First real post, Local Rollage

I have to admit I've been on a hot streak lately. I been doing pretty well at Axis and feeling my mojo, but as any practitioner of BJJ or grappling will tell you, you have your on days and your very much off days. Or off weeks. Yesterday was no exception.

I started rolling with Steve, who was Admiral von Leglocky. Sometimes he comes in and lays on the Sombo pretty thick, and again, yesterday was no exception. I think he sensed my frustration (he must be very sensitive, interpreting the complex signals of me screaming "shit" and "fuck") and stopped doing that crazy Russian bullshit, but to be honest I don't really have an answer for his style of rolling. It's very tight and wrestley. I felt like I held my own, but sometimes it's hard to tell if I'm actually earning the position through technique or whether he's letting me have it so he can play with something.

Notes with Steve:

- Practice "ankle denial" because he can pull ankle locks out of the ether
- Concentrate on establishing position, position, position.
- Play more standup -- yeah he's awesome at it and it hurts a lot but it's well worth it, especially if I ever want to compete in the future..
- Chill. Use technique because he's way stronger than you.

Rolled with Lee next. I need to make better use of my time with Lee and not go for my usual go-to submissions just because I'm mad that Steve nad Henry destroyed me. Things to concentrate on with Lee:

- Work knee on belly more
- Give him the dominant position and practice escapes using good technique
- Hone X-guard skills a bit
- Work more technical sweeps
- Use zero strength

Next was Henry. This was when my day fell apart, because I'd felt pretty good against him the last couple weeks. Last week Henry suggested trapping one leg with an over-under hold when starting out on our knees, and I was doing it at Axis all last week and it was working beautifully. I guess I should have realized that since it's Henry's favorite move, he'd probably know what to do against it, and he repeatedly dumped me and passed to my side. He was playing a tight top game (as usual) and denying any open guard, so I was pretty miserable. Things to concentrate on with Henry:

- Be aware of what I'm doing in half guard -- don't give him a straight arm
- No funny business -- stick to basic escapes and try to establish position, because he knows everything I know
- Force the open guard / x-guard -- This is the only time I can really give myself time and a little breathing room
- Always be moving somewhere, because his transitions are usually immediate, smooth, and they hurt

In General:
- Chill the fuck out and have a good time