Reviewing

That's what a lot of today was; we didn't learn any new technique.  We started doing headlock self-defense techniques, then a bear-hug self-defense tech, then two single-leg defenses, and into a few flow drills.  Worked scissor sweep, hip escape, triangle, triangle escape, and s-mount armbar.  Then we worked butterfly guard sweep directly to side control, mount, direct choke to arm triangle.

(Right now, the Judo World Team Championships are available on ESPN3. Who doesn't love watching judo throws?)

I worked with Tony, which was really good.  He's roughly m size, has years of wrestling and jiu jitsu experience on me, and is technically exact.  After the flow drills, we worked 50/50s, starting first in mount, then in side control, then in full guard.  Mount I worked with Tony, and I had much more success mounting him than I had escaping his mount.  He got one cross-choke on me, but I also escaped once, so I called it a draw in my head.  Side control I worked with Neal, the new guy who's roughly the size of a jack russell terrier.  I was nicer this time.  And for full guard, I worked with JD.  We're still very evenly matched, even after he's been back for a week.  I can't tell if that means that he's slipped in his time away or if my time is paying off.  Hopefully the latter.

After class, Andy and I initially worked an actual slow pace.  Probably 15 minutes, paying attention no only to how best to tap the other guy, but working positions and letting the other guy hit sweeps and find transitions.  Then Klint threw me at JD, and we went pretty hard for a while.  I hit a leg-loop sweep for the first time, but I didn't commit enough to generate the momentum that would bring be on top.  Instead, we were laying there kicking at each other's legs.  Because my technique was weak.  So even though the leg-loop was a high point, I also went for an armbar and (for reasons passing understanding) rotated my hips the wrong way.  So Instead of an easy armbar, I gave myself an impossible omoplata.  Smart, I know.  I also lost a few positions that I had no reason to give up.  So there are a few more things to keep in mind.  Finally, Andy and I trained full out for a little bit.  He's got a promotion coming up at the beginning of December, so we'll be drilling quite a bit in the coming weeks.

I've been doing well looking for and hitting sweeps, though I notice that it's almost always the power sweep.  I need to drill different sweeps and look for those as well.  I also need to remember to get off my back, because as fun as playing guard is, life is easier on top.