Classes 356-357...

Two gi classes. The first focused on passing opponents who adopt two different guards. The take-home from these went something like this:

Knee Shield Guard Pass Single Leg Hug with Collar Drag: Use chest to collapse the knee shield; outside arm wraps around knees of opponent and clasps bottom knee; other arm grabs collar of opponent's gi and pull your elbow into your own ribcage; escape trapped leg; pass into side control.

Knee Shield Guard Pass Double Leg Hug with Collar Drag: Use chest to collapse the knee shield; outside arm wraps around knees of opponent and clasps bottom knee; other arm wraps around knees to kill movement; hide hand to prevent kimura attacks; grab collar of opponent's gi and pull your elbow into your own ribcage; escape trapped leg; pass into side control.

Butterfly Guard Leaping Pass: Compact opponent and keep arms and elbows in to prevent kimura; hand grabs one of opponent's feet; head and hand post to opposite side; jump up using posts to base; get airborne and pass to side.

Butterfly Guard Knee Push Pass: Compact opponent and keep arms and elbows in to prevent kimura; bring one of your knees inside; push nearest knee of opponent down with hand or knee to pass; then either pass or wait for opponent to move and take mount. 

Sparring was OK. I was a bit off the pace. I am continuing to hunting for leg triangles. I also stuck around for an MMA class. In this, we did ground and pound drills. We also mixed striking attacks with takedowns, and then striking and escaping.

The second class focused on the fundamentals of surviving in the guard. The takehome from this class were:

Posture and Frame: Sit up straight in posture and use arms to create frame with palms driving into bottom of opponent's rib cage and elbows tucked in; if collapsed, drive hands into armpits of opponent with palms facing ribs of opponent and thumbs up, with elbows tucked in; push back to keep distance, then uses ace to sit back up in posture.

Strip Grips: always strip grips using either the turn and twist to break the grip; or use the two against one in the diamond shape and break away to the side not in the straight.

Cage the Hips: follow the opponent's hips with your hips and ensure you keep close to prevent his hip movement and his attacks; clamp your arms on the outside of each of his hips; if you are in a low posture, use your head to drive into his sternum and prevent him from moving even further.

Guard Breaks: Use your frame to extend your hips to break guard; then sit up in combat stance to ensure your opponent cannot regard. 

Standing Guard Break and Pass: Trap one of your opponent's arms and cross grip it and stuff it across the body of the opponent; stand on that side with that side leg first; then stand with your other leg; stand fully up and bring the trapped arm of your opponent with you; shake his leg off and come into combat base to start pass.

Standing Guard Break, Create Seat and Pass: Trap one of your opponent's arms and cross grip it and stuff it across the body of the opponent; stand on that side with that side leg first; then stand with your other leg; move knees under bum of opponent so you create a seat; opponent seats on your leg; leg the opponent get comfortable then collapse the seat and let the opponent slide down; shake his legs off and come into combat base to start pass.

We did some kid of the guard drill from these positions. I then stayed to drill some kimura set-ups with the hip bump sweep; plus the armbar, omoplata and leg triangle drill.