2024 kicked off with a blast. The first week, I enjoyed the shoulder lock

transitioning to armlock from guard taught by Brenda and the arm-drag followed

with heel-trip takedown from Adam. We trained the flower-sweep and the snap-down

and using it to induce posturing up for the single or double-leg. Francisco told

me I could do a no-gi paper cutter on him when I isolated his arms from

cross-side. I couldn't believe it and he showed me.

I pulled a back muscle when doing spin-to-sit after reviewing the previous

night. Along with it, I did the side-winder, the jacknife, the crabwalk, and hip

raising, all from Henry. I love his focus on self-defense in an age when the art

is relentlessly commercialized.

We have four world champions in the gym and our beloved coach, 66-year-old

Brenda, having a hip-replacement, was the most vocal advocate for competing.

One day, I was rolling with a white belt who just got his first stripe. He

passed my guard and no big deal, I thought, but Brenda nearby shouted: "That's

three points! You just gave away three points!" "That's fine." I smiled: "I can

afford it."

"If your goal is health, don't reach for the medal." Pavel used to say. I've

reaped the benefit of an active lifestyle and jiu-jitsu was extra fun. That's

enough.

I gained over five pounds in the past couple of months and felt very strong on

the mat. My waistline has stayed the same.

I felt emotional growth. Insecurity seemed on its way out. I stopped feeling the

need to please others. I used to put on a smile and say hi to everyone passing

by. This month, I felt different. I entered the gym, checked in at the counter,

went straight to the locker room where I changed in silence, I came out onto the

mat, sometimes not shaking hands with anyone, and proceeded to an open area to

warm up before the class. I'd greet anyone I make eye contact with or who comes

up and say hi but I don't try to make small talk or even look around anymore. At

the same time, I don't feel superior or inferior.

While others become good at playing guard, I've kept improving on the turtle

position. I don't mind one passing my guard. I'd get into turtle and try to take

them down. If they are fast to cross-side, I get into turtle whenever the

pressure from their pin let up. They often give me the arm to trap as they try

to control my hip and I follow up with the roll. Many big guys got rolled :-)

My team mates are improving, too, and they helped me improve. I got submitted by

Stephen with norht-south kimura and re-learned the escape from videos. Sam got a

guilotine and two triangles on me and I re-learned defending the legs. I learned

from Master Rickson and was able to defend the knee-on-the-belly and had success

in standing up to pass close guard.

Ed taught an arm-trap-collar-choke from guard, which I first learned from Brenda.

In that class, I practiced with Cruz and found a good way using my

knee-and-elbow to clear my opponent's arm for wrapping. This can also transition

to an armbar if he defends the punch choke.

Professor Weichi taught the body-lock butterfly guard pass. I learned this first

from Rickson and have been using it with a high sucess rate. It was good to

renew the lesson and gain new perspectives. For example, I found pressing his

legs too close to the butt make it easier for him to folow my leg when I try to

kick out. From cross side, Weichi's way of attacking the far-side arm stresses

pressure and control. I also learned his take on foot lock and transition to

belly-down against the classic footlock defense.

With me, Weiqi likes to stay on top and cup his hand under my chin when I'm in

turtle facing him. I know by itself the chin-strap is not dangerous. He can have

my neck if he likes and I'd focus on his legs and takedowns (Henry's strategy).

He is going for Darce, Marce, or guilotine but as long as his legs do not catch

mine, he cannot finish the choke. Once he has one leg (the one opposite to his

choking arm) up and falls back, I'll try to clamp that leg down and get to the

same side of his body now at the bottom. If I succeed and he does not take out

his choking arm, I'd follow up with the von-flu choke. It has worked on many but

Weiqi won't fall for it. I then would simply end up cross-side on top. The least

I could do is to block his leg.

Matt came to visit from Truckee, taught a class, and gave a seminar. He was

promoted to black belt last year and I loved his teaching. We talked when I was

leaving on Saturday. He told me that he saw good progress in me and I told him I

could take a beating these days. My body has adapted to the sport well.

Whitebelt Matt was promoted to blue the same Saturday. He was tall, wiry, very

strong and good at mount. We rolled often. He was leaving the Bay Area for

Montana, we were told. I feel happy for him and sorry for losing yet another

great training partner.

I saw Amy and Jason, both brown belts, roll. She was outweighed by at least 60

lbs, but was so agile and active that she made him work hard and in the end

submitted him with an arm bar. Simply amazing!