Mauricio is back in town = techniques techniques techniques

Tonight Mauricio showed us a thing or two - to be precise it was two takedowns an escape from half guard and a way to pass the legs if you've gotten out of half guard but they have managed to get their leg wedged between themselves and you.

First takedown:

1. you have your a firm grip of your opponents gi at the elbows with both hands

2. with your right hand pull her left arm toward you and up so it clears your left shoulder

3. turn your back into your opponent while lowering your center of gravity (squatting slightly in setup for the throw); pull her right arm down and across your body; pull her left arm up and over your back

4. uncoil the spring (straighten your legs from the semi-squat position) and pull your opponent forward to throw them over your back

Second takedown:

1. you have your opponents right lapel in your left hand and their left sleeve at the cuff in your right hand (grip with a fist - not with your fingers curved around the edge of the cuff).

2. while pulling her left arm forward; pull your own right hand in, bending at the elbow, toward your own right shoulder then circle your entire arm around her arm finishing the movement by lowering your center of gravity and ducking elbow first and then head under her left arm

3. you should end the above movement with your left knee on the floor between her feet; your right leg extended fully and based out to your right; the left side of your head firmly against her left latissimus dorsi and MOST IMPORTANTLY - her left arm securely locked between your fully bent right arm and your torso.

4. fold your left leg underneath your body and sit back forcing your opponent to summersault over you and onto her back in front of you - then quickly get side control

Escape from half guard:

1. your opponent has you in half guard; they also have underhooked your left arm and have curled tightly underneath you with their neck protected and their head against your left knee

2. circle your right arm around their left arm from the outside and secure it tightly against your body - grab their left lapel if it helps you keep the arm locked tightly in this position

3. as if you were to connect the inside of your elbow to their adam's apple - hook his head and then walk your fingers out effectively uncurling his head and body so he is stretched before you instead of under you as he was

4. pull your leg partially out from the half guard resting your right knee now on his thigh - put the majority of your weight on this knee - your other point of contact is your right shoulder and chest pinning his left shoulder and chest to the floor

5. let go of the left lapel and base your right hand on the floor in front of his right thigh - push your hips forward, pull your right leg free from the half guard and swim your right hand under his right thigh - basing it on the floor; switch your hips and finish in a sprawled side control position

If you've gotten free of the half guard but are prevented from passing to side control because your opponent has braced his bent leg between his body and yours:

1. get a good base and sit back a bit on your heels

2. grab his gi trousers at the knee firmly with both hands and push his bent leg to the floor and pin it there

3. get to your feet but stay low using your body weight (contact points being both your hands on his gi trousers at the knee and your shoulder/upper arm and body on his upper thigh) to keep him pinned on his side

4. bring your knees/base back in tight against your opponent in standard side control with one arm securing against his leg to prevent him from getting you back into guard or half guard and the other arm securing his upper body/neck/shoulders

5. if your opponent rolls to the side in an attempt to get to his knees you can easily just keep control of his legs with your grip on his gi trousers and then, using your body weight to pin him (your point of contact being your shoulder on his upper thighs or bum) down and take his back.

Any clarification or correction of these techniques is most welcome - it's a lot to try and remember.

Last Randori Class Before SENI 2008

Today (as the title suggests) was the last Randori class before SENI next weekend; it was also the last time we will see Roger for awhile as he is going to NY to train with Renzo in preparation for his MMA fight in Japan coming up in about a month. Mauricio is back for a time and I look forward to his presence in our classes. Today's class was huge. I wouldn't be surprised if there were 40 or 50 people on the mat and another 15 or so watching. It should have been good fun, most of my favourite people were there, however, of late I feel as if I am just going through the motions and feeling little enthusiasm about my evolution in the sport. It could be dread of the coming competition or just a symptom of general dissatisfaction. I am hoping that the competition shakes things up and makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu exciting again. I need my mojo back.

I spent some class time and about half an hour after class taking pictures - mostly of people sparring. One of the most pleasurable experiences for me is to be able to give someone a great picture I have taken of them. Taking a good photograph is a real high - for me, I imagine, photography and Jiu Jitsu are similar in that so much of it feels like trial and error. And with both of them I am a somewhat impatient and lazy student - I do not like to study and practice exercises - I just want to wing it and hope for the best. It works often enough to encourage this approach but I imagine with time I will learn to invest some time and energy into a more structured approach. 

