82,6 massage:-)

Getting fat and lazy, but that's recovery. I have a massage today and end of the week I will be in Switzerland. Can't do BJJ, but I am taking my running shoes with me. I am hoping to go for a jog two times after meetings. (and if the hotel has a gym...)

I am not going to play BJJ chess until Sunday, but I am looking for different kinds of mount escapes. Here is a link to 4 versions:-): Here is elbow to knee version. Here is a gracie discussion about mount and preventing an escape. And an angle drag version

82,2 legs (day A)

Today I'll go to gym and do my legs routine - day A.

This week will be different from previous. No BJJ training due to travelling. I'll have to try to play BJJ chess or atleast watch youtube:-)

For BJJ chess. I am the person under at the moment. My leg is up and open for angle lock (but I have a grip from collar to prevent it). My partner has bad balance, but can start to move my legs to left or right and pass my guard or attack single leg. I need to pull him down to my guard or bendulum/swissor sweep him to get in to full mount...

So this is the move. When he lifts my leg and sweeps me down, I fall to my back and butt scoot close to his legs and continue his lifting movement with my leg and pull his collar. If I catch his sleeve, I can prevent him from posting and I will get to mount position.

(Next move is I am mounted)

Nothing new

Came home too late to play BJJ CHESS. Next move is difficult...

81,7 recovery

Today I'll be going to Helsinki and staying there until tomorrow. So it's recovery by driving a car:-)
Yesterday after Bjj class I had one of my "insights". Instruction from Hanna, our instructor yesterday, was that from open guard under you have to make the first move - attack. You need to get grips and control atleast from 3 points. Hide you legs. My insight is to think like sparring in karate. That is something I think I know:-) Mental image could be: So I'm sitting down. I block a grip or "jap" for a sleeve. Sidekick and butt scoot for chudan(belly/hips). Grap an angle and I'm good to go:-) New feeling is to work my legs like "Superfoot Bill Wallace": fake, push, circle and do all that stuff.


For BJJ Chess. I am in a single leg x guard and attacking. I should break opponents grip from my collar, but cannot do it. He is strong as "Nico". So I'll try a move from single leg x guard to x guard and to stand up with his leg on my shoulder. Check the video.




So I swept my partner, but he is holding my collar - still and pulling me of balance... (Image on the video at 1:23

(Game is on hold until Sunday evening or monday.)

81,7 BJJ

I modeled a head with Maya to my wooden mannequin. (Just a stretched sphere). So the process of learning and modelling is on it's way.

BJJ: One big thought occured to me yesterday, when I was thinking about stripping grips: if you have to strip grips, you have lost first round of grip fighting! Idea is to fight for a better grip than your opponent, and use your grip before he can get a grip from you. So I've been fighting like a baby - letting people "hit" my with out blocking. Today I'll try to block and grip ... and if I am very good, to do something with my grip. But first, just to block and grip.

BJJ CHESS next move

Can't push him back and he has a collar grip. I think I can butt scoot and attack one leg and pull the leg to my chest. (Next move would be to fall to my side and pull his knee with me - and go for single leg x guard.)

So now I am the other guy and opponent graps my knee. I have a grip from collar and opponents back looks tempting. If I drop my elbow to his chest and grip from back of shoulder...
I'll try single leg x guard:-) Grip from shoulder does not hold, but grip from collar is still there. (Even thou it's not in the puppets image.)

Todays BJJ technique

81,8 Open mat

I am a little fustrated about my open guard game. It might suck because of my lack of grip fighting? I have not realized it, but I'll try to be more aware of it. Second issue is loosing initiative when under pressure. When I feel that I am loosing or partner is passing, I just grip and freeze and that spells out disaster.

To end on a positive note - weight is under 82 kg:-)

BJJ CHESS - NEW GAME

Attack from open guard under, but what is the attack, when your opponent is standing?
1) arm drag and taking back? (lazy arm drag?)Arm drag on low attack
2) collar drag - butt scoot and taking back
3) idiot sweep (hooks behind angle and push on knees)
4) outer leg tie - sweep
5) inside leg tie - x-guard (This is one way)
6) grip sleeves and spider guard?


I'll choose the "idiot" sweep because I do it a lot and often opponent counters it by lowering weight - bending knees so that I don't have enough momentum to push him down. Opponent also grips my collar and knee - what should I do?

