Closed guard sweeps.

Today we worked the transitions in closed guard sweeps like the knee push or scissor sweep.

After doing the sweep, you can begin to set up the cross collar choke (in case you are bridged over right away) or swinging into an arm bar after being rolled.

I'd prefer to maintain the position though and was shown how to avoid the upa and bridge by sliding into S-mount.

Following that, we worked on using an arm drag to set up the pendulum sweep or to get head and arm control for a sweep into mount (and eventually side control, to finish the arm triangle). I have a very hard time getting my arm in the right place. I'd like to pretend that it's because I have enormous, python-esque biceps, but really I just need to get better about getting deeper with the arm.

Finally, we worked on closed guard sweep when they stand up. It's the classic arm under to shoulder, push into that knee with your hips and then walk your arms around to get into mount. I like this sweep, but see myself transitioning into De Le Riva more and more now.

Finally,

Foot locks and knee bars

So, we worked on some regular entries and then some interesting entries to some foot locks and arm bars today.

First, we worked the standard straight ankle lock from combat base. I need to work on bringing my foot to the right place to keep separation, but more importantly, I really need to get the feel of what my body is supposed to do to make the lock work. It's just very new for me to be messing with, but I need to start somewhere.

Next, we worked on the same submission, but getting it from side control when a person goes knee to elbow. If you raise your knee closest to their feet, it moves that ankle into attack position. You can then stand, turn and drop into an ankle lock, but one that is cross body.

If you'd rather try a knee bar, go to knee on belly....but with the opposite knee. You can rest there, seeing what is given. You can attack a toe hold, pull the knee bar or do a nice spin to mount.

Finally, we worked on the proper way to pop up and spin for an arm bar from knee on belly or when you've got someone in north/south with a trapped arm. I need to get this pop better. I think I can work on this by putting my punching bag on the floor and popping up on that.

Dog tired.

It was hot today. So hot, they turned the AC on....still super hot.

Judo was great. We worked on side sacrifice throws. First, we worked on Yoko Otoshi. I really feel like this throw would work really well against wrestlers, who give you so much energy coming right into you. I think that kazushi is vital here, because you must redirect them passed you. Otherwise, you're pulling them down into side control.

We worked something similar, which was like a combination of a side sacrifice and the beginning of a seoinage. Instead of much torque though, the energy came from the fall. I felt very comfortable with this throw and not as much with yoko otoshi.

For sparring, I was jelly, which is good because it forced a little more technique out of me. I couldn't rely on strength at all, because it was spent. I did some decent low mounting from side control and a nice omoplata sweep. I'm also getting quite comfortable with my low posture Tozi pass. I'm noticing that guys are actually not breaking my posture as much as they used to, which is good...I can start working other passes now.

Triangles, oh my!

So, I worked today on triangles from guard, mount and side control.

For the guard triangles, I need to be better about getting my hips high and biting with my leg. When I get that leg bent properly on the bite, I can produce a lot of downward pressure and fend off them most common pre-locked defense which is posturing. Once locked, I need to work more on creating my angle, dealing with then "in" arm and being prepared to switch (depending on the angle I'm at) to the arm bar or omaplata OR shoulder crawl back to avoid the stack.

For the mount triangle, I need to get better positioning and maintain more weight on the chest when setting this up. Yes, I'll probably always roll to guard to finish this....personal preference, but I need to have it essentially done before doing so.

From side control, I didn't like any of the entries. I'd just rather get mount.

Week three of judo

This was a great week. I got through without hurting myself and was feeling so good that I stayed after for sparring in BJJ. Great workout and I'm wiped out.

Judo started with a nice practice for the entry to Ippon Seoinage. I prefer the drop version simply because I feel like I have a hard time getting underneath people, but that will come with time.

Then we spent some time working on Tomoe Nage and different variations of this sacrifice type throw. I really enjoyed this throw a lot because I feel like I can create quite a bit of speed by letting my enormous mass fall backwards.

Finally, we spent time working on holding and escaping different pins, from side control, to kesa gatame and north/south with double underhooks.

I felt so good after class that I was able to stay for the BJJ sparring session, where I received a thorough beating.

