Saturday 20 December 2008

Experimenting, working bad position and injury

Thursday night just before I went to sleep, my mind was on jiu jitsu. I was contimplating if it was possible to baseball choke someone from underneath by spinning into north south. All the choke mechanics are there. On this I went to sleep, and I dreamt. In my dream Roger Gracie told me the technique would not work and was shit, because it gave them side mount and it was very easy for them to defend the choke. To risky and way to low percentage. Maybe I think to much about jiu jitsu....

Arrive Friday training and before we start the session I experiment on Dan to see if it works, and although the choke is tight. It is to easy to move around and defend, very little control. Roger 1 - Jadon 0. Next up was a move I saw Leo Viera do in a vid on the martialfarts blog. Its a turtle attack move. They are turtled and you clasp your hands around there chest, you can get your hooks in so you put your head to the floor and roll completely over, pulling them into a roll as well. You end up both sitting and you get your hooks in for the back mount. Andy showed a few alternatives which were either flashier or higher percentage.

Me and Dan sparred abit, and the guy has transformed. He is aggresive and controling, with a wide array of moves and techniques. We started from standing where I am confident, he didnt give me anything easy so I went in for a clinch/wrap leg aroudn the knee and fall type takedown which worked. We sparred for an age, both exchanging top and bottom positions. Myself coming off abit worse in most of the exchanges. I decide to experiment and aim for getting a kneebar or achiles lock, as I want to get these better for the next step. My kneebar setups are way to loose though and give him top position a few times but Im wily and escape. Im pretty sure he catches me in a sub at some point, a choke I think. I sink in a ezekial but he upa's me out. Its like a 10 minute fight and I get into his guard and he opens to do some open guard. I grab a leg and put on a kimura grip and sit back for the achiles lock. I stick up my feet to stop him sitting into me. Which he does. I really use my legs to push him back and eventually my legs win over his arms and goto the side pull back to get the lock. A lil bit cheeky but I think we got to get comfortable with leg locks.

My elbow hasnt been feeling good last few days, feels very similar to my knee injury from ages a go. No muscular problems but shooting pains.

We do a throwing drill where we chain two throws together (as a result of the first being blocked). An inner leg reap followed by an outer leg reap using the same leg. My partner Nick suprises me as he seems to have a natural knack for throws.

We then move onto sparring from underneath side control, winner stays on (winning via mount or submission, bottom guy has to replace guard or escape). My first partner is a strong guy but I get mount without to much problems. Now for some reason I find myself loving being under side control. The top guys dont often realise that there is a danger of being swept or even submitted if they arnt carefull. I end up going against alot of big guys but this suits me fine, as they try to crush me but I find the gaps and replace guard or roll them over to land in their guard. A few times I land in side control, I take someones back, I get a mounted triangle. Really is my day. Andy comes to investigate what I am doing. I block his hip, shrimp and make room, grab his foot to control him and roll us over to land in his guard. I got the feeling he was just watching to check on what I was doing. He seems happy so Im happy. A few guys I get by putting into half guard as they try hop into mount, and then work for a sweep to full guard. I end up getting caught by an americana by one of the big guys I beat earlier, I make sure to tap early. It is worrying me now so I decide to give it a small 5 min rest.

Andy then changes it to sparring from under mount. I fair well here as well, as I find I have a good disposition for escapes. Go against Lee at one point who is very patient, I bring his head up to stop him bucking me off but he bides his time well and gets me. Found it very hard to see an opening here, more submission pressure needed. Occasionaly do get caught though and I give my elbow another rest. We then move to sparring from the back. I have to grind a training partners jaw more than I liked, but I get the RNC. Defending my back goes well, winning another few in a row untill someone decides to change tack and go for a clock chock. This is alot harder to escape I feel, and my spine is completely straightened and I am locked in tight and have to tap.

We then go onto the more regular sparring from inside the guard. Passing still feels good but I need to really be more wary of triangles. On my back and Im going for sweeps over submissions still. Ian our resident Japanese ju jitsu blackbelt controls my legs well and has the oppertunity to pass. His got an arm near my throat though and he decides to opt for the submission, me being in such a bad place with my knee's around my ears. Ian really taught me to toughen up against the big guys as he loves to stack on the pain. Unfortuantly because he decided not to pass and has a pseudo choke on I rolled my hips and got him in a armbar. He goes to defend but its in deep and we roll and he has to give. POSITION BEFORE SUBMISSION. I let him stay on in my place though as my elbow is giving me some strong shooting pains.

I watch people for a few minutes which is always interesting. I then opt to roll with Paul, whos got a few kg's on me. I go for an anaconda choke but dont have the grip in properly before I roll and end up giving him top. Its a good fight and I get my position back and end up in guard. He squeezes me so tight I feel I taste some bile. I stand up to pass and he omoplata sweeps me!, brilliant!. He gets top position a few times but is unsure on developing a submission. Over our spar he gets me twice, one choke and one arm lock. I dont get him but am happy with my escapes and movement. Although I perhaps should of tried to work him in guard abit.

End of the lesson and a few of the guys who wernt there on Tuesday get some stripes, very well deserved.

Me and Nick have our post lesson roll. We work his passing again and his sweep defense, which is really coming along. Then we free roll for abit, he gets a deep collar choke that Im forced to defend. And is starting to realise how important the hips are, by blocking mine and using his own. Good stuff.

I want to compete this sunday at the RGA charity intercomp. Elbow is giving me gip but hopefully itll be ok by then, its only a small event so should be okay. Ive been preparing by eating cheese toasties and Ferroro Roches.

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