4:50 to 7:45p

Day late...but better than never...

4:50-5:05p: Arrived a bit early, stretched a bit, and chatted with Steve. It was great to meet someone from the BJJ blogging community.

5:05-5:20p: Jog/walk warm-up.

5:20-5:40p: Core work with partners. Lots of it. Good stuff. Lower back ached. Had trouble with the last set of situps from partner's waist (he was standing).

5:40-6p: Technique. Closed guard grip break to sweep. Worked with Steve. If opponent has either one hand gripped on gi lapels or one/both hand gripped on belt, reach across to one hand (e.g., if goal is to break opponent's right grip, reach over with right hand, reach under with left hand (or pop hips up/down to create space) and grab your right wrist (almost like a figure four grip). Raise arms straight up to break. Release left hand and, in one coordinated movement, pull opponent's right arm across your body and hip escape to opposite side while reaching around opponent's back and grab the left lat (or as Steve said, the "natural shelf"). From here, most opponent's will attempt to posture up creating space between the ground and left leg. Shoot right arm through and hook the left leg, then roll opponent over left side and take side control. The sweep seems easy, but the hard part would be getting set up for the sweep. Coach Foster showed an arm bar variation if opponent does not posture up. Didn't have time to work it though.

6-6:30p: Rolls. 2.5 minute rounds. Felt like I had to make something happen and happen quick. Sprint mentality. Probably the wrong approach as I felt like I was forcing too many things. Rolled with AO (White Belt), Travin (Purple), Bill (Black), and Bobby (Purple). Bill introduced me to a bread slicer and, after I kicked him in the face with a completely miserable attempt to shoot a triangle, wrenched a very uncomfortable gi choke from pseudo north/south or side control. Bobby caught me in an ankle lock but got a wicked hamstring or calf cramp in the process. Managed what Saulo calls "Sweep off a Pass" and fairly basic guard pass (shoot left knee to mat pinning opponent's right thigh, control opponent's left hip and right thigh, step around, insert right knee to opponent's right hip, and consolidate side control) each earning praise from the purple belt. I don't **think** he gave them to me...but only he knows. Had a great time. Enjoyed all the rolls, but escpecially rolling hard with the upper belts.

6:30-7:30p: BJJ 101 class. Brown Belt taught (forgot his name). Learned two different arm bar variations. I really struggled with the second technique as it required serious core muscles to execute the hip shoot/pivot properly. Yet another reminder that I need to improve my core... I worked with AO. He lived in San Diego for 12 years, went to SDSU (my grad school), and knew a lot about Saulo's teaching style. We had some great discussions while working the arm bar techniques.

7:30-7:45p: Helped mop the mats.