Grappling...

I'm a little bit obsessed with grappling and groundfighting and, if the opportunity arises, I can spend ridiculous amounts of time rewatching the technique videos on the excellent Submissions101 website with Ari Bolden or the equally excellent stuff on Youtube posted by Stefan Kesting (www.grapplearts.com).

But I came across something new the other day and it's an online course run by Ryron and Rener Gracie of the Gracie family at their website www.gracieuniversity.com, which offers full testing and belt certification via camcorders.

I'm a little sceptical about online courses in anything, particularly in something like a martial art where your best learning tool is often the feedback of your opponent, but I've joined and looked at the first video and it's well put together, very informative and very slick – and, hell, it might even work with a decent training partner.

But with a black belt grading at hapkido in the offing I should probably be focusing on that instead. Grappling remains a fun distraction, though, particularly when the path to black belt at hapkido feels like a real struggle a lot of the time...

Healthy Eating Tips...

Don't eat a large bag of grapes followed by a whole bag of wasabi peas.

Your stomach and the porcelain won't thank you...

Other Woman News...

The hapkido academy recently ran a raffle to raise money towards new mats and I won two prizes: number one was a bottle of wine that lasted about two hours from receiving it to finishing it off; number two was a home-baked chocolate cake that was cooked over the weekend and given to me last night.

The cake caused much amazement in class as various fellow martial artists admired and lusted after it. But that's because it looked a pretty amazing cake. And on tasting, it didn't disappoint either... so much so that next year I am running and fixing the raffle so I again win the cake.

The Other Woman, however, may fight me for that honour. On hearing I had cake in class she immediately offered to perform any act so she could taste some. And I mean 'any' act. I could have probably demanded 'water sports' and she'd have agreed for cake.

When this tactic failed she then tried another ruse to claim that as we were such good pals I should offer her half the cake as she'd offer me half the cake if she'd won it. I snorted at this as I know full well that nothing comes between the Other Woman and cake.

One of the first times we went out to play pool she bought chocolate and when I moved in to take a bite the look she gave me suggested that I'd just offered to felate her grand parents after anally inserting copies of The Daily Mail in front of her parents. And all I wanted was a bit of Snickers... And with cake it's even worse.

I nearly took pity at the end of the class as she looked bedraggled and tired and was eyeballing the cake box like a lunatic. I imagined this was how junkies must feel before they burgled a pensioner to get cash for another fix.

Fortunately the cake was successfuly smuggled out of class while she was talking to another martial artist. But I fear denying her cake may be the end of our friendship. Unless I can placate her with a Crunchie. Or a Lion Bar...

Sick...

The Missus has been very ill and laid up in bed for two days.

She finally ventured downstairs last night when I was watching episode two of The Apprentice. She curled up on the sofa with me and watched for about 10 minutes before turning to me and saying.
'They're all totally reprehensible people. There are not enough bullets in the world for any of them. Come the revolution not one of them will survive...'

It's good to see her back to her old self.

Hair Today...

I decided my facial hair was obviously to blame for a lack of confidence and form at a recent county pool match so I took an executive decision and shaved it all off.

The Missus, however, was not happy.
'My God. What the hell have you done?' was her initial response.
'I've had a shave.'
'But you've shaved everything.'
'Don't you like it?'

The Missus pondered then delivered her verdict.
'The problem is that you look like a big baby when you're clean shaven.'
'OK...'
'And your head looks far too big and there's just too much of your face.'
'You want me to grow it back then?'
'Yes...'

Of course, I stood my ground and stated I would not. For about three minutes.

Intensive Weekend...

A few weeks ago myself, the Other Woman and 26 other martial arts students spent two days at an intensive hapkido weekend. And, apart from various bits of my body refusing to function properly for a few days afterwards, it was a lot of fun.

Kicking, punching, takedown techniques, forms, joint manipulation, groundfighting and hapkido theory were all covered and there was a huge amount to take in.

It did make me realise, however, that I am a long way off testing for my black belt at the moment. Before I got injured in June I felt as though as I was close to being there but post-injury and post-holiday everything feels much further away, with my techniques rusty, my forms not very sharp, my confidence drained and my sparring sluggish.

But I was talking to my friend The Actor and his girlfriend is also an actor. Unlike him, however, she hasn't had a large amount of work so she's done several admin jobs to keep the wolf from the door, but she's also refused to give up on her dreams and has kept plugging away at auditions. And it's paid off as she's just landed a role in a touring show that will also play in the West End next year.

Like the pool and like the writing, I've always known perseverence is the key. And I know that with my martial arts studies and the black belt grading too, but it was nice to hear about The Actress and have the point emphasised.

Sometimes it's just about staying in there. Nothing of any real value ever comes easy. To quote Vince Lombardi: 'Winners never quit and quitters never win.'