In Noelle News

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In non-entertainment related news, I got a submission via elbow lock last night at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu… Shortly afterwards my opponent got his revenge by choking me (although, as I think about it, I probably could have held out instead of tapping).

Anyway, I really enjoy grappling with someone of the same experience level as me. We get to try a number of different moves and sweeps without being soundly punished. Although, this said, you should see the bruises dotting my left arm. I look like I’m in an abusive relationship, or an incompetent heroin addict.

In other news, my cousin has yet to arrive. Little Trent is now 5 days past his due date.

And speaking of babies, Paul’s Pietermaritzburg cousin has undergone a dramatic change of life course in the past few months. She’s gone from having sponsorship to study Dietetics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (with dreams of going to her father in Australia upon graduating), to flunking the course, to taking up a BA with the intention of teaching, to getting pregnant by her artisan/kick-boxer boyfriend of 4 months, to dropping out of university to take up waitressing full time.

Really scary stuff.

Comments

Dante said…
Sex changes lives.

So the jiu-jitsu is going nice? Do you guys grade like in karate? I have a feeling i am going to grade soon. To orange belt. Yay.
10:53 AM
Pfangirl said…
I forgot to mention that the cousin is just 18-19.

Anyway, you have good days and you ahve bad days. As for grading, it's a bit different with BJJ.

There are only 5 belts. White. Blue. Purple. Brown. Black. You can also get 4 stripes on each belt for intermediate advances.

You advance based on a combination of your technical prowess and how you fare at competitions (because your performance can be measured against people supposedly of your level from other schools).

Requirements for advancing are not as set as they are with Karate, I think. It's more subjective.

I've read that it takes in the region of 2-4 years to advance a belt. I don't have any illusions about my ability, so my big goal would be to get to blue belt. Micah doesn't seem to dish out stripes or gradings easily though so I have no idea how long it'll take, or if I can do it.

You can read more about grading here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Jiu-jitsu#Grading

and

http://www.kamikaze-portal.com/News/article/gradings-brazilian-jiu-jitsu.html
12:28 PM
Dante said…
Thats rather intence.
1:35 PM
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