Final note - I weighed myself this evening and I was 67 kilos! That is where I need to be - but I am wary as I was 69 yesterday and 70 every day last week - it is absolutely erratic and so I am not going to change anything - I'm going to continue as I have been until next weekend, when I will modify somewhat - but not too much as I am really keen to get down to about 65 and stay there. At any rate, I am stoked - it looks probable that I will fight middleweight.

Defense

Advanced Class tonight with Gustavo and Ollie. Warm up was followed by king of the hill takedowns first and then guard passage - so it was a fairly inactive class for me until about 8:30 when we started sparring. 

It could be my mind playing tricks on me but I imagine that many of the guys are not as willing to roll with girls when it gets close to competition time - they want to roll with guys who are going to test them and toughen them for the big day...maybe, maybe not. At any rate I have to get those thoughts cleared from my head and work with the people I choose to work with instead of making excuses or waiting for someone, anyone, to ask me to spar. 

I worked with a partner I often work with and it is the same story over, and over, and over again: she dominates initially and gets side control, or more often side control in my half guard; then she gets loose while setting up a choke and I escape and get to my knees and then she gets my back and tries to choke me and I escape and turn into her guard or end up escaping and getting side control, only to get swept and then the cycle starts again. I haven't gotten tapped by her lately - that I can remember anyway - but it is still frustrating to get stuck in the same series of moves over and over. I dream of having an offensive game one day!

Randori w/Ollie

As Jude (and others) are in Paris for a no gi competition today he was not here to run the Randori class.

It was a good class, even though I was not feeling super energetic I rolled all but about 5 minutes of the sparring sessions. In trying to get down to Middle fighting weight for Seni I have been cutting carbs and it has made me somewhat weak and tired in training. I am not sure if this is the best way to approach a competition. But seeing as I have the inspiration to cut the weight and I don't really have too much at stake I figure why not go for it? Though I lost 1.5 kilos a couple days into it I have now plateaued there - it should start going down again.

I had in mind for class today to just concentrate on keeping tight and keeping my base - not necessarily in that order. It worked to some degree. I asked a friend to show me how to get out of a submission setup she often gets me in and it was hard to concentrate on what she was telling me - I guess that is why instructors show these things over and over again. Let's see what I can recollect...

1) she starts in side control and moves to north/south position

2) she then pins me down and sets me up for an arm bar - she is essentially pinning me down by sitting on my head and (I guess?) holding my arms and shoulders with her knees/thighs/arms

the first escape is to use my hands and arms to push her back off and away from my head and then to quickly get on my knees - but I have to do that before she gets one of my arms

3) she gets one of my arms and is readying to apply the arm bar

I take my arm from between her legs and brace it (actually brace both arms) against her leg/calf and make enough space to snake/roll to the side and get to my knees, remove my head and take side control - or - (and here I am pretty fuzzy on the logic) if her arm bar is loose, I can work my head from under her leg to the inside and push with it laterally to release the pressure on my arm while I get to my knees - but I need to think this through because it seems like a triangle would be imminent if I did this series of moves...?

I don't think that trying to learn new tricks now will pay off in competition in two weeks time but I would like to concentrate on remembering some sweeps - especially from open guard and to make choke attempts.

More de la Riva Guard

On Thursday night Jude taught us another sweep from de la Riva Guard:

1) you have your opponent in your open guard

2) get a cross grip on your opponents right sleeve with your right hand and a grip on their right ankle with your left hand

3) pull her right arm over your right shoulder causing her to step forward with her left leg

4) let go of your grip on her right sleeve to secure a hold of her left leg, from the inside, securely just above the knee and hold this grip tightly - you are essentially pulling her knee down onto your bicep to keep it away from your body

5) at the same time as you are executing #4 above you want to keep your left leg bent at the knee with your shin pushing against her right inner thigh

6) push and then release with your left leg in order to get your left insole on her right knee

7) push against her right knee with your left leg, effectively sweeping her to your right

You have to be careful with this as you can easily pop the knee of you opponent with this move - best to put your left insole slightly above the knee when pushing to obtain the sweep.

