ADAPTATION

“Adapting is knowing when to act and when to rest.
It is a peaceful, accepting frame of mind willing to adjust to the existing circumstances.” I Ching #17

Adaptation is necessary both in training and in life. This is an important lesson Grasshopper so pay attention! Most individuals fear change. I admit I hate change. However if you were paying close attention Grasshopper, I said “hate” not “fear” the difference is quite obvious. As we have seen throughout history those that fail to adapt perish, or worse return to levels far below even mediocrity.
From an exercise standpoint all too often I will run across a former competitor, friend, or just plain acquaintances. While in days past they appeared to flourish and excel above others, somehow they have allowed themselves to be pushed off the proverbial mountain top. Amusingly they still strive for their excellence of the past in familiar redundant and repetitive manners. Put simply, they refuse to change. I do not have enough fingers to count the number of acquaintances in the gym that have developed repetitive stress injuries or extremely poor posture because of an unwillingness to change. Instead of heeding my advice and developing an exercise routine that is more organic in nature they often chose a darker path or simply quit the game altogether. They perish.
In wrestling adaptation is a must if you wish to have any longevity or success. At any given performance you must be able to make adjustments in your strategy, approach, execution, and even attitude. You MUST be able and willing to adapt because of the unpredictable dynamics of the sport. Though knowing this many wrestlers still fail to adapt and thus perish.
In life one must continually adapt to the ever constant changes of society. You need to continually learn new skills, open yourself to advancements in technology, and adjust to the economics of the day. If something out of the ordinary happens at work, school, or play, become flexible and quietly adapt. Consider this an opportunity to climb a little higher towards the mountain top.
Adaptation is why I am a winner. It is why I succeed in whatever endeavors I choose. Adaptation is what allowed me to return to wrestling. Adaptation is why I can compete with athletes of any age. Adaption is what brought me to writing this blog. A good example of adaption in life came the other week when I released the JJcrewguy School Cool Van back into the wild. You can not find a cooler van, short wheel base, full time 4x4, 1-ton, windowless, old school 1979 Dodge van, what more could you want? This is the ultimate surfing rig and the ultimate in cool. This machine had Crewguy written all over it as I went through great pains to find it and spent a lot of time and money to restore it. However, with the price of gas skyrocketing along with insurance premiums, and vehicle registration fees I saw the writing on the wall. Though I hated to part with it I recognized the need to adapt and change with the times. I did not fear change.
Now I know what your asking yourself; “JJ with oil being a finite commodity does this mean you are also going to release the Jeep back in the wild?” For that answer you have to stay tuned for deliberate and slow cultivation, Grasshopper, is the path to success and good fortune. And well lets just say I still have some adapting to do.

Fair well Old School Cool, you will be missed.

Am I not supposed to cheat?

Did the NFL commissioner reverse any of the Patriot’s victories after discovering their cheating ways?
Did Baseball reverse any of the games won by infected blood?
Did Warner Bros make Cecil Turtle give back the $10 he won beating bugs under questionable circumstances?

Of course not!
Should I go on? Do you really want me too? It is rather depressing. Golf, swimming, Nascar, MMA, Boxing, Roadrunner & Wile E…….
I will stop there as I am depressing myself.
My question for this blog is if the Idols of millions can get away with cheating why can’t I? After all I am a professional athlete.
Doesn’t this mean I am obligated to cheat?
Doesn’t it mean I have a free pass to cheat?
So why then did my recent victory in the ring get reversed well after the referee made his decision and rose my hand?
By being a professional athlete are my cheating ways restricted to drugs, sex scandals, gambling problems, or skeletons released from a closet somewhere?
Obviously it appears so.
I guess I thought cheating, well any kind of cheating was acceptable. I guess I thought wrong. And yes, one time I thought I farted and actually...well you know the rest.
Here is the scenario, you tell me:
For ten minutes my partner and I battled the team of the Heavyweights. Clearly we had the upper hand and were dominating this team comprised of one pencil necked geek and an undersized string bean (thanks Magnum). Wanting to put an end to the match I grasp all 120lbs of String Bean in a Fisherman’s Suplex (also called Perfectplex) and drive him into the mat. Still holding onto to what little frame a string bean has I bridge up for the pin. One, two…. Wham! “What the,,,,?”
Pencil Neck is on top of me driving fists into my stomach, successfully breaking up the count.
Obviously, I suppose, if you are pretty boy this type of cheating is acceptable. The ref thinks so. Of course I insist that he gets back to the corner so I can try pinning String Bean again. The next thing I know someone throws a cane in the ring and it lands in my hands. The ref turns and sees me with the cane, which I am just holding as I am a little confused as to how it got their. I give the cane to ref quite freely and return to pinning String Bean. One, two, three. (Yes my suplexes are that deadly.)
“The winners by pin fall Leather and Lace” the ref announces. Done, another victory, another notch upwards to a title shot.
“Hold it, hold it!” Shouts the new owner of ECWA as he approaches the ring. Here he has spotted someone in the crowd with a video camera and asks to borrow it. On the big screen he shows the cane in my hands, the ref taking it away, and this is where it gets weird. Somehow that video guy photo shopped the image of my partner climbing in the ring and another cane being thrown in the ring. It also shows my partner, Hot Shot Mike Reed, whacking the skull of String Bean with it. Of course the owner reverses the decision as I am not one of those pretty boys.
Even if this was not a doctored video, come on! My team loses on account of a this? Our title shot delayed because of this? How is this not biased? Is this not acceptable behavior in professional sports?
Politics, bah!
I can not wait to make it to the Big Leagues where this type of travesty would never happen. It would be accepted and I made into a hero! I would probably even get a contract extension and bonus out of it too.

