Training 11/13/2014

Felt really good training overall tonight. Helped Ray in fundamentals with the flip sweep and elbow escape. Eric had to split from Judo class to go grocery shopping for his patrol for camping this weekend. Judo kept me smiling tonight. I must be turning into a nostalgia driven old fucker now(Get off my lawn!) because we did Russian belt grip series. Even though it is illegal to TOUCH below the waist now, we did the Georgian Pickup and the Karabelli pickup which Sambo calls Obi Tori Ashi Dori. I spent HOURS with Ray, Ronnie, Bean, and myself on Friday nights doing this series and even scored an Ippon with the Karabelli at a promotional tournament. I really enjoyed Judo tonight. In Jiu-Jitsu we did knee-on-belly and the escape with the hand under the foot to the inner thigh and how to stop it. I have had a lot of success with that defense. Rolled a few times. With James I allowed myself to go to bad positions like bottom side controlled and mount but also gave him some reversals to see where he would go. He is strong and moves well. Rolled with Max and felt very good. It's still interesting to roll with guys who are higher skill level than the majority of the guys in the club, as most of my sets are with white/blue/sometimes purple belts. I generally have to use more strength but use more basic jiu-jitsu techniques against lower belts but it seems the opposite against higher belts. I think this shows the basic concept of jiu-jitsu. While I am using more strength(not a lot just more), I am able to apply the concept of leverage which is a foundation of BJJ. Against the higher/more skilled at BJJ I use less strength because it becomes more of a thinking game, like chess where I am thinking about if I move heer and attack here he might move here and counter here which means I have to go here......Anywho.....had a good thinking set with Max. Worked hard to pass and got mount. I believe, even though he says he didn't, that he might have let me take mount. He bumped I went over into closed guard and went to control his arm and he passed I got to Omo Plata position. Got a solid breakdown but damn, He is strong and knows his shit!! Could not finish the submission but I am pleased with myself for going to a position that I am not usually in and attacking. This time last year I could barely walk a few city blocks or bend over because of my back and was pretty depressed because my Dad had just passed. This year I have run 2 5k runs and a 10k mud/obstacle run and roll 3 or 4 sets in a row and am able to attack an Omo Plata on a fucking talented Brown belt! Jiu-Jitsu saved my life!

Still feeling old.

DID NOT feel on point tonight. Helped Ray in fundamentals with Triangles and Armlock from triangle. Bad knot/kink in my right hip and lower back. Just observed everyone training tonight. Oh well. Training tomorrow night in Eric S's class. Going to learn X-guard defense.

Damn I feel old

So tonight in fundamentals it was flip sweep and Tomoe Nage. Those are the techniques of the month. In Judo we did Russian Judo over the back belt grip. Ahhhhhhhh it felt like old home night.Friday night Russian judo nights at Maxercise were some of my favorite classes. The Osoto and drop knee OUchi are excellent. It will take me awhile to get used to them since now you cant pick the knee under current Judo rules. By the time we got to BJJ I was wiped. We did De La Riva sweeps from sleeve grips and a really cool flip sweep from there. I forgot how much I knew. But tonight WAS NOT a good night for rolling for me. I felt very sluggish and tired and couldn't seem to get my head in the game. Not sure why but it's been like that a lot lately when training. Am I stressed? Yes. But Jiu-Jitsu is supposed to relieve that. I have to remember I am not in my early 20's anymore. I keep trying to roll and train like I used to but that's never going to be again. I have to keep moving forward and get smarter, train smarter, and play smarter. MUST INCREASE MY PHYSICAL CONDITIONING!!!!!!!!

Monday November 3rd Training.

Did Triangles in Fundamentals. Did the DeLaRiva sweep with Craig and Steve then trained a few sets with both. Caught Steve in Teabag Choke and Craig worked passing consistently. Felt good.

Teaching is fun

I taught the Flip sweep today at the beginning of Fundamentals class. Ray was busy taking care of tenant/landlord business so I started class off. Taught BJJ. Ray went up to BJJUnited for the Black Belt ceremony for John Flite. had 8 people in. I taught Half Guard stuff from Gordo's series. Taught how to get back to Guard if you don't have the underhook. Also how to Sweep with no underhook and opponent hugs neck. Then did how to sweep and take the back. They are all good solid techniques that I use. I think some people have a hard time with them because first they automaticly think because I use them that they must be strength or "Big Guy" techniques. I think also sometimes they think they are too easy maybe. Not sure. I always try to say that just because you drill a technique 8 or 10 times in class and try it once when you roll and it doesn't work as taught doesn't make it a bad technique. You have to try it while rolling ALOT and feel it and make it your own. Hand here, foot there, weight shift here.......but maybe the more I teach the more I will get better at conveying that. Oh well. Till next time......PS. Peter is FUCKING STRONG for an old guy. Crazy leg strength and a great ability to keep you from passing!!(Do I smell Purple?)

Ambush Jiu-Jitsu

Strong night. Fundamentals was a recap of Self-Defense Chest Grab front w/ rear armlock or leg kick, Chest push w/ wrist lock and standing guard split. Regular BJJ was a recap of Standing Guard split and what to do if the person does'nt do it correctly. Ambush Jiu-Jitsu started with Mark M, then Richard taking my back, then Hang taking my back, then Lee taking my back and finally catching me in a arm in guillotine. Felt VERY strong overall but leg is still bothering me. Onward!!

