Class 4...

Today I met a new blue belt and a new white belt. Another white belt I'd met before was also in class and he'd competed at the European Championships at the weekend and picked up a bronze medal. It was quite an achievement and one of the things I like about this BJJ school is the teacher encourages students to enter competitions.

First up we briefly drilled a Spider Guard sweep. As an aide memoir:
Start on back with opponent in your closed guard; secure arm control with fingers wrapped under gi material on sleeve; open guard, move onto one hip and shrimp to get foot on opponent's hip with knee inside opponent's arm; repeat on other side so both feet are on opponent's hips then move feet up to opponent's biceps to establish spider guard control; kick left leg out and bring in over opponent's right arm so his right arm is trapped and your foot is in his hip; extend spider guard on his other arm by extending right leg and pulling sleeve control; switch feet as left leg goes under opponent's left shoulder and hooks under arm pit; right leg posts out to side; sweep opponent to your left as your right leg kicks him over and your left leg drives up to provide momentum; follow him over and end up in side control.

Today we also sparred and I started using my basic guard escape and had some minor successes with it. This was encouraging as it's something I've done some work on and will continue to drill. I also employed my 'caging the hips' technique and continued to have success in defending my position when trapped in closed guard. Posturing up also helped me defend myself too. For the moment I'm not worried about fighting with opponents in my closed guard as I feel I need to get the basics of fighting out of closed guard first. Slowly, slowly...

I did, however, spend some time today with the opponent in my guard and I must remember to pinch my knees in and keep everything tight to make it difficult for him to sink his elbows in and break my guard. I felt OK operating from my back, though.

Today I also got my first few taps. A few of them came from opponents being generous when I worked my way into decent positions, but one of them came from me sinking in a guillotine choke then rolling onto my back and sinking in an arm triangle.

It was a nice moment but I'm aware it was only a moment. There are still too many basic techniques to learn. But the basics I do know are certainly helping out.

LESSON FROM TODAY: To help pin the opponent's hips when in their guard you can use your hands to pin his hips by holding onto his belt and applying pressure down; posturing up when in your opponent's guard helps you apply pressure into the opponent's stomach.