21/08/2013 - Private (Closed Guard Break & Leg Pin Pass)

Class #518 - Private #014
Gracie Barra Bristol, (BJJ), Dónal Carmody, Bristol, UK - 21/08/2013

I originally was considering doing some more work on closed guard sweeps for today's private lesson, but yesterday's sparring reminded me that my ability to open the closed guard remains really pants. I therefore went for that instead, getting in some basic closed guard breaks. I could have quite happily spent the entire lesson on just that, but as this was a dual private lesson, Liam naturally had some input too. Fortunately, he wanted to work on something closely related, which was passing after you had opened the guard.

The closed guard break from the knees is among the first techniques I ever learned, back in 2006, but I've been struggling with it ever since. Indeed, it was the topic of my first private lesson in 2010, so I've come full circle. The basic method starts by setting up your grips, grabbing both collars with one hand, by their chest, your other hand by their hip. Put your knee under the tailbone, then wriggle back until you can pop their ankles apart. Saulo's version, as per that picture, has the knee off to the side with the leg stretched out, using a sort of dip rather than relying on scooting back.

Dónal added in some small but important details (which he's taught before, but clearly I did not fully understand them). I think the main thing I've been missing is twisting up their collars so that there is no slack when you grip, along with jamming your palm or fist into their sternum to lock it in place. Normally what happens is that I find my arm gets stretched out and lose my posture: by securing it more firmly, that should be avoided. With your hand on the hip, measure it by bringing your elbow back to their knee, then grabbing the material that puts next to your hand.

From there, get your knee underneath their tailbone, meaning they are raised up onto your leg. Curve your back, then slowly wriggling backwards, with your other knee out to the side. In drilling, this was effective, but I suspect I'm going to run into problems when adding in more resistance. Still, both Dónal and Liam were commenting how this is their go-to guard break: I'm hopeful that after today I can finally get it working for me regularly. ;)

The main part of the lesson focused on then passing the closed guard, directly from that guard break: I refer to this one as the leg pin pass. This particular version is one I think I've also seen before, back in 2010 when I was at GB Birmingham, but I didn't understand all the details at the time.

Once you've split the ankles apart, use your elbow or hand to push their knee to the mat. Immediately kick your foot forward into the crook of their knee, then drive your knee to the mat next to their hip. That initial kick, combined with keeping your foot engaged, should twist their leg away from you in such a way that they will find it hard to adjust into a defensive posture.

Your other knee raises up, then pushes forward, so their other leg ends up on your hip. Push your hips in that direction, so that they can't lock their legs back together. Get a cross-face on the grounded leg side, while swimming your arm under their raised leg. From there, do a back-step so you're sat next to them, then drive forward into side control, pushing your knees under their legs so they can't sneak a knee through. You also may need to secure their far elbow, so they can't turn.

Quite often when you are in the middle of that pass, they will try to block your hip with their hand: I certainly do. However, that also means that their elbow is away from their side, which provides you with the opportunity to bring your same side arm (i.e., the one you would have used to cross-face) underneath their arm. Twist your arm so the palm is facing up, scooping under their arm to push it over their face.

Back-step as before, this time bringing your body around so that you're pressuring by their shoulder. Again be sure to also secure their far elbow to stop them turning. From this position, you may well be able to move straight into a gift-wrap and take the back. Alternatively, you may be able to feed their collar to your arm under their head and apply a variety of chokes.

10/07/2012 - Gracie Barra Bristol (Leg Pin Pass)

Class #462
Gracie Barra Bristol, (BJJ), Dónal Carmody, Bristol, UK - 10/07/2012

We're in a passing fortnight at the moment, so I was interested to see what Dónal came up with this week. It turned out to be a particularly good lesson, due both to Dónal's teaching and some useful tips and feedback from training partners.

The focus of the lesson was the basic method for opening the guard from the knees, followed by a pass. Dónal as usual had several handy details: in BJJ terms, I like nothing better than a lesson with a different take on a basic technique with plenty of time allocated to drilling. Dónal started in the usual way by grabbing both collars, but then demonstrated how you can fold them over, twisting it in your hand. This makes their jacket much tighter and therefore gives them less room to move. Your other hand doesn't go into their hip. Instead, you can use a method that accounts for varying leg sizes: bring your elbow back until it is by their knee, then grip their trousers at whatever point that leaves your hand.

From there, it's the Saulo break of putting a knee in the tailbone, then pressing your back into their ankles to pop them open, or at least create plenty of tension. Either way, the idea is that you are then able to push their knee down and open the guard completely. If that doesn't work, Dónal had a particularly helpful tip: simply wriggle backwards. You may need to keep on dipping lower as you do, but that wriggle should eventually open even the most stubborn guard.

