my Arte Suave

Training for Chicago Open

Recently I have been writing a lot of my feelings towards the bjj scene at large and really haven’t touched on how my training has been going in regards to getting ready for ibjjf Chicago open. The last 5 or so weeks I have been training is hard as I think I could have. The focus is of course been on the gi. I’ll be honest and say that everything hasn’t gone 100% the way I have wanted it to while training. I have had injuries really limit me. It is like they come and go and it keeps going that way. Injuries are nothing new though, I cant ever remember being %100 when a competition nears, and I have come to the realization that I probably never will be. And this is common place in bjj and competition bjj, so I can’t complain with awesome examples like michael langhi at the worlds competing with a major injury and examples like stephen hall who seems to always be under the knife. So with that I will be going full steam next weekend no doubt.

In other news, I’ve been just been drilling as usual, locking down my strategy, and training to absolute exhaustion at least 2 times per week.I have been going to Next Level Fitness in Johnston, RI and being tortured by mike campbell and my boy Justin. It’s such a great facility! My whole strength and conditioning has changed. It’s been one strength session, dedicated to nothing but building strength and power. And the other session is dedicated to nothing but conditioning, circuits,circuits, crazy reps.

So it’s been going great, but conditioning and grips are in tremendous shape. Chicago is a week away and I’m feeling great. I am training hard all the way until Thursday!

Skills pays the bills.