Seeking Criticism/Support and Gains

So I competed in the LI Pride tournament. I fought at middleweight since I didn't have any time to diet and get down to my usual fighting weight of 162. I knew that it would be harder fighting up a weight class but I wasn't going there with any pressure on me. I just wanted to compete and have a good time.

1st match

This is a perfect example of my game at this point in my BJJ journey. I like to pull guard, work a sweep, get on top and then use pressure passing. The baseball bat choke is one of my go-to moves in the gi and this gentleman handed it to me once I put him in KOB.



2nd match

And this is an example of failing to implement my game! For some reason I threw up an inverted triangle attempt and while I actually managed to close it momentarily, there is a reason why it is not a high percentage technique.

Once my guard was passed I was in an odd position with one of my arms above my head and I was immediately concerned that I was going to get arm triangled or ezequieled and while freaking out trying to get my arm back I gave up the mount.

Once I was mounted I started freaking out even more and focused so intensely on breaking my opponents feet apart that I turned too much to the side and allowed him to make a cross collar grip which led to an easy bow and arrow choke.

My opponent in the 2nd match was very strong and cranked the shit out of the bow and arrow (as he should have) which caused me to tear my intercostal muscles on the right side of my ribs. This is the second time I've had this injury and I've been sidelined since the tournament. I can't roll and I can't lift. I'm on corticosteroids right now to help repair the damage and hopefully in another week or two I'll be able to lift again.

 
Ok so I haven't updated this log in a long time... I find it hard to make the time to write a detailed enough account of BJJ to give it justice so I really only update the log when I'm lifting.

I injured my ribs in the last tournament I fought in which kept me away from the weights for 6 weeks and then I got hurt at work the first week of June which kept me out of the gym entirely for 11 weeks.

So I finally started lifting again even though I'm still doing some physical therapy for my right ankle. I'll be logging again as much as possible and maybe even writing some notes about BJJ if I have enough time.

9/8 Weights

Main - Bench
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 95
5 x 105
5 x 125
6 x 145

Assistance Lift - Incline Bench
10 x 55
10 x 65
10 x 85

I am extremely weak and I'm having some issues with my left wrist from BJJ. I want to get back into it slowly and surely to avoid reinjuring anything.


9/15

Main - Back Squat
5 x 85
5 x 105
3 x 125
5 x 135
5 x 155
10 x 175

My legs were absolutely destroyed after this absurdly easy workout... My stabilizing muscles in my thighs were cramping up on me pretty bad. It's amazing how fast you lose strength and how it takes to get earn it.


9/16 Weights

Main - BOR
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 75
5 x 95
10 x 105

Assitance - SOHP
10 x 55
10 x 65
10 x 75


9/17 Weights

Main - SOHP
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 75
5 x 95
5 x 105

Assitance - Close Grip Bench
10 x 65
10 x 85
10 x 95

It feels good to be lifting again. My wife and I are going to have our second child any day now so I don't know if I'll be able to get out of the house and make it to BJJ a lot but I should be able to make it to my garage to lift. I'm hoping to stay injury free and get back to my old numbers.... and then increase them.
 
9/19 Weights

Main - Deadlift
5 x 105
5 x 125
3 x 155
5 x 165
5 x 195
10 x 215

Assistance - Front Squats
10 x 95
10 x 115
2 x 125

I lost my grip on the last set and I had to bail.

Deadlifts felt pretty good for having taken ~6 months off.
 
9/20 Sport Specific Training

Unilateral Dumbbell Chest Press
35lbs - 4x12 each arm

Dumbbell Row
35 lbs - 4x15 each arm

Military Dumbbell Press
20lbs - 4x15 each arm
 
9/24 Weights

Main - Back Squat
5 x 85
5 x 105
3 x 135
3 x 145
3 x 165
10 x 185

Assistance - SLDL
8 x 155
8 x 175
6 x 205

My wife just got back from the hospital with baby number two so I probably won't be making it to BJJ very often in the near future. Luckily the gym is only on the other side of my house so I should be able to lift if nothing else.
 
