How I performed last night depends on your point of view. From the standpoint of how many "wins" (via submissions, hits, etc.) it was an abyssmal night. From the standpoint of trying some new moves, failing, and learning, then it was a great night.
We did some warmups and pad work led by DATU_B2. People seemed to like my boxing work. I guess I've developed a bit more power as of late. Still, it's easy to hit stationary targets.
The last drill was a lumberjack kicking drill. My partner and I needed a third person. I felt sorry for SPEAKMAN. I swear he was like that kid that no one wants to pick for their team and ends up standing and looking around, so I invited him in. But I didn't feel so bad that when it was his turn to hold the pad, my partner and I blasted him back about 10 feet with each successive kick.
Afterward, there were two stations set up, one for free-rolling and one for ultimate sparring. I myself sparred with the same two people, SPEAKMAN (big surprise) and, let's call him STRETCH ARMSTRONG. You have to understand, STRETCH not only goes all out, but he gets every limb going when he grapples. People are afraid to grapple him for fear of getting a toe in the eye.
Yes, grappling him sucks. The only way to get him (it is possible to submit him) is patience. That, and checking him whenever you can. By that, I mean he'll do anything to snake any of his 4 limbs around you and whenever you can stop him from doing that, you're doing ok.
Unfortunately, in a moment of weakness I shared this with STRETCH. Apparently, to him it was "disconcerting" (his word) that I kept doing that, especially with the way I would look away from him and toward, say, the opposite wall. Actually, I noticed myself doing that for the next few weeks, and it wasn't until last week that I realized that was probably the true secret to any amount of grappling success I have -- sensitivity.
Anyway, between him and SPEAKMAN I tapped every time, although I was only submitted twice with an armbar by SPEAKMAN and a choke by STRETCH. The other times, I messed myself up with a move gone awry and ended up in positions that I just couldn't escape. I went in that night with 5 separate techniques I was determined to use. I only pulled one off successfully -- a scissor sweep on SPEAKMAN, and upon reflection I did the move incorrectly.
Incidentally, BILLY JACK did say a couple of silly things, but I'm going to wait until Thursday. He's bound to say something more worthy by then. He tried some ultimate sparring and succeeded only in pissing off his partner who was kicking his @$$ something fierce. Who says Taekwondo techniques are no good? Anyway, how do you piss someone off who's kicking your @$$? Why just resort to face-mask wrestling and pant-leg pulling. Now, I'm sure BILLY JACK didn't go in planning to resort to those techniques. But as I've said before, he can be a dirty fighter. My theory is that it's almost like an instinct with him. I truly don't sense that he goes into sparring matches intent on being an @$$hole. He just often ends up that way.
We did some warmups and pad work led by DATU_B2. People seemed to like my boxing work. I guess I've developed a bit more power as of late. Still, it's easy to hit stationary targets.
The last drill was a lumberjack kicking drill. My partner and I needed a third person. I felt sorry for SPEAKMAN. I swear he was like that kid that no one wants to pick for their team and ends up standing and looking around, so I invited him in. But I didn't feel so bad that when it was his turn to hold the pad, my partner and I blasted him back about 10 feet with each successive kick.
Afterward, there were two stations set up, one for free-rolling and one for ultimate sparring. I myself sparred with the same two people, SPEAKMAN (big surprise) and, let's call him STRETCH ARMSTRONG. You have to understand, STRETCH not only goes all out, but he gets every limb going when he grapples. People are afraid to grapple him for fear of getting a toe in the eye.
Yes, grappling him sucks. The only way to get him (it is possible to submit him) is patience. That, and checking him whenever you can. By that, I mean he'll do anything to snake any of his 4 limbs around you and whenever you can stop him from doing that, you're doing ok.
Unfortunately, in a moment of weakness I shared this with STRETCH. Apparently, to him it was "disconcerting" (his word) that I kept doing that, especially with the way I would look away from him and toward, say, the opposite wall. Actually, I noticed myself doing that for the next few weeks, and it wasn't until last week that I realized that was probably the true secret to any amount of grappling success I have -- sensitivity.
Anyway, between him and SPEAKMAN I tapped every time, although I was only submitted twice with an armbar by SPEAKMAN and a choke by STRETCH. The other times, I messed myself up with a move gone awry and ended up in positions that I just couldn't escape. I went in that night with 5 separate techniques I was determined to use. I only pulled one off successfully -- a scissor sweep on SPEAKMAN, and upon reflection I did the move incorrectly.
Incidentally, BILLY JACK did say a couple of silly things, but I'm going to wait until Thursday. He's bound to say something more worthy by then. He tried some ultimate sparring and succeeded only in pissing off his partner who was kicking his @$$ something fierce. Who says Taekwondo techniques are no good? Anyway, how do you piss someone off who's kicking your @$$? Why just resort to face-mask wrestling and pant-leg pulling. Now, I'm sure BILLY JACK didn't go in planning to resort to those techniques. But as I've said before, he can be a dirty fighter. My theory is that it's almost like an instinct with him. I truly don't sense that he goes into sparring matches intent on being an @$$hole. He just often ends up that way.
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