Frodo's Grappling Log

Jimmy Cerra

Jimmy Cerra

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This is the beginning of my training log. My goal is simply to lose weight, prevent diabetes and heart disease, and feel better about myself. I am documenting my training as a way to motivate myself to do better.
 
Most people can skip this if you are reading this log. I don't want to bore anyone! Here is what I have trained so far:

I wrestled at 125 pounds in high school from November 1997 to March 1999, and later I took 24 wrestling classes at Pitt for a semester in Fall 2003. I lifted weights during the off season in high school and also at Pitt from Fall 2003 to Winter 2004. I learned about submission wrestling from in Spring 2004 but only practiced 3 times and very little instruction was provided.

I weighed over 199 pounds on Feburary 22, 2005, so I began exercising again. In March training began with twice weekly runs on the elipitical. In April training intensified with twice weekly wrestling practice with the Panther Wrestling Club and once weekly ad hoc submission wrestling randori. Very little instruction was provided again.

On April 22, 2005, I joined the CMU Grappling club to continue training over the Summer. Between then and today's date March 12, 2006, I have trained martial arts at the following places (in addition to drilling on my own):
 
Most people can skip this if you are reading this log. I don't want to bore anyone! I also competed in several tournaments:

Kumite Classic (May 28, 2005):
  • Men's No-Gi Beginner 190 lbs: 0-1
NAGA Battle at the Beech VI (August 6, 2005):
  • Men's No-Gi Beginner 170 lbs: 1-1
  • Men's No-Gi Novice 170 lbs: 0-1
Mark Schrader's Open Karate Tournament (October 15, 2005):
  • Men's No-Gi Beginner 155 lbs: 0-1 (Second Place)
Ultimate Force (December 4, 2005):
  • Men's Gi White-Belt 155 lbs: 2-0 (First Place)
  • Men's No-Gi Novice 155 lbs: 2-0 (First Place)
I also participated in several in-house competitions, but they were just training devices. My record in grappling is therefore 5-4 now.
 
3-12-2006

Trained at Bill Vucick's for only 30 minutes since Bill had to go somewhere. We did 3 minute rounds of grappling with striking allowed (with MMA training gloves). I need to work on perfecting armbars from mount (keep hips close, pinch knees). I accidently caught someone with some strange grapevine submission from mount. I must learn to do that submission, if only to recongise and avoid it in practice.

Then had TKD practice for 2 hours. We practiced:
  • Kicho Poomse
  • Rear Leg Roundhouses
  • Fast kicks (front leg roundhouses)
  • Axe kicks
  • Spin to roundhouses
We also practice combos of the above. Please excuse my bad terminology. I am still learning the vocabulary. At the end of practice we did Pyramids and Suicides for more conditioning.
 
When I read the title here, I thought for a second that Urban had started a grappling log.
 
Diligent said:
Frodo, good to see you have a log here now! :D
Click to expand...
Thanks! I meant to start it after January first, but I forgot and was lazy. I got to start lifting like you, but I rarely find the time with all the other training I do. :icon_neut

True2KungFu said:
hrm, i missed a fun tkd practice i guess. goddamn me.
Click to expand...
Ya you suck True2KungFu! LOL :icon_lol:

HULKAMANIA said:
When I read the title here, I thought for a second that Urban had started a grappling log.
Click to expand...
Who is Urban?
 
Who the hell is Urban? Whoever he is, Urban can not get the One Ring. I must cast it back into the Crack of Doom.
 
Frodo said:
Thanks! I meant to start it after January first, but I forgot and was lazy. I got to start lifting like you, but I rarely find the time with all the other training I do. :icon_neut


Ya you suck True2KungFu! LOL :icon_lol:


Who is Urban?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear you. The more I train bjj and wrestling takedowns, the harder it is for me to find time AND energy to lift.
 
3-14-2006

Went to Jiu-Jitsu class, but it is basically Judo (referred to as Judo Class for now on). First was ukemi then nage waza:
We went over the 6-point armbar for newaza. Then some ground randori. After class I showed Ty the leg-over reversal to Kesa Gatame. I first learned it by watching Helio do the counter in an interview on the Discovery Channel! HAHA.

...

Went to Panther Grappling Club (no-gi). Three people showed up. Went over Kicho Poomse with the TKD kid. Then taught the crash course to see if it works. Took about an hour to explain everything; however, I think it could use some more tightening up. Maybe split it into two sessions and add some more submissions and escapes. Went over 6-point armbar from guard. Finally practiced J.J. Machado's Favorite Submission #2: armbar from 6-point armbar from guard. Then did 30 minutes of randori from standing. However, I still don't think we do enough rolling at class.

...

Finally visited the Real Pitt Judo Club. Did nage waza fits with a black belt! :) I practiced:
Then we did newaza. Only went over the Master Eugene Special Choke (TODO: update with real name). Then 10 minutes of randori from ground. This is the second Judo shodan I rolled with, and the experience was familier. I.E. I submit or positionally dominate. In this case, I beat him once with a RNC and positionally dominated the other times. He is better than the other shodan I fought, though.

I feel that I am as good as a brown belt on the ground, and I think that I can hang with at least some shodans at newaza. But that could be ego talking, and I am definitely only a gokyu at throwing techniques... Even my wrestling needs improvement. But I shall be a black belt in both BJJ and Judo (and maybe TKD) some day!
 
The Ides of March, 2006

Balto and I practiced no-gi Judo today. First was nagewaza:
Then we sparred with 30 minutes of nagewaza randori. That is, we would start back standing after one of us got a takedown.

Next was newaza. Balto explained the butterfly hook sweep on my request. Then we fought for 45 minutes of grappling starting from standing and going until one of us tapped. Balto caught me three times. I should be better than that!!! I should learn patience and to leave my ego off the mat.
 
