UNIJJ Open Mat

11:30a-1:30p: Spent last week in South Lake Tahoe snowboarding. Thought I'd be too sore for open mat today but felt surprisingly good. Too bad that good feeling didn't last long.

After stretching and a brief warm-up, I grabbed a large White Belt in his late 20s. Said he started in December. Has a rassling background. Rough roll. We went 14 minutes before I got an arm bar from guard. He smashed through triangle shots, half guard, knee push and de la riva sweeps, etc. Got a nice roll over to side control from top turtle position (as shown in Revolution 1). But...mostly...exhaustion.

Got in six minutes with a 20yr old Orange Belt who started training last Aug/Sept when I trained at UNIJJ for the summer. He's much better. Took my back from guard. Didn't see it coming. Crazy strong for a smaller guy. Other than a couple sweeps, didn't have much to offer.

Rolled with two Purples...sort of... So exhausted. Managed to survive, but I doubt they were trying too hard to tap me. One of the Purples danced on my back as I rested in turtle. I admit it...I was stalling...big time. Trying to catch my breath. Lame.

Got a round in with a 16yr old Blue. Small guy. Probably 140lbs. He crushed my guard and half guard. Swept him several times, but he managed to recover in the post sweep scramble. Quick kid. Took my back at one point and had me locked. Couldn't escape...but a well timed scoop ensured he couldn't finish. Spent the last ~90 secs of the roll in this stalemate.

Last roll with the new big White Belt again. More of the same from our first roll. Caught an arm bar from guard. Pretty textbook. Felt good. Could have shot an omoplata at one point, but I hesitated and didn't want to commit. Should have gone for it.

Finished the session working on various open guard sweeps with the White and Orange Belts. Caio Terra's spider sweeps (as shown here), Saulo's knee push and sweep off a pass, also a little De la Riva.

My lack of conditioning was embarrassing. I rolled lazy and gassed. Under the crushing weight of a couple bigger guys the following thought crossed my mind: "This is not fun. Why do I do this? I should quit. Not for the day, but for good." Never had those thoughts before...

205.8 lbs post-train without gi. Not good, but given my lack of training and atrocious diet the past couple months I suppose it could be much worse.