However, I feel the need to update you on a recent development in my Bjj Journey. This last Thursday, 8th January 2015, I was overjoyed to receive my purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In front of a class of my good friends and team mates my instructor and good friend, Ian Rossiter, promoted me to purple.
Ian was very wily with his method of promoting me. He was initially demonstrating back attacks on Glenn (Cutter) who then kind of feigned a bad neck. He then said he'd grab his camera to take some photos as we had quite a full class for the new year. I didn't have any suspicions at this point and Ian went on to demo a choke counter to a rear mount escape. On the second run through, Ian proceeding to talk through the beginning of the technique while slyly taking the belt out of his jacket and wrapping around me and tying it on. You can see from the picture below that I was caught completely by surprise and when I finally realised I was totally blown away.
Definitely the highlight of my Bjj life so far and to be able to get it in front of most of my regular club mates at DV8 Bjj in Worle, instead of having to go off and get it in front of a load of guys I didn't really know well or train with, was brilliant.
Also getting promoted a little later in the lesson were Rob Morris and Chris Whiting, two guys who have been training with Ian in Weston for ages and have definitely put the time and effort in to duly deserve their promotions. Well done guys.
What a friggin amazing experience that was. A big thank you to Ian, my friend and mentor for so long. Thanks also go to Chico Mendes, another of my Bjj Instructors when I train up in Bristol, and my good friend, Glenn Cutter, who runs our DV8 Bjj class down in Highbridge and Burnham and who has helped and supported me so much in the last couple of years. And finally of course to my regular training partner, Marcus Hedley, who has pushed me and helped me improve my game so much over the last four years,
What a great start to 2015 for me and for the club. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has to hold. Hopefully I can encourage some of our guys to compete in some of the local comps.
Happy New Year guys. I think I could get to like this blogging stuff again too so I may have to renew my efforts here too. ¬m/
