From February 13, 2023 (The last email we sent before we were banned by our email marketing service.
TR:III:AD
2.13.23
I.
“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”
-Henry David Thoreau
II.
As the days grow longer, the sun rising shortly after we arrive for morning jiu-jitsu, one can feel the deep collar-grip of winter beginning to loosen.
The dark, crushing atmosphere of the winter morning class, with its freezing cold temperatures and mats - replaced by a much more laid-back flow as the sun bathes the temple in its warmth.
Moving through our open-guard passing drills, everyone felt smooth, confident and technical.
The sun warms the mats so your feet aren’t freezing, having a grip get broken doesn’t make your hands feel as if they’re about to fall off.
Comfort doesn’t mean better or more effective, in fact - oftentimes the opposite is true.
I’m reminded of a passage in the Bible that says, “for every thing there is a season…”
Cold weather training is the season that teaches us how to find comfort where none exists, to block out negative thoughts and to find a mental focus in the discomfort.
Warmer weather offers its own opportunities - perhaps you can train for longer, focus easier on what you’re drilling, or take more chances trying new techniques.
Embrace every chance to train in a new environment, hot or cold, morning or night, new places, news training partners.
Each of these offers new opportunities to become better and more prepared for whenever or wherever your jiu-jitsu is called upon.
III.
A few readers sent in a request for more origins of grappling and ancient martial arts to be featured here - so I thought I would go back to the one called “the mother of all martial arts.”
Kalipayattru is more than two thousand years old, and originated in India.
There’s no record of any human credited with creating the art, only references to the god Vishnu handing it down to soldiers to defend their land.
Not surprisingly, it features many weapons, as this would have been used almost entirely by soldiers in a war.
It has a very graceful appearance, utilizing acrobatics, dives and rolls - and yes, grappling.
A number of joint locks and chokes are even shown in ancient paintings.
There are many Youtube videos available if you’re interested in seeing the art in practice.
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