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Becoming the Conscious Competitor: Master’s Seniors Worlds 2018
By: Emily Kwok
“The fact of the matter is that there will be nothing learned from any challenge in which we don’t try our hardest. Growth comes at the point of resistance. We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities.” – Josh Waitzkin, The Art of Learning
Fully […]
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Preparing for Competition: What is Enough?
Preparing for Competition: What is enough?
By: Emily Kwok
‘Don’t live down to expectation. Go out there and do something remarkable.’ – Wendy Wesserstein
I’m well into my training camp for Master’s Seniors Worlds and many people have asked, ‘How is your training going?’.Great question. Loaded question. Where do I begin…
Competition is not new to me, so in […]
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Paying Attention to Pain
Paying Attention to Pain
By: Joe HannanI fell off of my partner’s back instead of rolling. The drop seoi nage didn’t proceed as planned, with my 175 pounds falling at the rate of gravity and my shoulder absorbing the impact. I could feel the ball-and-socket joint were my bicep plugs into my shoulder slide inward and […]
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Showing Up
Showing Up
By: Joe Hannan2018 began with goals for my martial arts life, one of which was to compete three times. With the second behind me and the third at some undetermined point in the future, I’m a bit unmoored and dejected. The physical and metaphorical hunger lit a fire in me that I hadn’t felt […]
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Jiu Jitsu’s Worst Enemy
Jiu Jitsu’s Worst Enemy
By: Joe HannanThere is something out there that has claimed the careers of more promising grapplers than anything else. It will sideline some longer than a torn ligament. Maybe worse, it will keep others locked in the same patterns, never to develop even though they’re always training.
Lucky for us, that force has […]
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Returning to Competition: Finding My Heart Again
Returning to Competition: Finding my heart again
By: Emily KwokI recently made the decision and announcement that I would compete at this year’s IBJJF Master’s Seniors Worlds.
It’s been 6 years since I have competed and in the typical timeframe that a purple belt is born, I opened a school, birthed 2 children, concentrated on building […]
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10 Tips on How to Age Gracefully in BJJ
10 Tips on How to Age Gracefully in BJJ
By: Emily KwokBJJ is a very physically demanding sport. A workout can leave you feeling wasted more often than not, yet grounded at the same time. Most people can’t bear to be as uncomfortable as you’ve been for the last hour of your life and survive to […]
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Competition: Finding Your Why
Competition: Finding Your WHY
By: Emily KwokCompetition isn’t for everyone. For many, it stirs up all the awkward feelings we humans generally don’t like to feel: confrontation, stress, fear, anxiety, self-doubt. I think any athlete, professional or otherwise would be lying if they didn’t admit to feeling one or all prior to a fight. The nerves […]
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Finding the Right Coach for You: 4 Profiles I’ve Encountered
Finding the right coach for you: 4 profiles I’ve encountered
By: Emily KwokI recently was given the impetus to learn how to swim better.
My goal wasn’t to win any medals or to compete in an ironman race, it was simply to feel more confident and comfortable in deep and open water.
I had taken enough […]
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Take the Opportunity to Build Your Community
Take the Opportunity to Build Your Community
By: Val Worthington
My partners (Emily Kwok and Hannette Staack) and I run a business called Groundswell Grappling Concepts. In 2009, we started hosting grappling camps for women, because back then, there were few opportunities for women to train together. Those ladies who were committed to improving our jiu-jitsu had […]
