Today was a good day, brazilian jiu jitsu has its good days and bad. I always believe you don’t only train BJJ when you are 100%, jiu jitsu is trained always, you have to keep busy even when you are weak. You are strengthening your will power like a muscle, and some day your martial arts training will serve you in ways you never imagined.
Gracie jiu jitsu is about the weak surviving. Once I had the opportunity to train with Master Helio Gracie when he was over 90 years old.  We spent two hours training BJJ technique and sparring. Although he did not feel as strong as me, his self defense was perfect and I had no opportunity to defeat him. Dominated by a 90 year old man, that’s BJJ, that’s the spirit of martial arts and Brazilian jiu jitsu.
I barely slept last night, woke up with the flu. Not horrible, but I didn’t feel like I was at my peak level of BJJ.  Throughout my training in Rio with Gracie Barra and New York with Renzo Gracie; with Helio Moreira, Gavea bjj, more recently with Julio Ceasar of GFT, and at all of our Colorado BJJ mats, I always trained till I was dead, even when I was getting smashed, so why should today be different?
After a weak warm up I entered into my first match and won by “flying” arm bar, won my second by a close decision, and in the end of the third match I took the back and sunk in a deep choke as the time ran out.
All those days of martial arts, Muay Thai, BJJ, and fitness paid off today!
Thanks to all our families, kids, instructors, and students at Easton including the BJJ,  Kick Boxing, and Fitness teams in Boulder, Denver at  Easton Training Center, Arvada, Littleton, Castle Rock, and Marquardt MMA in Auora.  A special thanks to my wife and kids.  It takes an army!!!
See you on the mat,
Amal Easton