Class #298 RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 30/03/2010
I forgot my note pad today, as I was at an academic meeting earlier to discuss a conference paper I'm presenting. So instead, I grabbed a newspaper on my way back to High Wycombe: a handily plain advert with lots of white in it worked just as well, though must have looked a bit weird to the rest of class. Meh.
Kev didn't continue with side control for the advanced session, instead looking into two submission options off a failed scissor sweep, starting with an armbar. If their base is too solid to get the scissor sweep, step off their same side hip with your chopping leg. That will enable you to kick the bent leg by their stomach straight out. Use that space and momentum to swivel towards the chopping side, clamping your previous bent leg down on their back.
You can then move into armbar, which would normally be completed by raising your hips. Kev had another option, which somebody showed him a while back: turn their hand, then push that arm towards your knee. As long as you have their elbow pulled past your legs, you can get the tap from here too.
The second option was a triangle, which Kev also showed us last month. Those two submission follow-ups reminded me that I really need to try sweeps more from guard, which I hardly ever even attempt these days. It used to be the first thing I tried, especially the sit-up sweep, but I seem to have very much fallen out of the habit.
Sparring with Howard, I wanted to try Roy Dean's take on the Gracie Gift. Unfortunately I continue to have trouble dealing with that collar grip, though I did eventually get into the position I wanted. I wrapped his leg close to my body and kept my elbow back, as Dean teaches. However, I didn't drive forward enough, so I ended up almost getting knocked to the side. That meant I needed to step over and trap Howard's head to free myself.
I also had lots of fun trying armbars under side control, and to my surprise, got closer than I ever have before, but Howard managed to pull his arm free. Judging from the times I've attempted what is presumably a low percentage technique (as its from an inferior position), it looks to be a useful way to make the person on top more cautious. Naturally, that in turn helps my escape prospects.
Against Kev, I still wanted to work passing, so stayed in his guard each time we restarted. As a decent brown belt, Kev was taking it easy, letting me move into a double underhooks pass, but I couldn't finish it. Normally I go to reach the collar and lose the position, but I remembered in time. I switched to wrapping my arms over the legs and pulling them in, driving forward. However, it proved to be to no avail, as Kev made his legs heavy and I couldn't do anything. He did mention I wasn't doing anything wrong afterwards, so at least I appear to have got the basics of the technique right for once.
At a point where he was about to pass my half guard, I tried to quickly drive my leg through to stop him and recover guard. However, I must have been too explosive, as my calf immediately and painfully cramped up. I guess I haven't drunk much water today either, due to coming straight from Uni rather than getting in my usual meals at home. So, silly error on my part. Kev showed me a good calf stretch later, where you put your foot against the wall, angled upwards, then lean in.
Finally, I was trying to play with half butterfly to control the leg, and had a brief chance to switch to full butterfly. I didn't seize that moment, so Kev was able to sit on my leg. So rather than having the control of guard, I was relatively stuck. My instinct is still to try and go to closed guard, so I need to make butterfly instinctual as well, so I don't have that moment of hesitation where I'm trying to get my bearings.
Class #297 RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 30/03/2010
In case people missed it, fellow blogger Georgette recently popped up on The Fightworks Podcast, talking about the right way to coach somebody at a tournament. Very cool to hear somebody speak when you've only ever interacted with them online!
Still on the topic of bloggers, Seymour from Meerkatsu.com set up a new Facebook group for BJJ bloggers to share ideas, here. If you have a BJJ blog, feel free to join in the discussion (I'd especially be interested in people's thoughts on this).
The Gracie Barra Fundamentals segment was a Haymaker defence defence today, which made for a slight contrast to the Gracie Combatives version, where they duck under and move to a side-on clinch. As ever Kev, noted that anyone who is trained in striking won't throw a punch like that, but if somebody does, you perform a motion as if you're combing your hair to block the punch, then wrap over their arm. Step forward with your same side foot, while simultaneously driving your other arm into their neck. That means you can drive forwards and take them down, so essentially a sort of modified osoto-gari throw.
Kev's main focus for the beginner class was transitioning from side control to mount. He began with the basic technique, but with an important tweak. After you've grabbed their knee to stop them snatching half guard, you don't swing your leg over. Instead, step through, bringing your knee under your own arm, then whack your foot on the other side. This has the advantage of making it more difficult for them to bridge and roll you mid-transition. If you have any trouble with flexibility, simply move you hips further towards their head.
That was followed by the knee slide alternative. Again, you progress as normal, but the difference is that you're either grabbing their belt by the hip, or cupping that hip with your hand. You don't let go of that grip until your knee is on the floor: otherwise, they can try to shrimp out and dislodge you.
Often when you try to slide your knee across, they will attempt to block mount by putting their hand against your knee. That means you can either go for the potentially risky option of an armbar from knee on belly, or alternatively, underhook that arm. You can then lift it, putting that limb out of commission, while you complete your slide into mount unimpeded.
Shoulder pressure is key with both of these: I tend to use a gable grip, but Kev mentioned that getting of their lapel and wrapping it around their arm is a strong hold too. It is also essential to isolate their near arm. The orthodox way to do that is to dig your knee into their elbow to pry it away from their torso, then drive up into their armpit. However, as Kev said later when I asked if you could do it without the knee inside, there are other options. For example, Maurição simply drops his hip straight onto the arm, trapping it by their side (as he once showed us in a lesson at RGA HQ, in the context of knee on chest). You can also pin the arm to their chest with your upper body, should they move it into a vulnerable position.
Sparring from side control was purely positional, with no submissions allowed. This reiterated how tough it can be to kill that near arm, meaning that I ended up trying to move around, shifting to north-south, sitting on their head, different grips etc. I was being particularly reliant on gi grips, so made a conscious effort to try and incorporate underhooks as well, along with lots of shoulder pressure and keeping my hips down.
On top with Howard, I didn't manage to do a whole lot. The only bit of success was an opportunistic leg swing into mount while his upper body was occupied, but that wasn't so much about technique as luck and timing. On top of one of the white belts, things were definitely easier, which is where I was experimenting with side control grips and trying to move around to north-south.
However, this specific white belt is definitely getting better, and had some intriguing defences. At one point I was all set, having dealt with the near arm, but he somehow managed to reach behind my gi pants and grab the back of them. That meant I couldn't shift back properly, forcing me to take a different approach instead
Underneath Howard, I was looking to swim through and stop him establishing an underhook, which resulted in lots of handfighting. Kicking my knee high towards the armpit and trying to spin worked well a few times, using my legs to gain purchase on their head to distract them, which in turn helped me rotate. I'm still generally too flat, so must get on side more. I can escape from a flat position and feel comfortable there, but it's a bad habit.
Under the white belt, he stayed very firm with that shoulder pressure, so much so that I started to have visions of cauliflower ear. Apparently the focus on pressure is something I showed him last time we sparred, so good to see I was able to be of some help. However, he sometimes forgot about his legs, meaning I could snatch half guard.