9/26 Weights

Main - Bench
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 95
3 x 115
3 x 135
10 x 145

Assistance - Incline Dumbbell Bench
8 x 60
8 x 80
6 x 90
 
9/27 Weights

Main - BOR
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
3 x 85
3 x 95
13 x 105

Assistance - Dumbbell Military Press
8 x 65
8 x 75
6 x 85

I'm having a lot of pain in the middle of my back... it's a muscular pain, not actually my spine and I'm not sure what I did to pull the muscle there. I've been doing a lot of foam rolling to try and ease the pain and so far it hasn't been working. I'll be keeping my eye on it...
 
9/28 BJJ

So today was just an open mat since we had a bunch of guys competing at the nogi PanAm's in the city and two guys fighting in Asylum Fight League in Atlantic City.

I spent twenty or thirty minutes rolling with a newer blue belt and I was focusing on my spider guard and leg lasso techniques. Unfortunately this particular partner wasn't acting the way I would need him to for these techniques so I was stuck hitting other sweeps and working from top most of the time.

After that, I spent another fifteen or twenty minutes working with a newer purple belt who I outweigh by 25-30lbs. There was a lot of back and forth and he did a great job of fighting off my submission attempts whenever I was able to sweep him. At one point I had his back with a locked in body triangle and a collar grip and he still managed to escape the choke. It was a good roll and I got a lot out of it.
 
9/29 Weights

Main - Deadlift
5 x 105
5 x 125
3 x 155
3 x 175
3 x 205
10 x 235

Assistance - Front Squat
8 x 115
8 x 125
6 x 145

I have such a hard time with front squats. The weight is light but my grip is the problem. If I use the clean grip, I feel like my wrists are going to break and when I put the barbell on my clavicles and cross my arms, I always start losing balance and going to one side or the other... I love front squats themselves... I just need to work on my form.
 
9/30 BJJ

We drilled passing the half guard with over-under grips and shoulder pressure. Also passing the half guard with by passing the far arm over and manually opening the legs with your free hand.

Rolling went well. I almost hit the berimbolo to the back at one point. I still got the sweep but I failed at the full back take. I rarely get to work that position in live rolling and it seems like its popularity in sport BJJ is fading but I still get a kick out of it every time I get to use it in a "real roll."

Hit lots of arm-in brabo chokes and a baseball bat choke. I was working on the claroplata and missed it a few times but I did transition to a successful triangle when I missed the omoplata on one of my attempts.


10/1 BJJ

We drilled hooking a leg from butt scoot position and transferring to single leg x-guard and then sweeping or going for a straight ankle lock from the position.

Rolling went well. I hit the clarkoplata from leg lasso position that I've been working on for the last two months or so and finished with the collar choke. Unless the opponent is familiar with the technique it really catches them off guard.

Rolled with a first day guy and was practicing no-hand scissor sweeps from guard. After class he was honestly stunned that I was able to sweep lift him and sweep him with such ease. I don't understand the mentality that some people have... they're surprised that they're literally at their first class and you can handle them with ease? I take it as a compliment but honestly if you've been playing chess for years and then a first time player poses a challenge I think it might be time to stop playing chess.


10/2 Weights

Main - OHP
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
3 x 85
3 x 95
8 x 105

Assistance - Close Grip Bench
8 x 85
8 x 95
6 x 105
 
10/3 Weights

Main - Back Squat
5 x 85
5 x 105
3 x 125
5 x 155
3 x 175
10 x 195

Assistance - SLDL
5 x 165
5 x 195
5 x 215
 
10/4 Weights

Main - Flat Barbell BP
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 95
5 x 125
3 x 145
8 x 155

Assistance - Incline DB BP
5 x 35's
5 x 40's
5 x 45's
 
10/5 Weights

Main - BOR
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 95
3 x 105
10 x 115

Assistance - DB Military Press
5 x 35's
5 x 40's
5 x 45's


10/6 BJJ

Today a brown belt (Spain) taught nogi class.

