There are so many gyms with signs and posters plastered right up front detailing some basic mat rules and gym courtesies. They will say things such as proper mat etiquette with your teammates and coaches (inning up by rank or bowing onto the mats as per tradition), helpful hygiene advice to follow (i.e. keeping the […]
Read moreThe New Year is upon us, which to me, means a great time for leaving bad habits behind and embracing new routines. For myself personally, that means fully and wholly dedicating myself to every task that lays before me, i.e. never doing anything half-assed, but always with the entirety of all of my buttocks instead. […]
Read moreI’m tired of society thinking you have to conform to one narrative to be beautiful. I have a half-shaved head, a muscular frame, gnarled fingers & toes, cauliflower ears, and am usually spotting some type of gi burn or bruising and when I tell you I have never in my life felt more beautiful than […]
Read moreCorruption can taint the entirety of MMA. The bigger promotions in existence are run to the highest degrees of professionalism, but there are a multitude of promotions across the nation where money sways the hands of the commission, promoters, and athletes alike. Take it from me, a recent victim of the shady corruption running rampant […]
Read moreI write about Jiu Jitsu and MMA a lot, often interspersed with my own feelings, thoughts, and experiences throughout this journey. But I have been unfair to my readers who think they are privy to the innermost workings of my mind and the things that make me tick. See, I don’t often divulge the hard […]
Read moreMove over Pinocchio, there is only one character in the story of my life working hard to become a real boy, and it ain’t some wooden ragamuffin of a puppet, so tell Gepetto to take several seats. The more you publicly put yourself out there in the world, the more you open yourself out there […]
Read moreI have come to the recent conclusion that I must have been a child murderer in a past life, or at least something as equally awful, because as of late, I can’t seem to catch a break, at least from a competition standpoint. Between irreverent calls at major IBJJF competitions, a number of opponents lacking […]
Read moreBe careful what you sign contracts for because shady promoters and conniving opponents only after your money exist. They will sacrifice it all in lieu of your safety in order to make a buck off of your face. This is partially my fault, for ignoring every red flag I saw and all of the warning […]
Read moreI guess we’re all performers in one way or another. Whether it’s our work life, or personal life, or the face that we present to the public. There is certainly a part of us that acts, even if it’s just acting like things don’t bother us or that we don’t care. Currently that’s me. I […]
Read moreDiscipline. A simple word in English language, but a complex subject matter not meant for the weak-willed or the mundane or mediocre. Discipline requires mastery of one’s compulsory thoughts, actions, and behaviors, and it takes years of building up the habits and the temperament to be able to accomplish this. Motivation is often fleeting, and […]
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