Why did I stop writing this and why Bacon wrapped onion rings are good for you.

Ok. So it's been about 7 months since I have written on this. It's been crazy for me. I lost my Mom in June to kidney disease. I lost a friend, Jamie D., from Comic Geek Speak to Breast Cancer in May. I lost my Uncle Tom in April. This weekend a BJJU teammate, John Flite, lost his battle to Cancer. In August a close Magician friend, Brian Hurlbert, lost his battle with cancer. It's also only a few weeks away from 1 year since I lost my Dad on November 8th. How do I keep going? Why do I keep going? Not sure. Amid all of that shit in my life, I have managed to lose 50lbs and almost 2 pants sizes. There are plenty of terrible reasons to wallow and fester and sink into the cesspool that my life could easily become, but there's just too many things that make up for it all. Simple mathematics I guess. My Wife, Mishaun, and 22 years of marriage that keeps me looking forward to every day to come(hopefully ALOT more!!!!!), both good and bad so that the Rollercoaster ride never stops! My kids, Jessica, Madeleine and Eric who drive me crazy from the first moment I open my eyes every day that I wake up, to them being the last thing on my mind every night when I close my eyes. I own my own house. I don't owe anyone anything. I don't smoke or drink(OK I like good beer ALOT but I only indulge very occasionaly). What does all of this have to do with a blog about me and my Jiu-Jitsu journey?!?! Well........ I have always said it and meant it so I will say it again,.......Jiu-Jitsu saved my life. In more ways than one. My re-commitment to Jiu-Jitsu that started in January has grown stronger EVERY day and minute since then. My re-commitment to my team, Osagame martial Arts, has grown stronger EVERY day and minute since then. My re-commitment to my Friend and instructor, Ray Huxen, has grown stronger EVERY day and minute since then. Jiu-Jitsu has given me back something to stay focused on and to allow me to grow and get better at every single time I step on the mat. The total acceptance of my teammates, and friendships that build among people who shed there blood, sweat, and yes, even our tears together has kept me going. I plan on continuing this blog now, not viewing it as a chore but as a way to empty out this brain and these thought that I have pretty much all day and night long. Some entrys may only be a few sentences that seem non-senscical. others might be pages long. Still not sure. But it will happen. AND................................Bacon wrapped onion rings ARE GOOD FOR YOU!!!! I said so!! http://www.grilling24x7.com/oring.shtml

March 10th. Fundamentals and BJJ

We did fundamentals class and did a refresh of the rear choke defense before moving into how to use the traditional Hidaka Jime to takedown an opponent. We also went over the new rear naked choke as well as the original method. inn BJJ we went over a technique that Ray has said has been showing up a lot lately. It's the Baseball bat choke from the bottom , usually half to modified Butterfly guard. When the person progresses for the pass you spin under and choke. We also went over the defense for this. It can be REALLY tight, REALLY fast! Rolled some good sets. Matt is a nice guy. First time rolling with him. I think he was frustrated because he couldn't really muscle me around. We wound up being on our knees for around 4 and a half minutes before I took a heel from Miles and saw stars. I turtled up to recover I gave up my back and matt grabbed it and went for a rear pull by my collar and was going for the choke when I made him stop. Oh well!! Next time and I have to remember to put myself on my back more often. Eric got to roll some more with Hillary, Miles and Danny. He did well with a rear naked choke on Hillary.

Omaplata and DelaRiva Day

Today was 2 good classes. We started fundamentals with Oma again. I like it and am going to try it more and put myself at risk more. I have to if I want to progress back to where I used to be. We did the standard finish and the straight armlock finish. Eric Jr. got to do his first Jiu-jitsu class. He did really well and the older guys are helping him out. Standard DelaRiva sweep and the Oma finish. Eric got to roll a little and was all smiles. Hehe.

Omaplata day in Fundamentals

Today I only attended Fundamentals class. Didn't really feel strong today, like I had no energy. I didn't get to eat before class and with the new schedule change I just couldn't hang. We did Omaplata. First going for the wristlock, then a straight Omaplata. Hadn't done it for a LONG time. I am not a guard player but I did use to use Oma quite a bit back in the day. Have to remember to make the initial turn sharper and to get control of the arm faster. Wristlocks in Jiu-Jitsu are still new to me. We never used them in the early days. Eric Jr. is progressing quite well. He seems to pick tecniques up easily enough. I hope he sticks with it because I think he can be good at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGLUPeN5D1Q

Been back for 6 weeks now

Ok so I have been back on the mat for about 6 weeks now. First thoughts are that I am in terrible shape but after 6 weeks I have lost 13 pounds and have gained about 35% of my flexibility back. I am not going to really start keeping track of classes and my thoughts until tomorrow when it is a full 6 weeks. I wanted to give myself that time to get myself rolling again and determine how I felt and if I really thought I could make it long term. I can and I will. Eric Jr. is progressing nicely and received his first stripe on his white belt last Thursday. A pic of me and Sor. Letting him work on a back choke.