You know that soul-crushing moment when your opponent passes your guard to secure side control…then they settle in heart to heart and you just feel the weight suddenly crushing your very existence? Of course it feels great when you’re the one doing the soul-crushing (and bonus points when you actually hear that last bit of air escaping the lungs). We’ve all been on the receiving end of that heavy moment. It’s difficult to draw a breath, and you wonder if you’ll ever breathe again.
Can I still breathe?
Yes. (Barely)
So what can I control right now?
I can control my breath…
The moment I realize that I can, in fact, still breathe, I get control of my breath. All of a sudden my focus moves away from what I don’t want (the pain) and into what I do want (escape). I’m able to expand my awareness to focus on what I can control next – where I can create just a bit of space…[continue reading on Girls in Gis]