Hey People! Ok, I haven't updated my blog in forever, I've been kinda busy since I got back from Cali for Pans. Well, I took 3rd place in the Open Weight division.... Not so great. Of course, everyone I've talked to says how awesome it is to medal, and 3rd place is still good.... Sorry, but no. I lost. Period. I'm not the champ. Period. So, it's back to the drawing board for Mundials! The mistakes I made at Pans must be corrected. I have exactly 48 days until Worlds, so I'll be training even harder!
There is good news tho! First the first time EVER, Team Lloyd Irvin took first place in an IBJJF Adult division. The Female team held it down with 3 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze to win the Female Team 1st place trophy. My fellow teammate, Tracey Goodell won 2 golds, finishing the Leve and open weight classes. Kim from 3rd Law BJJ took the Pena division Gold. Nyjah Easton, a brown belt, won 2nd place in the female Brown/Black pena division. Dominkye, a young blue belt, took silver in the pena. And of course, I took 3rd.
Keep checkin in on me guys. I'll be updating my blog from now until Worlds!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter
Happy Easter Bunnies! I hope everyone is having a super fantastic Easter. I think I'm one of the million people who only go to church on Easter! :-/ But, I went to a very nice church with my father, stepmother and younger brother and sister. It was a good sermon, and it may sound odd to you, but it really helped with my jiu jitsu mental preparation. I felt like any type of postitive energy is energy I need and can use for the Pans on Friday.
I will be flying out to L.A. for Pans on Wednesday morning! I'm really excited. I'm over my jitters, right now, and I'm super relaxed, super confident and SUPER READY! We have 19 Team Lloyd Irvin soldiers to Cali, along with many many from our affiliate schools. Thursday, is white belts and Blue belts, so we will begin our dominance early. I'm up on Friday for both the medio and absoluto divisions. Saturday and Sunday will see our Brown and Black belt competitors.
Thank you very much to ALL of my family, friends, and teammates, who have been EXTREMELY helpful and supportive!
I will be flying out to L.A. for Pans on Wednesday morning! I'm really excited. I'm over my jitters, right now, and I'm super relaxed, super confident and SUPER READY! We have 19 Team Lloyd Irvin soldiers to Cali, along with many many from our affiliate schools. Thursday, is white belts and Blue belts, so we will begin our dominance early. I'm up on Friday for both the medio and absoluto divisions. Saturday and Sunday will see our Brown and Black belt competitors.
Thank you very much to ALL of my family, friends, and teammates, who have been EXTREMELY helpful and supportive!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Super Fantastic!
In the words of my teammate, Black Belt Mike Fowler, I'm feeling "Super Fantastic!" Today wrapped up the final FULL week of training for the Pan Jiu Jitsu Championships. Last night, Friday, I went to wrestling practice. Wrestling has been incredibly helpful for my takedowns. With coach Jim Kelly pushing me every Friday, I know I will have the tenacity, drive, and aggression I need for those first 2 points for the takedown. Wrestling is giving me the skills I need to see openings for foot sweeps, knee taps, single and double leg takedowns. Friday night wrestling is also a great conditioning and mental workout. The ability to push yourself when your body wants to quit is something that is imperative to competition and something that we really focus on at Team Lloyd Irvin.
After a super good Friday wrestling, Saturday morning welcomed BJJ practice. Saturday morning practice is always a good time! Usually lots of HARD drilling. We drill stand up, positions, submissions, and live rolling. This morning, we worked some grip fighting and live feet, and I had to honor to work with Mike Easton. For those of you who do not know Mike Easton, he is a Lloyd Irvin Black Belt and current UWC Bantamweight Champion. He's also one of my best friends and someone I consider a big brother. I really look up to Mike and I'm always open to his advice, in life, fighting, and Jiu Jitsu. Anyways! Mike gave me some serious work on my grip fighting and foot sweeps. It's actually VERY encouraging when he's gripping me up and throwing me around, because I'm learning! Sweeps and knee taps that are CLOSE on Mike, are sure to be definate scores in competition. And when it takes Mike 3 or 4 tries to sweep me, I know there's NO woman in my bracket that can take me down!
