Oh yeah- HER.

A while back, I made a traffic stop on an elderly woman. As she looked for her driver's license, I noticed her concealed-carry permit. "Do you have a weapon in your possession at this time?" I asked. "Yes, a .45 automatic in the glove box," she said. "Do you have any other firearms?" "A 9mm Glock in the center console." "Is that all?" "And a .38 Special in my purse," she admitted. I smiled. "What are you so afraid of?" Looking me right in the eye, she said, "Not a damn thing." -Patrick Irick


Thursday evening at Bellevue.

I caught a little flak from Carlos for being too lazy to show up to lunchtime or no-gi class today... I was already feeling guilty about it, so had every intention of staying for open mat after class. Unfortunately, it must have been a thousand degrees in the gym tonight. Nothing wipes me out faster than being overheated. I had a hard time getting through the drills.

From standing- grip opponent's rt sleeve cuff with your left hand. Slide into half guard on opponent's rt leg, underhooking the other leg with free hand for deep half guard. From here, you can roll outward for a sweep (which I found a bit easier to execute (albeit slightly more complex to set up) by using my knees to prop up), or you can sneak out the back door. This seems like stuff that can really play into my personal game, but I think I will need another few classes to truly grasp it.

A few of us were talking about upcoming tournaments in the changing room. Kelly (who has her 4th stripe!) was urging me to do this one or that one, and I said, "Of course, I'd be in Amanda Loewen's bracket again."  Kelly goes, "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." and we both looked at each other in a perfect understanding of horror.

"Tool him!"

Beating up on myself was the only fight I knew I could win. –Elena Stowell


Wednesday lunchtime at Seattle.

So tired. Often when I start out tired, I'll forget about the tired once I get going. Not this time. Tired all the way through the class and even more tired by the end.

Upa.

Then: opponent tries to front mount you, you stuff the leg into your half guard, then replace full guard. I use this a lot, so it was flowing pretty well for me- but with the tired, I was noticing more than ever that you really have to get your moves started before the foe SETTLES.

One roll with Cindy. I tried to keep moving, and also tried to not go where she was baiting me to go- although sometimes I think this resulted in even worse positions for me. She never runs out of Plan B, C, D, E, F and beyond.
----------------------------------

Evening in Bothell.

Same two techniques from afternoon, plus a basic headlock escape- elbow to the mat, turn belly down, overturn opponent, pry opponent's arms off, armbar.

One roll with a huge white belt. He even *looks* like a sumo wrestler. I know this guy could have squished me like a cockroach, but he was being nice with his weight. I got one bow and arrow. I couldn't get his pantleg because we were jammed up against the wall, so I had to use little jerks to reposition us till I could get enough leverage to finish. When we were done with the entire roll, he sat up straight and went "Oh my GOD!!!!!!!!" (which was gratifying)

One roll with a brand new guy. He was lighter than the other, and also being nice about not using muscle. His buddies were all lined up by the mat good-naturedly urging me to tool him. I don't usually do that... but the guy was laughing and having fun, the mood was light, and it seemed like he wasn't going to be traumatized or anything if I did tool him. So I tooled him probably more than I've ever tooled anybody. This is something I just don't get to experience, EVER... it was so bizarre that I'm not even sure if I had fun or not.

Then, lest I get a swelled head- a roll with Will to keep me humble. He's not as good as Jalen (yet), but I have to bust my buns to keep up with him. He knocked out a couple of really nice technical tricks today. Always enjoyable. I hope he doesn't grow too fast.  ;)

With the white belts: I used some spider guard, as it seems to fairly reliably flummox white belts more than anything else does. I wish I was better at sweeps from spider guard. Something to continue to work on. Setting up triangles is starting to become easier from here. I did set up a triangle on the sumo wrestler and two triangles on the other guy. Didn't finish any- still striving for that part. I tried to transition to an armbar or omoplata from the failed triangles. That didn't quite work out. I'm happy at having been able to conceive and try for a plan B, though.

Nice to see a few little girls in the kids' class today.

Friday Friday

I know people who are healthy, strong and agile, but they are not aware of it. Their bodies possess a wisdom that they can’t access. They are like little gnomes who direct the body from the control room; prisoners within their heads. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path

Friday lunchtime at Seattle.

