Started the day off with some tempo training (pushups). I've just finished Week 2A's workout (5 sets of 9 tempo pushups - 6 minutes active rest - 5 sets of 9 tempo pushups) and am starting to feel my chest and shoulders really being activated during the workout.
Warm-ups at GB Seattle have started to drift back toward the standard that Rodrigo set a few years back. We're still doing the GB favorites, but Rodrigo and Carlos have brought back the runs and are spicing up the specific sparring with squats, pushups and abs work. Personally, I love it - there's nothing harder to pay attention to than a sleepy class - and I suspect the extra intensity will pay big dividends over the next several weeks.
Notable today was a huge adjustment in my spinning armbar, working to trap the arm higher up and much, much closer to the elbow. That was probably the day's biggest breakthrough. The choke series from side control is still a "must drill" move every time I get into side control, and hopefully over the next week or two I'll be able to add in the backstep to the back move, which will really set the attack series up nicely going forward.
From the guard, things remain a little unfocused still. I'm getting away with a lot of anti-guard over the past few days, a cross grip here, a hook sweep there. I don't mind a little drift in the week following a tournament. But this is really the best time to start laying new foundations - or improving on the old one.
