The Storm is Here!

I have been eagerly waiting for this baby, and after a month of waiting, we finally met! I'm happy to finally see you, Storm Kimonos Flor.

It comes in a bag with the same design! :)

Ordering a gi and having it shipped to the Philippines is usually a pain in the a**, because of inconsistent customs charges. So what I normally do is order it from Manila and have it shipped to a friend in the US who will be coming home. I am so glad that my teammate agreed to this arrangement.

I haven't worn this gi yet to training, but the size (F2) fits me perfectly. The pants are a little bit wider compared to my Atama, which is a good thing because I have gained a significant amount of weight (and fats!) after my tonsillectomy surgery. The top is a little bit loose on the shoulder/back, but I assume this will fit better once it has gone through some washing.

What I totally love about this gi is the embroidery. This is the most beautiful gi I own! The detail of the cherry blossoms is girly yet it looks so badass. The design and the overall look is a sight to behold!

My cat fell in love with it right away, and decided to make it into a cat bed :)

I am about to do the mandatory-for-colored-gis vinegar soaking, so I will post again once I have test-rolled it. But I am definitely loving it so far! 

Yeah!

That's my cat, and that is her favorite gi :)

Competitions? Pffft.

If you are my teammate, then you know how much I despise competing. I just don't have the heart of a fighter. I know I do better in training -- I've gotten out of bad positions, I've escaped submissions, I've tapped guys bigger than me. But in tournaments, I easily give up. I'm scared of getting injured, of getting my joints popped, or of passing out. And when I step on the competition mat, I just want to get it over and done with.

Photo Courtesy: The Stock Photo Guy

If you are a regular competitor, then you know that you fight to win -- not just to be an opponent for someone, but to f*ckin' win! I admire people who do great in competitions, because I am not like that. I have no idea why, but that gold bling doesn't really motivate me to push harder.

I recently competed again, just to give it a try. I was on vacation in Bangkok and since they are having the Bangkok BJJ Open on the same weekend, I signed up. I was terribly nervous on my first fight, but I actually enjoyed rolling with a girl I don't know. I had two matches, and lost in both, but I enjoyed going against women who got mad skills. My first opponent, a fellow Filipina from a team in Malaysia, advanced to two more matches to win the gold, while I have so much respect for my second opponent -- she won in the Abu Dhabi World Pro Trials earlier this year, and went on to represent BJJ girls in the region in Abu Dhabi!

Last weekend, my Coach asked me to fight a girl who doesn't have an opponent in the ADCC Asia-Pacific Championships, so I filled in. I lost again, and I know I could have tried harder to get out of the position, but I did not and I conveniently tapped. 

Photo Courtesy: teammate JC Gepte

So I did two tournaments in two weekends. But even if I lost in all my matches, I learned a lot:

1. I need to work on specific positions and techniques.
2. I need to set my mind on winning: not just to "have fun" at the tournament, but to freakin' get someone else's neck and choke the life out of her!
3. I need to lose weight. I used to weigh 50kg. Now I'm at 62kg, so I am naturally fighting bigger girls at an unnatural weight.
4. I need to condition my body. My opponents have been doing crossfit, plyometrics and what-nots, while I solely do BJJ 2-3x a week. I don't even run anymore!
5. I need to go crazy during training. Sometimes I feel I am just "cruising" at training, rolling lightly, and just having fun. I should stop having fun and start going crazy!

I have to remember that my opponents don't just sit eating McDonald's while watching videos of cats on their free time, they actually condition their mind and body to fight! I don't know if I can dedicate the same amount of energy, but I'll try.

BJJ in Borneo

Whenever I go to a different place, I always try to visit or train in a local BJJ gym. Not that I have done it a lot of times, but I want to set a trend. So when I decided to climb Mt. Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, I contacted BJJ Borneo (Facebook). I have met and made friends with most of the team's members during competitions in Manila (they're all cool and easy to get along with!), so I was excited.

I planned on training with them AFTER my Mt. Kinabalu climb, which was a stupid mistake. My legs were so sore for three days, I couldn't even walk without my knees buckling every now and then! But I still managed to visit their dojo and have dinner with them. It was an intermediate class, so understandably there were only a handful of people on the mat. Allen Chong, a purple belt, handled the class. Once you know him, you will never mistaken him for someone else -- he has that guy with a very big, generous smile constantly planted on his face! There were three girls on the mat, and I would have loved to roll with them! Too bad I really could hardly move.

Here are some photos I took during their training.

Oh, and here are some shots in Mt. Kinabalu. Story HERE.

Sunrise from above

ADCC Asia-Pacific World Qualifying Trials

The ADCC World Qualifying Trials for Asia-Pacific region is happening in Manila, Philippines on November 3-4, 2012!

Official Website: ADCC Trials
Register here: REGISTRATION

"For the first time the ADCC Asia - Pacfic World Qualifying Championships will be held in Manila Philippines on November 3-4, 2012. 

This is the selection trials for the 2013 World ADCC Championships and the largest grappling event to be held in the Asean region. 

The winners of the Advanced divisions will receive free accommodation and airfare to compete at the ADCC 2013 World Championships.   

Entry for the Advanced division are restricted to competitors holding passport from the eligible countries listed(Asia - Pacific region, Guam residents must bring a drivers license and passport, all Advanced competitors must show their passport). 

The Beginners, Female, Juniors and Masters divisions (over 35 years born 1982 and before) are open to all competitors from any country. There are no passport or country of origin restrictions. 

To foster the sport the ADCC Asia - Pacfic Championships will be held in conjunction with an ADCC Beginners event open to BJJ White and Blue belts or wrestlers with less than 36 months experience. 

Referees seminar will be held 10am Friday Nov 2 at KMA Makati Gym, Ground floor Rada Regency, Rada corner De le Rosa Street Makati. Participants will be eligible for a class C, ADCC referees license (cost P700)."

Crap, crap, crap!

There are crappy days, and then there are crappier nights. Last night was one of them.

Have you ever cried on the mat, while training, out of frustration?

I did, last night.

I was very discreet about it, of course. No one even knew. I was still smiling and laughing with my teammates, but deep inside my sanity was slowly being eaten away by frustration. I would generally feel good about training, but last night was different. My game just wouldn't work, no matter how hard I try. It didn't help that I was panting like a rabid dog. I appreciate that the guys don't go easy on me anymore, so I get swept easily and my arm is even hurting from an unexpected submission. I don't feel like my game is moving forward, while everyone else is progressing...

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I'm a Finalist!

I joined a BJJ Photo Contest hosted by BJJ-Asia and sponsored by Redstar BJJ Gi, and my entry made it to the Top 5! Yay!

BJJ Blackbelt Marcos Escobar of Escobar BJJ, Malaysia

Now I need your help so I could win a spanking new Redstar BJJ Gi! Just click HERE, and vote for my entry: (E) Jonna. Voting box can be found on the upper right hand corner. That's it! 

Thanks and happy new year! Here's the amazing view from my balcony on New Year's Eve: