To finish off the workweek ("workweek!" chortled the gods), Prof Carlos had us sparring in rotating five minute sessions for the whole of the main class, then a little Live Training afterwards. I got in four rounds for a good twenty minutes of almost continuous sparring, and was feeling pretty good - though faded - near the end.
A few things are working well. The Effing Pass is the biggest technique godsend since I started playing half guard as a blue belt. I've got to remember to Punch rather than Control the pinned leg. But most of the other mechanics really seem to be falling into place nicely. Even when I don't get the pass, it is putting me and keeping me in a good attacking position where I rarely feel in danger of being submitted or swept.
I'm starting to feel a little flow. It's crazy to look at my training calendar and realize that my 4-week training average has dropped down to once a week as of a week ago. Getting in to train tomorrow will give me three sessions for this week, which will help bend the curve in the right direction. But between illness, relapse, and the whole Doomsday experience, it's been hard sometimes to find the way to the Academy.
But it's paid off every time I've made it. Today I very spontaneously hit a nifty "take the mount" move from side control that was improvised off that Bibiano turning-back, back take against the turtle. And on Wednesday there was that Rodolfo Viera attack against the knee shield half guard that I read in GracieMag a few hours before training and was able to apply that day. Again, some very good flow even though my training frequency has been so low.
A lot of nice drilling after training, also. Worked with Mark on the Leandro Lo sweep and the Machado sweep for me, giving me something else to do against standing opponents. Mark wanted to work some deep half, so we drilled a little Homer Simpson sweep a la Jeff Glover and the Faria sweep. If I could do that after every class ...
158.4 on the scale post-train. A good number near the end of the week.
