Competing Tomorrow...Just Kidding

Instead of road tripping this morning, Rachael and I went to class. There is a great unwillingness for people to compete up in weight, so we stayed home. I understand not wanting to compete against someone 20lb+ pounds heavier, but I'm really bummed out. I've fought 40lb+ up and while it's no picnic, I roll against heavier guys all the time. Ideally competition would consist of people your weight and age, but that's not the world we live in.

I thought for sure the other purple belt women would be willing to go up in weight and we'd have a marvelous five person round-robin bracket. Nay. Only one was willing to go up, and I'm not driving 14hrs for one match in gi and no gi with the same person. Sad panda.

Anyway, my neck was feeling better until I lifted last night. Inadequate warm-up and I could tell that my back was feeling a little weird (likely from poor stretching form, not from lifting). Woke up feeling like it might want to freak out a bit, but it held up during rolling and both back and neck seemed fine.

Technique consisted of DLR sweeps from combat stance and standing. Nothing new. One funny moment when both Rachael and I tried to complete a sweep by doing a technical stance...with both of our hands full of grips. We were finding it extremely difficult. James informed us that it'd be a lot easier if we, y'know, released one of the grips to post a hand on the mat. d'oh.

Rolled with Chaz, Sarah, Laurie and Rachael. Chaz kicked my ass. At least one knee-bar, can't remember what else he got me with. About the only thing I did well was circle my leg out of his shallow DLR hook. That's it. First time I rolled with him. He's pretty good.

Sarah wasn't feeling so hot and her knees were really bothering her. I would have backed off of the DLR guard if I had known about her knees. Took her back several times, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it.

Transitioned through several positions with Laurie, let her work the DLR sweeps of the day near the end.

I did a crap job of establishing guard with Rachael and paid for it by being stuck under bottom side-control for the majority of the round. I finally started making some progress out of it at the end of the round but took waaaaaay too long.