I was starting to attend the instructor's class in the mornings on Mondays down at Gracie Barra Headquarters. I would drive my two hours to get there, stay the day in OC and train at Ralph Gracie at night. It worked until I started my new job. I also was able to attend 2 of the new Women's Advanced classes before work ate up my schedule. Before those classes I had never rolled with that many girls before, and no girls that were purple and up besides Mackenzie. Two training partners Amanda and Kelly just received their purple belts (and a new friend Angy who I've yet to roll with) and I'm super stoked for them. They both compete (I've actually competed against Kelly at Nationals) and they help my game. I've also gotten to roll with Ana Laura Cordeiro twice and it's an honor. Female black belts in my eyes are holy...seriously. There's a couple videos of a collage from the classes I might post. I'll think about it. In one of them it shows me rolling with Kelly where I do this WEIRD thing for an unknown reason. I always take time to wipe my nose. Like how homie dawgs flick their noses with their thumbs, I find myself releasing my grips so that I can nonchalantly wipe my nose with my finger. I swear I'm not wiping my boogers and I don't necessarily have an itch because that's usually the case, I just do it while rolling and thinking. Like "yeah, I got this." It's really embarrassing that it's shown in the video. /blush.
In other news, I'm all signed up for the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials in Las Vegas on Jan. 29th. I have not fought in a more important competition than this. If I win the gi absolute division I get a fully paid travel package to compete at Abu Dhabi World Cup in April.....Let me write that again. Fully paid airfare, hotel, food, transportation, everything to compete in the United Emirates. You know, where there's man made islands shaped like huge palm trees? Yeah? Fudge, I want it so bad. I signed up to fight no gi in my weight division and absolute along with gi in my weight division and absolute. I'll be fighting only white belts and blue belts. I cannot wait. I've been training strength and conditioning and training hard. After the holidays I will definitely step it up and my work schedule will be more permanent. That will be the only thing I care about until that date. Nothing would mean more to me at this point than winning those trials. EESH.
Finally, I did an interview with Edwin and posted it on On The Mat since I'm a writer for them now. I'm an ass and haven't been writing on there like I should. So here's that link: http://www.onthemat.com/blogs-posts/interview-edwin-young-assasin-najmi
P.S. My zines are on 3 continents, and about 5 states. Sending out more to 3 more states as well. I want this thing spread like herp--wildfire! Get on it!
P.S.S. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
I've got just one more zine to give out now, to the GB instructor in Bristol: so far, I've got one, with the others going to a training partner, my instructor here in Bucks (Roger Gracie brown belt) and another instructor in London (Roger Gracie black belt). :)
ReplyDeleteCool to see so many women training in that video, though I'm not keen on the pink gi (although at least it is optional, judging by plenty of other women in that same vid wearing a standard white gi).
Can you rule! If I can give you more, let me know. I'm starting the next issue now.
ReplyDeleteAnd I stick with non pink gis. I only wear a GB when I train there, and its def not my favorite by any means.
You could, although I'm not sure who else I'd give them to other than various training partners. Happy to do that though. Then again, might be easier to contact the instructors of the academies I've given them to so far, and see if they want to have a bunch to hand out to students.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, that's Nick Brooks from RGA Mill Hill and Kev Capel from RGA Buckinghamshire. I'll also be giving my last copy to Nicolai 'Geeza' Holt at Gracie Barra Bristol, once I go there next in January. They should know who you are, given that 'about me' page at the back of the zine. ;)
Hahaha thank you! I got in touch with Oliver Geddes but of course things got busy and I took forever to get back after he responded. If he could be half as helpful as you have been, (which I'm sure he could be) then I can be very hopeful.
ReplyDeleteHeh - yeah, Oli is a good guy, although also a busy guy, as he seems to compete at every competition everywhere. :)
ReplyDelete