Choose Strong
For Tim.
2024 kicked off with a blast. The first week, I enjoyed the shoulder lock
transitioning to armlock from guard taught by Brenda and the arm-drag followed
with heel-trip takedown from Adam. We trained the flower-sweep and the snap-down
and using it to induce posturing up for the single or double-leg. Francisco told
me I could do a no-gi paper cutter on him when I isolated his arms from
cross-side. I couldn't believe it and he showed me.
I pulled a back muscle when doing spin-to-sit after reviewing the previous
night. Along with it, I did the side-winder, the jacknife, the crabwalk, and hip
raising, all from Henry. I love his focus on self-defense in an age when the art
is relentlessly commercialized.
We have four world champions in the gym and our beloved coach, 66-year-old
Brenda, having a hip-replacement, was the most vocal advocate for competing.
One day, I was rolling with a white belt who just got his first stripe. He
passed my guard and no big deal, I thought, but Brenda nearby shouted: "That's
three points! You just gave away three points!" "That's fine." I smiled: "I can
afford it."
"If your goal is health, don't reach for the medal." Pavel used to say. I've
reaped the benefit of an active lifestyle and jiu-jitsu was extra fun. That's
enough.
I gained over five pounds in the past couple of months and felt very strong on
the mat. My waistline has stayed the same.
I felt emotional growth. Insecurity seemed on its way out. I stopped feeling the
need to please others. I used to put on a smile and say hi to everyone passing
by. This month, I felt different. I entered the gym, checked in at the counter,
went straight to the locker room where I changed in silence, I came out onto the
mat, sometimes not shaking hands with anyone, and proceeded to an open area to
warm up before the class. I'd greet anyone I make eye contact with or who comes
up and say hi but I don't try to make small talk or even look around anymore. At
the same time, I don't feel superior or inferior.
While others become good at playing guard, I've kept improving on the turtle
position. I don't mind one passing my guard. I'd get into turtle and try to take
them down. If they are fast to cross-side, I get into turtle whenever the
pressure from their pin let up. They often give me the arm to trap as they try
to control my hip and I follow up with the roll. Many big guys got rolled :-)
My team mates are improving, too, and they helped me improve. I got submitted by
Stephen with norht-south kimura and re-learned the escape from videos. Sam got a
guilotine and two triangles on me and I re-learned defending the legs. I learned
from Master Rickson and was able to defend the knee-on-the-belly and had success
in standing up to pass close guard.
Ed taught an arm-trap-collar-choke from guard, which I first learned from Brenda.
In that class, I practiced with Cruz and found a good way using my
knee-and-elbow to clear my opponent's arm for wrapping. This can also transition
to an armbar if he defends the punch choke.
Professor Weichi taught the body-lock butterfly guard pass. I learned this first
from Rickson and have been using it with a high sucess rate. It was good to
renew the lesson and gain new perspectives. For example, I found pressing his
legs too close to the butt make it easier for him to folow my leg when I try to
kick out. From cross side, Weichi's way of attacking the far-side arm stresses
pressure and control. I also learned his take on foot lock and transition to
belly-down against the classic footlock defense.
With me, Weiqi likes to stay on top and cup his hand under my chin when I'm in
turtle facing him. I know by itself the chin-strap is not dangerous. He can have
my neck if he likes and I'd focus on his legs and takedowns (Henry's strategy).
He is going for Darce, Marce, or guilotine but as long as his legs do not catch
mine, he cannot finish the choke. Once he has one leg (the one opposite to his
choking arm) up and falls back, I'll try to clamp that leg down and get to the
same side of his body now at the bottom. If I succeed and he does not take out
his choking arm, I'd follow up with the von-flu choke. It has worked on many but
Weiqi won't fall for it. I then would simply end up cross-side on top. The least
I could do is to block his leg.
Matt came to visit from Truckee, taught a class, and gave a seminar. He was
promoted to black belt last year and I loved his teaching. We talked when I was
leaving on Saturday. He told me that he saw good progress in me and I told him I
could take a beating these days. My body has adapted to the sport well.
Whitebelt Matt was promoted to blue the same Saturday. He was tall, wiry, very
strong and good at mount. We rolled often. He was leaving the Bay Area for
Montana, we were told. I feel happy for him and sorry for losing yet another
great training partner.
I saw Amy and Jason, both brown belts, roll. She was outweighed by at least 60
lbs, but was so agile and active that she made him work hard and in the end
submitted him with an arm bar. Simply amazing!
