Lifting: NROLA, Phase 1, Workout A2

Dynamic Warmup

#x – Exercise / sets / reps/time / weight / rest

1a – Plank / 2 / 60s / – / 60s
1b – Side Plank / 2/side / 30s / – / 60s

2a – Split Squat* / 2 / 12/leg / 15db / 60s
2b – Inverted Row** / 2 / 12 / – / 60s

3a – Romanian Deadlift / 2 / 12 / 60lbs*** / 60s
3b – pushups**** / 2 / 12 / – / 60s

* The only step I have is 1 ft., and it’s really uncomfortable. So first leg was on the step, second leg was on the ground; second set, first leg was on the ground, then second leg was on the treadmill (brilliant!), which is in the other room.
** Elbow hated these.
*** on a standard 6′ bar (~17lbs).
**** Elbow and wrist and shoulder hated these.

Easy in, easy back out

Wow, I haven’t been on the mat in nearly a week! And I actually haven’t been panicked over it. Last Friday was a school friend’s father’s funeral, and I didn’t get away in time for class (but some times, other things are more important). Then on Saturday, my parents and I went up to my grandmother’s semi-surprise 80th birthday party in Richmond. A normal surprise party is probably not a good idea for an eighty-year-old woman, so instead she just wasn’t told the guest list so everyone who came was a new surprise.

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Fundamentals Class, BJJ

Some warming up (two and a half new guys). Then to drilling: a clock choke. Drilled with Aubrey for a while, then we all switched up and I worked with Rob. He was choking me mostly before he even sat through! I apologized for not being able to let him do the whole thing, but he said he was enjoying my discomfort. (Hey, wait a minute…!)

Then armbars from the guard, 5/side. Rob and I got through 2 rounds each. During this, my left (hurting) elbow popped loud. Rob started apologizing, but I said that whatever he’d done had actually loosened it up. Then more drilling, a clock choke.

BJJ

All rolls. First with Rob, and somewhere in there he did the inverse of whatever he’d done earlier to my elbow, and now it hurts again. *sad face* I somehow ended up out for the next round (*sad face* again, though my elbow was relieved). Then with Buddy, and anytime I’d try to brace with my wrist or elbow — both injured ones are on the same arm — they would both hurt more. Pfffft. Next two rounds with Aubrey (we did try to switch for the second, but everyone scattered. Pffft.), and I remembered to tuck the injured arm into my belt, so rolled one-handed those two and the next with Guillaume. That helped. It also pointed out how much I rely on having two arms, so probably good to tuck one in even if it weren’t injured.

“I am become death…”

“…destroyer of elbows.” Wait, what? I don’t think that’s quite how it goes…

BJJ

Rolling to warm up, Tyler and Jamie.

Drilling reviewed the armbar from last night first, then progressed to a sequence of another armbar, a triangle, and a final armbar. Worked with Tyler. (Yeah, I pick on the big guys, lol.)

Open Mat

Rolled with Spencer, one of the Salem white belts and a wrestler. I’d met him back at the combined team training down in Salem a month ago, but I didn’t recognize him tonight in a gi. (The words that very nearly came out of my mouth: “I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on!” But I caught myself in time.) He complained that I had a “Janet guard” (aka, “annoying little people guard”) when I kept getting my knees in between us. Yep, that’s what I do.

At one point, I had a triangle, he postured, and I switched to the armbar like we had just drilled. Somehow he started either falling or turning away and I was starting to rotate up over the arm, and then I heard him saying, “Tap tap taptaptap!” I immediately let go, but he was already clutching his elbow and facedown in pain. Crap. Do not break your toys.

He recovered after a minute or so and said he wanted to continue, so we went again. Then we noticed a big stain of blood on my sleeve and started checking which of us was bleeding and from where. Him, inside of his lip. I apparently popped him good in the face at one point. Geez, you’d think I was a spazz who didn’t know where my partner’s face was. I did apologize for being such a bully tonight.

