SATURDAY, 29 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me and Eddie.  Duy had an excused absence, and Sam was traveling to Dallas, TX.  We reviewed arm bars from guard, cross collar choke from mount, and side control escapes.  

The end consisted of positional/situational rolling.  

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 3

Duy (white-3) = 16

Sam (white-2) = 28

Eddie (white-1) = 21

Chad (white-1) = 10

Caleb (white) = 4

FRIDAY, 28 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Josh M., Sam, and Eddie.

Today's class focused on side control escapes and a review of the hip bump sweep.

Sam's Recap:

Recap- work got in the way a bit this morning and I was late. I very much hate being late, just so you know.

  

We worked on a hip bump sweep and I looked like it was my first day with prosthetic limbs when I tried to demonstrate it with Edward during drilling. Safe to say the ukes will not have to fear the hip bump sweep from me for some time. 

We also worked on escapes from side control.  Edward and I had our fourth civil roll in a row. Prof throttled me multiple times and with the same subs. At this point I don't feel like I need to name the subs. We all know what he does...😉 we missed Chad, and Duy. 

Also after Edward left there was back and forth about whether Edward was forcing Ginny to get out there and mow before it rained or not. 

All and all another good day of BJJ.

https://youtu.be/QG-AlgLcCVk?si=3oHV02akaHuMiIxP

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 3

Duy (white-3) = 16

Sam (white-2) = 28

Eddie (white-1) = 20

Chad (white-1) = 10

Caleb (white) = 4

THURSDAY, 27 JUNE 2024

Today's session was a training session with me, Jason, and Eddie.  I got seven rounds in.

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 16

Sam (white-2) = 27

Eddie (white-1) = 19

Chad (white-1) = 10

Caleb (white) = 4

WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2024

Today was a simple no gi open mat session. Eddie and Sam were in attendance at start time. Chad rolled up about 30 minutes late, and Duy arrived about an hour after training started due to a follow up with his doctor.

I am currently unaware of any shenanigans, though Sam did feel the need to press his forearm on my throat as I was coaching him AFTER a rolling session. My right hand was free and did not do anything untoward.  

Student Recap:

OK- lot of chatter out there.  Settle down.

The OFFICIAL Recap-

Prof, myself, Chad (late), Eddie, and Duy (late but approved ahead of time) all participated. No drilling just rolling. 

Edward and I added two more "civil" rolls to our tally and now stand at three. I am not opening a bottle of champagne up yet but it is certainly the beginning of a trend. 

Chad, on the other hand, came at me with a vengeance, nearly knocking me off the mat. 

Prof was.....well he was Prof. which means legs and arms were pulled off of each of us and wrist locks were applied at every turn. I didn't get to roll with Duy, but he is back to having two working eyes so good on that.  At this point I think I need to crowd source a bit since the ukes are already squawking so. You guys got anything to add?

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 16

Sam (white-2) = 27

Eddie (white-1) = 18

Chad (white-1) = 10

Caleb (white) = 4

MONDAY, 24 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Josh M., Duy, Sam, and Eddie. Chad must have overslept, gotten lost, and had his car break down.

Today focused on half-guard, with one sweep and a couple of back takes being drilled.  I briefly reviewed the hip bump sweep and will address more time on Friday.

Student Recap:

Recap- great to have Josh Moss back with us.

Also in attendance were Edward (who again knocked over the fan), and a one eyed Duy. After I heard the story of his injured eye, I secretly wanted him to pull out an eye patch when we rolled. That would be straight up intimidating to roll with a guy his size sporting an eye patch. 

Prof demonstrated some half guard sweeps and we also worked in the hip bump sweep and other things I am forgetting at the moment. I think everyone got in roughly five rolls. 

Edward and I had a very civil roll together which only means the next one is liable to be a death match. I don't know why it's that way. Ok that's not true I usually escalate. Oh well, I will try to string together two civil rolls with him and maybe we will have a trend, who knows we might start cuddling together at work after a while.  

All and all another good day of BJJ. 

P.S. There were no call outs or belt throwing.

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 15

Sam (white-2) = 26

Eddie (white-1) = 17

Chad (white-1) = 9

Caleb (white) = 4

SATURDAY, 22 JUNE 2024

I lifted this morning with Josh M. and he joined me and Jason in our BJJ training.  I got in a total of seven, five-minute rounds (four vs. Josh and three vs. Jason). It's good to have Josh back from Thailand.

