February 4rd 2016 - Gi All Levels

Theme & Techniques: Standing Guillotine Against Wall Defense, Kneeling Guard Break, Double Under Pass, Defending the Double Under Pass
Students: Ben, Tim, Megan, Bhuvana

Did some of those extra warm-up things with some combination fitins, some grip fighting, and fighting for the clinch.  Everyone seemed to understand the kneeling guard break and double unders pretty well so I took some time to show the defenses against the double unders.  The defenses that I showed were:

• At the beginning of the double unders spread your legs and bring the inside of your knees around their elbows.  Use your hips to make your legs heavier and you may have to shoulder walk to prevent being stacked.  Ultimately if you can get your feet to butterfly hooks you can look for the submission.
• The 2nd defense is against a bad double under pass where they attempt to throw your leg across.  From here keep your hips up like you're doing half of a back roll.  Once the foot of the leg they pushed over touches the floor kick back like a granby roll to regain guard.
• The elbow push was the last defense and it was when they have you stacked and are reaching for your collar.  Get your hand on their sleeve over their elbow and keep them from hiding their elbow.  As they turn into the pass stiff arm them and scoot out to regain guard.

Rolling: Guard (2 x 2 min)
Rolled With: Megan

Megan is still pretty new so I talked her through a few things from the top and bottom.  Just basic things like grip fighting and off balancing.  Or I'd get close to completing the pass and then stop and rewind and show her what she could have done to prevent it.

Office Hours Partner: Ben

Had a couple of good rolls with Ben.  He is defending my attacks better and better all the time.  After we rolled he gave me a few compliments and said that I roll different than most of the other people that he rolls with (he meant it in a good way).  We talked a bit about how knee on belly isn't used much by the white belts and we were thinking it may be because it's not in the beginner curriculum that much if at all.  We also talked about mount and how I think it has a larger learning curve than side mount.  I'm going to ask Greg about knee on belly and where it falls into the overall curriculum.