After a solid paleo dinner of grass fed, hormone free New York Strip and roasted bell peppers, I was happy to be heading to jiu jitsu. This being the first class of the year, I figured it may be a big class, with all of the resolutioners out there. We did have two new faces, one a Crossfitter trying something new. But for the most part, the same crowd as last week.

I could tell right away during our warm ups that it was going to be a rough night. I just felt gassed out, with no pep at all. I’m told that this is pretty typical for the first week or so of the neo/paleo transition. Just one of those things you have to deal with.

I was a little surprised when Ron and I got to be the demonstration dummies for thread 1. But it turned out to be good, because I made few instructive errors. When I elbow escape side control, I have been shooting my knee in at about my opponent’s belt line. It turns out it works much better when it’s on the floor…you can push his knee to open his leg for hooking that way. In addition, I need to step with my high leg first, then shoot my bottom knee in. And in my simple sweep, I have been bringing my knee in to put on his chest first…turns out I have to move my other foot to his hip before that.

Small errors, but they make a big difference. And I wasn’t the only one making them I don’t think. We drilled for a while, then switched to thread 2 and did that one for a bit as well. This week is going to be “Escape Side Control Week”, which I think is awesome, because I suck at it.

I was in no shape to do the advanced class, but I wasn’t leaving without doing some rolling. Bobby was there and open, so we went a few times. We started, and the only thing going through my mind was to get a foot to his hip before pulling guard, and he promptly pushed in and secured side control while smashing my head….exactly what I was attempting to avoid, and exactly what we were attempting to avoid in class today. He was on tight, so defend defend defend, and wait for a chance to escape. He wasn’t giving me any room at all, and slid to mount after seeing that my arms were in and my neck was defended. His mount is a different that most others. He grapevined my legs, weaving his in, and spreading them, rather than crossing his legs beneath mine. I still was being defensive, but can’t escape until I get my feet together. So I’m protecting my neck, and foot fighting at the same time. He tried an ezekial choke, but I blocked it.

Just when I get my feet together, he switches to a weird double fist choke, where he had my collar with both hands and started pushing down on my neck, one fist on each side. I upa’d and tried to roll, but he anticipated and switched to the armlock, and got it.

We restarted, and this time I arm dragged him, and he turtled up. I tried a clock choke, but it’s been so long I’ve forgotten how to prevent him from rotating with me, so I switched to attempting to take his back. I used the power half to open him up, but never was able to get my hook in. He rolled to guard, and started to set up the cross choke. I broke a grip, but he had me broken down and unable to posture up. I waited, and he opened his guard up enough where I got to half guard, with head and arm control. Worked the basic pass for a bit, but ended up switching to the “pass directly to mount” method. And got it.

And here’s where paleo won. I’ve gassed out and called a time out many times before while rolling, but NEVER when I’m in mount. I worked to get there, I’m staying there until I tap a guy or he escapes. But not last night. I worked for a bit for a arm triangle, then an americana, and then a wave of nausea hit me and I was working not to cover Bobby in two hour old grass fed, hormone free New York Strip and roasted bell peppers.

And that was it for me for the night. Caught my breath, relaxed some, and called it a night.