Inverted, upside down, sucked in and sprawled.

Usually I say I have to be taught things 5 times before they sink in, make sense, and have any potential for being executed in live sparring.

Maybe I'm making progress? But hot DAMN, this visiting purple belt from LA (Max) showed a couple things the other day, and wouldn't you know, I went for one of his chokes the next day? Would have been successful too, except it's one where you get a grip and then roll under the guy, meaning he (usually) rolls with you to alleviate the pressure.. only I tried it on this guy at our school who calls himself Short Bus (and if he's reading it, he's laughing, he totally eats up the attention). [Short Bus has appeared under another moniker in this blog previously but I won't share. Just know that he is in fact short, and he's a little stout, but very strong. He doesn't hesitate to smear me into the mat like he's tidying up a tube of toothpaste with his sternum.] Short Bus rolled halfway with it, and then stopped, on top of me, laying on me, reclining on me, and I was smooshed, so I couldn't tighten the choke any more. DAMMIT. I chalk that up to experience...

a) When someone is way bigger and heavier and stronger, don't do things that involve rolling them on top of you on purpose. Especially when your nose meets their body and is subject to their entire body weight.

b) Try new moves on people your own size. I extrapolated from the experience with Short Bus, plus that video I posted recently of the two flying armbars... and I thought you know, if you're not strong enough to control their weight, and they react strangely or the move goes awry, you could really hurt someone inadvertently. Or hurt yourself. So I won't be clambering over people like a monkey bar to sit on their shoulders (just in case I fall backwards, I bet they won't be able to stop me with their arm at that angle.) And I won't be rolling underneath the Bus either.

c) Get a deeper grip into the collar first with that choke, so you're not dependent on core strength and leg control after the roll to finish it. They should be wanting to tap enough in the middle that they go with you on the rolling part, out of self interest.

The title actually refers to last night's lesson on the upside-down guard, playing with it, options from it, entries into it, and passing it. Woulda been nice to know before the Pan but it's cool... I think I was able to get it enough that this might be a "show me twice" kind of thing instead of the full 5 times. Jason was a great training partner, too.

And then this morning... freaking Ian and his $^&*#*! open guard. Sigh. I'm not doing as well with the mobility game, still heavily dependent on the position game, and he ate me for breakfast metaphysically speaking. And then knelt on my ponytail while we rolled, tearing out a ginormous clump of hair. Sigh again. Too damn hot to wear the headgear so I guess I assumed the risk.

Congrats to my husband for getting a 91 on his first exam in summer school-- after a lengthy absence from the halls of academia!

Hope your training is going well! :)