2 down, 1 to go

Classes this week have been pretty informative. Last nights class was filled with passes and takedowns. One pass from guard, two passes from butterfly guard and a few takedowns.

Pass from guard:
1. Grab same side lapel low (allowing your elbow to sit right on the pressure point above opp knee), grab pants
2. Put one knee right against center of opps butt, with other knee pointing outwards
3. Push with lower back and elbows to pop opps guard
4. Grab both legs, gable grip
5. Pull opp towards you and scoop onto your legs to stack them
6. Grab across opp collar, thumb in
7. Sprawl and step towards one side, side control

Butterfly guard:
1. Squish legs together, with bull fighter style pin to one side with chest
2. Grab collar, while grabbing bottom ankle with other hand
3. Sprawl and pass towards opp knees while holding their ankle, side control

Second butterfly guard:
1. Control legs, pin together upright
2. Sit on opps shins like a seat with posture up
3. As you feel opp push you away, use the momentum guiding their legs underneath yours
4. Pop up and land in mount

Uchi Mata
1. Start facing opp, break opp grip on gi by swimming arm through high and using your shoulder
2. Go underneath their arm, grabbing opposite lapel
3. Hip to hip, check opps free hand
4. Place nearest foot to opp on the inside of their thigh
5. Bend over while quicking upwards
6. Place hand on mat, if needed

Uchi Mata

Obviously the Uchi Mata can be set up a number of ways, this was just one example.

Choke defense to takedown?:
1. Opp wraps on arm around your throat, begins to pull you back with one leg under yours
2. Grab opps wrist and drop your base
3. Step back wide with one foot, catching opps shin/ankle when you do
4. Pivot 180 degrees, still controlling arm
5. Using opps arm as a lever, twist the other way bring them to the ground
6. Hold wrist and arm control where you then have a few different options (arm bar, knee on belly, etc.)

Needless to say, there's a lot of cool stuff floating around in my head from the two classes last night.

I rolled afterwards with a young female (14) who is about 30 pounds lights than me. I did pretty well and her older brother (16, blue belt) followed up with me. He was pretty calm for the most part during our roll. I was able to sub him with an americana until he came back again later on and got me with a triangle. I'm glad to see people starting so young and I can't help to be jealous that I didn't!

I'm off to Pittsburgh this weekend for a few softball games so unfortunately tonights class will my week ender.

Overall, it's been a pretty good training week.

Monday - MMA/BJJ plus Open Mat
Tuesday - BJJ plus OM (both afternoon and evening sessions)
Wednesday - MMA/BJJ plus OM
Friday - BJJ plus OM

I had planned to go Sunday but between work and training, I needed a break. Work is pretty spontaneous right now and working outside in the cold is exhausting.

I'm happy with my training other than the spike of injuries I've experienced. I banged my knee up on a sprawl during MMA on Wednesday and hurt my hand during grappling. They're both feeling better after my weekend off but it's still something I have to think about.

I wish I blogged earlier about what I learned during the week but it's all pretty cloudy. Friday, we worked a lot of open guard sweeps when your opponent stands. The first sweep:

1. Starting with both feet on opp hips
2. Grab a the right ankle and drop your leg foot around your opp right foot leg wrap/hook
3. Push and pull

The second sweep we worked was when we attempted the first sweep but our opponent stepped away from our leg wrap/hook.

1. Switch your left foot to their left hip
2. Use your leg that you attempted the hook/leg wrap with to sweep out the opposite leg as you push with your left foot

The last sweep we worked was a De La Riva sweep. I had a tough time getting my leg around and moving myself behind them on this one. I think it's because my legs aren't super long.


Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Submission Grappling:
Taking The Back From The De La Riva Guard

The video explains it better than I can. Now that I watched this, I see I was just being too nice getting around to take their back. I was going to them instead of making them come to me.

After class during open mat, I rolled with an older blue belt who is pretty experienced in BJJ and a black belt in Judo. He was getting me with all kinds of weird wrist locks and he flowed really nicely. One thing I noticed, every time I got to his back when he turtled, he would grab my arm, pin it and make roll with him until I ended up with him on my side mount. I should have asked him about it but I'll look into it later on. He gave me a couple tips here and there. I found rolling with him to be really helpful, probably the most helpful roll I've had lately.

MMA/BJJ plus OM tonight. Looking forward to it.