Short Review: As far as I'm aware, this is the only BJJ instructional book on the market which will fit in your coat pocket. It is also one of the very few by a BJJ instructor based in the UK, with an interesting take on BJJ history from a Sports Science PhD. The technical explanations rely heavily on text, rather than the exhaustive photography of a series like Ed Beneville. In many respects, this is a book reminiscent of Mastering Jujitsu, so fans of Renzo's book might well enjoy this too. Available to buy here.
Full Review: Last year, I spent a few months training under Ricardo at Nova Força in Surrey. While checking out his old website, I saw this book linked down the bottom left as 'our training manual'. It's written by Ricardo and Ed Semple, the owner of the sadly defunct Sleeping Storm Dojo, Nova Força's old home.
What got me interested in actually buying it was one of those Amazon 'look inside' previews, because that provided an opportunity to look at the opening section on BJJ history. As books on BJJ history are rare, I immediately became keen to pick this up.
BJJ: A Training Manual was one of the various books under the tree at Christmas last year. The history isn't quite as extensive as I'd hoped, but nevertheless it does provide a different perspective. Semple has a PhD in Sports Science, which he brings to bear in discussions throughout the book. He also has a black belt in judo, as well as training (at least at the time) under Ricardo in BJJ.
Nevertheless, it would appear that Semple (who I assume is the main writer here, with Ricardo providing technical input, but I could be wrong) is not afraid to criticise judo. I was surprised to see him say on page ten that "at this time [1900] judo had virtually no ground fighting techniques." While that is commonly stated in histories of BJJ, the denigration of judo groundwork is often a point of contention for judoka: I need only look at the comments to my own history post for some examples.
Semple views BJJ as a means to return judo to 'the streets'. He also attributes Maeda with the progression often claimed by Helio, saying that "Maeda refined the judo skills he had learnt so that he would win fights against opponents of all styles, sizes and abilities. Being relatively small, he knew that it was on the floor that he would dominate and win." Semple also emphasises the central importance of competition to BJJ, noting on page thirteen that:
What defined both Maeda and the Gracie family, and therefore their skill as fighters, was their willingness to fight anyone from any background. They believed absolutely in their skill and technique and thus they had the confidence and skill to take on and defeat anyone and everyone. Gracie jiu-jitsu schools throughout their history have issued a challenge to fighters from all styles and schools to come and fight them without rules. It is in these no-rules fights, or what were to become known as vale tudo (Portuguese for 'anything goes') fights, that the Gracie family and their students would evaluate, refine and develop the techniques. The family had little time for stylized patterns of practice or complex technical movements that helped a student to gain a higher belt or grade, they had one interest and one only – the development and execution of techniques that would defeat their opponents as quickly and efficiently as possible in the arena.
The question of size is another interesting point raised by Semple's history. As I've discussed recently, there is a long-standing myth that Helio was much smaller than those who came before him, necessitating a radically new approach to the techniques he learned. I remain dubious, and if Semple's statistics are accurate, that only strengthens my opinion.
Semple writes on page thirteen that "Carlos Gracie was a similar fighter to Maeda because, like him, he was relatively small at 61kg (135lb)." If Carlos was only 61kg, then it seems highly unlikely that Helio would require a different methodology, because both men clearly would not be able to rely on strength and size. I was surprised to see Semple go on to say that Carlson was also small, stating on page fourteen:
Carlson was also relatively small at 72.4kg (160lb), but he is acknowledged as one of the best Gracie fighters ever and as having had a huge influence on the technical development of Gracie jiu-jitsu. He altered many of the techniques his uncles had taught him because of his small stature and relative weakness and was to refine and develop many of these techniques so that they became even les reliant on strength and conditioning. He is quoted as saying that he could not get out of certain of the positions that he had been taught by his uncles so he had to invent new techniques to help him to escape from them.
Then again, that is also a little confusing. If Carlson was bigger than both his father and uncle, why would he need to modify their techniques to work for a smaller fighter? Either way, I thought this was intriguing, given that I've always imagined Carlson was a relatively large man, seeing how he is regarded as responsible for reaffirming the importance of athleticism in BJJ (something Semple discusses later). I guess the pictures of him in later life, where he certainly doesn't look small, give a misleading impression of his build in the early years. I've seen a few earlier pictures, like around the time Carlson fought Santana the first time, but assumed he bulked up shortly after that point.
Semple acknowledges the importance of judo, saying on page fifteen that "the influence of judo on Brazilian jiu-jitsu is immense and a fundamental part of whence it originates." However, he also states on page seventeen that BJJ has "a more sophisticated ground game," while judo has "become less and less effective on the ground," as a result of competition rules. In judo, "this formality, the restrictive rules and the move to emphasise stand-up techniques has diluted its effectiveness in the mixed martial arts," according to Semple, By contrast, "Brazilian jiu-jitsu has developed into an art that defines effective ground fighting and, as a result, is an essential part of mixed martial arts competition."
It is a comparatively brief history, but certainly more extensive than most other BJJ books, with the exception of Mastering Jujitsu, still the best combination of history with technique. I enjoyed Semple's unusual viewpoint, and for me it was the selling point of the book (which is also relatively inexpensive).
There are a few problems that run throughout the text, which appear to be down to printing errors. For example, there are no apostrophes. Instead, the text just has a space. The same thing happens with special charaters, like on 'Mata Leão'. In other places, letters are bunched together, though this was fairly infrequent.
As the book is text-heavy, that makes those lapses in formatting more noticeable. Rather than mainly describing techniques through illustrations, Semple and Da Silva prefer to explain each move step-by-step in large chunks of prose. There are photographs as well, but nothing like as many as, say, Ed Beneville's densely packed volumes. This has its advantages: BJJ: A Training Manual is much smaller than the other instructional books I own, meaning that it is the only one which I could easily carry in my bag on the train, or even a coat pocket.
The authors cover off a number of basic drills in the first chapter, like shrimping, but generally just a couple of pictures. As before, it mainly relies on text. The chapter also begins another general trend, which is the importance of physical conditioning and taking care of your body. Unlike many instructionals, such as No Gi Essentials, Semple and Da Silva advocate bridging off your head, like a wrestler. This is because it is a great exercise for strengthening your neck: the authors emphasise that BJJ is designed for practical fighting, so you need to be in shape.
Indeed, the authors then go further: BJJ is for fighting everyone: "Many of the techniques you will learn have not just been developed so that you can fight other Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters, but so that such fighters are also effective against other styles." That leads into the next chapter, on takedowns, as you need to get your opponent to the ground. All the usual techniques are discussed, such as the double-leg, along with defences like the sprawl.
Chapter Four explores the guard, starting with 'basic guard' (which is what I would call closed guard). Butterfly guard follows, as does spider guard, then submissions. Semple and Da Silva run through the classic trio of armbar, triangle and omoplata, choosing to demonstrate the triangle off spider guard.
