back on the mat

Looks like I only had a bit of a cold, not a proper flu. I took it easy and by Wednesday I considered training again as I was feeling pretty good. I wasn't coughing or sneezing so I wasn't worried about spreading germs around the dojo.

All the same, I was hoping for a laid back sort of a warmup. Aside from still feeling a little unfit, it was very humid and quite warm. My prayers weren't answered. For the lunchtime class we did a 15 minute warmup including Tabbata intervals. I did last fine, and in fact, did better and moaned and groaned a lot less than some of the guys ;-) In class, we worked through all the basic movement drills and then had a play with two standing guard sweeps. Not a very hard class physically, but we all did sweat buckets because of the weather. I was working with one of the very new guys who couldn't get over how hot it was. I couldn't resist being mean by saying: wait until it gets really hot, then we'll be dripping on one another (like when you're on the bottom and you can see a drop of sweat forming on your partner's nose just above your face...). He wasn't grossed out. Ha, he will be!

Coming back to my condition...  I guess that my base fitness level is such that even if I'm not 100% ok, I'm still good to rock and roll through the average BJJ session. For some reason I'm still in that beginner mindset where before every session I feared whether I would last through. And I always did. It's funny that, because when I'm OK, I easily last for 2 and 3 hour sessions. I know this from experience. The comp training I did in Melbourne earlier this year, and the back to back BJJ classes down in Geelong as well as long open mats back home are proof. Yet, I still doubt myself at times. Yesterday, that was really obvious again. When the lunchtime class was over, I wasn't even tired. So I don't know why I worry.

I had not planned on going to the evening session, meaning to take it easy, and make sure I'm recovered well after the cold. But I pulled up after the lunchtime session so well that I just couldn't resist. And yeah, that went well, too. Basic movement drills, then learned and drilled a new guard pass and finally some rolling, too.

I'm just so glad to be back :-)

Now I'm debating if I'll go to open mat tonight or head on down to Geelong. I heard that Richard Norton is doing the Thursday night classes. That'd be fun, I did a seminar with him about three years ago, and quite enjoyed that. Question is: am I fit enough to last the session?? Haha.