Class 340...

A class on defending the neck from being rear mounted. This began with a quick summary of the three choke attacks that the man attacking the back has from seat belt position. These are: 

Chokes from Back Control Seatbelt: opponent strips top hand and choking hand moves through to clasp shoulder of opponent and choke for the tap; the opponent uses his hand that is trapped by your other hand to pull the arm away to ease the choke, which frees up your other hand to gable grip your choking hand and clamp the choke tighter; you then have the option to slide your free hand in and lock up a rear naked choke. 

We also did a bit of positional work on attacking for the choke. The key take-home points from this were: 

i) Move into body triangle from hooks if possible and keep body triangle on side that is not titled towards floor. 
ii) When attacking for choke, best position to kill opponent's defensive option is to move him onto his side and create a line that goes floor, choking arm (ie. not under armpit arm on seatbelt), head off opponent, your head.

We then worked on some defences for the man being attacked. The two main ones went something like this: 

Arm removal defence from RNC: create a frame where one arm pulls the choking arm down and the other arm pushes the choking arm away; push the whole frame froward and place it at the other side of your head so the choke is longer a threat; then kick the free-side hook out and bum scoot over the leg of the opponent; then switch hips to turn in and move in either side mount or half guard. 

Slink down defence from RNC: When opponent switches choking arms, create a defensive frame with your hands, push off his hands and slink down; remove the hook on one side and then put one elbow to the floor on the opposite side; and switch hips and come up into double unders pass. 

Sparring was OK. I am still carrying a rib injury so I was in defensive mode for sparring rounds. My defence feels sort of OK, but I am aware I am competing against folk who are much younger and folk who also fight MMA, which emphasises the speed and skill gap. 

But I am now training more consistently at grappling than I have ever done and I feel like I am getting some things right again. My hooks are definitely more active from my favoured starting position of butterfly guard. I now need to work on arm drags and sweeps from that position.  

A good class and my stamina feels OK. 

Things to remember: three-part choke attack and the primacy of the back in no-gi; arm removal defence for when rear mounted. 

Classes 338-339...

A no-gi class followed by a wrestling class. 

Here's what we did in the no-gi class: 

We worked on an attacking move for the man on the bottom in guard attacking the man in the guard. This went something like this: 

Fast armbar from guard: Man in guard puts a knee up, you undertook his knee on that side then swing the outside leg over to attack for the armbar. 

We then did a series of attacking and defending from the spider's web with one man attacking for the armbar in side control and the man on the bottom defending it. This went something like this: 

Sweep from side control bottom: defending man on bottom in side spider webs his hand to prevent the armbar. This involves hiding the hand that is being attacked in the crook of the opposite arm and placing the opposite hand under the back of the opponent's knee on the outside leg. Then scissor kick legs to create momentum and switch the hips, and use hand behind knee to push opponent up to stack him. Own knee immediately goes in behind opponent's back, then securely remove own arm and pass into side control. 

Positional escape for on bottom in side control: Use spider's web position to push top leg above head away and pull up into guard.

Attacking man breaks spiders web: options to either x-cross feet together and stretch opponent's hands out until the grip breaks; or kick leg against opponent's outside arm and prise their hands apart.  

There is also a triangle entry from this point that involves linking your arms and leg together to secure the position, then attack for the triangle. 

Sparring was decent. I hit the Williams guard wristlock I've been working on against few people. I also used the arm drag set-up to open the Williams guard position up. 

In the wrestling class, we concentrated on takedowns from double unders. These went something like this:

Double unders inside trip: Secure double unders on opponent; then pull opponent in and align your own legs with the opponent; drop down with the inside trip and drive in with head in middle of opponent to take the opponent down.

Double unders slam: connect hands on back of opponent near the waist and pull him in; keep your head central and drive it into the chest of the opponent; drop down and secure grips behind knees of opponent, drive head forward to off-balance and pick the opponent up at the knees.

Outside arm trip: Secure double unders on opponent, switch to outside wrist control and inside elbow control on opponent's arm; pull opponent in and use him moving forward to insert outside leg and drive through to take opponent down. 

Hip throw: secure an underhook; the underhook arm reaches around the waist of the opponent, and the other arm controls opponent's arm at elbow; step in and drop opponent through into hip throw; take the armbar from the throw.

We also did some work on chaining a hip throw to the inside trip.

I also sought some advice on escaping the plum clinch: hand across opposite side of face of opponent; join other hand to create a frame, keep your own head up and push off; then shuck other arm to open side of opponent up. 

Sparring was OK even though I was ruined by a good wrestler who's lightening fast and uses wrist locks. I then did OK against a couple of decent junior belts... until one of them landed on my damaged ribs.

Things to remember: spider's web escape from on bottom in side control; double unders slam; plum clinch escape.

Classes 336-337...

A no-gi class, quickly followed by a gi class. Here's what we did: 

The no-gi class kicked off with us working on single-leg takedowns and defending single leg takedowns. The drill went something like this: 

Single leg takedown drill: cross shoulder touch the opponent to ensure range; squat down in fighting stance with left leg forward; drop onto front knee and drive forward to secure hands overhooking nearest leg and cupping furthest leg behind knee, back leg braces to ensure opponent cannot drive you back; shoot through and drive forward for double; bring back leg through 90 degrees to secure leg for single leg; pick up single leg and trap it between your own legs; use head pressure to turn the corner to take opponent down. 

I need to massively improve this area so I need to remember: touch, squat, shoot dropping onto front knee and secure hands into position, then side step and trap opponent's leg between your legs.

