Injury: Part II...

I've taken a few tentative steps back into training with a few gym sessions, a hapkido class, a bit of cycling and a bit of bag work.

I can't fall properly and I can't turn properly into hooks and uppercuts or roundhouse kicks, but at least things feel like they're slowly meshing back together. 

I've also been doing some BJJ reading and video watching. And one of the things I can work on is grip strength, so I've bought some grip strengtheners and I'm playing with these at every opportunity.

There's always something you can train.

Injury: Part I...

I'm now into three weeks of not training due to an injury - or a 'ninja-ry' as a martial arts injury is referred to in our house.

This has been quite frustrating as I felt I was getting up to speed a bit at BJJ while I was preparing for the last competition, and now it's about rebuilding things again. 

I have been doing some exercise, though, and my weight has also not rocketed, but it's still frustrating. 

I have to remember growing at any martial art is a marathon and not a sprint and injuries and training lay-offs will happen. It happened throughout my hapkido studies, once very painfully when I was preparing for my black belt grading, and it will happen throughout my BJJ studies as well.

Patience and perseverance in all things is always rewarded...

Competition No.2: Part 2...

One of the key lessons I learnt from watching everyone else compete today was that I have nothing to fear at BJJ events.

I didn't see anything extraordinary that made me truly humbled and amazed. Some of the kids were brilliant and a few of the adults, both men and women, were very impressive. But there was nothing there I couldn't do. It's about levels of competency and the people who won their respective divisions had their technique honed and a clear understanding of tactics. Strength without technique wasn't enough to win in any match I saw.

I watched one of the very good blue belts that I train with coast to two wins in his division by simply getting his opponent in guard, threatening a submission, turning it into a sweep and maintaining position. Obviously, it wasn't just this simple because he also had answers to everything else his opponent tried to do, but he never looked in trouble. He also checked the scoreboard a few times to ensure he had points in the locker. I'll learn from this.

In terms of my own matches, I was pleased that I didn't panic when I found myself in some bad positions. I was calm, I was analytical and I devised answers and at least tried to implement them. The answers didn't always work, but I felt I was in the right area rather than scrambling in the dark. 

I also spent a bit of time in guard in my opening fight and I felt OK with this. I also ended up in half-guard in my second fight and also didn't feel too threatened. I also managed a few submission attempts and converted one of them into a sweep. 

My stamina and fitness was also pretty good, though I could have managed my weight loss more sensibly as I didn't eat the night before because I was worried about hitting weight. That tired me a little but it's one aspect of many that will be improved for the next time. 

I was taken down a bit to easily and, although I got barriers in place and secured some sort of defensive position, I need to work on my takedown prevention and defence. This is key, particularly as I'm generally quite comfortable in the stand-up exchanges.

But overall it was a pretty successful day. Victory at anything happens in stages. And today I narrowly won my first fight and that was better than losing it. I've also got another two fights under my belt and I also picked up a bronze medal and contributed a point to my team's overall victory.

A team-mate also gave me some brilliant advice in the changing rooms. He said that now, because there are so many different positions and strategies in BJJ, he just focuses on learning everything he can about one position. 

So the guard will be my focus for the next several months.

But I'm very happy. I do know future days at competition may not always be this successful, though.

Competition No.2: Part 1...

My second competition and this time it was a much bigger one, with six mats and lots of people from lots of different schools, who all fight under the Checkmat banner. 

I had three simple goals at this competition: one was to make weight after dropping more than a stone and a half since Christmas; the other was to not do anything reckless and survive for a full five-minute round; and the final one was to watch and learn everything I could.

First up, I made weight with something to spare. It may sound like a minor thing but it was a battle for me and this part of competition discipline is totally new to me. 

My first fight saw me taken down quite quickly, but I recovered and worked my way to turtle, then I took the opponent down and worked my way to guard  After this, we both fought for position and I spent most of the fight in guard and had a choke attempt and a kimura attempt. I turned the latter into a sweep and ended up in mount, before we had another positional scramble and he worked to a sort of side mount but couldn't pass to full mount. The bell went and I won the fight by a point but I could have easily lost it. With about 30 seconds to go, I heard my opponent's supporters telling him he had to get points to win so I desperately defended for all I was worth. My opponent was ridiculously strong and both his strength and his speed took me by surprise. He was also kind and gracious in defeat. 

