SATURDAY, 22 MARCH 2025

Since four people cancelled, I went ahead and cancelled the scheduled class and had a simple training session with Jason.

TUESDAY, 18 MARCH 2025

Today was actually a taught class on my driveway.  Sam, Brady, Abner, and Evan attended.  We worked on back control, three rear naked choke variations, and one side control escape.  We finished with three, five-minute round-robin rolls (no Evan).

Sam's Recap:

Recap- well here goes. First recap in a while and certainly the first one since retirement. The theme in fact for today's recap will be that one word..... retirement.

 Chokes from the rear were demonstrated.  Escapes from seatbelt and basic hand fighting were also covered.

Roll time (3 sessions) was agreed to be Flo roll, as much as white belts can regulate things not progressing. I'll say that all of us did well in that area.

Things/people seem to have retired from:

Chad- participation in BJJ apparently (unexpectedly having to babysit the grand baby)? Really? Could you at least dignify us with something a little more......well a little more manly. (Had to get the tires rotated, change my oil, anything car related would have worked). All yard maintenance excuses could have been in play also. Dealing with roofing contractors waiting on my big screen TV to be delivered to my man cave. I mean come on Chad you got to do better.

Brady- bringing a valid belt. If this one comes across as an old man being salty then so be it.

As I understand the tradition and protocol of BJJ there are a few things you don't do. 

1. You don't change instructors and pretend you didn't. See previous threads on Jack. Suffice it to say, it doesn't end well.

2. You don't walk on a mat with shoes.

3. You trim your toe and finger nails prior to training and in general make an attempt to practice good hygiene.

4. You DON'T forget your belt and receive a colored belt promotion for the day because of it.  Brady did both and I didn't like it. Prof knew and it is possible that he was trying to antagonize me. Not sure on that one.

Now on to the one thing someone forgot to retire from- Prof forgot to retire from delivering Bread cutter chokes to me.  Was it available to him throughout our five minute roll? Yes. Did he have to secure it and apply it to me? Did he have to in a very understated way have to gloat about it? No. 

His son Evan participated and only time will tell if he follows in the dark arts or not. 

All in all a good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 28

Duy (white-3) = 30

Sam (white-3) = 24

Chad (white-1) = 28

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Brady (white-1) = 14

Abner (white) = 13

Caleb (white) = 7

Evan (white) = 2

SATURDAY, 15 MARCH 2025

My parents were married on this day in 1977.  It was a Tuesday and, apparently, Spring Break that year.

Anyhow, I had a gi training session with Jason, Josh Moss, Chad, and Brady.  Chad arrived late, Brady left early, and we did round robin matches for 20 rounds.  I ended with a nasty, visual calf cramp.

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 28

Duy (white-3) = 30

Sam (white-3) = 23

Chad (white-1) = 28

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Brady (white-1) = 13

Abner (white) = 12

Caleb (white) = 7

Evan (white) = 1

SATURDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2024

Sadly, Sam decided not to attend.  Nonetheless, Josh M., Brady, and Abner came to train.  Josh asked for arm bars from knee in belly, so we drilled three of those and threw in Kimura as well.  When Josh departed, we reviewed baseball bat chok from knee in belly and then into arm bar.

Abcap:

Abcap: Today's class was attended by Prof, Josh, Brady, and myself. Josh today wanted to cover how to perform armbars from knee on belly which is what we did. We also performed some variations of this where we would also perform step over armbars by switching to the other side, and performing a Kimura submission while in a modified north south position. Afterwards me and Brady practiced how to perform a baseball choke from the same knee on belly position and how to deal with someone trying to stop you from performing this excruciating choke. After a little more drilling Brady said that he was "drilled out" for the day which Prof interpreted as him getting ready to lay the smackdown. For some more context, I decided it would be comical to hip thrust Brady's arm while having it in an armbar. I guess I must have triggered his Alpha instincts during this uncalled for offense. However, in our roll he was unable to tap me while I got 2 submissions on him. Seems like I'm slowly becoming a Pain Train...Anyhow we both then got annihilated by Prof in a swift fashion. Today the DSB came out to play with Brady on multiple occasions and I'm pretty sure they were not deserved. All and all it was another good day of BJJ.

https://youtu.be/FuUILYqqtqI?si=Vy0E58nFeoVNl4mX

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 27

Duy (white-3) = 30

Sam (white-3) = 23

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Chad (white-1) = 27

Brady (white-1) = 12

Abner (white) = 12

Caleb (white) = 7

Evan (white) = 1

THURSDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2024

Today was an outdoor BJJ class at my home.  Josh M., Brady, Abner, and my youngest attended.  We covered the Ezekiel choke, entry into the turtle, and two variations of clock choke on a turtled opponent.

