05/10/2010 - BJJ (Advanced)

Class #348
RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 05/10/2010

Great news for Scramble, which is now available over at Black Eagle. Matt has just released a very swish rash guard and grappling tights. If I actually trained no gi, that's definitely what I would be looking to wear. I'm still hoping he's going to release some combat trousers to go with the hoody I bought a while back. :)

Technique for the advanced class was taking the back from De La Riva, which I’ve seen a couple of times, like the variation on the Paraestra DVD. As Kev mentioned, it also got some exposure on the UK scene a while back when Michael Russell managed to pull it off during a great match at the Kent Open with Andy Roberts (around the 01:12 mark):



From De La Riva, especially when they’ve angled themselves more side-on, get your free leg over their arm, so that the foot is behind the same leg you’ve already hooked. Switch your hand from their sleeve to the back of their gi or belt (whichever you can grab: note that you can also use this to pull yourself around). Kick your initial hooking leg through, to get a hold of their far leg. Scoot round, using your hooks on their legs to get behind them. To finish, grab their belt with both hands and pull down, then flick your legs out. This should knock their legs from under them, leaving you in a perfect position to take their back.

Sparring with Howard again, we were still starting from guard, so I had another chance to work on passing. It went much the same as in the beginners class, but as this wasn’t specific sparring, that meant I could still play from guard and under side control (where I must have spent a good 80% of my sparring time over the course of my jiu jitsu, maybe more). On a more positive note, the option of going to my knees under side control is finally starting to sink in, as I’m finding that I don’t always look to get the knee in and recover guard these days.

Not that I ever manage to move into some kind of single leg from there, but I did manage to roll back into guard after going to my knees at one point, which made me happy. Still, I need to be wary of getting my back taken, keeping in mind Nathan’s advice about getting the elbow and knee in the way as you turn, so they can’t insert a hook. I’m also trying to make sure I don’t let people settle in side control, and set up my defences before they pass. I’ll have to look through those side control escapes by Braulio again, as that’s been helpful over the last few months.

Finally I went with Kev. As ever, he was taking it easy and giving me space, so I was looking to try and work my escapes, getting my knee in when I could, and also trying to keep my balance. I was attempting to work my way free from either side control or knee on belly a lot: I tried somewhat ballistically spinning out, but as I’m certain Kev could have prevented it or taken my back if he wanted to, I should try to do that more technically rather than explosively.

Another great thing about being back at Kev’s is that I feel comfortable enough to sit out a round of sparring to write up some notes. Very helpful, as otherwise I would find it difficult to keep all the techniques from both classes in my head, especially as I’m tending to type this up the next day.

I’ll be training again Thursday, although Kev is doing a night shift at work (he’s a fireman), so Sahid will be taking class. He’s a very good blue who keeps winning everything at tournaments, so I’m guessing purple can’t be that far off for him. I'm not sure whether I'll feel sufficiently energetic for the extra hour of sparring afterwards, as previously I've tended to skip it, but might try and force myself for this second stay in Bucks. After all, best way to get better. :)