11:50a to 1:35p

11:50a-12p: Arrived just in time for a bit of stretching. Took a place on the mat next to two black belts I hadn't seen before. One was a fourth degree BB and both spoke Portuguese. Not sure what the story is, but there seems to be different BBs from Portugal Brazil here every week training with Saulo. About 10 or so classmates. Yup. I'm probably the oldest by at least 5 years. Oh! One other white belt. Nice!

12-12:15p: Warm-up / drills. Did well enough. Professor Leo Santos pulled me out of line on one of the drills to show me the technique. Can't really describe it.

12:15-12:30p: Half-guard passes from stand up. Two variations. Good stuff, although I don't know if I've ever found myself standing up in someone else's half guard. Professor Saulo called Michael (16 yr old 4-stripe blue belt) to the other mat where he and two black belts had been rolling. Michael spent the rest of class rolling with the two black belts, including the 4th degree BB. Saulo coached the whole time. This kid is real good and obviously being groomed. My guess is he'll have a BB by 19. Maybe 20.

12:15-12:45p: Same half guard passes, but bottom person was supposed to retain half guard and try to sweep.

12:45-1p: Sweep / pass guard from half-guard. Rotated partners every couple minutes.

1-1:35p: Rolls. 8-minute rounds. Odd number of classmates so I sat out the first roll. Fine by me. At this point I was exhausted. Even contemplated calling it a day and not rolling. Glad I stuck around, but I felt miserable...

Got Professor Leo for my first roll. Leo is a big guy. Probably 6'2" or 6'3", 235lbs? Solid. After a minute or so of trying to pass various spider, de la riva, etc guards I peeled off a foot and tried to stack pass. Result? Caught me in a weak triangle, but I didn't feel too threatened because he didn't have the full angle to lock it in. I thought I defended well (wasn't choking or losing blood flow yet) and tried to remember which direction to step around to for the escape/pass. Professor Saulo yelled out something in Portuguese from the other mat. Professor Leo yelled something back (also in Portuguese) and let go of the triangle. I asked why he let go. Apparently Professor Saulo told him to go easier on me. Professor Leo said he told him that I'm going hard so he had to go hard. No problem. Start over from guard. I don't remember a whole lot of the roll, but he definitely went easier on me. He allowed me multiple opportunities to bridge/hip escape side control to guard recovery and even left back exposed a couple times to see how I'd react. Well...I didn't know what to do, really. Tried to sink hooks in and go for chokes, but since I know I didn't earn the position I spent too much time wondering how aggressively I should attack. He eventually escaped and at some point I could only escape to elevator and switch to turtle to prepare for back defense (man he's quick!). Professor Leo spent some time working for an attack angle and I eventually rolled over in an attempt to establish back survival posture. He allowed the escape to elevator and pass to side control. Again...wasn't really sure how to react because I know I didn't earn the positions. Tis all good though. Glad I had a chance to work with a really big strong guy.

Second roll was with a Blue Belt. Can't remember his name. I was soooo exhausted by this point. I could tell my partner was exhausted as well. I don't remember all the details, but I know things went slowly. Very slowly. Back and forth between guard break, pass, escape, reversal, etc. I fended off multiple deep neck attacks from side control, mount, back, etc. Although they hurt like heck (bordering neck crank), I could breath and could tell I had at least one functioning carotid. I survived and he let go each time. Spent what I thought was the last minute of the roll in side control survival posture. Actually thought to myself, "Good. Looks like he's willing to ride it out." With 2 seconds left on the clock...it stopped...no buzzer. Professor Saulo wanted us to keep rolling. After another minute or so he declared to the class, "I want to see the real you." I could tell my opponent was gassing so I gave everything left in my tank. He tried to lock in the arm bar from mount. I had plenty of time to defend and Saulo's trusty arm bar escape worked like a charm. I locked it in, sat up, stuffed it, extracted the arm, stepped around to side control and almost immediately proceeded to knee on belly. Looked for arm attack and choke opportunities, but couldn't come up with anything. Should have taken a chance or transitioned to mount. Stayed in knee on belly way too long. Long enough for my opponent to push the knee (elbow tight so no step around arm bar opportunities) and recover half guard. I tried to execute one of the half guard passes we drilled earlier in class, but I lost control of his head and he reversed and took side control. Drats. I think we ended there...

I don't recall being as tired after a training session as I was today. Even when I first started. It wasn't a fat out of shape tired. It was a good fatigue. My body feels good. Sore. I'm exhausted. But feel great. If all classes were like this one, I could probably only make two to three per week.