2016 was an amazing year!

It was the 2nd year living together with my high school sweet heart and I am happy with our lives together, everything is starting to come together but there was something missing. Being 27 years old I had a job where all I do is sit all day and sell. Gaining weight and not having the energy to do things. I am slowly realizing this is not living. I finally started cycling to work out more often trying to get more into shape. Now at work, living in an age where we have access to information like never before. I take my free time to look at YouTube videos and learn new things everyday. I came across Jiu Jitsu, Not knowing much about it and wanting to get back into shape, My brother planted the 10th Planet seed into me. I took a class with him and was hooked! I was a little afraid of people judging me or guys stomping me. It was not what I expected. first couple days were just so much fun learning and drilling and then rolling. Meeting amazing new people and building friendships and slowly it grows into some kind of brother/sisterhood and now everyone who trains is like family. I was never really a hard roller but I would try to win. Understanding the difference between rolling and competing, you are not there to go hard on people you roll with, its about the experience you gain and understanding your opponent through body language and instincts.

Over time I started noticing these changes to my body. These 6am classes were hard at first but with addiction I am now waking up quicker, more energy, Almost like when I was younger and I could sleep for a couple hours and get right up and continue to be on turbo boosted ill mode, and I am starting to feel that way again. Like my true self is starting to come out again. shedding what my body does NOT need and starting to adapt into a healthier Luis. My coach is Randal Dolf Now this guy is something different. The way he expresses himself and talks and at first it was so hard to understand him and I would constantly be lost trying to understand what he is saying. That was because I was only hearing him, It was only until you start listening that you start to learn! Listen to the world around you, Listen to your body, Listen to your own conscious self, Do not be afraid to be alone with no sound no nothing but yourself. That is why I would now be open to the idea of trying out a float lab! With Randal teaching us not just Jiu Jitsu but also on the most randomized subject but they are so interesting because the way he expresses with passion on what he is learning influences me to learn “set” subject as well… like the pasiey bandannas and finding shapes by folding and rolling the patterns together to create an image. Or at least explore it and understand it. That got me to WANT to learn things everyday! Be more social and open to ideas and conversations. I am now not AS afraid on what other people think, I feel more confident in understanding problems and then solve them on the spot when obstacles in life come my way. Because if I can learn Jiu Jitsu I can learn ANYTHING! Joe Rogan Experiance also fuels my fire for knowledge and listen to all sorts of people from different parts of the world who are experts in what they love! So when they talk about their experiences it opens up new perspectives for me. Because I am open to ideas and conversations and really listen. I start feeling what they are saying. I start understanding why there is passion behind these amazing peoples work. Because they LOVE to do it and so when you love to do something its no longer work but it is a true passion. Now with that concept start I started putting more passion into everything I do. How you talk to people, how you work, how you train, how you do anything and you will love to love life and everything and everybody in it. BAM!

I had my first competition at 10th Planet San Diego with the awesome Richie Boogeyman Martinez. I always saw him in YouTube videos and now I am at his gym competing for the first time? WOW! I was so happy just to have him in my presence from YouTube to real life that was an amazing experience the whole atmosphere of good vibes and good times.

“I know I want to be part of this.”

The competition was very fast for me. I went against this beast mode of a wrestler, Loads of power first time ever being in this situation I froze a little and went into overtime losing to an arm bar. I had so much fun and I know what I need to work on for the next one. But it is not all about competing. There are also cool events like the 24hr Jiu Jitsu open mat event. There is Jiu Jitsu in the park during summer. To be somewhere where others have the same passion as you and just hang out and learn and train is what we need in life. It is how we grow as a person and influence positive vibes to carry back outside of this planet and influence those positively for them to do the same and look at life at a different perspective.

Just go with the flow and don’t fight it. Understand that, and you will find love, beauty, and happiness to the next level. It has influence me to think of systems around our lives and not be part of the negative systems. Always keeping yourself as a player of the system and not a pawn within the system. These systems are everywhere and Eddie Bravo’s views on conspiracies are intriguing. These people I look up to are some awesome, intelligent, chill people who I would love to just have the pleasure of having a conversation with. It was indeed Renato Laranja the 27-time world champion who told me to “just keep on training!”

It is now the end of 2016 and I am looking back on from where I was 8 months ago. A happy 27th year old just being part of a system, to breaking out like the dark knight did from prison. Somehow without even knowing it you end up plateauing and getting comfortable. It is only up to you when it is your time to shake things up and keep on climbing out of these systems and be able to find other systems and influence others to do the same. For you cannot force others to, but show them the escape route and support them until they are free and maybe they will pay it forward. It has been roughly 7 months since I have started and I enjoy this art day by day and with time, my journey through Jiu Jitsu. I one day hope to travel abroad! Visit different 10th Planet gyms! meet new people! learn and experience their culture from different brother’s and sister’s and make memories, friends, and positively influence others around me to change the world one human at a time. For we are all the same and we can all be creators. I love you all and keep training!

What I am saying is everyone has their path in life. When was the last time you felt ‘like’ you? Your inner self brought out to the physical world. Not hiding behind a mask for other’s to see because of your self esteem, insecurities and past events that have cloaked you for other’s to see. Life is amazing! It all starts with you. “Be the hero in your own movie!” -Joe Rogan Quote