The lesson focused on turtle. 2 chokes to attack it and one escape. The first choke I have been waiting a long time for, but always forgot to ask it to be shown. The Peruvian necktie, I first saw it on the last season of "the ultimate fighter" CB dolloway subbing Rampage with it in a sparring session. The reason I was keen on it is because I have often found myself in the right position for it but just didnt know the correct setup. And its awesome. Just got to make sure I control the head enough so they cant slip it out. Comes on very strong. Heres a vid:
Alot of chatter in this vid, but I like the extra detail, anecdotes and explanations. So I was very pleased. Next technique was very similar except it was a gi choke with a quite a few elements, this made it seem quite complicated to me and I had trouble getting comfortable with it compared to the peruvian necktie.
I really liked the escape we did. From your turtle/sprawl position with them ontop of you fling your left arm up to create enough space for your head to get out. Then you shoot your right leg through and rolling to your left to escape from underneath. Then when out rolling to your right to finish ontop. Resist the urge to carry on rolling to your left as their arm is still there. It looks like the beginning stages of a breakdance routine but is very good. I wish I could find a vid to describe it better. Let me search one more time... woop woop! Found it!
See isnt that awesome?
Onto sparring!
I had to leave early today as I due to meet some friends for a drink in guildford, eventually leading to me trying to convince a bouncer at a club to let me wear my gi bottoms instead of my tracksuit trousers. He wasnt having any of it and got abit hostile. Annoyingly I was wearing my worst clothes as I had come straight from work, then training then out. Anywa, so I had to leave 15 minutes early so my eye was on the clock and I wanted to get in as much sparring as possible.
We started from within guard. I was feeling very positive and happy but also determined. Things went really well and the pendelum sweep and situp were in form. Armbars were also there. Spider noodles passed my guard but I gave him alot more trouble than I expected so was happy. One of the big guys got both his legs around me but was to heavy for me to stack him, I kept patient and tried to make room. For one or 2 seconds he ended up on top where I should of then conceeded, but at the time I decided he didnt have it controlled. He thought otherwise but I managed to escape and he let me stay on the mat. Another big guy came to fight, he did well. His posture was low and his arms down. Ive been trying to expand my arsenal so was trying things other than armbar. Kimura was looking good but he was on to it. He was also keeping me pinned to avoid the sweeps. I realised he was holding me very tightly and suprised myself by hooking my right arm underneath his left bicep, then putting my left arm over his tricep and gable gripping my hands. From there I then applied a kimura/wing type shoulder lock. Ive never tried this before from there so was happy that I got the tap. We were shown the technique as a counter to a triangle defense, not as a sub in itself. Ive had it done to me when Ive defended triangles by curling my arm around there leg. I hope I can put together more subs outside my normal stable on the fly.
Sparred my friend James, who is really coming along. I was feeling good but was still trying to get in as many spars as possible. I setup an armbar from threatning a gi choke, I put it on and we rolled abit. James is quite a strong guy, he went to protect his arm behind his leg but didnt make it. I kept on pulling, he tapped, I didnt feel it! :( . I carried on putting it on thinking he was using his strength, still not feeling his taps untill he verbally submitted. But it was to late I had hurt his arm, his already injured arm!. I felt really bad and still do, I really hope he will be ok for Kent. It wont heal before then and he will have to make sure he taps early if people go for it. Ive had the exact same thing happen to me and it sucks, so Im trying to think of a way to make it up to him. Ill buy him something at the comp maybe.
They then did some sparring from knee's but I had to leave.
Roll on saturday!
Didnt drink much due to looking like a hoodlum so no drunken style bjj this time. Saw a face I havnt seen for a very long time. A bluebelt who was about in the initial first days of the club, a Royal marine who Andy has known for a while. I also remember him because he omoplata'd me, which tends to stick with you. He took the warm up which was fun and different. Getting everyone to name a different ab excersise and then having to do 10 reps of it, among other things. Andy did take the lesson though. As its saturday the focus is on sparring and competition. We did some throws which are becoming alot more regular at the club. Perhaps due to changes being made because of Rogers judo training with Ray Stevens?. Also an open guard/spider guard escape.
We then did some in guard position sparring as normal. I felt lucid, passive and on form. Pulling off sweeps smoothly and transitioning well when thinks went wrong. I came up against Ali who was going no gi, Ali is an mma guy who is bigger and much stronger than me. He is also probaly better. We had a long fight, I kept on trying for the sweep and kimura's but couldnt get a grip on him. At one point I got his posture down but he fought for it back. He nearly passed ac ouple of time but I managed to put him back in guard. In the end he did pass but I felt happy with my efforts. Chris the poleaxe of doom complimented me on doing well, against him and the heavier guys. This made me feel very chuffed as he doesnt hand out praises willy nilly and I rate him as our top guy under Andy.
Next came sparring from back, side mount and mount!. For this I teamed up with Terry. I feel quite happy underneath side mount as I feel my strength is in spotting gaps and manouvering pressure. Terry did manage to mount me a few times though. From under mount Im not to bad at escaping as I am pretty wiggly and good at defending armbars. However my subs from ontop mount still really suck, my control has really taken a dive. I can hold the position well just not finish. Ive put it down to being to rushed, where I should take a little time setting it up. Also I think I should try setting up more than 1 sub at a time. I.E threatning a choke and using there defense as a setup for an armlock.
From the back Terry completely schooled me, he really was on form today. I felt I was being to passive being overconfident I would spot a gap. He was using a technique he picked up from BJ Penn, where he would trap an arm underneath one of his legs. Which then made it almost impossible to defend a choke. He subbed me more times in those 5 mins than he has in the last 10 months. He went through this technique and showed me a genius way of setting it up, and gave me some food for thought as well. He managed to get my arm underneath his leg each time because he would get a grip on my arm and push up. Instinctively I would then push down with my arm, he would then suddenly change pressure direction and my arm would go down and be wrapped by his leg!. Even once he explained it, it was hard to avoid because of that instinct to resist your opponent. I cant help thinking this has huge application for setting up other techniques as well.
Sparred abit with a new guy who Ive been talking abit to. His really got a thirst to improve so I enjoy sharing what Ive learnt. He seems to think showing him things and sparring him is an unecessary use of my time. I always assure him its not, because I get quite abit out of it as I get to really think through the techniques when I try explain them. I recently told him "position before submission" and I think he has taken it to heart. He game has improved alot recently, he no longer just dives in. He fights for his grips and fights to get rid of mine, postures up and is moving better. I really do love seeing people improve, and I get a real buzz if I can give some advice or tips that aids this improvement.
I think one day I would really love to do some instructing, although I need to be more concise and clear!. As you can probaly tell in this blog!
Heres your reward for reading through that jibber jabber:
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