The Runcible Blog

I've been thinking a lot about Judo lately. On December 1st, my sensei promoted me to yellow belt, which was exciting if only because it matches my blue gi well. It's nice to see progress recognized, even if the belt system can seem very arbitrary (I've sparred with some yellow belts who were clueless, and some higher belt folks have forgotten basic things). The more I learn about Judo, the more subtleties I see that I've yet to internalize. For ......
[ Read More ]

On July 18th, I competed in Redline's first grappling/MMA night. Above is my first match against training partner, Jordan. I wasn't very satisfied with my performance — I still have trouble finding entrances for throws. And it was an ugly win. I never even try guillotine chokes in practice because they're too much of a strength move and not very elegant. I guess I just wanted the match to end at that point. My second match went into double overtime ......
[ Read More ]

I lost my fight at NAGA on Saturday. Here's the shaky-cam footage:...
[ Read More ]

The main lesson that we learned from the tournament is that none of the guys had good stand-up skills or knew proper takedown defense. My coaches come from a wrestling and Judo background and have emphasized training 50% stand-up and 50% ground fighting. After the tournament, we switched back to training stand-up stuff in preparation for NAGA. At Redline, my schedule lately has been beginner + advanced grappling classes on Monday with Mark and Vic, MMA on Wednesday with Paul, ......
[ Read More ]

I competed in the NE Grappling Challenge today and took home a silver "metal" after beating this girl in the beginner 145lbs division. Here's the exciting fight in its entirety: The second fight (that I lost) and the rest of the fights from my fellow Redline Fight Sports teammates are already on youtube. My first tournament was a great experience. I'm looking forward to the next one in June and improving my stand-up skills in the meantime. Thank you to ......
[ Read More ]

I'm planning on competing in two upcoming grappling tournaments: NE Grappling Challenge at Bridgewater State on May 30.  The rules and weight divisions seem favorable for a beginner like me.  It could be interesting. NAGA East Coast Championship in Providence on June 27.  This will be a much bigger event.  I'll probably have no chance. I didn't think I'd be ready for a tournament, but my instructor, Mark, convinced me by saying, "nobody is ever ready for a tournament."  It ......
[ Read More ]

I recently judged a book by its cover and bought Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams, thinking it might contain some insight into a particular way of thinking about fighting, and I thought it might be able to put words to the kinds of feelings I've been having in my own practice. Wrong! The book, written in 1979, oozes with a kind of superficial understanding of zen common in America at that time. The instructors quoted in the ......
[ Read More ]

In my fourth week since starting kickboxing, I decided to experience a new set of aches and pains by learning Jiu-jitsu and grappling. I've been going to the gym almost every day and have gotten used to the ebb and flow of different specific injuries (tendonitis in my foot, blisters and cuts on my feet, strained groin or hip), but wrestling is showing me an exciting and unpredictable level of hurt. Today, my lower back feels like one big bruise, ......
[ Read More ]

I just finished my first week of kickboxing at Redline Fight Sports, and I'm feeling good. At first, I felt completely wrecked all over after an hour-long class, but I'm gradually recovering quicker and feeling like I got a work-out rather than a hurt-out. Kickboxing works all sorts of muscles that I never use; I had a mysterious soreness in my hip flexors that caused me to want to walk around hunched over because it was painful to straighten myself. ......
[ Read More ]