Whip
“I’m 54 years old,” he said, “and I can still whip any man in the county.” (From Trapeze Music.)
I will be 45-years-old in a couple of weeks. After a near two decade lay-off, I’ve been studying Brazilian Jiu-jitsu again.
Without getting into it too deeply, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that focuses much of its techniques on close in-fighting (including judo-type throws) and ground grappling. You are taught to end fights with a choke or a crippling joint lock.
The beauty of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is that you practice your techniques against fully resisting opponents.The guy you are practicing with is trying to stop you from doing what you want to do and, at the same time, he’s trying to choke or lock you. When you’re beat, you tap the mat or your training partner. He releases the lock or the choke.
And you do it all over again. And again. And again.
This “practice” is called live training or rolling. We usually roll at the end of every class.
Last night, I rolled with someone that was at least a quarter century younger than me. And I tapped him again and again and again. (Tonight, I may be the one getting tapped.)
I believe I will train jiu-jitsu for the rest of my life. It will keep me young.
As I age, I want to tell my grandson that “I can still whip any man in the county.”
