Competition Time...

 

After a miserable last BJJ competition, I decided to get back on that particular horse, hoping I wouldn't be thrown off in embarrassing fashion again. 

The idea of returning to a tournament made me nervous, but I also felt OK with it. In fact, I quite looked forward to it. It was my first tournament as a new purple belt, but I knew I'd trained consistently hard and I had a decent plan going in, despite having to face bigger fighters.

The start of the fight went my way, with a fast guard pull and my opponent locked in my full guard. He worked his way out of my full guard and I made my first mistake by not switching straight to a half guard sweep. I then attacked for an armbar and got stacked. From then on, he secured top position and attacked. I tried to escape and defended OK, but his positional dominance and route mapping on top was just better than my defence from below. I eventually tapped to a collar choke. 

But it was a good experience against a skilled competitor. And, after the smashing I took at the last event – albeit at the hands of a much younger and stronger opponent – it was good to come out of there and at least feel competent again. So that was a victory of sorts.

I now plan to work on a thing off the mats and start defining my routes to victory more clearly. Every day is a school day. If you're smart enough to listen.

Private Class Mavericks: No.1...

The first in a series of five gi classes as I try to refine my game and what it will be. Today we began the process of adding in half guard, butterfly guard and half-butterfly guard. 

Half Guard Recovery from Smashed Flat in Bottom Position:
* Close half guard around leg of opponent 
* Use outside hand to block hip of opponent to prevent him climbing 
* Use inside hand to swim in for collar grip under neck 
* Use hip block and collar grip to frame out and hip escape to half guard frame

Half Guard Fundamentals:
* Stay on side
* Do not rest on elbow
* Foot of vertical leg rests on foot of horizontal leg
* Knee of vertical leg drives into chest of opponent 
* Inside hand grips collar of opponent with thumb down
* Outside hand either controls arm of opponent or stays active to fend off grips

Half-Butterfly Guard 
To transition from half guard bottom to half-butterfly guard bottom: 
* Ensure horizontal leg goes deep and curls around leg of opponent
* Foot of vertical leg comes inside to rest on horizontal leg, with foot hooking inside thigh of opponent 
* Knee of Vertical leg moves outside of opponent's shoulder 

From here there are sweeping options if the opponent tries to move by holding the outside arm and elevating the butterfly hook. There is also a back take option if the opponent switches hips to attack the kimura by blocking the near-side hip, coming underneath him and kicking the butterfly hook up so you can attack the back. 

You can also transition from here to half guard, butterfly guard and full guard.

Classes 439-440

Gi class

Kimura throw against a standing opponent:

Opponent gets underhook, you get overhook, opponent swims arm out and you connect reverse kimura and grab your own go to lock it in place; step to side of opponent so you are shoulder to shoulder; swing inside leg out and in to sweep leg of opponent; then step to outside of opponent's other leg to prevent movement, and drive him down. Leg pick and go to side control

Ankle lock from standing: 

Key detail is to grab leg of opponent at knee as you drop back.

Then straight ankle lock rolling to side

Rolling over ankle lock

Passing lock to other side with rear naked choke grip

Technical stand up

Sparring was OK. Susceptible to ankle locks at moment. Need to drill defence. Also need to work on attacks from overhook full guard. 

Gi class

Guard pull from sitting: cross grip collar, same side knee across, kick leg through for guard, switch hips and kick other leg through. Close guard.

Armbar from guard: pick arm and secure grip, cross collar grip to drag opponent down, collect arm under attack and nudge inside, cross legs high on back of opponent with same side arm attacking leg on shoulder, use hand to push head, bring other leg over and attack to extend arm.

Hip bump sweep

Standing guard pass using knee in bum: extend base out to break guard, pin flattened leg to floor with arm, reach under other leg of opponent for collar grip, then stack and pass or stack opponent and pass to side control.

Sparring was smashed by pretty much everyone. But I can't let ego get in the way of progress. 

Classes 435-438

Gi Class for Olds & Injureds
Butterfly guard and grab belt to control distance and opponent.
Go shin-on-shin and grab other leg to off-balance and sweep.
From half guard, grab lapel or belt or flap of gi and thread it under leg of opponent, secure grip, then let him try to pass and use belt to come to his side and knee tap or take back.

