Russell Usauskas I’m sold ✍️

I would come to more open mats if we played some girly pop, reggaeton, or some 80s alternative. 

I could probably manage those things better. I think like Russ pointed out, us younger blue belts tend to sacrifice pressure and strategy for "speed". Doing more NoGi has helped me really think about the pressure aspect since there is much less to use for grips. Getting stuck in bottom mount forces me to think more about strategy-- spending less time defending a threat that hasn't presented, utilizing small spaces to escape. All things I'm thinking about and trying to implement in my training and make a habit. The hardest part so far has been recognizing those mistakes as I'm making them in sparring.

Ankle lock or knee bar because no one expects me to know how to do it lol

Wooo can't wait!

I have been trying to do it more, and it definitely does help me make better decisions when I 'm focused on feel and not what I see. 

Eating more whole foods, prioritizing protein, taking supplements, monitoring my sleep patterns, strength training at least 3x/week off the mats. The sleep and supplements have been helping me tremendously with recovery.

I watch ROLTV when I have specific questions or want to try to work on something from home. I also purchased some mats a couple of months ago so I could do solo drills for extra practice.  

Wooo!

3 things I'm doing in 2025:

-I am planning to work on my takedowns because someone made a joke about how much they suck, which was funny. And if it's funny, it means it's also true lol.

-I'm excited to attend a Sophia McDermott seminar next month!

-The biggest thing I am doing for my training this year is getting enough sleep--which has been a game-changer so far. The recovery process is much quicker and easier now.

My "aha" moment was realizing how much easier it was to move in bottom mount or bottom side control when I am not flat on my back.