CourtneyC Gets Back Up

[courtneyc]

Hurray for zero week! Confession: I was one of the crazy people who voted for no real time off between challenges, but I'm actually really grateful this time around for the free week as I have something, well...challenging planned for my diet in April.

 

Main Goals

 

• Get my ass off the mat. One thing that became clear to me during matches on belt evaluation week is that I get stuck on the bottom a lot in bjj. I play decent defense, so I'm not tapping all the time. But obviously defense isn't the where I want to be long term. This month I want to focus on getting a few solid escapes and sweeps in place. 

 

• Say goodbye to wheat. Bread is so easy to grab, and I go for it all the time in place of fruits and vegetables. For April I'm kicking it to the curb. To be successful with this I need to get better with meal/snack prep. Zero week is the perfect time to experiment and get things in place. (Pass/Fail)

 

Side Quests

 

• Branch out with writing partners. I've become complacent with my current writing group, that if I'm honest isn't really the best fit. This April I want to shake up my routine and connect with some new writers/readers. Sharing my work with a stranger feels risky, but new perspectives and reading other people's work, i.e. putting myself out there, is something I need to get more comfortable with. (On that note if anyone writes and is interested in swapping work or if you are just interested in reading work, let me know.) (Pass/Fail)

 

• Hydrate like a boss. Drink 24 oz. of water by 10AM and another 24 oz. by 4PM daily. Evenings tend to take care of themselves in terms of hydration. (Pass/Fail)

 

Nothing too crazy, except for that wheat thing, but it's just four weeks. I can totally handle four weeks without bread, right?   **Quickly publishes challenge to prevent backing out**

[courtneyc]

Also, I deserve some kind of medal for resisting the very strong urge to name my challenge something completely juvenile. 

[Kyellan]

I did six weeks with no added sugar late last year. If you're anything like me, the first few days of your self-imposed exile will be the hardest, but if you stick with it, it will get easier!

 

I'm a (self-)published author, so if you're interested in a (semi-)professional opinion on your writing, I'm happy to oblige.

 

I know zero about BJJ, but I know a lot about playing martial arts on defensive mode. Need moar offense. Kick 'em to the curb!

 

And now I want to know what the totally juvenile thread name option was.

[sarakingdom]

What sort of stuff do you write?

[Kishi]

I also write and am totally willing to jump on this train, especially because I think it would help to keep me honest with my work.

 

You can totally handle 4 weeks. You got this. No slumps for us!

[courtneyc]

11 hours ago, Kyellan said:

I did six weeks with no added sugar late last year. If you're anything like me, the first few days of your self-imposed exile will be the hardest, but if you stick with it, it will get easier!

 

I'm a (self-)published author, so if you're interested in a (semi-)professional opinion on your writing, I'm happy to oblige.

 

I know zero about BJJ, but I know a lot about playing martial arts on defensive mode. Need moar offense. Kick 'em to the curb!

 

And now I want to know what the totally juvenile thread name option was.

 

I'm hoping that will be the case.

 

Writing feedback would certainly be welcome.  What sort of things do you write? (Are you secretly Hugh Howey?)

 

Just general innuendo involving getting on top or mounting everyone. I'm a 13 year old boy at heart.

 

11 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

What sort of stuff do you write?

 

I write science fiction and fantasy. Unless an actual writing group formed that wanted to do short stories I would submit the first chapter or two from a science fiction novel I'm about halfway through writing.

 

4 hours ago, Kishi said:

I also write and am totally willing to jump on this train, especially because I think it would help to keep me honest with my work.

 

You can totally handle 4 weeks. You got this. No slumps for us!

 

Great! If I get anyone else interested in submitting work, I'll message the whole group separately from the thread. Probably will wait until sometime next week to give people a chance to trickle onto the new challenge.

[Kyellan]

10 hours ago, courtneyc said:

 

Writing feedback would certainly be welcome.  What sort of things do you write? (Are you secretly Hugh Howey?)

 

Just general innuendo involving getting on top or mounting everyone. I'm a 13 year old boy at heart.

