Rough Weekend

Class on Sunday was tough. I felt rundown even before class started. Not sick, but off somehow (really, for all you guys going to the Pan Ams... I'm not going to give you the flu!) I debated whether to go to class or not, but I decided that this was exactly the kind of day that I should force myself to do it.

I've mentioned before that exercise in general is new for me. I was a very active kid, but in my adult life I settled quite well into a sedentary, couch potato existence. For 14 years, between ages 14 and 28, I did very little beyond smoke cigarettes, drink some beer and do the minimum amount of exercise necessary to get by. As a result, a lot of this stuff is new for me.

I guess what I'm struggling with is learning at the ripe old age of 37 things that most people take for granted. It's easy to go to class when I'm feeling good, and of course it's easy to know that if I'm sick I shouldn't go. It's that area in between where I'm just not sure. Ultimately, two days after the fact, I'm glad I went. We'll call it a mental toughness day, because I sure didn't feel physically tough.

Class was decent sized, not too big, which means more sparring. We drilled a couple of different ways to take Back Mount position on a turtled up opponent. Both of the techniques we covered are ones I'm familiar with, but I always appreciate review of fundamentals. Can't get enough of the basics.

I sparred with Josh, Big Matt, and Todd (purple belt) twice. Talk about a contrast in styles. As usual, when rolling with Josh, I worked on controlling his legs and maintaining good position. I think I do an okay job of controlling his legs, but whenever I pass guard, he gets it right back. I need to focus on establishing a dominant position and staying low. I get too high and he sweeps me.

With Big Matt, I focus on defense. At 270 lbs, I try to maintain position against him and avoid giving him anything to work with. Strong, technical defense, working to keep him off guard at least enough so that he can't rest and plot his strategy.

And with Todd, well, I just do my best. Rolling with Todd is good, though, because he's so mellow about everything. He never rolls fast. Early on, I pulled guard and was working a lapel grip. He stood up to break my guard and I noticed his feet were very close. I opened my guard, grabbed his ankles and brought my shins in to attempt a sweep. He could see this from a mile away and said so. It was funny. Todd: "Well, I think I saw that one two minutes before we started sparring." Me: "Yeah, well. I'm gonna pay for it, I think."

A few minutes later, I pull guard and he stands up again, and says, "It seems like we've been here before." So, I went for a different sweep, which also didn't work. :)

After class I rolled with a newer guy, big with long legs and just didn't feel like I had any gas left in the tank. I wish I could've worked with him more, because he's got just the kind of game that I have the most trouble with.