Gi class
Full guard, secure sleeve control, open guard, feet on hips, lassoo left leg, use left hand to collect lassoed arm at elbow as you kick leg through, switch hips and come up to omoplata.
Same set up but with spider guard using right leg with knee on floor, unhook lassoo, and kick leg out and under as you stretch the spider out for the sweep.
Use lassoo and spider guard for triangle .
Use lassoo against standing opponent, bring other leg next to lassoo leg and underhook right leg of opponent, pull opponent in and sweep and come up while still gripping opponent's sleeves.
Sparring was fine. Avoiding big and strong folk to build up technique and muscle memory. 

Gi class 
Lasso and spider guard attacks for omoplata and leg triangle.
Defence against omoplata: grab own belt and sit back to drive opponent back, he comes forward, you roll and move to pass to side control.
Defence against omoplata: grab own belt and sit back to drive opponent back, go under legs of opponent and come to side.
Defence against leg triangle: hands on belt and posture up with a straight spine, stand and shake off leg of opponent, throw to none side and pass.
Sparring was good. Despite injury, I am starting to feel comfortable. 
Using a post on nearest edge of opponent, then retracting legs and reguarding is sort of working. 

Gi class
Spider web defence sequence against armbar from bottom in side control. 
Then spider web defence from armbar attack in guard: Stack and knee against back. Pull arm out. 
Defence from back take. Grab choking arm and move over head. Drop down and drag opponent to side. Hip hop and drive into side control. 
Defence from back take. Grab choking arm and drive up, then try to turn and face opponent. 
Mount escape by bridging and trapping arm and leg and rolling. 
Mount escape by bridging and framing, then using inside elbow to push knee of opponent down and collect leg in half guard. 
Sparring was fine. Feeling my way into it. Protecting injury but all OK. 

Classes 432-434

Gi class on lasso guard:

Escaping lasso guard from seated against a standing opponent: Shrimp to one side and swim leg out and back inside on left and punch foot through to establish hook. Come back to back. Use other leg to do spider guard and force opponent down. 

Triangle from lasso: Switch right grip to collar of opponent.

Left grip goes to back of trapped arm and pulls arm and collar into triangle.

Inversion sweep: Invert and use right arm to underhook leg of opponent. Then roll opponent over and come to side control. 

Gi classes on:

Methodical armbar

Fast armbar

Spider web attacks from top using hand push 

Spiderweb defence using rock up defence and lion kill defence

Push off leg of opponent and come to guard

Side control escape from bottom with opponent in broken scarf hold. Knees out to side and trap head of opponent for arm lock

Sparring OK. Starting to feel it 

Throwing News...

Over-under with underhook and arm control:

Lift underhook and move round to threaten back take, step through for hip throw - or attack for single leg. 

All Change...

I've just been promoted to purple belt. This was quite a surprise. About seven or eight months ago when the world was re-opened, I felt like I was getting back some quality and game plan. Then we went into another lockdown and I was mainly doing online MMA classes. 

I felt I was massively off the pace after such a long lay-off. On top of this, I was also feeling my age with a couple of constantly nagging injuries. 

Then the end of the class came and two very good white belts were promoted to blue. Then I was called out and told I was being promoted. 

The belts in BJJ are so deep that I expected to remain a blue belt for a while longer. There were things I wanted to add into my game to expand my repertoire and I wanted to be more solid in what I did. For example, I'm confident with my standing and throwing game, my guard pulling and anything once I'm in full guard, particularly if I have an overhook. Wristlocks are obviously a key thing for me, too.

I've been trying to add in a more solid half-guard game and some open guard and x guard stuff, plus some Williams Guard techniques. I'm pretty sure this a path I'll continue down. The battleplan going forward is to assess what my game actually is and develop it, iron out the obvious weaknesses elsewhere, and add related techniques in. 

The thing I already know is that I want simple and functional game that will work in gi and no gi and for self-defence. I also need to learn to wear the belt, focus better on what I am doing and not worry about the colour.

Classes 428-431...

