Jake Kappus.comCertified Geek, Dad, MMA fan, and ocassional Pro Wrestler

It’s New Years Eve tonight and I’m sitting here thinking about all of the things I want to make better for next year.  I refuse to do those stupid resolutions.  You know those are all just empty promises that never go anywhere anyway.  Like promising to lose weight and going to the gym once or twice then giving up.  This year I think I’ll just build on what I started last year.  That way I won’t be breaking any promises.

New Years Non Resolution #1:

I’m going to rededicate my focus on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu next year.  I started with Great White Martial Arts here in Wausau this year and due to work and family commitments, could really only do one practice a week.  Now I want to at least do two and actually make some progress towards the blue belt.

New Years Non Resolution #2:

Continue my work in the gym increasing strength and losing weight.    Maybe this goes with the BJJ deal, but I did lose 28 lbs last year.  I’m not fat by any means, but I’d like to get rid of the pooch and get some definition on this old body.

New Years Non Resolution #3:

Increase my knowledge and value to my customers by learning and improving my Microsoft and Cisco skills.  I’ve found that I’ve been in a rut this year since I’ve learned so many new things this year.  I want to somehow become a better expert in a few things instead of knowing a little bit about a lot of things.

New Years Non Resolution #4:

Become a better father, husband.  I work too much.   Even when I’m home I find myself working in the lab just to learn or improve upon my skills.  I need to hang out with the fam’ more.

OK, maybe they sound like resolutions, but I see them as building on the things I started last year.  Let’s see how it turns out.

I thought I had read somewhere that BJ Penn attained black belt status in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in something like 18 months. I’ve been doing BJJ for a month and a half now and I should be at least a blue belt now right? Ha ha..maybe not.

It’s been over a month now and what everyone else said is right…It is more than just a sport. It’s a lifestyle, an addiction. I love it. Even though it’s much more physically demanding than pro wrestling ever was (but not nearly as satisfying to the ego) it completely replaces pro wrestling as an outlet. Freddie Jacobs was an outlet for me, where I could channel all of my frustrations, feelings and fears out into the world. Now that I’ve laid good ol’ FJ to rest, I’ve needed a new outlet for these things.

At practice on Wednesday I think I got a little frustrated with myself. For some reason I have not been able to remember the steps for each drill or maneuver. But after talking with Will (a blue belt) and the others in the class, maybe I should be proud of what I do know and work on what I don’t. One of the other guys (an experienced submission wrestler who damn near broke my ankle with a simple leg lock) said that the only thing I should be good at right now is tapping out

He’s probably right…

I got my Gi yesterday from Fuji and I plan on making a go at this… I wonder if there is a way to bring Freddie back from the grave doing BJJ?