Araj's Training Log: Starting Strength and Jiu Jitsu

2 hours of no-gi jiu jitsu yesterday (Monday).

Technique was all kinds of guillotines.
Standing high-elbow guillotine, guillotine from butterfly guard, arm-in guillotine from butterfly guard, arm-in guillotine from sprawl on turtle.
Notes: elbow creates shoulder separation on high elbow guillotine. Must be on side for arm-in guillotine.

Rolling was good. Good roll with a really good, very strong ~180lb blue belt. I set a nice overhook omoplata but couldn't come up in time and he hopped over and I had to scramble to recompose guard. I kept getting to the overhook and setting up triangles and armbars but he kept powering out of them. I am pretty sure I would have gotten them if we were in the gi, but that's a lame excuse and I obviously need to make my setups tighter. Towards the end of the round I swept him from deep half and came up on top and was working to pass as the round ended.
Rolled with another blue belt (~190lbs) and smashed him. Finished him with an armbar from mount, passed his guard repeatedly, swept him from my open guard, and had him in a high guard armbar as the round ended.
In between I rolled with a few white belts and used it as a laboratory for my x-guard sweeps. I need to be more calm and methodical from x-guard--- it works on white belts but against higher belts I often rush my sweep attempts and end up in a scramble situation.

I also drilled the no-gi Tai Otoshi again today. I need to use my hips to offbalance uke and twist my body and look over my shoulder to finish the throw.
 
Thanks Pearse, I will try my best!

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on switching to an intermediate program.
I am going to try to stick with SS for as long as I can, but I worry that it is interfering with my jiujitsu training, which is my main priority.
I mean, I'm still making progress on most/all of my lifts but it is taking a physical toll on me and I feel the effects when I train jiujitsu.
Should I stay on SS for as long as I can? Or would now be a good time to switch to an intermediate program like Madcow or Texas Method? What do you all think?
 
Well, today's lifting session was a bit rough around the edges:

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Squats
45x2x5
100x1x5
150x1x3
200x1x2
255x3x5

Last 2 reps of my 3rd workset were a bit ugly and I GM'd the weight a bit, but I got them done.

Overhead Press
45x2x5
65x1x5
85x1x3
95x1x2
115lbs- Got 5,5,4
I'm not sure why I failed the last rep as I've gone heavier than this before. Every single rep felt shaky and unstable. Not sure why this is, but it's troubling.

Power Cleans
95x5x3
Worked on form. I think I'm getting closer to passable form. Will take video in future when the gym is less crowded.

Pull Ups
3 sets of 5, neutral grip.


Bodyweight 158.3 with clothes and shoes on.

Going to try to make it to this Chris Weidman seminar at Renzo's on Sunday:
http://livetofight.org/events-schedule/
 
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2.5 hours gi jiujitsu tonight.

Technique from standing was the same hip throw from last time. I'm not a huge fan, to be honest. The setup seems forced and it's hard for me to use it effectively because I have long legs.

Technique on the ground was omoplata. Nothing terribly fancy, but good details. I need to keep my leg heavy and break posture instead of fixating on putting the shin over the face. I need to control the elbow as I come up.

Rolled with a ~185lb blue belt (the dude from last time who keeps passing to north south and going for the armbar). I almost swept him a couple times but he passed to north south and went for the armbar. Just like last time I defended, came up, and was breaking his guard when time went off. Deja vu.

Rolled with a white belt and worked on x guard sweeps again. Also deja vu.

Rolled with this super tough blue belt who is like 185lbs and has been training on and off since 1995 (!). He's also ex military and is just super strong and tough. I tried to get some offense going and went for a couple of loop chokes but he defended. He kept almost passing my guard and forcing me to turtle. The first few times I was able to granby roll back to my guard but the last time he took my back and choked me.

Finished things off by rolling for like 30 minutes with my instructor. He smashed through my guard and submitted me a bunch of times. I had a bit of success with sit-up DLR and deep half. I need to get his weight back before going for the roll-under sweep from DLR. I gave him some trouble with 1LX guard but couldn't finish the sweep. He said my guard was giving him problems and he really had to think and work to pass it, and that it was way above blue belt level, so I'm happy about that.