 

 

I am not secretly Hugh Howey, unfortunately (for my bank account, mostly). I am, however, not-so-secretly Christopher Kellen. Much less name recognition, but still a few books under my belt that sell fairly reliably and get overall pretty good reviews. So, you know, grain of salt and all that.  

 

And that makes much more sense. I was trying to figure out how you were getting a juvenile title from your anti-wheat thing. Silly me!

[courtneyc]

3 hours ago, Kyellan said:

 

I am not secretly Hugh Howey, unfortunately (for my bank account, mostly). I am, however, not-so-secretly Christopher Kellen. Much less name recognition, but still a few books under my belt that sell fairly reliably and get overall pretty good reviews. So, you know, grain of salt and all that.  

 

And that makes much more sense. I was trying to figure out how you were getting a juvenile title from your anti-wheat thing. Silly me!

 

Very cool! Though I hope it didn't come off as me trying to vet you as a potential reader. I just enjoy hearing what people like to write.

 

Juvenile wheat innuendo would be interesting. 50 points to whoever comes up with a sufficiently saucy wheat-ditching challenge title!

[Kishi]

'CourtneyC Goes Gluten-Free Streaking'?

[courtneyc]

I'm easing into the wheat fast this week, and breakfast is definitely going to be my biggest hurdle. Meal planning for my mornings would give me my best shot at success. So, something to work on the next few days.

 

I've been rolling with an emphasis on getting off my back or at least recovering guard to maintain a more offensive, defensive position. It's tough going so far as it is so easy for people to be heavy and ride out mount or side guard. I'm so happy I did all the technical core work the last few challenges! That at least gives me some strength and coordination to draw upon. 

 

Hydration will probably need a morning and afternoon reminder on my phone, because right now I'm forgetting about those goals.

 

Finally, you all are awesome with your willingness to be readers or swap work! I feel very supported by the quick and positive response, so thank you for that.

[Kishi]

See, and isn't it good that we have this week for ironing out kinks? I already have some cropping up for me too...

[courtneyc]

2 minutes ago, Kishi said:

See, and isn't it good that we have this week for ironing out kinks? I already have some cropping up for me too...

 

It really is! I retract my original no-break vote and forever pledge myself to the zero week.

[Kyellan]

21 hours ago, courtneyc said:

 

Very cool! Though I hope it didn't come off as me trying to vet you as a potential reader. I just enjoy hearing what people like to write.

 

 

Oh, totally. =) I just figured the easiest way to demonstrate my writing interests was to link to my catalog. I'm sci-fi and fantasy through-and-through. My favorite authors, in no particular order, are: Jim Butcher, Robert E. Howard, David Weber, Lois McMaster Bujold (and now) Andy Weir, because The Martian has catapulted to near the top of my favorite books of all time. 

 

And I concede to Kishi on the juvenile wheat-related title. He wins this round.  

[courtneyc]

Okay, most important thing first! 

 

50 points to Kishi for his saucy challenge title.

 

 

Now, to other business. I've got a lot of work to do today, and unfortunately some crappy life stuff combined with little sleep are putting me in a very distractible mood...the surf the internet all day while simultaneously loathing myself for not buckling down variety. This is my official proclamation that I will get my shit done. If I don't, feel free to throw rotten produce at me via gifs.  

 

Kirk out.

[Kishi]

Well?

 

 

[courtneyc]

7 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Well?

 

 

 

Oops! I got some done and Friday and lots more done on Saturday. Then I got some additional information saturday night that made most of my work completely useless. 

 

[Kishi]

Well, but you worked, though, and there wasn't anything in the conditions that said that you needed to be worried about whether the work would be any good. Also, it was based on information you didn't have.

 

So, no veggies for you.

[courtneyc]

Week 1 Day 1

 

I survived day 1 without bread or flour of any kind without much issue thanks to prepping breakfast components and my lunches Sunday evening. That article from Staci on making meals ahead of time had some great tips that made the process easy, and it was a treat to sit down to a healthy meal that only required a quick splash of sauce and 90 seconds in the microwave!

