Journey Detours to the Worlds

We all face major challenges in our life; some by choice and others due to the journey of life.  About a year ago, I discovered a model for overcoming fear and taking on major challenges called "The Hero's Journey."  I immediately connected with the concept, since most of my past challenges generally followed the steps laid out in the Hero's Journey. 

At the start of pursuing an inconceivable goal, like winning a World Championship, my confidence of success is low. The Hero's Journey has helped me understand the expected ups and downs on the road to the final victory and realize it starts with the first step.


Note: Most of what follows below in describing "The Hero's Journey" is written by Steven Barnes, an award winning author who has an extensive background in the martial arts.  My Journey to the Worlds followed a surprisingly similar process. 

Excerpts from: Steven Barnes - A Hero's Journey.  Based on Joseph Campbell's Monomyth  

The Heros Journey

A Hero is a person who deals with their fear. Who does not let their fear stop them from accomplishing something that is vital to their lives or dreams or honor.  Now let me make something clear: a Hero is not a person who does not FEEL fear. Because if you don’t feel fear, there’s nothing heroic to overcome, now, is there? A Hero is a person who continues on despite their fear. That is what makes them Heroic in the first place.




The Hero’s Journey, extracted from thousands of years of world mythology, has the advantage of actually mimicking the path of life itself. The "three act structure" does not. After all…life isn’t divided into three, or five, or eight acts. Such divisions can be useful tools, but they should never be mistaken for some kind of "truth" about existence. In comparison, note this interpretation (there are others) of the steps of the Hero’s Journey, and to explain them, we’ll look at the first Star Wars movie, "Episode IV, A New Hope" and compare Eric's Journey to the Worlds

Ten Step Hero's Journey

1) Hero Confronted With A Challenge. "Come with me, Luke, learn the ways of the Force." This is pretty clear, right? There has to be a challenge, or a beckoning, or the character won’t begin to change—and all great writing is about change.

Eric's Challenge: The Master/Senior Worlds is announced for the first time in the USA.  Only 3 months away - my Pan prep schedule was 9 months.  9 months away is comfortably in the future - 3 months is fearfully close at hand.  What should I do?



2) Hero Initially rejects the challenge.  Luke says, "I promised Uncle Owen I’d work on the moisture evaporators." A real challenge, one that can provoke real change, will be frightening and exciting. A character will usually have some reservations.

Eric's initial rejection: "I am focusing on the Pan competition in April and can't be ready for the Worlds in early October."  With multiple losses at local and regional tournaments my confidence had not risen. This was the first discussion with my inner voice and Professor Brandon McDaniel.

Lesson: When a life situation or challenge makes you uncomfortable, your first reaction will be to stay safe - away from the Discomfort Zone.  However, that is the "signal" that you are facing an opportunity to grow.  “Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.” - Author unknown

3) Hero accepts the challenge. Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed, freeing him from his oath. If your character doesn’t accept the challenge, there is no story—unless the story is about the consequences of not accepting responsibility.

Eric accepts challenge: After a week of contemplation, the truth emerged that even through losing, there would be more to gain in doing my best to prepare and compete at the Worlds.  When I learned that teammates Josh Bagalay and my professor Brandon McDaniel were both going to the Worlds (see step 5 Gaining Allies) then I accepted the new challenge.

4) The Road of trials. Traveling to the desert town and cantina, getting on Han Solo’s spaceship, traveling to other planets, etc. This is the section where locations and sequence interact. The character travels, learns, commits actions that force interaction with the environment, and the environment responds positively or negatively, with greater and greater stakes as the story proceeds.

Eric's Trials: 

• Five BJJ tournaments in 2 countries and 3 states in the run up to the Worlds
• Weekly private lessons to eliminate weaknesses identified through competition
• Developing a "game plan" for every position, while identifying triggers, shutdowns, and routes for each position
• Normal tweaks and injuries to work around and heal
• Drilling with my teammates Jeff G and Miguel B
• Going live in open rolling and finding out what works and doesn't work
• Sharing the trials and gaining insight from my son Chris 

5) Gaining Allies and Powers. Luke meets Han Solo, and Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan, and Princess Leia. He learns of the Force, and the use of Light Sabers, and how to fly and fight and rescue princesses. If your character doesn’t have to grow in order to resolve the problem, you may have chosen the wrong problem or character!

Eric's Allies and Powers: Through working towards the Pan challenge, my professor and teammates were strong allies. Physical health was enhanced by a team of massage therapist and chiropractor.  My son Chris is a constant companion in the BJJ life lessons.  Acquiring "powers" came in the form of "mental game plan" expertise provided by Professor Brandon and Josh B.

