Schweaty No Gi

I forced myself to sit in the yard last night and read a book instead of doing a number of other activities (like rolling with Rachael) that would have been much more strenuous. My body and mind needed a break, and I went to bed and woke up feeling much better than I had in a couple of weeks as a result.

No gi Friday morning, and it wasn't even that hot but good grief did the sweat ever flow. We circled up after class and I twitched my head every so often as James was talking to get the droplets to fall on the already saturated mat. Ugh.

Technique was going to a head and arm choke from top half guard, or moving to reverse kesa and attacking the far arm for a kimura, back-take or baratoplata. I could not get the baratoplata for the life of me. It's like a dance move that everyone can pick up but I simply couldn't get all of my limbs to move in the desired way. I've done it ok from guard, but it seemed pretty awkward from the sitting-on-their-head-with-kimura-grip position.

Rolled with Emilie, Jason S., Dennis, Manny and Joe. Emilie asked me specifically to not go easy on her, so I didn't. Got to mount several times, back, etc.

Jason got back control and finished with a choke. I tried to fend off the body triangle but I'm still severely lacking in defense to that. Trying to pin one of his hooks to the floor and slide out was impossible. I need to figure out what he's doing with the hooks to make it so hard.

Dennis and I had a pretty good roll, lots of guard work from me. 

Can't remember much about my roll with Manny, except that I was doing an ok job of retaining guard. He said afterwards that my feet are like hands when I'm in guard, so that was encouraging. I'm still making progress on leg weaves and the like.

I did pretty well against Joe, even snagging a head-and-arm triangle from guard, using it to get to mount and then finishing just like we did in class. I tried for it a second time from half guard but didn't control the hips so he escaped. 

I (reluctantly) went over the top side-control transitions that I'm going to use tomorrow. He was wearing a cotton tshirt which made a loud squishing noise when I started the position in top side. Uggggggggh.