I found their description of the other fundamental submission, a cross choke, a little confusing. This is because it contradicts what I've learned in class. Here's how the book describes it:
Place your hand palm up underneath the collar of his gi and drive the hand as deep as possible. It is important that your hand is on the opposite side of your partner's neck so that your arm crosses his body. Your fingers are inside the collar of the gi but your thumb is outside the collar. This gives you a good grip. You then do exactly the same with the other hand on the other side of your partner's body. Make sure that you have a really deep grip and then simply pull down on his gi and open your elbows outwards. This will pull his head forwards toward you and drive the blade of your forearms against his neck. This will cut off his air supply and will force him to submit.
The specific part I'm referring to is flaring the elbows to complete the choke. I had thought that was a mistake, as it makes it easier to defend the submission: you simply wrap over the arms and drive them together, which blocks the choke. That is why I have normally seen instructors emphasise twisting your grips to block off their arteries, which is more difficult to defend.
Chapter Five moves on to the half guard, first showing how to get up on your side from the bottom. On top, Da Silva and Semple plump for the shoulder pressure pass, before explaining two submissions, a kimura from underneath and an arm triangle on top. Passing the guard is up next, and unfortunately it kicks off with a pet hate of mine.
Page sixty-four suggests digging your elbows into your partners' inner thighs to force their guard open, basically using brute force and pain compliance. It is a legitimate technique, but I personally dislike it: I find Saulo's technical approach much more appealing. However, digging the elbows in seems to fit with the tough, no-nonsense attitude of Semple and Da Silva's book.
Da Silva and Semple follow with a far more pleasant alternative from standing, where you control their arm before you get your feet, then push on their knee to open the guard. The chapter closes with an open guard pass, pushing the opponent's feet to their head and passing around their legs.
The focus then shifts to a chapter on side control, covering both the basics of the position and a few submission attacks. As is common with numerous other instructionals, knee-on-belly and north-south are treated as subsets of side control, with several arm bars from each of those positions.
Semple makes the statement on page seventy-three that "Brazilian jiu-jitsu has evolved into a much more complex and comprehensive fighting art on the floor than judo has." Again, as Semple is a black belt in judo himself, it is interesting that he feels it necessary to make this criticism (though it is one many BJJers would agree with). However, as the next chapter on the mount demonstrates, Semple and Da Silva are not blind to BJJ's flaws. The most glaring of these is striking, something for which a BJJ fighter is ill-equipped. As they go on to state, "the complete fighter must be able to fight standing up as well as on the floor."
Chapter Eight covers the mount and its submissions: the authors decided to take the armbar and a cross choke. Chapter Nine is similarly straightforward, demonstrating how to take the back, then secure a rear naked choke. That leads into two other powerful submissions from the back, the bow and arrow choke, then finally an armbar.
After all those finishing holds, Semple and Da Silva emphasise in the next chapter that submissions aren't everything. Instead, they cover sweeps, which also provides them with the opportunity to make an essential point about attitude in training:
Do not think that you always have to finish and submit your partner during practice. This can be counter-productive, especially if your partner is less skilled than you and therefore relatively easy to finish. One of the best drills you can do in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is to fight but with no finishing techniques, so that you and your partner and constantly fighting and striving for better positions from which to control one another.
That fits in perfectly with the philosophy I have always tried to follow in BJJ, as exemplified by my favourite thread of all time. As gratifying as tapping people can be, it does not necessarily result in a fulfilling or worthwhile training experience, especially if it becomes your only goal in class.
The chapter kicks off with the 'hugging sweep', which is a variation on the flower sweep. The motion is the same, but the difference appears to be in the control: their arm is across their body, clamped in place by reaching around their back and pulling them close. This is also how I first learned the flower sweep at RGA: Kev's more recent class made the technique seem far less complex.
Semple and Da Silva continue with a flower sweep off an armbar, before completing that segment with a basic sweep from butterfly guard. The final technique is unusual, even though it is normally the first sweep you learn: the ankle grab. The surprise element is that the authors do not suggest you push on the hips or into the stomach. Instead, they open their legs wide and press just above the knees.
Escapes are covered next, with a selection of defences to the triangle and armbar, then trap and roll from mount, brought to a close by tips on freeing yourself from back mount. There are also two important theoretical points, at the stard and end of the chapter. First, the authors comment that:
in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as in any other sport, you need to have some humility and not be too self-important to be submitted by your partners. Of course, nobody wants to be submitted, but you must put yourself in difficult situations to develop the skills necessary to cope with them.
Second, Da Silva and Semple make a recommendation I think is essential to keep in mind, and it is something I try to do after every spar: ask questions. While it can occasionally feel a bit awkward, especially if you're a beginner, getting feedback from sparring partners is hugely beneficial.
The last two chapters are entirely different, as they do not discuss technique. Instead, they focus on nutrition and the correct approach to training. Chapter Twelve is called 'Eat Like A BJJ Fighter', breaking down the main constituents of a good BJJ diet, like water, carbohydrates, protein and so on. There was also a potentially useful point on eating a small, protein rich meal, if your class times mean you always end up coming home late.
Chapter Thirteen is similarly entitled 'Train Like A BJJ Fighter', and begins with another interesting point: according to the authors, health and fitness are not the same thing. Health is judged by indicators like cholesterol, diet and blood pressure. Semple writes that, by contrast, "fitness tests will look at how quickly you can run or what weight you can lift." That leads into the point that even if you may gain fitness from BJJ, "only a healthy lifestyle will help you to stay healthy."
The focus in that closing chapter in on fitness, so the authors discuss class elements like the warm-up, drilling, sparring, and the all-important warm-down, something far too many classes forget to include. From both a personal and historical perspective, this part of the book was also notable for the pictures. The old dojo at Sleeping Storm is no more, but many of the people you'll see in these pictures, including the one near the start of the review, are still training with Ricardo at Nova Força. I'm guessing that the final picture, which is captioned 'the founders of Brazilian jiu jitsu UK', refers to the club, rather than the advent of the sport in this country (as that title would rightly fall to someone like Maurição Gomes or Chen Morales, or perhaps Arlans Siqueira).
This is a short, easily portable book, with the relatively unique selling point of coming from a UK BJJ instructor, who also happens to have been one of the first in the country. There are details on history, diet and training approach, along with plenty of basic techniques, explained thoroughly through text, with a few accompanying photos. If you liked Mastering Jujitsu, you may well like this too. Available to buy here.
Short Review: With this DVD set, Roy Dean fills a gaping hole in the instructional market: the no-gi beginner. Dean lays out the basic principles of nogi with his trademark smooth production, clear explanations and cerebral approach. 'Essential Movements' and 'Essential Grips' provides the new student with the understanding they need to confidently take off the gi. After each demonstration of technique, Roy Dean shows the practical application through sparring footage. Even better, he also includes further examples of rolling, with an in-depth commentary.
The set then progresses to more advanced jiu jitsu, where Dean shifts from running through a syllabus to effectively presenting private lessons. He combines techniques, resolves 'what if' scenarios and presents multiple alternatives. That means the material on this DVD set will grow with you, remaining relevant throughout your training. The more you improve, the more you'll get out of No Gi Essentials. It is quite possibly Roy Dean's best DVD to date, an impressive achievement considering the high standard he has set in the past.
