Tuesday 12 May 2009

Welcome to Jiu-jitsu Ronin!

This is my first attempt at blogging, something Ive wanted to try for a while now. And just like that first attempt at an armbar or hip throw Im sure it will be pretty crap to start with, but hopefully with practice it will get a little better.

I want this blog to be about my search for mental, technical, and physical improvement in jiu-jitsu (and life I guess, as anyone involved in this art im sure knows the 2 start to mirror each other.)
My brother and I began our jiu-jitsu journeys, as im sure many others did, after seeing Royce kick everyones ass on bad copy of UFC 2.
Growing up in South Africa we were pretty isolated from the rest of the World, and there were no Jiu-jitsu schools or instructors in the country. Also with sanctions being imposed on South Africa and our ridiculously weak currencey traveling to train at that point in time was out of the question. So we began our training with a set of Gracie Jiu-jitsu Basics Instructional Videos and an old duvet pegged in the back garden as a mat.
Learning and training has been an awesome journey up till now, and it was tough in S.A. without having regular access to high level practitioners and we had to figure a lot of stuff out for ourselves and I'm always amazed at how, the more you learn the less you realise you actually know.

Ive been fortunate enough to train with some awesome people and as a result meet some of the best friends i could ever hope for, both at our club Novagen(www.bjj.co.za) and travelling to train and compete. Ive competed nationally in South Africa in Jiu-jitsu, submission wrestling, fought proffesionally in MMA(8-2) and competed in the UK and at the Mundials.

I think the use of blogs are a great way to communicate and share information with people of same interest. I want this to be a place to share my thoughts and experiences with Jiu Jitsu. I probably have a different approach to you, and hopefully we can learn something from each other.
As I learn wether it be from a training partner on the mat, someone elses blog, an instructor, competitor, book, dvd or the people i interact with each day, I'll try to share it here--not as any kind an expert, but as a jiu-jitsu player who has a real passion for this art that I fell in love with 12 years ago.
Micah

3 comments:

  1. Hey Michah

    Hope you're well bro? Long time no hear!

    We're forging ahead back in Durbs! Darrell had some big shoes to fill but he's doing a good job....and he's not quite as heavy!

    As I'm sure you know the Thursday session is now an MMA class and lots of guys seem excited. I've taken a while to get some gloves and a mouth guard but I'll be going to my first class this Thursday.
    Otherwise been having some fun learning, not always quite so successfully, some different escapes and chokes (see my Novogen Facebook video posts)

    Keep well,

    Chris

    ReplyDelete
  2. As you predicted im back in dbn. Hope you are well bro. Club is still going strong. Candy still loves .... Nice work on the blog. Miss you brother

    Lenin

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey micah....awesome to beable to read you blog and see some pics of you and create a little picture of what you doing over in the uk....im training as much as i can with whoever i can train with and enjoying it....my boy is 2 now and a little machine....i hear your wife is pregnant so you will soon find out how great it is to have a child.....chat soon and train hard sir.....D3ano

    ReplyDelete