He taught us another technique as well but I cannot remember it! That's what happens when you wait to long to write this stuff down.

De La Riva Guard

I now know what de la Riva Guard is (from first hand experience): the de la Riva guard (named after Ricardo de la Riva Goded - pictured right) is an open guard characterized by one leg being wrapped around your opponents leg from the outside, his ankle held with one hand and the other hand gripping one of his sleeves.

As you will see with the technique we learned tonight that there are variations even on the general description offered above (plagiarized from wikipedia: Guard).

Tonight Gustavo taught us the following sweep using the de la Riva Guard:

1) you have your opponent in an open guard - get a cross grip on his lapel with your left hand

2) get a grip on his left sleeve with your right hand

3) first put your right foot and then your left on his hips 

4) with both feet/legs push him away from you

5) take your right foot off his hips and wrap it around his left leg - holding it with pressure from the top of your foot against his inside thigh

6) to reduce risk of attack your opponent will likely sit/kneel down in your guard on his right knee, and if he does:

7) with the grip you have on his left sleeve - sweep his own arm underneath him (and underneath your own leg wrapped around his leg de la Riva style); then pull him to the right with your right leg while simultaneously pushing with your left leg to sweep him to your right - if you let his momentum carry you - you may well end up in mounted position

8) an alternate if you find you are having trouble sweeping with your left foot on his hip you can move it to his bicep or shoulder for more leverage.

Randori

Randori class, as usual, today. It was a good class and I trained pretty hard. It is nice that I'm feeling more and more a part of the 'family' at the academy. I am flattered that I get asked by higher level belts to spar with them and I am getting better at holding my own with them (not giving up before I've started because I know they can kick my ass with one arm tied behind their backs). It is frustrating that opponents of similar skill level are more apt to attempt submissions; I tap to them less and less as my defense gets stronger but the frustration lies in that I find myself time and time again on defense. With the Gracie Invitational just around the corner, and my considering competing in it, I find myself thinking a little to much, and a little too self-critically, about my game. The thing is that I don't want to just not loose - I want to win. 

single leg takedowns (and a double leg variation)

We learned a few takedowns in Jude's class yesterday:

1st:

1) you are standing facing your opponent - grab her left lapel with your right hand and in circular fashion step back and to the right with your right leg, effectively pulling her from a squared front stance to a left leg forward stance

2) drop down onto your left knee, placing it just outside her right foot and loop your left arm around her leg, grabbing your own right lapel with your left hand; keep your head on the inside of her right thigh

3) let go of her left lapel with your right hand and get a grip on her right heel/ankle 

4) push back against her thigh with your head while simultaneously pulling forward on her ankle; she will fall and when she does, angle for side control 

2nd:

1) same as above

2) drop down onto your left knee, grab her right leg and stand back up, securing her right leg between yours; get a good palm to palm grip around her thigh with your head on the inside - instead of keeping your head against her inside thigh (which makes it easy for her to push your head down and extract her leg), get your grip higher on her leg and push your forehead or crown of your head against her floating rib which makes it much harder for her to push you away and escape.

3) step forward with your right leg and bring her right leg from between your legs to the outside of your left leg 

4) push forward with your head and body and pull up on her left leg to take her down

The 3rd is actually a double leg variation on the 2nd technique above:

1) same as above

2) same as above

3) take your head from the inside (her floating rib) to the outside (right side of your head pressing against her right lats); looking up to encourage posturing up

4) take your right arm from it's grip on her right leg to a good grasp around her waist (if you are strong you can grab her left leg instead)

5) step forward with your right leg to off balance your opponent, step your left leg in a better position (closer to your right) to get under (if you will) your opponent and then lift her up, swinging her legs to your right, and take her down

In all of the above techniques it is important to keep your back straight; bending at the hips - for better leverage and posture (and presumably back health and safety?).

