[Frodo]

Between 6-6-2007 and 7-12-2007, I trained at:

SHJ/Balance: 17x
SCMA: 6x
PGC: 9x
PTT: 4x
Barn in Wexford: 1x
Geraci's Haus: 3x

Sorry I didn't record what I did.

[Frodo]

7-13-2007

Traveled to Washington DC. Rolled lightly at Tony Passos's Place. Tony is the first black belt I ever rolled with. Met Anaconda, saw Randy again, and had a great time getting ready for tomorrow. Some pictures of the day can be seen here.

We started with lots of running and much more shrimping than I'm used to. We did a cool drill where you do the partner shrimps, but then place your bottom foot on his one shin right below his knee, then pivot parallel with the ground and place your other foot on his other shin. This simulates pulling open guard and forces you to shrimp out far enough during the drill.

We did a lot of drilling of moves too even though I was concentrating on the tournament ahead. Did learn a little detail with the omoplata to star sweep transition.

Rolled with Randy a little (he tapped me) and Tony. I could tell he was just playing with me. He was so quick and tight. Just no mistakes.... None. A black belt in BJJ means you always seem to do the right thing, I guess.

[Frodo]

7-14-2007

I competed in the US Grappling tournament in Richmond last Saturday. See the The Internet Coaching Thread for the discussion on the forum. This was an awesome tournament twice as big as my last competition. It had some very high level competition. I only won 1 match the day (went 1-3), but I learned a lot and will correct my mistakes to place or win next year.

Here are my match videos. I did blue belt in gi and advanced in no-gi even though I should have done intermediate in no-gi. I just want the experience. I'd like some feedback if you can spot some of my mistakes and help me correct them.

• First no-gi match video - I beat a new purple belt from Charlottesville BJJ by a score of 12-0 in no-gi. I used up too much energy in this match because I didn't establish my positions well enough.
  
  
• Second no-gi match video - I got triangled by Dave Jacobs in 40 seconds. After I sprawled on him, I was going to try for a choke, but changed my mind after I felt he would know it. So I spun to get his back but didn't have enough pressure, I think, and he rolled me into his triangle choke.
  
  
• Third no-gi match video - I got triangled again by the first guy's instructor (another purple). I tried fighting it, but fought it in the wrong way.
  
  
• My only blue belt match video - I lost by advantages again. I got confused when he gripped under my armpits and was too scared to open my guard. I have to conquer my fear and work on my grip breaking and hip mobility.
  

The day before, I rolled lightly with Tony Passos - the first time I ever got to roll with a black belt. Dave was the second black belt I ever rolled with and the first time against one. Let me tell you, they are smooth, lightening fast, and precise! Moves which I have to think, they seem to have as instinct. This tells me I have to drill more and keep better posture.

My performance at the US Grappling tournament was horrible. I should have been better but I was too timid and too sloppy. I decided 1 week earlier to enter, so I should have worked on my cardio more and cut to 149.9 (I weighed in at 154 with my cloths on and without cutting at all). For my next tournament in September I will have to work on that and my strength too.

Overall, I think I have to work on:

1. Avoiding half guard, and keeping good posture in half guard. My half guard is very unusual and didn't work in these cases, though it works against other people in my divisions. I got to figure out why and how to improve it. I also got to learn to fight with advantages.
   
2. Hip mobility, and open guard. I got to learn more and not be afraid of opening my guard. This gives me the initiative - any time someone has open guard I thing the person who waits usually looses.
   
3. Posture in guard. Something is making it easy for me to be triangled. I got to see what that is.
   
4. Back control. Just polish it so I can hold and submit from it better.
   

Some pictures of the day can be seen here.

[Frodo]

7-15-2007

Drove back home.

[Frodo]

Between 7-16-2007 and 9-1-2007, I trained at:

SHJ/Balance: 31x
PGC: 12x
PTT: 4x
UFF: 1x
SCMA: 3x
CMU: 1x
Eugene: 2x
Judo Class: 1x
Team CGS: 1x

On 2007-07-23 got promoted 2 more stripes by Bobby.

[Frodo]

9-2-2007

First Panther Grappling Club practice of the new year. We have a new web site too!

http://panthergrappling.blogspot.com/

We started off the new semester with no-gi. We took over once the Judo Club ended, because they only had 2 people show up. However, we had to move upstairs so the TKD club could practice. Had 20 people show up for Grappling Club in all! We went over a lot beginner stuff:

• Warmups
  
• Ukemi
  
• Shrimping
  
• Basic stance
  
• Duck walking
  
• Showed basic positions
  • Neutral
    
  • Guard
    
  • Spider guard
    
  • X-guard
    
  • Half guard
    
  • Side control
    
  • North-south
    
  • Mount
    
  • Back control
    
• Tapping
  
• Kimura from side control
  
• Straight armlock from side control
  
• Americana from side control
  
• Twisting guard break
  
• Near knee guard pass
  
• Scissor Sweep

We did some light sparring then some pit fighting. From the noobs, we have about 3 former wrestlers and a few others who are pretty good. Unfortunately, I had to organize the practice and take charge, so I only got to roll twice - once with the lighter wrestler and a second time with Jesse. Great practice overall even though I didn't drill or roll very much. I think we will have a good year with the club!!!

[juanlawnmower]

Are you just rechroniling the last several years of your grappling life in these?

[Frodo]

9-3-2007

We had some more Open Mat at SHJ. Brought Warren, Jesse, Justin, Albert, and me. We did some drills:

• Went over Randy's not-pendulum sweep.
  
• Went over the pendulum sweep.

Then we did some tag team grappling followed by some shark bate (with me as the bate). Rolled around too. Good practice.

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by juanlawnmower

Are you just chronicling the last several years of your grappling life in these?

Ya (well last several months). I actually keep a log offline as well, but it was very disorganized. I'm just using some downtime to organize those notes and put them back into my online log. I like using my online log because it is easier for me to look at later. You don't know how many times I've gone back to my knows and wondered what I was thinking...

[Frodo]

9-4-2007

Went to Jiu Jitsu Class with Eugene and Grandmaster Kim teaching. We covered:

• Osoto gari.
  
• Ippon seoinage.

Did a little bit of rolling too.

...

Went to the Panther Grappling Club again. We continuted the basics:

• Shrimping.
  
• Toe Touches.
  
• Escaping Side Control.

We drilled escaping side control (loser does 20 pushups/burpees). Before proceeding to do some rolling.