On the Mat Day 91: Guard Pass by Knees

First time last night I saw Kamiya-san with his blue belt. I congratulated him on it. I think he trains about once, sometimes twice a week and it took him over 2 years. He seems stiff when he is standing and very tense, like a bull locking horns. I wonder if I am the same way. I try to be a bit more fluid because being tense like that is easy prey to arm drags. I never did get to spar with him last night because he got changed early. I did watch him get a nice kimura after pulling guard on Kensuke. Although, Kensuke is desperate to reach blue belt and gave him a run for his money. I think he subbed him a couple of times. Later I practices closed guard breaks with Kensuke and asked him to either go for sweeps or submissions. I broke his guard fairly well using left sleeve grip and standing or extending my backside to release his legs. I'm not sure how well he tried to stop me and asked him if he gave 100% but he professed to say that he was never sure what to do in closed guard. He is a judo guy but I think he was being modest.

I also sparred with a guy who is Fukuzumi sensei's friend. He is getting better at jiu-jitsu I can tell. I kept him in closed guard all the time and got a flower sweep on him but was hesitant as to what to do while in mount. Later I tried again for a flower sweep but he blocked it well. I did well to keep him in closed guard. Lots of people seem to use the knee in the arse break a lot and I am semi-successful at stopping it.

I sparred with Fukuzumi-sensei and he always makes me feel like a 5 year old. It is so fucking frustrating sparring him. I know he is going easy on me too, which makes it worse. When I transition, he is one step ahead of me so I basically feel like I am getting nothing out of the roll and just being used as a practice dummy. So annoying. I'll have my dues some day. Muhaha oh yes I will. Tsuzuki-san got me with a figure 4 leg lock and it hurt like crazy.

Sparring time: 7 x 6 mins = 42 mins

including 1 round of closed guard breaks, 1 round of leg only guard passing.

I have to admit that I have been so god damn lazy recently. I am not focused on my training and there are weeks where I do 1 class and some when I do 3. It is completely random. The humid summer definitely has something to do with it. I made out a monthly work plan to battle this problem and plan to update it each month. I know from my days of P90X that I do well if I have a plan of action. So I've scheduled my days to do BJJ and mix it with P90X or swimming with my son. I call it "Road to blue belt". I hope it will help increase my cardiovascular while making me better at BJJ. Each Sunday I also plan to do a 30 minute study session in which I set aside some time to watch technique videos, think about my game, or conscript my wife into practicing a move I am interested in. My goals are also to get enough sleep, take vitamin B (to help against the summer lethargy) and creatine. BJJ-wise I am working on airplane throws, arm drags, 2-on-1 holds, half-guard and Achilles locks.