Clock chokes are spiffy.

During a training session, when the rational mind slows down the flow of thoughts, the body begins to disclose its secrets. Consciousness is free to travel from one muscle to the next, and have access to powers unknown to those who can’t go beyond cerebral activity. This is not just a physical experience. It is spiritual. It transforms the body as well as the character. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path





More Pan Ams results: Fabiana got 2nd place in her bracket!

I heard fourth- or fifth-hand that Carlos had to fight a very tough guy with a totally different body type- thick and gorilla-esque (Carlos is very tall and lanky). The guy had a seemingly unbreakable closed guard, and he armbarred Carlos from guard. :(


Lunchtime BJJ at Gracie Seattle. Rodrigo was teaching. No sign of Carlos. I hope his arm didn't get badly injured. Maybe he's just tired.

We were doing the same technique that JB and I had done the one night we came in REEEEEEEEALLY late a few months ago. I had remembered it because it was such a cool technique (well, it was cool if you were the one DOING it; if you were being done to, it was just ouchie), but we hadn't had enough time to drill for me to absorb it. I was happy to see it again.

One person in turtle, the other sprawled on top north-south, hugging around the waist. Turtled person cross-grabs a handful of gi pants at the inside of the knee, sticks head out and up at the opponent's ribs on that same side, sticks the leg out straight on that same side, then sits out. Spin quickly to opponent's back and get over-the-shoulder collar grip on the close side, under-the-arm wrist grip on the far side. Place head on mat and start tiptoeing around toward north-south till opponent taps from the choke.

Left vs right cross-body confusion once again for me. I seriously have some kind of spacial-relations-cognizance learning disability. Rodrigo had to come over and walk me through the collar and wrist grips- which one used which hand, which was over the shoulder and which was under the armpit. Then I promptly did it wrong AGAIN and he had to walk me through it a second time. He didn't act annoyed or impatient, but I am SOOOOOOOO embarrassed and frustrated when that happens.

Finally did get grasp it, though, and I had a good partner (Marc) so we whipped out a zillion reps each and gave each other good feedback on how to get it tighter. I adore clock chokes. Clock chokes are one of my very favorite things in BJJ.

Then, a defense for the person getting choked. This was a fun technique as well. As the opponent sets those collar and wrist grips, the bottom person pulls in the elbow of the trapped wrist, reaches back to grab opponent's pantleg with the other hand, and rolls. You end on top, and ideally you immediately move your butt back to pin the opponent's near arm up by hir head. Then you can transition smoothly to armbar that arm... or reach behind the opponent's neck to get a cross collar grip and clock choke her from there....or just take side control. Again, Marc and I cranked out a lot of reps and gave each other good feedback to clean up our respective little sloppy areas.

Two eight-minute rolls. First one was with Bryan. No subs allowed for the first five minutes. Bryan ran a clinic on me. I seriously was just a rag doll that he moved wherever he wanted. At one point I simply went limp because I could tell that I was completely pinned, and struggling was just wasting energy. "Are you okay?" "Yeah." "I'm not giving you ANYTHING." "I KNOW you're not." For the last three minutes, it switched from a dominant-position clinic to a sub clinic. Tappety-tap- tap-tap. He barataplata'ed me, and gave me plenty of time to try to work out of it, but the few options I had for movement just made my plight worse. He didn't have anything to offer when I asked for defenses to that.

Next was Glenn. (he called me "Twenty-two". I said, "I'm never going to live that down, am I?" "Live it down??!? It's awesome!") Well, he was just buttering me up before running Sub clinic number two on me. Tappety-tappety-tap-tap-tappety. Glenn is usually nice to roll with and lets me have some stuff, but not today- today he was a man on a mission. Glenn's current project is obviously wristlocks. He tapped me about ten times in succession with wristlocks from different positions, including wristlocking me while I was trying to cross-collar choke him- he wristlocked me by bracing against his own throat and using a gi wrap. I had to ask, "Did you do that on purpose??" Yes. He armbarred me a little too fast and hard once (then apologized). I also got a fat bloody lip. Good times, as CN would say. He did let me get his back briefly a couple of times, and once I got a bow-and-arrow that I was certain was going to tap him. BJJJM was sitting there watching and said, "Niiiiiiiiice!" Well, it seemed nice enough, but Glenn didn't tap- and before I knew it, I was lying on the bottom and wristlocked again.

After that, I was half dead- and had to take off my jacket and headgear and lie spread-eagled on the cool cement for a time.

Then I asked Marc to roll. I was pretty darn tired. But it was a really long, fun, competitive roll. We closed down the mat.

I tried one more time to get that choke from north-south turtle- the one we did last week- and once more, I got him flipped okay but there was something wrong with my non-choking arm placement. He was able to roll out. I need to ask somebody to help me figure out what I'm doing wrong with that.

Every time he almost got me in closed guard. I stood up and disengaged, then came back in. I know I do not want to be in Marc's closed guard. Only once did he get me there. I thought, "Gaaaah, now comes the triangle," but I eventually managed to get out. He got the technique-of-the-day (that reversal) one me- it's always embarrassing to let your opponent get the technique-of-the-day on you.

I got what seemed like a dozen almost-subs (a variety of different ones, too), where I thought, "AH HA, I have you now!!! Tap, sucka!" And then somehow he escapes. That drives me nuts!

I also need to bring up with him the fact that he keeps repeatedly grabbing half-guard on me and then I get my foot out and take side control. He may be unaware- as I was till recently- that every time that happens, he gives up points for the pass. I need to figure out how to bring that up without sounding like a an obnoxious know-it-all.

I finally tapped him, after what seemed like forever- with a TRIANGLE!!! Astonishing, as I am completely lame in the triangular aspect. I was expecting him to escape while I was adjusting, but I think he was just tired and ready to quit so he let me have it.


(pic- Carlos, in the blue)