More Laziness

Last night started off well enough. Did a fancy drill involving inverted weaves through and around a standing partner's legs. Tough to describe but it made me TIRED.

Rolls were terrible. Just terrible. Got a Brown, Blue, and White. Spent almost the entire time defending back attacks with all opponents. Successfully survived the Blue and White. Brown caught me a couple times. Arm bar and bow/arrow, both from back.

Recognized opportunities to recover guard from turtle but was too lazy to try. Had a couple chances to pass guard but instead allowed the other guy to stand up and push me on my back. Only positive outcomes from the night included a nice sweep off a pass (Brown) and a back escape to side control to technical mount combo (Blue). The White Belt was all over the place. He flailed quite a bit, but managed to pass guard, get my back, mount...all over me. I just defended/survived and moved on. Guess I wasn't in the mood to deal with it.

Won't train tomorrow. Golf with my brother before he deploys for 7mos. Next training likely Tuesday morning.

Lazy / Hurt Grappling

I must be a bad training partner. Seems I get hurt and/or complain about one injury or another every time I'm on the mat. (This time it's a dislocated pinky toe. The other one...). I'm also a lazy grappler. Passing guard is too tiring so I get stuck "trying" to pass in the rare event that I find myself on top. Problem is, often I'm not really trying to pass; I frequently stall and sometimes give up a sweep or roll back into guard where I'm more comfortable.

I'm also far far too comfortable in turtle or when someone has my back. I feel safe there and to do anything that requires too much energy. I can't help but think that my training partners, many of whom spend 50-75% of each round trying to deal with my turtle while I stall, are beginning to take notice.

I'm in a rut. I don't want to be "that guy", but I can't seem to muster the mental toughness that it's going to take to pull myself out.


Oh! Shout out to Megan of Tangled Triangle and her recent interview of my Professor Saulo Ribeiro. Great post Megan!

Starting from Standing

2hrs of semi-open mat on Friday. A few 8min rounds followed by sparring from stand up. Finished with a few more 5-6min rounds. For the stand up portion, Professor Saulo would call up two to spar for about 3mins. The rest of us watched. I got two rounds, each with a smaller Blue. Got a few takedowns, including a double leg and drop seoi nage. The rest was pretty sloppy sparring. I attacked a kimura from north south, lost the position but tried to switch to an arm bar...ended up under side control then mount. Sloppy... Second round I mounted but couldn't finish. The experience was fantastic. Hope to start from standing more.

Tapped...a lot

Great to be back on the mats again. Been healing for 2.5 weeks. I'd say the neck is 80% range of motion with most pain gone. Warm up went well. Managed 20 regular push ups in a row. I think thats a record. The PT has been paying off. Also hand stand walked half way across the mats. Another first. Technique wasa new half guard pass. Had trouble implementing in live sparring. 5 minute rounds. Professor Saulo was merciful tonight. But the short rounds allowed me to roll a lot. I think I had 5 maybe 6 rounds. Tapped a ton tonight. Got some tough guys. Two recently promoted Purples, a couple Blues who give me trouble. Tapped to an RNC, bow and arrow, gullotine, another choke (I don't know what it was but it sucked). One White. Went light with him.

Got selected fora jury. That's gonna impact my training schedule. Will try to make it Friday night. Saturday for sure.