Dick Grayson of the Flying Graysons training hard to win the spot as the Dark Knights ward. Look at those chiseled calves!!!
This little monkey is a climbing machine. Been coming here for years and he put on a show today.
We beat the Sun today. 😎Totally different experience when there is a little bit of cloud cover and the sand isn't lava.
Beach City problems. "Which beach to go to?"
A nice breeze to go along with these wicked LA nights downtown 😎
Today was a bittersweet day at Gracie University; I received a second stripe on my Blue Belt. While it was a proud moment, it was also a definitive mile marker in my Jiu Jitsu Journey. Getting this stripe was harder than returning in 2007 and again in 2015. In October of last year, I had to undergo treatment again for my Hairy Cell Leukemia. Wearing a mask in public, washing my hands (& everything), and the fear of runny-nosed children kept me up at night. You don't want to get sick or hurt when you are running low on white blood cells and platelets. The after effects of treatment (a painful Kidney Stone & slow clearing blood clot ) kept me off the mats until earlier this year. Then when I was cleared to come back, I was not allowed to spar - my breathing and heartrate were labored anyway. And when I was allowed to spar, I had to ensure my partners would/could not injure me. It was scary trying to figure out who amongst my peers had the ability and time to slow/flow-roll with me...I also had to turn a lot of people down and learn how to say "no" (BillyB🙏). It was crucial I find and train with partners who could remind me to slow myself down (eddieM🙏). So it's only been about 2 months of sparring since getting a go ahead from my Doctor. Taking it easy (in general), rolling light, and having to be exceptionally careful about my recovery has been difficult and mentally challenging. I don't look sick and the Marine inside me constantly wants to "move forward" and "attack". So while I was glad to get another stripe on my belt, it is a crystal-clear reminder...to me...of how heavy this particular piece of tape IS ...👊 *fistbump to my Leukemia Sidekick @traxofjax... the toughest little warrior ever🙏#graciejiujitsu #gracieuniversityHQ #jiujitsu #jiujitsujourney #ajiujitsustory
CONQUERING LOCH NESS: At Recon School we had this nightmare of a sandhill called "The Loch Ness Monster". This hill is similar. We ran that damn hill every morning of First Phase. It was brutal and unforgiving. I'm fortunate enough to live near a hill to conquer..at my own pace😎. It isn't for everyone and I don't even think its fun...but I sincerely love it. 👊
"If everything's ready here on the Dark Side of the Moon... play the five tones." -Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
He was just waaaay ahead of his time. "..let's plow."
Flying into Monday...Carpe Diem. 😎
It's Friday!!!! @edisondowtown
When you reach for a Gi, which Gi do you reach for? Mine is the Alavanca Combat Gi. I dig it. It makes me feel..."ready". Its almost the only Gi a Marine should wear. @alvnca @gracieuniversityhq
Killer day: The water is warm. Nice breeze. Blessed that we live here...🙏
"Hey Big Guy, the Sun's getting real low."
"Hey Big Guy, the Sun's getting real low."
The Beach Cities.
It isn't always easy, but we pulled it off everybody. No bad days...Southbay LA Sunsets
Sunsets in the Southbay, LA. "All the way up."
Sunsets in the Southbay. "All the way up."
Damnit Saleem. Sharp, boney, fast & hard knee to the eye socket while training Jiu Jitsu yesterday. It was an incidental knee, but it hurt. Its sore and puffy today. He was manuevering to my back, I rolled and was spinning back to guard when he jumped towards me with that knee. The ice helped so much. Ice your injuries when they happen!!!! I can't imagine how bad this could have been. I used a frozen water bottle and that lasted waaaay longer than any ice pack. Like 3 hours.