Posted by alexandra_k on August 29, 2010, at 21:11:48
In reply to Re: bjj » alexandra_k, posted by Deneb on August 29, 2010, at 14:39:55
Yeah, technical. Learning to use appropriate parts of your body as levers to manipulate yourself from a position of submission to a position of dominance or at least neutrality. Awesome application for self defense. And other recreational activities, no doubt heh heh.
Olympic lifting is technical, too. Learning to contract your muscles then explode them in the right order at the right time in order to throw the weigh up.
Its fun because you simply develop strength (and a better body composition) as an inevitable by-product of learning the technical skill. It is fun to increase the intensity (weight) a little and see what you can do. And learning the technical skill is fun :-) Little improvements every time you train.
I bet you could be stronger than me if you put your mind to it.
I remember being terrified of joining the gym at first because I thought only fit athletic people would be found there. Then I learned that most of the people aren't there because they *are* fit and athletic. Most people are there because they *aspire to be*. And even those who *are* fit and athletic are mostly training hard to become fitter and more athletic rather than worrying about the state of me. They also typically appreciate that they trained hard to get to where they are and everyone was a beginner at some point (aside from those annoying people who have been involved in athletic stuff practically since birth).
Then part of the issue becomes most women training like marathon runners working in the zone for hours at a time and limiting their nutrition in the quest to become skinny... And most guys training like advanced bodybuilders on a bizzarre bicep and pectorial split program in the quest to become muscular... But don't even get me started on how misguided much of the standard exercise 'information' is...
(Sports medicine here I come - perhaps, perhaps)
I've discovered that I love power sports. Something where you get to explode / work at full force. Gets my angries out (many of which I never knew I had).
:-)
The thing I'm most nervous about with bjj is the intimate body contact. I'm picky about who is allowed in my personal space, typically. Not many girls in the sport, either, so you typically need to roll with guys. Some are 'too nice' to the girls (let you win or don't want to roll with you because they think they have to let you win) and some are 'too mean' (don't let you win at all costs for ego reasons or because they think they have to hurt you to not be sexist).
It does look a bit bizarrely sexual, too. But I've learned that the gym (and sports more generally) is basically an erotic zone. Erotic when girls are there, to be sure, but homoerotic when girls aren't (though most would not admit that which is why homophobia can be so prevalent). So its a gender neutral thing at least lol. And apparently it is hard to think erotic thoughts when someone is trying to render you unconscious / dislocate your limbs. Just like how its hard to think erotic thoughts when you are trying not to get flattened by the weight. Though it is a bit enjoyable watching others participate, to be sure...
Worst case... I'm sure I'll get to meet some hot guys. Yum. :-) Not that I'm doing it for that, but no complaints about the olympic lifting guys either... Damn...
Most bizarre thing... But most awesome thing for my self confidence in the world... They don't seem to think I'm too bad, either :-)
(The benefits of increased T levels... Almost unbearable around ovulation dammit). I really do need to find a f*ck buddy...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:960418
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20100806/msgs/960550.html