Chokes

Ruminations on the meanings of various belts, by Jiu Jitsu Forum members, continued:
Mr. Cicero:

White: You really suck
Blue: Better but you still suck
Purple: You suck much less, well done.
Brown: Damn, didn't you used to suck at this?
Black: The suck torch has been passed.




Saturday no-gi at Sleeper. Once again I skipped lunchtime class at Gracie's, which is sad (and I miss Rodrigo... I never see him any more), but it really is improving my performance at Sleeper when I'm not dragging my exhausted ass in there after doing a session at GB first. Lamont noticed too-  commented that I was "moving well".

They were working some rather complex kimura mutations with multiple grip changes that were out of my league. I managed to perform the techniques after being walked through them a billion times, but I think live application of these babies is going to have to wait a few more years for me.

While Terry was distracted with something else and Cindy was doing a demo on me, I could not suppress a a pained "GUHHHH-UH!!" That got Terry's attention, and he came over and demanded to be taught whatever had the power to produce that noise.

Rolls with everyone. As usual, no-gi is a step up on the "challenge" meter for me. I got frustrated once, with Terry, and stalled out in scarf. "You giving up?" "Sorta."

I got a number of different chokes on different people today. I seemed to be setting them up a little quicker (which is an improvement that I need to keep working on). Note that one guy was using a no-collar baseball bat (again, gable gripped hands) that was intriguing to me. I was able to defend the actual choke (I have good choke defense skills), but I had to tap to it once just because it was grinding on a nerve point at the base of my skull.

They are urging me to use "short choke" which apparently is a forearm choke with gable-gripped hands. I seem to be using it successfully at times without being aware of such, whereas when I try the RNC I often either 1)can't finish or 2)get my arm grabbed.

Cindy also suggests that instead of hanging off the backs of people's butts as I tend to do when they're turtled, I should try going hip to hip and placing my far hand on HIR hip. Controlling the hips/rear may work out better than getting bucked off, setting in hooks that are immobilizing me, or wrapping an arm in that's going to get me rolled. Note that when I am attempting to control the hips like that, I should be poised squatting on the toes.

I am noticing that I am seeing omoplata opportunities lately. I have been trying for few and getting even fewer- but the fact that I am noticing them is intriguing. One of my most crippling weaknesses is that I fail to observe where the opponent is vulnerable to specific subs- recognizing and snatching the offered opportunities. I want to get better at that.