So far so good for the week. Tonight was a nice refresher on pulling deep half from standing and attacking with either the deep half scissor sweep (w/sleeve control and collar drag) or the deep half pendulum sweep.
Working with Angela, I had a better time with the scissor than the pendulum (ironically, she was having an ideal time with the pendulum sweep). I think the issue is relative leg length: if your legs are longer than your opponent's, it may be difficult to get the leverage for the pendulum sweep compared to the scissor. Prof. Rodrigo seemed to be making that point when he had us alternate between the two based on your partner's reaction.
Every other Wednesday we are doing about half the first class in specific (half guard tonight) after the technique section. Training with GB Seattle's newest brown belt, Ruben, I made sure that I started out in southpaw half guard. My mid-year jiu-jitsu resolution is to really round out my half guard game. Rather than run away from it as I thought I needed to do this spring, the goal is to completely flesh it out, to explore every aspect of the half guard that I can conceive of.
And one of the first steps is to become more or less ambidextrous when it comes to attacking from the half. I don't necessarily have to be able to do every move from half guard on both sides. But I need to have as many options on the right as on the left - whatever they are. And the current options I have on the left need to become expanded.
Tough training in the Live Training, as well, rolling with Lance, Rodrigo and Elliot - who is back from an injury. Here the goal was largely in remaining active on top, which I met, but I need to be more focused in turning everything into a half guard game and then going right to my best passes.
A large part of getting better and better in jiu jitsu lies in avoiding areas of uncertainty and trying to draw your opponent into places where your edges are the greatest. That doesn't mean that you'll always win. But it does mean that almost always you will be giving yourself the best chance of winning. And at the end of the day, that's all you can ask. As Charles Barkley put it brilliantly, "sometimes we forget that the other guy is out there trying hard, too."
In terms of focus areas I need to keep working on the backstep pass v.s. the half guard, and keeping better posture when passing from standing. I need to sit/squat a bit more because I can feel my upper body getting a little out in front of my hips and making it hard to be really mobile.
To that end, I want to keep training the double underhook pass with the hop variation, as well as the Marcelo series (step/folding/leg over). I also made some half-hearted moves toward the basic toreano. I'd like to get that more into the mix as well. About six passes for the next six months.
161.5 on the scale post-train.
