I am a Blue Belt!

At 10 AM this morning I officially became a Blue Belt. 

I had just finished 10 minutes of sparring where I rolled with a new person every minute non-stop. I thought the 10 minutes would be no problem because after classes we roll 5 four minute rounds and I participate in 3 to 5 of them with no problem. The only time I sit out is usually due to a lack of a partner.

I miscalculated how hard it would be. Before we began my instructor, Smiley, casually stated that it should be so intense that “someone should have to drive me home.”

I had hallucinations about halfway through. At one point I said to myself, “Doesn’t Smiley know I am going to pass out?” After the third person switched they began to jump on me in whatever position I was in. I was grunting like the guy who was taking his Purple Belt test with Roy Harris and I actually became scared at one point when I was being smothered and had a flashback to Big Rick in Georgia. Finally, I lost count and couldn’t remember how many minutes I had left. When 1 minute was called out I thought 1 minute with the person I was rolling with or one minute after this one. Luckily that was the last minute. And with that, it was all over.

I suspect anxiety and adrenaline played a roll in my exhaustion. Oh yeah, did I mention I was the only one testing. So the guys had nothing to do but stand and wait for their turns to jump in.

Before the rolling session I had to demonstrate 11 techniques (submissions, escapes, sweeps and reversals from every position) and then demonstrate them again with an explanation of what I was doing.  

It was all smiles and hug-pounds at the end as I was congratulated and we bowed out. The kids BJJ class had started to stream in so the kids and their parents (some of them take BJJ too) had a opportunity to see me have my behind handed to me. They offered congrats as well.

I have to admit it was one of my finer days in the lovely art (sport) of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

I’m off to celebrate,

Peace!