Actually, no story today. Just checking in to dump stuff in my head. Training has been very enjoyable for me the past few weeks. Still working my bottom half guard sweeps and getting much more comfortable in that position. I gravitate towards that position during my rolls. My partners automatically know I target that spot so they are making it more challenging for me, but that’s good since we all get better!! It’s amazing how the techniques slowly become ingrained and feel more natural.

Offensively, I’ve been focusing on baseball chokes and arm bars since it flows well together. Again, my fellow white belts are aware of the baseball choke…and as they defend it, I can get the arm bar. I can then toggle back and forth. It’s been working well for me so far. It’s much more of a challenge with upper belts, then again it should! Haha. I don’t expect to catch them but I’m certainly going to keep trying and figure our a sneakier approach.

Oh! One of my coaches trained at AOJ a couple weeks back. Showed us a few things he learned during his visit. I was actually able to pull it off during a roll! I was so surprised that I gave up position admiring it. LOL. It’s all good. It’s just a guard retention move, but I was able to pull it off a few times live rolling. It’s these little things that I love. Little maneuvers or principles that make my game tighter and efficient.

If you happened to stumble upon my blog and you’re just starting our BJJ, “STICK WITH IT!” It gets fun as FUCK! I no longer feel smashed when rolling. Yeah, I get beat a lot still but there’s a difference. Being smashed is utter helplessness. It’s like getting a whupping as a child. You can’t stop onslaught and you just can’t wait for it to be over. Getting submitted over and over. It’s no fun. This doesn’t equate to being beat in my mind. I’m making myself less vulnerable and staying tight in every position. And if I am in a bad spot, I feel I can escape most of the time. I may be defensive most of the time, but I don’t feel helpless; just not good enough to capitalize on opportunity or too slow to execute the move. However, I see my own potential and that is what lures me back to the academy everyday.

There’s a lunchtime class today, and I’m still anxious to go. Talk to y’all later and rage on! 🙂