Today's regular class had me, Duy, Sam, Chad, and Caleb. Butterfly guard passes were on the agenda, with four variations being practiced. I had three additional rounds, with one quite curious round beyond these occurring. 

I believed I was finished after my second round against Sam. I placed my belt back in my bag and sat in front of the fan. To my surprise, Sam invaded the sanctity of my bag, retrieved my belt, and then threw it to me, stating that he could not let our final round be the defining statement of his BJJ progress thus far. 

In short, he challenged a black belt of 12 years to a fight 😂. I may have neglected to set the timer. 

Sam: "How much time's left in this round?"

Me: "All of it."

(Credit goes to Cole Dobbins for the above imaginary interchange).

Sam's Recap:

Prof summed it up pretty well. It might not have been one of the better decisions I have made in my 55 trips around the sun.

However, at least I don't have to wonder what happens now when you challenge your Prof, and I can steer other ukes away from such things in the future.

https://youtu.be/fo8v-pSXULM?si=2oYmKkqks7eqYwW2

Tony (purple) = 2

Josh M. (blue-2) = 1

Duy (white-3) = 14

Sam (white-2) = 25

Eddie (white-1) = 16

Chad (white-1) = 9

Caleb (white) = 4

FRIDAY, 21 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Duy, Sam, and Eddie.

Today we covered four side control escapes and introduced another option but did not practice it in depth.

Sam's Recap:

Early recap- this will be two parts today. 

The value of the under hook was established in our drilling today and branched off into several if/then scenarios. Very eye opening. I was pressed on time so I got one roll in. I dressed and while I was putting on my shoes I saw something I had not seen before. Prof. took Duy's belt and used it as a lariat and roped it around his arm so it would be motionless as he took his back and submitted him. 

That clearly falls under the category of a DSB tactic. So at this point in our journey we can safely say that we have not been coddled as we have been introduced to leg locks, heel hooks, innumerable wrist locks, the bastard and now the lasso. 

All and all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 13

Sam (white-2) = 24

Eddie (white-1) = 16

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE 2024

Today was just an open mat drilling/rolling session.

Between 9:00 am and 10:00 am, I got in six, five-minute rounds with Sam before he had to depart to a doctor's appointment.

Jason and arrived at 10:00 am.  We got two, five-minute rounds against each opponent.

Sam's Recap:

Recap- had to go early and get some rolls in prior to a doctors appt, so Prof accommodated me. I think we got 6 rolls in.

 

He commented before the last one that he had not wrist locked me and during the middle of our last roll I told him it was because he lacked the skill. Well I don't have to tell you how that ended up, but it was still fun to say it. 😉 

All in all another good day of BJJ

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 12

Sam (white-2) = 23

Eddie (white-1) = 15

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

MONDAY, 17 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Duy, Sam, Eddie, and Chad. We covered guard openings (closed guard) and guard passes, arm bar escapes, and triangle chokes. At the end, I am introduced straight ankle locks.

Sam's Recap:

Recap--- Duy, Chad, Edward, Prof., and I were present and accounted for today.  Guard passing was covered along with escaping an arm bar. 

We also worked on ankle locks. 

Three rolls were offered and wrist locks and bread cutters were on the menu AGAIN, at least for me. 

We did establish that Prof's nearly broken nose on Friday was retaliatory, as he has previously denied Edward a triangle earlier in the roll. It is rumored that Edward quoted the indomitable Dusty Rhodes  saying, "paybacks is hell baby doll" right before going for the nose.  

All and all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 11

Sam (white-2) = 22

Eddie (white-1) = 15

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

SATURDAY, 15 JUNE 2024

Today saw me and Jason get in a training session while I cancelled the later noon class.  Jason has a great set-up for what Sam is referring to as "The Bastard," and I look forward to seeing it in action. I utilized a lot of my wrestling background against Jason today. 

Otherwise, it was not too eventful.

FRIDAY, 14 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Duy, Sam, and Eddie.  We opened with a warm-up roll before Eddie arrived, which led to me reviewing a half-guard sweep in the actual class setting.

I reviewed the set-up and execution of the bread cutter choke and then two modifications based on opponent defenses.  In an open question session, Duy asked for another half-guard sweep, so we drilled that.

