There is an incredible difference between those who experience their power only though the mind and those who also feel it in the body. A person who knows there is a wild wolf living under the skin has less reason to be intimidated by reality. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path
Friday: 131.0
Somnalist Trauma Theater woke me up early again today, although part of my inability to get back to sleep was due to my rumbling stomach. I did eat after class- but those 1-cup portions always have me waking up hungry. A bit sore, but not too bad considering all the training I did yesterday (capped with a Carlos-roll!), when it's been a week since I've stepped on the mat.
Lunchtime BJJ at Gracie Seattle. I ran out of time and did not get my pre-class egg. I did notice tiredness near the end, although it's hard to tell how I would have held up had I tried to keep rolling- I got sucked into some conversations instead.
The way to Professor Carlos' heart is definitely "face time"- he was delighted to see me on the mat yet again, and kept telling everybody who would listen that I had done two classes yesterday. (Is this truly unusual? A lot of the bloggers seem to do it routinely. I wonder if nobody else in this school ever does it...? Seems weird with so many opportunities to train (multiple school locations, two or three classes per day.)) He asked me if I was sore, and I said a little bit. I know it would have made him even happier if I'd said I was in pain- but I really wasn't. This time.
I told him how awesome I thought Kelly was doing, and he agrees! He said that he really enjoyed watching us work last night. He also threw in a compliment for me as well, which was great, although I had another one of those "dog-as-canary" moments (see yesterday afternoon's posting). We joked around a little with telling everyone about our spar, and how I had almost choked him. :) He teased JM because JM was sore. JM had been rolling with *ME* yesterday, and also had not done two classes like I did (as the prof pointed out yet again). Well, one of the things I have always appreciated about this school is that the teachers make you feel as if they are truly extremely pleased to see you show up. It really helps motivate you to do so.
Before class, I asked Nelson to assist me with the same exercise that I had done with Cindy last time I saw her- having them get on top and let me play with slow-motion balances and sweeps. I mean to continue this regularly, with as many different (good) partners as possible. We did that for about 7 min or so, and he liked it as a warm-up.
Standup: One hand on lapel, one hand on elbow. Step back with the lapel side and YANK opponent off balance. Drop elbow, kneel on the knee to the side you just let go with (your knee to the outside of opponent's foot). Pick up the leg. stand up. Yank the lapel again again and "spin-drill" your opponent to the floor with you on top (KOB, side control or mount).
Same thing sans gi jacket. Lapel hand is now hooked behind neck, elbow grip is just above elbow.
Guard pass- the one where you stand up and then reach in your back jeans pocket. After that class just before PanAms where I did this with Angela, I feel comfortable drilling this. I didn't forget the switch of hands, nor the back-of-the-pants-grip. It's all good.
Same thing sans gi jacket. Now you must turn your torso to the side and put your rearmost foot on the mat so that your thigh is a tabletop. Toe pointed as far to the rear as you can. Theoretically, this opens up enough space to dive your hands under the opponent's thigh in front of your belly, then throw your shoulder to the side and pass to side control. This was a lot harder, even with a cooperative parter. Getting out of closed guard in no-gi is a huge problem for me. No lapel grip. No back-of-the-pants grip. Wahhhh.
We also began by having the person on the bottom try to sit up, and you flat-palm hir breastbone to put hir back down.
Positional sparring starting from the "seat belt" stack. That just sucks from the bottom- unless you have the core to straighten out and thrust the opponent up, which I don't, even with a light partner.
I was able to tweak some details for Kristen on many of these things, and she cleaned up everything I told her to- her technique was pretty much perfecto by the end.
One roll with JM. I was getting tired, yet found myself trying a little harder than I normally do- thinking, "He thinks I'm good, so I have to *BE* good!" hee hee hee. I spent a lot of time on the bottom (mostly front mount), so I was vexed at that- but he seemed pleased with me at the end, saying that he couldn't sub me, and that he'd been trying for real.
Then I took Kristen over to the other mat to show her how to hold a good bottom half guard, since she'd asked me about it (Lord knows, if there's one thing I'm qualified to teach in BJJ, it's that!!!!!!). We also played a little bit with escapes from same.
Then we got to yakking and never did get back to work, which was too bad, but at least it was all *relevant* yakking. I'm always glad to get a chance to warn a female white belt of some of the pitfalls that *I* had to discover by falling into them- and wasting time and effort, and getting frustrated.
She's asthmatic and didn't bring an inhaler, so I got down on her a bit for that. I told her what had happened to JB at her first tournament, and told her she *needs* to get an inhaler and bring it to class every time. I really do not want to find myself standing helplessly on the mat watching an asthmatic die in front of my eyes, which is very possible and not a thing to be trifled with.
Then I ran into Nelson again on the way to the locker room, and got caught up in more yakking- this time about school politics. I stay out of politics, so everyone knows a lot of dirt that I know nothing about. This is usually just the way I want it, but I do occasionally step on a land mine because I don't know what's a forbidden topic with this person, or who hates that person. Nelson said something about Miriam having a really bad break with Rodrigo, so that's good to know... I don't really need or want details. Nelson was shocked to learn that I am training with Cindy.
There was a blue belt woman visiting from another branch, and I'm disappointed I didn't get a chance to play with her- but I was pretty tired by then, so likely I would not have given her any kind of decent spar anyway. I have a feeling that out of courtesy, I ought to roll with visiting women- but if I suck, is that like offering a visitor a sour cup of tea? I felt kind of the same when we first went to partner up for drills, and another visitor (Male white belt this time) didn't get grabbed right away. I want to play a good host, which makes me want to grab the visitor so he's not standing there awkwardly like the last kid picked for the kickball team- but I still have the feeling (be it accurate or not) that a lot of men just would rather not work with a pint-sized woman partner (and a slow learner to boot), so there I am offering that sour cup of tea again..... Hmmm. I wonder how it would be recieved if I had invited him to roll light to warm up before class (he was there early, as was I). Then I could have been welcoming, but not "sticking" him with me for the whole class. A slightly dangerous venture when it's a white belt male, though. If he's a jerk, he might see that as me "calling him out", and proceed to break my ribs.
Note: when I go to the Seattle branch, DO NOT FORGET TO PICK UP THE RED ATTENDANCE CARD after class. I brought it in for the first time today, and I almost forgot to pick it up. I sure wish they'd go to a wallet-card-swipe system. That would make life so much simpler for both us and them. It would also allow me to soft-pedal the amount of time I'm actually here. I think all the teachers are onto me about my habit of "forgetting" to get my attendance marked. Both Rodrigo and Carlos are now paying way too much attention to where my cards are. Man, I just really am not ready to get promoted, and it seems to be approaching like a homicidal speeding pickup with me as the deer caught in its headlights.
This will kill you with cuteness: ticklish baby leopard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRE4bcrKCqU&feature=youtu.be
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