[Saith]

BJJ (gi):

Missed the running part of warmups cause I was reviewing pendulum sweep (aka flower sweep as it's known around these parts) at work. Was a pretty basic warmup. We did lunge squats which I should fit in a couple of HIIT training sessions of those cause they really burned.

Tonight was kind of a make your own jiu jitsu class. We partnered up and worked guard passes, then guard sweeps, then some take downs. Some pointers I picked up from my partner:

- When breaking an opponent's guard with really long legs, if you can't get it with the traditional methods, sometimes it's better to just put both hands on his hips to pin them and then break open his guard with your opener of choice.
- Bump sweep: Trap the leg on the side you are sweeping to, and really put your hips into the bump. It's not so much about the kimura and it is hip movement and trapping the leg.
- Scissor sweep: From closed guard you can post on your opponent's hip with one leg, then put your other shin across his stomach to set it up. Then you can trap the leg, or if it's within reach push down on his knee to complete the sweep.
- Flower sweep: Mark Jones came over cause we didn't know what we were doing. To set this up you have to bring your opponent up (like when you are crunching up in half guard) then hook his leg to bring your head down so you are perpendicular. Then you LIFT WITH YOUR HIPS (this is the part I was missing) while rotating your legs to finish the sweep. Pretty sweet move especially for no-gi since it doesn't really require a strong grip on your opponent so long as you block his arm from posting.

Worked my usual take downs and they are still rough but usable. I probably will be the one being taken down anyway.

Sparring: Went against the guy I was paired with first. He's a blue belt and recently came off a 1 and 1/2 year hiatus from a bad injury he got at pan ams. He did a pretty good job working off his back. Toward the end of the match I had side mount (not sure if he gave it to me or if he was just rusty) and was working a kimura since he set himself up for it, but couldn't finish because he had his hand in his crotch and I couldn't pull his arm out.

I think I rolled with someone else after that but I can't remember who so I might just be crazy. If not it was the first guy who told me I'm pretty strong. I denied it as usual, but it does make me want to get back into strength training again so that I can get respectable numbers and say, "meh, I'm about average". I'm thinking I'll start the 5x5 again in January, only this time I'll do it like I'm doing the Cool Running program where if I miss a day I'll just do it the next time I go to the gym. From now til January I'm gonna work on GPP, just getting in good conditioning shape and I hope strengthening my ligaments and such.

I also rolled with another blue belt. He has a laid-back style but a really amazing open guard. It's real hard to get past his guard and almost more difficult to stay past. I have gotten better at dealing with open guard though so I managed to make it past a few times (even to mount), only to get reversed. I went for an omaplata after one reversal and a failed sweep setup, but forgot how to finish it and ended up in mount somehow.

Got a couple chances to use my driving counter when a guy tries to sprawl on top of me. It needs a bit of work but I think eventually I'll be able to use it to put my opponent on his back. Just need to think about how to use it some more.

[Saith]

Conditioning (GPP):

Cool Running day 10:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Longer running intervals but not particularly difficult. The overall time spent on the workout is slightly longer as well (24:30 last week to 26:30 this week, including a 5 minute warm up walk).

[Saith]

BJJ (Gi):

Warmups: My gut was full of almonds and such so breathing was a bit difficult. Other than that I felt pretty good. Lunge squats again burned, highlighting the need for me to do some interval work there.

No technique again. We did the same thing as Monday, only no sweeps, just guard passes and take downs. Went to both knees for my double leg which is WRONG! Need to drill that. Osoto gari to ouchi gari transition is decent. Hiza garuma needs more work. It might benefit me to drill these at open mat next (Oct. 19th) Sunday (I'll be at a wedding in St. Louis this coming weekend).

Mark did show me and my partner the knee over guard pass cause he asked about it. Kind of complex. You break open the legs, stick your knee in, then grab the collar with the same side knee that is in. Grab the sleeve and stretch your opponent out, then slide over his leg to pass.

Sparring: Well I guess I've graduated from freshman level to sophomore level. I don't get caught in stupid things anymore or because I'm not advancing, I get caught now because my opponent is doing things right and forcing me to keep up. Went against my current coworker and got subbed twice. I need to stack for the triangle escapes when I get caught. Next went against a blue belt, remember to stack, but couldn't cause he defended well. Finally went against my former coworker and lost so horribly I'm a bit demoralized right now.

At least people are telling me I'm getting better, and I am doing better against people, which kind of validates the way I've chosen to train.

Since I'll be out of town this weekend, I won't be at class again until Monday. So I figure pushup intervals tomorrow night and Sunday night (plane will be coming back late). Running Friday morning, and lunge/squat intervals Saturday morning. And if a cold tries to infect me I will do everything I know to stop it. God that would piss me off.