We drilled using a cross face and shoulder pressure from mount to isolate an arm and work for an americana.

We drilled two counters when the bottom guy shrimps and grabs his arm to defend the americana. 1 - figure four far side arm being used to defend and step over for armbar. 2 - gift wrap far side arm and sit back for back take and then transition to back take, armbar or triangle.

Rolling was excellent today. I was feeling very "on" and everything I went for worked. I rolled with blues and a purple so I probably wouldn't have been quite as impressive if I'd rolled with a brown belt (I know so) but it was still a good day.

I was working a lot on open guard to single leg x guard to straight ankle lock. Also, half guard to guillotine threat to kimura threat to triangle. Also, worked triangle, armbar, omoplata series and finished omoplata three seperate times.

Hopefully I will be able to make it to gi class tomorrow morning.
 
10/7 BJJ

Travis caught nogi class.

We drilled the standard step-over butterfly guard pass and countering the pass with the standard double under butterfly sweep.

I only got to roll with one purple belt, the rest were all blues and whites. I was working a lot on omoplata from the guard and grabbing guillotines from everywhere while on top.


10/8 BJJ

Chris taught class in the gi.

We drilled scissor sweep to triangle transition which is a central part of my game. We also drilled hooking the same side leg when your opponent tries to stand up while in a triangle. Then we drilled transferring to the armbar from the triangle.

I got smashed a lot rolling. Felipe, one of the best purple belts who is also very athletic and explosive, put me to sleep with a collar choke. Post countered one of my guard passes by kneeing me in the jaw. I don't know how it landed but I couldn't chew with the right side of my mouth for two days after taking the knee and my jaw kept clicking. I also got smashed by Joe, a 240lb brown belt. I momentarily hit a DLR sweep on him but then he swept me back within seconds. Chris pointed out after class that I need to be heavier on top and work on my leg lock defense.


10/9 Weights

Main - SOHP
5 x 45
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 95
3 x 105
6 x 115

Assistance - DB Bench Press
5 x 40's
5 x 50'x
5 x 55's


10/10 Weights

Main - Deadlift
5 x 105
5 x 125
3 x 155
5 x 195
3 x 215
10 x 245

Assistance - Front Squat
5 x 125
5 x 135
5 x 155
 
So I went on vacation during my deload week. I'm just going to use the week off as my deload week and continue on... I had a bunch of days off but I didn't do any lifting. Only BJJ. I was at BJJ on: 10/18, 10/21, 10/22, 10/23, 10/24, 10/25. I've been working a lot on spider guard, leg lasso and the triangle, armbar, omoplata transition.

Just the other day I tapped my first brown belt ever in training. My style is very technical, very non-athletic BJJ. I tend to catch people in positions and if it isn't perfect I let it go and keep looking for another opportunity so it's very rare that I catch higher belts because they'll explode out of positions when they feel threatened. I do the same thing to guys on my level. Anyway, I was having a very technical battle with a brown belt and I was playing spider guard and he tried to step over one of my arms. I used his positioning to transfer to single leg x-guard and started threatening a straight ankle lock so he dropped his weight to bend his leg and defend. When he lowered his head I locked in the basic triangle position and used it to control his posture and then isolated his leg and finished the straight ankle lock. It was a slow and methodical attack and I know that 9/10 times I get smashed but its still a big feather in my cap to know that I'm developing a good enough game that I can catch really experienced people in the gi.

I'm still a blue belt but I feel like I'm on the cusp of reaching purple belt status.

At the very beginning of 2013 I had set goals for myself. I had been injured for a while so I didn't make the progress with my lifts that I had hoped for but I still think between now and the new year I could hit my squat and deadlift goals.

As much as getting stronger is appealing to me, if I could reach my goal of attaining purple this year I would be more excited than an adult male should really get about this sort of thing.


10/26 Weights

Main - Back Squat
5 x 85
5 x 105
3 x 125
5 x 135
5 x 155
12 x 175

Assistance - Deadlift
10 x 135
10 x 155
10 x 175
 
10/27 Weights

Main - Flat BB Bench
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 105
5 x 115
5 x 125
11 x 145

Assistance - Incline DB Bench
10 x 30's
10 x 35's
10 x 45's


10/28 Weights

Main - BOR
5 x 55
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 85
5 x 95
10 x 105

Assistance - Military DB Press
10 x 30's
10 x 35's
10 x 40's
 
10/29 BJJ

Spain taught class in the gi.

We reviewed the arm drag from butterfly guard. We also worked on transitioning to single leg x-guard when the opponent raises a leg to prevent the arm drag.


10/30 BJJ

Alex taught class in the gi.

We worked on trapping and arm while transtitioning from side control to north south and then making a collar grip before returning to side control and finishing with a choke. If the choke doesn't work you can transfer to an armbar instead of the choke.

Rolling went well. I tapped to a blue belt for the first time in a long time. I hit a drop seoi nage mid-way through rolling and while I got the throw, I fucked up my knee and I think I'm going to need a few days off. I'm pretty sure it's just a really bad bruise... I'm hoping at least.


11/1 Weights

Main - Deadlift
5 x 105
5 x 135
3 x 155
5 x 175
5 x 198
15 x 225

Assistance - Front Squat
10 x 95
10 x 115
10 x 125
 
11/2 BJJ

Alex taught class in the gi.

This class was absolutely HUGE. I think there were just shy of 40 people in the class. I had taken a few days off to let me knee heal and I should have taken one more day off. I came back too soon.

Since there were so many people in the class all the rolling was done "King of the Hill" style. I think I stayed out twice over the course of an hour or so of rolling. My knee just wasn't healed right and I had to give up positions many times just to avoid reinjuring myself.

It was still a lot of fun and great to see so many people at the gym. I'm really happy for Chris and Alex. It seems like they are finding a lot of success with their business. Hard work pays off.


11/3 BJJ

Spain taught nogi class.

I was late to class and only got there for one drilling session. We worked on an anaconda choke from front headlock position and transitioning to a darce choke if the opponent rolls through the anaconda choke.

Rolling went well. My nogi game is feeling more and more technical which is pretty surprising to me. I had never considered nogi that technical and obviously while it will never be as tricky as the gi, I've been finding more and more sneaky attacks to work into my game.


11/4 Weights

Main - SOHP
5 x 55
5 x 65
3 x 75
5 x 85
5 x 95
9 x 105

Assistance - DB BP
10 x 35's
10 x 45's
10 x 50's
 
11/5 Weights

Main - Squat
5 x 85
5 x 105
3 x 125
3 x 145
3 x 165
15 x 195

Assistance - SLDL
8 x 155
8 x 175
6 x 205


11/6 Weights

Main - BB Bench
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 105
3 x 115
3 x 135
10 x 155

Assistance - DB Incline BP
8 x 35's
8 x 45's
6 x 50's


11/7 BJJ

Spain taught nogi class.

We drilled transitioning from RDLR to inverted guard to opposite side RDLR and then going for single leg x-guard and sweeping or straight ankle lock. We also drilled the same thing but transitioning from single leg x-guard to full x-guard and then trip sweeping from there.

Rolling went well. I somehow got a crazy gi burn on my neck during nogi... okkkkk.
 
11/11 Weights

Main - Flat BB Bench
5 x 65
5 x 85
3 x 105
3 x 115
3 x 135
10 x 155

Assistance - Flat DB Press
8 x 45's
8 x 50's
6 x 55's


11/13 Weights

Main - Deadlift
5 x 105
5 x 135
3 x 155
3 x 185
3 x 225
10 x 235

Assistance - Front Squat
8 x 115
8 x 125
6 x 145


11/14 BJJ

Spain taught nogi class.

We drilled 3 different turtle attacks.

Rolling went very well. I'm feeling confident in my game and I'm 99% sure I'm going to compete on 12/7.
 
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