Judo class two:

First, I injured myself again. Yippee. Once again, doing cartwheels. My body does not like cartwheels and I will be cheating during cartwheel time from now on. I pulled something in my gluts....so that's just great. Another week of one and done training.

Judo = 2, Allen = 0.

And yet, even with the injuries and the frustration, I can't help but want to go back. I learned so much this week that is useful.

First, during warm up drills, we worked the entry into the classic osoto gari, which can be a terribly nasty throw if you get it the way it's supposed to be done. Once again, I thought I knew this technique from my last school, but I'm finding out more and more that I'd benefit greatly from some mind bleach for most of my previous "learning."

Next, we worked on the entry into Hiza Guruma, and I really like this technique a lot. It really seems like something that would work well when being driven by my opponent. I'd just step to the side a little, kazushi and trap the knee. After I got the motion of it, it felt really good.

Finally, we did some sort of foot technique, which I can't remember the name of. It was not a following foot sweep where you ankle sweep the following leg, but rather, when moving side ways, you block the leading ankle when the two legs come together.

I really enjoyed it, but I need to get my body used to these movements so that I can stop injuring myself. I think that my two years of BJJ is giving me the wrong mindset here. I feel like I should just be able to go in an immediately work things, but I need to take a step back and start over from scratch. This is a new art and I'm going to have to acclimate.

Injuries

So, this is something that I haven't discussed, but it is an inevitable part of training in any serious martial art.

My back is terrible and has been for over a decade. It's better now than it has ever been, but it simply is not every going to be well. At best, it will be better than it is now....meaning that it will cause me problems on a less frequent basis.

Anyway, my back is acting up after judo and has caused me to miss some training. I hate, I repeat HATE, missing training. I just feel all lost and out of sync with everything. Hopefully, I will come back hungry and ready to work on new things, as I have in the past.

When I can't train, I spend a lot of time reviewing old techniques, watching videos and chatting about BJJ, just to keep my mind on it. It reminds me of something my old guitar teacher said. He said that if you are going to train guitar, you have to do more than just play. You have to listen, keep the guitar out, make guitar friends, talk about the guitar, go see live shows, do seminars, etc. You have to immerse yourself in the culture, so that it intersects with more of your life than just class. That makes you miss it and still relate to it, even when you have missed a class or two.

So, I've done the same with BJJ and can't wait to get back to the mat.

Judo, first class.

It made me both nervous and excited to be trying something new. Judo is, for me, the perfect compliment to BJJ, so though I'm taking an entirely different art, I really just see it as an extension of my BJJ game.

You start standing in any real competition in BJJ, plain and simple. You have to be able to get to the ground safely....to have a plan, which would help settle nerves. Wrestling and judo are the options, and from what I've seen I prefer judo...not for any particular technical reason...I just prefer that way it looks. Stately.

So, today I had to get used to some new warm up drills which will start to instill in my mind how to do certain falls, sweeps, reaps and steps. They were very foreign feeling at first, but just like with BJJ training the idea is to take something foreign and through repetition make it natural. I expect it to be a few months before I even feel comfortable with my steps. I actually feel very natural falling though. I'm not sure why. I just instinctively get that I'm supposed to slap my hand and catch myself. I've got decent balance too, so that's a good thing.

Today, we worked on the entry to the uchi mata, with various grips. Now, I know the names change with the varying grips and I need to learn all of that, but basically, the idea of the throw was the same....reaping the leg. I need to get better about cheating outside about 1 inch and reaping the leg rather than the groin.

July 2, 2010: Escaping Back Mount

So, who likes having their back taken and getting choked? Not me and so I was glad for the information in today's class.

We worked on the "scoop" escape from the back mount, the idea being to slide low in order to avoid the choke, keeping the elbows in to avoid the arm bar.

Once low, kick a leg out like a bridge to release a hook. Once that hook is released you roll away from it and onto the remaining hook.

We also worked another escape where you drop to a side and put your back on the ground, much like we were shown by Rodrigo Vaghi.

The most interesting one we worked was when one has been flattened out on your stomach. From there, you must kick a leg out to release a hook, and bring that knee to your elbow, closing off a side in turtle. You can repeat and end up in full turtle or roll the person over.