Full Review: When I trained at the Roger Gracie Academy HQ, classes were split into beginner and advanced. Once you got three stripes on your white belt, you could go to both. The no-gi lesson was categorised as advanced: I can remember sitting at the side of a no-gi lesson as a new white belt, waiting for my class to start, thinking how much more difficult it all looked.
The most famous teacher of no-gi jiu jitsu is probably Eddie Bravo. What his 10th Planet school lacks in results, they make up for in marketing. That unfortunately means that many new students look to Bravo for tips on no-gi training, whether or not that was his intention. Whatever else you can say about 10th Planet, it isn't for beginners, despite what misled initiates might think.
Roy Dean has progressed in his mastery of instructionals since Blue Belt Requirements. He now makes sure to include the practical application of each move against a resisting opponent, after first introducing the technique with multiple angles. Competition footage is present too, but best of all, there is sparring with an in-depth commentary.
This makes for a tremendous addition to the instructional. There was rolling on Purple Belt Requirements too, but without commentary. This is something I asked Dean about at his UK seminar: basically, he ran out of time. I'm really pleased that he was able to include it for No Gi Essentials, as it boosts the already high standard even further.
My one complaint is that everybody on this DVD set is wearing the same rash guard. A cardinal rule of gi instructionals is that you must wear a different colour gi from the person who is helping you demonstrate, otherwise the tangle of limbs can become confusing. That is less of a problem in no-gi, but it would still have been beneficial for one person to wear a white long-sleeved rash guard and white gi pants, while the other wore black or blue.
Having said that, I can't think of any specific instances where I had to rewind to clarify whose arm was grabbing whose leg. This is further helped by the greater use of close-ups on this DVD, as well as slow motion replays. It also appears that Dean has stopped adding in the words 'Discover Who You Are' at the end of every video, although that may be because this is a pre-release copy.
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The first DVD begins with a brief Welcome(01:07). Normally, that title indicates a talk by Dean explaining the concepts and principles he is planning to cover. This time, there are no talking heads: it is basically a trailer for the rest of the set, with a series of clips showcasing a variety of no-gi techniques, as Dean's distinctive musical stylings play in the background.
Essential Movements(05:15) starts off the technical meat of the DVD. This is especially beneficial to the beginner, as Dean lives up to the 'essential' remit of the title, kicking off with how to bridge (just over a minute). Dean advises against emulating wrestlers, who bridge right up onto their head. That makes for a powerful bridge, but it also places a lot of strain on your neck: instead, Dean recommends bridging up on your shoulders (see the above picture, which you can click for a larger version). I was pleased to see that one of the best parts of Purple Belt Requirements has been continued, as Dean follows up his demonstration with the practical application in sparring. That proves to be the case for almost all the other techniques on this DVD, a major point in its favour.
Dean calls the shrimp (about forty seconds) the next step from bridging. This makes sense, as when escaping, bridging is not enough: you need to make use of the newly created space by shrimping your hips out. Dean decides to go for a one legged shrimp, so appears to be putting it into the context of escaping mount or side control.
As he emphasises, to develop good escapes you need more than one option. The turnover (slightly under a minute) enables you to move to your knees, such as if you're looking to escape side control. Dean covers a basic error here, noting that you should avoid leaving a trailing arm. Instead, make sure to tuck your elbow underneath, which will better facilitate the turn to your knees.
Similarly, you can also shrimp to knees (about thirty seconds). This is a drill Kev often uses for the warm-up at RGA High Wycombe: watching Roy Dean's version, I think I may have been doing it wrong. He shifts his upper body back towards his knees, whereas I've been bringing them forward underneath me.
Weight Transfer (just over a minute) gives Dean the opportunity to offer up a definition of BJJ, saying that "Jiu jitsu is the art of pushing and pulling, and in that process you have to learn how to shift your weight." Here, he is thinking specifically of transferring your weight to your hands. To illustrate that point, he uses the example of spinning into an armbar. It also reminded me of shifting your knee up to their head when moving to technical mount. Dean's practical application brings up another example, as he applies a kneebar.
The last of the essential movements is entitled Pivot (about a minute). What Dean means by that is basically using your knee to swivel on the spot. His application makes this clear, or rather, the application by one of his students (refreshingly, a woman). After driving her knee into Dean's stomach, she spins into an armbar.
Having covered movements, Dean moves on to Essential Grips(10:37). This is very important for a no-gi DVD, as the need to adapt your grips is the biggest adjustment when you take off the gi. Dean starts with a short introduction, where he points out the specific differences: "With a gi, or with a uniform, you can grip almost arbitrarily and have some degree of control over your opponent, but with nogi jiu jitsu, you want to focus on the joints."
For the wrist (thirty seconds), Dean emphasises that you don't need to squeeze all that hard, just enough to be able to follow their arm. That combines with the elbow (forty seconds), which you can use to establish a two-on-one grip, then push on their hips with your feet for a solid control. This enables you to perform an armdrag, as Dean demonstrates in the practical application following the technical explanation.
Next, Dean grabs the shoulder (just over a minute), into a position that is effectively Shawn Williams Guard without the leg. Also reminiscent of that guard, Dean uses this grip to move into an omoplata. He calls the shoulder "valuable real estate" for no-gi, as not only is it useful for control underneath, but it also helps when passing, something Dean goes on to prove in his practical application.
The shoulder works well in conjunction with gripping the head (slightly under a minute), where again it is useful for passing the guard. Dean also shows how it helps set up sweeps, such as the sit-up sweep. He then moves on to hips(a bit over a minute), which he shows both as a guard pass, using that pressure again, and how it can assist in a takedown.
With the knee (about a minute), Dean advises that if you want to deal with their leg, don't try and manipulate the whole limb. By focusing on just the knee, you can better achieve your aims. He uses the example of passing butterfly guard, as well as preventing your partner from replacing their guard, by simply pushing down on the knee, completing your pass. The accompanying practical applications start using slow motion at this point, which is especially helpful for fast transitions, like quickly pushing on the knee to slip to side control.
To pass the open guard, it is important to pay attention to the feet (a little over a minute). Dean shows how you can push their feet diagonally over their head for one pass, then takes another example from butterfly guard. This is the same pass I've seen Kev teach, where you trap their foot in order to move past the leg.
The longest section discusses the wrist (a bit under two minutes). The grip here is bringing their arm across their throat, then reaching a hand under their neck to hold the wrist. That traps their arm uncomfortably against their neck, and also gives you a lot of control, particularly from technical mount.
Dean shows in his practical application how this control lends itself to armbars, running through that submission against a variety of training partners. It is also powerful from guard, where Dean uses the grip to aid in a sweep. As you can maintain that grip throughout, it will put you in mount, where you can use the techniques Dean just demonstrated.
Finally, and to my surprise, Dean has a segment on the D'arce (slightly over a minute). I hadn't thought of that as a grip, but it does demonstrate a principle Dean wants to bring up at this point. He talks about "binding two limbs together at once," something integral to applying the D'arce effectively.