6) Initial Confrontation with Evil, and defeat. Obi-Wan’s death. Or possibly the disastrous attack on the Death Star. One is private and emotional, the other spectacular and physical.

Eric's initial confrontation and defeat: The EGO Columbus Tournament three weeks before the Worlds would be the last competition before the big day.  The only match in my division was against a tough opponent that beat me a year ago. Through training and competition my confidence and toughness was improving leading up to this final test.  The game plan worked great resulting a 8-0 lead, until he came on top and I was caught in a kimura - after attempting an escape and my elbow popped, I tapped out.  

7) Dark Night of the Soul. The moment of greatest weakness. Luke begins to believe he cannot win, and everything he loves will die.


Eric's dark 15 minutes: This last tournament was supposed to be the validation that I "was ready." Now my shoulder and elbow are injured from a match I was supposed to win.  Where do I go from here with the Worlds 3 weeks away?  

8) Leap of Faith. "Trust your Feelings, Luke." The leap of Faith is always faith in one of three things: faith in self, faith in your companions, or faith in a higher power. In "Star Wars" it is all three! This may be the only time in the history of cinema that this was true, and helps to explain why George Lucas is a billionaire.

Eric's Leap of Faith: Professor Brandon immediately noted how far I had come in training and competition to have a dominant showing.  A little mistake or loss of focus can still result in a loss.  The team support and my faith in self quickly drove the conclusion to get "back in the game" as soon as possible.  However, I didn't really know how bad my injury was.  My natural instinct was to grab some ice and wait a few days to see how my body would react. 

 "Aha Moment" - right now is the time to build resilience to failure - resist the urge to quit - I was called for the first open class match and competed well while adjusting my game to protect my arm and shoulder.  I lost the match 6 to 7, but fought hard to the finish.  This loss was a critical build block on the path to toughness.

Lesson: Resilience before Toughness: The Worlds would be some of the toughest matches ever.  I have seen my toughest teammates get injured and go back in and win.  My master physical and mental coach Scott Sonnon has helped me to work towards toughness by "breaking the secret code."

The following is an excerpt about Resilience before Toughness from Scott Sonnon's revolutionary Primal Stress program for optimum performance in life and sport.

Start Scott Sonnon Quote:

In decades of fighting, in world championships across five different sports, I [Scott Sonnon] discovered that before you can resist failure, you must first experience failure and learn how to recover from it. I still see coaches who will only allow their athletes to compete against opponents they’re certain to defeat; and when they confront a worthy challenge, they are little tougher than when they began, becoming mentally and emotionally crushed under the pressure, unable to recover from their failures. 

Before you can prevent excessive stress, you must first be able to recover from it. Let’s think of Resilience as your ability to recover from excessive stress (which my Russian teachers called your “Threshold of Performance”). You must become resilient before you can become tough. Let’s think of Toughness as your ability to resist excessive stress (which my Russian teachers called your “Threshold of Pain”).

If you want to become tough enough to not be fazed by the big stuff (which we can think of as 'resistance to excessive stress'), then we must first develop the tools for when we exceed our threshold of adaptable stress levels (which we can think of as "resilience.") You cannot become tough until you first become resilient.

End Scott Sonnon Quote

9) Confront Evil—victorious. The Death Star blows up.


Eric's Victory: October 7, 2012 -IBJJF World Championship Gold Medal - Blue Belt, Featherweight, Senior 5

10) Student Becomes the Teacher. Luke is presented with medals, which establish him as a role model.

Eric's as teacher: I offer this experience and personal thoughts to provide my teammates and son with one perspective on setting and achieving "bucket list" goals that may seem beyond their reach.  

Summary

Team Caique Allies and Teammates

The above ten steps are not some cookie-cutter pattern. They are the combined world wisdom about the path of life itself, the process we go through in achieving any worthwhile goal. There will be fear. There will be defeat. We will need to gain new skills and friends and partners. We must be clear on our acceptance of goals and responsibility. We must have faith. And ultimately, if we have struggled, and learned, and sacrificed, and moved through our fear…we learn and grow and succeed. And then we teach others. 


This is the pattern of life, and when you have an "inconceivable challenge" that is too scary to take that first step, then the Hero's Journey may be the road map to the sweet victory of success.

Jiu Jitsu Private Lesson #2

My Private Instructor, coach, and mentor is:

Professor Brandon McDaniel

In this post I have not taken the time to explain in detail what's going on here, but still wanted to share how I prepare for my Private Lessons.  