One thing I noticed is that I didn't really get tired, even during the extended roll with my instructor. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. I will try to do more cardio as I get closer to competition time, I guess.

I'm wavering between Renzo's and Marcelo's for next semester. Renzo's would give me the opportunity to train Muay Thai as well, and Danaher's classes are amazing and I love the focus on standup grappling.
Marcelo is obviously Marcelo, and that would be amazing.
Choices, choices.
 
Gotten a bit behind on logging, but not on training.

Thursday, Oct 24th

Squats
255x3x5

Bench
175x3x5

DL
295x1x5



3.5 hours Nogi Jiujitsu on Saturday

Technique was Tai Otoshi. I need to throw in one motion and not stop and hesitate between steps. I need to focus less on gripping the lat or shoulder and more on "launching" my arm to destabilize them so I can throw them harder.

Then we did an awesome back escape. You get on the non-choking side, head on ground like usual. Elbow on top of their knee, lift your hips to crank their knee sideways to load it up with tension. Then quickly shoot your hips free of their knee and to the floor and scoot out.

Then we did the transition from there to deep half, then going out the back, knee tap to side control.
Then if they base back, come around the other way and sweep them.

We did a lot of positional training from the back. I did not get finished by anyone and escaped every time, against some bigger blue belts. I finished almost everyone I rolled with with RNCs and short chokes. No one escaped from my back control. I was playing around with the body triangle tonight.

Then we did a few short rounds. I rolled first with this 250lb behemoth who is also very technical. (High level blue belt). He passed once or twice but didn't submit me, and I reguarded well and almost swept him from 1 leg x.

Rolled for like 30 minutes with my instructor again. As usual, he wrecked me but I was able to give him some serious problems from x and one leg x, sweeping him a few times and coming up once, only to get immediately re-swept, lol. Anyway, it's progress, and he said he was impressed.
 
Chris Weidman Seminar today.
It wasn't great, but it was ok. Weidman did some front headlock stuff. Jim Miller did some chokes. Danaher did the high guard armbar. Renato Laranja did some weird stuff.

Lifting today as well.

Sunday October 27, 2013

Squats
45x2x5
100x1x5
155x1x3
205x1x2

Work Sets at 260- 5,5,4
First 2 went great, got 5 reps each no problem.
Last set felt good too. I got 4, failed on the fifth.
Here is the embarrassing, and humorous, explanation.
At the bottom on the 5th rep I let one rip unintentionally, lost abdominal tension, and failed the rep and let it drop onto the safeties. Not my finest hour, and it's a bit frustrating since I felt like I had it, but after I lost abdominal tension and rocked forward I couldn't save the rep. Will attempt 260 again on Tuesday.

OHP
Blah Blah warmup sets
115x3x5

Power Cleans
115x5x3

Pull Ups (Neutral Grip)
7,7,5



Sorry for the shitty angle. The gym was super crowded tonight for some reason and this was the only place my phone wouldn't be stepped on.

BW still ~155lbs
 
2 hours nogi tonight

First technique was russian tie to either single leg or drag to ground with shoulder pressure.
Then Russian tie to arm drag when they try to circle away.

Then we did attacks from sidemount. First was one where you step over into a triangle control position and attack the kimura. Then finishing the triangle from that step over position.

Then we did back escapes where you go to 1LX as they try to take mount, sweep to ankle lock or come up on top. Another variation where you sweep from regular x guard.

Then some positional sparring from the back. I went with the lanky tall 185lb blue belt, he did not submit me and I came close to sinking the choke on him as the round ended.

Then regular rolling.
First was lanky tall blue belt, he could not pass my guard but I was having a hell of a time sweeping him because his legs are so damn long.

Then I rolled with a stocky 185lb blue belt who is really good. He also couldn't pass my guard and I had him in a tight omoplata but he got out.

