5:00 A.M.

What am I doing up at 5:00 A.M? I’m writing of course.

No, actually it’s one of the side effects of being a 46 year old grappler. My shoulder is on fire, I think I slept on it wrong. In my youth I always felt indestructible, but know the old Ojisan gets a little beat up. I was in my 40’s when I started this Jiu Jitsu and No Gi Grappling hobby and as good as it feels to be back on the mat, sometimes I don’t feel so indestructible.

My face stays constantly injured with black eyes, skinned forehead and swollen ears. It is a rare night at the gym when I don’t get either my lip or nose busted. My elbows stay inflamed and sore, as well as my shoulders. I have twisted my toes around backwards I don’t know how many times, and I have hyper extended and severely jammed both thumbs. My ankles have both been popped due to my unwillingness to tapout and my knee has been folded over sideways. On more than one occasion I have been choked unconscious. You are probably asking why I do this to my self, I’ll tell you why.

I want to know where my limits are. Not just from a self defense aspect but from a human experience aspect. Confidence comes from knowing exactly how far you can go. Jiu Jitsu and Grappling are not about breaking boards, they are very much training on how to end someone.

Self Defense. I do not consider myself a Badass. I have plenty of people that I have met in the Grappling community that can shut me down with ease, that being said what I have learned over the last 3 years will definitely come in handy against your typical toughguy. I don’t walk around with my chest popped out, but I don’t worry about anyone either.

It’s fun. Grappling provides my escape from the worries of the world. You can’t worry about anything else when someone is trying to kill you.

The Community. When you begin this path you find out something quick, this is one of the tightest and most caring groups that you can join. Grappling is a brotherhood like no other. I have been to several gym’s and even at tournaments, you will feel connected and respected no matter what your skill level is.

Hey, I’ve only got 40 or so years left to live tops. I’m going to make sure I enjoy them. The clock is ticking and I am starting to hear it every night when I lay my head on the pillow. Listen close I bet you can hear it too.