Monday, December 30, 2013

2013 Personal Training/Competition Retrospective


The training and competition year draws to a close.
I trained a lot and changed/added to several parts of my overall game.
I was promoted to purple belt recently which marks the next big step up in competition on the mats.
I'd be doing a disservice to myself and the sport(s) in general to boil it all down to a few sentences, so here it is:

2013 began by my continuing my recovery from ACL surgery. The year began at the 6 month post op mark from ACL reconstruction (July of 2012).

By April of 2013, I competed in Jiu-Jitsu again, and by September I competed in Judo again.
Returning to competition in each sport was an important milestone for me mentally in overcoming the injury.
I'm still not at 100% for competition but not competing had more to do with fear of losing than fear of injury so I knew it was time to get back in the saddle.

I could probably push harder to be back where I was, but honestly, the fact that I can train 5-6 days a week now is enough for me. Historically, I always came back from injury far too soon and trained while injured, so I've made a deliberate effort to methodically press the envelope rather than just jumping back in the deep end and risking setting myself back to start.

I've been working on analyzing how I feel in tournaments and beginning to make an effort to peak/yet feel rested the day of the tournament. I'm 31 now and I have to train smarter to maximize my performance and anticipate the slow decline of my physical abilities.

I don't enjoy competing in Judo as much as I once did with all the new rules and restrictions. But it is another avenue that will force me to press for the submission and/or guard pass to get the pin.
Judo also forces me to lift weights and do sprint workouts, something I've managed to not force myself to do for Jiu-Jitsu competition where I simply train, drill, train, roll, roll some more, drill, and roll ad nauseum.

Lifting weights and doing sprints is what I hate the most, which means it's likely what I need to be doing in order to truly prepare.
This coming year will also mean more early morning roll sessions before work.
I'm toying with the idea of returning to submission grappling competition.
I honestly don't enjoy NoGi, but it is a part of the grappling game which I have neglected. I have this creeping semi-subconscious suspicion by years end I'll have done some NoGi competition or at least be willing to devote some time each week to it.

2013 Tournament Recap:
US Grappling Submission Only Greensboro: Won 30+ blue belt & adult blue belt
US Grappling Virginia Beach: Won 30+ adult blue belt and adult blue belt
US Grappling Pendergrass Classic: Won blue belt absolute
                  Naga Charlotte: Won blue belt adult
-        lkj    US Grappling Submission Only Richmond: won 30+ blue belt 
 
                  Hometown Heroes Judo Tournament: 3rd in 73kg black belt division
                  Takemori Open Maryland Judo Tournament: 2nd in 66kg black belt division
                  Bushido Roll Bowl Newaza Tournament: Won lightweight Advanced division
 
                 

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