82,4 BJJ and Maya

I studied Maya software yesterday and it looks quite straight forward to use, but I'll start with out a gi and model a basic wooden mannequin for a character to roll. (I remember that Realsoft3D had a project where you could make an interface for others to move a rigged character - that you'd be idea for BJJ chess. But for now - I'll be the puppet master. I'll have to play against myself.


Thank you James Davis for sharing and Hanna and Venla for helping to shoot the material.



Todays training is BJJ.

82,5 recovery

I'll check 3DsMax way of animating a character. I looked at Maya yesterday and it might work. I don't have Poser, but Blender is an open source software. (Yesterdays model is done with Blender, but I don't have the rigged character so.) And ofcourse there is XSI. Also Realsoft3D is a possibility... First is to find a simple enough rigged 3D model - maybe a mannequin - wooden puppet? Maybe I need to model and rig it my self.

I did not find a downloadable human figure to use in bjj chess so I'll model one with Maya. During my modelling, I'll test 3Ds Max biped figure.

No boxing today - I am too lazy

82,0 recovery day

Today is a recovery day. I'll do a X-stretch P90X workout when I come home from work. After that I'll start looking for 3D models for a character to play a game of BJJ chess. (This is not going to be solved in one or two weeks. CG character rigging and animation is easier than before, but it will take some time to choose a software and find a model ... and learn to animate it:-)

81,7 Seminar continues

I am clad that I am taking part only on BJJ sessions and skipping every other training session:-)

We worked side mount today...
This is what it feels like, when your partner knows how to pin you down.

82,5 BJJ seminar continues

Yesterday was a lot of information. I'll continue to search web for similar techniques to remember them later. Shoulder is sore from an armbar - ofcourse... I updated some links for yesterdays seminar, but I can not find the actual techniques. (Image has a link to getting in top and knee push sweep.)

DAVIS SEMINAR DAY 2

Good news for me is that Davis is going to make a video of all the techniques that he taught in the seminar. I am not sure if I can link it to this site. If Davis approves, then I'll link it.

We played open guard passing. First just with legs and it makes your shins tender. We learnd move like Elvis knees, Elvis pelvis, silver back and lot more. 2 hours of new techniques. But this came up in the end discussion And some other even more powerful options:-)

82,3 BJJ seminar Fri - Sun

I will have three BJJ classes. James Davis is giving instruction in Jyväskylä this weekend. BUT open guard is still my problem:-)
I don't have a clue about what to do when I am rolling and using open guard. I am passive, not actively attacking. I need to make some attack plans? Maybe to grip sleeves or sleeve - collar? And keep distance with my knee? What sweeps am I looking for? What is my attack? Here is some instructions.
I like the idea of having three different plans - long range, medium and close. BUT I have to work at one plan at the time. At the moment I might have a lot of ideas, but when rolling starts, I can't remember anything.

DAVIS BBJ seminar 1 session

1. So you get to half guard and fight for under hook. Pummel with elbow and maybe push from face to get more space.
2. If you loose underhook, take a overhook with a grip from partners or your collar and stretch your partner with knee (z guard) and pull your leg and stand up.
3. Or triangle (We posted on elbow.)
4. or sweep by pushing other leg
5. or if triangle is blocked to omoblata
6. if partner is preventing your leg pull, attack neck with choke a) cross collar or b) over the neck collar choke
7. or sweep him over (Pulling weight on your knees and roll him over)

Here is something basic about z guard
Here is some z guard attacks No quite the same as Davis taught us. Davis wanted us to post on elbow.
(Sorry very little material on youtube about thise moves.)

82,3 Legs Day B

SO I am still a fatso even thou I was in a BJJ class yesterday. Same weight after gym and after bjj? (Maybe it's because I left a half an hour earlier - rolled only 1 hour?)

Today is a gym day and second part of the new workout program that was design by Janne for us.

