Mizblog

Christian ran this Thursday morning class, and he made us work hard. We started running, doing high knees and buttkickers, then the shuffling and backwards running. Reverse, do it again, and then sprints around and around, trying to touch the shoulder of the person in front of you. Then it was tandem drills across the mat. First you’d lie flat on your back as your partner stood over you. You’d both get sleeve grips, and the bottom person would do 15 pull ups, then shrimp across the mat with the top partner stepping to your armpit each time to give you something to push off of. I paired with Christian. The next exercise was pulling our partner up and balancing them on our hands and feet above us, doing a squat to lower them and raise them back up, then return them to their feet. After that we did double leg takedown entries, where we’d step in, lower level, drop step, head up, shoulder drive into the waist, grip the legs together, hooking behind the knees, step in, and drive with the head in the torso over the blocked leg/knee. My toes don’t bend backward without serious pain, so no drop steps for me.

Then it was just double leg drills. I paired with Andrew. I actually did alright with shuffling in instead of doing the drop step.

Then we did ABC Randori. It was me, Andrew, and Rick. Haha! Yeah. That went well. At least I never got thrown, though I did get put on the bottom a few times.

After that we learned what Christian does when he’s turtled. He crosses up his arms to grab the pants of his opponent’s back leg, to limit their mobility. I did not find this at all useful. Then he lays down and spins like a lawnmower blade to recover half guard or guard. I found that when I do this on the left side, it hurts my ribs A LOT! None of that for me, thanks.

Then we rolled. I started with Andrew. He started in bottom turtle, and I pushed him over into side control. He recovered half guard and I passed to mount. I threatened arm bars and such, and at one point he rolled me, but I defended well and ended up sweeping him and getting back on top, where I ended the roll.

Next was Matt, who just got his new blue belt last night. I again started on top and got side control. I locked up a kimura but couldn’t finish because 1) he kept dropping to his back, and 2) he kept holding onto his gi, and 3) I wasn’t strong enough to separate his grip and finish the kimura while maintaining him in the position.

Next was Dave. He started on the bottom and I went for side control right away again, but he got me in half guard. In fact, he got me in a really interesting half guard, where he pinched his legs on my trapped leg, and kept his knees in my torso so I couldn’t close the distance. I figured out how to get out by lifting my leg out of that mess, but it was enlightening. Dave swept me and got kimura control, but when he went to lift it and finish, I spun out of it.

Next was Dave again, only this time I started on bottom. I don’t remember this roll, as it blended in with the previous roll.

Next I rolled with Rick, and my goals were 1) don’t get injured, and 2) don’t panic. I did well. Got tapped about 5x but maintained composure.

Finally I rolled with Daniel. I started on top and tried to push him over. He recovered guard and swept me. I turtled. He tried to sink his hooks but I shook him off the front and slowly slid on top while controlling his leg to prevent triangles and arm bars. Good roll.