 

I got a head start last week working on getting out of tricky positions on my back in bjj. One of the most helpful preventative measures I'm learning is to get my knee up and across my opponent's chest. Usually, this gives me enough space to work the other leg through, so I can at least get them in guard. On a funny note I got lazy before class and skipped taking my mascara off (usually I don't even wear makeup on bjj days so I don't have to remember). BIG mistake. By the time I was finished with class and had rolled around with 40+ minutes I was a sweaty mess. I went to change and was greeted by this face in the mirror:

 

 

Minus the robotic arm of course. 

 

Anyway, no one said anything. Maybe it's because there weren't any women there to roll with, but I was shocked one of the guys I regularly joke around with didn't call me out on my insane raccoon eyes. Perhaps they were too scared. I mean, I wouldn't joke around with Furiosa or a potentially rabid raccoon. Maybe that's just the sort of thing better left alone. Either way, lesson thoroughly learned. 

['BoutThatActionBoss]

Following as always b/c you are my BJJ spirit animal. I love hearing about your progress! 

 

I can't help too much with writing but I am a pretty good copyeditor so if you want any typos fixed or awkward phrasing revised, I may be your Huckleberry, as Val Kilmer said in Tombstone. 

 

The Furiosa look is pretty dope if you ask me. Absolutely would intimidate the hell out of me. 

[courtneyc]

8 hours ago, 'BoutThatActionBoss said:

Following as always b/c you are my BJJ spirit animal. I love hearing about your progress! 

 

I can't help too much with writing but I am a pretty good copyeditor so if you want any typos fixed or awkward phrasing revised, I may be your Huckleberry, as Val Kilmer said in Tombstone. 

 

The Furiosa look is pretty dope if you ask me. Absolutely would intimidate the hell out of me. 

 

Ooo, I never imagined I'd be someone's bjj spirit animal. I feel so tough and scrappy now.

 

Thanks for the reading offer! 

 

It is also possible I more closely resembled Elaine from the bagel steam bath episode of Seinfeld. 

 

 

Thanks for checking in!

[courtneyc]

Week 1 Update

 

I've decided this will be a more relaxed challenge than some of my others. I'm forgoing the detailed log of daily tasks this time around in favor of more reflective updates every few days. 

 

The bread/flour-free thing is going well. I've had the odd craving here and there but nothing too intense. If I had cut out bread and sugar, I'd probably handle the transition with less grace. As hoped though ditching bread is forcing me to fill the gap with more fruits and vegetables. I'm not feeling bored with my pre-made lunches either, which was a fear I had. An added bonus of planning ahead is that my protein intake is much higher than it was before. Lunch earns me 40g all on its own.

 

I got some more pointers on recovering guard from side mount last night during open mat. I'm learning it is all about creating enough space via shrimping and arm placement to shoot my knee through, though one guy had a sneaky tip for slipping a foot under theirs to get into half guard. The consensus from everyone I talk to seems to be that side mount can be an exhausting position to get stuck in. Energy conservation through little movements and weight shifts are key to preventing fatigue.

 

On a fun weight loss note I finally got some new pants! I was down to one ill-fitting pair for the last month and had been putting off shopping due to being in pant size limbo right now. Also, jeans shopping is horrible. But I braved the mall and found not one, but two pairs of pants! Clothes that fit right are a treat, especially when it means going down a size or two.  

['BoutThatActionBoss]

Congrats on the new pants w00t w00t! It's a good thing when you're going down in size! I have ALWAYS had a hard time pants shopping because I have very thick legs so I have to buy pants that are for bigger people and they always look way too baggy on me. This was cool in the 90s, but styles have changed and I can't find anything that is both comfortable and somewhat slimmer fit. That's what I get for these pasty Irish tree-trunk legs. 

 

How do you like doing open mat? I am a bit intimidated in the sense that I don't even have a stripe and I don't want it to be a waste of time for someone who actually knows what they are doing. I suppose if you get someone cool and patient, it can be really rewarding though. You have a couple of stripes now if I remember right? 