DAY B

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press 5 x 5 Tempo 1 - 4 - 1
Cable Rear Pulldown 4x 4 - 6 reps
Cable Rear Delt Row 4 x 6 reps
Sumo deatlift upright row compination 3 x 10 - 12 reps
Barbell Step-up 3 x 8 + 8 reps
Barbell alternating Side Split 3 x 8 + 8
Single leg bridge (Barbell) 3 x 10 + 10

Open guard under

I've said this earlier and yesterday proofed it again - I suck in open guard defence. I need to practise it seriously - Well atleast a lot:-) We had two moves yesterday. One was an arm drag and other was ... I don't remember :-O

82,3 BJJ

Looks like BJJ is much more stressful than boxing. I was sweating a lot yesterday, but my weight did not drop under "fatso-limit". Today is BJJ class so we will see if after BJJ class my weight drops.

82,6 Boxing

I expected my weight to go up, because yesterday was a gym day. Bumping up legs gives me 0,5 - 1 kg water. (But I am a fatso!)

Today my goal is to go boxing. I did get new cloves as a birthday present. Not the most common present for a 54 y?

In boxing today my goal is to move relaxed and shift weight with punches. (Not to move arms fast - but to punch with good technique.)

81,6 gym workout "Day A"

So not so fatso 81,6, but that's because yesterday was a bjj class - I am always a little dehydrated after bjj - even next morning.

Today is first run throu of our new weight program "day A" - strength to legs and stamina to upperbody. Workout has a lot of shoulder moves, which is good. LInk from the image is to a new site that looks cool, but my favorite is still www.exrx.net. It has the "moves".

DAY A

Single leg split squat 4 x (6 + 6)
Barbell parallel squat 4 x 4 -6 tempo 1 - 4 - 1 and 3 -2 -1 (Alternating weekly)
Plie Squat (Dumbell against back!) 4 x 6 reps
Sled seated calf press 5 x 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell bent-over Row 3 x 10 - 12
Barbell Curl 3 x 10 -12 reps
Shoulder routine circuit 3 rounds:

Dumbbell alternating front raise 10 reps
Dumbbell alternating lateral raise 10 reps
"Saints halo" with dumbbells 10 reps CW and 10 reps CCW
Dumbbell shoulder press 10 reps
Dumbbell Upright row 10 reps
Dumbbell rear lateral raise 10 reps

I updated page "Weight workouts " Day B

82,1 BJJ Class

Positive sign is that weight is getting down. My personal "fatso" limit is 82kg and I weight 82,1 in the morning, BUT the direction is good. My favorite weight is 78 kg ( about 12% bodyfat) so there is still some work to do.

Here is one addition to taking back from turtle and getting RNC. So there are atleast three versions or more. One that Ville taught, second that Marko showed, third is a Ezekiel version and this Stephen version.

Todays BJJ Class -armbar from mount Lots of armbars, triangles and omoplatas from closed guard.

82,3 Recovery by driving a car to Savonlinna and back

It's allwasy fun to visit your mother-in-law.

82,3 Had to work overtime!!! No BJJ

I'll try to translate workout programs today and use a perfict site for it. Shoulders feel fine after yesterdays very light workout and also knee lets me walk. It's a nice day:-)

DAY A

Single leg split squat 4 x (6 + 6)
Barbell parallel squat 4 x 4 -6 tempo 1 - 4 - 1 and 3 -2 -1 (Alternating weekly)
Plie Squat (Dumbell against back!) 4 x 6 reps
Sled seated calf press 5 x 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell bent-over Row 3 x 10 - 12
Barbell Curl 3 x 10 -12 reps
Shoulder routine circuit 3 rounds:
Dumbbell alternating front raise 10 reps
Dumbbell alternating lateral raise 10 reps
"Saints halo" draws with dumbbells 10 reps CW and 10 reps CCW
Dumbbell shoulder press 10 reps
Dumbbell Upright row 10 reps
Dumbbell rear lateral raise 10 reps

82,4 New workout program for gym

Program is in Finnish so I am not going to include it to the blog. Idea of the program is that we will have two gym days per week. We will do whole body on each time, but switch with "max" strength and duration. First is upper body strength and lower body duration and next is upperbody endurance and lower body max strength.

I did hurt my knee yesterday so todays workout is more about learning the moves and adjusting correct loads.

Yesterdays techniques in BJJ class

Did not find the exact technique, but it was a mix from these two under:-)
Also there was a choke from turtle like this one, but grip was different. It was a basic collar choke, not an ezekiel.

82,3 BJJ

It's a nice spring weather - 16C and sun is shining. Todays schedule is work - Youtube - BJJ class.
I have to start planning some exercises for my shoulder.

