Lest My Ego get Too Big

In the words of Robert A. Heinlein and the Man from Mars, "I'm only an egg" in the world of BJJ. Don't I forget it.

It goes egg, nestling, nymphs-adult, then Old Ones.

Keep repeating. "I'm only an egg." and "Bring empty cup" to training.

Best Roll So Far

And I'm not talking about sushi either. But before we get to that.

Tech. 1: Basic Standup Hip Throw. I'm too lazy to look up the Japanese name for it. Left hand grip under elbow, lift that up like steering wheel; step right foot in near his right foot, make fist; get my bicep under his armpit as I swivel; my back to him now, almost parallel; hip just outside; lift him onto my hip...

A whole lineup and now I know why most of the Blues and Purples sat out. Most, including me, didn't do it properly (no hip contact, or not enough hip connect, as Saulo would say). Most didn't know how to fall properly. Luckily, there was an extra pad for the drill.

Izzy the Blue said I was "getting better." Hurray. Dominated one White and there was a new White with a couple of stripes; very strong and heavy; barely held my own against his size and strength. He eventually gassed and we stopped. Chris the Purple was coaching him during the roll. It was very distracting. He said he always coaches the underdog. I'm not the underdog anymore.

There was a tap or two in there somewhere. Total tap: 58.

Last roll with Ryan the Blue. He's my benchmark for progress these days. Last time was a few weeks ago. He said my defense was good. He usually gets dominant position and can't get any subs because he only has the basic attacks, which I can defend. I usually only tap if they muscle the sub or if they transition to something else after the basic attack, or if they counter my counter my first defense.

But this time, he was moving really, really well. He's improved. He got dominant position and as I tried my escapes, he kept moving and transitioning, so that I ended up in another bad position.

He didn't get any subs, but both of us was moving. I've seen and read about "flow" rolls, but I've never been part of it til now. It feels awesome. More please.

Review: 1. Guard (breaking posture); basic attacks Bump Sweep-Guillotine-Kimura, etc; 2. Sitting in Guard (Breaking Guard) - and Passes; 3. Half Guard Sweeps; 4. Side Escapes.

Girl Sight! Yay! And the Phases of BJJ

I've been working my way through BJJ Grrl's blog and thinking there are no women at my school. And then one shows up today. Hurrah. Didn't get to talk or roll with her though.

Tech 1: Open Guard Pass. Grab the gi near the knees, push down and around to Side.

Tech 2: Guard break. Stand up.

Tech 3: Kimura from Side.

Tech 4: Var. of that Kimura. He straightens arm, get under his elbow joint.

Roll 1: Izzy the Blue. Getting to his Half Guard pretty easily, but also he's sweeping me half the time. Need to work on my weight. He swept and he got to Side Control and cranking the neck and was thinking if he moved just a little to the right, I would have to tap. So I rolled away the other direction, and he got a tighter choke. Tap tap. 48.

We went again and I got into half and time ran out.

Roll 2: Edgar the White. Just Guard and Passing the Guard, with me on bottom. Kind of had my way with him. Got sweeps that I've never pulled off before. Bump sweep. Scissor sweep. Guillotine choke. But, but. I still feel I was grabbing, using a little too much strength. I was grabbing for cross collar grip, holding and pulling too much. Overall, I think I've improved just a leettlle bit.

Roll 3: Chris the Purple. Crushified. Two brief shining moments: I got half guard and he swept. He turtled on purpose to let me work and tried to talk me into basics -- getting the back, hooks in and flattening (that's his MO) -- but I wanted to try the roll we learned last class. And it worked, although I didn't end up in Side as I was supposed to.

From there, all down hill. He got mount and S Mount and got the wrap my own arm around my neck control and then to arm bar. Arm bar. Arm bar. Then choke from back. Also, flattening me from back. Lots of Knee on Belly. Knee on chest. Knee on ribs, pressing down. I think I might have tapped to one of those. Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap. Total: 56.

Need to review: Side escapes (again) - especially the Harpoon sweep. Getting my hand caught and they mount and control it.

Knee on Belly escapes - can't get any to work.

Izzy the Blue did show me an arm bar defense - holding my gi and holding my trapped arm at the elbow and coming up with him when he goes down.

Here are my Phases of BJJ:

1. The Acquisition of Technique Phase -- buying Dvds, books, watching YouTube, reading blogs -- all in search of the magic bullet that will crush other Blues and Purples.
2. The Acquisition of Principles/Fundamentals -- Back to basics. Searching for the why the techniques work. And all of the details.
3. Coveting of the Belts Phase -- You can taste the Blue, see the Purple, then the Brown is not that far off.
4. Calling BJJ "Jits" Phase.
5. Giving of the Advice Phase - as a White, I should be keeping my mouth shut (see below for duties of the White Belt).
6. Just Enjoy the Journey Phase.

In between all these phases, there will be quite a few Pity Parties. It's just so easy to think, "I suck! I really suck at BJJ."

Duties of the White Belt:

1. Listen. Ask questions, but otherwise, keep mouth shut. Do not teach. Do not give advice.
2. Tap. A lot. Get swept a lot. Try to use technique. Calm down. Chill.
3. Keep your gi clean, your finger, toe nails short.
4. Don't try foot locks, ankle locks.
5. Don't practice on friends and family. Because you're jonesing for BJJ until your next class and those are the only people your techniques will work on.

Class 14

Tech 1: Attack, roll the turtle. Get gi grip, post leg out, stretch his knee out, reach under that knee, tuck my head under him and roll, come out on Side Control.

Tech 2: Attack, roll turtle 2: Same gi grip, push my hip against his hip to get space, get my leg between his leg, roll as I stretch that leg and take the back.

Guard Gauntlet: Everyone put much passed my Guard. So frustrating. Couldn't do anything. I can't stay in Guard. I have to constantly be attacking, make them defend, because if I stay still, they will pass eventually. So I have to initiate something, anything, so they don't pass. Keep them occupied. Make them play my game, instead of reacting to theirs.

Roll 1: Caught in stupid Kimura from inside guard. Tap 47.

Class 13

Tech. 1 - Joelle the Brown showed us mostly drills for Open Guard and some Spider stuff.

Taps 1 to White and 4 to Joelle the Brown. Total: 46.

It's so annoying and frustrating to roll with spazzy Whites. Only a White would try a dangerous footlock. Only a White would try a choke from top Guard. I didn't say anything. And I did manage to get out of both, but I wasn't that smooth or confident in my escapes. I'm pissed at myself for not responding better.

Review - Escapes: 1. Footlock; 2. Body lock; 3. Side control when he's got hand over; 4. S. / tech. mount.

Class 12 - Lonely Road of the White Belt

Tech. 1: Attack Turtle. Both hooks in, can't get much else. Grab far arm, roll over into arm bar.

According to Chris L. the Black. I asked him how to sit in Guard; how to not get posture broken. Two things: 1. Posture straight, look straight ahead. Grab his belt with both hands, push down high on his chest, just below his nipples. Keep him from getting up. 2. If he does break my posture, swim inside his arms, control and push down on his biceps, and posture back.

Four taps, nothing worthy to note. Total: 41. Seems like I'm on offense 5%, and defense the other 95% of the time. Ah, the Journey of the White Belt. I should try to enjoy the trip and not be in such a hurry to reach the destination.

Need to review: 1. Roger Gracie Half Guard Pass -- I got stuck there, could not make any progress. Good news, at least I didn't get swept. Last time, I got swept both sides. 2. Escape S mount; 3. Escape Knee on Belly. 4. Knee Takedowns.