I had to blog about yesterday's class because I'm feeling very high right now about it.
There were five of us, one green belt and the rest white. Naturally, I worked between both groups but not before I had to have Joe as my warm up partner so by the time we were learning things, I was very warm.
We went over the double arm bar which was to be executed while in high guard (which I loved) and then tweaked it so we could easily transition from the double to a single if the opponent stood up.
The best part of the class was when Joe put the green belt out on the mat and me! This means two things. He knows that out of the other 3 white belts, I have the most skill. Second, he realizes how hard I have been working which was confirmed later on.
So basically, the green belt and I were on the mat the entire time while everyone else cycled through us. I did extremely and surprisingly well. We began with them in our guard and their job was to survive (and basically do anything) while ours was to submit. I worked the double arm bar on the bigger guy and tapped him out. Another skinnier guy came and I submitted him with a kimura. A few other times, I was able to get both of the opponents arms on the other side so their back was available but I was having trouble getting it. After the drill, class ended and Joe pulled me off to the side to show me how to take their back in that instance.
He dragged my arm all the way over which I was doing but he secured the wrist AND the elbow which made it a lot easier for him to drive me to the ground so that he could easily take my back. He congratulated me on doing well in the drill and added that he was very impressed that I wasn't tired at all. He also noted that I came to the gym often.
It's amazing how just a small talk can boost your confidence to 200% and make you feel awesome!
August 3, 2009
July 29, 2009
Starting with the most recent
Last night, we worked the handstand sweep. It took me a couple tries at first but I started to really get it down.
1. When opp stands up while in your guard, post with right hand (like a handstand DOH!) and wrap around their ankle with left hand
2. Push opp with your legs to the left while pulling their ankle towards you
3. Come up with them as they go down, taking the mount
A little extra pop with the 'handstand' hand is helpful. After drilling, we worked a counter.
1. Drive right knee into opp, while grabbing their belt
2. Reach under their leg and grab their right side lapel
3. Drive all your weight down and gain side control
I was able to work this sweep once while rolling with Brian. I've been working my half guard really well and I can tell that I have been frustrating bigger guys. I'm putting up a hell of a fight to pass my guard now! :)
Monday night was very constructive during open mat. We relearned the triangle choke during class beforehand. It's nice to work the basics again. I find that every time we go over "obvious" moves that I see different aspects which I once missed.
I rolled with a few blue belts. The first one significantly out weighed me (at least 60 pounds) but he let me work a little bit. I was usually on the bottom but I worked my half guard game a lot. He also showed me a sweep from half guard that I hope to use sometime. The next blue belt I worked with still out weighed me but decided to flow with me even more than the last one. We flowed from position to position and he let me work the arm triangle from the mount. I remembered everything (even hopping off to the side) except I didn't put my head to the ground. He reminded me of that. All in all, pretty good rolls.
During MMA, we did a lot of ground work. We went over a position called the Pyramid. I believe it's an Eddie Bravo thing. All you have to do is control an arm (wrapping around the outside) and open the guard. Throw one leg over so that it is around the back of the opp head. Bring your other knee up so that your legs are touching. You can get a triangle from here, gogoplata,or an omaplata. We played with it for a little while and it was pretty enlightening. I wanted to try some rubber guard things due to my flexibility but held back because I was never formally taught anything. I hope to work it in a little more now.
It's a little different on the video but same concepts.
We also did a cool little variation of the triangle choke called the tipee. Bascially, you have both legs straight up and crossed. You sit up and grab behind the legs while squeezing your knees together. It's a VERY affective blood choke.
1. When opp stands up while in your guard, post with right hand (like a handstand DOH!) and wrap around their ankle with left hand
2. Push opp with your legs to the left while pulling their ankle towards you
3. Come up with them as they go down, taking the mount
A little extra pop with the 'handstand' hand is helpful. After drilling, we worked a counter.
1. Drive right knee into opp, while grabbing their belt
2. Reach under their leg and grab their right side lapel
3. Drive all your weight down and gain side control
I was able to work this sweep once while rolling with Brian. I've been working my half guard really well and I can tell that I have been frustrating bigger guys. I'm putting up a hell of a fight to pass my guard now! :)
Monday night was very constructive during open mat. We relearned the triangle choke during class beforehand. It's nice to work the basics again. I find that every time we go over "obvious" moves that I see different aspects which I once missed.
I rolled with a few blue belts. The first one significantly out weighed me (at least 60 pounds) but he let me work a little bit. I was usually on the bottom but I worked my half guard game a lot. He also showed me a sweep from half guard that I hope to use sometime. The next blue belt I worked with still out weighed me but decided to flow with me even more than the last one. We flowed from position to position and he let me work the arm triangle from the mount. I remembered everything (even hopping off to the side) except I didn't put my head to the ground. He reminded me of that. All in all, pretty good rolls.
