I'm having fun at blue! Things are starting to make more sense and the new things I'm learning feel more doable with practice. There's also not a ton of pressure to know everything at this belt. I get a lot of fulfillment out of refining the things I do know and exploring the techniques that interest me. My training partners are still pretty nice to me too (most of the time). 

Finding small spaces instead of trying to overpower larger opponents. 

Watching your upperbelt training partner control the urge to put a hurting on you after you accidentally knee them in the face 😂 

In all seriousness, actually showing up. You have to prioritize training and create all the conditions necessary for it to happen. Making sure all your uniform items are washed and ready when you need them, not eating like crap right before training, and forgoing hanging with friends because you'll be busy having your clothes folded with you inside them.

I would create a class for Pecking. 

My drumline instructor in high school would always get upset when we were getting ready to practice and would start "pecking". Pecking is when you just drum some nonsense with little regard for tempo, technique, or structure. It didn't help anyone get better, but it was fun to do when you had a rhythm stuck in your head and you just had to get out. It was like scratching an itch. 

Sometimes we need a break from monotony and have a little fun while scratching that itch. Perhaps in some fantasy world, we have a 30-60 minute "class" where everyone gets a turn to pull up some unconventional technique they saw on instagram ( or wherever) and give it a go. This would be a loosely structured class meant to be more exploratory rather than technical. 

Staying active off the mats definitely helps me eat better too.

While the physical component of training is huge, the mental component is not one we seem to talk about quite as much. Sometimes I take a little bit of time away from the mat to care for that part too.

While jiu jitsu feels like therapy, it is not. We should take the time to invest in ourselves in that regard just as we would with our physical health. This includes sleep hygiene, the way we think about our training/training goals, and being mindful about what kind of energy we bring onto the mats. 

My favorite training partners are playful, communicative, and create a challenge without recklessly increasing our injury risk. It helps me trust that we are both invested in helping one another grow.

I don’t until I get blood on it bc I’m somewhat superstitious. The last time I washed my belt, I forgot everything 😂. 

Daniel Bianchi 👀👂