Classes 313-314...

Another two no-gi sessions and four hours well spent getting to grips with new and sort-of-new stuff.

In the opening class, we spent time learning the dark arts of leg locks and heel hooks. We worked on several techniques and entries and these included:

Heel hook entries from single x: from takedown, grip foot under armpit, same side leg hooks under top knee of opponent, pinch knees together so bottom knee is under opponent's knee and apply pressure, roll onto heel hook side, swim arm out and clamp on heel, gable gårip and attach hands to chest, stretch out and turn into opponent.

To defend, hold onto top knee to close distance, put boot on, pass over opponent's bottom leg and attack for top position.

Other entries: guard opening, knee slide, move back catch other leg with hands and drop back to heel hook attack positions, same side leg underhooks leg of opponent.

Straight foot lock from single x.

In the second class, we did some work on takedowns and a defence-attack chain. These went something like this:

Single leg takedown: step back leg into position so you are 90 degrees from opponent when you underhook the leg, pull leg tight to chest using gable grip and close elbows to shut down space, head tight in to avoid guillotine. 

Single leg defence: move trapped leg to outside of opponent's leg, push off with your hands on head of opponent, then release leg. 

Counter to leg defence: before trapped leg disappears, attack back and gable grip hands around opponent, head on opposite side, close down all space, ensure low leg is inbetween opponent's leg and you have a solid base. 

Defence against counter: create frame with hands and push down against gable grip to break lock and escape. 

Sweep from back attack to counter: keep hold of gable grip, then base outside leg outside and place inside leg close to opponent's leg, push him forward so he pushes back, then use that momentum to trip him and take him to side control.

From there, step over and pass his leg under you arm, then go to knee slice and secure head and arm control, then pass to mount and set up armbar. 

Sparring felt better in both sessions. I am still a long way off the pace and I am getting ruined by the better people there. But I am slowly getting better at defending and understanding positions and holding guard when I can find it. It will all take a while, though. I'm better with a gi because I've done more in a gi, but I will eventually learn to control an opponent without gi handles. 

Things to remember: attach hands to body, create a unit, then attack.