BJJ Class 114

In BJJ Class, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Etc, Goals, Techniques, work |

I’ll be training more often now as I was laid off last week due to a combination of changing job expectations and the bad economy. To maximize my time, I’ve changed my training schedule to the early afternoon class so I can use my evenings to spend time with my fiancee and use the rest of the day for schoolwork and job hunting.

Training was a good two and a half hours – roughly the same amount of time as the one-and-a-half evening classes. Also, since I spent a few months training just once a week when I was paying for twice a week, I’m going to ask if I could make up for that and up my training to thrice a week.

Class was good. Started with light calisthenics, then moved on to a nice flow drill that kept building up and up. It was:

From guard against a kneeling opponent, alternating armbars. Then..
Opponent pulls arm out, switch hips for triangle. Then…
Training partner defends triangle and postures up, switch hips and go for omoplata. Then…
Training partner defends by sitting up and powering out, switch hips again and finish with triangle.

It was a very nice drill. It was also my first time to drill the omoplata in class, even though I’ve gone for and have pulled off omoplatas before.

After that we did a long three step spar. Basically, its sparring where the first person does three techniques while the second lets them, then the second does three techniques and back and forth. It’s a great way to think up escapes and a plan of action for whatever position you find yourself in.

Afterwards, we had two long rounds of regular rolling and I went against other white belts. Sticking with my goal of guard sweeps, I spent most of the time working on my back.

What I did right: continued working on guard sweeps and sweeps to sweep counters and pass attempts. I was able to do a few sweeps when my opponents would step a leg out (from being on both knees) to counter a sweep and found myself actively hooking legs and torsos with my feet. I would go for spider guard if they stood up and got some distance. Two things I noticed that I liked was that I was constantly experimenting and was using my head (thinking) during the rolls.

What I did wrong: My spider guard sucked when I would go for it. My side control escapes need more work. My mount needs work too, it’s getting better compared to before, but I feel like I’m too easily rolled out. Same thing for top half-guard. Although when being reversed with half-guard I almost immediately gained full guard most times. Pivoting on my back needs work too.

I pulled my left calf while rolling (it got stiff and hurt a bit), but I didn’t let it affect my rolls. I haven’t worked out on my calves in a while, I’m not really fond of working on them. What I do like to do, even though I rarely do it, is to stand on the subway and while holding one of the train poles, go on my tip-toes and squeeze my calves. I would rest whenever the train stops on a station and will squeeze them between stations when the train is moving. These “subway calves” are real leg-burners and usually leave my legs aching for days. BJJ just gave me some motivation to aim to do these frequently.

Goals update: Since I had just a half-month for working on guard sweeps, and it wasn’t really enough time, I’m going to continue working on my guard game for Noctober.

Ok, post done. Time for work (slacking)!!

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