I have been watching BJJ competition footage. Looking for open guard control and using hooks. It's blurry, but I'll try to remember today:
1) to prevent my opponents head cross my centerline
2) hook atleast one leg
3) catch his arm to prevent him getting my neck

82,8 Gym - legs

• Starting with 5 minute bicycle warm up
• Deep front squats (40kgx10, 45x10,50x10 and 45x10)
• Wide Box squats (55kgx8 x3)
• Alternating lunges (25x10, 25x6,30x4,25x6,20x8)
• Claves single leg eccentric (80kgx4x3)

I tested how it feels to bench press a 20 kg bar. It was not easy. Push up and pull ups are impossible due to shoulder injury. BUT I just have to start to work my arms and shoulders too. Little by little - it's been over one month from the injury so it should be ok to start to stress my shoulder. (And listen if it can take it...)

I'll try to find some BJJ rolling on open guard defence - actual competition footage. Could not link any footage, but it looks like almost every match has an open guard situation. So it's very important to know how to scrample so that you end up in a favorable position.

82,6 - insanity workout

Updated my list of techniques that has been taught at our club.
My workout plan is not clear for this week. Probably I'll do a Beachbody insanity workout today and tomorrow it's boxing or gym.
Reflection:"Did insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit workout -41 minutes. Did not do pushups and did not push maximum - more like getting to know it.
It's a good feeling after a workout:-)"

Something to try next BJJ class

83,3 BJJ (1000 readers broken)

I needed yesterdays recovery. I'm sure that I would have needed to practise open guard techniques too, but one can't get all at once.

BJJ today

It'll be open guard and my theme will be to learn something. I want to try to be aware of partners moves and try to counter with basic principles:

1. Knees in front of his hips - straight line to my opponent (scoop back to parallel when needed)
2. Don't let his head cross my center line when he is trying to mount me.
3. Good grips and hooks

I will not try to do any technique, just play with hooks and see what happens.Reflection on todays BJJ class:
"Number 1 did not work. It was impossible to scrimp or scoop when some one is putting pressure on your chest - if you scrimp, he will pass.
Number 2 - I did not remember to think about it!
Number 3 grips were ok, but hooks were lame.
I was very satisfied with todays class. I did have some kind of mental image of what is happening, but you don't go from "sucks to champ" over night. Back to basics!
Technique of the day
Here is the same technique used in competition.

---

Periodize or NOT

My goal is to use process cycle to gain physical ability; (stress - adabtation or exercise - recover) but normal life has it's "natural" cycles. Next two months will be spring and it will be busy at work. It will be followed by two months of summer vacation. Also it's pre-golfseason. Main goal is to stay in shape all around the year. I do not have special competition seasons.

Stay in shape

List of Physical Abilities is long, but for me I can group them in 4 categories:Breathing, Muscle, Flexibility, Coordination.
Breathing is aerobic and anaerobic energy. It means that I need to do two "fartlek" or interval exercises per week. It can be running from work to home, tabata, circut or maybe a "insanity/p90X" workout.
Muscle has many qualities like strength, endurance and speed. I need to do an exercise to grow strength and also one to ingrease stamina (That's two workouts, that don't have to be at gym, but I need to cover the whole body - main muscles).
Flexibility and coordination demand the most work and it's more a struggle against getting worse than getting better:-) These abilities will develop in BJJ and golf practises - flexibility will need extra workouts.
For effective training most important issue is to get recovery right. To get max strength your muscles need to be fresh. Problem in my next two months is my daily schedule. If I don't reorganize, all my training will be from 14 - 19 and that is not good. To recover I need to find a way to use mornings to run (or ride a bike?) to work so that I'll have time to recover for second workout at 17 - 19. (In March I will not do running or bicycling to work - I'll start it in April, when my daughter comes back from USA and I lose her car:-)

82,2 recovery

I'll go to open mat training today at 15:30 ( BUT it starts at 14 so can not make it!). Otherwise it's a recovery day. Yesterday was a thuff day for some reason.(You can tell because I lost 1,6 kg even thou I ate a meal, cake and ice cream after training:-)

And I was lost in open guard drills. I'll look for some solution, but maybe I should stick to one or two passes that have worked for me? And for concepts - it's not good to focus only on relaxation. They were cleaning the floor with me, because I was just breathing. Concepts might be a hierarchical system and grips/control needs to be first, maybe balance second.

