I only stayed for the first hour/class since I had to run across town by 8 p.m. Turns out my timing was perfect, even if I hated the idea of not being able to train a little more. But the last time I tried to do that I miscalculated and missed the connect, as Saulo might say. So one class/one hour for me tonight.
Sean taught the class since Rodrigo was still under the weather. We worked on half guard passes after some extensive warm-ups, the same Royler knee-through pass and then the switch with double underhooks. I'm really liking the switch; just as with the Watchdog half guard pass that is my bread and butter, wedging the knee in there really gives you some incredible leverage to open up the half guard.
Feels very weird to be walking around with a purple belt on. Very glad my first night back on Monday was spent rolling with Steve and Clint, guys I feel perfectly comfortable training with. I'm trying to avoid the same sort of Spartanism that accompanied the first few weeks of getting my blue belt, thinking that there is now some level of purple belt invincibility I must display at all times. Not only is it just wrong, but it will completely limit my development - and I've got a lot of developing to do.
May hop back on the tatame on Wednesday, but Thursday is the only definite for the week. I really want to ramp up the mat time in this first year as a purple belt, really hit my weaknesses hard and force them to come up to speed. I'm starting to develop some half decent instincts. It's just a matter of deepening them.
