30 May 2007 -- class schedule change

Wednesday night no-gi class canceled. Instead did 30 minutes on stationary bike and interval weight training.

rows x15
upright rows x 15
reverse curls x 15
shrugs x 15
front raises x 15
curls x 15
arnie press x 15
internal rotation curls x 15

repeated circuit with 12 pound dumbbells nonstop for 15 minutes

Lisinopril

Had a Dr.'s appointment on Tuesday to check up on my hypertension and see how the hydrochlorothiazide was working. My blood pressure is now "borderline" so i was prescribed lisinopril. This drug is no joke. It totally zombified me for the entire afternoon and evening. Therefore I will have to make up Tuesday's class tonight, that is if this second day of dosage allows me to feel up to it. My appetite also increased severely--I'm not sure if that's another side effect or not.

25 May 2007 -- Review

Tonight's class was a review of techniques covered on 15 May 2007: Butterfly guard pass to side control.

During sparring the half-guard game is working very well per the Reis seminar. The sweeps are almost effortless.

While in half-guard you can use your inside knee as leverage to move OP in order to create space. This only creates enough space to pummel for an under hook on the OP's free leg--it generally will not facilitate an escape unless the OP over reacts to the move.

23 May 2007 -- P.T.

On lunch break. Monkey Bars, SW. Body weight interval training. Repeated this circuit for for 30 minutes. Shoulder stretches for warm up and warm down.

• step ups x 16
• inverted rows x 10-12
• close grip decline push ups x 8
• chin ups x 2-3
• tricep dips x 12-15

22 May 2007 -- Clinch, snap down, choke

The usual instructor was out this day. The boxing coach guest instructed.

1. Collar tie and inside control, snap down opponent to bread basket choke.
2. Collar tie and inside control, deep under hook to opposite lat., snap down to guillotine while maintaining deep under hook, step back with choke side leg and take down trailing step back.
3. Basic kimura from full guard technique.

Observations:

• In half-guard, when pummeling to under hook opponent's free leg, be sure to keep OP's near arm under hooked. This usually means you get cross faced but it will keep your arm and shoulder free from getting stacked against your face or locked. Also, once you achieve under hooking the leg you can make your half-guard tighter and more compact thereby causing OP to have to compromise his balance if he wishes to continue downward pressure on your face/neck. The entire purpose of under hooking the OP's free leg is to setup a reversal/sweep by taking advantage of OP's narrowed base of balance.
• I'm beginning to see that when working half-guard the OP will usually tire himself out between resisting your attempts to under hook his free leg, trying to lock your arms and cross facing you. The moment he pauses to rest is the opportunity to escape or reverse.
• While in half-guard, shrimping out and getting a butterfly hook in will be more advantageous than remaining in half-guard lock down.

Questions:

• How to properly work butterfly guard.

UPDATE on hydrochlorothiazide: This Tuesday was my 5th day of dosage. My system seems to be getting used to the medication and I've completely stopped my alcohol intake. I was concerned that my general feeling of fatigue was going to totally wreck my endurance during practice but all day I felt awake and energized. I ate light intermittent snacks throughout the day.

My sparring performance was better than expected. I only had to sit out 1 out of 4 rounds--during which I worked on previously learned techniques with a new student. I fought some very intense opponents my first 2 rounds, rested 3rd, then fought a regular training partner who is just as difficult. I didn't get submitted once and I scored a nice arm bar from guard.

Hydrochlorothiazide

I've been diagnosed with hypertension and was prescribed hydrochlorothiazide. It has definitely made me noticeably drowsy, fatigued and weak--and this is only after 3 days of dosage. The Dr. said it may take several days for my body to adjust. Then I find out you should avoid alcohol while taking this medication.

So we'll see how things go at the gym this week. Hopefully the side-affects won't be any serious impediment to practice.

...returning to Thai boxing classes in June.

