My First Grapple-A-Thon

I don't know if all dojos are this way, but Performance Martial Arts Academy (PMAA) coordinates regular fundraising efforts to benefit everything from team members or families in hard times to local organizations that help children, and the like. This Grapple-A-Thon was at the Springfield PMAA dojo and benefited The Child Center in Springfield, where one of the Springfield PMAA blackbelts volunteers.  Entry fees make the basic money for these fundraisers, but participants can also obtain pledges from friends/families/businesses for number of rounds as well.

The Grapple-A-Thon is essentially a "glorified" open mat. "Open mat" is when there is an opportunity to grapple/wrestle/roll/spar with a partner for a single round (often about 5 minutes), have a minute or so break, choose a different partner if you like, and do it again. You can go one round after another, take a break, or however you'd like to do it.

This Grapple-A-Thon was scheduled for 1-5 pm on Saturday, November 19. Daniel and I decided to go from 1-3 pm as we had evening plans to get back to. We wanted to support Coach Ryan, support The Child Center, see the Springfield PMAA, and just get some new experience. It was a great time. We got there just before 1 pm and warmed up.

We were still warming up and stretching in the first round, but by the second round, some other participants came over and invited us to roll. Haha! I laugh to myself, because most of the people there were "colored" belts: blue, purple, brown, black. I've been doing BJJ for two months! :-)  But these people are awesome. They let us try things, sometimes counter, sometimes let us "get them" and then they would practice an escape. Of course for Daniel and I, 115 lbs and 155 lbs, respectively, most of these people also outweighed us by 20-100 lbs!!!  Many times Daniel and I found ourselves in a position where we had no idea what to do. Some of our partners would kind of "drill" on us, some of them would give us tips--during or after--on what we could or should do in particular situations, either to make a technique more effective, or to defend one of theirs.

Unfortunately, after about my 3rd or 4th round (I was doing every other one), something went whacko in my right-side back/rib area when someone sat on my rib cage while I was in safety position on my side. I probably would have been okay so long as no one sat on me in that area again, but ... I'm so intent on not injuring myself to the point that would keep my off the mat for a long time, I debated whether to continue, and decided to just watch Daniel for the rest of the time, ...and rub my back/ribs. (It's healing up I think.)

Daniel was a go-getter and went about 12 rounds or so, with all belts, white to black! While Daniel could not out-tech these more experienced grapplers, he really made one blue-belt WORK!  The guy was sweating like a mop when the round was over and Daniel was hardly breathing and dry as a bone!  Haha!  Just wait until Daniel hones his skills! :-)  I did see Daniel pull off a good bridge-and-shrimp escape on a larger guy (they were all larger). Nice Job Daniel!  I also watched these guys teach Daniel a few things to do in particular situations. The teaching/mentoring culture of BJJ is tremendous.

I hope the rest of the day went well. Looking forward to my next Grapple-A-Thon!