Cornelia

Yes, I have finally met the elusive and legendary Cornelia. And she sprained my finger in the first four seconds of our very first spar.

I took photos, but they don't do it justice... it is black and purple and three times as large as it is supposed to be. Of course it is the index finger on my dominant hand, too. Dang.

Medium-small woman, about 145lb, blonde, unassuming-looking. As soon as she introduced herself, I exclaimed, "OH, you're the judo black belt!!"

Open mat only, today... I spent the entirety rolling with Cornelia, except when I was icing my finger. She is good.

I figured out after the first throw (as if "judo black belt" wasn't warning enough) that I do not want to do standup with this woman. Unfortunately, every time I tried to get to my feet, sprawl on her shoulders, or otherwise get my center of gravity above hers, she stood up- and things rapidly went to hell for me when she stood up. She wouldn't let me get away with pulling guard, either... which meant we started every spar with me sliding into bottom half guard or bottom side control. Needless to say, I mostly stayed down there.

(Ugh- it's so hard to type with no functional right-hand index finger)

Cornelia's favorite sub is armbars from the top. She must have set up two hundred of them. I'm glad to say that she only finished one... although I'm a little frustrated with myself for letting her set so many up. I'm further glad to say that I think I got two or three subs for every one of hers. She was mostly getting me with trachea-crush chokes. And after the first couple, I wised up and firmly adducted that elbow the second she placed that arm there. I got a few gi chokes on her, tried some kimuras but didn't finish any, tried some keylocks, which were a total fail- her shoulders and elbows are too flexible. She is like Sonia in that way- don't even bother trying keylocks. And while I was compromising my balance trying the keylocks, she took the opportunity to reverse me.

She has a couple of bad habits... most notably, giving up her back, and letting one arm get trapped up beside her head, begging for a head/arm triangle. I didn't manage to finish as many of those as I wanted to. I was trying to do the telephone-arm thing, but not being able to quite finish- and every time I got close, she used her superior strength and weight to reverse me. I was only able to finish them by scooching up and lying on her shoulder while I used my weight and back-arch. Messy, but it was the only way I could get her.

It was a lot of fun, she's great to work with.... all except for the finger. I don't like the look of it. It looks way too much like digits which in the past have been troublesome for periods of two months. It may well be more colorful tomorrow (although I fervently hope it will have shrunk some), and I'll try to get a decent pic.

(pic-Kaungren, apparently just realizing that he forgot to cut his fingernails!)