In sparring later in the class I successfully used the sweep we learned in class on Wednesday - Yay!

cool sweep

Gustavo taught us a very cool sweep from open guard tonight:

1) get a cross grip on your opponent's right sleeve and from the inside, encircle his left leg with your right arm like you would for a handstand sweep; then swivel your body to your right so you are perpendicular to your opponent

3) extend your left leg up; securing your foot in his left armpit

4) quickly extend your right leg and secure the sole of your right foot against his right thigh close to the knee

5) push up and to your right with your left leg and back and to the right with your right leg (don't forget you still have a cross grip on his right sleeve) effectively sweeping your opponent to your right

6) his downward momentum will pull you up and onto him AND you will have his left leg in perfect position for a knee bar!

I also sustained my first disfigurement in class tonight by way of a finger/nail in my (closed) eye - it will surely heal, probably without scarring, but  have a good raspberry and a good story to tell for the next couple of days. 

Gratitude

Last nights class was great fun! Great warmup - hard core abs and press-ups - thanks Ollie! Then we did king of the hill (guard passage) for awhile. It seemed like everyone that started in guard stayed there for the duration while white and blue belts went around in quick succession. I was having fun with it and had the epiphany that it is great that those of us with less skills do this - eventually we will get good at passing guard! Duh! Twice I tried to pass Gustavo's guard - I took the opportunity to ask him about a move I've often seen other's do but have never been shown - to pass guard: 

1) grab both lapels high with both hands and push your fists (each holding it's respective lapel) into your opponents armpits

2) put your forehead on your opponents sternum and push with your arms, moving your hips back, in the direction of your feet

3) your opponent will likely move his legs up your back in effort to keep you down/break your posture - as soon as he does, put your knee behind his tailbone, posture up and break his guard - you are now in open guard and better able to pass

Later Roger taught an escape from half back mount:

1) your opponent is on your back his right hook in deep and his right arm around your neck in preparation for a choke

2) you first protect against the submission (in this case the choke) by placing your left hand on his bicep and bracing the left elbow tightly against your left thigh (so he can't get the other hook in)

3) reach up with your right hand and grab his gi at the shoulder (his right shoulder), while basing up with your left leg

4) pull his right arm and shoulder to your left turning your torso and head to the left and keeping your left arm/elbow tight against your thigh

5) now your opponent cannot finish the choke because he is off balance (clinging to your side like a koala bear) and he will fall off mount if he lets go to reach for the choke

6) continue to pull his right arm and shoulder to your left while pushing forward with your right shoulder and left leg, pop your head up onto his chest and find yourself in a half guard side-control position!

After lessons we had open sparring - I rolled every session and was the only girl in class so got to work with lots of guys I don't normally work with. I am glad to be getting out of the limiting habit of mostly only rolling with the other girls. I guess I went through a phase where I was a bit afraid to work with people I wasn't used to working with and afraid to work with guys - but really the level of almost everyone in the advanced class is really good and, as far as I can tell, they are there to practice technique - not work out their aggression or display their superior strength or to kick some girly ass! I have really really enjoyed working with the guys lately and think it is improving my game to open myself up to working with a greater variety of people. I even pulled off (almost) the technique Roger taught us in one of my sparring sessions with a really good blue belt - it felt like he was letting me - either that or I was doing a good job of it. To give myself some credit - my defense has probably gone up a level which enables me to increase my confidence in working with a greater variety of sparring partners.

After class a bunch of us went to the pub down the street to have a birthday drink with Joanna. It was good fun. I talked a bit with Goran Reljic - UFC fighter who trains BJJ at RGA when he is in London and will be fighting in UFC 84 on May 24th in Las Vegas - with he and Roger Gracie in attendance I felt a bit a part of an elite crowd - for that and all the fun had joking around with the others it was a very memorable evening and reminds me how grateful I am to be able to take part in this sport at this time with these people.