During MMA, we did a lot of ground work. We went over a position called the Pyramid. I believe it's an Eddie Bravo thing. All you have to do is control an arm (wrapping around the outside) and open the guard. Throw one leg over so that it is around the back of the opp head. Bring your other knee up so that your legs are touching. You can get a triangle from here, gogoplata,or an omaplata. We played with it for a little while and it was pretty enlightening. I wanted to try some rubber guard things due to my flexibility but held back because I was never formally taught anything. I hope to work it in a little more now.
It's a little different on the video but same concepts.
We also did a cool little variation of the triangle choke called the tipee. Bascially, you have both legs straight up and crossed. You sit up and grab behind the legs while squeezing your knees together. It's a VERY affective blood choke.
July 24, 2009
Got my new gear!
Well, I had been saying how I was waiting for my new blue Gameness Pearl gi and my Combat Sports sparring gloves. I've received them both. I knew from my Gameness single weave that my new one would fit very well and it does. It has held up 2 days of training so far. Once thing I did notice, the knot on the end of the drawstring on the pants came undone which struck me as odd. I haven't had an issue with my other Gameness pants. The gloves are super comfortable but I haven't had a chance to spar with them yet.
On to Jiu Jitsu!
Wednesday and today were both spent passing half guard using a few different methods.
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face
2. Use free leg/foot to help get your knee past their grown
3. Switch your hips and drive your knee towards the mat
4. Enjoy side control
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face
2. Secure the opponents arm (same side that has you in half guard)
3. Switch your hips and drive your knee towards the mat
4. Enjoy scarf position
Next (the case that the first pass was too difficult)...
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face, secure the back of the gi
2. Rotate your hips out, away from your opp
3. Free your leg either by pushing with foot or pulling opp leg away
4. Hit side control
Now, from there, you can grab your foot (as long as you control the back of their gi) and put it over them to secure a tight mount. After we drilled these a few times, we did a live drill. Bottom was responsible for sweeping us and we were responsible for passing their half guard. I need to work on my weight placement when I'm doing the tripod. It took me a couple tries to get it but when I went against a yellow (who had to be 200 pounds AT LEAST) and I used my shoulder drive, I was actually able to pass his guard. I was quite proud of myself.
Thursday class was spent drilling every sweep we know and then grappling. I drilled my scissor sweep, the flower sweep, and the sit up/roll sweep from half guard. I have been able to pull off the scissor sweep during live grappling quite a bit. The flower sweep not so much. I had the sensei should be the sweep again so hopefully I can perfect that a little more. I was unsure about the half guard sweep so I will be waiting for them to teach us more sweeps from that position.
I have found that even when training with people who are significantly larger than I, that I am doing very good at escaping bad positions and regaining some type of guard. I've always caught people trying to mount or switch sides with my legs aswell. I LOVEEE that I can see a specific improvement in my game. I am also very proud of my cardio and the amount of stamina that I have gained. It is a great ability to be able to use against people who are gased.
MMA
We worked a way to escape the clinch and did our normal stand up and ground sparring. I need to focus on my punching technique more. I find myself waiting for them to strike and just blocking so I need to work in some counter punches too.
Hopefully, Brittany starts MMA this week. I will feel a little more comfortable beating on the noobie!
On to Jiu Jitsu!
Wednesday and today were both spent passing half guard using a few different methods.
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face
2. Use free leg/foot to help get your knee past their grown
3. Switch your hips and drive your knee towards the mat
4. Enjoy side control
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face
2. Secure the opponents arm (same side that has you in half guard)
3. Switch your hips and drive your knee towards the mat
4. Enjoy scarf position
Next (the case that the first pass was too difficult)...
1. Gable grip, tripod up while drive your shoulder into opp face, secure the back of the gi
2. Rotate your hips out, away from your opp
3. Free your leg either by pushing with foot or pulling opp leg away
4. Hit side control
Now, from there, you can grab your foot (as long as you control the back of their gi) and put it over them to secure a tight mount. After we drilled these a few times, we did a live drill. Bottom was responsible for sweeping us and we were responsible for passing their half guard. I need to work on my weight placement when I'm doing the tripod. It took me a couple tries to get it but when I went against a yellow (who had to be 200 pounds AT LEAST) and I used my shoulder drive, I was actually able to pass his guard. I was quite proud of myself.
