Standup night

June 22

Tonight we worked two basic judo throws, which I totally totally sucked at.  So frustrating, because I really think I understand what I need to do to execute properly, but it felt wrong 9 times out of 10. Also did a quick grip fighting exercise, which, as important as grips are on the ground, it must go doubly so when on foot.  Due to my disgust with my ineptitude, we mercifully now skip to the fun part of the night. 

Rolls: Got Big Steve (new Blue).  Steve moves better each time I roll with him, but he seems to have the same problem I have, namely committing to stuff against good guys (not that I’m one of the good guys!)  I threw up a lazy triangle to see if it would stick, and he totally caught the leg in such a way that he could have used it to pass, but he was still in defense mode, even though it didn’t fell to me like I had him in danger.  Caught him with a front gi choke at the bell, I should go for those more, both to keep people honest and to have some semblance of being able to choke with the gi. 

Next Chuck (new Purple). Started from his guard. Tried hard to fight his grips and avoid getting broken down.  He opened up, and I tried to do that climbing the leg pass that Collin demo’d for me the other night, but he killed the pass and then took a minute to show me the proper way to pass, which involves throwing one arm up and over the arm pushing down on your head and switching hips and resetting.  That’s why I love rolling with Chuck, dude can switch flawlessly from intense rolling to breaking down technique so that even my dumb ass gets it.  After we reset, he ended up getting an awesome scissor sweep on me, and I luckily got him in my guard. I was pretty boring from guard, but Chuck didn’t seem too bothered about it. Love rolling with that guy. 

Finally, rolled with Chris (blue belt and four stripe chemist).  Felt like I moved alright against him.  Passed his guard off of him attempting a front gi choke (man, those were in the air tonight)  (oh lord).  He went right to turtle.  He totally feels comfortable working from there, which is not my experience of turtle at all. If I’m there, I’m usually panicking.  Fought futilely for darce or anaconda grips.  Sort of got Bow and arrow grips, and got the hooks in, but he defended it really well.  Stretched the non-choking arm out, and pushed the hook out with his knee, turned in to me, and then he was in my guard.  Beautiful.  Time.

After class, got another roll in with Chris.  Started from my guard, which he popped open and then I started playing open.  He got to half, and I tried to do that hip bump sweep from half that Vaughn showed, with no success.  Couldn’t get charlie’s reverse scissor sweep where you turn the guy over and pull on his belt.  ( I think I might have, or been close at one point)  So I used that guard to get back to full guard, which is sort of a neat trick; from here tried to work open.  Did two things different: I put my foot on his hip and my knee in chest, like Vaughn does, seemed to work ok for keeping him off.  Also tried to grab his arm while keeping my arm at my side, again like Vaughn does.  Interesting.  Also, remembered to pop the guys elbows out (ala Matthias) when he post on your body.  Used this to get him down, and threw up a piece of shit triangle that I gradually worked a bit tighter, but still not proper triangle alignment.  Switched to attacking the kimura, he gave up his posture to defend, and swept him. Tried to finish with a mounted triangle, but couldn’t hit it.  He pushed me off and I wound up in guard I think. Might have missed a step.  Anyway, as soon as I was I guard I quickly threw up another triangle, and this one was a little tighter than the first.  Attacked with the combo armbar and got the tap.  Chris is definitely one of my toughest rolls at blue belt and we usually go pretty even, so it felt good to get the sub, even if I knew it was mostly from him being exhausted from showing up an hour early for class.   Fun night, even tho I didn’t get to roll with Charlie or Andy after.