We went on to work arm bar drills, guard passing drills, situation drills and more! What a tough practice! We really came together as a team, pushed and encouraged each other, and I really felt the positivity. There's nothing more comforting than knowing I am training on the best, hardest working team in America. Everyday, I'm training side-by-side with guys like Mike Fowler, Mike Easton, JT Torres, Nakapan Phungephorn, DJ Jackson, Willie Leonard, Jim Kelly, Tracey Goodell, and on and on!
I am truly blessed. I look forward to standing atop the medal stand, having that gold put around my neck. Then joining my teammates as we take the Team First Place! AAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!
After a super good Friday wrestling, Saturday morning welcomed BJJ practice. Saturday morning practice is always a good time! Usually lots of HARD drilling. We drill stand up, positions, submissions, and live rolling. This morning, we worked some grip fighting and live feet, and I had to honor to work with Mike Easton. For those of you who do not know Mike Easton, he is a Lloyd Irvin Black Belt and current UWC Bantamweight Champion. He's also one of my best friends and someone I consider a big brother. I really look up to Mike and I'm always open to his advice, in life, fighting, and Jiu Jitsu. Anyways! Mike gave me some serious work on my grip fighting and foot sweeps. It's actually VERY encouraging when he's gripping me up and throwing me around, because I'm learning! Sweeps and knee taps that are CLOSE on Mike, are sure to be definate scores in competition. And when it takes Mike 3 or 4 tries to sweep me, I know there's NO woman in my bracket that can take me down!
We went on to work arm bar drills, guard passing drills, situation drills and more! What a tough practice! We really came together as a team, pushed and encouraged each other, and I really felt the positivity. There's nothing more comforting than knowing I am training on the best, hardest working team in America. Everyday, I'm training side-by-side with guys like Mike Fowler, Mike Easton, JT Torres, Nakapan Phungephorn, DJ Jackson, Willie Leonard, Jim Kelly, Tracey Goodell, and on and on!
I am truly blessed. I look forward to standing atop the medal stand, having that gold put around my neck. Then joining my teammates as we take the Team First Place! AAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!
Monday, March 29, 2010
11 days until Pans
ok ok ok, imma super scrub with this blogging thing. I was on it with the updates, but i have been slacking lately. Mainly because, practice for Pan Ams has been killer. I've been getting up every morning at 5 AM to go to work, then I train from 1130am until 130pm. Then I'm off running errands and whatnot for my family. And finally more training from 830pm until 1030pm. By the time i get home its 1130pm, then I eat, shower and im SO ready to hit the sheets.
My body was hurting super bad last week! I spent the whole week sleepy! However, this past weekend was much more relaxing. We did our normal 3 hour practice on Saturday morning, but it was lots of drilling and some easy rolling. I got to rest up well on Sunday. Now it's Monday and I'm officially 11 days until competition time.
I have my gameplan all together... i've been reading and memorizing the rules... I've been watching lots of video, on myself and others. I'm SUPER excited. We also have a killer team at Pans this year! This is year for Team Lloyd Irvin, we gonna take the BJJ world by storm!
My body was hurting super bad last week! I spent the whole week sleepy! However, this past weekend was much more relaxing. We did our normal 3 hour practice on Saturday morning, but it was lots of drilling and some easy rolling. I got to rest up well on Sunday. Now it's Monday and I'm officially 11 days until competition time.
I have my gameplan all together... i've been reading and memorizing the rules... I've been watching lots of video, on myself and others. I'm SUPER excited. We also have a killer team at Pans this year! This is year for Team Lloyd Irvin, we gonna take the BJJ world by storm!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
MIA
I've been a little MIA with the blog! The internet was down at my house, the horror!!! Anyways, just a quick update for the 4 followers I have!
It's been a crazy week, lots of hard training so far. It's officially week 2 of training for mundials/Pans. We had good start to the week on monday, did some live matches. On Tuesday, we went nuts with the grip fighting. LOTS of rough, technical HARD WORK. It was exhausting. Wednesday was a chill day, light rolling etc. Tonight, I'm expecting a hard grind. We had a good grind this morning, and it will definitely pick up!
On Friday night, I'll have 2 hours of wrestling practice. Saturday morning will be more hours of jits. And I'll prolly train on Sunday as well.
I'm beat! i'm really feelin the push right now, which is perfectly normal. By week 4, my body will have adjusted to the grind in time for Pans. Right after Pans, back on the grind and we're looking to PEEK at Munidals!!
