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!