First up, a Gi class.
The techniques we focused on were:
Guard passes against a seated opponent who is using legs on hips: Leg drag to right side by holding leg then passing it on, knee cut to drop down, apply shoulder pressure, then pass. Hand down to block hips to help secure position.

Next up, a No Gi class.
The techniques we focused on were:
Positional escapes
Side control escape: bridge, frame against chin of opponent, fight for underhook, come to knees, kneetap.
Side control escape: Bridge, frame against chin of opponent, hand under stomach of opponent, bridge and spin out.
Mount escape: Bridge and roll.

Next up, a Gi class.
The techniques we focused on were:
Positional escapes from half guard: Secure underhook, clasp hands together behind opponent's head and arm, flatten out opponent, apply shoulder pressure, move head to other side of opponent, tripod up, free trapped leg, slip to side control or mount, knee to head

Take homes: drop weight and apply shoulder pressure.
Tighter and higher side control, Americana, straight arm bar, kimura attack. Wrist locks off this, too.

Next up, a No Gi class.
The techniques we focused on were:
Arm drags: Arm drag from standing, butterfly, half guard and full guard.
Reverse kimura: Same side grab from guard, butterfly or half guard to pull opponent in, other arm over shoulder of opponent, connect with arms hugging, lean back and apply.

Classes 424-427...

First up, a No Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Choke combination from rear mount: 

Hooks in and seatbelt with choking hand hidden by non choking hand under armpit of opponent. Sequence follows:

Grab hand and use one armed choke

Let arm and gable grip own hands to choke

Slide hand in for rear naked choke.

Sparring was a bit of a non-event as I was operating with one working arm.

Next up, a Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Choke combination from rear mount: 

Rear mount with hooks and seatbelt and choking hand grabbing collar.

Rear mount collar grip two handed choke.

Rear mount single collar grip with own arm attaching to bicep choke.

Rear mount baby choke.

In sparring, I spent time escaping side control and trying to attack using single x.

Next up, a No Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Armbar basics:

Armbar from side.

Opponent uses spider web defence.

Push off.

Leg in gap and kick.

Choke distraction.

Spider web arm pushing leg and come to knees defence and stacking defence.Sparring was OK as I was focusing on closed guard.

Next up, another No Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Positional escapes:

Mount escape grab arm and bridge and roll.

Rear mount and hold choking hand, move it onto other side of own head the turn, remove hooks and come to side.

Bottom turtle and granby roll to guard or triangle.

Bottom turtle and grab inside hand, angle hips out and put other hand under leg of opponent, then roll over and come to side.

In sparring: there were lots of white belts, so I played with hip bump sweep from full guard and hook sweeps from half guard. I tried to be technical and half-succeeded at this.

Classes 421-423...

First up, a Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Closed guard entries to X guard:

With opponent in your closed guard, move your weight back.

Secure double sleeve control grips.

Open guard and shrimp out onto right hip with right foot on opponent's hip and left leg as knee shield.

Use spider guard on your left side to force opponent to stand.

Move to de la Riva guard, single x, double x and play with de la Riva ball and chain or back take, idiot sweep or single x sweep.

Triangle set up from guard:

Secure sleeve and collar on one side. Open guard and shrimp out with right leg on hip and left leg outside. Left leg kicks arm and triangle locks. Triangle sweep by underhooking leg and rolling opponent over.

  

Next up, a Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Breaking lasso guard on one side with spider guard on the other side against a standing opponent.

For standing opponent to break, drop knee onto lasso and circle hand inside then grab trousers for control of leg. 

Move other leg down, then in and out to break spider guard grip on other side. Knee slide through to attack.

Next up, a Gi class. The techniques we focused on were:

Leg pummel drills for a standing opponent to pass a seated one

Secure grips on inside of seated opponent's gi pants. Pummel one leg and one leg out. Use grips to drag opponent's legs to side. Opponent will close half guard to trap leg. Kick trapped leg out and come to side. Drop into knee on belly.

Also do cut through knee slide from this starting position of one leg in and one out. Main points are to position knee facing away from opponent, then face the knee in the direction of the knee slide. Also drop body weight on both of opponent's legs and squish them when dropping down.

Also do knee staple pass from this position.

Also do back step pass from this position.