My second fight similarly saw me taken down quite quickly by a very strong and fast opponent. But I recovered from an attempted head and arm choke, then felt my opponent tire as he'd put everything into this submission. I scrambled an escape and felt like I was about to pressure him into letting me go, then something popped in my ribs. I struggled on for another minute or so but the pain meant I couldn't move when I needed to and he eventually tapped me with an Americana. 

It took me a few minutes to get off the mat as my ribs were in agony. Fortunately, a quick trip to the paramedic, some painkillers, then a freezing gel from a team-mate pulled me through so I could watch the rest of the day.

The pain was almost certainly worth the experience, though.

Private Class No.2...

My second private class and a review of the guard breaks and the guard passing we did last time. Then it was onto moving from side control to north-south and back into side control on the other side; before getting mount. The latter featured a very cool trick  about moving backwards, then using the hand to slide the foot over the opponent.

The basics emphasised were to always secure the position, keep everything tight, and ensure your opponent is carrying your weight at all times. 

We also did some work on pulling guard from standing, which involved getting an elbow and sleeve grip, then planting the foot on the same side as the elbow grip and dragging the standing man down into guard. 

Another great class. I need to keep these up. 

Things to remember: Knee up, knee down; the drag into guard.

Classes 140-141...

Two early-morning classes in preparation for my first major tournament on Saturday. 

In both classes, we worked on guard passing fundamentals and we drilled the Toreador pass, the hand on hip and hand on knee pass, and taking the back. 

In sparring, I did OK and my very basic and new understanding of structure helped lots. One knee down and one knee up is a mantra I'm trying to incorporate. 

I've trained hard for this event and lost a shedload of weight. Win or lose, I'm winning one personal victory by just getting onto the mat, and my simple hope is that I don't do anything stupid and I can maybe last a full round without being submitted.

Victory happens in little increments. This is another step. 

Things to remember: Structure, pressure, barriers.

Private Class No.1...

Today, a private class ahead of my first proper competition and first up were some fundamental tips on guard passing. 

Guard passing fundamentals when defending:
Maintain secure posture, which is elbows inside knees and hands defending your core, and head not too far forward.
Strip opponent's grips and secure your own grips.
Retain base and balance at all times.
Hips follow position of opponent's hips.

Guard passing fundamentals when standing and attacking:

Maintain secure posture, which is elbows inside knees and hands defending your core, and head not too far forward.

Strip opponent's grips and secure your own grips on opponent's legs.

Retain base and balance at all times.
Hips must escape position of opponent's hips to bypass them.
Squat with head at same height as opponent's head.

We then worked on two escapes. 

The first was a standing guard break from being seated in the opponent's full guard: 

i) Secure opponent's arm with two hands and drag it diagonally across his body; foot stands up on the side of the secured arm; other foot stands up and you stand with feet parallel; nearest hand pushes opponent's undefended knee down; at the same time you open your hips on the side of trapped arm to force the knees open but stepping backwards; as the opponent's guard opens, you drop vertically down and slide your knee over the opponent's knee with your foot hooking his leg from the back; the opposite knee is vertical with your elbow connected to the inside of your knee; undertook the head to secure head control on the exposed side and close the space by driving in to to secure the position; place hand on opponent's up knee which is facing up, then press down as you kick your vertical leg back 90 degrees and drop your hips into your opponent; secure the position 

The second was a guard break from being seated in the opponent's full guard: 

i) One hand grabs lapels to pin chest; turn hand to lock in place. Push down; the other hand pushes the hip down to nail that in place; note that elbows should be inside opponent's knees; push into the opponent and edge hips back, then aggressively turn the hips to break the legs open; IMPORTANT: if this fails, don't close the hips and reset; instead, move hands lower down opponent's body, secure the grips, then apply pressure and move back further; posture up with one knee up and the other flat; slide the nearest knee over the opponent's knee and hook the foot at the back of the leg; other knee is vertical and connecting the knee to the elbow; then the same passing motion as before. 

Things to remember: Apply constant pressure to the man on the bottom; connect elbows and knees to form a barrier so the man on the bottom cannot regain his guard.