I survived the stress of school and the Halloween party, which let me focus on getting ready for my tournament this weekend.
A Lighter Week
Last week was definitely a tough one, but I got through it. I took all of my tests and turned in all of my assignments on time. Thankfully, school has been slow this week. I don’t think I would have been able to handle two hard weeks in a row. I can do week after week of hard jiu jitsu training, but when it comes to school I need the slow weeks to keep me from losing my mind (like I have in past semesters).
The other thing that was stressing me out last week was getting ready for the Scranton MMA Halloween party. Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween, but I’m sure anyone who’s planned a party for 25 kids can tell you it’s stressful. The party turned out great, though. There was a bounce house, games, food, and a costume contest for the kids. It was a good change of pace for the kids to have a fun day instead of what we usually put them through during class. Our little jiu jitsu warriors definitely earned a day of fun and sugary treats.
RELATED: What Kids Can Learn from a BJJ Lifestyle
Time to Focus
Thank goodness last week was the stressful one, because I was able to use this week to get ready for the tournament. This weekend I will be competing at The Goodfight Tournament of Champions in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. It’s a submission-only format with fifteen-minute long matches. I’ve competed in this setting before, so I know what to expect. Fighting for fifteen minutes is difficult, but I have faith in my abilities, and I’m hoping I can kick some butt this weekend.
In class this week, Frank taught the Sao Paulo guard pass. This is a pass that I had seen before, but never actually used because I always felt like I’d end up in an omoplata or a triangle. But Frank taught the pass step-by-step and I picked up some good tips on how to prevent those things from happening.
He also went over some variations on where and how to grip for the pass. I figured out the grip I like to use and now all I have to do is practice it to get it down tight. Once you get over the fact that this pass requires you to throw everything you know about passing out the window, you’re golden.
RELATED: How to Build Grip Strength for BJJ
In case you’re wondering, I was also able to get my drilling in. Not having the time to drill last week was straight out annoying, but this week I had more than enough time to get it done. I’ve been enjoying our drilling sessions a lot. It used to be a lot harder because I wasn’t used to it, but now I look forward to doing it. It’s a good time to work on things you don’t normally get to do when you’re rolling. It’s also a great cardio workout if you put some speed behind it.
So that was my week. Check back in next week to see how I did at the tournament!
Jess Papi is a blue belt at Scranton MMA and also pursuing her degree in exercise science. Read her entries every week for insights on competing, training, and juggling BJJ and life.
