Back on the mat!

Thank the good lord!  Back on the mat!  Back on the mat.   ahhhhhh...

My left calf made sure to remind that it was in fact, still fussy, but I had a good class.  Fabio showed a very cool choke that starts from the guard.  Set up your opponent for a scissor sweep.  (for the sake of description, say you are sweeping to your left) After you have moved into a position to execute the scissor, change your grip on your opponent's sleeve from your left hand to your right hand.  Use the momentum you started for the scissor and your right bent knee and your right hand to move your opponent to their left.  Climb up slightly around your opponent's back.  Wrap your left around your opponent's neck, over their shoulder and grab their right collar deep.  Shoot your right arm through your opponent's right arm,  and behind their head.  Nighty night!  My friend BJJ Mommy is petite and absolutely loved this move, as it relies so beautifully on the magic of momentum.

The cool thing about this move is it opens up options with the back.  If you are unable to sink the choke, you have at least moved to a strong position to enable a move to an even stronger  position.

From the SWAT preparation department, I am surging ahead nicely in push-ups.  I moved up to sets of 27 this week, and Sunday I will move up again to 30 reps.  30!  I am so thankful I can feel the strength building in my arms.  My first sets a few weeks ago were accomplished through shear tenacity, which is perfectly fine, but unadulterated strength is a welcome addition to my musculature.

This is especially happy because I apparently need that tenacity to deal with my bitchy new BFF, aka, The Pull-Up.  I'll tell you, improvement in this exercise moves at it's own pace.  This is not unique to me.  I have spoken to a few colleagues regarding pull-ups, and they have confirmed this is a slow progression that requires one to attack the challenge constantly.  My BJJ classmate Anthony is a personal trainer and told me the same thing.  You are lifting body weight against gravity, and building that strength just takes time.

Last night I added some weight training to my pull-up regimen.  In addition to the counterbalance machine work on Tuesday nights, and resistance bands on Friday nights, on Thursday nights I will start doing unassisted pull-ups to exhaustion, with reps on the lat pull down and the seated row.  I did three pull-ups in a row last night (yeah!), so my goal is to knock out four solid unassisted within two weeks.  And I mean good, rock and roll, pull-ups.

Sit-ups are my ego boost exercise.  Ab strength builds fast.  I have been out running commission for two weeks, but Sunday afternoon I am planning a short easy jaunt to get that engine fired.  The calf will just have to deal with it.

Train well!
Dag


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