Drilling Pays Off

I went a little training crazy this week.  I actually had time and energy to make it to the 7 am class AND 6:30 pm classes on Wednesday and Friday.  On the days I didn't train, I ran.

Wednesday morning it was just me, another student, and the instructor.  We were both white belts, and the other guy was pretty new, so we worked side control for him.  For me, we worked the arm-across sweep from closed guard.  I have a really good closed guard, but I only have the hip bump from closed guard.  I have NO open guard yet.  None.

For those of you who don't know, the arm-across from closed guard is when you get your opponent down close to you, with his arm across your chest and isolated.  From there, you post up, swing down and grab the pants, open your guard, and kick your legs up into the armpit to get them to go over.  I'm sure I'm not describing it properly.  It's a really effective sweep, if you do it right.  I never do it right.  We drilled it over and over and over.  So much that I thought I was going to vomit, but by the end of class I felt like I understood it.

Apparently I did understand it, because during sparring on Friday I got my opponent in my closed guard and got his arm across.  I was looking at it, nervous to try, when Tim yelled "Veronica, grab the pants and go!!"  And I did.  AND IT WORKED!!!

I couldn't believe it.  Something happened this week, and I finally feel like I get it.  I realized that I'm not playing defense, I'm defending to stay alive and get to play offense.  I know offense!! What!?!?