Class 396...

A Gi class with a few different bits and pieces. These included some work on single and double legs. The take-home from this was the idea of using a push on the opponent to get him stepping one leg forward to ace it easier to attack the single.

We then did some work on the knee shield half guard position, which went like this:

Knee Shield Half Guard Kimura: You are on the bottom in knee shield half guard loosely controlling the sleeve of the arm you are targeting to attack with the kimura; collapse the knee shield to disrupt the base of the opponent, pull his arm towards you and fish over his shoulder to connect the kimura lock. 

Sweeping Option from Knee Shield Half Guard Kimura: if the opponent buries the arm to protect against the kimura, then use the kimura to pull the opponent op top, then sweep him over and come up on top of him, keeping the kimura lock connected. 

Knee Shield Half Guard Reverse Kimura: You are on the bottom in knee shield half guard loosely controlling the sleeve of the arm you are targeting to attack with the kimura; collapse the knee shield to disrupt the base of the opponent; opposition sleeve control securing the wrist of the opponent; drive your nearest arm under the arm of the opponent to connect the reverse kimura; options from here include wrist lock, elevator sweep or scissor sweep. 

Hook Sweep from Knee Shield Half Guard: You are on the bottom in knee shield half guard loosely controlling the sleeve of the arm you are targeting to attack with the kimura; switch the knee shield inside so your foot is hooked under the thigh of the opponent; pull the sleeve of the opponent and use the hook to elevate him to sweep.

Escape from Body Lock Triangle No.1: Move opponent onto the side of the body lock triangle; fish for one leg, the reinforce it with the other and attack the fit lock.

Escape from Body Lock Triangle No.2: Connect knee and elbow again the top leg of the body triangle; then kick leg out against leg of opponent and sideways elbow against leg of opponent, creating two forces working against the leg in opposite direction; then scramble for position.

Sparring was good. I more than held my own against everyone I rolled with. I hot two or three wrist locks when my opponent had their elbows against the mat. 

Things to remember: Kimura position and sweep from half guard; reverse kimura sequence.

Classes 394-395...

First up a time class with attacks from full guard.

Securing Open Guard Control: You have your opponent in full guard, secure double sleeve control, open guard, hip escape out and place one leg on hip down side of opponent and hip escape out on the other side to set the other foot on the hip of the opponent. Opponents cannot attack forward or move forward as you have control.

From here you can attack for leg triangles and omoplatas. You can also set up scissor sweeps.

Sparring was fine and I did OK. I feel like I'm getting to be OK again.

Next up was a No Gi class drilling full guard and the favoured overhook position. The set-up went like this: 

Full Guard Overhook with Leg Over Opponent's Head: Establish full guard with an overlook on one arm, hip escape out to one side and move into half guard side by swinging leg in crook of opponent's neck position and omoplata attack position. Can also attack for triangle from here.

I was one of the in-the-middle people at king of the guard and I switched between full guard and half guard. Sparring was fun and I hit a couple of omoplatas and rear naked chokes. I really grafted and went for as many rolls as possible and specifically targeted senior belts along the way. 

A Gi class and some work on catching the leg triangle drill from guard by securing sleeve control on the wrists of the opponent in guard, the keeping one and stuffing the other.

We then did some back take work from guard by arm dragging one of the opponent's arms from guard and forcing t to the side, then attacking for back by grabbing the tricep of the opponent and pulling yourself up onto his back.

There's also the sweeping option.

Pendulum Sweep: Secure sleeve control on one of the opponent's wrists with a same side grip, shoot other hand under leg of opponent or grab leg of gi pants, open guard and sit up and rock back and 90 degrees to the side, Leg under armpit of opponent kicks him over and grip n pants leg lifts leg up, other leg chops under base of opponent and cuts under base of opponent.

Sparring was ace. I held my own against two purple belts and two blue belts, then I stayed later with three senior belts and worked on compression lock from guard, a passing wrist locks when opponent secures his hand on your body and the waterfall wristlock.

Things to remember: keep persevering with half guard and use full guard and overhook attack position; keep working on sweeps.

Classes 391-393

A No Gi class and some work on Kimura attacks. 

Kimura from Full Guard: Collapse opponent so he puts arms an arm on the floor; connect hands together and attack for the kimura; fall back to slight angle on opponent and apply lock. 

Kimura from Half Guard Bottom: Collapse opponent using knee shield in half guard so he puts arms on the floor; connect hands together and attack for the kimura; fall back to slight angle on opponent and apply lock. 

Kimura from Open Guard: attack for kimura and use locking position to run round outside of opponent; then use kimura grip grip to force back take. 

Reverse Kimura: shoot opposite arm through and connect like Rear Naked Choke. 

Sparring was OK. I fell for some dumb stuff against a good white belt, but that was just lack of recent mat time. I was OK against junior belts and two senior belts. I am also experimenting with Greco-Roman Wrestling Lateral Drop and I am also trying to work out the No Gi Baseball Choke from Half Guard Bottom. 

A BJJ gi class where we worked on the following sequence: 

Leg Triangle from Full Guard: opponent hides arm so use Tee Pee to tap opponent by connecting legs behind opponent, then connecting hands behind knees and squeezing together.

We then worked on the flow drill involving the Armbar, Omoplata and Leg Triangle from Guard. 

Sparring was OK. I am playing with the Greco-Roman Lateral Drop and the No Gi Baseball Choke. 

Another gi class and some work on takedowns. The main one of these involved a snap down, a back take and a backwards lateral drop. 

Snap Down, Back Take and Backwards Lateral Drop: Start in a collar and arm tie, snap down the head of the opponent; when they come up, raise the arm and duck under and round for back take; then lateral back drop by moving your head away from the side where you are blocking the foot. 

We also worked on a Ten Finger Choke from a deep leg grab against an opponent in open guard when you are standing: when opponent wraps around leg; drive knee forward to create tension; then pull knee back to create space to insert choking fingers and drop chest or head on head of opponent to create pressure. 

We also worked on the Ezekiel Choke from full mount and guard. I use this all the time, but we also worked on the other choke I am experimenting with at the moment, too. 

Baseball Bat Choke from Full Guard Bottom Gi Grip Variation: You have opponent in full closed guard; grip opponent's gi and bring it under his armpit and pass it around the neck; then using the gi to baseball bat choke from there by opening the guard and tempting the opponent to move out of your guard and into a position himself where he will effectively choke himself. 

Sparring was fine. I got caught in a leg triangle when I wasn't watching my Ps and Qs, then I did ok against everyone else. But it was my first class back for two weeks so that was OK.

Grading News...

I attended the annual grading at my new BJJ school and I got a couple more stripes on my blue belt to make me a three-stripe blue belt. I'm pretty pleased with this as I feel like I've made genuine progress there this year: I now train in no-gi; I did OK when I competed in both gi and no-gi in the summer; and I'm certainly better than I was 12 months ago. 

The school also encourages students to test themselves in competition, which means that quite a lot of my fellow grapplers have that battle-hardened edge. This is good because it keeps everyone sharp and on their mettle when we are rolling in class. 

Four of my friends also got promoted from white to blue and pretty much everyone else got additional stripes for their endeavours. The two main teachers at the school also got their black belts, which was a great moment. 

When I left London Fight Factory at the end of last year, I genuinely worried that I wouldn't find a place where I felt as comfortable and welcome. It really was like saying goodbye to a family. So I feel genuinely blessed to have found One Jiu Jitsu in Guildford. They've made me welcome, worked with my skill limitations and helped a 50-year-old have the confidence to compete again. 

I'm aiming to move up a gear next year in terms of training and, with a competition already entered in February, I have a good reason to up my game.