now until mid-January or so. We'll see how it goes.
