First, the instructional. Rodrigo started out with a self-defense move after the warm-ups. The move was coming back to standing after getting pushed or knocked down. First, to fall properly, Rodrigo had us fold our hands across our chest (dying man pose), and then squat. This is to (a) keep you from reaching back to break your fall with your arms and possible hurting your arm and (b) get your center of gravity as low as possible in order to better to control the fall.
From here, from the squat, you essentially "sit" back out of the squat and breakfall by slapping the mat/ground with both hands at the same time.
Next is the stand, which we did as the technical lift. The correct process is: left knee up, right leg checks the attacker at the knee, while left hand defends against punches and kicks and the right hand plants behind. From here, kick the right, checking leg back and perform the "lift" to standing.
The move of the day was the scissor sweep. One mistake I was making was in not getting the shin block in place, which probably has to do with not getting a full rotation and turn over to my side. I've had some success with the scissor sweep over the past several months, so this was a very nice tune up. Rodrigo made the point that I need to make sure I'm doing this with proper technique because, based on the new class set-up, there's a more than small chance that I'll be showing this move to some new, white belts one of these days in 2010.
It was that kind of night. I'm not sure if I can sufficiently mask in metaphor some of the more interesting developments of the evening. We had to visiting black belts, Christiano from Gracie Barra Yakima and another guy I'd never met before Rafael "Barata" who had a GB school in Hawaii but is now in New Mexico.
The audio is messed up. So I suggest you just turn it down so it doesn't distract. But at least you can get an idea of the submission.
From my perspective, I did very well with both visiting black belts - "very well" meaning that I was able to attack (if not pass) their guards effectively from standing without being swept in 10 seconds. I got caught in Rafael's baratoplata twice and Christiano got me with a baseball type choke. But without getting into particulars, I was able to do something I've wanted to do for probably almost a year now and nothing would make me happier than to have the opportunity to do it again - and with a little more "Bob's Your Uncle" next time.
162.8 on the scale post-train. Not bad for the Monday after the Super Bowl, I suppose, though it's starting to get a familiar above 160. I overheard Christiano saying that he's at 158, which is relatively heavy for him compared to where he competes (at 154 lbs. in the gi, one division below me), which actually made me feel a little better about floating around north of 160 for week after week.