March 28th 2008

Learned a technique for passing guard in No Gi tonight: 

1) get a good base and move your right knee right behind your opponents tailbone - step/base your left foot out to the left - push back to make a little space in front of you between your opponents legs 

2) with hips forward and a good base, weave your left arm behind your back and under your opponents right leg while simultaneously weaving your right arm in front of you between his legs

3) 'underhook' his right leg with both arms and lean your bodyweight on the leg pushing forward with your chest

4) keep your left arm/hand gripping his right leg and sweep your right arm around his left leg so that you have a good grip of each thigh

5) drive forward while bringing your palms to grip each other, effectively stacking your opponent

6) pass to one side and gain side control

morale

Jude has returned - YAY!!! And it was brutal - in the best possible way - so much so that I don't even remember the warmup. Lots of calisthenics - followed by specific sparring.

Techniques - there were two. 

The first was a triangle from guard:

1) you have your opponent in your guard

2) grip his gi at the left knee securely with your right hand

3) base your right foot on his left hip

4) push/snake out your hips to your right while securing your left foot in the crook of his right arm/bicep

5) get a grip on his right sleeve with your left hand and pull him forward onto you while snaking your hips back in to your left; slipping your left leg up >> over >> behind his head and securing the triangle - you can now let go of his gi trousers to tighten the triangle.

The second was a sweep from half guard:

1) you have your opponent's right leg in your half guard

2) you grip his gi at the bottom of his left trouser leg securely with your right hand

3) get a grip on his left arm/sleeve with your left hand

4) get your right knee between his body and yours - braced against his chest

5) turn/snake to your right - pressing against his chest with your left leg/knee and with both arms down and to the right (by his left knee) 

6) quickly arc in a large C from right to left effectively pulling his body on top of you with his right arm ending up way out to your left and his left knee still firmly in your grip

7) as you arc and pull him onto your chest continue with the momentum rolling backward all the way over his body and then secure side control or mount if you can get it.

Damn - this stuff gets complicated!

There was a new blue belt girl in class today which is always cool!

I sparred all but one session - and though I was in an amazingly good mood at the beginning of class I felt a bit deflated by the end. I rolled with a brown belt twice, a guy I totally like and respect, and it was a total bummer to realize yet again that I just give up before I've started with the higher belts. I totally am ridiculous to feel bad about it because in addition to complimenting me (I should assume it is honest eh?) he taught/reminded me that when I'm in someone's guard and he has a grip on one of my legs to put up the opposite leg - spoiling his ability to sweep me; and also when he has a grip of my sleeve (?) to hold down his hand with my free hand (and pressure from my body) and pull/rip the sleeve free.

Note to self - go to class well rested, and make the most of it when a higher belt offers to roll with you! Actually - make the most of rolling with everyone - take every opportunity. As my friend says "I'll take whatever you give me!" I did feel like my fitness is coming along - nice! All the spinning and running is paying off.

No Gi

With some prodding from a BJJ buddy I decided to try a No Gi class. I have never been particularly interested in No Gi because there is (as the name implies) the absence of the big protective Gi that makes regular BJJ less awkward as a girl; I wore several layers under my Gi trousers and t-shirt in effort to combat this. (You may wonder why in a No Gi class I was wearing Gi trousers? Well, an acceptable get-up for No Gi training appears to be Gi trousers and t-shirt, and a few others in class were sporting this particular look. I think that before one commits to No Gi and invests $$ in specific No Gi garb, that this is the de rigueur choice for training). Another reason I was not keen on jumping into No Gi is that I have watched some No Gi and it looks messy - sweaty and fast and therefore perhaps more likely for one to get hurt with elbows and knees slipping and flying this way and that. 

There were very few people in class - I think 9 in total - and most of them BIG guys! This did not help my nervousness, but the warmup, lead by Ollie, did. I have found this in competition as well - when I start to get nervous it helps tremendously to just MOVE - run or do calisthenics. I was hoping to get paired up with the friend that had encouraged me to go to the No Gi class and was not looking forward especially to getting paired up with one of these huge guys that had turned up on Good Friday for a tough, rough-n-ready roll. 

