So the Scotia Cup is only one week away! I’ve been training every single day, even been doing Wrestling to help with my take downs. I’m still extremely nervous, I get major ‘stage’ fright. But Win or Lose at least I can say I tried my best :). Obviously I hope to win but she has 10kg on me.. After the comp I am going to get back into Thai a bit, and back on the weights. Get mad hench lol. I’m hoping I don’t do something stupid at this comp like if my mind goes blank :s! That would be the worst thing ever! But I have extremely good team mates who’ll be cornering me and making sure I’m doing it right and getting the points.

So this was the first day of training for the Scotia Cup. It’ll be my first ever Grappling Comp as a competitor. I am uber excited. The lightest girl so far (other than me) is u58kg, I am u50kg. But, the guys I roll with are a lot heavier than even the heaviest whitebelt that’s registered so far. So it shouldn’t feel that different. The guys I roll with also have extremely good technique, and if these girls can match that, then I will be very surprised. Worked on some take downs and escaping guard. My side control is brutal, that’s about the only thing I am excellent at. The rest I’ll be working on in the next few weeks. Rolled with a few guys this morning, they really used their weight against me, which was horrible but good practise for when these girls try and do the same!

So I’ve been trying to gain weight in the form of lean muscle but I’ve been unsuccessful, until I found this website: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-diet.html. I’ve not tried it yet, but it all seems quite helpful. Here’s the parts I found most helpful: Once you have obtained the amount of total millimeters and your bodyweight, the chart that comes with the calipers will show what bodyfat percentage you are. Now comes the clever bit. If you take your bodyweight in pounds and times it by the bodyfat percentage then that will come out with your total bodyfat. Then take this figure from the total bodyweight and that will give you a figure for your fat free mass. The figure is not all muscle but includes internal organs, bones etc. but just use the figure as muscle for our calculations. The two figures you have just worked out, the total bodyfat and fat free mass, should be written down and kept. Then next time you have the measurements done you will see if the bodyfat percentage has gone up. Bodyweight: 200lbs Bodyfat Percentage: 21% The calculations… Step1. Bodyweight x bodyfat percentage = lb bodyfat. (200 x 0.21 = 42 lb bodyfat) Step2. Bodyweight – 42 = fat free mass (200 – 42 = 158) (This figure is the total amount of fat free mass). So now we know… Bodyweight: 200lbs Bodyfat Percentage: 21% Total Bodyfat: 42lbs Fat Free Mass: 158lbs This helps to work out which diet you should be doing, how much fat you’re gaining compared to muscle. So its not fatty foods that I need to be eating, but carbs and protein. There is also a great diet plan on the website. So if you’re like me and struggle to gain muscle/weight. Check it out.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it isn’t the be all and end all of martial arts, it takes years and years of constant hard work and practice to be good at it, and even then your still learning.
I know a lot of people who say “ahh jiu jitsu is so boring” and that’s okay. because i think some other forms of martial arts are boring to watch, everyone is entitled to like different things, no matter if its to do with sport, fashion, food, whatever… 
I’m not an idiot, and i know that i’m only a white belt, and i’ll be constantly trying to improve me game and trying to be better my Whole life.
I love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu more than anything, it makes Me happy and i wont be giving it up for Anyone, i don’t care if me doing BJJ doesn’t make them happy, it’s not about anyone else. So if anyone tells you to stop your roll, just tell them to fuck off.
Just remember it isn’t the be all and end all of life. Do other things as well. 

Okay so day one: Monday. Of the weights program was good. I done 15kg front weighted squats. 12kg kettle bell swings. Day two: Wednesday of the weights program. I benched 20kg. 10kg lunges. 12kg kettle bell swings. I have also discovered that I can do 1 pull up then I just kind of hang there… I’ve been told that it does get easier. So here’s hoping! I am only 43kg, so I think the weights I lifted were actually not bad. Hopefully this program will work and I’ll be able to lift more plus gain more muscle and weigh more than 43kg… Because eating like a fat bastard doesn’t seem to put weight on. (People are so surprised by how much I eat, I’m a greedy bastard)

Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu like any other contact sport there is a lot of advantages and a few risks. If your train hard enough and long enough then eventually at some point you will sustain an injury. It may be a minor injury, but injury’s are inevitable. Each individual needs to listen to their own body when injured and take time off the mat when needed. A lot of people (myself included) are stubborn and won’t admit that they are injured, this can often lead to more serious injuries. So be smart about it. If your injured and are going to continue to train then use these tips: Bruising: The majority of bruises heal without treatment. You can aid in the reduction of swelling and reduce the amount of pain by applying a cold compress such as ice cubes wrapped in a towel, to the bruise and elevating the injured area. The faster you get a compress onto the injury, the sooner you’ll reduce swelling and pain. Rub a little tincture of arnica or arnica gel onto the bruise. Arnica (Arnica montana) comes from a plant in the daisy family that grows in the Rocky Mountains, and it’s wonderful for bruises, sprains, and sore muscles. If you bruise easily, take 200 mg of vitamin C daily. Bilberry extract, which contains powerful antioxidants, may also help reduce or eliminate bruising by stabilizing collagen, increasing intracellular vitamin C levels and strengthening capillaries. For serious bruising or deeper soft-tissue injuries take 200-400 mg of bromelain, a pineapple enzyme that speeds healing, three times a day on an empty stomach (at least 90 minutes before or three hours after eating). Caution: Seek medical care if you have large and unusually painful bruises or if you begin to bruise easily for no apparent reason. Strained Muscles: A muscle strain, also called a pulled muscle, occurs when a muscle is stretched beyond its normal range of motion, and small tears occur within the muscle. Treatment and subsequent recovery requires time. Recommended Treatment: Rest: Rest is recommended for the early recovery phase, lasting 1 to 5 days depending on the severity of the injury. Immobilization is not usually necessary, and can be potentially harmful to the repair process and outcome. Ice: Ice application should begin as soon as possible after sustaining a pulled muscle. The application of ice is performed in the same manner as for bruising describe above. Ice helps reduce swelling, bleeding, and pain. The applications should be frequent, but each application should be no more than 15 minutes at a time. Anti-Inflammatory Medications: Anti-inflammatory medications, such as Diclofenac, can help reduce swelling and alleviate painful symptoms. Check with your doctor prior to starting these medications. Gentle Stretching: Careful stretching and strengthening are useful in the treatment and prevention of muscle strain injuries. Muscles that are stronger and more flexible are less likely to be injured. Strengthening: After injuring the muscle, it is important to re-strengthen the muscle(s) before returning to athletic activities. Both the injury itself and the down time following the injury can reduce the muscles’ strength. Stronger muscles are less likely to be reinjured Heat Applications: Keep your body and muscles warm; particularly during downtime in an event. If you have time out, warm the muscle and re-stretch before resuming training. In this way you are less likely to sustain a pulled muscle. Avoid Muscle Fatigue: When you become tired you become more susceptible to muscle injury. Muscles that are fatigued are more likely to be injured. Warm-Up Properly: Warming up prior to any physical exertion is extremely important as it will help loosen the muscle and prevent injuries. Launching into a sport with cold, unprepared muscles can result in a higher chance of straining the muscle. Always exercise caution and prepare yourself properly before any physical pursuit that is going to require a higher than normal performance from your body You can find more information like this on: http://ultimatefightingsystems.com/dealing-with-common-muay-thai-bjj-and-mma-training-injuries/

I haven’t wrote a blog update in quite awhile. Due to having no time. I pretty much work, eat, roll, sleep and repeat. Since doing Bjj for a couple of months now I’m finally starting to get it, well.. Of what I’ve learnt. I really believe that going to the Rolling classes is an essential part of learning Brazilian jiu jitsu. It helps you understand why your learning all the things at the other classes and puts them into action. There is usually a lightbulb type effect that goes on when I get myself into a certain position and realise what I can actually do from there to gain a dominant position. Not that it usually works that effectively as the guys I roll with have a lot more experience than myself. One thing I have learnt from Rolling is that there is always an option to do something even if you think your stuck. The more you go the actual classes and equally do as much rolling as possible, the more options you find yourself having.