All spars. I was hoping to keep the groove from yesterday going, but no such luck. In BJJ, your good days seem to almost always be followed by crappy days- and vice versa.

Today was a day of repetitive "Oops- I knew better than that- why did I do that?"

 My first roll was with Carlos. Note that I once again forgot that he wants me to quit trying to shove him over backward from his knees, and to quit being so fixated with trying to get on top. He wants me to work on my bottom game, esp sweeps. He knelt on my right hand today, but it seems to be a minor injury, thank Gods.

Hedge got me with the same (really awesome) rear summersaulting armbar that he got me with yesterday. I keep setting it right up for him; I need to quit that. Bryan wasn't there today, but I stuck my arm up by my head for Angus a few times. Ed used the same standing guard pass on me three or four times, and FINALLY at that point I got a clue and just quit trying to set up del a Riva on him. It was basically the same pass that Cindy does to me all the time, so I need to stop letting everybody do that on me.

Set up two triangles on a 4 stripe white, but he had shoulders like a musk ox and it wasn't going to happen unless it was set up perfectly from the get-go, which it wasn't. I hope he learned a lesson, though. And I continue to give myself brownie points for even attempting to set up a triangle.

Speaking of brownies.....Hungry ALL THE TIME, yet not losing weight.

Book report: Divergent by Veronica Roth- I'm recommending this one.
It is YA, so has a few of the pitfalls of that (the teen romance, the vague echo of "Hunger Games"), but I enjoyed it a lot. The first five chapters are available for free on Kindle as part of one of the "Pitch Darkness" sets of samples. I paid for the rest, and I'm a big cheapskate, so that means it's good.

Part of a trilogy. I'm almost through the 2nd one. It's just as good, although backstory is scanty and it builds on reader knowledge and character-investment from the first volume- so would not stand alone well. The third book comes out in October.
-------------------------------
Friday evening at Bothell.

Standup- clinch to collapsing the knee for takedown. Spinning armbar, starting from side control (note for me: don't forget to bring heels in... I am being better about remembering to pinch the knees).

Choke: start in top side control. One arm under opponent's head- grab gi at shoulder. The arm closest to opponent's feet: reach under and across your own chest and behind opponent's shoulder to grab gi at the back of hir neck (fingers in). Your other arm: bring it over opponent's head and across neck. You can keep the gi shoulder grip *OR* get a lapel grip with thumb in. Sink elbow to floor.

Positional training from side control. I am lousy on the bottom as usual. I couldn't get out from under either of the two white belt girls, unless I bodily picked up the 110-lb one and threw her on her back like a big bully.

I recieved an unfortunate kneebar while rolling with Cindy, and had to stop. It hurt like a mofo for a couple of minutes, but I think it's going to be okay.

Noticing that (per CK's suggestion) my heel pain lessens when I tuck my pelvis under the way she is always trying to get me to do. Is this what it's gonna take to drive in that habit?

Sweat angels

The type of physical awareness we have and the kind of relationship we maintain with our bodies influence our personality  at least as much as the kind of books we read.
-Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path




My right heel has been hurting for several days. Since it began the day after a midday workshift during which I was on my feet all day and wearing less-than-perfect shoes, I assumed it was just that. But now it's been several days, and it hurt quite loudly when I first got up today. So now I'm Googling plantar fasciitis and getting all anxious. The last thing I need is another chronic physical condition that's going to make it harder for me to do jiu jitsu!! CK complains enough about her P.F. that I'm pretty sure it is something I do not want.

Thursday evening at Bellevue.

All spars. I notice in the last six months that "all spars" day is more intense- in spite of my size, when I'm at Bellevue or Seattle I get paired almost exclusively with purples-and-up (plus a couple of odd blues who OUGHT to be purples- Ron, Marcelo, Glenn, I'm looking at YOU). Doing several spars in a row with all purples-and-up will take it outta you, for sure.

After much frustration and nearly giving up, I dove in and started completely over with the antlered headdress. Hallelujia, it worked this time. It's not the most comfortable thing I've ever had on my head, but I think it will be bearable (ought to wear it around the house for a few hours straight to make sure). I ended up ditching the Cliff Keene and the fur, and using the coated wire with plastic ivy and a lot of zip ties. There are a few charms hiding here and there amongst the ivy- wing, key, dragonfly, Chinese fortune coin, citrine, garnet, chestnut, drum token.

