All Change...

I've just been promoted to purple belt. This was quite a surprise. About seven or eight months ago when the world was re-opened, I felt like I was getting back some quality and game plan. Then we went into another lockdown and I was mainly doing online MMA classes. 

I felt I was massively off the pace after such a long lay-off. On top of this, I was also feeling my age with a couple of constantly nagging injuries. 

Then the end of the class came and two very good white belts were promoted to blue. Then I was called out and told I was being promoted. 

The belts in BJJ are so deep that I expected to remain a blue belt for a while longer. There were things I wanted to add into my game to expand my repertoire and I wanted to be more solid in what I did. For example, I'm confident with my standing and throwing game, my guard pulling and anything once I'm in full guard, particularly if I have an overhook. Wristlocks are obviously a key thing for me, too.

I've been trying to add in a more solid half-guard game and some open guard and x guard stuff, plus some Williams Guard techniques. I'm pretty sure this a path I'll continue down. The battleplan going forward is to assess what my game actually is and develop it, iron out the obvious weaknesses elsewhere, and add related techniques in. 

The thing I already know is that I want simple and functional game that will work in gi and no gi and for self-defence. I also need to learn to wear the belt, focus better on what I am doing and not worry about the colour.