Day 20: This ain't Taylor. Taylor been shot.

I guess there was a case of the Mondays going around at school today. Sparse attendance, and no specific drill to work. Talk of the tournament was the order of the day. The rest of us were left with an open mat.

I rolled with Mark first. He pulled guard and I worked to pass. To his credit he baited me by opening his guard and nearly catching me in a triangle as I tried to slide my knee across his leg. I was able to work my other hand in an avoid the choke. Eventually I passed his guard got side control, and I remembered to drive my shoulder hard into his face to keep him uncomfortable and pinned. After some hard work I finished with the Americana.

We went again, and he wanted to work his top game, which was fine by me. I was looking forward to applying what I had learned from Larry, and I immediately controlled his sleeves and opened up my guard (scary!). I worked my leg up onto his bicep and got the sweep. Yes! Mark gave his approval. We re-set and worked a few more from my guard.

Jack brutalized me a bit, and as usual that's not worth writing much about. I'm getting better but am still helpless against him.

At the end of the session, I went once with Omar. From the start I got him with an armdrag and took his back. I tried to work a few chokes and also tried to get my hooks in, but couldn't. We ended up with me in front headlock with him turtled. As I worked for the Brabo choke, he sprawled and turned and got me in a Kimura. Dang. Slick, I had to hand it to him.

I'm making progress. Hitting the sweep against Mark and the armdrag against Omar were both confidence builders.