4 pounds down, 12 to go as of Friday.
-----------------------
Saturday: Heel still hurts. I feel like the Little Mermaid- fated "to have every step feel like walking on knives". It's not really that severe as of yet, but enough to change my gait. It worries me, since I didn't really *do* anything to myself to precipitate this. I'm picturing trying to Herald in this condition next month- that would suck mightily. I had been planning to make a point of trying to do a little more of my own heralding this year. It's so nice to have good workers, but I do kinda miss the grunt work.

Kindle Adventures: I have discovered that most of Andrew Lang's "colored fairy" series of old fairy tale books are free on the Kindle. I downloaded all the free ones. I read many of these in the library as a kid, and I have a few of the dead-tree ones. These little stories are nice bites to read before bed or in a grocery line.

I have also found that there are several collections of book excerpts and teasers that are presented in batches as free downloads. This is nice- I like a chance to browse authors that I'm not familiar with, with no commitment. Unfortunately, I downloaded a shapechanger novella that turned out to be a **Harlequin**- now the commercials on my Kindle are all for bodice-rippers, LOL. Annoying, but at least I won't be tempted to spend money.

The library Kindle books I want all have waiting lists. I was, however, able to reserve a Stephen King novella on DVD. He has a few that were never released in print, and I don't have them. I'm excited to get this one, which- ironically- is about a guy who just got his first Kindle.... and mayhem ensues. I'm listening to it in the car.
---------------------------
Following Thursday. Still with the heel pain, although I have not been in class for a week and have also been thoughtful about what shoes I wear. Worried.

Thursday lunchtime in Belle. All spars. Also- Carly got her blue belt!

I had a really good practice today. I had no plan to participate in "Operation Be More Aggressive"- although Lord knows I could use it- and Leslie wrote a a post about it the other day that had me checking and rechecking the blog header to make sure I wasn't reading my own writing. I can't stick to any sort of "plan" during spars because as soon as I engage, my brain fills up with white noise and I can't think.

Yet the concept may have been crawling around in the back of my neurons somewhere, because I was pressing everybody harder than usual. I was able to be more conscious about choosing, securing, keeping, and using grips than normal. I was also more mobile and spent less time in Clench-N-Cling (tm), less time parked in defensive positions while allowing my opponent to ponder and then set up an attack. Mostly stayed on top. Spent a bit of time in turtle and under back mount, but always got out.

 I had all colored belts, and I was competitive with all of them today. Got subbed a few times, but *I* also got a few taps (a rarity). I went pretty hard on Carly, but hope I adequately communicated that I was doing so out of respect.

Went with Frasier twice. He was using strength a bit, but is also decently technical. I think I would have started getting discouraged (and thus less dynamic), except that he was panting like a terrier- which told me that he was tired. After the spar, I suggested that he try to moderate his breathing (suggested the same to Hedge, who was complaining about his cardio). The second time I went with Frasier, I said, "I don't wanna hear any huffing and puffing during this match." He answered, "Yes, coach."  ;)

Hedge told me that I felt like a sack of rice parked on his ribs. I was quite pleased.

You know it's been a good class when you line up to bow out and the whole mat is covered with sweat angels.

Have been doing well with the diet (which pleases me, as I have spent too much time at home sitting on my ass with the Kindle in my hand this week... at least I wasn't feeding my face while I was doing that), a little less well with the soda. Bobbing up and down between 136.5 and 138.5 all week.
 

Claws

An individual who is truly alive should not settle for anything less than the totality of experience. -Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path



Wednesday evening in Bothell.

Feeling extremely weary before I even walked in the door; I was concerned that I wouldn't be much use tonight. Will was bouncing around the place like a cricket on Red Bull, which made me feel even more tired thinking of having to fight him later. I managed to last all the way through the spars, although if there hadn't been another class waiting to get on the mat, I probably would have been wilting out before the rest.

Same bear hug from the back escape as this morning, and adding the following:

You are in turtle with opponent sprawled on you head to tail. Grab both thighs, pick a side and stick your head out from under hir armpit. Look over hir back. Step out with your far foot, circle around, pick the opponent's legs up while your drive in with your shoulder and head. Get some pressure on hir chest as soon as you get hir down; go to side control.