We also then did some work on escaping from under a mounted opponent. This went like this:

We then worked on a three choke sequence from back mount:

Seatbelt grips and hooks in on a back-mounted opponent: opponent strips top hand, bottom hand secures choke position by grabbing shoulder of opponent, choke; gable grip own hand and neck choke; slide hand in for rear naked choke.

No gi sparring was fine. I feel more with it at the moment, but lots of other people are just younger, faster and stronger, so I'm not worrying if I can't keep up with them. I also got some advice on the Williams guard and the overhook guard I am trying to use, which was to clamp down with the near side leg to make it easier to attack for omaplatas and armbars.

The gi class felt like massively hard work. But it was still good. We mainly worked on positions from guard where the man who has guard uses a standing foot position to launch attacks. The sequence went something like this:

Sweep from guard with opponent standing on one leg: Secure sleeve control on both sleeves, opponent goes to stand on one leg; underhook the leg but keep sleeve control; open legs and sort of scissor to sweep to off-balance opponent and drive using the underhooked leg and the sleeve control to come into mount.

Sweep from guard with opponent standing on one leg: undertook leg and set up same sweep, but use off-balancing to attack for armbar; if opponent defends by pulling the arm out, attack for the omoplata; if that fails, let the opponent come up and attack for the triangle; if opponent hides arm in triangle, hook legs over and attack for an armbar.

Sparring was OK and I hit a triangle against a very strong white belt. I am starting to attack for more triangles and this is good. I then held my own against two decent white belts. I keep forgetting to attack for omoplatas when I have guard.

Foot fish escape: You are under opponent in full mount; use frame to create space and go onto side as though you are escaping to your back; push knee of opponent down and use outside leg to fish for foot of opponent; secure half guard, roll back onto back, secure underhook on same side as half guard and attack with back climb, secure second hook and establish seat belt. 

Sitting behind opponent with seatbelt grip; hand under the armpit stays on top of hand under the armpit; opponent strips top hand and bottom hand secures choke position by grabbing shoulder of opponent to choke; then gable grip choking hand and neck choke; then slide hand in for rear naked choke.

The drill to chain this sequence is: sweep, upa, armbar, omoplata, triangle, then teepee if arm comes out to defend triangle. The latter involves crossing you feet behind the opponent and connecting your hands behind your knees, then squeezing.

Things to remember: Mount escape, three choke sequence, undertook leg attacks. Persevere with Williams guard and work out to make it flow from overhook and butterfly guard.

Class 335...

Another no-gi class and a few things to work on and plays with. These included:

Half guard escape and pass for man on top No.1: win underhook, flatten opponent, secure head control and apply shoulder pressure; stand on legs and head forms point of base to drive into opponent, knee cut pass inside; underhook leg of opponent; kick out trapped leg, then switch hips and push opponent onto his back in side control.

Half guard escape and pass for man on top No.2: Same as above but used trapped leg to move opponent onto other side, then pull trapped leg out to gain mount or use head as base and use free leg to kick out trapped leg. 

We then did some guillotine drills and apply using this to to the half guard escape if the man on the bottom comes up.

We then did a sitout drill from turtle: shoot for leg with inside arm, kick out with inside leg and use outside arm to drive against hip of opponent to create escape space; then turn in to flatten opponent. 

I got comprehensively ruined in sparring by a good wrestler and a couple of senior belts, but I did fine against others of similar status or lower. I am also persevering with the Williams guard and hit the triangle choke today. 

Things to remember: half guard escape and pass, wrestler sitout.

Class 334...

An open mat session with some no-gi sparring and a bit of time drilling some techniques. 

I was mainly sparring with people about the same level as me or slightly higher or slightly lower, and I am consequently felt a little more comfortable about things as I didn't get ruined. Not constantly being on the defensive also allowed me to assess things and I think I'm getting better at keeping my hooks active in open guard and butterfly guard. But I do still have a tendency to get lazy with my foot placement on an opponent's hips and forget to create tension, meaning I still fall for the odd avoidable foot lock here and there. 

I am still experimenting with Williams Guard, as well, and I worked out the mechanics of the choke using a leg and two wrists. I also got given a couple of pointers on the Darce Choke, and I explained the basics of holding a defensive frame when on the bottom in side control and using this frame to escape side control to one new student. 

I sparred pretty much all of the way through the hour and I felt reasonably good at the end of it. I need to better at pulling the trigger on submissions, though. I am still sometimes lazy about getting the finish once I have the position. 

Things to remember: Williams Guard choke, Darce choke and active foot placement.

Class 333...

Tonight a gi class and some work on passing when the bottom man has a half guard locked in.

Half guard pass: secure grab collar and sleeve control of opponent on bottom; use your own chest to smash knee shield flat; use collar grab to pull opponent in so he is compacted; overhook opponent's legs with other hand; sprawl out to break half guard, then use overhook on legs to control opponent; secure head control; then escape side control, lift legs and drive opponent onto opposite side and end up in side control.

Half guard pass: secure grab collar and sleeve control of opponent on bottom; punch fist between opponent's legs to block his leg movement; pull opponent in so he is compacted; sprawl out and pass into side control.

We did some King of the Guard exercises where the man on bottom has to keep his half guard and the man on top had to escape or pass. I was OK at this. 

Sparring was ropey and I struggled to contain a decent white belt who used lockdown. I also forgot how to escape lockdown, so I need to brush up on that. I did manage to hit a De La Riva sweep on a good purple belt before he submitted me, then I got ruined by a senior belt who got various dominant positions and held onto them. 

The whole class, and sparring in particular, was a real struggle today. I felt tired and I was not at all with it. I also couldn't lock up my Williams guard, which I've been experimenting with. But that happens. I felt like I was doing OK, then I feel like this class was a few steps backwards. 

Things to remember: Half guard passes; learn escape from lockdown.