I'm still working every morning from 6am until 11am. Running errands in the afternoon. whew, crazy!!
I promised video, i will get them up before Pans!
It's been a crazy week, lots of hard training so far. It's officially week 2 of training for mundials/Pans. We had good start to the week on monday, did some live matches. On Tuesday, we went nuts with the grip fighting. LOTS of rough, technical HARD WORK. It was exhausting. Wednesday was a chill day, light rolling etc. Tonight, I'm expecting a hard grind. We had a good grind this morning, and it will definitely pick up!
On Friday night, I'll have 2 hours of wrestling practice. Saturday morning will be more hours of jits. And I'll prolly train on Sunday as well.
I'm beat! i'm really feelin the push right now, which is perfectly normal. By week 4, my body will have adjusted to the grind in time for Pans. Right after Pans, back on the grind and we're looking to PEEK at Munidals!!
I'm still working every morning from 6am until 11am. Running errands in the afternoon. whew, crazy!!
I promised video, i will get them up before Pans!
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Wrestling Advantage
So tonight was wrestling practice. I look forward to Friday night wrestling, not only is it an awesome class, but I get lots of conditioning as well! The best part about wrestling is the advantages it gives you in jiu jitsu and MMA.
For me, wrestling gives me a huge advantage over my opponents. Number one, the toughness. To be a wrestler you have to be hard nose, no bullsh*t. My wrestling coach, Jim Kelly, is always stressing how tough I need to be, offensively and defensively. Cross facing the SH** outta somebody onna sprawl, or DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE some chick through the mat on a double leg. In tournaments, I know already that I'm going to be tougher, more aggressive, and more physical that any woman I face. Not to mention, I'm turning into a takedown machine! And that has a LOT to do with wrestling!
For me, wrestling gives me a huge advantage over my opponents. Number one, the toughness. To be a wrestler you have to be hard nose, no bullsh*t. My wrestling coach, Jim Kelly, is always stressing how tough I need to be, offensively and defensively. Cross facing the SH** outta somebody onna sprawl, or DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE some chick through the mat on a double leg. In tournaments, I know already that I'm going to be tougher, more aggressive, and more physical that any woman I face. Not to mention, I'm turning into a takedown machine! And that has a LOT to do with wrestling!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Week One of Pans Training
Hey! So week one of Pans training is coming to an end. We've had some really tough practices this week! Lots of stand up and takedowns, live matches, HARD WORK... It's a wonderful feeling to push yourself hard in practice and see the results. Everyday I'm getting better. I have my gameplan all drawn up and I work on it everyday.
With only 90 days until the Mundials and 4 weeks until the Pans, it's very important to workout a gameplan and stick to it. I won't be working on too much new technique. Right now, I'm working what I know and what I plan to use in my matches. Master Lloyd taught me to have a plan for every position, so when competition comes I won't be surprised, I'll already know what I'm supposed to do!
Mental training is also a HUGE aspect right now. Mental repetitions and drilling. I spend time everyday, usually right before bed, with my eyes closed thinking about how my match will go. Thinking about that final match for the Gold at the Mundials. Metal training is just as important as physical training.
I have less that 8 lbs to go to reach my target weight for Pans, which I will have off in less than 2 weeks. So i will be nice and fit and relaxed come April 8th.
Tomorrow is wrestling practice and Saturday afternoon more BJJ!!!
With only 90 days until the Mundials and 4 weeks until the Pans, it's very important to workout a gameplan and stick to it. I won't be working on too much new technique. Right now, I'm working what I know and what I plan to use in my matches. Master Lloyd taught me to have a plan for every position, so when competition comes I won't be surprised, I'll already know what I'm supposed to do!
Mental training is also a HUGE aspect right now. Mental repetitions and drilling. I spend time everyday, usually right before bed, with my eyes closed thinking about how my match will go. Thinking about that final match for the Gold at the Mundials. Metal training is just as important as physical training.
I have less that 8 lbs to go to reach my target weight for Pans, which I will have off in less than 2 weeks. So i will be nice and fit and relaxed come April 8th.
Tomorrow is wrestling practice and Saturday afternoon more BJJ!!!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Pan Ams Training
Pan Ams is right around the corner! I'm very excited. The hardcore training at Team Lloyd Irvin has begun and it will continue all the way through until Mundials!