ABCAP:

Abcap- Today's class was attended by Prof, Josh, Brady, myself, and Prof's youngest son. 

We started the day off by me and Brady rolling while we waited for everyone to arrive. I almost tapped Brady with a clock choke but I mistook him raising his arms up as a tap, therefore escaping the jaws of the beast. I will make sure not to repeat said mistake again. 

Brady submitted me with a sneaky Ezekiel choke which to me felt like the equivalent of Prof hitting Sam with a Bread Cutter. So we drilled how to perform the Ezekiel choke after our roll. We then drilled how to approach an opponent in a turtle position and how to execute 2 different chokes from that scenario. 

Brady woke up being a chicken today and opted to let me and Josh be the guinea pigs for those techniques because he did not want to he choked. 

Afterwards there was some roll time in which I rolled with Josh and had a good match.  All and all it was another good day of BJJ.

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 26

Duy (white-3) = 30

Sam (white-3) = 23

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Chad (white-1) = 26

Brady (white-1) = 11

Abner (white) = 11

Caleb (white) = 6

Evan (white) = 1

SATURDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2024

Today's class was outdoors again, on my driveway, as we prepare to move into our new place on Monday, 2 December.

I opened the floor for questions.  We worked on escaping the clock choke, performing the bow and arrow choke, breaking a pin from the half guard, and a half guard sweep.  

Abcap- Today's class was attended by Prof, Josh, Duy, and myself. 

We started class off by going over how to escape the bow and arrow choke which was then followed by learning how to perform the bow and arrow choke. Everyone seemed to enjoy when Prof used me to demonstrate how to properly execute this submission and laugh at my misfortune. The next item on the list was how to progress when you have someone in your half guard. Prof taught us 2 different forms on doing this, one by performing a sweep and the other by slowly shrimping your way out of it. We then practiced how to protect yourself when someone threatens an Americana submission from side guard. Lastly, Prof went over some wrestling basics to help me and Duy escape when sending an opponent's arm over our own after getting an underhook. We then finished the day off with some lively rolls with the neighboring ducks as an audience. All and all it was another great day of BJJ.

https://youtu.be/vkHCLYe_eHY?si=IyznsK6h7gopNIpE

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 25

Duy (white-3) = 30

Sam (white-3) = 23

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Chad (white-1) = 26

Brady (white-1) = 10

Abner (white) = 10

Caleb (white) = 6

SATURDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2024

As we transition into our new spot on December 2, we have to beg/borrow/steal time to train.  I pulled the mats out onto my driveway and had some truly dedicated guys join in.  I recovered basics and had Duy and Sam do two five-minute rounds.

Sam's Recap:

Recap- wonderful of Prof to invite us to his house for BJJ. It was disarming in fact. More on that later.

Beautiful weather and even enthusiastic neighbors yelling "get the tap" as they drove by.

Amazing how quickly technique can get away from you. 

Prof had us start with the normal arm bar warm up and not only could I not remember how to do it, I was also gassed after a few of them. Cross collar chokes were demonstrated, the Pedro Sauer escape from mount, S mounts and things to do and not to do from S mounts. Good refreshers for Duy and me. 

Then rolling began and I started to realize Prof's greater plan. New environment, same ole Prof and same ole submission. Yes for those of you slow on the uptake, I suffered what was probably my 100th bread cutter at the hands of Prof.  Duy even confirmed what I suspected when I asked Prof after the roll incredulously, "were there really no other submissions available?"

I have it from a reliable source (again Duy) that he sat in full mount and deliberated for a few moments on what he should do to me prior to going to a move that shows what a DSB he is at times.  Despite being bread cutter choked in front of the whole neighborhood and a couple of disinterested ducks that were in the front yard at the time, all and all it was another good day of BJJ.

https://youtu.be/vX3WHUGA76Y?si=F94im82Ir-cxas2l

Tony (purple) = 4

Josh M. (blue-2) = 24

Duy (white-3) = 29

Sam (white-3) = 23

Eddie (white-1) = 27

Chad (white-1) = 26

Brady (white-1) = 10

Abner (white) = 9

Caleb (white) = 6