I want to start my open guard pass by gripping pants near knees and pushing or pulling opponents feet to the mat. (I had problems with feet on my elbows or feet on my hips/ chest situations.)So what to do when I am gripping pands near knees and opponents feet are on my elbows and I feel like a puppet? Here is one of many youtube passes. Why didn't it feel so easy, when I was rolling yesterday?

What am I trying to do when I have an open guard? Sweep? Keep opponent away? Pull him to closed guard? Here are some options:-) I have not used my legs very much in open guard so here is something to try.

83,8 stretching, golf and BJJ

Thank you Outi for the birthday card:

ARE YOU READY

TO GO

ANOTHER ROUND

WITH FATHER TIME?

---

This is my input today at KarateForums training blog:

3/2
early:
*"paul" warmup. http://youtu.be/4bn5EnifXkA
*Windmill (front - roundhouse - side -back roundhouse - back kick)x10per leg
*Bill Superfoot http://youtu.be/YJF2rLaRAZM
*Heavy bag: tapata frontkick, roundhouse, double roundhouse, hich roundhouse, back roundhouse - roundhouse
Stretching 60 min (legs, hips, lower back)

mid:
hitting birdieballs 10 - 20 pitching wedges

late:
BJJ class 90 min Reflection on todays class. I suck in open guard! I was like a blind man in central station - everyone was passing and I could catch anyone. I'll have to go to open mat tomorrow and drill something to get better. Here is almost the same technique that was thought today at class. We did it by stepping in with a foot and turned knee on belly. Here it's done by pushing knee and sliding to hon kesa gatame.

Note that "golf season" starts today. Goal is just to hit 10 - 20 birdie balls everyday to get ready for the actual season. Here in Finland it will be 10 weeks. So I'll get about 1000 shots done before driving range opens.

BJJ open guard

Just to remind myself of some basic concepts:control aca grip, balance, relax, leverage, space, timing. I focus on grips and balance in previous rollings so today it's relaxation - breathing and being confortable. It would be easier to be confortable, if one would know what to do. So what is the goal when passing an open guard or when you are using open guard against your opponent?
Passing an open guard: You want to clear opponents legs and get a control of his hips. You want your opponents back on the mat. Grip his pants inside knees and keep his feet on the mat? Fight is for the space near opponents hip. I want that space and control his arm and my weight on his torso.

Using open guard: you want to have space and use your legs to sweep, hook and control your opponent.
Here is one of the Wednesdays BJJ classes techniques - open guard pass

82,8 legs, crispbread and 60 days intensive training

Yesterdays BJJ did not hurt my shoulder - no extra pain today:-)

I've been playing with Alisa today and BJJ chess has to wait for a while. We had open guard passes in BJJ class yesterday so BJJ chess should start from open guard.

Today is a legs day at gym. I'll go to gym at 14:00. Workout C (legs)

• Warm up 5 minutes bicycle.
• Squat parallel 60x10, 70x6, 80x6, 80x6, 70x8.
• Single leg squat 60x10, 70x6, 80x4, 70x6, 60x8

Last three sets are done rotating with out breaks:

• Hip abductors 80x10x3
• Hamstrings 50x10x3
• Leg extention 70x10x3

I think I will take a black gi. This is the design that our club will buy.
Black so that batches will blend in more. Size A-3. I seem to be very light weighted compared to my height. (6'1" and 183 lbs) (Or 185 cm and 83 kg)

Crispbread is a process

I am getting better making crispbread, but it's not as good as I had at my daughters home. And the receipt is the same:-) It's very healthy, but goal is to make it tasty too.

60 days intensive training reflection

I started to block to get my self to exercise more and better - and I had a break from teaching. I like projects with a clear start and end. It's easier to be motivated when you know that you have a target.I did not make throw 60 days because I got injured. I still got quite a lot of exercise done. I think I have a little more juice in my legs. Not enough, but getting closer.Lesson learnd is that if you want to practice, make sure that you don't get injured. Injuries cut down workouts and plauteus your progress.

Other lesson is that physical ability is temporary - it's not sustainable. Training results stay only 2 weeks and then you start to "decay". If you workout too often, you get burned out. TODAY is day 60! Program ends, but process continues.