More good hard training on Monday. Judo to start things off as we worked the osoto gari throw. Synching the details - turning the elbow out, the "palm heel uppercut with the collar control, the footwork - is the tricky part as always. And one of the challenges will be to remain technical and in "learning/trying/failing" mode when we begin stand-up sparring in another week or two.
In part, I think this is why I want to work the foot sweeps more than the throws per se. I've been intimidated away from them, thinking that long legs were a prerequisite to making foot sweeps a major part of your judo. But now is as good a time as any to challenge all of that.
Competition prep-type training with a lot of specific to start things off. I'm starting to get my timing back, bit by bit, and pretty much on schedule as I come out of my first 4x week in awhile. Continuing to open up the omoplata game, including as a cross guard option when the guy doesn't stand. It's an atypical entry for the omoplata, since the arm is crossed rather than elbow out - which most folks are hip to. This may account for some of the surprising success I've had with a submission I don't think I've ever consistently trained.
From the top, the Marcelo series is still a main go-to against the open guard (a lot of folding pass tonight). Flat pass right is getting a little better and really needs to be trained whenever the opportunity presents itself. I'm also liking what I'm able to do by way of a combat base out of the squat pass - though I need to be more focused on how the struggle to free the hips creates the pass opening rather than just going for the wedge/smash immediately.
A very nice light 158.3 post-train, especially good for a Monday.