This is my private lesson plan focusing on:

1. Posture and Timing
2. Develop my ROUTES from opponents TRIGGERS
3. Work on SHUTDOWNS of PRIMARY THREATS, before progressing
4. First always review last weeks lesson to check my adaption 

Outline: Private 6-30-12 #2

-   0% Review 6-16-12
    -  [ ] SHUTDOWN DOUBLE UNDERS
    -  [ ] SHUTDOWN LEG HUG PASS
    -  [ ] ESCAPE NORTH SOUTH - SHIN SWEEP
    -  [ ] ESCAPE NORTH SOUTH - SPIN UNDER TO CONTROL
    -  [ ] COMBAT BASE KNEE SLIDE
    -  [ ] LATE ESCAPE OVER UNDER PASS - head push
-   0% Z Guard pass
    -  [ ] 1 - TRIGGER UNDERHOOK AND SITUP - SPEAR STAPLE SPRAWL -
           keep arm tight and low - use head to flatten - STAPLE -
           wiper to clear - SPRAWL - Shoulder of Justice - sit through
    -   0% 2 - TRIGGER KNEE BELOW STERNUM - SPRAWL and CUT-  Far hip
           control - Grip knee - Smash knee down with body - head on
           mat - hand switch to bottom leg - leg out for base - sprawl
           and twist driving hip to shin-
        -  [ ] 3 - TRIGGER STRAIGHTENS LEG TO HALF GUARD -  Keep knee
               pinned - KNEE CUTS THROUGH - head stays down - attack
               arm - head slides up body
        -  [ ] 4 - TRIGGER 2 - STOPS NO LEG STRAIGHTEN - after sprawl
               he stops - keep head down - hold his knee down - wiper
               and staple - knee slide to his hip - TRIGGER HIS LEG
               STILL IN MY WAY - switch grip to top knee - HOP OVER TO
               BACK - cover with chest
    -  [ ] 5 - TRIGGER KNEE ON STERNUM - LEG DRAG - break grip - hold
           knees and heel - disconnect my knee back - steering wheel -
           STEP BACK IN TIGHT- drive knee to his ribs - COVER LEG WITH
           ELBOW and body trapping with my arm - other grip over back
           to collar - hook his leg - staple his lower leg - move to
           his back
    -  [ ] 6 - TRIGGER I AM STUCK - grab under bottom knee - other
           hand on hip - post leg out - to a ball of foot squat - curl
           elbow inside POP his knee - UNDERHOOK and KNEE CUT THROUGH
-   0% Half-guard sweeps
    -  [ ] Brandon's butterfly hook from deep
-   0% RUN THE PIPE - Single 1
    -   0% SETUP - Grip and foot movement - GET COMMITMENT ON FRONT
           LEG STEP
        -  [ ] Keep my feet brushing the ground
    -   0% FRONT LEG CLOSE - pull his ARMS UP to lighten weight - STEP
           OUTSIDE - drive in with HEAD INSIDE - when ready SWITCH
           HEAD - HUG THIGH - SHOULDER TO HIP - BIG STEP BACK - SPRAL
           AND DRIVE
        -  [ ] ARMS - STEP OUTSIDE - HEAD INSIDE - PINCH - SWITCH -
               HUG - SHOULDER - STEP - HEEL TURN
-  [ ] LEG WRAP - SINGLE 2 - same - LEG WRAP - HEAD INSIDE - HUG -       DRIVE
-  [ ] SINGLE to DOUBLE - same - KNEES - HUG - FAR LEG - DRIVE-  [ ] DOUBLE LEG-  [ ] Grip breaking TWO HANDS ON SLEEVE 1) TURN AND PUSH 2) PUSH HIGH       AND DROP 3) ONE ON SLEEVE - ONE ON MY LAPEL - TURN AND RIP

Optimize Training Gains - Part 1

As BJJ practitioners, how do we know what stress level will deliver the most benefit from all the work we do and avoid the potential for injury or decreased performance?

Part 1 we must understand how stress or lack of stress effects our body - the topic of this post.

Part 2 we need to learn how to monitor relative levels of stress in our training and recovery programs - next post

What is Physical Stress Theory (PST)?

In researcher speak, "the basic premise of the PST is that changes in the relative level of physical stress cause a predictable adaptive response in all biological tissue."

What does PST mean for the BJJ practitioner?

• Stress includes: warmups, rolling, drilling, movement, conditioning, recovery, rest, layoff for injury, etc.  Resting is a low level of stress and competition is a high level of stress

• PREDICTABLE RESPONSE: Changes in the relative level of stress on our body causes a predictable response - positive or negative - regardless of our desired outcome - SEE CHART ABOVE

1. WE REGRESS: Too little stress leads to atrophy and reduced ability to move and perform at the same level
2. WE MAINTAIN: Each of us has a different baseline requirement of stress to maintain our current level of fitness.  Maintaining a competition level of fitness requires a higher level of stress than non-competitive practice.
3. WE IMPROVE: The right level of increased stress causes our body to adapt to performing at higher levels
4. WE GET INJURED: Too much stress (overload) will lead to injury

How does this help me (and hopefully you) train smarter?

