Going Private

As I've written here before, while I am every bit a white belt, I am no beginner.  I've been at the practice of Brazilian jiu jitsu for as much as a year or so at time, four times since 1996.  If I'd just stayed with it (and really, I couldn't have), I'd be giving private lessons now.  As opposed to taking them; as I did this past Sunday for the first time.

In the past, I was a roll-happy jock, just looking to wrestle and learn a few techniques while getting fit for other pursuits.  I was mostly disinterested in belt promotion which was helped along by the fact that I attended only two seminars since 1996 (Bob Bass and Juliano Prado).  And I never took a private lesson with a black belt.

This time around, I changed my mindset.  I want to experience the process of really becoming a grappler.  I have no ego in it, and don't see myself as ever being "good," just growing experienced and competent.  And promoted when appropriate.

To that end, I do keep a training journal and log the techniques we learn in class along with general notes on conditioning and experiences rolling.  And I signed on for a relatively valuable "one private per month" add-on to the membership fees at our gym.

The funny thing about my first private was that there was nothing private about it!  Coach had me out on the floor with another full class under way.  He retained the services of Elena, a wonderful blue belt, to help out as part grapple dummy, and part instructor.  A really great pedagogical ideal allowing Coach to instruct and demonstrate in ways that I would always be free to observe completely, or he free to observe me executing the few drills we worked.

And he left me with a single thought that I exercised last night.  We worked on preventing head control in side mount.  He taught me some framing I hadn't already learned innately.  To ingrain the teaching, he instructed me to start under side control in every roll I have this week.  I did so last night, and although I got thrashed by some skilled players, I gained a measure of comfort on bottom that I'd been lacking so far.

And so I add the experience of occasional private instruction.  Looking forward to more.