Our loss to the Heavyweights is comparable only to Bugs Bunny being robbed of his victory against Cecil Turtle.

Ah Grasshopper you have returned. Sadly, no training for you! I am too upset from this weekend’s events. Comeback tomorrow when I return to my place of tranquility.

Heavyweights? Please.....

The Heavyweights, I repeat, The Heavyweights?
Give me a break! This “feared” tandem is maybe, I repeat, maybe weighs a combined 250lbs soaking wet.
How is this even a competition?
How can I take this match seriously?
Are we supposed to wrestle these guys with one arm tied behind are backs?
Perhaps on our knees?
While the last match had me thinking of moves to do on such a wide variety of opponents ranging from 180 to 400 pounds, now I am thinking of moves not to do. I see myself pretty much doing whatever I please during this match. The only obstacle will be keeping it interesting to my fans for longer than thirty seconds, which I will certainly find a way.

Let us see how wrestling columnist Justin Ayers see’s this “Tag Team Attraction.”
“Two teams as different as you can get, will be pitted against each other on April 5.The young Heavyweights (Sean Royal & Dan Eckos) are very much looking forward to the opportunity to collide with Leather N Lace (J. J. Crew Guy & Hot Shot Mike Reed).At our last event, The Heavyweights had a devastating loss at the hands of the 848 pound Nigerian Nightmares. It was lucky they made it out of the arena alive. But on April 5, the Heavyweights face another team who are considerably smaller that the Nigerians, but they are still a lot larger than the youngsters and a whole lot stronger and more experienced. The Heavyweights need this win over Leather N Lace to redeem themselves after their recent loss. Hot Shot Mike Reed and J. J. Crew Guy where brought together a few months ago and have been on a roll ever since. They have size, power and most of all experience, which makes them a great tag team combination. They have a sadistic attitude and the brains of manager Sebastian Night guiding them, which makes them DANGEROUS!In looking at this match scheduled for April 5, it could be quite entertaining. Leather N Lace have one thing on their mind….that is…..a PATH TO THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS…..The Heavyweights want to regain the status they once held in the ECWA and their minds are set on a PATH TO THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS.One team brings all the attributes that it takes to dominate in this match, but the other much smaller team brings DETERMINATION and HEART.The Heavyweights have fought all the odds before and pulled out many surprise victories in the past and they will be looking to do so on April 5. Standing in their way is the larger and more experienced team of Leather N Lace. Will size, power and experience pull it all together again for the Crew Guy N The Hot Shot, or will the speed and agility of The Heavyweights cause Leather N Lace to try and keep up the pace?”

Determination and Heart? Give me a break. Not a chance. That heart will be broken, stomped on and slung upon the entire front row before the night is out.
Take this one to the bank Leather and Lace fans, we can keep up the pace.
Six rounds of GPP with some rope work and sprints will definitely see to that.
See you all there for the slaughter!
http://ecwaprowrestling.com/main/index.html


Ahh Grasshopper you have returned.
The Crouch Balance Mastered you say?
Good, we shall move you to the weeping meadows for step two towards the “Ultimate Handstand”
Best to find a tree. Place hands about a foot and a half from the trunk. Splay them fingers like I instructed last week. Keep all your fingers slightly bent. Left leg should be straight, right leg bent under (knee under stomach).
Raise your head as far as possible and move shoulders forward so the weight is taken from your legs and transferred over the arms.
Note: Head position is very important.
Push yourself forward with the left legs, raising both legs in the air. Do so with enough speed so they will fall forward against the tree trunk. A pillow should be placed just forward of your head in case you lose balance.
Do several dozen times throughout the day grasshopper, but do not over do. Patience, Grasshopper, patience