promotion

This past Saturday, Brian had a seminar and a promotion ceremony at the academy.  Professor Mike Wacker from Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu came with a few of his guy and gave the seminar on RDLR. I have messed around with this position a bit but haven't been able to do much with it, mainly it seems, because I didn't have the correct grips, didn't keep enough space and because I tend to use it as a holding/static position for too long.  Now that my grips are straightened out and I can remember not to just sit there, but to attack via sweep or transition to single X or full X guard. There are a litany of videos I've bookmarked on YouTube that I am going to revisit now that I feel I have a better understanding of the position.  

There were a bunch of promotions after the seminar.  Most of the kids got promoted, either with belt or stripe.  It was priceless watching their faces when it happened and again when they came through the line shaking everyone's hands.  There were a bunch of Blue and Purple belts who were leveled up as well as some of the White Belts.  Both Marcelo and Gary received a well deserved stripe on their Brown belts.  PurpleBelt-Brandon (he will still be called PurpleBelt-Brandon) and Joe both received their Brown Belts and Rich and myself both received our Purple Belts.  Additionally, Brian received his professor Bars on his Black Belt.

I was pretty shocked about my promotion.  I was just starting to feel comfortable as a Blue Belt.  I have been understanding techniques, seeing positions and succeeding in tournaments so to me, things were clicking.  Now it seems I've a new task before me, chasing that feeling of comfort and understanding I had as a Blue Belt.  

PB-Brandon passed some good advice to me later in the day.  https://twitter.com/bjjDNA47/status/691041090808463360

Shoulder update:  It's getting better though still not at 100%, but I'd estimate it to be around 80%.  I have been stretching and rehabbing it religiously though.  Hopefully by the time February rolls around it will be ready.