Very uncreative with titles right now, but that’s what’s holding me up, so I’m just gonna go with what I’ve got…
A lot of my family is in town this week. On Saturday night for the fights (aside: ugh!) and tonight, my fifteen-year-old cousin Andy came along with me (so he could get a break from everyone, too).
Actually a lot of people tonight; they kept trickling in. Even a few who haven’t been around in a while. Gassed during the warmup; definitely need to build that back up. Then a few rounds of pummeling, first with Tony and then with Stephen (Steven… doh. Drat). Did hit double-unders on Tony once, and got to the back on both of them once; kept them on their toes, at the least.
Adam showed the Peruvian necktie, which we worked first, and then the armbar off the necktie. We’ve done it before, but I like getting extra work and finding new tweaks to make it better.
Then rolling. First guy: he pointed out, toward the end, how to defend the head-and-arm choke, which I actually completely didn’t see as a possibility for him and so wasn’t even thinking about it — but then I did end up seeing the choke coming and defending it in several other rolls later. Was moving okay, but I think I’ve had way too much food, mostly dessert, for a while now (I peeked at the scale earlier today; I’ve gained 10 lbs since October!!), so I feel as if I’m very slow and not as strong as I was. Can start working on that after the family leaves (we’ll have 18 total staying here by the end of the week…). Most of the roll was me trying to pass his guard, then him recomposing guard, and then me trying to pass again.
Then with Perry, and spent a lot of time trying to break his grip. Again not moving as quickly toward holes as I wanted to; I’d recognize them, but then it was gone. Need to learn to feel it and/or see it coming and be ready for it. Toward the end, I had to turtle to escape something; he started for the Peruvian necktie and I started for the switch from Saturday. Neither of us quite hit ours and we ended in a scramble.
Next with Tony, who’s back for the first time (I think) since getting married. Got from guard to his back at one point — though I got stuck again hanging off the side for a while; need to find the spot to work on there. Couldn’t do anything from there, as he was defending well, and then he spun around to my guard. I started working toward the scissor sweep, and then saw that he’d left one arm in the right spot to go for the armbar. Grabbed the arm, tried once, and couldn’t spin; tried again, and this time shot my hips up first before spinning, and hit it. Actually got it, whoot! (There may be hope for me yet.)
Last roll with Jesse, also back after a long absence. Lots of scrambling, though I think I was being more persistent in passes and attempts. Still a touch slower than I wanted on hitting holes for escapes. Afterwards, he said that I’m a lot better from last time and that he was having a hard time thwarting me on technique alone; he knew he could muscle past (everyone can), but my technique was giving him fits. Yayness! I should go to Paris more often… š
Leaving with my cousin, I asked him what he thought of class. He said it looked like fun, and he also said that I was pretty good. High praise from a close-mouthed 15 year old.
Family is going skiing tomorrow, so I’ll probably miss gi class. We might have class on Wednesday, and definitely on Saturday. Getting back to it…
Fightworks Podcast Blog of the Year Contest
The Fightworks Podcast Blog of the Year Contest is going on right now. Go vote! Voting ends January 5th (they changed it!), and the winners are announced on January 11th.
Finalists are:
BJJ Grrl 
I had trouble with titles too, now I just number them. At one point I tried to come up with taglines, but numbers are much easier!!
it’s good to see you’re continuing to train over the holidays and congratulations on being a finalist!