For an unfortunately long stretch of time last fall, I fell into the notion that I was putting more into jiu jitsu than I was getting out.
I'm not sure how I ended up shaking off that sensation - attrition, most likely. Some of the worst aspect of training late in 2009 disappeared on their own, others - well, I just don't know what happened. I just stopped feeling that way.
That sensation has started to return - punctuated by three-hours of utter exasperation at the Cobrinha seminar today. I don't want to go into it. But it was like a flashback to some of the worst training sessions I had in the fall of 2009.
Grif noted that since the new program was launched at Gracie Barra, my blog posts had become shorter and - I'm inferring a bit here - significantly less interesting. I think I've put a least a little sugar in the bowl as far as March posts go, for example. But his point is very well taken.
With any luck, this is just the early spring lull before a productive summer. But there are some signs in my training that are starting to remind me of the Jiu Jitsu Heart of Darkness I experienced last fall. And I have no interest in repeating any of that again.
We did a pair of takedowns: a guard pull fake to a single leg setup that resembled my Rip Cord takedown a bit. A collar drag takedown. Cobrinha also did a lot of work on passing the spider guard, which is always good stuff. His key points were in (1) squating and standing as you circle your hand to break the spider grip and (2) packing both knees in one direction and using your knee between those legs to pin the hips. Most of the moves were variations on those. My efforts to drill these techniques on Saturday was subpar due to circumstances beyond my control. But hopefully I'll remember them enough to work on them next week.
Many thanks to Griff for the photo. Standing next to Cobrinha, I look old and fat. My wife suggested otherwise, but I'm not having it - even if she is the best training partner I've got in the only thing that really counts.