Yesterday morning, fellow Blue belt Tracey Goodell and I did about an hour of drilling. Then we went to live matches. Live matches are very important for getting your mind right. It's not like rolling or sparring. You treat the match like it's an actual tournament match. It's also good for learning how to keep track of your points without looking at a scoreboard, working your gameplan, and knowing the rules!
Today is Day 2, and we had a lot of live stand up today, working throws and takedowns. I'm feeling super GREAT! My weight is on point, my technique and conditioning are improving everyday! I'm ready to take on Pans, then knock out NY Open, and of course, finally, the Worlds!
I'm so happy to have such a great coach in Master Lloyd and great training partners. We have a CRAZY team heading out for Pans and Worlds. Expect to see a lot of Team Lloyd Irvin members on that top podium!
I look forward to more hard training tonight!
Yesterday morning, fellow Blue belt Tracey Goodell and I did about an hour of drilling. Then we went to live matches. Live matches are very important for getting your mind right. It's not like rolling or sparring. You treat the match like it's an actual tournament match. It's also good for learning how to keep track of your points without looking at a scoreboard, working your gameplan, and knowing the rules!
Today is Day 2, and we had a lot of live stand up today, working throws and takedowns. I'm feeling super GREAT! My weight is on point, my technique and conditioning are improving everyday! I'm ready to take on Pans, then knock out NY Open, and of course, finally, the Worlds!
I'm so happy to have such a great coach in Master Lloyd and great training partners. We have a CRAZY team heading out for Pans and Worlds. Expect to see a lot of Team Lloyd Irvin members on that top podium!
I look forward to more hard training tonight!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Sijara or SarJ?
Ok, so people have asked me how I got the nickname, SarJ. Some people think it's cuz I'm mean and bossy... Well that's true, but that's not how I got the name!
One of my best friends, Nola, was my main dude in college. But for the first couple months, she couldn't say my name. So she played it off by calling me Sajahara. Which I thought was weird. Sajahara turned into Saj. Which has variations, Saji, Siji. etc.... But only a few special people can get away with those...
One night, a bunch of us were drinking and friggin drunk a** Tiffany kept calling me Saaaaaarrrrrgggggeee! And we all thought that sounded stupid. But Tiff wouldn't let it go. So it spread and soon I was SarJ... I changed the "ge" to a "J" cuz I'm cool. And figured with me being a fighter and all, SarJ was a conveniently cool, tough nickname! Ha!
From the Top!
Ok, so I'm new to this whole blogging thing. And I sat here like, ok, I have my cool new blog all set up, I'm awesome... Now, WTF do I write about??? Soooo I guess I'll start from the top!
I was born in 1985 in Springfield, MA. Yes, Massachusetts... Yes there are Black people in Massachusetts and YES I'm really Black.... Anyways... Well maybe that's too far back...
Fast forward to March 2008.... I was 22, I had dropped out of college the year before, I was (eh...am) in crazy credit card debt from an AWESOME Spring break (Is it really spring break if u dropped out already?), I had a BORING desk job, and was 190lbs. So life was lame, and SarJ was angry... Then I saw this cool stuff on TV called UFC. And these guys were beating the crap out of each other. Every so often the fight would hit the mat and Joe Rogan would be talking about how great the guys jiu jitsu is...
So I'm like, What the hell, i'm fat, I might as well get to a gym and punch out some of this anger and hopefully lose a few pounds. So I found a lil place in DC, and I started doing some Jiu Jitsu and some MMA striking and sparring. After 3 weeks of BJJ, my coach, at the time, told me I should compete. What the hell...
So I'm at my first tournament, weighed in at 189lbs... I go to my first match... The poor girl was like 120 lbs. So I football tackled her into side control. Some how got to mount. Just muscled her into a head-in-arm triangle (which i saw on tv) and tried to squeeze her head off. And thank God she tapped. I stood, had my arm raised, and in that instant...That moment the ref raised my arm, I knew I was doing something I loved. It was the BEST feeling I had in my life... I felt like I had accomplished something... Then I ran to the bathroom and puked up the Red Bull and BK hashbrowns I had for breakfast.
I lost my next match and pulled out a 3rd place medal... Awesome! Most importantly tho, it sparked the fire I had for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and competing. I stayed with the DC school for a few months, entered more tournaments.