I'll need to play with the technique some more (especially how to deal with their reactions), but that simple advice looks like it could be gold. Now that the guard is open, you can move into what I call the leg pin pass, where you slide your leg over their shin, hooking with your instep. Do a big step with your other leg, then switch your legs to slide one under the other, settling into side control. If you're further back due to the wriggling, you can cut the opposite knee over instead.

Tony is still injured, so rather than sparring, we did some more drilling, which was awesome. That meant we could continue working on some of the interesting variations he likes to use with this guard break and pass combination. Once he's opened the guard, he goes right into combat base: due to his knee injury, putting that knee up is more comfortable.

However, Tony's combat base is quite different to the version I tend to use (which is good, as I don't use combat base much). I keep my legs relatively close together. Tony does the opposite, widening out his raised leg so that it presses into the crook of their knee. He then also grips around the front with his hand, so their leg is stretched out and they can't easily move to open guard. It's surprisingly effective. Make sure you brace your elbow inside your leg to maximise the strength of your frame.

From there, you can either move into the leg pin pass, or you are also ready to switch to the single underhook. Keep your unoccupied arm by the same side leg, the elbow back. Quite often when they find their leg pinned limb is blocked, they'll start to kick the other leg up onto your shoulder. If that starts to move, circle your free arm, rotating at the elbow, so that you acquire an underhook. From there, you can then move into the single underhook pass, or continue with the leg pin depending on how your opponent reacts.

Sparring was fairly brief as I only did the one round (having spent a round already drilling with Tony instead of sparring), but it was useful. Then sparring with Mike, had a chance to put that passing into action. Donal's tips on wriggling backwards while staying low was useful. I also tried to get into a position where I could switch between the underhook and leg pin. The main difficulty was controlling his upper body: I need to drive my shoulder and hip into their torso as soon as possible, rather than staying upright for too long and thereby giving them space.

Getting used to breaking their grips was another habit I'm trying to develop. I was doing it a bit, but kept forgetting to keep control of their sleeve once I had it, which I could then use to escape. There was some half guard too, staying low and heavy, looking for the americana. I managed to get the submission, but particularly with the americana, I'm never sure whether it was down to good technique or just force. Still, it remains by far my most successful attack, on the rare occasion I actually tap anybody.

06/08/2010 - BJJ (Basics)

Class #330
Gracie Barra Birmingham, (BJJ), Norby Nowak, Birmingham, UK – 06/08/2010

Didn’t make it back in time for the cinema, but I did get out Hiroshima, Mon Amour from the library (which strangely enough relates to my interest in AIDS and cancer in poetry) before training. So, should make for interesting viewing: I don’t know much about it, but that’s how I prefer to watch films. I’d be much happier in a world where trailers were just the title of the film, that didn’t tell you anything about it at all (though I guess that might make it a bit tough to work out whether you might like it or not. But hey).

Also, I see from Matt’s blog that my first ever BJJ instructor, Oli Geddes, has a few instructional clips up, such as this one on his infamous loop choke:



I’m looking forward to seeing what he pops up with next.

It was another basics class tonight, this time with Norby. His focus was on passing the guard, easily the weakest part of my game. We began by drilling the orthodox standing guard break, from the standard grip where you hold both their collars in one hand (straightening your arm to keep their back on the mat), then grab their sleeve with the other (make sure you aren’t too obvious, so don’t just stare at their arm before trying to grab it). Finally, the elbow of your sleeve-grabbing arm must be braced inside your knee: if it is outside, then you're vulnerable to an omoplata.

You can either step up your leg on the trapped sleeve side, or slide your double collar grip up towards their head, using that as a post to jump up to your feet. As you raise up, let go of the collars, thrust forwards with your hips, while simultaneously yanking up their sleeve. To finish, push their same side knee off your hips with your free hand (which is often easier said than done, but at least this puts you in a good position to do it).

Next, Norby went through a variation on the leg pin pass. Instead of just dropping your knee other and keeping your shin on their leg, drop your knee as close as you can to their ribs. Keep your foot hooked under their leg, so it raises it up slightly. You’re also going to bring your same side arm under their head, driving your shoulder into their neck.

From here, you can exert a great deal of pressure on their legs, stretching them out until they’re liable to give up the pass just to relieve the strain on their inner thighs. Even if they’re flexible enough to resist that, you’re in an excellent position to complete the leg pin pass as usual, swinging your free leg right over to the floor past their legs, then switching the other leg underneath to establish side control.

