The training partner you don't really want.

Never double down on stupid. Don't reinforce failure. When you catch yourself doing the wrong thing, don't let your monkey brain con you into doing the wrong thing harder. Always be humble enough to admit when you've screwed it up and change. And adapt. And win.  -Rory Miller


Three classes in three days, Thurs/Fri/Sat.  Good rolls with skilled people before and after class, including Doug and Casey on Friday, and Lindsey on Saturday.

Ghost escape from under side control (hey, I know the name of a technique!)  I Youtubed this very early in my BJJ career and tried it out on my kung fu teacher to see if it would work.

Another escape from side control- in which you block the crossface, grab opponent's arm, and roll AWAY from hir, pushing hir arm toward your feet as you sit up and turn back in. Fortunately we did this both Friday and Saturday, as I struggled mightily with it on Friday. We are so hardwired to not turn away from the opponent like that. The two keys- have a firm hold on that arm and push it very aggressively toward your feet; and make sure your elbow ends up above the opponent's arm (otherwise you can get elbow locked, as Carlos demonstrated on me).

Both of these escapes involved technical lifts, so a lot of getting up and down... always a slog for us old folks.

Takedown drills- opponent locks hands behind your neck, you lace hands over hir elbow and drag down. Then abruptly fling your elbow up underneath hir OTHER arm. Take the back (easy for me) or place your head on hir chest, arm behind hir waist, and kick leg out from under as if you're dipping hir (hard for me). I should have drilled more of the latter, since it was harder (especially remembering where to put the head), but I am really oriented to that backtake.

Peter: "This is going to be The Year Of Back Mount for me."
Me: (back mounting him) "THE YEAR OF BACK MOUNT!!!!!!!!!"
Peter: "Wait... it's supposed to be the other way."
Me: "You did not specify that."

On Friday, I was anxious because for a while it was looking like I was going to have to drill with Carlos' girlfriend, who just started training. Normally I like training new people, but sorry...... this is pressure I do not need. I trained with Henrique's white-belt wife before- but they were fighting at the time, so he ignored us utterly, so that was fine.  ;)   I would be really uncomfortable working with Carlos' girlfriend in a class that he was teaching.

Saturday, I went to put in my contacts and found that one was torn.... so I had to do class blind.  When Rodrigo was matching us up to roll, I couldn't see that he was calling me out to pair me up with Amy, so I just stood there in the line for way too long. At the break, I apologized and told him that I didn't have my contacts, so I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The next time he went to pair me up, he waved both arms above his head at me like he was flagging down a train.

At the end of class, he INSISTED that I be in the class picture. I always avoid the pictures, and they all know about that, so they usually leave me alone. Today he was so insistant, I reluctantly caved.

Weight has been dead steady for a week now. Frustrating. At least it's not going up.