EPT![[image loading]](http://media.merchantcircle.com/6088452/grappling_medium.jpeg)
“There is nothing more important than Jiu Jitsu!” - Ricardo Cavalcanti
“So you might as well quit, if you haven’t go it.” - Bugsy Malone
After ten years of my brother nudging me towards training Jiu-Jitsu and reading The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler’s Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living by Marshal D. Carper, I am finally ready to take my first step onto the mat. I’ve been interested in grappling since my brother started taking Jiu-Jitsu at the local Gracie gym in his junior year of high school (my brother is now in his thirties).
I remember my brother teaching me how to do a rear naked choke when I was still in elementary. We were sitting on the cold tile floor of his room and he asked me if he could try to do something to me, I obliged knowing that he would do it even if I refused. That is how I learned how to do my first submission move. I remember when I was in first grade I did it to one of my good friends who so happened to be a girl. I also remember her name too even though I haven’t seen her in over ten years, Leslie R. (I probably had a crush on her or something)
Since then I’ve always thought grappling was pretty nifty but never took any serious steps towards learning the art of it. I didn’t have any eventful grappling encounters till high school my sophomore year. One of my friends at the time asked me to grapple with him, upon agreeing he said “I knew you’d be the guy that would be down for this kind of stuff.” Not knowing what that meant we met at the park after school and I rolled for the first time.
My first time grappling like my first time was very awesome and awkward. We started standing up which was probably a bad idea for my first time grappling (I didn’t know how to take a fall and I am still not totally comfortable taking throws and takedowns). I took up a boxing stance and my friend just laughed at me and asked jokingly “So what you want to box now?”
I opened my fists and faced my palms forward, arms slightly extended in front of me ready to start “grappling." Right after I changed the way my hands were he instantly hip tossed me to the ground and proceeded to americana my right arm from side control. I instantly started tapping upon feeling the hyperextension of my shoulder. After that I asked him to teach me how to do it.
That is when I learned how to do my second submission the americana a shoulder lock. After learning how to do it we started another round of grappling. He hip tossed me once again but this time I rolled over him and some how found myself in side control which is when I applied what I learned, the americana he tapped swiftly. This would be the first and last time I ever beat my friend in grappling from then on when ever we rolled he had some kind of a killer aura like he really wanted to tear my arm off with every armbar and every choke he would squeeze with all his might. I would avoid grappling him because of his overzealousness to beat me in grappling matches. Every time he would some way to get me to grapple him I would go half speed and look for a good opportunity to give him the win and tap before he seriously injured me.
Since I have graduated high school I haven’t been grappling at all but recently I have been grappling a little with some guys who know a lot more than me. Now I am finally ready to take my first step onto the mat in the fall. I am stronger than I have ever been (not that I would call myself strong). I long for the day I get my congratulatory whips honoring my blue belt, well I wont get ahead of myself I’m just looking forward to putting my gi on.
