Heading to NOLA

Leaving tomorrow for 5 days in New Orleans to visit friends and enjoy my home away from home.  I have an ambitious training schedule planned.  Two classes on Thursday, private and wrestling/takedowns classes on Friday, Q&A and open mat on saturday, open mat sunday, and one class on Monday morning before flying back.  We'll see how well my body holds up.

Trained today at UNIJJ for the first time in a couple weeks.  A series of unfortunately events kept me from the mats.  Work, health, work, health.   Showed up at the 9am class.  I was the only one so the instructor showed me two pass options from De la Riva, each to be used based on opponent set up and reaction.  I was skeptical at first...

Returned at noon for the second day class.  Lots of folks this time.  Two Browns, two Purples, couple Blues and a couple whites.  Worked a technical smash pass.  Big guy jiu jitsu.  Took a while but I started to dig it.  Trained with a big four-stripe White, a Brown, and a Purple.  Didn't gas.  Actually felt really good.  Had complete control of the White, except when it came to finishes (he had a couple solid choke and arm lock escapes).  Brown basically ruined me.  I survived but he was all over my back and caught me with one of the nicest arm drags I've ever experienced.  He also passed my guard at will.  But...  I managed one sweep and then used one of the De la Riva passes I learned earlier this morning.  Worked like a charm.  Finished with a solid round with the Purple.  Got a couple nice sweeps and escaped some tricky spots.  He caught me with a kimura during one of my turtle to guard recovery attempts.  I basically rolled right into the submission.  Oh well, next time.

I think slowing down my game is going to suit me well.  I feel relatively safe and can conserve energy while waiting  for (or working slowly toward) opportunities to apply technique.  I feel like I'm seeing more of the game.  Clarity is nice.