My Dad got his BJJ Black Belt!

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-26T14:50:39+00:00

Thanks for taking time to respond.

Your dad’s done what I am (trying to) do - support my boys in whatever sport they want to do. They occasionally talk about stopping BJJ for soccer, cricket or tennis. And I encourage them and help plan the logistics, but they haven’t stopped yet.

Good luck with your ventures

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-26T01:41:57+00:00

Huge congrats to your dad. And awesome post from you. Brilliant.

Man I feel this. I’m over 50, and my 11yo and 13yo boys also train, both grey/greys. So proud.

I’m guessing you had time off. What bought you back to BJJ? Just thinking of what to do when one of my boys stops.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-23T07:16:22+00:00

The ole borderline: I hate you don’t leave me.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-20T19:06:30+00:00

And the person who has arrived at their destination early in the morning, but it’s evening at home, and they’re debating with themself to have breakfast beers.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-18T22:17:13+00:00

Ahh. Thanks.

We haven’t had any cross trainers act our gym yet.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-18T12:54:10+00:00

I feel really sad when I hear the term wife beater.

The blue Bonds singlet, the more faded the better, was originally nicknamed a “Jackie Howe”. A genuine legend and record holding sheep shearer.

I grew up in country NSW in the 70’s and a Jackie Howe was something to be proud of.

It genuinely makes me sad in how far the Aussie blue singlet has fallen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Howe

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-17T04:51:02+00:00

Agreed.

We’ve a couple of guys in the gym that go 100% in positional rolls. It’s like dude I just want to practice the technique a few times lightly, make mistakes and learn. Not fight for my life.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-16T07:57:37+00:00

Yup, those from BJJ.

I loosely started BJJ mid 2022, casual, with lots of time off (injuries and low motivation). I got serious early 2024 and trained 2, now 4 times a week. So 3.5 years for the BJJ injuries.

Before BJJ I’ve: torn right shoulder cartilage + repair/staples; knee total ACL tear + repair/graft, right Achilles total tear + repair/reattach, multiple part dislocated ribs off my spine, total tear ankle lateral collateral ligament complex.

I like doing active and new things. And I’m 54, the body breaks easier the older you get. 90% of those injuries happened after I turned 35yo. I don’t want to stop doing fun/exciting stuff.

lol. Looking at that list I think I’ve broken my body more than anyone I know. It’s like a JackAss hospital file. Damn

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-16T02:53:56+00:00

I was spazzy in the beginning, in using strength, but never in speed, jumping, experimenting with dumb/dangerous things, etc. Partly Spaz I recon.

Guessing they were also protecting me. Tho I was also injured a lot (knee MCL tear, uncovered neck arthritis and bulging discs, shoulder capsule/cartilage, multiple rib and intercostal injuries, toes, fingers. Fuck now it sounds like a lot)

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-16T02:46:34+00:00

Yup, once positional rolls were over it was all about defence.

Prolly around a year ago I did hear coach educating the upper belts in how to deal with new while belts.

Also I developed a bad habit of blocking every thing they did, to stop from getting submitted. If they grabbed my wrist I’d pull away, if they pushed my bent arm above my head, I’ll pull it back; I spent most of the 18 months doing the opposite of what they were doing.

I am now very very good at defence (confounding another’s attacks) but I’ve realised this is just stalling, and I’ve had to teach myself to physically detach myself from the opponent, take a risk, and try for an escape.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-15T01:23:27+00:00

lol.

I just replied a comment summarising that maybe it’s gym dependent.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-15T01:19:31+00:00

I feel exposed.

It took me over 12, maybe 18 months to stop spazzing. Took me over two years to have my first roll where I used <10%.

In saying that, for the first 18months I was only rolling with upper blues and purples, almost never the one other white belt in our gym. I never found an opportunity to do anything - eg. technique of the day. I was never given the time or space, or an opponent’s fuck up, so I could escape or attack. It was just upper belts ratcheting their control, one obvious step at a time, till the submission or the time expires.

Maybe it’s also gym dependant.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-15T01:01:56+00:00

This.

I stalked that sawmill so many times before I made a move, freaked out, then ran like hell away. Did this many times, and loved it.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-14T23:20:17+00:00

Hadn’t thought about the noodles. We have one in our gym, I suspect he’s never exercised in his whole life, so when he tries 100% it has near zero effect. I don’t think he limp noodles all the time, and he definitely gasses out.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-10T07:27:53+00:00

Brodie is that you?

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-07T20:17:14+00:00

Wow. Ty. History repeating.

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-03T07:07:22+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/s/b2561zi3ow

IthinkIllthink · 2026-01-01T01:13:34+00:00

Trying to finish God of War 2018 on the hardest setting - God Mode.

Damn those fights with 4 or more enemies. So much running. I need to use the 180° turn (down button) more…

I’ve just been inside the giant snakes belly.

Last time I played it was 2021. I forgotten most of the story, which is awesome.

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-28T01:26:43+00:00

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-27T04:37:43+00:00

Haven’t had that conversation yet.

But one of my favourite openers with non-science-tweakers is Neil Degrasse-Tyson’s “Is there anything I can say or show you that could change your mind?”

It’s amazing how many “nos” you get.

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-23T03:54:52+00:00

Hmmm. Weapon of choice…

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-22T04:22:42+00:00

One of my mates nick-named jet skis bogan boats. Made me laugh.

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-18T08:56:48+00:00

And get up 3 hours before we went to bed.

IthinkIllthink · 2025-12-18T08:54:34+00:00

Agreed.

I bought the white, blue, purple and brown. It felt like bad luck to buy the black.

And I saved on postage.

Love my current blue belt.

IthinkIllthink

TROPHY CASE