The next option on the title menu is Takedowns(05:06). This also signals a shift in presentation from multiple segments to one long chunk of instruction. However, that could be because this is a pre-release copy, meaning chapter headings may be incorporated later. Dean covers the options off the basic singe leg sequence, where you shoot, secure their leg, then stand up, with their leg now trapped between both of yours.
This also begins another trend, and a very welcome one at that: covering 'what if' scenarios. Dean shows you what to do with that leg once you've trapped it, but also how to respond if they circle their leg outside or inside. Interestingly, Roy Dean also draws upon his judo black belt knowledge, rather than just wrestling. He details the execution of classic throws like the uchimata and harai goshi in a nogi environment, as well as how to switch from one to the other.
Dean's next lesson is on the Armdrag(06:24). He states that the best way to learn the principles of the armdrag is from the standing variation. 'Wax off' to circle around their arm, pull them in, while simultaneously stepping back them. Dean also notes that you need to push their hips forward, as otherwise they could potentially throw you over their shoulder. If you don't want to go to their back, you can also reach down to their heel, then take them down by driving forwards.
You can apply an armdrag from the knees, baiting them by leaving your shoulder slightly forwards. Though this is a no gi DVD, Dean does occasionally point out adjustments required for gi, such as here. If you're wearing a gi, their grip in this situation can cause you problems, so timing the movement correctly is essential to your success. Dean makes certain that he provides you with as much help as possible, with plenty of details.
The two-on-one grip on the wrist from earlier is also pushed further, to its main application, an armbar to the back from guard. Again, Roy Dean goes through a lot of 'what if' situations, telling you what to do if they post their arm and block the movement, if they try to bring their knee to pass, if you don't quite make it and end up back in guard, among others. The coverage is thorough.
That section is followed by an exploration of the Kimura(10:37), a fundamental submission. After running through the basic application, where he also adds that he prefers thumb on top out of preference, things get more complex. There are numerous follow-up submissions, such as a pressing armbar, and the kimura also combines with sweeps. The sit-up sweep is a particularly good fit, as even if they block that sweep by basing out with an arm, you can shift into triangles and armbars.
Dean has some other interesting options involving the kimura in more defensive situations. First, he shows how you could grab their wrist as they pass your guard. If you time it right and have the proper grip, you can then circle their arm up and over, then roll them right into side control, where you can apply your own submission. However, Dean notes that this does depend on them looking towards your knees.
Finally, there was a method for defending the kimura to move into your own attack. As they go for the lock, put your hand between their legs, fingers pointing towards you. That makes it possible to shift your weight back, whereupon you can jump over their legs, keep moving round to their head, and eventually spin into an armbar.
Another technique that fits with both the kimura and the sit-up sweep is the Guillotine(08:14). As before, this starts off basic, with Dean showing a common error beginners make when trying to apply the guillotine. It is a slight adjustment that makes all the difference: Dean feels it is important to get this submission in your arsenal. That's because he treats the guillotine like a jab in boxing, something you should always be threatening in order to keep your opponent under pressure, hopefully leading to an error on their part.
You don't necessarily need both arms to get the tap, as Dean shows in his next technique. He simply gets his thumb by their throat, puts his elbow back and expands his chest to effect the tap. I would have thought it is tough to maintain control in that position, but certainly looks worth a try: I always find it hard to get both arms through.
If you have a guillotine locked on, but they pull away, Dean advises that you don't let go. Instead, follow them and push through to mount, still maintaining that hold, which could lead to a submission. This may not apply in no-gi, but I remember Kev mentioned that this can get you disqualified for neck cranking, so unless that isn't the case, I'd be wary when attempting to finish the guillotine from mount.
Dean moves on to a situation where your opponent has reached under your head from guard, then attempts to stack you. That's a mistake, as you can sweep them, by trapping that arm against your head, similar to when the same thing happens under mount. There are further details on finishing the guillotine if they're trying to stack out of it, which then progresses to pointers on the turtle position.
Dean shows how to guillotine them from a front headlock when they're on their knees, though he notes that it takes experience to get the timing right. Usefully, he then explains the most efficient way to spin to their back. Rather than flinging yourself right over, as I've tended to try in the past, you simply put your knee by their armpit, then turn inwards. That is a much quicker route, potentially resulting in a rear naked choke.
Roy Dean finishes his first DVD with what I think is the highlight of the whole set: Rolling Analysis, which comes in three parts. First up is a woman, Karen, in a six minute roll with Dean. This is wonderful, as not only does it showcase female BJJ, but Dean provides an in-depth commentary, with frequent slow motion replays to illustrate what is talking about. It also exemplifies what he said on Purple Belt Requirements, about letting junior belts into your game. Karen taps Dean several times, proving he is an instructor who cares more about his students than his ego (though he does mention it was a 'warm-up' roll, rather than a full-on contest).
The two other rolls are seven and a half minutes with Jeff, a senior blue belt, and finally seven minutes against TJ, a purple belt. That high rank also means this is the most competitive roll, and it is also a treat for anybody who has been watching Roy Dean DVDs for a while. TJ is the main uke in most of the DVDs, so it's cool to see him in action, rather than just on the receiving end of a demonstration.
Sparring and competition footage is always welcome, but the inclusion of detailed commentary and slow-motion makes this a superlative addition to No Gi Essentials. That also means that as you progress in your training, you'll be able to keep coming back to these three rolls and get more out of them, due to increased understanding. In other words, good sparring footage never stops being useful: on the contrary, it actually becomes more useful over time.
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The second DVD begins with a section called Guard Options(07:45), once again starting with something directly suited to somebody brand new to the sport. While they will soon get out of the habit, beginners often do things like grabbing your neck from within your guard. The reason they stop is because, as Roy explains here, extending your arms like that is actually to be submitted. Reach under their leg, swivel, and take the armbar.
The same is true if they drive their forearm into your neck: again, you can take that armbar and move into a submission. This very usefully leads into an explanation of dealing with getting stacked. Dean advises pushing on their thigh, spinning out from underneath and taking the armbar off to the side.
If your opponent is inexperienced, as is quite possible if you're a beginner, there is the chance for techniques like the double armbar. Anyone who has been rolling more than a couple of months is highly unlikely to get caught with this, but it can happen. If that doesn't work, then you can still throw your legs up by their shoulders and threaten an armbar. They'll probably pull the arm out, but that just means you switch to a triangle.
Along with the various armbars, Dean includes the omoplata from a basic set-up, as well as a number of options from the overhook, especially important in no-gi due to the lack of fabric to grip. Continuing the beginner theme, there is also a defence to the can opener, which again is basically swivelling and armbarring them, or moving into a sweep.
Mount Options(07:18) is initially a little confusing, as it starts with Dean already in side control with a tight gable grip under their head and far arm. However, it soon transpires that he is going to demonstrate how to transition from side control to mount. Again, it could be that there will be a chapter heading here in the commercial release, which would inform the viewer of the upcoming technique.
Using that close control, Dean first shifts into mount, then continues walking his hand up towards their head. That sets him up for an armbar, progressing through the basic s-mount set up you'll be taught in most jiu jitsu schools (if you'd like an example, I've seen it a number of times in Kev's class).
