Friday, July 3, 2009

07/03/09

Well, It was my first day back, I probably should have stopped after drills, but I couldn't help but roll a bit, and roll I did. It felt good to get spent, to breath heavy, and to get sweaty. I will definitely be paying for it come morning time, but I'll deal with the aches then.

Stuff we drilled today:
• Arm Bar set up from mount. Instead hand-fighting to get your arm under there's and walk it up we learn to push the arm down (In similar fashion before applying an Americana, or a keylock depending on which part of the country you're from) then, with your same side leg, trap the arm, and work yourself from there into S-mount. from there your can grab the same side leg, step over and finish the arm bar. Pretty simple stuff, but really great to drill over and over to get super tight. This is something that I need considerable work on. I have focused so much on my defense and guard game that now when I'm on top I do not have the same confidence nor smoothness as I do on the bottom.

• We also worked on cross colar choke, which is pretty elementary, but a nice little add on to this was how to initially get the hand in if your opponent is guarding the collar. You lift up the gi BELOW where they are holding it, and 'punch' you fist through. By going under you are totally bypassing their defense. From there you can fish around and get grips and apply the choke.


In rolling today I noticed that I am very careless with my head. Not only in the sense that I leave myself open for guillotine chokes, but also in the sense that I'm always whacking on knees, elbows, other heads... whatever. This is not good, I mean, my brain is in there I should be more cautious with it.

I also realized when rolling I am getting very good at controlling people from open guard, which I enjoy, but, I have little to no transition game, I need to work more sweeps from DLR, 9-3, and X-guards otherwise I usually end up stalling most of the time.

My half guard was pretty weak today as I was trying some sweeps from it, I need to work harder on securing the 'lockdown' (ugg) and working slower and calmer from there.
Thursday, July 2, 2009

07-02-09

As promise, This post will be in regard to the shoulder brace I have been using recently in real life applications as well as during rolling.

After some research I decoded to purchase the EVS SB02 Shoulder Brace, There were a number of factors that went into choosing this one including:
• Price was fair in comparison to a number of Ortho recommended braces
• The brace appeared to no be cumbersome
• Previous reviews from grapplers whom said it helped

I purchased the Brace from OEMcycle.com HERE
this is what it looks like:

















PROS:

• Lightweight, and non-restrictive, BUT it does keep the shoulder stabilized. This is definitely a brace meant to be used by people who are recovering and active, NOT for people who need to immobilize their shoulder.

• Material is breathable & Easily washable neoprene

CONS:

• The sizing chart provided was correct, BUT, it woudl be nice to see smaller size ranges on the sizes, I fit into the medium bracket, but barely. Had I ordered the large, Which I was only 1 inch away from the size range it woudl have been WAAAAAAY too big, but the medium is pretty snug, not hindering usage, but making it a bit difficult to get on.

•This is not a big deal other than it makes a mess. The Graphics are silk screened on, and they rub off rather quickly, I would have rathered them not print a large logo to avoid the mess.

• It fits best when worn on the skin, there are a few exposed Velcro areas that rub you raw, I alleviate this by wearing it over a rash guard.

All in all I give the brace a 7/10. Its awesome for the money and I will buy another one if this one last for a decent amount of time but then needs to be replaced. As of now It appears to be holding up well through a number of light rolls and everyday usage.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

07-01-09

Haven't Posted in a month.

Haven't train in about as long.

The brutal injuries on my shoulder over about 2 decades finally caught up with me Early in June. I was North-South on someone, went under the head for the opposite shoulder and began to step my choke back and we (me & my training partner) both heard a sort of 'ker-CHUNK'

I stopped doing what I was doing and asked him if he was ok, fearing I had broke his jaw, and he looked at me, shocked, and said 'No. are you ok?'

It was at that point I realized the noise came from my shoulder, and while I had felt no pain, a feeling came across me that I can only explain as awkward, like what I feel like if some stranger on the subway were to touch me.

Well 1 month, 1 MRI, 42 ArthroTek pill, & 3 orthopedic visits later, they are still totally unsure of what is going on. I have been told many things, but most of them are back tracked over once the pain comes back.

Here's what I know:

The X-ray showed multiple fractures in my clavicle by the shoulder. But the pain I have is not from that, I am no doctor but I have broken my toes, hands and feet multiple times, along with a leg, arm, and a rib, and I can tell you this pain IS NOT from the broken clavicle.

The MRI (as I have been told, again I'm not doctor) Showed no tear in either the labrum or in the Ac parts

The awful pain went away rather quickly with the ArthroTek (NSAID) to the point where I was able to roll twice two weeks ago, with no, to very limited pain.

Swimming with my daughter appears to have totally re-injured my shoulder to the point where I cannot really train again, and this time the meds are not really helping the pain which leads me to believe it is not helping the inflammation.

What I am Learning:

• Not training really kills my energy, and drive to do other things.
• My cardio went away in about 1 week, my flexibility went quicker.
• Real injuries are awful.

What I am doing as of today:

• After much sulking I purchased an exercise bike and ride it at least fourty minutes a day.

• Using a brace. I will post links and images later. It really seems to help keep my shoulder where it needs to be.

• Really working on my posture & doing little things to keep my mind on BJJ like working my hand grips and stupid stuff like that.

• Going to start drilling Next week.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

5-26-09

Posted in , by ... | Edit
This weekend I had the opportunity to roll with my instructor, as no one else showed up for open mat. Surprisingly, we went at for about 45 minutes, of course with me being tapped repeatedly, but still 45 minutes of hard rolling is showing I've made bounding progress in getting some gas in my tank.

Notes on rolling:
I got my back taken about nine million times, I noticed that often times when trying to escape, I end up in worse position by not turning into my opponent. This is something I NEED to work on much further, I have to remember to turn INTO my opponent and gain better position rather than turning away to escape and just ending up in worse position.

Other thoughts:
Continue to work on grips, as well as remembering that in Jiu Jitsu I have four limbs to use at a time, not just two, also remember about my head, and how vulnerable it is to attacks.

Stuff to work on tonight:
•Continue to work the butterfly guard till its killer defense and great sweeping.
•Work on the 'electric chair' from half guard (underhook opposite leg that is controlled with lockdown)
• If rolling with bigger guys, continue to work north<---> south from side control by 'passing' their close arm under my knee
• Also continue to work on the armbar from knee on belly
Friday, May 22, 2009

05-21-09

Posted in , by ... | Edit
Last night's no-gi class was a really great experience. It was one of those nights where you really start to feel progress. In the past few weeks I have been adding the butterfly guard to my game and last night it finally clicked.

NOTES:
• Realized the importance of using your feet like little monkey hands, all the time, but in butterfly guard the game really relies on it. Use feet to hook in and really keep opponent off balance.

• Being more aggressive for underhooks, instead of sleeve/wrist grips helped secure position more than anything I've been trying.

• Grip drills are starting to help my reaction time drastically. DO THEM MORE.

• Double underhooks + palm to palm, straighten legs + sit up, bring hands to chest, get tap

• IF you lose guard to double under hooks (on the legs), break hands at pad, hold wrists, release one arm, trap that arm with leg, and slide same arm through for underhook, while keeping arm trapped with leg, palm to palm + walk leg down, transfer to kimora, get tap. If he pulls arm out secure arm to chest and go for triangle first---> arm bar---> arm lock---> omaplata

• continue to work lockdown from halfguard, look to underhook opposite leg and sit up.

• work N<--->S escape