November 2008: After lots of internet research, I decided I needed a school that would give me some serious BJJ training. I was getting really into the competitions and I wanted more! More training, more tournaments, more Jiu Jitsu! I found Lloyd Irvin's Mixed Martial Arts Academy.
The day I visited the Academy, I actually got to roll with Master Lloyd. Sold! Sign me up! I immediately began some serious training. After only 3 months under Master Lloyd, I won a gold in every tournament I entered including the 2009 Pan Jiu Jitsu Championships and earned my blue belt on March 31st of that year. I also dropped an incredible 30lbs!
Today: I've been training at Lloyd Irvin's for over a year. I'm in an incredible place in my life. I've FINALLY found what I truly love to do. I found what makes me happy. I've found what drives me. I've found something that gives me inspiration, hope, desire. I feel such a deep passion for Jiu Jitsu, I honestly don't know where I'd be without it. And thanks to Master Lloyd and his amazing school, I've been able to feed and grow this talent God has blessed me with. For so long, I could never see more than a few months ahead. Now, I can see myself, years from now, a successful, happy, competing Black Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. I've set goals for myself that others could never even imagine. Goals I see in my dreams, goals I pursue everyday with vigor and tenacity. GOALS I WILL ACHIEVE!
So yea, I'm a Champion.... Yall just don't know it yet...
I was born in 1985 in Springfield, MA. Yes, Massachusetts... Yes there are Black people in Massachusetts and YES I'm really Black.... Anyways... Well maybe that's too far back...
Fast forward to March 2008.... I was 22, I had dropped out of college the year before, I was (eh...am) in crazy credit card debt from an AWESOME Spring break (Is it really spring break if u dropped out already?), I had a BORING desk job, and was 190lbs. So life was lame, and SarJ was angry... Then I saw this cool stuff on TV called UFC. And these guys were beating the crap out of each other. Every so often the fight would hit the mat and Joe Rogan would be talking about how great the guys jiu jitsu is...
So I'm like, What the hell, i'm fat, I might as well get to a gym and punch out some of this anger and hopefully lose a few pounds. So I found a lil place in DC, and I started doing some Jiu Jitsu and some MMA striking and sparring. After 3 weeks of BJJ, my coach, at the time, told me I should compete. What the hell...
So I'm at my first tournament, weighed in at 189lbs... I go to my first match... The poor girl was like 120 lbs. So I football tackled her into side control. Some how got to mount. Just muscled her into a head-in-arm triangle (which i saw on tv) and tried to squeeze her head off. And thank God she tapped. I stood, had my arm raised, and in that instant...That moment the ref raised my arm, I knew I was doing something I loved. It was the BEST feeling I had in my life... I felt like I had accomplished something... Then I ran to the bathroom and puked up the Red Bull and BK hashbrowns I had for breakfast.
I lost my next match and pulled out a 3rd place medal... Awesome! Most importantly tho, it sparked the fire I had for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and competing. I stayed with the DC school for a few months, entered more tournaments.
November 2008: After lots of internet research, I decided I needed a school that would give me some serious BJJ training. I was getting really into the competitions and I wanted more! More training, more tournaments, more Jiu Jitsu! I found Lloyd Irvin's Mixed Martial Arts Academy.
The day I visited the Academy, I actually got to roll with Master Lloyd. Sold! Sign me up! I immediately began some serious training. After only 3 months under Master Lloyd, I won a gold in every tournament I entered including the 2009 Pan Jiu Jitsu Championships and earned my blue belt on March 31st of that year. I also dropped an incredible 30lbs!
Today: I've been training at Lloyd Irvin's for over a year. I'm in an incredible place in my life. I've FINALLY found what I truly love to do. I found what makes me happy. I've found what drives me. I've found something that gives me inspiration, hope, desire. I feel such a deep passion for Jiu Jitsu, I honestly don't know where I'd be without it. And thanks to Master Lloyd and his amazing school, I've been able to feed and grow this talent God has blessed me with. For so long, I could never see more than a few months ahead. Now, I can see myself, years from now, a successful, happy, competing Black Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. I've set goals for myself that others could never even imagine. Goals I see in my dreams, goals I pursue everyday with vigor and tenacity. GOALS I WILL ACHIEVE!
So yea, I'm a Champion.... Yall just don't know it yet...
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