From the same position, you can also attempt a head-and-arm choke, or if they try to spin out, shift to a rear naked choke. Dean goes on to show the fundamental spinning armbar, from the beginner situation of somebody pushing up into your chest. If they only push with one arm rather than both, you can attack that arm. You can choose whether to hyperextend the elbow belly-down, facing sideways, or lift their foot to roll them into an armbar from mount.
Sidemount Escapes(09:34) is something I always look forward to, and I was especially interested to see how it compares to the explanations on Dean's earlier Blue Belt Requirements. As you'd expect, there are many similarities, with descriptions of the orthodox bridge and shrimp to guard almost exactly the same, which is also true for going to your knees in order to escape.
However, Dean adds on some extra details in No Gi Essentials. While the bridge and shrimp is simple, Dean also runs through a more advanced sequence. He first moves into butterfly guard, sweeps them into mount, then takes the mounted triangle from there. Dean later provides more details on dealing with an opponent who sprawls when you go to your knees, scuppering your attempt to take them down.
If their sprawl is fairly narrow, you can still step up the outside leg and progress with the takedown. However, if the sprawl is wide, you need to hook their same side leg with your own to initiate your takedown. Should they manage to step free of that as well, Dean shows how you can roll into a kneebar.
Dean includes scarf hold as a part of side control. First he shows the most simple escape, where you bring your trapped elbow to the floor, shrug your shoulders to pop your head free, then move to the back. In the event that isn't successful, Dean explains how you can push on their rear arm with both of yours. You can keep on pushing, sitting up, until eventually you drive them to the floor, coming up on top.
It is likely they will resist, swinging their arm over and transitioning to side control. To prevent that, switch your hands, pushing on the outside rather than the crook of their elbow. As before, keep pushing, and you should be able to move into a scarf hold of your own. If you aren't able to roll them, you may still have a chance to come to your knees, taking them down in the usual fashion.
To close that section, Dean reiterates that it is better to prevent them getting to side control in the first place. To do so, you use a similar principle to the scarf hold escape, pushing their arm to prevent them establishing side control. This is something Damian Maia also covers in his DVD.
Opening the Guard(07:22) begins with a segment on 'baiting your opponent'. This makes perfect sense to me, as while I don't often intentionally bait somebody to open their guard, I will frequently wait for them to attack before beginning my pass. The triangle is one option your opponent will be looking for, so that naturally lends itself to a discussion of the infamous Gracie Gift pass.
This was first taught by Rorion Gracie on the original BJJ instructional from 1991, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics. Due to having one arm in and one arm out, this pass presents your partner with a golden opportunity for a triangle. As a result, it became known as the 'Gracie Gift'. The main problem with Rorion's method was that he didn't even mention the danger of being triangled, instead happily giving up his inside arm, reaching for Royce's bicep.
Almost twenty years later, Roy Dean is able to revisit the technique and demonstrate a much safer strategy. The key detail is keeping your elbow back, rather than extending the arm forwards like Rorion. If your elbow is tucked on the inside of their leg, then if you reach back and they try for a triangle, it is much easier to defend. That means you can secure their leg, press your weight forwards and slide through into side control.
You can also bait the armbar, using the very same techniques Dean referred to as mistakes in guard options, such as pressing your forearm into their throat. However, with greater experience, you can use that to tempt your opponent to open their guard, clamping your hand on the back of their knee before they can swing it into position. If they sense you're about to pass and try to bring their leg back, make sure your knee comes up, preventing them from reclosing their guard.
A safer method is to stand up. Should they keep their guard closed and follow you up, push on their knee and shake, using gravity to open their legs and drop them back to the floor. They may realise that risk, and pre-empt you, opening their guard and returning to a standing position. If that happens, Dean shows how you'll need to throw them before they try a takedown of their own.
After an exploration of the double underhooks pass, Dean looks into your options if they're about to catch you in a triangle. The key here is to immobilise their second leg: if they can't bring that up to lock their ankles, they can't complete the triangle. Dean mentions that it can be a risky move, but if you maintain control of that other leg, it is possible to drive forward and spin to side control. You can even attempt a kneebar from there, if you manage to put them in the right position.
Lower body submissions continue for the next two sections, starting with Leglock Techniques(06:33). Dean opens with a straight footlock, noting that many people make the mistake of gripping too high. Usefully, there is a close up at this point, which makes the arm positioning absolutely clear. If that straight footlock isn't working, then by switching your arms, you can try an Achilles lock instead.
After covering some entries, Dean moves onto heel hooks. This always makes me uncomfortable, as that is not something I would want beginners to ever try in class, especially as it is banned under many rule sets. However, it is in keeping with Dean's lineage under Roy Harris, who has long advocated the use of leglocks. Dean does warn the viewer that it is a very powerful submission which requires care, but I almost wish there was red flashing text. I'd like to keep my knees intact, safe from over-eager beginners. ;)
Leg Combinations(06:34) is a continuation, beginning with a defence to the straight footlock. Straighten your foot, turn it slightly to the side, then bounce over their foot, sitting up and pushing their knee underneath you. Should they insist on holding the footlock, you can move into an armbar: they no longer have the position for a submission.
The counter to that defence is to insert your knee in between their legs after they bounce over, then attack the other foot. Of course, they can do exactly the same thing again in the other direction, as can you. This brings up one of the reason some people dislike leglocks, as it turns into a battle of attrition, rolling over in a very repetitive cycle of attack and defence.
That brings the technical portion of the DVD to an end. The next option on the menu is No Gi Essentials(01:12), very similar to the welcome from the first DVD, as it is a brief collection of no gi footage set to music. Demonstrationsleads to a sub-menu containing a further five options, where the old 'Discover Who You Are' text is reinstated at the end of each video. The first of these is Subleague (04:00), showcasing a number of Roy Dean Academy students performing well in a 2009 competition. There is no commentary this time, just music.
That is followed by Flow Roll (01:54), which appears to be an extract from Jimmy Da Silva's brown belt demonstration, as I recognise a few of the sequences. Nevertheless, like that demonstration, it is a beautiful display of technique. The same is true of Brodeur Purple (09:40). Having already seen his sparring, you now get to see TJ en route to the purple belt. As with all Roy Dean Academy belt demonstrations, it is up on YouTube, but this DVD version boasts much better picture and audio quality. The DVD finishes with two trailers, for Blue Belt Requirements (03:49) and Purple Belt Requirements (01:02).
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This is definitely a step above Blue Belt Requirements, so brand-new white belts need to control themselves if they pick up this DVD. The opening sections are easily digested by everyone, with the absolute basics of bridging, shrimping and weight distribution, along with the main grips required for no-gi.
After that, things begin to get a little more advanced, with combination attacks, sweeps and escapes. There are also a few dangerous techniques included, such as heel hooks, which should never be attempted by somebody who lacks considerable mat time.
Nevertheless, it would be a much, much better idea for beginners looking to improve their no-gi to pick up this set, rather than something like Mastering the Rubber Guard. That is not to say that Bravo's products are bad, but they are best suited to experienced grapplers. This new offering by Roy Dean has much broader appeal, ranging from white to blue belts, possibly even purples and above (I'm not qualified to judge, as a mere blue myself).
