I'm fairly sure that my Shihan doesn't realize that I've been at the littledojo since I left. Sweet! Am also fairly sure that he notices improvement, which is also sweeet. Hell, I can notice improvement [thankyoukravthankyoujudothankyousenseidave] and it feels really cool to be in class without all the cantdoanythingright nerves. He was very keen on Welcoming me Back, which was cool. They also asked me to start helping with the kids classes on Saturday mornings.Which is a cool idea... except I don't know the first thing about kids or showing them what to do. My Tuesday class is mostly kids, so I'm getting better with them, by default and because the Sensei makes me - but kids are scary things!
Haven't written in a few days because I've been moving houses. Which is pretty awesome - I love my hew place. Cozy bedroom, bright happy rooms, basement with room to practice - I think this could suit me very well.
So, to catch up:
JiuJitsu was awesome.
My first class with these folks, and it was just as I'd read. Which I found hilarious - I'm all about the BJJ blogs, so it ended up being pretty much exactly as I'd expected. Nice to know BJJ is about the same wherever you are. I liked that.
We started off doing something like a thousand variations of crunches. Lovely. Despite being a woman, I have very little abdominal strength. Any workout using my stomach is hardhardHARD for me. So the hundred or so crunches of different types was, well - fun. Did you know there are exercises to build neck strength? I had no idea, until we did them, and I started to wonder how my neck is supporting my head, its so weak.
After the absurd warm-up we worked on drills.
This is what I was looking forward to. Working the same thing over and over again to get it down.
We worked on something called [I think] a tailbone-knee escape. Or something like that. Basically, knee to tailbone, base wide, weight on their hips, opposite leg sliding over for side control. And then a variation where you 'stack' them (not going to comment on whether I'll ever be strong enough to stack a resisting partner), shift them, and then let them roll off your shoulder for side control again.
It was excellent. I really appreciated the drilling - in Judo, we often work things only briefly, and so I never feel like I really get anything down. And the escape really might work for me. At the least, I used what they'd shown me about keeping my weight on my partners hips to limit their ability to shift in Judo on Thursday. With not wonderful results, but it was something to try.
I went home, though, fairly disheartened and frustrated - realizing that I suck. And all the ways and means that I suck. How very frustrating it is to never get anything right. Had a good long girly weeping pity-party because I get my ass kicked every day and it is frustrating and embarrassing.
I went to judo fully expecting to cry in class.
Which would've been a first. My judo teacher was astute and aware enough to notice, on Thursday, that I'm reaching my breaking point with frustration. Not that I would quit - quitting something because you're crap doesn't make any sense - but just that I'm boiling with frustration because I only get things right once a blue moon. We had a nice little conversation about it - and so, while I don't feel any less crap or as if I'm improving any faster - I feel less upset about it.
I have very cool instructors.
Thursday's Judo class was Full Of Win. My partner was excellent - we were very well matched. Well, meaning he was considerably better than I am, but we made a really good team. We worked on a variation on Ippon Seoi Nage - instead of hooking around the gripped sleeve, you're hooking via the lapel. It was different. We drilled it over and over again, my partner and I. Adding variations to make it a drop throw, adding increasing speed and resistance, transitioning from the throw to an armbar or choke. It was a lot of fun, besides being really usefuleducational. It makes a huge difference, to have a good partner who you're well matched to.
In randori, he worked on getting me in an ude/americana, and I worked on not letting him. And I failed: again and again and again. But maybe I failed less quickly than I might otherwise do. I dunno. Another education in how important it is to keep my arms in. And how much I want someone to drill with me on escapes from the mount. Because I feel like once I'm mounted, I'm stuck, I'm in their control, and it sucks. Personally, I want them in my guard, or I want to be in their guard - just because I know more of what to do then. But mount - ugh, that sucks. Never let them get your arms, never let them get a mount.
Karate is definitely on the up.
On Friday, we worked on some kata, and then the same drill we'd done on Saturday. I'm trying to focus on relaxing, so that I can react better. Also working on some small things about stances - trying to get a comfortable high stance, and better hand placement - for free-fighting.
Saturday was a lot of fun. Worked on kata, and was pleased to have no trouble with their versions of them. Win! I was able to work with one of the purple belts on his kata before class: I didn't remember which was was their way and which was was mine, so when he asked a question, I said: I'm not sure, look at how Shihan does it. Was pleased to have him say the same thing in class: if you don't know, send them to me. Hopefully he realizes I don't want to teach anyone my own (well, my home-school) way.
Was partnered with a blackbelt woman and, again, we were well matched. Well, yeah, meaning she is better than I, but we made a good team. We're both fans of sweeps... which has something to do with why my ankles are swollen with bruises. Still, it was a great give and take - trading what worked and what didn't, and having a great time at it. Am trying to place closer attention to where I'm keeping my guard - get better at protecting my head.
Next week: Goals
Monday:
Krav: Control & Precision
No-Gi: Cancelled. Indefinitely?
Tuesday:
Karate: Stances. Hands.
Wednesday:
JiuJitsu: Take it in stride?
Thursday:
Judo: Mount escapes, if possible. Arms in. Drop throws.
Friday:
Karate: Stances. Power. Kaari.
Saturday:
Karate: Relaxation.
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