Sam had to leave before rolling, so he missed Eddie cause me to bleed with a head butt from inside of my guard.  

Student Recap:

Recap- Edward, Duy, and I were there today. Chad was not. Terms like aux were thrown around.  🤔 

The session started innocently enough with Prof having us do warm up rolls and drills followed.  Back to that in a moment. 

In a single conversation between drills, we covered Jake the Snake Roberts having a venom-less cobra and having it bite the Macho Man AND we defined exegesis. That might be one of the most enjoyable things about our cohort and I don't think you could find that anywhere else. 

Back to the BJJ, Prof observed my attempts at simulated murder during flow rolling and used the techniques I "misapplied" as drilling points. I of course predicted he would do that and obliged him by doing techniques that I have long since mastered, incorrectly, so that he would have some teaching points. 

Prof taught us three versions of the bread cutter/Pearson choke and a sweep from half guard when someone gets  an under hook.  

I also witnessed first hand one of the dirtier, I would even go as far as to say unnecessary, submissions I have ever seen Prof execute when he went from I think a bread cutter to an arm bar only to submit with a wrist lock. Or was it a double submission? I'm 🤔 not sure. Prof has a habit of drawing submissions out at times. It's like reading a Stephen King book and knowing a character is going to get killed but having to wait to see what implement the villain will choose to kill them with. I am very pleased with that description by the way. 

I feel like I am leaving out somethings so I want to crowd source and open it up to my fellow ukes at this point.  Anything I missed? 

Anyway, all and all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 10

Sam (white-2) = 21

Eddie (white-1) = 14

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

THURSDAY, 13 JUNE 2024

Today was a no gi training session/open mat with me and Sam.

Student Recap:

Recap- After many rolls today, lost count. A theme kind of developed. Prof weaved it in and out of nearly, probably, every roll. The theme was "Make Wrist Locks Great Again".  I firmly maintain that he had written a number down before we started that he was trying to hit. If the number was south of 13 by my count he was successful. 

He also applied "the bastard".  What is "the bastard" you ask? Prof will have to explain. The name is a place holder until he names it. In the meantime, nature abhors a vacuum so I went ahead and named it, and I would offer that the name fits the thought that goes through your head when you succumb to it.

All and all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 20

Eddie (white-1) = 13

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

WEDNESDAY, 12 JUNE 2024

Today was a training session with me and Jason.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 19

Eddie (white-1) = 13

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

MONDAY, 10 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Sam, and Eddie.

Our focus was on back escapes, an arm bar from the back, and reviewing chokes from the back. We had two, five-minute rounds.

Student recap:

It was Edward, Prof, and me. 

Scoop escapes and chokes when you have taken someone's back were practiced.  Never thought I would say it but I grew weary from continuously choking Prof today. Rolling was fun and Prof showed restraint, there's that word again, we will need to define it at some point.  For now, it just means that he didn't wrist lock me or apply a submission that him and Jason had worked out after spending weeks in a lab. Chad was a no show, but he did text this time.

All and all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 19

Eddie (white-1) = 13

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

SATURDAY, 08 JUNE 2024

I trained with Jason prior to the noon class.  We got in nine, five-minute rounds in 90°-plus weather (today's high temperature was 98°).

Today's class had me, Sam, and Caleb.  I covered the lasso sweep and the introduction to the De La Riva guard, focusing on entry and control with one sweep being taught.  Caleb is nursing soreness from many rounds of golf, so he did not roll.   

Student recap.  

Recap time- Lasso guard and De La Riva sweeps and things that can naturally develop off of them were explored today.  

Caleb, Prof and I were there. Edward and Chad (this is starting to be a theme on Chad's vacation weeks) were missed. Light rolling afterwards. Yes, I know what you are thinking it was controlled and light to medium. 

The words of "restraint" and "earned" were also explained as well as the decriminalizing of certain moves that are supposed to be employed on colored belts only. 

In keeping with the idea of restraint, I will not use any creative license to describe other things that went on.  Funny, however, Prof was a little run down from rolling with Jason earlier and how whenever he is not involved in rolling, exotic techniques and dark arts are not the order of the day. Although, he did show us another one while drilling that when employed will explode someone's elbow. 