3-16-2006

Ran on the elliptical with intervals of high/low incline. Every once in a while I sprinted for a few minutes. Data recorded:
  • Time: 33 minutes
  • Strides: 5484
  • Distance: 3.65 miles
  • Energy Used: 444.2 (kilo) calories
  • Average Heart Rate: 162 beats/minute
  • Maximum Heart Rate: 185 beats/minute
I shouldn't have ran today, because immediately afterward:

...

Went to Judo Class. First was ukemi then nage waza:
Then we had Shark Bait Shiai. I won three matches: two by pin and the third by ippon nage. But I got tired on the fourth match and lost by one Shido. I grabbed my opponent's belt too long; must remember not to do that. I got 2nd place at the Shiai, but I will take first next time!

...

Went to Panther Grappling Club (no-gi). Four people showed up. Taught technique for an hour. First went over the crash course again; however, I think it could use some more tightening up. I changed the crash course to go over:
  • We skipped ukemi.
  • Elbow-in-thigh break and knee-on-thigh pass, instead of #5
  • Superman escape from side control, instead of #7
  • Showed lockflow from side-control: kimura, straight armlock, wristlock, americana, americana with head, superman americana.
The rest was the same except. BTW, shrimping is the hip heist of grappling. I showed a few slightly more advanced techniques:
  • 6-point armbar from guard
  • blocking the far leg counter to 6-point armbar
  • pulling arm out counter to 6-point armbar
  • uma plata counter to pulling arm out counter to 6-point armbar
Then we did ground randori in 5 minute periods for an hour. No standup this time. Then reviewed how to do a guillotine choke and counter it.

Finally, I gave Jake the MMA gloves and played a game. He weighs 190 pounds while I am just 156. Jake was allowed to do any submission and to punch me, but I was not allowed to strike.

We started with him in my guard, yet Jake submitted to me three times from armbars. Although boxers can punch hard, grapplers can defend and break their arms. This way it was proven that jiu-jitsu defeats boxing. ;)

This was a long practice - over 2 hours long!
 
3-17-2006

Took it easy today. Just went to SCMA's open mat time to roll a bit at BJJ. While rolling, I asked my partners to show me some moves:
  • A butteryfly guard pass: where you grab behind the head and an opposite leg, hip heist around, and turn back into side control. I probably have a few of the details wrong!
  • Tomoe nage
  • Uki Waza
  • Rolling ukemi a little
Got smoked by Brad and Jimbo. Had a hard time with Greg, but I caught him.

P.S. I want to learn this butterfly guard pass.
 
Frodo said:
3-16-2006

Ran on the elliptical with intervals of high/low incline. Every once in a while I sprinted for a few minutes. Data recorded:
  • Time: 33 minutes
  • Strides: 5484
  • Distance: 3.65 miles
  • Energy Used: 444.2 (kilo) calories
  • Average Heart Rate: 162 beats/minute
  • Maximum Heart Rate: 185 beats/minute
I shouldn't have ran today, because immediately afterward:

...

Went to Judo Class. First was ukemi then nage waza:
Then we had Shark Bait Shiai. I won three matches: two by pin and the third by ippon nage. But I got tired on the fourth match and lost by one Shido. I grabbed my opponent's belt too long; must remember not to do that. I got 2nd place at the Shiai, but I will take first next time!

...

Went to Panther Grappling Club (no-gi). Four people showed up. Taught technique for an hour. First went over the crash course again; however, I think it could use some more tightening up. I changed the crash course to go over:
  • We skipped ukemi.
  • Elbow-in-thigh break and knee-on-thigh pass, instead of #5
  • Superman escape from side control, instead of #7
  • Showed lockflow from side-control: kimura, straight armlock, wristlock, americana, americana with head, superman americana.
The rest was the same except. BTW, shrimping is the hip heist of grappling. I showed a few slightly more advanced techniques:
  • 6-point armbar from guard
  • blocking the far leg counter to 6-point armbar
  • pulling arm out counter to 6-point armbar
  • uma plata counter to pulling arm out counter to 6-point armbar
Then we did ground randori in 5 minute periods for an hour. No standup this time. Then reviewed how to do a guillotine choke and counter it.

Finally, I gave Jake the MMA gloves and played a game. He weighs 190 pounds while I am just 156. Jake was allowed to do any submission and to punch me, but I was not allowed to strike.

We started with him in my guard, yet Jake submitted to me three times from armbars. Although boxers can punch hard, grapplers can defend and break their arms. This way it was proven that jiu-jitsu defeats boxing. ;)

This was a long practice - over 2 hours long!
Click to expand...

Who is this Jake that you speak of?
 
Someone who trains with me at the Panther Grappling Club.
 
BTW, I was just kidding about BJJ > Boxing thing at the last entry... :)

3-18-2005

Took another easy day. Trained at Bill Vucick's. Went over:
  • v-armlock with my opponent's head trapped in it too. Make sure to lift the head up under the boney part of the skull so he can't bridge.
  • Superman armlock from v-armlock. Make sure to get a good grip in the armpit.
Then went over guard breaks:
  • Elbow-in-thigh break. Make sure to make hands into fists, and dig into the belly as well to (1) get a good base (2) inflict more pain.
  • Stand-up break. If he keeps his guard, shake him off.
If he grabs my elbows, then punch straight then jerk back at a different angle. If he grabs my wrists, the circle them to get free. Did a guard pass drill next. Then did 50 pushps. Then a guard pass contest - had to do 15 jump squats for every time I let my opponent pass my guard under 2 minutes (Bill passed 4 times). Then we did 1/4 deck of cards of sprawls. Finally we did wall sits for a few minutes. Gotta get up to Luke Cummo endurance (mentally and physically).
 
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