Theme & Techniques: Week 1 O-Soto Gari, Side Control: Knee Across Escape, Americana
Partner: Jess, Jesus
Greg asked to drill an ankle lock setup on me before warm-up. The Estima lock always scares me, I have to make sure to tap quickly.
Felt good about my O-Soto technique and off balancing. I'm still putting together the timing of it all. Helped Tom a bit with putting my weight onto the leg to be reaped. Greg gave us a new setup for the Americana where we were in a farside armbar position and put some elbow pressure on their jaw to get them to bring their arm in to defend. It then put the arm in the right place for the americana.
Rolling: Side Control, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Tom, Daniel, Jess, Frank
From the top I setup a few NS chokes and transitioned to mount. I also attempted a few head and arm chokes that I wasn't able to finish. I did run into a pesky quarter guard occasionally. From the bottom I mostly fought for underhook or elbow push and didn't see any good opportunities to hit the basic escape.
Office Hours Partner: Frank, Greg
I showed Frank an escape and avoidance of the ezekiel from quarter guard. We rolled for a while and then took a break to go over butterfly sweep. The big thing was controlling the shoulders taking a high underhook and going sideways instead of backward.
Greg wanted to drill a takedown that he's been working on that I'm really liking the look of. He then let me drill cross guard and I worked on some variations of going back to closed guard after underhooking the leg. He gave me a huge tip against people that stand to break the guard. I need to hand over the sleeve to my underhooked hand and then control their collar to break their posture. Seems like a great option.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
February 8th 2017 - Gi All Levels
Theme & Techniques: Week 1 O-Soto Gari, Side Control: Knee Across Escape, Americana
Partner: Jess, Morgan, Jordan, Dave
We started over the curriculum this week. So if you attend a beginner/all levels class each week from here until we reach Straight Footlock again you will be exposed to everything you need to know for the blue belt curriculum. Or in general it's the basics of BJJ. Each time I go through the curriculum I pick up a couple of new things so just because they're basics doesn't mean they're simple or easy.
Some tips for this week:
Rolling: Side Control, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Jerad, Morgan, Jess
Had a fun roll with Jerad where we both did some good things. We were both able to escape the other's side control. Morgan came fairly close to escaping my side control with the knee in leg over escape I had to go north/south to unravel it.
With Jess I took extra care to avoid the bad side of a leg entanglement, he's been getting good at them lately. I attacked some loop chokes and kept my feet in butterfly hooks and away from the hip.
Office Hours: Discussion
We had a good discussion about our school and how things changed from the old place when we opened up. We have beginner and advanced classes, we do positional sparring, and we have great class times. All things we didn't have at the old school.
We also talked about competing and how to develop a game. I shared my experience with preparing for tournaments and how my game got better from the tournament prep sessions.
Partner: Jess, Morgan, Jordan, Dave
We started over the curriculum this week. So if you attend a beginner/all levels class each week from here until we reach Straight Footlock again you will be exposed to everything you need to know for the blue belt curriculum. Or in general it's the basics of BJJ. Each time I go through the curriculum I pick up a couple of new things so just because they're basics doesn't mean they're simple or easy.
Some tips for this week:
- O-Soto Gari: Make it more about being a hand technique rather than focusing too much on the sweeping leg part.
- Knee Across Escape: One tip that seems to help students is using the harness to pull them across to help get the foot to the floor and knee in the hip.
- Americana: I like to involve my head to help keep their hand on the floor as I secure my grips.
Rolling: Side Control, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Jerad, Morgan, Jess
Had a fun roll with Jerad where we both did some good things. We were both able to escape the other's side control. Morgan came fairly close to escaping my side control with the knee in leg over escape I had to go north/south to unravel it.
With Jess I took extra care to avoid the bad side of a leg entanglement, he's been getting good at them lately. I attacked some loop chokes and kept my feet in butterfly hooks and away from the hip.
Office Hours: Discussion
We had a good discussion about our school and how things changed from the old place when we opened up. We have beginner and advanced classes, we do positional sparring, and we have great class times. All things we didn't have at the old school.