 

Side control is the WORST. We were doing some rounds in class and this super fit hulking 24 year old put me in side control and we just sat in that position for three and a half minutes. I did keep trying to get out of it but I was THIS close to tapping just from being tired and having his weight on me. 

 

Yes, you are my spirit animal with the BJJ! I love reading about the progress you're making and it's good to see someone else trying to figure out a pretty technical martial art. 

 

To be fair, I would also be afraid of Elaine if she looked like that. 

[courtneyc]

25 minutes ago, 'BoutThatActionBoss said:

Congrats on the new pants w00t w00t! It's a good thing when you're going down in size! I have ALWAYS had a hard time pants shopping because I have very thick legs so I have to buy pants that are for bigger people and they always look way too baggy on me. This was cool in the 90s, but styles have changed and I can't find anything that is both comfortable and somewhat slimmer fit. That's what I get for these pasty Irish tree-trunk legs. 

 

How do you like doing open mat? I am a bit intimidated in the sense that I don't even have a stripe and I don't want it to be a waste of time for someone who actually knows what they are doing. I suppose if you get someone cool and patient, it can be really rewarding though. You have a couple of stripes now if I remember right? 

 

Side control is the WORST. We were doing some rounds in class and this super fit hulking 24 year old put me in side control and we just sat in that position for three and a half minutes. I did keep trying to get out of it but I was THIS close to tapping just from being tired and having his weight on me. 

 

Yes, you are my spirit animal with the BJJ! I love reading about the progress you're making and it's good to see someone else trying to figure out a pretty technical martial art. 

 

To be fair, I would also be afraid of Elaine if she looked like that. 

 

And here I thought guys had the easiest time with pants...shows what I know!

 

I love open mat. Yes, it was really intimidating at first, but you get to know people and find your favorite rolling partners for different things. I have one guy I love to roll with whose just a little bit ahead of me. He and I are both super limber and there's zero ego at play, so we end up in unchartered rolling territory and get experimental, which is crazy fun. But I also love rolling with other partners. People at different belt levels, sizes, and shapes give me different challenges.

 

I started rolling in open mat as a white belt (now I'm a white belt with a blue stripe). No one was shitty to me about all that I didn't know, because they've all been there too. You get major respect points for putting in the extra effort, and honestly it is where all my serious growth and increased stamina is coming from.

 

Thus ends my emphatic pep talk to go to a couple open mats and give it a try.  You will be exhausted and look like a cheetah from all your new bruises, but I'm willing to bet you'll also become addicted to BJJ on a deeper level.

['BoutThatActionBoss]

That is way cool. I once went to a noon class, and nobody showed up but one other guy who was a blue belt. But he was really cool and very helpful and went over a lot of stuff in depth for me. I think he was belt testing so I let him use me to practice some of the techniques he was trying to improve. 

 

When I get a bit more in shape, I think I will give open mat a shot. I would also like to drill the techniques for belt testing outside of class and I think open mat would be a good place to do that. Eventually I would like to belt test myself even! 

[courtneyc]

Just got the word yesterday afternoon that bjj competition team tryouts are...tonight! How's that for advanced notice?

 

I'd been playing around with the idea of trying out the next time they came around. There's a good chance that my fitness level is not yet where it needs to be to make the cut. The sole woman on the team says it is a lot more about heart and how much you're willing to put in. She also keeps mentioning to keep going even if I throw up, which I guess is meant to be encouraging but really just freaks me out. Unfortunately for me, she'll be away at IBJJF in NYC competing this weekend, so she won't be there to cheer me on while I'm drowning in a pool of my own sweat on the mat.

 

I'm kind of moderately freaking out right now. This is about the worst day of the month for me to give it 110% (sorry to go there guys, but the hormonal struggle is real). I feel like the timing just knocked this up from advanced to master mode, but I'm still going to give it a shot. Worst case scenario, this turns into a tryout no one at the studio EVER forgets.