Then I rolled with some guy I hadn't seen before who has a bunch of Judo experience, apparently. He was spazzy as hell and hard to sweep, so maybe he did. He decided it would be a good idea to headbutt me really hard from inside my closed guard. If I were not wearing a mouthpiece I would have no front teeth now. There was a bunch of blood on my lip and his forehead, and he told me to "relax", of all things. I lost my cool after this and turned it up. I had him in a triangle but he stood up before I could underhook the leg (stupid, I should have been quicker) and my instructor warned him not to slam me. Honestly I was hoping he would so I could triangle him anyway. Anyway he bitched out and insisted we start from neutral. Shame, I was looking forward to choking him completely unconscious- I know this is bad, but I was not going to let go of the choke when he tapped.
I opened my guard and swept him and went for an ankle lock. He defended and we ended up in 50/50 so I leg dragged him and dropped my shoulder on his chest. I'm not gonna lie, the pained grunt he gave was satisfying. I went to KOB and he turned and gave up his back. He was tucking his chin and defending the choke pretty well so I cranked on his ribs with the body triangle and dug my forearm under his nose for the rest of the round (about a minute and a half).
I was pissed that I didn't submit him, especially since I fucking had that triangle choke. Anyway, it is what it is. On the bright side, my instructor gave me clearance to break his arm or choke him out the next time we roll if I feel it is necessary.
 
Power Cleans
I didn't put any weight on the bar or do the standard SS rep/set scheme. I just spent like 30 minutes doing those drills that you posted, JauntyAngle. Thanks so much for all that info!

No problem. Hope they're working out for you.
 
No problem. Hope they're working out for you.

Slowly but surely i think they are.



I just wanted to take a second to reflect on my jiujitsu training. For the past few weeks i have been almost exclusively playing guard and avoiding top game, for various reasons - laziness, I'm better at it, rolling with worse people and don't want to contest position starting from the knees.
This has to change if i want to develop as a grappler.
I am making a resolution to focus on top game- takedowns,, passing, pressure, and submitting. I will not voluntarily play guard for the next month.
 
My belt arrived today! It is super nice. I got it from Bestbelts.com.

So my work sets were done with the belt today. They felt so easy, not like the belt was doing any of the work for me, but like I was able to more efficiently apply force in the movements.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Squats
45x2x5
100x1x5
155x1x3
205x1x2
260x3x5

Bench
Blah warmup
175x3x5

DL
305x1x5

Bodyweight still 155
 
3 hours gi jiujitsu tonight.

First technique was an ouchi gari from a belt grip. I need to focus on driving off of my rear leg and looking over my shoulder.

Then we did 2 rounds of takedown sparring. I couldn't take down this stocky 180lb blue belt, and he hit me once with a sumi gaeshi.
Then I went with a white belt and took him down a bunch with ko uchi gake. Tried Tai Otoshi a few times but it's still a work in progress.

First ground technique was a simple spider guard sweep where you push the knee.
The we did a triangle where they stand up, and you push down on their bicep with your foot to get the triangle.

Then we did a triangle from the overhook in closed guard, or what one of my instructors calls clamp guard, where you're on your side breaking their posture with your shin.
Then we did a collar choke when they block your knee for the triangle.

Then we rolled.
First I went with a white belt (same one from takedown sparring). I started to take his back from DLR and went to a leg drag, then smashed him from the top, got him to expose his back, and bow and arrow choked him. I swept and submitted him several more times, I don't remember the details, but I was focusing on not trying to finish submissions from the bottom or "play guard", rather on getting to the top as quickly as possible and smashing and dominating from there.

Then I rolled with a girl who is a white belt, but surprisingly technical. I worked my back defense mostly, letting myself get in dire spots and working my way out.

Then I rolled with a blue belt about my size. I swept him and passed immediately and crushed him from the top the whole time, but couldn't finish him (I went for a couple armbars but he kept defending and escaping).

Then I rolled with that same old lanky 185lb blue belt. He insisted on taking top position, as did most of my partners today, but I gave him hell and finally swept him. I worked a series of low pressure passes but his shins are so damn long, they were giving me a bit of trouble. Finally he swept me from half because I got careless and frustrated. I went back to closed guard and was attacking his neck as the round ended.

Class ended here and I sat on the side of the mat chatting with some people for a bit.