No Gi Essentials is a good choice for beginners, though absolute beginners should purchase Blue Belt Requirements first, leaving this until a little later. There is a lot of material, and thanks to fantastic inclusions like the in-depth sparring commentary, you can keep coming back to No Gi Essentials, picking up more details as you grow in the sport.
Class #296 RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 18/03/2010
I've already mentioned this at length on my Facebook, but for those of you not on there yet, I recommend you check out Georgette's thought-provoking post on the reasons why people blog, here. It has resulted in an intriguing discussion, also taking in the reasons why people compete.
To babble a bit about non-BJJ topics (if you don't care, skip straight to the training), I also wanted to mention three BBC series I've really enjoyed recently. First is Last Woman Standing, the third in the series (the first two, which I talked about early last year and back in 2007, featured all-male casts). Not as much wrestling as before, unfortunately, but still great stuff, augmented by the fact it was women, so less stupid machismo.
Second, BBC4 has been discussing the history of feminism in a program simply called Women. The first one was about the second wave, which inspired me to bolster my rather limited feminist library. While I've always referred to myself as a feminist, it's based on conviction rather than a grounding in the critical theory.
I've been meaning to delve into the main texts of feminism for a long time, as previously I'd only read The Female Eunuch (though I guess I've studied a bunch of relevant novels during my English BA, by authors like Angela Carter, Jeanette Winterson and Virginia Woolf. Possibly could put Marion Zimmer Bradley in there too, as we did The Mists of Avalon for my favourite undergrad module, 'Arthurian Literature and its Legacy').
So, I've started reading The Second Sex, and also picked up some books by two of the people featured in the first program, Susan Brownmiller and Kate Millett. If anyone has further recommendations (e.g., Ann Oakley looked interesting, but I wasn't sure which of her books to get, and I liked the sound of Judith Butler from a seminar I attended a few years back, as it sounded like she had some stimulating ideas on gender identity), let me know.
Finally, I love music documentaries (and comparing musical taste: as ever, mine is fully laid out over at last.fm), and BBC4 has been showcasing some brilliant examples of the genre. First was Heavy Metal Britannia, which gave me some insight into a genre I've never been able to engage with, despite numerous efforts. I'm looking forward to the second, Prog Rock Britania, and especially the third, Synth Britannia (as that covers my favourites period of music, from the mid-70s through to the mid-80s).
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Tonight's class started off with the companion technique to Tuesday, a pendulum sweep. This is much simpler than the flower sweep, because your opponent has already done much of the work for you by stepping up their knee. Secure their opposite arm, then hook your same side hand underneath their raised knee.
Kick your leg on that side right up into their armpit, driving through, so that they get knocked off balance. Continue the motion by lifting up behind their knee with your underhook, then finally use your other leg to chop low (as you don't want them to land on it). This should result in you ending up on top in mount, still with a hold of that leg.
You can also do this off the armbar, as Roy Dean demonstrates on Blue Belt Requirements. If they tuck their head, that's when you go for the sweep. Alternatively, you can still land that armbar, by not completing the sweep. Instead, you knock them off balance as before, but this time, sit up and get them into position for an armbar from the mount. It should be easier to finish from here than the guard, because they can't stack you (though make sure you stay tight, or they might be able to escape).
Last technique was a cross-guard sweep Kev first showed us back in January. I didn't say much about the follow-up guard pass in my previous post, so I'll do that now. Once you've knocked them down, you need to use the momentum to come up and move forward, still pulling on their sleeve. You also want to slide your inside knee over their leg, leaning your body towards them.
Having reached that position, switch their sleeve to your other hand, still pulling up. That leaves your first arm free to underhook their far armpit, further dropping your bodyweight on top of them, as well as immobilising their torso. From here, you can slide through into modified scarf hold (i.e., under the armpit rather than the head), and/or into side control.
One random thing to be aware of is that I kept getting my knee entangled inside Callum's gi when I did this, which made it difficult to pull up on his arm properly. If that happens, switch to grabbing their elbow, drop your bodyweight down, then move into side control. Shouldn't cause too many problems, but it caused me a bit of confusion during drilling.
Sparring was interesting, as it wasn't just guard passage, but guard passage without submissions. That meant I could concentrate fully on passing guard without having to worry about triangles, armbars and chokes, and then underneath just think about sweeps. On top, I jumped right to my feet the first few times, to have a play around, but that generally just resulted in getting swept quicker. Callum and I had a few scrambles, where I was trying to drive my hips forward and stack him (at one point, I ended up spinning him right round, but because he kept his knees in, it didn't help me pass).
I was still looking to pull their arm under their back, and still failing to secure a grip. I couldn't isolate the sleeve for a cross-grip either: perhaps I need to be more forceful with that, or put my hips into it? A couple of times I had the sleeve and started to stand, but Callum easily freed his arm.
Generally, I'm still being too reactive when trying to pass guard, especially on top. That means I'm chasing after them, rather than imposing some kind of strategy they have to defend. My only successful passing tactic remains forcing half guard, locking in a gable grip, then using shoulder pressure to pass. Unfortunately, that doesn't often work against the blues, as unlike white belts, they aren't going to let me slide my knee through that easily.
Underneath, I wanted to go to butterfly and try to sweep, as I'd been watching a video which emphasised pressing into their chest with your forehead, something I don't tend to do enough. However, my attempt to switch to butterfly from closed was rather sloppy, so Callum took advantage and passed. I did find myself with a belt grip over his back, but wasn't sure what to do with it. I thought I'd seen a choke after you grab their belt before, but checking back through my notes, I can only see a half guard sweep and a stack pass defence, so maybe not.
I also messed up a basic principle, which is pushing their head on the side they want to pass. Instead, I was shoving Callum's head on the other side, which simply helped him to pass. I need to remember that wherever their legs are going, that's the side of the head my hands need to be.
The other thing I kept trying was the flower sweep, as I had Callum in tight a few times (like on Tuesday). However, while I could grab the trouser leg, that was about as far as I got. I couldn't isolate his arm, or get in place to kick up into the armpit properly. Still, it is good to at least get into the habit of threatening something, rather than just lying there wondering what to do.
That's me done for this week, and I'll also miss all of next week, yet again due to a girlfriend visit. There are things more important to me than BJJ, despite what the sheer nerdy obsession of this blog might lead you to believe. ;p
As usual when I know I won't be training, I plan to put up a review/article or two in the meantime.
Class #295 RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 16/03/2010
The monthly price is rising by £10 as of 1st April, from £40 to £50. That is still cheap, though I'll miss the super-cheapness of the previous fee. However, Kev has managed to get a rather nifty perk through becoming a Gracie Magazine Associate Club (or something like that: can't remember the official term). That means that everyone who pays by standing order will get a monthly copy of Gracie Mag as well, which is nice, especially as they cost around a fiver anyway. RGA Bucks will also occasionally get a mention in the mag, such as competition results, though it will be small and at the back. Still cool though.
Kev began tonight with what he called the Roger sweep, as apparently Roger has done this a lot in competition. It works best for people like him with long legs, so probably not something I'll be trying often. It begins from when they go to combat base. Close guard around their raised knee, high enough that they can't just push their knee through, but not so high that they can sit back into the space. Get a cross grip on their same side arm, then pull that across their away from their knee, removing their ability to post.
With your legs still closed, twist your knees down towards the floor on their trapped knee side. If that isn't sufficiently breaking their balance, you can also try bringing your knees to your chest. This should pull their foot off the floor, making it harder for them to resist. Once they start to fall, put your hand back for base and come up on top.
You still have to deal with that knee, which will now either be underneath your stomach or to the side. If it is to the side, you can press down to lock it in place, then do a big backstep to swing over into side control. If it more under your stomach, you can push it directly behind you, popping through into mount.
Next up was the Flower sweep, which contrary to what I thought is slightly different from the pendulum sweep. I've seen those terms used interchangeably, but apparently the difference is with a pendulum sweep, your partner puts their knee up. With a flower sweep, you initiate yourself, by grabbing the lower part of their gi pants. Also secure a grip on their other elbow with your other arm. Put the same side foot on that side on their hip.
The most important part is kicking up with the leg on the side you've grabbed their trouser. That needs to be up high into their armpit, pushing right through. This is what you use to break their posture. To further knock them off balance, lift with your pant grip, then finally chop your other leg low (firstly, you don't want them to land on it, and secondly, it adds to the momentum). You should end up in mount.
You can also move into a triangle, if you intentionally grip the 'wrong' elbow, on the same side as the trouser grip. When you go for the sweep, they'll post out with their other arm (which is why you normally keep hold of it). However, while that blocks the sweep, it means you can now bring your leg over and lock on a triangle.
Free sparring began in guard, so again I was trying to pass Howard's guard. As before I was looking to strip grips, but this time I had an opportunity to go for the double underhooks pass. I didn't clamp around the legs properly, so Howard was able to scoot back. I focused too much on bringing my arm over and grabbing a collar, before having properly secured position. I briefly tried to readjust, grab the top of Howard's trousers and flip him, but it was too late. I also doubt I have enough strength to manage that, though I've seen people do it on videos.
Against a white belt, things were easier, because he is smallest guy in class. Even I probably outweigh him by at least eight kg or so. That meant I wanted to make certain I wasn't just using forced. I had a play with various submission attempts, starting with the Shawn Williams Guard and overhook from guard. As before, I wasn't able to swivel into the omoplata like I wanted. I also couldn't get a sufficiently tight grip for the choke from an overhook.
Eventually that resulted in a very sloppy sweep into mount, which I suspect was only possibly due to the weight difference. Dropping into my preferred low mount with grapevines, I had a go at the Ezequiel. He could see it coming, and prevented me from properly blocking off his carotoid with my gi sleeve. I switched back, then worked to technical mount, looking for more chokes. Again, he defended well, so I couldn't work the grips I wanted. I could possibly have gone for an armbar, but I was hesitant as in that position, I thought he'd have too much room to escape. In retrospect, I probably should have gone for it anyway, after attempting those chokes for a while.
Class #294 RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 16/03/2010
Callum interviewed Thelmo Calmon, a Draculino black belt who recently held a seminar at the Aylesbury location, for the main RGA Bucks website. Good stuff: check it out on the news page.
Fundamentals tonight was again relevant beyond the 'self defence' remit, as it was a basic Guillotine defence, from guard. Grab the choking arm with four fingers, while also using your other arm to reach over their far shoulder. After that, stand up and drive your shoulder as much as your can into their chin and neck. This should relieve the pressure on your neck, enabling you to pop your head free. If you need some extra leverage, come back down to your knees once you've loosened their grip.
Getting back to the main class, Kev kicked off with a basic ankle grab sweep (noting that feet on hips works as well as knees into their stomach, but is a bit slower), followed by the overhead sweep. For that, you start by opening your guard and putting your feet on their hips, then pull their elbows out and towards you. That should help bring them onto your feet.
Take advantage by pulling their elbows even further past your head (Kev described it like "putting on a big hat"), after which you can lift them with your legs. If you've got the technique right, they shouldn't feel heavy, meaning you can now drop them over your shoulder. Follow them and roll backwards straight into mount. If you're the person getting dropped, remember to tuck your head in drilling, so you don't end up getting piledrived into the mat.
Sparring guard passage with Howard didn't really go anywhere, as I was quite defensive, just looking to block or break his grips. That's the biggest stumbling block for me at the moment, as I don't feel safe standing up until I can strip those grips, or preven them being established. He did eventually get past, but time ran out. As ever, I need to force myself to stand up, though I did try the twisting guard break again once or twice. Once I get some income, I definitely need to do a private lesson on guard passing.
At one point, I also had to defend against an armbar. Recently I've been tending to step over their head to try and get free, which has worked once or twice in the past. This time, it did stop me getting armbarred, but I wasn't able to move through to a top position, ending up on the bottom instead. I asked Kev if it was a bad habit, but he reassured me it was a legitimate technique. The only thing to watch out for is footlocks (at brown belt: illegal before then), but they would have to release their grip on your arm first.
Underneath, I looked for the Shawn Williams Guard again, this time making sure I remembered to clamp my elbow over their arm. However, my other foot still isn't tight enough, and asking Howard afterwards, I also need to threaten more on both sides. I did briefly think about swinging my legs through into an omoplata position, but reacted too slowly.
Next up was a white belt. On top, I was a little lazy, because he was opening his guard quite often. That meant I could just keep slipping my knee through to half guard, then using a gable grip and shoulder pressure, get my leg free and pass. Still, that did at least give me a chance to look at the holes in my technique, as I started getting complacent, so about the fifth time I tried it, he managed to sweep me from half guard. I need to make sure I'm not being sloppy about my base, keeping that free leg in a good position. I also have to keep my bodyweight into their neck, so they don't have any mobility in their upper body.
Underneath, I was able to break his posture and wrap my arms over to keep him in tight. I crept out to the back, keeping in mind what Kev taught earlier about pressing my chest into their shoulder. It took me a while to feel sufficiently secure to base out on my elbow and start to spin to the back, but as it was a white belt, I had enough time to practice. I was a bit sloppy in that I wasn't able to properly secure hooks, but there was enough control to lock on a RNC.
Still, I'm sure a more experienced opponent would have escaped back to guard, or shucked me off the back. I also totally burned out my arms by holding him in close most of the time. After that, he passed a few times, when I was playing around with various submission attempts. My cardio clearly remains terrible, as I was knackered: that also reminds me to make sure I'm not relying too much on my arms, instead leaving more of the work to my legs.
Sparring with Howard, I wanted to try Roy Dean's take on the Gracie Gift. Unfortunately I continue to have trouble dealing with that collar grip, though I did eventually get into the position I wanted. I wrapped his leg close to my body and kept my elbow back, as Dean teaches. However, I didn't drive forward enough, so I ended up almost getting knocked to the side. That meant I needed to step over and trap Howard's head to free myself. 