As an athlete you know that to get stronger, faster, and more fit, you must train at levels above your current comfort zone.  Stress the body and mind, the body adapts and recovers, and your ready for the next gain - if it was only that easy to get it right.


Stress is absolutely necessary for us to improve.  Too little stress and we go backwards, too much may result in injury.  Stress that remains in the body can build up over time and cause reduced performance and eventually lead to injury that seems to come out of nowhere.


If you've hung in there this long here comes the punch line...

The (4) Day Training Cycle, Stress Conversion, Strain Prevention

From my previous post, remember the (4) day training cycle

1. Peak day - STRESS LOADING - high intensity, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) at 8-10 on scale of 1-10
2. Recovery day - STRAIN PREVENTION - no intensity, RPE 1-2
3. Balance Growth day - STRESS REDUCTION - low intensity, RPE 3-4
4. Moderate day - TECHNIQUE MASTERY - moderate intensity - RPE 5-7

We load the body with stress (Peak Day 1), then use movement and joint mobility to cause rapid adaptation to the stress (Recovery Day 2), then use specific compensatory movements (yoga) to balance growth and remove the parking brake from your high-performance output (Balance Growth Day 3), and finally ramp up our output to get ready for another peak performance (Moderate Day 4)


This routine supercharges our ability get all of the positive growth from our workouts (stress) and keep in check the potential negative effects of stress build-up and proneness to injury or chronic pain.

Where to start applying this knowledge in your weekly program?

1. MORNING: Daily joint mobility routine first thing in the morning - follow along videos here - Scott Sonnon - IntuFlow
2. BEFORE CLASS: Joint mobility warm-ups before BJJ class - ask me to guide you through some movements to help your trouble spots
3. AFTER CLASS: When you repeat a BJJ movement or position enough times to feel tension in your body, then make sure to Release the Tension by stretching (yoga) the tense body part in the functional opposite direction - ask me at class to show you and it will make sense
4. The Warrior Yoga routine that some of you tried after Tuesday class was a Release Tension - Stress Reduction routine.

I use this knowledge and program to keep my 55 year old body coming back to the mat on a consistent basis.  Yes there are always setbacks, but applying this program has provided me a much greater awareness of what's going on in my body and how to adjust my training to get the most out of my BJJ practice.  


More to come in future posts...
Part 2 - Optimize Gains with Intuitive Training - how to self-monitor stress and technique to keep your high-performance body and mind healthy and always ready for more growth

More Research on PST if you're not bored already...

The following Physical Stress Theory research article is an excerpt from:

Reference: http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/82/4/383.full

4 Days to Peak Performance

Using the (4) Day Training Cycle for Peak Performance
We all struggle with how to fit all the exercises we want to do into an integrated program. We also want to get maximum results with minimum time.  My master conditioning coach Scott Sonnon says:

"4x7 observes the powerful tendencies of our biochemistry to adapt to stress according to the Fibonacci sequence. Coupled together with the four day cycle, as your entire neural, endocrine and immune super-systems adapt as one organism, the period of rest grows smaller.

Later in this post you can see my weekly schedule for Month 1 training cycle.  This is based on a 4x7 protocol to optimize gains every (4) days.

Key Highlights of my 4x7 Program


4 categories of training:

1. Mind - meditation
2. Recovery - joint mobility, yoga, myofascial release
3. BJJ - class, privates, drillling, (need to add study)
4. Conditioning - Tactical fitness , cycling

4 day cycle (repeated)

1. Peak day - STRESS LOADING - high intensity, Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) at 8-10 on scale of 1-10
2. Recovery day - STRAIN PREVENTION - no intensity, RPE 1-2
3. Balance Growth day - STRESS REDUCTION - low intensity, RPE 3-4
4. Moderate day - TECHNIQUE MASTERY - moderate intensity - RPE 5-7

Daily Primary Goal (most important to complete)

1. Monday - Recuperate
2. Tuesday - Yoga
3. Wednesday - Tactical fitness
4. Thursday - BJJ Competition training
5. Friday - Yoga
6. Saturday - BJJ technique
7. Sunday - BJJ drilling

Journaling (not shown)

1. Intuitive training - tracks Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), Technique (RPT), and Discomfort (RPD) for every workout - this is really important to reap the benefits of the 4 day cycle
2. Feeling / Observations - track how the body and mind are responding
3. Diet / Supplements - track proper nutrition and hydration
4. Physical Stats - Weight, resting heat rate to gauge recovery

Feel free to post a question or see me at the gym if you want to talk about how your current training program could achieve 4 Days to Peak Performance


The 4 x 7 revolutionary fitness formula is available here: 4x7: The Magic in The Mundane

Wise Old Warrior

At 55 years young, I must approach my Jiu Jitsu with a different mindset and objectives.


