Not a PYJAMA Party

Well 2 days ago I started with my first class of Jiu-Jitsu at American Top Team.  Being my first lesson is mixed with other levels of students, I figured it wouldnt be a bad idea to learn the basics, but the class is mixed with a variety of belt levels.

The first lesson was torture.. The first lap around the mat jogging I thought my lungs would explode! Jogging on hard floors is one thing but on a soft wrestling mat it seems to make the task a little harder.  We then circled up and counted off 10 crunches each, while we only count 10 each.. it is still each.. so everyone does them as someone else counts off... let me state there was at least 20 people in that class... yes.. 200+ crunches .. I havent done a crunch (yet alone any major physical exercise for 5yrs), then we did the scissor kicks (the ones where your hands go under your butt and you lift and hold your feet off the ground scissor kicking)... again a 10 count each...

I could have swam off the mat through my sweat to get a drink of water. Yes I was getting a workout...

Please note this was the first 15mins of an hour long class...

The next stage of this nightmare was when the 6ft2in 260+ pound guy named Sue.... ok really his name is Bill, with a blue belt, looks at me and says.. "You are about my size !! (SIZE??? Dude I know I could lose some weight but you better mean Height or I am going to open up a can of..... lay there and get worked) we can grapple!!!"

Turns out it was ok... he is 53 yrs old in 2weeks so I had to take it easy on him... But really he is a super nice guy.  His wife and 2 teenage daughters do the same class.  Bill takes his time to walk me through some things and teach me some extra things along teh way.. (he is a Black Belt in Karate and Tae Kwon Do) and a blue belt in JiuJitsu and has been doing this stuff for 14yrs I believe he said...

Bill told me the other night (my 4th class) that I have already improved amazingly, my stamina has increased (I used to tap about 2mins into grappling) now it takes 3mins hahaha... Really though I had Bill stuck for about 3mins the other night and he admitted he didnt know what to do with how I had control with him... the problem was I didnt know what to do next as 1. Id never been able to stop Bill 2. this was my 4th class EVER!!   So we were sat in grappling mode in a stuck in deadlock with each other... until I tired and he got his arms free... rolled me and tapped me.. hahaha

I am hoping to get enough $$ together as Royce Gracie (UFC Legend) is coming to our school and you can get 2 days of class time with him.... I must also mention that our school is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school, a style developed by Royce's Father....

Good news is in 3 lessons I had lost around 14 pounds... Obviously the eating better has helped too...  Oats is a great natural body cleanser...

Also we signed up our 3 oldest kids.. KIDS MMA. it started with trying to find something for Jentzen to help him learn self control and confidence... the others wanted in.. (while I kind of feel bad that he didnt get his OWN thing to do it is a life long investment... Football, hockey etc are fun sports but why spend butt loads of money and time investing into your kids when they have a 1% chance of making it big in sport... Jiu_Jitsu however will always be something they know or can do)....

This picture has got to be one of my favorites... I am glad I caught it...