[Saith]

Conditioning (GPP):

Cool Running day 11:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Decided on running tonight, pushups in the morning since I'll be traveling all day tomorrow.

[mschatz]

Nice work lately, Saith! Not sure why I havent been in here in a while, but Ill start paying more attention.

[Saith]

Thanks Schatzy. I'm kinda lame right now but the noob gains should add up fairly quickly, relatively speaking.

Conditioning (GPP):

Cool Running day 12:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
* Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Last day on this interval scheme.

[Saith]

BJJ (Gi):

Warmup wasn't too hard. Fairly standard.

Technique we went over sweeps. I was fortunate enough to work with a purple belt who gave me some pointers:

Scissor Sweep:
- Keep the sweeping leg as low to the floor as it can go. The other leg can rise up and even go into the armpit to successfully knock the other guy over.
- If your scissor sweep fails you can push out on the knee with the leg you were sweeping with and finish with that sweep (forgot the name).

Spider Guard sweep: First get spider guard. Hip escape out to create some distance so your opponent can't get in close. Also stay on your side, this is essential to finishing the sweep. Find a way to move your foot onto his bicep and then push out with your foot and pull his sleeve, and push him to his side. If you can't finish the sweep you can push his knee out to finish with the same sweep for a failed scissor.

Spider guard sweep variations: If your opponent stands after you get spider guard you can underhook his near ankle, drop your other foot to his hip, and catch his other leg with your free leg. Then just shove him with your foot to knock him on his ass. This only gets you to half guard, but you should have been practicing half-guard passes anyway. Either leg might be closer depending on if your opponent steps back or not.

Sparring: First went against an experienced guy. I need to work on my wrestling holds. If you're gonna overhook, you have to keep it tight so you have control of your oppponent. If you're going to underhook you have to underhook deep so you can control your opponent. Flopping around like a wet noodle will just waste your energy. He got me several times.

Second was a blue belt who forgot his belt. We went without the kimono tops and he basically mauled me. He even gave me an armbar from mount and managed to reverse it.

Third guy was a brand new white belt. He got my head in some kind of newbie guillotine. He could've worked positions pretty easy controlling my head like that if he knew what he was doing, instead he held it for about a minute and a half wearing himself out before I could yank it free. After that I went over basic positions with him and told him a choke shouldn't take more than 9 seconds to work and it's more advantageous to move on after that.

[Saith]

Conditioning (GPP):

Cool running day 13:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

[Saith]

BJJ (Gi):

Warmups: We did running, skipping, sprints, then lined up and did 2 sets of 5 exercises of our choice. I picked butt scoots, hip escapes, forward break fall/backward breakfall, forward hip escapes, and butt drags. Then we did some drills.

Technique: We reviewed guard foot opening/guard passing. We partnered up and drilled opening the feet, then got new partners and went for sweeps/passes, then reversed top/bottom.

Sparring: Started against my coworker. He got my back twice. Tried to crush my windpipe with a sloppy rnc the first time and got a bow and arrow choke good enough to choke me the second time. After that I took his back and was working for anything I could get (not very good at back mount) when time ran out.

Next was against a blue belt who works with me. I'm sure he could've gotten me in 3 or 4 things that he just stopped right before he tapped me and kept going. He got me in a couple of sweeps, his half guard is really good.

Next I went no-gi with another blue belt who does MMA. He crushed me at first, then went gradually lighter and let me get stuff until it was almost in, then reverse and demolish me. He told me I need to be more aggressive when passing. I like to sit back and be careful about my base, but I guess I should also try and keep my weight on my opponent more. It's a problem I have along with not keeping tight enough in most situations. I'll have to work on adjusting that.

Last I went with the second guy again. I almost got a scissor sweep, but he based and I forgot to switch and push his knee out until he reminded me. Then he regained guard and I got side and went for an americana. He turned into me just as I was lifting his elbow to slip my hand under and ended up pushing me away. At some point I got reversed into guard, and went for a spider sweep but forgot how. Damn I suck.

[Saith]

Conditioning (GPP):

Cool running day 13x2:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
* Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
* Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

I fucked up and thought the running intervals would be the same for the whole week again, but was supposed to do longer running intervals today. Next time I'll do day 14, Tuesday I guess. Day 15 is 20 minutes running with no walking, so I'm finally approaching the end of this. Once I get past the intervals I can move indoors and use a treadmill until the days start getting longer again.

Realized a better technique for foam rollering. If you put the roller right under the problem area and then just sort of use slow, short, back-and-forth movements while on the area it does a much better job of dispersing the pain.