We also talked about competing and how to develop a game. I shared my experience with preparing for tournaments and how my game got better from the tournament prep sessions.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
February 7th 2017 - No Gi All Levels
Theme & Techniques: Side Control: Tripod Escape to Half Guard, Darce from Top
Partner: Mike A
Got to work with Mike for the first time in a long time. We improved our darce technique today as we both were doing it more neck cranky. Greg was having us push on their shoulder with our body where I was primarily pushing down on their head with my ribs to push their neck into my arm. Mike and I were choking each other pretty well by the end and didn't have to fall onto our sides as much as I thought. The other great thing about working with Mike was that we would play during techniques, maybe give each other a little resistance here and there and respond to it naturally. Obviously a newer person isn't going to be able to do that well.
Rolling: Side Control, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Mike A, Mike G, Daniel, Jess
Aquila and I had some good rolls from side control. I started out with a choke series going from NS to guillotines but never able to get the tap...maybe if he had a bigger neck. He gave me a lot of props for the exchange and transitions.
Most of my side control escapes ended up in half or deep half guard, I'm getting better with taking the back from them stepping over in DH but I could use a rewatch of Ryan Hall's DVD.
I got to crucifix position with Jess and felt like a bull rider trying to maintain it and not get thrown off. I couldn't quite get my hand in the right spot for the RNC though.
Office Hours Partner: Jordan
Rolled with Jordan H several times. We had trained quite a bit together when the school first opened and we were both working on cross guard. I was pleasantly surprised that he maintained some skills since he's been out injured for quite a while. I had a hard time passing his guard. I did however look at it as a way to attempt leg locks since he's a fellow blue belt. I felt like what Mike must have when I wasn't any good at defending heel hooks, and I'm trying to figure out how to attack them.
During rolling he told me that this was his last class with us as he's moving away. Just when he was making a return to LBJJC too. It's always tough when fellow students move away and become part of our extended family. The upside is that I'll have some place to train if I visit New Mexico.
Partner: Mike A
Got to work with Mike for the first time in a long time. We improved our darce technique today as we both were doing it more neck cranky. Greg was having us push on their shoulder with our body where I was primarily pushing down on their head with my ribs to push their neck into my arm. Mike and I were choking each other pretty well by the end and didn't have to fall onto our sides as much as I thought. The other great thing about working with Mike was that we would play during techniques, maybe give each other a little resistance here and there and respond to it naturally. Obviously a newer person isn't going to be able to do that well.
Rolling: Side Control, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Mike A, Mike G, Daniel, Jess
Aquila and I had some good rolls from side control. I started out with a choke series going from NS to guillotines but never able to get the tap...maybe if he had a bigger neck. He gave me a lot of props for the exchange and transitions.
Most of my side control escapes ended up in half or deep half guard, I'm getting better with taking the back from them stepping over in DH but I could use a rewatch of Ryan Hall's DVD.
I got to crucifix position with Jess and felt like a bull rider trying to maintain it and not get thrown off. I couldn't quite get my hand in the right spot for the RNC though.
Office Hours Partner: Jordan
Rolled with Jordan H several times. We had trained quite a bit together when the school first opened and we were both working on cross guard. I was pleasantly surprised that he maintained some skills since he's been out injured for quite a while. I had a hard time passing his guard. I did however look at it as a way to attempt leg locks since he's a fellow blue belt. I felt like what Mike must have when I wasn't any good at defending heel hooks, and I'm trying to figure out how to attack them.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
February 3rd 2017 - MMA
Theme & Techniques: 1 through 6 punch combo, Teep Kick
Partner: Will
We had 8 in attendance to start off our first LBJJC MMA class. I was excited but also wasn't sure what to expect. We did some movement drills to get started (lunges and rolls). The one I need to improve on is the back roll to handstand to standing thing.
We got our gloves on and were moving the majority of the class. He emphasized level changes and switching between Muai Thai and wrestling stances. A huge point that Nick made was to make our elbows support our arms in a fighting stance. That's going to be important for me because keeping my hands up was the toughest thing of the class.
Sparring: Attacker/Defender, Light Contact, Just the Body
Sparred With: Will, Richard, Patty
Just defending was tough for me, might have been because I wasn't taking Will's reach into account at first. The teep was different than kicks that I'm used to as we did it with a straight leg, but knowing when to throw it was still there.
