Work has been killing me... today was the first day I've done crossfit in about two weeks. I feel like such a slacker; at most been training once a day and even 2 or 3 days without a class at all. Bad. However, I suppose to some extent some of you out there may have been right-- maybe I was pushing myself for too long and too hard.. so finally I gave in. I worked too much, so it's not like I was getting better or more rest, but at least I slowed up on the training and physical exertion.
But (after hitting snooze once at 5am, and suddenly waking up at 9am, fully rested for the first time in two weeks and dammit, skipping class again) I was back on track today. Crossfit, then nogi, then class tonight. And it's always fun... nogi, got to roll with a friend who's been out a while, who told me (yay) that my pressure has gotten much better (not that it saved me from being repeatedly guillotined and twice armbarred with great proficiency; I only toeheld him once.)
Then tonight in class, first we worked on bottom half guard, beating them when they try to control your hips by wrapping arms around them. I was paired up with a newish whitebelt who has previously irritated friends of mine with his knowitall ways; tonight was no exception. I love it when people don't stop in a positional drill but just continue on rolling as if their lives depended on it. Once one of us gets to the point of "success," I'll stop and expect to go back to the start position; he didn't quite get that, and was inordinately pleased with taking my back and choking my unresisting self to the point of sparkly stars and ocean sounds. I foolishly thought that ceasing to resist might communicate something. Next time, I tapped. And added to his notion of legend in his own time. Oh well, whatever. Though his attempt to triangle me, when neither of my arms were inside his legs, was kind of funny-- especially because I just unresistingly tucked my chin down hard, letting him gas his legs trying to choke out the top of my skull.
After class was over, I half listened to Donald's competition class (beating the standing open guard pass, usually of the torreando variety) and half listened to Phil's spontaneous lesson on fighting from the open guard- transitioning from open to scissor to the Relson's seven sweep series control position. I drilled our overhook guard series a bit, then chilled out and watched my buddy Amit school an overeager whitebelt. Then Amit got to school me. He's an absolute delight to roll with-- he's always mellow, methodical, focused. I tend to get a little loosey-goosey with him- experimental, you might say. But it was a good workout and I left feeling pleasantly fatigued.
One interesting tidbit-- I did finish a bit of investigative reporting for a well-known martial arts forum, Bullshido, and I'm happy with how it's come out so far. Just waiting on a few more pieces of the puzzle to fall into place and then I'll post links here so you can read it all.
My friend Triin, who trains in Dallas, has started a company making gis for women called Fenom. Lucky me, she sent me one (thanks to my patient husband who picked it up in Dallas while attending the salsa congress last weekend) and I got to try it out yesterday and today. Adding to the color collection, now I have a black gi too :) It's sharp, and I need to take pictures. It's not for official review yet, as it is a prototype model, but I will make some comments-- it's nice! Good fit, even pre-shrinking... nice fabric... quality embroidery.. so I'm looking forward to sharing more feedback soon.
I'll close with some fun videos... first, from Marcelinho, then a bunch of judo highlight reels...
2 comments:
Not slacking -- resting. Put a positive spin on it ;)
I'm looking forward to 3 days off for Thanksgiving next week, which tells me that I, too, am tired and in need of rest. (But with a scheduled break, I tell myself I can just push on until I get there. Am silly.)
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