It’s Like Catch and Release Fishing.

I got up late this morning and missed the open mat around the corner from me.  I felt a little bummed because I was looking forward to returning to this academy.  They have a good professor, the open mat starts later in the day and there’s a restaurant behind it that sells the best pizza. Seconds after returning my gi bag to my closet, I received a text message from my friend, Ray, asking me if I would be available to hang out and roll today.  I almost fainted.

This shocked me because the previous weekend, I was watching Ray and his family win a dance competition on the Disney Channel.  (This guy and his family are amazing dancers.) Additionally, we had been trying to get together to roll for the last six years and Ray is usually busy working as an attorney or on his Instagram: #DadGoals101.  Check out his IG and you’ll wonder how does this guy have time for work or Jiu-Jitsu.

Ray and I chopped it up over a couple of beers and rolled a few ten-minute rounds. When we finished, Ray thanked me for the afternoon as it all reminded him of what he liked about Jiu-Jitsu… ”hanging with a friend, libations and practicing controlled-aggression through the gentle art.”  I couldn’t have put it better myself.  He admitted that he has wanted to return to BJJ, but he didn’t have time to return to the injuries that plagued his time in the sport and his life outside of BJJ because of overzealous rolling partners.

Ray liked that we worked on our game plan and defenses during our sparring without smashing the hell out of one another.  He said rolling that day was like a cool version of “catch and release fishing.”  We both knew that the game could be turned up to level 10 in pain at a moment’s notice…the fish usually get their mouth ripped open in “catch & release fishing”, but it was simply two ego-less friends helping one another enjoy the gentle art. 

I understood Ray.  I have visited several BJJ schools and sometimes after bowing out, I’ve felt like a street brawl had just taken place. I always meet some great people at BJJ schools, but occasionally, their idea of sparring was whipping someone’s ass and there’s nothing gentle about that mindset.  There are no medals, titles, or martial arts movie moments of screaming “you killed my (insert teacher, sister or brother),” so there was no reason to go H.A.M.F. outside of a competition class. 

How many people aren’t enjoying Jiu-Jitsu because someone uses the mat as an aggression outlet? I’m a big boy and can take care of myself…hell, I have been the guy delivering unnecessary smashing years ago until my friends told me I needed to bring my rolling “enthusiasm” down a few dozen notches.

My nose, fingers, and toes have been broken several times, yet I still enjoy the sport.  However, when I’m injured or hurting others, my typically enjoyable pastime becomes miserable and the school’s environment becomes something other conducive to learning.

           So, here’s to rolling with friends, minus the release of a trickle of piss from unacknowledged taps and avoidable health insurance co-payments. Thanks Ray!!