Thursday class was spent drilling every sweep we know and then grappling. I drilled my scissor sweep, the flower sweep, and the sit up/roll sweep from half guard. I have been able to pull off the scissor sweep during live grappling quite a bit. The flower sweep not so much. I had the sensei should be the sweep again so hopefully I can perfect that a little more. I was unsure about the half guard sweep so I will be waiting for them to teach us more sweeps from that position.
I have found that even when training with people who are significantly larger than I, that I am doing very good at escaping bad positions and regaining some type of guard. I've always caught people trying to mount or switch sides with my legs aswell. I LOVEEE that I can see a specific improvement in my game. I am also very proud of my cardio and the amount of stamina that I have gained. It is a great ability to be able to use against people who are gased.
MMA
We worked a way to escape the clinch and did our normal stand up and ground sparring. I need to focus on my punching technique more. I find myself waiting for them to strike and just blocking so I need to work in some counter punches too.
Hopefully, Brittany starts MMA this week. I will feel a little more comfortable beating on the noobie!
July 21, 2009
Aggression is my new best friend.
We worked a few different moves last night and finally strung them together. Starting from standing...
1. Take double underhooks and widen your base, sit and bring the opp into your guard
2. When opp goes for choke and stands to apply pressure, redirect arm across their body and gable grip behind their head
3. Open guard, sweep the knee and get a hook
4. Grab opp lat and gain back mount
That was really about it and now that I typed it out, it doesn't seem like we did much.
I was really happy with my rolling last night. I was able to work what we learned in class a couple times and I also worked the triangle choke from the mount that we learned Sunday. I rolled with sensei and he told me in order to get my next belt, I need to be more aggressive so I will definitely work on that! I'm looking for that next belt.
1. Take double underhooks and widen your base, sit and bring the opp into your guard
2. When opp goes for choke and stands to apply pressure, redirect arm across their body and gable grip behind their head
3. Open guard, sweep the knee and get a hook
4. Grab opp lat and gain back mount
That was really about it and now that I typed it out, it doesn't seem like we did much.
I was really happy with my rolling last night. I was able to work what we learned in class a couple times and I also worked the triangle choke from the mount that we learned Sunday. I rolled with sensei and he told me in order to get my next belt, I need to be more aggressive so I will definitely work on that! I'm looking for that next belt.
July 20, 2009
Friday
We worked a few different gi chokes .
1. Grab the v of the gi
2. Bring it around the opp arm and switch grips
3. Grab the top of the gi on the other side for the choke
I can't remember what else we did! That's what I get for blogging so late.
Saturday
We did a lot of fancy things on Saturday again too. Thanks Scott. The first was getting the opp out of the turtle position. It's the same way to take the back as rolling them to their side but instead flipping over them and carrying them with you. The next thing was a shoulder lock from when the opp takes a failed shot on your leg. Scoot to the side with their arm in between your legs, chances are, opp will straighten it. Keep it, roll (opp should roll with you or it will hurt their arm), hold them down, and take the omaplata. We also did some weird calf lock. I don't really remember it so I will have to research it. I rolled afterwards and I tweaked my neck really bad.
Sunday
We worked a lot of drills from the mount during this class. All the escapes we know and all the submissions followed by some live drilling. We also learned the triangle choke from the mount and the "gangsta" lean. I had Brittany adjust my neck so that helped me a little bit.
Hopefully, I get the blue Gameness Pearl I ordered today. I need a clean gi for class tonight! I also ordered some new Combat sparring gloves (sale for $24.99!!!) so I will not longer be hurting my partners with padless gloves.
We worked a few different gi chokes .
1. Grab the v of the gi
2. Bring it around the opp arm and switch grips
3. Grab the top of the gi on the other side for the choke
I can't remember what else we did! That's what I get for blogging so late.
Saturday
We did a lot of fancy things on Saturday again too. Thanks Scott. The first was getting the opp out of the turtle position. It's the same way to take the back as rolling them to their side but instead flipping over them and carrying them with you. The next thing was a shoulder lock from when the opp takes a failed shot on your leg. Scoot to the side with their arm in between your legs, chances are, opp will straighten it. Keep it, roll (opp should roll with you or it will hurt their arm), hold them down, and take the omaplata. We also did some weird calf lock. I don't really remember it so I will have to research it. I rolled afterwards and I tweaked my neck really bad.
Sunday
We worked a lot of drills from the mount during this class. All the escapes we know and all the submissions followed by some live drilling. We also learned the triangle choke from the mount and the "gangsta" lean. I had Brittany adjust my neck so that helped me a little bit.
Hopefully, I get the blue Gameness Pearl I ordered today. I need a clean gi for class tonight! I also ordered some new Combat sparring gloves (sale for $24.99!!!) so I will not longer be hurting my partners with padless gloves.
