Setting The Mat On Fire

First off, Friday was my one year post-op anniversary. I’m very happy to have made a full recovery, and am back (*rimshot*) to doing the things I love with no lingering physical problems. Looking back at my posts from a year ago, it’s pretty obvious how depressed about being injured I was. But, I recovered. I rehabed. I came back. And I’m better because of it.

Sparring on Saturday was one of those days where everything was clicking and working. I spent an hour that morning re-watching some of Damian Maia’s “Science of Jiu-Jitsu” videos, specifically the Escaping Side Control one. I’ve been thinking a lot about it recently, especially in light of the kimura class we had last week. I know the techniques. The techniques work, they must. So, my problems must be in my application of the techniques.

I got to class a little early, while the kids class was still going. Man, how awesome would it have been to start this journey when I was 8? They sure seemed like they were having fun. After they were done, I stretched a bit and warmed up. I grabbed Kieth to start off with. I mostly played guard with him, continuing to warm up. He passed, and I (with my freshly watched technique in mind) escaped side control with ease. Normally I’m totally focused on the roll, but at that moment I had to smile and think “Huh. The technique DOES work!” I tapped him with a cross choke from guard with the armlock setup. Then later, armlocked him from a triangle setup. And lastly, I took his back from guard and rear naked choked him.

Took a minute to grab a drink, then started up with Bryant. We’re a good match I think, but opposites in style. When he’s rolling, he’s super active, constantly moving. I’m (trying to be!) calmer, more deliberate. “The millstone turns slowly, but it grinds very fine.” He passed, and again, I easily escaped back to guard. He eventually mounted, and went for his go-to-move, the Ezekiel Choke. But I was ready, elbows in tight, hands protecting my neck, and fighting his grapevines with my feet. With his arm hooking my head, it’s perfect to upa and roll, as soon as I can get my feet down to upa with. I eventually do, he tries to switch to s-mount, but I get half guard, then full guard…then cross choke. We go a few more times. He did get me once with that Ezekiel, but in our last roll I turned the tables and got him with it too.

Quick water break, and then Damian hooks me up with Justin. Justin’s a fresh face, but apparently has trained here previously. 4 stripes on his belt, and Bryant said that they were partners for a long time in the kids class. 16, strong, and VERY active when he’s rolling. Away we go. He starts out on top, I’m working for guard, but he’s aiming to pass right away. I’m head pushing this way and that, breaking a grip here and there, and eventually do get to guard. He’s immediately trying to break me open, does, and then passes. And yet again, the technique works, and I’m back to guard. He’s panting a bit as we’re working. I got to simple sweep him, he posts out…too far for me to switch to the push sweep, so I switch sides and do a kind of elevator sweep on him. Doesn’t get me to mount, but I’m on top now. Get the head and arm control, pass to side, jack his arm up and mount. He taps at this point because apparently I bumped or hit his shoulder that’s semi-hurt. We restart. Very similar, but this time I try to escape side control by threading to my knees, and he’s on my turtle guard like a fat kid on a cupcake. He opens me up and takes my back. Uh oh. We’re hand fighting, and he’s squeezing with his legs. But I’m calm. I can see Damian watching. I’ve got his arm, protecting my neck. I’m trying to scoot out, trying to get my back to the mat to escape. He mounts, I start to escape, he switches back to my back. Back to mount, and then I escape to guard, and I’ve got him completely broken down. I switch my grip on him from one side of his head to the other, secure the kimura on one arm, and finish him.

A great day of rolling for me. It feels great to do well, but it feels better to weather a storm to get there.

A break, some water, and then did my 5-3-1 Press work.