Mizblog

Mark was glad to see me come back. He even brought in some weight plates to show me an exercise to strengthen my upper core (awesome!).

We first covered tipping the turtle. Instead of going knee-to-knee and rolling the turtle guy over, instead we took a wide base and pulled the turtle over hard, then pulled them up onto our lap, got the upper hook, and then rolled over to make it the lower hook. The lower hook is the key to controlling the hips and putting them on the rack.

Then we learned some guillotine techniques. Standing guillotine, north-south stand-up guillotine, double-leg takedown guillotine.

I didn’t roll at the end of class, but Mark stayed for a minute to show me the exercise he wants me to do every warmup. Take a plate and circle it around your head (both ways) while keeping your head in a neutral position.

Afterward, my rib feels a little tender. Good thing I get to rest it until next Tuesday.

First class back after injury! 3.4 weeks off and I jumped back in today.

TJ taught the class, and we had a fun warm up that culminated with a 3-way medicine ball toss between me, Thomas, and Melissa.

We moved on to thai pads. Melissa is a southpaw, and I was holding 3 combos for her and 3 combos for Thomas (who’s a righty) so it was more than a little disconcerting. Still, it got me some practice in a low stress environment, and neither of those guys were kicking through me or punching my shoulders off. Good things on a first day back.

Thomas had asked TJ about brown belt kicks and combos, so we went over several of those. Step-in front leg front kick. Scissoring knee. Outside slap kick + front kick. Outside slap kick + round kick. I did great on the slap kick, despite my gimpy knee. It feels wonky now but not too bad.

No stress drills though. TJ promised us 2 drills in the next class.

I saw my new doctor last Thursday. He wants an x-ray of my ribs before he gives the OK to get back on the mat.

The injury is getting a lot better. One week in, it’s no longer excruciating when I flinch or sneeze or lean down to tie my shoe. It’s getting less uncomfortable to sleep as well. I think I got a good night’s sleep last night for the first time since the injury happened.

The time off is also allowing me to rest my hands and let that sprained finger to heal the rest of the way up.

The doctor also wants an x-ray of my left knee because it’s been a problem for 6 years. Try to find out what’s going on in there, and also get some physical therapy. I was supposed to call them about the physical therapy yesterday (there was some problem I guess) but I didn’t find out about that until they were long closed.

I got my new boxing gloves also on Thursday. Can’t wait to try them out!

Can’t wait to get back on the mat!

Covered the side control escape with the far side underhook again.

Then we rolled. I started with Rick, and within the first 4 minutes I’d tapped 3 times and finally had my rib pop, ending my class participation for the day. I got to sit with Mark and apply ice to my ribcage. Very disappointing.

TJ’s Saturday KM ALL class. I came in with a left knee that sounded like sizzling bacon as I bent it, so I threw on a knee sleeve and hoped for the best.

Started warm ups with some jogging and side shuffles and backward running. Knee was fine.

Did some shadow boxing and then shoulder tag. Paired up with Rick first, and he just about shoved his fingers through my chest. Ouch!

Next was slipping punches and bobbing/weaving. Stuck with Rick, who is a monster. I got my hands pummeled, though I only got hit in the head once.

Then we did front kicks from neutral stance, and Rick bruised my right thumb so bad that it’s got a huge red welt on it. Vicious kicks.

Ended the class with knife threat from distance, where we smack the knife across the attacker’s body, kick them in the junk, and run away. Didn’t hurt as bad as holding pads, surprisingly enough.

On Wednesday, my dad was transported to the hospital. He was weak and swollen and confused. Matt was worried so he called me. Rob was in Las Vegas for his new job. I convinced Matt to call 911 and he did it.

Now my dad’s recovering in a hospital bed. I can’t get word from a doctor, and the nurses don’t seem to know anything beyond immediate care issues. Apparently he’s not in imminent danger.

Last night he called Matt and told him to pick him up at Mason and Victory. Matt panicked and told Sangeeta to come pick dad up, because he couldn’t. Sangeeta did a reality check and convinced Matt to call the hospital to see if he was still there. Well, turns out he was still at the hospital.

Note that every time Matt has to do something, he has to first be convinced to do it. He’s very reluctant to make any action decisions on his own. He passes all the stress on to me, amplified. I’m stressed, and it feels like my body has started to fall apart. I’m planning to do Krav Maga training later today, but I’m very afraid that parts of me are going to break.

Jumped in at the last second for this one. There were a lot of advanced students, including a guest black belt whose name I forgot. Chris? Anyway, Rick was there. He’s that 6’4″ monster from Krav Maga, but today I found out that he’s also a purple belt in BJJ. NOT FAIR! He’s too awesome.

We started with some hip scoots and my left glute was screaming at me. The hyperextended left elbow was just a constant ache. The sprained finger was fine though, and no twinges whatsoever from the calf!

So the whole class we drilled defense from side control. Rotate for the underhook. Paste it to the back, turn in, get to the knees, and sweep/pass/pull guard. I paired with Josh again, and he was a good training partner.

After all that, it was live rolling. I had to leave early so I only did 2 rounds. First round was with the new black belt whose name I forgot already dammit. He showed me how to retain guard, starting guard passes and letting me try to recover. That was awesome. I learned a lot.

Second and last round was with Rick the, well, monster purple belt. I tried to keep him in my guard using all those techniques the black belt showed me, but eventually he got past and submitted me with a couple of neat moves. First an arm bar, and second a fist in the neck. After that I had to leave to get Sangeeta and Saranya from school, and take them to get Sangeeta’s car out of the shop.

Came into class late with a sprained finger. Got in late because Sangeeta’s car had to go into the shop for 2 new tires and an alignment. Barely did any warm-up.

First drill we did was striking. I paired up with Josh (yes, the same guy who gave me the hickey in BJJ a couple weeks ago). Punches and palm strikes to tombstone pad. Elbows and knees to a tombstone pad. He had heavy knees but not so strong elbows. I was destroying with everything. Hammer fists and front kicks. Lots of cardio and intensity on the strikes. I very early on strained my left gluteus minimus (when twisting on a left elbow strike I think) and it’s been bugging me ever since, but I didn’t stop.

After all this cardio, we did a stress drill where we circled the one in the middle, pushing them with kick shields, and the person in front of them held their shield for some particular kind of strike. I think this is when I hyperextended my left elbow.

After that we took the party out into the alley behind the school and did choke with push defenses. From the front and from behind, we learned and practiced both. We even got into stairways and among the parking pillars to add real world obstacles and awareness to the drill. I think I did a pretty good job.

Afterward, I got ice on my left elbow/bicep and moved on to 805BJJ.