Then I went with this 185lb, athletic wrestler guy who has some prior jiujitsu experience. I had just watched him completely demolish one of my blue belt training partners (185lb lanky guy) and I was determined to not let that happen to me. I went to my open guard, went to one leg x, swept him and immediately ankle locked him. Then we restarted, I hook swept him and came up on top, immediately passed with an arm weave and shoulder pressure, went to knee on belly, he bridged up and got to his knees. I swept him again, passed with a shin pass, crossfaced the shit out of him, pretended to contest the underhook then gave it to him and immediately darced him. End of round.

Rolled with my instructor. He wanted to start out with takedown sparring today. I went for a couple of ouchi gari's but I was too far out and every time I got close he was completely dominating the grips. He hit me with a ko soto gake and took me down. We got back up, he dominated the grips, in desperation I broke one and tried to shoot, he immediately sumi gaeshi'd me. He ko soto'd me again and my foot caught on the mat weird, so we went to the ground.
I tried my usual deep half to x transition, and as he started to step over the same foot caught in his lapel and twisted and hurt like hell, so I decided to call it a day. Hopefully it isn't too bad- it isn't swelling or anything, but I wanted to play it safe.

Solid training today. Lifting tomorrow.

Then tomorrow night I'm going to probably piss away all my gains making irresponsible decisions at a Halloween rager. Then I'm going home for the long weekend, and going to a Leo Nogueira seminar but I'm not sure if I'll have a place to lift until next Thursday.
 
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Well, shitty lifting session today.

I got barely any sleep because I had an exam and a problem set due this morning, and I ate almost nothing all day and then, unwisely, some halal street food with all the sauces and peppers about an hour before lifting. So, stomach roiling, I headed to the gym.

Squats felt difficult as hell today. I hit 265 for 5,5,4 but it moved slowly. Each rep, especially in the last set, was getting increasingly more sluggish until I just got stuck at the bottom on the last rep of the 3rd set.

Then OHP also felt like shit. I got 3 on the first set at 120 and then dropped it to 115. Got 3 and 3 on 2nd and 3rd sets respectively. I don't know what was up, other than fatigue I guess.

Power Cleans went well though.

Some guy tried to bitch me out for taking long (~7 minute) breaks between squat sets, saying he could do 12 sets in the time it took me to do one. I asked him what he squatted and he didn't answer. I made sure to take extra long for my OHP and power cleans. Then when he finally entered the rack I saw him doing quarter knee bends with 65lbs and a puss pad.

Anyway, I think I may be nearing the end of my SS gains. What do you guys think (if anyone actually reads this?). I'm at a 1.71x BW squat- is it time to switch or should I try to stay the course?

EDIT: After some deliberation I've decided to start on the Texas Method when I get back from break. We'll see how it goes. I'm also going to pick up the intensity of my jiujitsu training, starting to train at Renzo's as well as at Columbia and also training Muay Thai.
 
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Thursday's squats, set 1.

Got blackout drunk last night... I don't wanna think about what it's going to do to my lifting progress. It was fun though.
 
Well, I'm back home in MD for fall break.

I went to my old academy's open mat today, and had a great time.

The class was good. We did an ippon seoi nage takedown, a N/S escape, and then a breadcutter choke and back take from N/S.

Then open mat. First I rolled with this older, incredibly spazzy, blue belt and wrecked him with triangles from the bottom and armbars from the top (while rolling smoothly, technically, and slowly). It's cool because I remember rolling with him on my first day of jiujitsu, over a year ago.

Then I rolled with a really skilled brown belt who destroyed me, submitting me with a cross choke from KOB what felt like a million times. He gave me some helpful feedback, telling me to be more active in setting up grips from the bottom in open guard, and we rolled again and I did better, giving him a hard time with my x guard and sweeping him a few times.

Then I rolled with a blue belt Russian guy who's worked construction all his life and is strong as hell. He was also a blue belt when I started, so it felt nice to do better than him. I passed his guard a few times, took his back a few times, and finished him with an ankle lock.

