This week was at least a month long and I need to rest. But first I ramble for a while.

What happens when a lifter misses a gym day? It ain’t pretty.

Tonight was another successful basics class and marathon roll! I’m learning a lot about natural movement and positions and how those can be used to my advantage when rolling.

Tonight felt like I was finally “doing” Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It’s an important milestone for me because not only do I realize how far I’ve come, I now see more clearly how far I have to go

A follow up to our discussion of soreness versus pain based on conversations I’ve been having with classmates who suffer from frequent soreness after rolling.

Tonight I felt like I was actually doing jiu jitsu. It’s a milestone for sure but difficult to encapsulate in thought.

Tonight my instructor said “this will be the worst jiu jitsu you ever do because every time you come back you get better”. Tonight I left a lot on the mat. I’m ok with this being my worst, but it really felt like my best.

Nearly the end of my training surge and what a week it’s been! Lots learned, lots of good sparring, a small injury, a quick recovery, and a great tool to add to the recovery repertoire.

Today I did two class sessions and a marathon roll. Everything went well except for a flash of temper and a bit of frustration. Progress comes slowly and lessons come swiftly.

I just got done with a tattoo session that got me thinking about pain. I wanted to get these thoughts out and recorded, and maybe they’ll be of use to you, too.