Feb22

Receiving my second first stripe

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Receiving my second first stripe
First first stripe, February 2022
Second first stripe, February 2024. See the stripe on the bottom of my belt, all shiny and new?

I recently hit my 20th class of Betsy’s Jiu-Jitsu Journey: Round Two. During that class, Instructor said to me, “I’ve never given a fifth stripe before. Do you want me to add it to your belt?”

I pointed out that my first, first stripe was falling off anyway, so he might as well replace it.

“Do you want me to just do it after class, or should I call you up in front of everyone and do it then?” The latter is how stripes are normally awarded. I’m not usually one to want attention and fanfare, but this would mean I had just completed my 100th Jiu-Jitsu class.

And, darn it, I wanted some fanfare.

I couldn’t exactly say that to Instructor, though, so instead I told him, “Do whatever feels right in the moment,” while secretly hoping he’d call me up.

And he did. I took off the old stripe; he put on a new one, saying his standard, “Are you having fun?” and “Good job,” etc. etc, which was fine.

I guess I was hoping for some sort of mini speech about me returning after more than a year, being better than ever, rocking the free world, saving small children and puppies from burning buildings, and being overall the bestest most amazingest student he’s ever had.

Later I realized this was one of those “pride goeth before the fall” situations because, by drawing attention to myself getting a fifth stripe, which has never happened before for a reason, I made it look like there’s something wrong with me. Generally, you get your fourth stripe then test on to the next class.

So… yeah. Might as well have put the stripe perpendicular to the others to form an L.

But one hundred classes is cool, so I asked for pics to commemorate the occasion.

First, Instructor gave me a quick tutorial on looking tough.

“Put your chin down a little… That’s pretty good actually,” he said once I got it right.
Tough guy pose. Pretty sure I’m not scaring anyone. Instructor, on the other hand, dang!
I told Blue Belt holding the camera, “Take it fast ‘cuz I’m gonna have to smile soon.” I could only pretend to be tough for so long. Instructor was already moving on for the next pose, the “thumbs in belt” look shown in the second picture above.

I’ve been having highs and lows in Round Two. A couple of times I’ve done something wrong and known it, but that’s always when Instructor happens to be watching and calls for a correction from across the room. Gah!

The other night, however, I was literally (for real) doing the elbow escape with my eyes closed. It’s highly technical, with many moving parts, yet somehow my brain just knows what needs to be done. This time I heard, “Nice, Betsy!” from across the room. Lose some, win some. Looking back to December 2021, this was the move for which Instructor called me “a natural” when I was working with Enthusiastic Teen. (Wonder what happened to that kid.)

In another class, I was partnered with Sensei, which happens rarely. We took turns trying to escape from arm bar set up. When it was my turn to try to get away from him, I very nearly did. On his turn, he almost got away too, but it cost him a lot of energy, and me fairly little. (Jiu-Jitsu, baby!)

After both our turns, Sensei said, “Very well done.” Even after class, he repeated it, adding that he’s bigger and stronger than I am, yet I held my own. Against someone my size, I would have little trouble winning, he said.

Dare I say Sensei was impressed? Mwuahahaha. I may be small, but I’m scrappy.

Le Arm Bar. When you make it sound French it’s less threatening.

In pretty much every photo I’ve discovered online of me doing Jiu-Jitsu, it looks like I’m getting my arse handed to me. In this one, I’m actually being “good guy” rather than “bad guy,” simulating breaking this dear lady’s arm. [Thank you for this pic, Mrs. Instructor!]

Remember how I kept “losing my balloon” by not maintaining head control during the triangle choke finish of the arm bar from the guard? So many of you just shook your head. That’s okay. And don’t you love learning all this new terminology? Next time you’re at a party, ask someone if they’ve ever been arm barred in the face with a triangle choke.

It’s a sure-fire way to be left alone. (But if they know Jiu-Jitsu, they’ll know that you don’t, because that made no sense.)

I had a repeat of the above arm bar class with the triangle finish, and guess what?

NO BALLOONS WERE LOST IN THE DOING OF THIS CLASS!

I think, for the first time ever, I nailed this one completely. AND, Instructor saw it.

“Nice, Betsy. You’ve got good triangles.”

Finally!

Also, twice now I’ve been told by a fellow student that I have the perfect limbs for choking people.

Do these guys know how to flatter a girl, or what?

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58 responses »

  2. I’m so happy we’re not reading about you losing a balloon or getting bruised or needing MRIs. For that I’d give you two stripes — any color you want.

    and if I’d known in advance, I would have arranged for some herald trumpets to be there to give you a proper medieval Knight’s fanfare. Call me before you’re next black belt award …

    Liked by 1 person

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  14. Oh, a second first stripe. And you cracked me up with this sentence, “Might as well have put the stripe perpendicular to the others to form an L.” L is for “looking good,” right? Nice job keeping all your balloons. And I know that’s not the right way to say it…but you know what I mean! 🙂 ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Of course I know what you mean, Wynne, and it’s totally the right way to say it. 🙂 “L” for looking good. Haha. Uhhhhmmm…. Heehee. Whatever. Is what it is. 😛
      Last class, I did something good, and he said, “Yeah, like a four-striper.” And that made sense to say that then. But when I was leaving, he loudly declared me a four-striper again. I can’t help but wonder if he read this post and is trying to make up for my embarrassment. Hmm.

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  16. Sorry, a little late to this party. Triangles, arm bars? Sounds like hors d’oeuvres. You definitely got my attention. But if it’s not food, I’m lost. It’s incredible that you have taken to all this exercise. Have no idea where the energy and interest come from, but you go, girl! Incredible, did I mention that?

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  19. “You’ve got good triangles.” Yeah, pretty sure no one’s ever gonna say that to me (and why would they?) I’d never have known the meaning of “arm bar” were it not for Ronda Rousey and her mastery of the move a few years ago. For a while there it was like no other fighter could counter it. Awesome about the 100 classes. I haven’t hit that number in Orangetheory yet but it’s cool when they acknowledge you for 10, 25, 50, etc. The comment this post left me with: “… yet somehow my brain just knows what needs to be done.” That seems to be the ultimate goal here. Reminds me of the scene in “The Karate Kid” where Daniel-son subconsciously translates his paint-the-fence and sand-the-floor techniques into pure karate moves. Maybe the most powerful moment in the movie.

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    • Oh, yeah–agree about the coolness factor of Danielson translating those chores into moves. Best part, for sure.

      Okay, forgive me. What have I missed on your blog, and in my knowledge base: Orangetheory? Please explain. Very intrigued over here.

      I learned who Ronda Rousey was because she was in The Expendables, if I’m remembering correctly. Strange that I enjoy doing these fight things, but watching it in real life just strikes me as brutality. People in my class talk about UFC, and I’m thinking, “How can you watch that? It’s so barbaric.” I’m a contradictory sort, I guess.

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      • Barbaric no, but I hope you feel like you could defend yourself better than most if you were confronted by the bad guys. Orangetheory is a subscription-based workout franchise, in compact slots in shopping centers (the one I go to is right next to our supermarket). It’s an hour of pretty intense instructor-led weights, treadmill, rowing, and core work. We don’t have nice gyms here in South Carolina like we did in Colorado, so OT is pretty much my only option.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Huh. I have never seen an Orangetheory. I wonder if it hasn’t made its way to my coast, or something.
        And, yes, I do feel like I could defend myself better than most if confronted by bad guys. Hopefully just bad guy, singular, but I’d break one’s arm or leg quickly so I can deal with the next loser. {Batting my eyelashes and framing my chin with the back of my hands like a sweet, innocent little girl.}

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