Then I rolled with my instructor's son, who is a BEAST. He is 16 years old, a blue belt, and about 120lbs but technical and tough beyond belief. Right at the start of the roll he ALMOST finished me with his signature loop choke, but I got out at the last minute. I swept him from x, came up, passed, and darced him. Got him a few more times with triangles from the bottom, then he sort of figured out my guard and passed, set up a nice armlock that had me in trouble but I was able to escape. Like I said, the kid is a BEAST. He already has some impressive competition wins and I think he is going to tear it up on the competition circuit when he gets older.

Rolled with a purple belt from Evolve academy. It was a fun roll, and I gave him hell with my x guard, swept him a bunch, and took his back twice. He passed my guard once. At the end I ended up in some sort of weird rubber guard and I couldn't back out, and he finished me with a gogoplata, lol. Anyway it was a good roll and he was really impressed with my guard work.

Had a more playful roll with the brown belt from before, which was fun since the last time he was in destruction mode.

That was it. Tomorrow I'm gonna do the first day of the Texas Method.

Still recovering from Thursday's festivities, both physically and mentally.
 
Did the first day of the Texas Method... that workout was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, lifting-wise. I'm hoping that's just because of my heavy drinking this weekend and that it will get easier, because even SS was easier than this.

Squats
Blah warmup sets
255x5x5 (Brutal, but got all the reps)

Bench
Warmup
170x5x5

Deadlift
305x1x5
These were very difficult. More like five singles.
 
2.5 hours Gi BJJ tonight

First was an hour of open mat.
I rolled with the Russian construction dude and swept him a bunch, passed his guard a few times, and then some brown belt asked to roll with him mid-roll as I was setting up a bow and arrow choke. Oh well. I would have liked to sub him, since I think he still thinks he is better than me, even though all our rolls indicate otherwise.
Then I rolled with my instructor's son, the 16 year old, 120lb blue belt. He did an excellent job of not letting me set up the x guard that I used so effectively last time. He is a very analytical and technical grappler. However I was able to adapt and set up several triangles and omoplatas off of his counters to my x guard. He passed my guard once or twice (this was not a high-intensity roll) and had me in a deep armbar but I got out.

Then class started. Leo Nogueira, 3-time world champ, will be leading classes all week at my academy. Unfortunately I am only here today and tomorrow, but still it's better than nothing.
We started with warmups/drills: 1 minute of torreando passes, 1 minute of re-guarding from bottom knee on belly, 1 minute of single legs from bottom knee on belly (grab belt, grab foot, come up and push/pull to take them down), 1 minute of sweep from bottom knee on belly (you start to hip out, they follow you with their knee so you slide your knee through and turn your hips to sweep).

Technique was all variations on a torreando pass. You start to torreando, step your leg over and use it to push their legs down so you have "mounted" their legs. Grip the collar, fist in the hip, hop around to pass.
Variation where they don't let you get the collar grip so you pull their elbow in, windshield wiper your legs and hop around to pass. Leo said I should just hop around since I am a relatively light and agile guy. If they try to pummel the underhook that's fine, just put your hand between their legs to run their hips, making sure to keep your head close to their head so they can't triangle you.

We did a bunch of positional sparring from that "leg mount" position. I went with the brown belt from Saturday and reguarded but then he passed. I gave him a hard time though. Then I went twice in a row with this purple belt, re-guarded and swept him the exact same way both times. Man, was he pissed about that. He was going 1000% but couldn't pass my guard. Then I went with Leo, and I was able to use my flexibility to almost reguard but then he put his fist by my hip and I couldn't do it. His pressure is insane, it felt like my ribs were going to pop.

Then we did 3 7-minute rounds.
First round I went with another blue belt who has been training for about a year longer than I have. I started out playing top position and got to his half guard. He reguarded, I stood, and he went for an ankle lock. I defended, came up, got back to halfguard, threatened a darce and passed. I tried to step over into mount but he got back to halfguard, then I took mount from there. I went for an armbar but lost it and he came up on top. I opened my closed guard and let him stand, went to one leg x and swept him. Started to go for the ankle lock, then decided against it and came up on top. Ended up in his half guard, dropped my knee to get to quarter guard or almost-mount. Decided to change course and took his back and bow and arrow choked him. Then the round ended.