July 16, 2009
More fancy armbars and some take downs
For Thursday evening, we worked a couple take downs for the beginning of class. We did a standard single leg and then we worked one from behind.
1. Grab opp waist
2. Drop down on one knee, sliding grips down to opp thighs
3. Slide your arm and head underneath their legs as you drive your knee towards their ankle
4. Grab and pull down the same leg that you are sweeping
5. Come up with their leg into side control, etc.
The next thing we did was another fancy arm bar. I wish I knew the name of it so I could post a video but I will try my best to describe it. Starting with your opp in turtle positon and your hooks in...
1. Drop one knee and leave the opposite hook in
2. Wrap around your opp arm from their shoulder in and wrap your other arm around the inside of their leg
3. Tuck your head and roll underneath your opponent, extending your free leg to aid in the flip
4. Bring your leg around their head as opp is flipped over so you can take the usual arm bar
I rolled afterwards with Brittany. She has me constantly defending, even if I'm on top. It makes it extremely difficult to try to work out of her guard. She always gets good grips on me so I need to work on evading those and bettering mine. She always pulls guard a lot in the beginning, which is what I'm used to. I tried to dominating and attempting to gain side mount but I was unsuccessful. She's fast and strong. I'm not even sure what I need to work on more in order to gain the upper hand on her. I need to lift more! I'm going to focus on gaining more control from now on. I find myself defending a lot because most of the people I roll with are bigger/stronger than me. I'll update after noon class today.
1. Grab opp waist
2. Drop down on one knee, sliding grips down to opp thighs
3. Slide your arm and head underneath their legs as you drive your knee towards their ankle
4. Grab and pull down the same leg that you are sweeping
5. Come up with their leg into side control, etc.
The next thing we did was another fancy arm bar. I wish I knew the name of it so I could post a video but I will try my best to describe it. Starting with your opp in turtle positon and your hooks in...
1. Drop one knee and leave the opposite hook in
2. Wrap around your opp arm from their shoulder in and wrap your other arm around the inside of their leg
3. Tuck your head and roll underneath your opponent, extending your free leg to aid in the flip
4. Bring your leg around their head as opp is flipped over so you can take the usual arm bar
I rolled afterwards with Brittany. She has me constantly defending, even if I'm on top. It makes it extremely difficult to try to work out of her guard. She always gets good grips on me so I need to work on evading those and bettering mine. She always pulls guard a lot in the beginning, which is what I'm used to. I tried to dominating and attempting to gain side mount but I was unsuccessful. She's fast and strong. I'm not even sure what I need to work on more in order to gain the upper hand on her. I need to lift more! I'm going to focus on gaining more control from now on. I find myself defending a lot because most of the people I roll with are bigger/stronger than me. I'll update after noon class today.
July 14, 2009
I wanted to update on my progress with the two things I decided to work on a couple weeks ago.
1. Passing Closed Guard
I started to work with Brittany on passing her closed guard since she has really strong legs and she helped me with the elbow drive method. I was trying to drive my elbows out more than down to hit that 'spot'. I've been remembering that and I've also been using the knee in the butt method more. For some odd reason, it didn't strike me that actually breaking the guard was important. I was trying to work the techniques without even separating the legs and strictly using my elbows (not even backing up). I can't understand why I missed that as it seems really obvious but I've got it down now.
2. Controlling in Mount
I haven't had much time to consciously work on riding out the mount in live situations. However, I went to a class that Dennis was instructing and we did a drill where we executed all of the submissions we new from mount. He also gave a tip about being able to stay in control when the person is bucking a lot. He said the head acts as a counter weight. When the person bucks, the head should go up and back. Very similar to bull riding.
I will continue to work both of these.
1. Passing Closed Guard
I started to work with Brittany on passing her closed guard since she has really strong legs and she helped me with the elbow drive method. I was trying to drive my elbows out more than down to hit that 'spot'. I've been remembering that and I've also been using the knee in the butt method more. For some odd reason, it didn't strike me that actually breaking the guard was important. I was trying to work the techniques without even separating the legs and strictly using my elbows (not even backing up). I can't understand why I missed that as it seems really obvious but I've got it down now.
2. Controlling in Mount
I haven't had much time to consciously work on riding out the mount in live situations. However, I went to a class that Dennis was instructing and we did a drill where we executed all of the submissions we new from mount. He also gave a tip about being able to stay in control when the person is bucking a lot. He said the head acts as a counter weight. When the person bucks, the head should go up and back. Very similar to bull riding.
I will continue to work both of these.
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