This morning's class focused on knee on belly. Then at night, Christy focused on some mount escape/mount retention stuff ... to my pleasant surprise, I was able to bust out of Leila's mount a few times. Not sure if that's because she was giving me only 50% resistance but probably so. Nonetheless I took it and ran with it. Should have quit right there, though. Instead, for the next positional sparring drill (back mount) I picked Ian.
Ian is a doughty blue belt I have nicknamed "The Terminator." In social settings, he's funny, animated, full of personality. On the mats, at least with me, he's straightfaced, serious, and unemotional. I took his back 3 times; 3 times he shucked me off like I was lint and either got mount or at least escaped to a scramble. He took my back 3 times; 3 times he choked me with alacrity. Back and forth, without a word on his part. I wanted to ask his advice, but sensed my silence was more appreciated, so I just tried to pay attention to what he was doing and mimic it. Epic fail, but at least I tried. When we finished, my jaw was sore from biting my lapel (at least he only Fredson choked me once!) and I was so frustrated that I landed a satisfying kick on one of the heavy bags when I got off the mat. Wasn't personal-- Ian was doing his job. I just wasn't getting it. Christy commiserated and offered a few words, but it's just one of the many things on my list that needs work.
At least Vidush, another bluebelt, was sympathetic. Apparently we are both stymied by Ian. I wish someday someone would speak of me in such reverent terms for something other than my baking.
3 comments:
We have a brown belt like Ian at our school. We call him "bruiser" for the same reasons. Nice guy when you're not grappling, but when you are he is all business. The few times I've had to grapple him, I spent most of it defending submissions (and inevitably tapping to them) and the rest of the time scrambling between them. :)
Ah it reminds me of my great friend Gerard. He is a radiologist who used to train at ours but is now in Virginia. He is a wonderful person thru-and-thru but he couldn't help hurting you when he rolled with you :)
I nicknamed him Doctor Damage. The name stuck. He still loves me tho. I hope.
I know the feeling. I sometimes feel like I have a disability and cannot "read" what is going on even though it is right in front of me.
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