Masters Worlds was this weekend in Vegas. We sent 23 people, and came back with a half dozen medals. Glad to see the team succeed.

Those of us that stayed here had some low key training. We’d stop once in a while and crowd around a laptop and watch the stream of one of our team mate’s matches. Fun stuff.

I had rounds with Sarah (twice), Charlie, Colin, and Rafa that I recall. Sarah is due for her purple belt I think. She’s come a long ways. I did really well with Charlie, catching him in a triangle that I rolled over to mount then armlocked him. And I surprised myself with Colin. I pulled off the kimura pass to side control, maintained the grip, and then swung it into an armlock that I would have finished if not for the buzzer. Pretty good for me vs a brown belt.

Nooner.

No lesson. Just a warm up, groups, and get down to business. I had Tim, JR, and Officer Jason in my group.

I did okay with Tim in our first round. Only bow and arrowed me once. JR and I were even-ish, though he had the advantage most of the time. I did pull of a nifty sweep on him near the end. When I got to Jason, I was gasping for breath. I told him that I was going to go slow, and did. He gave me a change to review my knee-on-belly escapes. I’m too tempted to go for the reversal, because it’s a reversal, I’ll end up on top. With the escape, I’m still in side control, still in danger.

Once more around, then off to the shower.

I felt better afterwards.

Saturday was a frustrating day.

It’s been a long & stressful week. Jiu jitsu almost always make me feel better after going to class. But not on Saturday.

It started off okay. I was happy to see my boys get their first stripes, and they were equally happy.

We had a smaller-than-lately class for the adults. The IBJJF Chicago tournament was going on, and a dozen or so people went. And did very well by all accounts. Tim made up the groups, and we did one round in, one out system.

I had a mixed bag of a group. Started off with Kevin the white belt. Went okay, he’s trying to be fast and engage only when it’s to his advantage, so we spent a third of our round before I could get a hold of him without him jerking away and disengaging.

Next round is where the day started to go bad. I drew a visiting purple belt. I’ve always been told (and believe) that as a visitor, you’re the equivalent of a guest in someone else’s house. You act polite. And this guy was, but he was also working at (what felt like) 105%. Hey man, if you feel the need to prove you “belong” here or something, then go right ahead. I’d much rather run at 60% or 70%, and get a sweat in, have some fun, and be able to walk the next day. So he triangled me right off the bat. Then knee sliced into an anaconda. Then bermibolo’d into a RNC. No biggie, I know even at 100%, I’m not going to be beating this guy. The thing that really set me off was near the end. He was setting up another bermibolo, and Tim started shouting coaching tips to me. And I really can’t even express WHY that bothered me. Was he disappointed in me? Was I frustrated at sucking? Was it non-jiu-jitsu things bothering me? I don’t know.

A round off, stewing to myself, followed by a round with Bob the monster really didn’t help things at all. I’d love to be as smooth and technical as Bob. Or as strong. But he really has a tendency to be “rude”. Nothing illegal, but a plethora of little frustrating things.

Another round off, more stewing. Next round, back with Kevin. And after that, I decided that I was done for the day. I was just frustrated enough that I wasn’t going to learn anything. So I sat and watched the last couple of rounds. Which (now) frustrates me. I don’t get a lot of mat time. To think that I was unhappy enough to waste what little I get, my head must of been (still is?!) in a weird place.

Saturday’s events have provided a lot of food for thought.

Nooner.

White belt level technique today…spiced up. We covered proper mounting technique. Stuff the legs away from you, they’ll usually attempt to break that grip, and when the do, knee slice over into 3/4 mount. When the inevitably upa, then you can mount safely and cross your feet. Establish the position, then cross choke. If/when they attempt to upa and roll out of that, you switch to knee pillow and collar choke them.

During the last couple of minutes of drilling, Damian grabbed me and told me he was putting me in a group with Bri, who is competing soon. “Put a little zip in your roll with her.” Aye aye, spicy sauce coming right up.

So I gave her the business. To her credit, she did great. She was in a bad position the entire time, but didn’t quit moving or rest, and her defense was pretty good. My other round was with Erin, who wasn’t competing, but still got the spicy stuff. Same deal with her, she did well. At one point, I had her in an omoplata, and I was getting ready to finish it when Pat started coaching her how to escape, so I paused and let him walk her through it, then I switched to an armlock. He started to coach her through that too, but then she yelled ‘stop!’. I wasn’t sure who she was talking to, so I stopped and checked that she was okay. She was talking to Pat, and was good to go. I get it, tough to listen and roll at the same time!

Huge group on Saturday. I counted 59 on the mat.

We split into groups, I had 11 in mine. 3 minutes in, 3 minutes out. It was the only way to have any space. I was okay with it, it allowed me to go pretty good in every round and not worry about gassing at the end of class.

I recall rounds with Nik Nik, Bonde Sarah, Darren, Dennis and Harris. I felt pretty good in all of them.

Damian gave out some stripes at the end of class, and I was surprised to get one. My attendance has been pretty sporadic the past year. I guess I’ve been refining what I know, or at least maintaining rather than learning new things.

There really aren’t any “easy” days in jiu jitsu. Saturday was about as close as it comes though.

Except for the humidity. That was rough.

My group was Daryl, and 4 white belts. 3 minute rounds, 30 second break. It was a nice change of pace to not be getting smashed! Daryl and I were nice too. We did some catch and release and both experimented with some things. I specifically was working on the stupidly simple sweep we drilled a couple of weeks back.

It was a nice reminder of how far I’ve come in grappling since I first started.

Still hot.

My rounds on Saturday got cut short. I had to leave in the middle of them to take care of some family stuff.

But I did get rounds in with Brendan, Wade, Andy and another white belt.

Three classes this week? Whoa.

Lesson of the day was the “stupid” sweep. Grip a sleeve and the opposite side pants. Pull them towards you, to load him up, then undo your guard, drop one foot down and kick the armpit on the other side and over they go. The devil is in the timing. Bonus, if they post, you can sneak your leg through that now open gap and shoot a triangle. Well, you’re supposed to be able to. I’m not sure my hips are flexible enough to allow it.

For rounds I had Phillip and Brendan. Hard and fast, then in the shower and back to work.

Saturday was a nice cool day for jiu jitsu.

We were a group of NINE this week. 3 pairs in, 3 people out, 3 minute rounds. I had Ben, Davis, and another white belt, plus Daryl, Jamie, and others. I made it two rounds before I needed to take a break. No way I was going to make 6 in a row without keeling over. I was on top of Daryl at one point in half guard when someone next to us got swept and I caught their foot in my face. Nice black eye from it.

Tuesday, it’s still cool. Damian ran the lesson, attacking the turtle with the “machete” back take. Bri and I drilled. Then we did more 3 minute rounds. I had Torkleson, Brenden, Cullin and Dave before I had to split. Made it the whole time without a break this time!