We continued the warmup in pairs doing the frog jump over and then crawl through the legs 10 times each (I was dripping!); and then 'pumelling' (exchanging alternate underhooks from a standing 'clinch' position). In effort to find a better explanation of pumelling I found this inspirational clip: Luta Livre -- No Gi Brazilian Submission Wrestling and Vale Tudo

Warmup rolled right into specific sparring from closed guard with no instruction whatsoever. I ended up paired with a guy new-ish to the academy - well, new to the advanced classes, who I had only rolled with once before and though he was very nice he was also very intense. Since I worked with him last he seems to be concentrating on technique instead of strength and speed - he said as much himself. I think that often this happens in the transition from the beginners classes to the advanced. He also had an elbow injury which likely slowed him down even more - fortunately for me. Anyway, he was a pleasure to work with, though I had no idea how to get out of guard without use of collar, sleeves or trousers! I kept grabbing his trousers at the knees as I would in a regular Gi class and heard from behind me somewhere, Ollie, chiding me that the point is to NOT use the Gi! 

I worked with a few other guys and had a pleasant experience with each of them. I didn't wonder, until now actually, how they must feel about rolling with a girl in No Gi - I could be wrong but I think that they were, for better or worse, more mindful of working smart as opposed to working hard. I was at a couple of points acutely aware of how much more exposed I felt without the Gi but for the most part I was just trying to figure out how to do anything I've learned without using the Gi. I really have no idea if I was successful or not - In my opinion No Gi is a much tighter game as it is so easy for your opponent to slip and wriggle out of anything you get him in - I think it will serve my game, Gi or No Gi, well to work on getting tighter.

I took it pretty easy and sat out for a couple of rounds - watching Braulio Estima and Roger Gracie training No Gi on one end of the mat - a definite perk of training at Roger's academy! Even with two years of BJJ behind me I still often wonder what I am looking at when I watch the masters in action - though I may not know what they are doing it is still brilliant fun to watch and maybe even inspirational...

No Gi is definitely faster, and therefore more of a cardio workout than Gi, which I definitely like. I also have to agree that I think learning No Gi will help my Gi training because most of it can be used in Gi - it could be a huge advantage! I would like to learn more No Gi technique and to become more comfortable working without the psychological protection of the Gi jacket; I think it is safe to say I may find myself in the No Gi class again.

***

Tonight I really did not want to go to class. I was tired and have trained in one form or another for the last 4 days straight after a fairly inactive period while I was battling a cold. I just wanted to crawl into bed and fall into early and blissful sleep - but - I figured there will be plenty of time for that this coming 4 day weekend. And it is usually the time you need a class the most when you feel least like it. I've often been soooo glad I went when I forced a reluctant self to get my butt to class. I am glad I went tonight but it was not a euphoric experience - merely enjoyable and provided a sense of dedication and accomplishment - not too shabby.

Ollie warmed us up - I suffered an embarrassing inability to keep up the pace for the 12th set of 10 press-ups - but you know what? I don't really give a damn - I'm a girl AND yes I did girl press-ups but I did them with very good form which is a lot more than I can say for most of my fellow classmates! And I will be able at some point to do regular press-ups - and 12 sets of them! 

Then we did some drills - throws - just the pickup and then one person attacking and the other defending for 3 minutes each, then guard passage.

We learned a new technique! Yay! I guess you would call it a sweep from guard - but a sweep from guard to full back mount - I wonder, do you get 6 points for that? 

So: 

1) you have your opponent in guard and you feed both your hands under his armpits and then, with guard closed, hoist him onto your chest pulling with both your arms and both your legs

2) then you open your guard while holding him tight to your chest with both arms

3) pull your opponent up further on your chest and then triangle his legs at knees or below

4) then snake to one side (Gustavo swears it doesn't matter which side) pull out the arm that is under your opponent, come up on the elbow and then take his back!

We finished with open sparring for the last half hour. I think I only sparred 3 rounds, but it was fun. I wanted to take it easy as my shoulder is bothering me and I didn't want to go to class in the first place!

As the title suggests - 3 *'s - a decent technique, a decent workout, fun with my peeps and a good attitude - room for improvement all around but as I said before I am glad I went.

Tchau! 

guard passage and more guard passage ... or not

Tonight's class was really fun. I had a good time anyway - it gets 3.5 stars, only because it consisted of a warm up followed by 50 (!) minutes of King-of-the-Hill guard passage and finishing with 30 minutes of sparring. No techniques. As usual with King-of-the-Hill I do not last long with any partner and spend far more time on the wall than on the mat, but as last time, I had fun with it and everyone was being very technical and relaxed - friendly and gentle actually - hey, maybe I should be offended! 