Wise Old Warriors BJJ Manifesto

I love the Jiu Jitsu lifestyle and camaraderie, but I don’t have the time or physical attributes to train as frequently and recover as fast as the younger gym rats. 

Correct POSTURE and TIMING is the foundation of my jiu-jitsu game that allows me to keep pace with even much younger, more athletic guys for years to come… And it is what allows me to continue to do BJJ effectively and safely for years to come… 

It is the characteristic that defines the greatest BJJ champions.

As promised more information on:

The Performance Diagnostic Trinity (PDT) was developed by Master Coach Scott Sonnon (International Fitness Coach and Sambo World Champion) to improve performance in combat athletes.  

"According to the PDT model, a combat athlete with superior conditioning and toughness can overcome one of superior skills; one of superior toughness and skills can overcome one of superior conditioning; one of superior skills and conditioning can overcome one or superior toughness." - 3DPP Manual RMAX.tv Productions

I will develop superior conditioning and skills and work on my toughness through competition.  

To learn more about how to achieve high-performance in combat sports purchase The Three Dimensional Performance Pyramid from RMAX International.

JOURNAL -  Week of June 11, 2012

How did I do on my goals this week?

1. Develop a 9 month plan to guide my training - COMPLETE
1. Competition - Sign up for multiple divisions when possible to get more experience - I can choose to compete in all or less as the day unfolds
2. Refresh my Game Plan (Mind Map) - in process 
3. Consider how the following fits in my overall plan:
1. Weekly BJJ classes - 3 x week
2. Weekly private lessons - 1 x week with Professor Brandon McDaniel - first lesson on Saturday, June 16
1. Route/triggers this week from tournament video review: 
• Shutdown - double underhook pass
• Defense - north/south escape using bridge and knees in - (2) variations
• Defense - head push transition when 1/2 guard is being passed
• Shutdown - leg hug pass
• Offense - combat base space control and knee slide pass to either side
3. Weekly drilling (separate from class) - need to find a primary drilling partner
4. Tournament schedule leading up to Pan JJC - (1) competition every 4-6 weeks - next is July 14th Buckeye Border International
5. Tacfit Conditioning - 1 x week start with Tacfit Survival 
6. RECOVERY - 2 x week  1) Recuper8 Program 2) Warrior Yoga (Prasara)
7. Galvao's - "Drill to Win" Available here: Amazon Books - with drilling partner work on Side Escape Drills 2 per session
8. Jason Sculley's - "Solo Grappling Drills" -  1 x week - Takedown solo drills for conditioning, repetition, level change, and penetration

Putting First things First

My personal experience has proven that significant accomplishments in life are much more likely to happen when you have a written plan and monitor progress.  One of my favorites quotes I found many years ago is: 

"Vision - If you can't imagine it, you can never do it.  In my experience, the image always precedes the reality" - Marilyn King, two time Olympic pentathlete

More on the PDT in a future post...

Here is a story that illustrates how to keep the "small stuff" from sabotaging the most important things in your life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar - effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. “The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers.

Eric Twigg

"DARE to Win"

I choose DARE TO WIN!

Today is the first day of my Journey to 2013 Pan Jiu Jitsu Championship.  I have approximately 9 months to train my mind, body, and spirit to uncover my full potential.


Over the last 6 weeks I have tested myself in three tournaments, Machado Canadian Open, Ribeiro Toledo Open, and Caique Hoosier Open, and lost every match.  However, this experience has clearly shown me the great potential to improve in every aspect of my Jiu Jitsu.  


Goals for Week of June 11, 2012

1. Develop a 9 month plan to guide my training
2. Refresh my Game Plan (Mind Map)
3. Consider how the following fits in my overall plan:
1. Weekly BJJ classes
2. Weekly private lessons
3. Weekly drilling (separate from class)
4. Tournament schedule leading up to Pan JJC
5. Tacfit 26 (and other Tacfit programs)
6. Circular Strength Training (CST) - RECOVERY, Integration of Breath, Movement, and Structure
7. Galvao's - "Drill to Win" Available here: Amazon Books
8. Jason Sculley's - "Solo Grappling Drills"

Video: Introduction to TACFIT