Classes 99 & 100...

First up was a dinner-time session.

This was all about maintaining dominant position and defending/escaping poor position, so the drills involved one person having an opponent in either his full guard, his half-guard, his side control or his rear mount and the other man defending and trying to escape or improve position.

This was quite tiring work. Then it got even more tiring when we started shark tanking it by splitting into groups of three, with one man in the middle and the other two alternating as his opponents with no rest in between. I did OK at this, although I was better escaping and improving than I was defending.

Next up was an open mat session. This was all sparring and I picked up some good pointers from senior belts. For example, I've recently got into the habit of using my legs to prise arms off, but this is compromising my balance and making me easier to sweep if I don't move them away once they've done their job. It also leaves me open to leg locks, which I need to be more aware of.

I did, however, get to briefly drill some leg locks and I also got to try out a new half guard sweep I've been trying to learn. And I also completed my 100th class, meaning I've now got something like 150 hours of mat time in. I may still not be very good but at least it now all feels much more familiar.

Key tips: Protect your legs from locks; don't compromise your balance.

Classes 97 & 98...

A special week of classes with Checkmat head coach Leonardo Vieira and, luckily for me, I made one of them!

In this class, we did some work on takedowns and worked a single leg takedown that involved confirming a collar grip on one side and stuffing the opponent's hand into his stomach on the other side, then shooting for the leg. The man under attack had to sprawl to defend the takedown.

He also demonstrated a move where you attack by pretending to go for the collar grips, but then switch to the secure higher collar grips that allow you to move the gi over the opponent's head and drag him down.

Next up was an open mat session and I got to roll with two very good blue belts.

The first showed me a good way to escape spider guard, which was essentially to go into a standing posture and thrust forward with your hips and drive into the seated opponent to break the grips.

The other blue belt showed a very effective choke from the guard. This involved securing a deep diagonal collar grip then swimming the other arm over the back of the opponent and grabbing onto his belt so there's an X shape with your arms. Then it was a matter of tightening the grips and extending the legs and puling the arms together.

Key tips: On takedowns, use fakes and look to attack one area while in reality going for another; ensure the front leg is defended by the front arm when standing; drill the collar choke from guard as it's highly effective.