Also: bottom side control escape with heist, go to turtle.

Girl white belt takes suggestions eagerly and gratefully. Unfortunately it sounds like the new schedule (starting a half hour later) is not good for her. I hope she'll still be able to come. I'd love to see her play with Crisanne. Wish she'd cut her fingernails, though. Ow.
 

Wednesday lunchtime

A cynic is an idealist who figured out the fix was in but remained an idealist anyway. That's why the cynic always seems so bitter.  –Christopher Wright




Wednesday lunchtime at Sea.

Opponent bear hugs you from the back. bring your hands up to force hir arms above your elbows. Cover hir hands with yours and get your butt out to the side. Step your near foot behind hir feet. Now place your FAR shoulder on the mat in front of hir feet, rolling yourself over and thus rolling the opponent over as well. Get to your belly and face hir feet, holding hir thighs.

Opponent bear hugs you from the front. Make a rigid hoop with your arms and brace your hands at hir belt buckle area. Force your hips back to make some room. Run one arm behind hir and grab the back of hir belt. You can go to a hip throw from here. If it fails, Shove hir forward (you now have one back belt grip and one front belt grip on hir) and take hir back.

Replace closed guard from bottom side control. Note that to reach opponent's foot, you may have to jerk the opponent forward by the sleeve.

Same setup, only once you get your first knee in there, throw second knee over opponent's head for armbar.

Same setup for *that*; now opponent pulls the arm out and you have to go back to replacing closed guard.

A little positional training from side control.

One roll with Bryan.

I just knew that the minute I ordered a new belt, my old one would be found, and that is exactly what happened. (sigh).

What Ron wants me to do

As conscientious martial artists, we must be fully aware of the power we hold
over those underneath us. Lower ranks look up to and often too lightly lionize
those of higher rank. The reality is that the more advanced have been practicing
for longer, started earlier, and nothing more. In the eyes of the new student,
though, particularly the young one, these people may as well be superheroes
with powers they cannot fathom possessing. More than knowledge, these more
advanced students hold the power to control others, harming or not harming,
assisting or ignoring them as they see fit. Even if it isn’t discussed, that is a
deeply primal thing in the mind of a person. It is not to be abused. –Ryan Hall


Tuesday evening Advanced class, Belle.

Tone was back tonight. I didn't get to work with her today. She did two classes yesterday. I hope she doesn't burn herself out or get injured. She still seems very enthusiastic.

King Of the Hill from mount. Then rotating spars.

Ross is getting very good. He tapped me twice.

Crisanne stuck her head right up into my favorite collar choke. I cheerfully throttled her and told her to never do that again. Otherwise, she was doing quite well.

With Ron:
Kitsune: "I can tell you're trying to bait me into passing your half guard on the right. I've been rolling with you too long, Ron. At this point I'd rather stay in a shitty position than do *anything* you want me to do." Rolling with Ron continues to feel like trying to balance on top of a golf ball on your heel. Blindfolded. On ice.

I worked with a tall white belt guy with whom I spent almost the entire time gripfighting, with a few interludes of me grabbing closed guard and trying vainly to sweep him. He had good base, good choke defense (as I told him). He kept repeatedly apologizing for not knowing what he was doing, and for just being defensive, and for his percieved suckage. I hope he believed me when I told him he has nice basics and he's doing great, that he should just keep doing what he's doing.

I got an omoplata on a blue belt, which I'm pretty excited about. That's not a sub I get very often. I don't get *any* sub very often, especially on a colored belt, but when I do it's usually a choke. He made me work for it. He was trying to summersault out of it, but I grabbed his gi and hung there, and kept tightening it up till he tapped.

Casey nagged me about my belt. I have't been back to Seattle yet, and I wanted to look for it myself before having to buy a new one. But I asked Cindy to look for it last week, and she didn't find it. I went ahead and ordered a new one online tonight, but it will take a while to get here. Casey told me I'd have to start going into the basics class. Good Lord, does he think that's a punishment? He doesn't know me at all, does he?

I now have a King County library card. I apparently have to physically go to the library and show them ID before I can borrow Kindle books. By searching free Kindle books on the web, I found a couple of really old and fairly short ones that count as "reasearch": One on old Chinese religion and one of old Chinese fairy tales.