Oh yeah...I was in the Hudson Star Observer in May. Check out the article!

http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/event/article/id/42871/group/Sports/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

2011 Goals...6 month UPDATE.

Here is my 6 month update/review of my BJJ goals for 2011!

Updates are in *CAPS!

1. STAY HEALTHY and get 12 months of training in this year!
*SO FAR SO GOOD. KNEE IS FEELING GREAT AND NO CURRENT INJURIES. KNOCK ON WOOD.

2. Compete in 4 tournaments.
*COMPETED IN 1 TOURNAMENT (2ND-195 BLUE BELT) AND 1 COMP TEAM TOURNAMENT (1-2).
*2 MORE TOURNAMENTS AND A COUPLE MORE COMP TEAMS TOURNAMENTS SOUNDS GOOD!

3. Get away from closed guard and make my guard game 80% open.
*I WOULD THINK THIS IS THE CASE. HOPEFULLY MY TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS CAN ATTEST.

4. Get a North South Choke in a tournament.
*NOT YET...STILL COMING FOR YOUR NECKS!!

5. Work on takedowns and get a single or double leg takedown in a tournament.
*THINK I GOT POINTS FOR ONE? MAY HAVE RUN OUT OF BOUNDS. LETS GET ANOTHER ONE!!

6. Win my first 1st place medal.
*JUST ANOTHER NUMBER 2...

7. Get my left knee back to 100%.
*FEELING GREAT!! LETS SAY 93.3%

8. Eat more healthy and get to 185 walk around weight (179 Competition Weight).
*WORST PROGRESS. AT 197 WALK AROUND. 193 IS THE LIGHTEST IVE BEEN THIS YEAR. 190 BY DECEMBER SEEMS ATTAINABLE.

9. Train with Marcelo Garcia or Robert Drysdale. ;)
*MIGHT HAVE TO HOLD ONTO THIS GOAL/DREAM FOR NEXT YEAR.
*I HAVE TRAINED WITH EDDIE BRAVO AND RIGAN MACHADO ALREADY THIS YEAR THOUGH!!

10. Watch ADCC 2011 surrounded by other Jiu Jitsu people.
*SEPTEMBER 24TH AND 25TH. EVENT IS EVEN BIGGER NOW. ON BUDOVIDEOS.COM. CANT WAIT!!


OVERALL:
I FEEL MORE TECHNICAL AND MORE COMPETITIVE THAN EVER. MY GAME HAS REALLY GROWN IN THE LAST YEAR. I MAY NEVER BE A CHAMPION BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH OTHER STUFF GOING ON IN MY LIFE, BUT I HOPE TO BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE. PUTTING IN TIME ON THE MAT AND STUDYING/REFINING MY GAME HAS TO BE THE REASON I AM GETTING BETTER. GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE FUN AND GROW.

AS I TOLD MY BUDDY TODD, "IM ON THE 60 YEAR PLAN!"...ITS A WAY OF LIFE, NOT A RACE!