April 22nd 2014 - Gi (Just Noon)

Theme & Techniques: Scarf Hold Escape to back mount, Kimura from side control, Tripod Side control escape

It's good to be back in a regular class and knock the rust off.  I've cut back to three times a week for a while to assist at home.  So I apologize for the fewer posts. 

As with most Tuesday noon classes and Friday morning classes I'm usually used as the demonstration dummy while Greg teaches the techniques.  This is very cool but at the same time also a little stressful.  There are times when he'll hint at what the opponent can do if you do the technique incorrectly and what is expected is not always my first response.  The feeling has gotten better over time but it was noticeable today when he asked me to respond to when someone turns in with an underhook. 

I worked with Bhuvana on the techniques and while she protested that the techniques were a little difficult, I think she did a good job with everything.  Greg even made the comment that all three of the techniques that he picked were a little more complicated than he would have liked.

I think the kimura from side mount is going to be something that I experiment with in rolling.  Like Greg showed a couple of Tuesdays ago, it can be done when their arm is isolated on the opposite side of the head and today we were setting it up just by being under the elbow.  I still need to figure out the chest pressure needed to put their arm in the right place.    

Rolling: Side Control Position (4 x 2 min), Free Rolling post class

Bhuvana did a good job of holding me down in side control.  It looks like she's figuring out the pressure nicely.  I was only able to escape twice.  I went with Robert next, and while I felt pretty good working from the bottom, I felt a little sluggish working from the top.  My hands just didn't seem like they were going to the right places. 

After class I rolled with Tim for a bit.  In the process I taught him a new technique because apparently it was his first experience with a darce choke.  He thought it was pretty cool.  On our second roll focused on the two on one and while he defended my arm drag I was able to respond by pushing his arm back into him which worked like a charm.  I also have been working on my RNC lately in the place of the bow and arrow.  He did a great job of defending it and eventually got out of back mount.  Back to the drawing board with that technique and possibly the position.  I think I may need to use more chin pressure on the shoulder to keep my opponents hips under control.