March 11th 2017 - Open Mat

Open Mat
Rolled With: Josh J, Craig, Justin, Clint
Game Plan: Bottom - Z-Guard, Top - Crucifix

Josh: Did some drilling for a warm-up. Worked on my usual techniques lately. Playing around with switching the grip to my other hand in z when I can't get the pant grip, might be time to run through the DVD again. Crucifix is feeling good the combination of being able to attack the armbar and the choke at the same time is awesome.  Josh drilled X and smash pass with some of my help.

We rolled a few times. I worked especially for Z and got it a few times. He actually took an opportunity to do the smash pass at one point and I couldn't be happier.

Craig: The mat was pretty crowded and I had to do some catch and release a few times.  He commented that he liked my knee shield grip stripper (patent pending) and I gave him a little instructional on it.

Justin: My goal was to get him to turtle and crucifix. From side control I've been trying things like cross facing excessively or giving enough space encourage my partner to turtle. I haven't found the magic formula yet but I did get Justin to reach out for an underhook that I pushed between my legs and rolled for the crucifix, it was awesome.

I showed Justin the back take from North/south using the lapels under the armpits. He seemed to like that.

Clint: I think I was too worn out for this roll because I got gassed pretty quickly.  He does a good job of applying constant pressure from the top, not sure what his guard is like though.  As I got tired I had trouble maintaining my half guard and eventually he was able to pass to side control.

As I was contemplating whether to quit from exhaustion or see it through, I developed a plan to get back to close guard and go right into cross guard and omoplata sweep. That was my best option to sweep. I turtled, he went to head lock position, I sat and pulled him into closed guard and right into the cross guard barrel roll sweep. I was so relieved that worked.

One thing that Bernardo Faria says a lot in his DVDs is to find ways to get to your sweeping position from anywhere.  Generally I sweep from 2 places deep half or cross guard.