Desert JiuJitsu - September and October 2019

Martial Artists will always find each other. It is just a law of nature. It could be because we can't stop talking about it, or that we only wear shirts that say "JiuJitsu" on them, or possibly it's the beat-to-hell ears that allow us to find each other in places that are as crowded as New York City. So when my National Guard brigade headed into the desert of Texas, I knew that it would only be a matter of time until we found each other.

What made those two months of training interesting though were the complete lack of mats. That is one thing I love about the Army and the soldiers the comprise it. Despite their frequent griping, soldiers love training. They also love competing, whether that is Squad live fire training, football, running, or fighting. They are driven by a desire to be the best and defeat the best. That is why so many of them are drawn to the competitive nature of Combatives and JiuJitsu. So we sparred inside of tents, rolled on astroturf, despite the lack of amenities and the desert heat. While those two months in Texas were amongst the most miserable months I've spent in life, the Combatives/JiuJitsu training we got to do while there was amongst the most memorable.

This blog post is really more of a collage than a story-driven piece, as I think the pictures tell the story much better than I could. I'm greatly appreciative of the experienced practitioners that stepped up to share their knowledge with others, and everyone that didn't shy away from a lack of mats to get some rolls in.

About the Author:

Steven McMahon earned his Kyuki-Do Black Belt in 2011 from Grand Master Kim at Kim's Black Belt Academy and his  BJJ Purple Belt in January 2017 under Professor Charles Nunley. He currently trains out of Wakizashi BJJ  in Oak Harbor under Professor Eli Trevino. He is an active competitor at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Army Combative tournaments.