The next two rounds I went with this purple belt, who is actually the guy who introduced me to jiujitsu. He is insanely good and I literally had nothing for him. The thing is, he does a lot of the same things I do (flexible hips+long legs=good, technical guard, meaning x, DLR, spider, etc) so none of my tricks work on him. Anyway the long and short of it is I got my ass kicked for 14 minutes.

Good training today.
I will be at Leo's class tomorrow morning and then it's back to NYC until Thanksgiving.

Lifting tomorrow as well- It is the Light day of the Texas Method so it shouldn't be too bad.
 
Morning class today taught by Leo Nogueira. 2 hours of solid gi jiujitsu training.

Class began with a drill similar to what we did last night- 2 minutes each of re-guarding with a crossover from bottom of knee on belly.

The next part of the class focused on standup. We did several minutes each of this drill where you're standing in the same stance (right leg forward both) and you reach and grip the lapel with your rear hand, snap down and circle to the right side, dropping to your knees and grabbing the single leg, keeping the lapel grip and the hand that goes around the leg grips your own lapel. First we did several minutes of just this fit-in.
Then he went over the finish. You come up, keeping your posture, head straight up, pressuring with the shoulder, head inside. Leg goes between your legs as usual. Step your right leg back while driving your shoulder down to finish the takedown. IMPORTANT: You need to be high on their thigh, not low on their knee, for this to work.

Then we did a blast double where you enter from arm's length (rear arm) and drive your head into the sternum, hands behind knees, drive forward and finish. He says this is good if they try to stop you from gripping up to set up something like the first takedown.

Then we did some DLR passes that were basically variations on the pass he showed yesterday.
In the first one, you grip collar and OUTSIDE of non-hooking leg. You do a sort of "surfing" leaning back motion to neutralize the hook, then push the non-hooking leg to the inside and get to the same "leg mount" from yesterday. From there it's basically the same thing. Grip the collar and use the same "fishing casting" motion to stop them from turning in, put your hand in their hip, and windshield wiper or hop around.
Then we did a variation for where they follow you with their hips when you start to run their leg to the side. You lock your elbow into their hip and knee slice, either pulling up on the sleeve or controlling the head as you do so.

Then we did this weird type of rolling/drilling where you're in a group of three and you start from the feet, and every time points are scored a new person switches in and starts in the new position (i.e. you take the guy down, the other person comes in and starts on their back). It was weird. I got a lot of x guard sweeps and a nice high guard armbar. My guard was not passed and I was only swept once when I thought Leo told us to stop and my partner kept going.

Then after class was over I rolled with the same purple belt from yesterday who couldn't pass my guard. This time he played guard, and I ALMOST passed (I would have had an advantage) but he fought like hell and I couldn't maintain control for three seconds. This happened like twice and then he got me in a triangle but I got out of it.
Then I rolled with some older blue belt and ankle locked him, took his back, mounted him, and then I had to leave.

So that was my last day training with Leo Nogueira this time. I'm super jealous of the other guys at my academy who get to train with him all week. He is a really nice guy and was pretty helpful.
I've made note of the training methods he uses, and I'm going to try to incorporate them into my own training (timed drilling, technique-based warmups instead of random BS, etc)
 
Got back to NYC with about an hour before Columbia's gym closed, so I really had no excuse not to go lift.
I did the TM Light day, which wasn't so bad, at least with regards to the squats.

Nov 5th, 2013- TM Light Day

Squats
45x2x5
80x1x5
125x1x3
165x1x2
200x2x5

OHP
45x2x5
65x1x5
85x1x3
95x1x2
115x3x5

Pull Ups (Neutral Grip)
10, 6, 5

Hanging Leg Raises
2x10
 
Feeling shitty- feverish, weak, chills. I got a flu shot yesterday so that might explain the symptoms.
Anyway, i hate to do this as i usually push through, but I'm skipping jiujitsu tonight. Gonna try to not make it worse and hopefully rest up enough to hit my TM Intensity day numbers tomorrow
 
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