I had forgotten some details. How Eddie knocked over the fan again, I don't know, but it's undeniable that he did.  I did choke Prof today. Again, we will need to explore the concept of earning...

All in all, another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 18

Eddie (white-1) = 12

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 3

FRIDAY, 07 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Sam, and Eddie.

The X-pass and two follow up standing passes when an opponent defends the X-pass were studied and practiced today.  Eddie and Sam had two, five-minute rounds today while I observed from the sidelines.

Student recap:

Recap- great guard passing techniques involving grips and opening bags of potato chips were taught. Attendance was sparse as Duy and Chad weren't with us. Nonetheless, we plowed on. 

The dojo was invaded with a bit of a Viking berserker spirit today that seemed to affect one of the combatants during rolling.  He didn't heed the "flow roll" rules as a result.  No one was injured, and Prof was very restrained other than threatening an impossible Bread cutter during extra curriculars on someone who he has traumatized with said choke. All in all another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 17

Eddie (white-1) = 12

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 2

WEDNESDAY, 05 JUNE 2024

Today's session was a no gi open mat.  Duy, Sam, and Eddie came in to train and get added time in, with everyone getting 6 or 7 five-minute rounds.

Sam fell victim to something Jason and I have been trying on each other with limited success. I may have positioned Eddie in front of the mirrors such that I could look at myself, or check on his level of distress, as I applied a RNC.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 9

Sam (white-2) = 16

Eddie (white-1) = 11

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 2

Student recap:

Recap-Eddie hit me twice today; kind of surprising the tactics he employs at times. He hit my shoulder with his face as I was attempting to pass his guard and then he proceeded to hit my hand with his face the second time I tried to pass his guard. 

Everyone got in 6-7 rolls today and in general it was fun with a few exceptions. Prof apparently is trying to teach all of us (me) a good wrist lock defense game by employing them frequently. He also did something dirty to Eddie and hammed it up in the mirror with a mischievous grin and then he applied an "unknown" sub on me. He was "in his element".  All in all another good day of BJJ.

TUESDAY, 04 JUNE 2024

Today was a training session between me and Jason.  We had eight, five-minute rounds.

Jason had a sneaky set up to a toe hold that I did not see coming.

MONDAY, 03 JUNE 2024

Today's class had me, Duy, and Chad.

We started with a question on the cross collar choke, with one palm up and one palm down. Based on "typical" responses from opponents, we transitioned into a Kimura, returning to secure the choke attempt, transitioning to Americana, and also achieving a back take. So, really four techniques.

Then, I had Duy and Chad work on situational sparring by working on escapes/achieving submissions from positions for one minute from side control, full mount, and 90 seconds from half guard and opponent on back.

Tony (purple) = 2

Duy (white-3) = 8

Sam (white-2) = 15

Eddie (white-1) = 10

Chad (white-1) = 8

Caleb (white) = 2

SATURDAY, 01 JUNE 2024

Before the regular class today, I trained with Jason at Casa de Compton.  We got in 10, five-minute rounds.

Today's class had me, Duy, Sam, Eddie, Chad, and Caleb.  I announced that, due to nearly an hour of rolling with Jason that any free rolls with me were likely to be less than cordial since, like Freddie Mercury, "I want to break free."

We started off standing with kumikata to warm up our hands.  We then focused on side control escapes, complete with a few rounds of positional escapes vs. a resisting opponent.  

Student recap:

Recap time- new techniques were taught, new techniques were tried . But, before we get into it , I would be remiss is I didn't mention that Edward recommended that we buy our wives Ginny and Ann gis for the purposes of collar grabs and keeping them off balance and yanking them around. I was shocked at this and didn't know what to think. 

Now that we have that out of the way, I joined select company today. I had prof in well earned side control again and wanted to try a new technique he taught us which is lifting our head to drop our weight on the opponent. I followed his instructions to the letter like the good Uke that I am and he slapped me.  So, my timing may have been a bit off as I was accused of synchronizing the weight drop as he was verbally explaining technique to the rest of the Ukes so that I could hear his voice change. 

Apparently, I joined Nicholas Nix as the second person to be slapped at AFR as he was slapped by Ethan a decade ago. So that basically makes me a black belt in my mind.  

Chad enlightened us on a squirrel tattoo design that sounded promising.  Caleb learned to bridge which I can't say will be a good thing for me going forward. 

All in all another good day of BJJ.