Proving Grounds || KYS Event Submission Only Tournament
FrameWork Jiujitsu stepped onto the mats-together-for our first team competition. The submission only tournament provided us and our students an opportunity to take part in an open and friendly event with locals teams in Washington state. We learned a great deal today-the divisions heavily favored the white and blue belts-and realized how much jiujitsu is growing. There are so many more students, here as in other parts of the US and globally. This is an observation and naturally with so many people and schools bridging the barriers that ordinarily challenge the individuals ability to access and learn from a distance. More and more people can watch and learn jiujitsu now due to innovations in technology. Whether you are an avid fan of mma or You are a martial artist and student, there are so many ways to communicate and connect with one another. To reach out to those with shared interests and an appreciation for combat arts.
Today, we were able to share time together on the mat. We stepped out as a team and Drew and I signed in as coaches for the first time. Fellow students and friends came out to cheer on our FrameWork Family. Often, they could be found coaching the students-their peers-through their first submission only tournament. We couldn’t ask for any more or any less. We worked together and brought out the very best in one another with so much contentment; practice paved the way for the results of the day and today shows how much they have helped each other in developing along each step of their journey on the mat. Of course, our individual paths can coincide and diverge at various times in our learning. But what remains constant, is the respect that we show one another when we practice week after week. Catch one another, challenge ourselves, and lend our limbs to our friends who we share the experience of training jiujitsu and self defense.
We are thankful for these experiences. And we are thankful for our students who continue to contribute to our learning. We are all students of the art and with every opportunity that presents itself, we can enrich our studies and better understand the choices we make (and why) time and time again. Some of us compete for recognition and the challenge that it takes to face a fighter unknown to you. Standing and facing ourselves is what perhaps is at stake. For others, the training and discipline gives us a chance to improve our awareness and maintain our health and wellness. And further still, there are many who want to cultivate their spirit as much as their mind and body. For us, jiujitsu exists for all these reasons. It is an extraordinary process that brings us closer to one another, allows us to push past our own limits, and gives us an outlet to practice grappling and train self defense. The results vary greatly, but the goal is the same. We learn to think and work under pressure. We are given tools to mitigate challenging conditions. And we find peace of mind as we cultivate (each day and even in competition!) the skills that empower us and give us the confidence to be individuals. To be ourselves.
Competition today, was astounding in numbers, quality and sportsmanship. It was wonderful to see families and friends come together in support of their sons, daughters, children and peers competing on the mats. Although we measure our progress in losses and wins, it is important to note that it constitutes one aspect of your game. What remains is your daily practice and each moment that you step out, participate in class, and learn together cooperatively. The techniques are not simply part of a list. They offer a blueprint for us to follow and lay a foundation for what we will build our jiujitsu practice upon. Taken individually, the techniques can seem varied and at times hard to put into context. These tournaments give us a chance to put our skills to the test. We can evaluate ourselves and learn in victory and defeat what matters most to us. Tournaments give us another way of viewing our practice and connecting with others along our jiujitsu pilgrimage Working together-as well as apart-we learn the value of practice. The importance of recognition and respect for our fellow competitors, rivals and friends. Jiujitsu, we find, is not limited to a practice. It is a way of life.
I thank you all for being a part of my life and journey. We are beyond happy and proud of our students. We are thankful for our FrameWork BJJ family and the experienced students who helped us coach. You are great cornermen and women each step of the way. From our own perspective, what we observed today was your ability to remain calm. You draw upon your own experiences and make decisive choices in each one of your fights. The Kaizen Philosophy, in the words of Masaaki Imai assumes that our way of life - be it our working life, our social life, or our home life - deserves to be constantly improved upon. Today, your ability to maintain a positive attitude and improve with each passing day exemplified the art and spirit of combat. Congratulations team!
PS *To my husband, Drew* Thank you for today and everyday. Your ability to stay calm, teach others, and share your passion for what you do is inimitable. You have given me a different perspective on obstacles. You have given me a greater appreciation for what it means to learn as well as what it is to learn, in my life and practice. The path ahead is more and less certain. And I am thankful for all the turns and obstacles that caused our paths to converge. Congratulations my love. I hope it is all you expected. And all you did not. It is once in a lifetime. And it is not the end. It is another step along our journey. It is a new beginning. *Love, Chrissie*
romaincrisis
dededos
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
turnnoffyourmind
andulkaphoto
