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?)