UPDATE:
On my lunch break I decided to do 30 minutes of interval training. The routine I chose was one that I've done before with no problem at all. I could actually do each set consecutively without 30 or 60 second rest period for the first 20 of the 30 minute duration:

-Step ups, alternate legs
-Triceps dip
-Wide grip push up
-Row
-Close grip push up

Of course there may be other factors involved beyond the hydrochlorothiazide but I felt decidedly weaker in terms of overall endurance although in some of the exercises I did feel a bit stronger and increased repetitions from 8 to 10. My cardio was teh suck--i quit after 20 minutes. Tonight I'll do some stationary bike and some core exercises.

18 May 2007 -- Wilson Reis seminar

Mr. Reis was heavy on the half-guard work. Every technique involved half-guard except for one "escape from opponent's closed guard" move.

1. Take down to half-guard: get one collar tie to control opponent, then transition collar tie to underhook on same side. All this clinch work must be kept very tight. With underhook in, use your free arm to underhook opponent's far leg and sit into half-guard locking down opponent's near leg. This will cause an immediate take down while simultaneously limiting opponent's ability to sprawl.
2. Half-guard sweep: This next step is set-up by the half-guard take down. This half-guard is a bit different than the usual half-guard because you already have your opponent's free leg underhooked. Get the guard as tight and compact as possible. Then shrimp out to create space, then bring outside leg back in to sink in butterfly hook and then move hips back into opponent for compactness. At this point take the other leg and hook in to get an X guard on opponent's leg. Use X guard to elevate opponent. This will cause opponent to post with arm to remain balanced. At this point simultaneously overhook opponent's arm and stretch guard and sweep opponent forward and onto back, Then gain side control.
3. 2nd half-guard sweep: This one was very difficult because it required under hooking opponent's locked leg while moving the guard higher toward's opponent's hips. I had too much trouble with this move and feel like it's decidedly a more advanced technique. It just doesn't feel right to me at this point.
4. Esacaping opponent's closed guard: While in opponent's guard under hook one shoulder and gain wrist control of opposite arm pinning it to mat parallel to opponent's body. Walk legs out and up toward opponent's head on side you have arm pinned keeping as much weight and pressure on opponent's torso as possible. Once you are almost perpendicular, take a giant step back with top leg while maintaining pressure and balance--make sureyou still have that underhook secured. At this point take your free arm and press down on opponent's near leg--this will break his guard and allow you to pass with top leg while simultaneously neutralizing that leg. From there, gain side control.

Wilson trains and teaches at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United in Philadelphia, PA

17 May 2007--Review of last class

Terminology: "Binding pass"--weaving arm through opponent's collapsed guard to neutralize their leg movement.

15 May 2007 -- Butterfly guard pass to gain side-control

Emphasis with this drill was to preemptively break down opponent's butterfly guard before he can totally sink in hooks and posture up for clinch. This is done by forcing both of the opponent's knees down to one side breaking his posture while simultaneously controlling opponent's bottom leg and reaching up to underhook opponent's neck for collar tie. One knee should be past opponent's guard and pinned against opponent's side while with a large step back your trailing leg escapes opponent's half-guard or whatever entanglement. Then sit back in for side control or kesa gatame.

Edit: if trailig leg is caught in OP's half guard, be certain to shoulder cross face with maximum pressure while breaking the half guard.

10 May 2007 -- Escape side mount to omoplata to triangle

This drill was designed to practiice technique on proper creation of space when shrimping out of opponent's side-control then flowing back in for omoplata then having opponent posture up creating opportunity to flow to triangle choke.

Tuesday--5/08/2007

Mount work. Did drills for transitioning to "knee on belly" from full mount. Then did drills for transitons from full mount to fat boy mount to side mount. The 30 minutes of sparring. Afterwards I did 30 minutes of HIIT in the weight pile.

Friday--5/4/2007

Arm bar from closed guard.
Gain control of arm. Open guard, buck up, then snap back down while shifting hips to side pulling opponents elbow to mat and secure neck with collar tie. Re-close to high guard simultaneously While maintaining collar tie. Reach for far arm pull it in while simultaneously pivoting to other side still securing neck with collar tie. Push opponent's head away while passing with leg and secure the arm bar.