Do not let go of the pants, round 7,244

After making an error, it is so easy to cling to the emotional comfort state of what was, but there is also that unsettling sense that things have changed for the worse. The clear thinker is suddenly at war with himself, and flow is lost. - Josh Waitzkin, “The Art Of Learning”


FOD: Tai Chi long form

Saturday morning basics. I still feel tired. I woke up this morning gable-gripping my pillow, ha ha. (The pillow did not tap.)  By the end of class, I was so weary that I was getting sloppy with the drills and felt like a kitten- so I didn't stay for comp class, sigh.

Kaungren was there. He now has 4 stripes on his ratty, faded purple belt.  (Little) John was there too, and we talked about how much he *doesn't* want to be promoted to purple. Sorry John, it's coming like a light in the train tunnel. Angela asked me if I cried when I got the belt. I said no, I just stood there and put both hands over my face. She said, "I cried."

Opponent is in turtle. You hang off the side, near shin parallel to hir shin, far leg posted out straight. Hold both of opponent's lapels under armpits.

Do a little hop and switch legs, so that your formerly FAR leg's shin is now against's opponent's shin. The other leg should be knee-up behind the turtle. Do not throw this leg over the opponent.

Sit back and pull opponent between your legs. Do not lie down on your back (I continue to struggle with this). Get both hooks. Have your feet flexed, and keep them on two different levels.

Open collar with one hand and reach OVER opponent's arm to grip deep with the other hand. Grab pants at the knee with the first hand. Yes, folks,  this is another case of DO NOT LET GO OF THE PANTS!!!!!! In fact, the prof threatened that if *anyone* let go of the pants, the whole class would do 20 pushups. (We had to do 2 sets... but it was not because of me!)

Use that pants grip to lift opponent's leg as you roll hir onto her side ("pillow side", the side that you have your arm wrapped around hir head). Now you are kneeling over hir with one foot on the mat in front of hir belly button, and the other knee on the mat behind hir head. Do not let go of the pants!

Bring the behind-the-head leg around as you sit, and now you have both legs wrapped around your prisoner's chest. If you can trap one or both arms, so much the better. (I hate this sub; it's another one of the subs where it can be nearly impossible to tap. You are also being choked, so you can't verbally tap! Ack!) Do not let go of the pants! Choke.

If opponent reaches a hand up to try to pry off your arm, Let go of the choke and trap the arm. Armbar. Still: Do not let go of the pants!

Drills to exhaustion. My stupid side is stupid. Also, Angela was trying to update me on the UFC standings while I was trying to count the steps of the drill- a conversation made even more difficult by the fact that I can't hear very well through my headgear. She also had to ask me at least 4 times (with increasing levels of vehemence) to please grip lower on her lapel so that she could allow me to finish the technique without tapping or dying. I guess it's good that I am so hardwired to get that high grip, although it seems that my listening skills could use improvement.