That's a tough question. 

I feel like there are so many thoughts that come to mind. I feel there is a lot that comes to mind. Find someone who has been doing it for a little bit and use them as a mentor so to speak. I was fortunate to have found some great training partners early on and this helped move things along a bit quicker. 

And embrace wrist locks sooner 🤣😈

This will be advanced gi's last week on lasso guard before we review and move on to a new topic.

Last week's snow kept a lot of people away so lets revisit passing the lasso with a focus on breaking the grip!

I can't say I have ever done this, but I am fortunate to say I haven't had an injury that took me out for an extended period. I will say I can definitely agree that strategic a "step back" day is a good thing. Sometimes we get so involved in our training this helps us come back fresh both physically and mentally. I view it as a marathon and not a sprint. If you need to step back because other priorities have arise that is fine, as long as there is a plan to return.

We spent all of January and now part of February looking at the lasso guard. This week we shift our focus on how to defend against it. Sometimes the best way to make a position stronger is knowing how to defeat it! 

This year my biggest focus is targeted watching of instructional material. Not just scrolling or searching for random videos. I have a topic in mind and block out 15 minutes at a time to really break it down. Finding 15 minutes a few times per week has become a very tangible goal. During this time I may only watch 2 techniques but I will rewind them, slow them down if needed, and take notes. I've found this technique has been very beneficial especially when teaching. I'm also fortunate to have a wife who is a dietitian to help with the nutrition portion. 

This week advanced gi is going to continue looking at some different lasso attacks. The main focus will be connecting a few different armbar options together. 

At the end of the class we will have a really nice sequence with multiple options.

Smothering? I never would have guessed 🤣

Awesome goal for sure!

Thank you Gary Pond!

It was such a fun 2 or 3 months until people learned how to defend it 🤣