A big part of jiu jitsu that I think is frequently neglected are the parts that take place off the mats. It’s the recovery, studying footage, and having a training journal.

It’s 8:26 AM on Saturday, June 6th. I’m sitting on my porch, coffee in one hand, a joint in the other, thinking about tonight. In about 10 hours, I’ll step onto the mat for my first NFC match. What’s crazy is that this isn’t just another tournament. Most of the time when I compete, there are multiple opponents, multiple matches, and a gold medal waiting at the end if everything goes right. Tonight is different. One match. One opponent. One opportunity. As I sit here reflecting, my mind keeps going back five years. I remember sitting in the crowd at NFC events, watching my teammates, my friends, and the guys I looked up to walk out under those lights. I remember thinking, “Man, how cool would it be to do that one day?” And now here I am. Ten hours away from doing it myself. The thing that’s hitting me hardest this morning isn’t the nerves. It’s the time. When you’re in this game every day, it’s easy to get caught up in the next stripe, the next belt, the next tournament, the next achievement. You’re so focused on what’s ahead that you don’t realize how much life is passing by while you’re chasing it. Then one day you wake up and realize something. The higher the belt gets, the more the years attached to it matter. You stop thinking, “I’ve got plenty of time.” You start thinking, “I’ve got one less day.” And somehow that makes days like today feel even more special. Tonight I’ll step onto that mat in front of my family, my friends, my teammates, and everyone who’s been part of this journey. Win or lose, that’s not something I take lightly. Because at 39 years old, being able to say I competed on one of the biggest stages in jiu-jitsu is pretty damn incredible. Not because of the result. Because of the journey. Because there was a younger version of me sitting in those seats wishing for this opportunity. And today, that guy gets his chance. So I’ll enjoy every second of it. The nerves.The excitement.The walkout.The handshake.The battle. All of it.

The other day I saw a post that said: “Jiu-Jitsu should improve your life, not consume your life.” And honestly… I sat with that for a while. Because when people talk about Jiu-Jitsu, we always hear about the positives. “I lost weight. ”“My confidence went up. ”“I found discipline. “It saved my life.” And all of that is true. But nobody really talks about the cost. Not the money. Not the injuries. The real cost. The missed dinners. The conversations with your spouse when you’ve trained 5 nights this week. The guilt you carry when your family tells you, “Go train, we know you love it,” but part of you still feels torn walking out the door. Nobody tells you that somewhere around blue belt, the honeymoon phase ends and you realize this thing becomes part of your identity. And that’s usually when people disappear. Some people feel like they learned enough.Some people get busy. Some people burn out. Some people realize they don’t actually love the lifestyle that comes with it. Because Jiu-Jitsu isn’t just a hobby after a certain point. It becomes a lifestyle with real sacrifices attached to it. And I think if more people understood that going in, the blue belt dropout rate would make a lot more sense. 5 years into this journey, I’m finally starting to understand the true cost of chasing this art. For me… it’s worth it. Being a Jiu-Jitsu bum honestly feels like a dream come true. But I can also understand why it becomes too much for some people. Curious what everyone else thinks about this. Has Jiu-Jitsu improved your life without consuming it… or do you think consuming you is part of what makes it special?

I've had pain in both of my thumbs for soon 2 months now. Not at the same spots, right MP joint and left around the wrist. It's better now already, you can do a test called Finkelstein, and it doesn't hurt really doing that, even if it's that spot. I took NSAID for 5 days and rested a little more. Taping every training. Do you have any ideas on how to work with it? Should I just keep training, or do something, or do something less?

I have semi long hair, and thinking of cutting it soon. What do you think about long hair? Can you have it loose or in a bun, or better to cut?