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Rolling Notes

For goodness’ sake stop giving up your back!!!!!!!!!!!1 * Remember to use that unfolding-the-accordion guard pass from Camarillo’s book, too. You were right there several times. * Giving up the arm is not a very good mount escape. * Actually, the whole night I was rolling just like I did at the tournament. Pretty much all of the same things that I did wrong there, I did wrong here. I did grip-fight a little bit better, but mostly it was quite terrible.

Kill all the things!

Milky spore is successfully deployed over my entire yard. Spent last night and this morning walking four feet (5 foot-lengths, for me), sliding a teaspoon of powder into the grass, and repeating. And then spraying water on the powder, which probably has my neighbors thinking I’m nuts since the grass is already way too high. (Hopefully it will get cut on Sunday.) I also learned that 1) I have a rather large yard and 2) I can’t walk in a straight line.

I also vacuumed out the garage, removing all the squished spiders that were freaking my brother out and even finding one more large one that tried to scurry away. *shudder*

And I managed to wrench my left (newly-injured) elbow and shoulder something awful during both of the above activities. Had to ice it when I came in.

Yay, fun night off.

Morning Class

I’ve skipped both morning classes earlier this week, so decided I ought to drag myself out there today. My joints were not happy about having to move so early, though I ignored them and went anyway. But, hurting and tired, so I told myself I would just play defense today. Also told myself I would stick my hand in my belt to roll. Promptly forgot both of those things. *le sigh* I did at least remember to tap early to attacks on the injured elbow/shoulder.

Short warmup. Bear crawls hate me all over right now. Then partnered up for some rolling. With Brandon, Alvin, and Ray.

Then drilling was a scissor/elevator combo sweep from guard for if they post one leg. Drilled with Trey and Brandon. More rolling. Andrew, Alvin, and Brandon.

Then went home and checked the weather. Supposed to be very cold, windy, and maybe rainy this weekend, so decided to continue working on the yard since this morning was still and not too cold. Got in to work after lunch. Good thing I did that work this morning, as the wind has picked up and the temperature has plummeted.

More critters

So, along with the hornworms and giant spiders, I also now have ugly wriggling grubs crawling around my garage. Seems they are Japanese beetle grubs, which would make sense as there was a large swarm of those on that side of the house all summer. And apparently they will eat my lawn if I ignore them (and/or attract moles, and it all goes downhill from there). So tomorrow night I’m stopping for a ShopVac and grub killer and will clean out my garage and cleanse my lawn.

This is war, critters.

Morning Class

I woke up this morning with stiff joints. Really bad. So I opted to stay home from class this morning.

My left elbow, in particular, hurts badly, and worse when I bend it (not when I straighten it). I think it’s from everyone trying to crank sloppy armbars on me (probably figure they can at least overpower my arm) and me escaping; they never have correct pressure in my arm, but still there is some pressure in my elbow as they attempt to rip it from my body.

Fundamentals Class

Bunch of blue belts, and then one brand-new guy and two newish (Alvin has been training with us in the mornings for a couple of weeks; the other guy was new to us but had a gi and white belt, and he’s in college over at Virginia Tech), so the warmup took more time so they could learn things like single leg, single/sprawl, and shrimping.

Then Andrew showed basic guard pass to side control to mount; partner upas, and start again. He went through that a few times, saw the look of complete bewilderment on the new side of the mats, and so then sent us blue belts off to work the drill (using any guard pass — and preferably different every time) while he worked with the new guys. Worked with Guillaume.

Then one round of rolling, with Buddy.

BJJ

Started out drilling, almost-passed half guard. Drilled with Guillaume again. Then we did 3-minute (?) rounds of specific sparring from that almost-past position. Bottom could sweep or regain full half-guard; top could pass or submit. Reset after any of those. Then switched top & bottom. With Guillaume first and then Ed, who was back for a second night.

Then partnered up for live rolling, though one person had to start (and re-start after every submission, no matter who got it) in full guard. Skips the knee fighting, that’s for sure. Then switched who was in guard and went again. 3-minute rounds, maybe? With Alvin.