We'll see what happens!

It has been 5 years since my last competitive match. My last match was a super fight against the current number 1 grappler in the world in my weight class, Pablo Popavich. He just recently beat Marcelo Garcia in Abu Dhabi. It was my first super fight and Pablo beat me by decision after a 10 min match. I was starting to break through as a competitor. Three months after that match I got married to my lovely wife and three more months after that my wife was pregnant with our first child. Now we have two children and a third one due in August 2010. I thoroughly enjoy and love my family. My priority and desire is for my family above all things. For this reason I have not competed since I got married. My energy has been occupied with my family and my desire to compete simply has not been there.

Since then, my Academy has grown and re-located to a much bigger and better facility. I also have built a solid team of fighters who have had much success in both MMA fights and grappling competitions. The only reason I ever competed in the first place was to prove that even though my BJJ has been for the most part self-taught, that my technique is good. I guess after my match with Pablo I was content with what I have done. Not only that but my other fighters prove the level of our training time and time again. I am not one who needs to be seen as the best because I simply don't like that attitude.

With all of that said, I have had some students getting on my case about competing. I mentioned last year to them that I might like to give a shot at the Pan Ams in 2010. They have been holding me accountable to my words. All though I really don't have a strong desire to compete I am planning on it. I think it would be good for our school and I know my students will enjoy it. The Pan Ams are about two months out and I have officially begun training today. Let me tell you, I was beat! As far as the average person goes, I know I am in good shape but competitive shape is another story. When I roll, I like to use little energy so I generally don't exert alot of energy when I roll. I like positional dominance and leverage as my friend. So I am in good shape from rolling but not in a competitive sense. I have not done anything extra in a long time.

About a month ago I began doing some push ups and squats to strengthen my joints a little. I have had alot of joint problems and injuries I think from not doing the extra work to strengthen my joints and to protect my body in the last few years. Today, I attempted to go through one of the workouts that I used to do regularly a few years back. I start with some body movement drills and then I begin to hit the crawls workout and finish with a good balance ball series. I barely made it through the crawls today. I make sure to do it all with my Gi on so that I get used to it being in the way through alot of these exercises. The movements aren't quit as easy with the Gi on. I have a very specific way I like to do the crawls as well. I do each crawl slowly the full length of the mat and then each crawl quickly. It is pretty exhausting when you do them with out breaks. So I was beat today after my work out but I plan on continuing and improving.

I am going to keep you all updated about my training right here and will even post videos of some of my workouts. I plan on doing a weekly blog about it for the next 2 months leading up to the Pan Ams. My hope is that as I begin training and writing about it that my desire will also continually increase to compete. By the time the Pan Ams get here, I am hoping to be hungry. Anyway, we'll see what happens!