During the body shot sparring, Richard got me pretty good making me lose my wind for a moment. It was a good reminder that I need to breath and tighten my stomach with each strike. A couple of other take aways were: I need to keep my chin down, relax more, and work on head movement. It's definitely a different workout.
Partner: Will
We had 8 in attendance to start off our first LBJJC MMA class. I was excited but also wasn't sure what to expect. We did some movement drills to get started (lunges and rolls). The one I need to improve on is the back roll to handstand to standing thing.
We got our gloves on and were moving the majority of the class. He emphasized level changes and switching between Muai Thai and wrestling stances. A huge point that Nick made was to make our elbows support our arms in a fighting stance. That's going to be important for me because keeping my hands up was the toughest thing of the class.
Sparring: Attacker/Defender, Light Contact, Just the Body
Sparred With: Will, Richard, Patty
Just defending was tough for me, might have been because I wasn't taking Will's reach into account at first. The teep was different than kicks that I'm used to as we did it with a straight leg, but knowing when to throw it was still there.
During the body shot sparring, Richard got me pretty good making me lose my wind for a moment. It was a good reminder that I need to breath and tighten my stomach with each strike. A couple of other take aways were: I need to keep my chin down, relax more, and work on head movement. It's definitely a different workout.
Friday, February 3, 2017
February 3rd 2017 - Gi All Levels
Theme & Techniques: Headlock Escape Bridge Over, Straight Footlock: Setup and Escape
Students: Craig, Ryal, Jesus, Jeff
Did a few extra partner warm-ups instead of circling up. I had them do the standing guard break to sit-up, the armbar drill, and then some sitouts. When I taught the ankle footlock, I also had them attempt it from the standing guard break and made sure to mention the points from yesterday's post.
Rolling: Guard
Rolled With: Everyone
Had them do a few rounds as partners before jumping in myself and doing an up/down/out with only 1 person getting some rest. Jeff the new guy is doing pretty well, he has the common big guy tendencies of wanting to drive through someone's closed guard. What's funny is that I've had a couple of people finish rolling with him and tell me that he's so strong, where in my opinion they've displayed similar tendencies.
Office Hours Partner: Jeff
Jeff stayed after a bit so we could roll. I caught him with some things and gave him some pointers. Mostly about keeping arms and elbows in and respecting the cross collar grip. I showed him the knee over pass because he got close to the position a couple of times.
I often head to the YMCA after morning classes to get a shower before work. Unfortunately their boiler was broken and they had no hot water. I had a flashback of taking canteen showers in the field as a Marine.
Ready for MMA class in a few hours. Luckily went to bed early last night, but I'm not sure what to expect out of the class.
Students: Craig, Ryal, Jesus, Jeff
Did a few extra partner warm-ups instead of circling up. I had them do the standing guard break to sit-up, the armbar drill, and then some sitouts. When I taught the ankle footlock, I also had them attempt it from the standing guard break and made sure to mention the points from yesterday's post.
Rolling: Guard
Rolled With: Everyone
Had them do a few rounds as partners before jumping in myself and doing an up/down/out with only 1 person getting some rest. Jeff the new guy is doing pretty well, he has the common big guy tendencies of wanting to drive through someone's closed guard. What's funny is that I've had a couple of people finish rolling with him and tell me that he's so strong, where in my opinion they've displayed similar tendencies.
Office Hours Partner: Jeff
Jeff stayed after a bit so we could roll. I caught him with some things and gave him some pointers. Mostly about keeping arms and elbows in and respecting the cross collar grip. I showed him the knee over pass because he got close to the position a couple of times.
I often head to the YMCA after morning classes to get a shower before work. Unfortunately their boiler was broken and they had no hot water. I had a flashback of taking canteen showers in the field as a Marine.
Ready for MMA class in a few hours. Luckily went to bed early last night, but I'm not sure what to expect out of the class.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
February 2nd 2017 - Gi All Levels
Theme & Techniques: Headlock Escape Bridge Over, Straight Footlock: Setup and Escape
Partner: Bob
Had some good practice with Bob. He didn't seem to favor the kesa escape until I told him to slow it down and bridge and turn rather than be explosive, seemed to make all the difference. He can definitely make the footlock tight, but I only had to give him a few pointers to make the technique more direct and to the point. A few things:
Rolling: Guard Up/Down/Out, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Shane, Jess, Justin, Jesus, John, Ben
Once again, I tried some tozi passes but wasn't able to complete them. I think I'm going to have to do some research on it.
