11:50a to 1:30p

11:50a-12p: Stretched. Oldest guy on the mat, but two white belt visitor showed up. A bit sore/tired today. Surfed this morning at Blacks. Fairly large swell hit today (i.e., lots of paddling).

12-12:20p: Warm-up / standard drills / stretches. Professor Kadu corrected some triangle, squats, and burpee technique mistakes. As for the squats...I'm just not strong enough to them right.

12:20-12:40p: Arm bar from side control technique. Liked the pressure on the chest (at a specific point) that, when done right, almost always causes the opponent to hip escape in a way that makes it easy to step around for the arm bar.

12:40-1p: Kimura from side control technique with arm bar option of opponent employs a typical defense. Complimentary to the last technique. Good stuff.

1-1:30p: Rolls. Big, tall (6'4") visiting white belt first (Milad). Said he has about 3mos experience. I knew right away I had a fight on my hands. He was powerful and explosive. Pulled me into his guard. Things got pretty sloppy and out of control real quick. The roll was exhausting and I don't remember a lot, only that I never really felt in danger. At one point he stood up in my closed guard. I released the guard dropped my hips and grabbed the ankles. Apparently he hadn't seen that before because he didn't grab my gi lapels to stabilize himself...so he fell backward. But he was too close to the edge of the mats and fell off (pads are on a 4" riser) and landed hard. Took a moment to get up. I should have had more awareness of where we were. I wouldn't have dropped him had I known he would have fallen off the mats. Near the end of the roll I took his back and sunk in a rear naked. It was solid. Had the full throat and arm cupped behind the head. Buzzer rang as I began to squeeze. Oh well.

Second roll was with the other visiting white belt (Ryan). Ryan's an inch or two shorter than me and I probably have 30lbs on him. Again...exhausting roll. Again, never felt in danger but this roll I felt like I was on the attack a lot more. Had multiple advantageous positions; however, Ryan did a great job inserting a knee and recovering at least half guard as I rushed transitions. Professor Kadu watched both of the rolls and said I need to take more time controlling the pace by slowing my opponent down and consolidating positions as I advance/attack. In other words...don't respond to spaz with more spaz 'cause it just escalates the spaz into a spiral of...spaz! I get it. Should have realized it during the rolls...next time.

Sat out the third roll. Angelo decided to sit out with neck pain. Professor asked us to go to the side mat and work on technique. I worked the side control armbar and kimura techniques from earlier in the class. His neck wasn't any better so he set out the final roll too. Hopefully he's ok.

Fourth roll was with Joe (Blue Belt). Now this is jiu jitsu! I pulled him into closed guard. Transitioned to open guard and worked between De la Riva and spider. He eventually passed. At one point his knee on belly inflicted some serious pain. Tried the knee on belly escape, but he was defending against the roll out and transitioned to take my back. Neck attacks followed. Spent most of the roll in back survival posture, but could not establish my base for an effective scoop. Joe established a body lock. No problem. Rolled into the lock and wedged hips for the break. Although I defended the neck ok most of the roll, I could not escape (properly). I could have waited out the rest of the roll in survival posture, but, not wanting to stall the roll, I decided to improvise escapes. Right? Wrong. "Escaped" right into a choke of sorts that crushed my fingers. Had to tap. Not from the choke, but because my fingers were getting crushed between my gi and the blade of Joe's wrist. No problem...start over. He pulled me into his guard. I broke the guard, but got caught in a triangle after a sloppy pass attempt. Tap. After the roll, Joe congratulated me on back survival. I get a lot of compliments on back survival so I suppose I'm doing something right. Now, if only I could learn to: (a) not to give up the back so often; and (b) establish the survival posture well enough to enable an effective scoop / escape.