A very small class on Friday afternoon - I think there might have been six of us, including some afternoon regulars like J.M. and Pat. But no Bryan, no Steve, no Jaime ...
Rodrigo had us working on guard-pulling fundamentals. Grab the collar with your right hand. Grab the same-side sleeve with your left. Step on the hip with your left (sleeve side) leg and fall back with your other leg out to the side free and ready to deploy. Pull hard on the sleeve and control with both hands.
After drilling this for some time, we added a sweep. The technique in the sweep was, from double hand control on the sleeve, switch to a cross grip (right hand right sleeve). With your left hand cup the near ankle and with your free leg, hook behind the other ankle.
To sweep, pull on the sleeve and ankles while pushing with the left/sleeve-side foot in the hip. Come up all the way to the top.
I had to leave before we started free sparring. But I did get in three stand-up sessions with J.M., Pat and a tough new white belt. I did so-so, getting a few trips, but unable to do any of my go-to moves. Pat came close to catching me in an arm-in guillotine. I forgot the escape (a problem since fixed) and was able to pike up to relieve the pressure. Still I couldn't get out and when I reached up and touched Pat's arm, he thought I was tapping and released the pressure. He's got a good guillotine and I'm looking forward to getting attacked with it again so I can see if I've got my escapes figured out.
A good way to end the week - though I hate having to rush out at the end. My new mantra for Year Five of my jiu jitsu journey is to stay late after class when the jiu jitsu riches are often most abundant and the arte suave vibe at its most intense. That's pretty much impossible to do on Fridays, given my schedule. But it is the plan every other time.