Sparring was good and I worked with many of my favourites. I kept thinking that I should be trying harder after the feedback last week that I give things up too easily. I am not sure what is going on there - I am sure it would behoove me to put some effort into thinking more strategically and building speed and strength to pull off some of those techniques but I do not want to jeopardize having fun by getting down on myself for not being more disciplined. I think it will come and I will do those things, but in a way that compliments my enjoyment of the sport instead of making it a means of self torment.

After class I sparred with a couple people (made up for all that down time on the wall earlier in class) and got tapped repeatedly by my first partner - it wasn't disheartening - I seem to really be just getting pure enjoyment out of BJJ these days - it is a most welcome relief after months of feeling plain crummy about it. My second partner was more of a teaching session than sparring and I got a lot out of it - not that I can relay it all here but principally, what I brought away from it was a few things: (1) I should be aware of what I've got on my opponent and not give it up if it is good - think about what to do next while I've got a good position (the more techniques I get down solid the easier this will become); (2) when working for side control from my opponents half guard, base out with my free leg and push my hips forward to release my trapped leg; and (3) finally an answer to what I asked Gustavo about last time but couldn't remember (or at least more detail on a related series of moves): when my opponent has broken my guard I put my left foot on her right hip, hold her right lapel with my left hand, hold her left sleeve with my right hand, push her left leg out to the side (not directly away from me but to the left) and sweep her over to the left ending in mount position.

Though I promised my brother I was going to start today to do the resistance and cardio he's laid out for me, I am going to work it in gradually; starting tomorrow! I will do a spinning class and the resistance series he's given me. I'll get to being a complete workout fanatic - but in baby steps thank-you-very-much. I imagine it will help my jiu jitsu - better endurance, more strength and speed. Perhaps at some point I should work some flexibility into the game plan.

**** - Introducing the Star Rating System

I probably should not have gone to class last night; I've got a cold, and though I've had it since last Thursday or Friday and so am probably past the contagious stage, I was coughing a bit and had to leave the mat to blow my nose. I actually seemed to get more congested as the class went on and this morning the sore throat had returned. All of this, of course, is to assuage my feelings of guilt for missing tonight's class. However I am convinced that it is best for all to get better before getting back on the mat. 

All of that said, Tuesday night's class was really good - I would say a four out of five stars. I think it is funny to assign a star system to BJJ classes but it may also be a good way to take quick stock. I think for me the criteria is based as much, if not more, on my level of mental and emotional well being as on what I take away from the class technically and physically. Last nights class was fun, I learned something and I got a good workout. Four stars is fantastic. As of right now this is my rating system (which is subject to change at any time without notice):

Five stars is over the moon - great instruction, fun, a feeling of confidence, some retention of new techniques and/or evidence of using technique in sparring, a vigorous workout - in short, a class that elevates me and has me walking on the clouds.

Four stars is fantastic - all of the above but not quite at the same pitch.

Three stars is good/satisfactory - some of the above but not all 

Two stars is sub-par - for whatever reason leaving class with a feeling that I didn't get out of it what I wanted or was in some way disappointed with myself on some level (mental, emotional or physical)

One star is frustration to the point of not being able to take anything of value from the class.

So why did last night's class get four stars? Well, as I said I think it has more to do with me and my mindset than anything - so I guess I was in good form mentally last night. Here is a description of the class from my point of view to help flush out the rating system: 

We didn't learn any new techniques. Ollie* warmed us up for a grueling 10-15 minutes (he obviously subscribes to the Jude philosophy of physical training - hallelujah!) and then Gustavo lead us in the following drills with a partner:

1 minute - arm bar drill from guard - alternating sides

1 minute "rest" while partner does the drill

2 minutes - from spider-type guard to triangle - alternating sides

2 minutes "rest" while partner does the drill

1 minute - jump to standing from in guard - leaning on partners chest and bringing both legs up simultaneously (I couldn't do this very well - pulled it off once)

1 minute "rest" while partner does the drill

Then we did guard passage King of the Hill. As usual I did not spend too much time on the mat but the line moved quickly and I was having fun with it and enjoyed working with everyone. I asked Ollie to tell me what I was doing wrong and he told me that my technique was good but that I was lacking confidence - that I stopped twice though in both instances he said he did not have the submission/sweep. I think I can work on that!

