6:40-8:30p

6:40-7p: Arrived late for self defense. Got tied up at work. Rusty (Brown Belt) demonstrated a bully headlock defense variation. Review. Posture, hips, extend arms to protect against punch, trap outside arm, grip wrist that has you in a head lock, step back while maintaining posture/hip pressure, duck out and twist arm behind attacker's back. Finished with a headlock break from the ground. Frame, shrimp out a couple steps, pop legs up and around attacker's head, extend/squeeze for choke. If frame doesn't break grip, through legs over and use the leverage to reverse the position and take technical mount. Frame again and break headlock grip. Finish with arm bar. Also review.

7-7:15p: Warm-up/standard drills. Did all 20 push-ups (properly) and all core reps.

7-7:30p: Take down technique and drills. Repeat from Monday night, but I wasn't there. Take step toward opponent's same foot (e.g., your right to his/her right), left foot steps inside, tug on grips to bust posture, then step inside and push back (slightly) to get the trip. If done right you'll end up in stand up against an open guard. But landing in half guard is probably more likely.

7:30-8p: Half guard escape technique and drills. Too many detailed steps to recount, but even though I can recount all the steps in my head, I had a terrible time implementing. Hard to explain... Spent 5-8 minutes or so working sweep/pass the half guard with our drilling partners. Not much good to report.

8-8:30p: Rolls. 5 minute rounds. Lots of rest between rounds. Got a first day White Belt (forgot his name), Patrick (Blue Belt), and Dorian (White Belt, 4-stripes). Showed the new White Belt basic positions and guard break technique. Patrick had me locked up in his open guard. Didn't get swept or submitted, but he was using my gi lapel to attempt chokes and generally frustrate my guard pass game. A couple times he had me off balance. He could have swept or stood up and pushed me over, but did not. I suspect he purposefully stayed in bottom position so he could continue to work on his open guard game. Had little to nothing for Dorian. He had a nice hip bump sweep and took mount a couple times. I had a miserable time trying to establish mount survival position. At one point he took my back and caught me in an arm bar. Quick stuff and my "New Normal" approach had no answer to his speed, power, and technical prowess...

Forgot to stretch...geez.

Injury Report: Left knee is bruised pretty good. Slipped yesterday at practice and banged it up. Very tender. Kneeling is miserable. Iced it up tonight. Glad I still have 10 days until the tourney.