Shane did a good job of maintaining guard and grip fighting, I had to really work to pass his guard. With Jess I had to keep him from foot locking me and I mostly did that by keeping my heel on his ribs or hip and not let my foot get pulled to the side. I didn't see much of an opportunity to setup my own footlocks, maybe that will be my goal for tomorrow morning.
Office Hours Partner: Justin
Justin asked some questions about what I would do from the top of side control and we went over bread cutter, NS choke, and farside armbar. We rolled a few times and then discussed pieces of the rolls a why they happened and what he could have done to defend or prevent them.
Partner: Bob
Had some good practice with Bob. He didn't seem to favor the kesa escape until I told him to slow it down and bridge and turn rather than be explosive, seemed to make all the difference. He can definitely make the footlock tight, but I only had to give him a few pointers to make the technique more direct and to the point. A few things:
- Once the foot is in place, treat the stepping like you're doing a walking break fall. Don't fall back but fall to the side.
- Look away. He had a similar problem that I had that I wanted to see my partners face to see when I went too far with the ankle lock. It's pretty much required that you have to look away to turn the shoulders correctly to get the tap.
Rolling: Guard Up/Down/Out, Free Rolling
Rolled With: Shane, Jess, Justin, Jesus, John, Ben
Once again, I tried some tozi passes but wasn't able to complete them. I think I'm going to have to do some research on it.
Shane did a good job of maintaining guard and grip fighting, I had to really work to pass his guard. With Jess I had to keep him from foot locking me and I mostly did that by keeping my heel on his ribs or hip and not let my foot get pulled to the side. I didn't see much of an opportunity to setup my own footlocks, maybe that will be my goal for tomorrow morning.
Office Hours Partner: Justin
Justin asked some questions about what I would do from the top of side control and we went over bread cutter, NS choke, and farside armbar. We rolled a few times and then discussed pieces of the rolls a why they happened and what he could have done to defend or prevent them.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
February 1st 2017 - Gi All Levels
Theme & Techniques: Headlock Escape Bridge Over, Straight Footlock: Setup and Escape
Partner: Morgan
I was a little tired today and struggled with the warm-up. Jerad did a good job of laying out the unwritten rules of the school as it relates to leg locks and other techniques.
White belts are pretty much limited to straight ankle locks while rolling. At blue belt it opens up a bit allowing toe holds and knee bars, although most tournaments won't allow them at that level. Reaping the knee and heel hooks in gi is off limits for everyone. More things go in no gi.
Rolling: Guard
Rolled With: Morgan, Jess
Jess was pretty persistent with the ankle lock and even got me to tap once. I've noticed in the past that I let the lock go too far before I start defending. I need to fight it off from the start. Good on Jess for catching me.
Morgan's guard is getting more difficult to pass. He's doing some extra things to regain guard on the verge of being past that are great.
I rolled a few times with Jess after class and did my best to avoid another ankle lock. I attempted some loop chokes, also utilized the gift wrap for a pendulum sweep.
Partner: Morgan
I was a little tired today and struggled with the warm-up. Jerad did a good job of laying out the unwritten rules of the school as it relates to leg locks and other techniques.
White belts are pretty much limited to straight ankle locks while rolling. At blue belt it opens up a bit allowing toe holds and knee bars, although most tournaments won't allow them at that level. Reaping the knee and heel hooks in gi is off limits for everyone. More things go in no gi.
Rolling: Guard
Rolled With: Morgan, Jess
Jess was pretty persistent with the ankle lock and even got me to tap once. I've noticed in the past that I let the lock go too far before I start defending. I need to fight it off from the start. Good on Jess for catching me.
Morgan's guard is getting more difficult to pass. He's doing some extra things to regain guard on the verge of being past that are great.
I rolled a few times with Jess after class and did my best to avoid another ankle lock. I attempted some loop chokes, also utilized the gift wrap for a pendulum sweep.
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