During the little break at the hour mark I asked Gustavo for some advice - whenever someone has broken my guard, my inclination is to turn on my right side and brace my left knee/shin against my opponents chest and it never works well for me. Gustavo said that what I was doing makes it too easy for my opponent to just push my left knee to the mat and gain side control and that what I should do instead is to put my left foot on my opponents right hip, my right hand in his right collar (cross grip) and (I'm a little fuzzy here) grip his/her right cuff in my left hand and control his/her left arm with my right leg/foot. To be honest I forget now the latter half of what he told me - but most importantly to keep my left foot on his/her right hip and control the torso and other limbs as needed - a much more active position. The guy I asked to be my partner while getting this instruction from Gustavo offered for me to drill this a little and I declined - perhaps if I had I would remember now - Note to self!

For the last half hour of class we did open sparring. I did four rounds and sat our two or three (I was feeling snotty and tired) but really enjoyed the sessions I did take part in. It was a small-ish class and as I don't often go on Tuesdays it was not the usual cast of characters (though still all faces were familiar - I think some of these guys must live at the academy!) - it was really good, on many levels, to roll with new people and people I don't often work with. I was really a nice class and I left feeling much better for having done it, with a new optimism and glad to have gotten a good workout - I just hope I didn't infect anyone!

*I've decided to only use names of the instructors and the assistants in effort to respect people's privacy - I hope none of you mind being anonymous!

Introduction

I promised a BJJ friend I would do this: create my very own Jiu-Jitsu blog to track and explore The BJJ Effect as it pertains to me. Never having done martial arts before (except for a series of Judo classes when I was 10) I am not sure how the BJJ Effect differs to that of other martial arts - but perhaps it is the BJJ Effect in action that makes it such that I have no interest in other martial arts (as a practice at least). I found BJJ quite randomly; I had been working out consistently at a gym near my work in Novato, California and two things occurred to me: 1) I was bored and wanted something to make working out fun again, and 2) I wanted whatever that was to be closer to my home for ease of getting in my workouts on the weekends. An ex-boyfriend had encouraged me to try martial arts (he trained at the United Studios of Self Defense) but I never got as far as setting foot in the Dojo. But now it had become appealing and I thought I would see what it had in it for me. A good friend is a Kempo practitioner and teacher so I considered that as well as Tae Kwon Do. I had every intention of trying out a few places before making my mind up, however my first visit to a school called Practical Martial Arts was positive enough to end the search early. PMA taught classes in essentially Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (though they undoubtedly borrow from many disciplines as they have the utmost integrity and would not bill themselves as teaching the techniques of mixed martial arts blended with traditions and principles of the past without doing just that). Initially, as is true today, the cornerstone of my commitment to BJJ is that it is a great workout - and I really enjoyed the cardio element of the standup portions of the class, I went along with the groundwork because it was just part of the program. In truth I was intimidated by the groundwork and therefore found myself fascinated by it and eventually (after about 2 months) got myself to go to classes that focussed on BJJ. My teacher was very engaging and encouraging and I found that soon I was getting to every class I could ... the BJJ Effect! This all started in Early March of 2006; four months later I decided to move to London, England; little did I know that arguably the best BJJ fighter in the world today had an academy there. I moved to London on the 4th of July and enrolled at the Roger Gracie Academy on the 13th of July. I got my blue belt from Roger Gracie on June 4th 2007. Though morale waxes and wanes I think I am in it to win it; and as one can have mastery in BJJ, but that BJJ can never be mastered, means I will be doing this for awhile. In the writing of this introduction to my personal BJJ odyssey I realize it is my 2-year anniversary in the sport and a perfect time to renew my commitment to it. I will endeavour to log what I have learned about BJJ (techniques) and myself after each lesson. Tchau for now.