Settling in to Judo

I've have not posted in a while so I want to catch up a bit.

When I read around Judo and Jiu Jitsu blogs and I realize that there is an enormous difference in approach between those that are competitively minded and those that are recreational minded.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that people who train 7 days a week, 5 hours a day are going to excel far more quickly than those who train 1 day a week for 3 hours on that day.  When I read Dr Ann Maria's blog about Judo and the business of life http://drannmaria.blogspot.com/ (Great blog by the way),  I see an enormous difference in the mindset of a someone who has one world championships (like Dr Ann Maria) and someone who approaches with a recreational mindset (like myself).  That difference is the emphasis is on the importance of winning.  It is really interesting for me to read about Dr Ann Maria's take on training and how she became an international level player and trained her daughter Ronda to become one as well.

I started Judo at 36 years old and am now 42.  Newsflash here: Never going to be an international player.  Everyone loves to win.  When you refine your skills and best your opponent in a game of physical strategy and technique it is an extremely validating and rewarding experience.  Now there is a difference in the approach you take when trying to take kids and train them into future champions and when you are training a 40+ year old in a new skill set.  I know that many people may feel that the old saying "It's not about the destination, its about the journey" is a cop-out  but I guess there is an age where you have to discover something you fall in love with in Judo and/or Jiu Jitsu beyond the win and the desire to be the best.  It is that "something" that is going to keep you coming back and continuing to train throughout your life as raw athleticism fades.  That said, competition has it's place, is fun and is a reality check.

This week I'm going to go to a charity bjj tournament to benefit a family where the father was in a serious car accident.

I'm glad to be part of a club and a community that cares about it's members.