Sparring was guard passage, with the class split up into ones, twos and three. The chosen group stayed on the mat, trying to pass the guard of everyone else. I was in the first group, and stayed very defensive. I had the excuse of my busted up wrist, but still, I should have been much more proactive. It’s very easy to slip into a defensive posture, just maintaining my base or tucking my elbows to my knees, which isn’t really the idea.

Underneath, in my comfort zone, I was a little more active, although as my first partner was pretty big, I was still fairly defensive, waiting for them to make a move. I thought I was going to get passed in short order as a result, because in flinging my legs up for a triangle, I went too high and immediately got stacked. However, for some reason he didn’t continue to push through and pass as I’d expected, so that eventually gave me the chance to move to half guard, reverse him and pass through to side control.

I asked later, and it seems that they were concerned about that triangle attempt. I doubt very much he was in much danger had he pushed through to go for a pass, but it’s interesting that proved a sufficient distraction to stop them completing the motion. Of course, this is the basics class: no way would I get away with that against blues or higher.

With somebody smaller, I was trying to be helpful, as they kept leaning forward when going to stand up, meaning it was a simple matter for me to pull in my legs and break their posture. I’m not sure if it is patronising to let them keep on making the same mistake and seeing if they correct it, or if perhaps I should have said something during the spar rather than after. It gave me a chance to practice the flower sweep, which I normally never get, but again, they were a good bit smaller than me, so it doesn’t really count.

I was reminded of reality again during an unsurprisingly brief specific spar with Norby. He easily opened my guard, then moved round to side control: I briefly tried to switch into butterfly guard, keeping my knees in tight, but too slow and without sufficient control.

A lot of people were trying to elbow dig to open the guard, which I really hate (also one of the reasons I like Saulo’s instructionals so much, as he targets plenty of scorn at that particular technique) . One of these days I’m going to have to spend a few hours drilling the triangle counter for that, as I still don’t have the timing down.

08/08/2007 - BJJ (Beginners)

Class #78



Roger Gracie Academy (BJJ), Maurição Gomes, London, UK - 08/08/2007 – Beginners

I was still feeling a bit under the weather today, but decided that I should at the very least be able to do the beginners. If I felt ok at the end of that, I’d do the advanced as well, but I wasn’t about to force myself. Not to mention an excuse to wimp out is always welcome. :p

Maurição took class today, which automatically means an interesting session. We started off with the basic trip (pull them to one side, step through, sweep the leg), something which I really should have tried at the Bristol Open. Instead of attempting anything, I just clung on to my opponent: if only everything was as easy as drilling. Judo would be the obvious way to improve my stand-up, but that bad experience with an injury last time I tried the sport continues to put me off for the moment.

Maurição then moved on to some fundamental techniques from the guard. First off, the tailbone break he’s showed us before. I’m not sure I’ve been pushing backwards enough on this, and I also need to think more about slicing their feet apart with my hip. As its my favourite guard break, this is what I tried at Bristol, but that merely resulted in getting swept (I think: can’t quite remember exactly how I ended up on the bottom in the first part of that fight).

That was followed by the leg pin pass. Maurição did this a little differently to how I thought it was done, as after opening the guard and pushing his knee onto the leg, he slipped that knee down the leg and then slid into position. That way leaves much less space then what I’ve attempted previously, so this should hopefully make my leg pin pass much tighter. Chris always gets to his knees when I try it on him, so perhaps Maurição’s method is the route to correcting my sloppy technique.

Next up we went through the armbar from guard, moving on to the triangle. Although that choke is a basic submission, I haven’t seen demonstrated that often, especially in comparison with the armbar. Maurição showed it off your opponent’s attempted guard pass. First, you grab their arm and pull it right across your body and close to your leg, swivelling as if your going for an armbar. Your calf then moves up behind their neck, using your heel to push the leg right across (as opposed to your toes: the heel tenses your calf muscle, which in turn makes the grip tighter). Grabbing your ankle (again, not your foot, as that could result in injuring yourself), pull it towards you until you can slip the other leg on top, locking that ankle into the back of your knee. Squeeze your legs and raise your hips for the choke.

Interestingly, Maurição expressly stated that you shouldn’t grab their head and pull down, which I had thought was a standard way of finishing the technique. The triangle was tight enough that I found I didn’t need to pull on the head: then again, my triangle has always been terrible. I’ve got armbars, kimuras and Americanas in sparring before, but never managed to finish a triangle. Maurição’s detailed demonstration today should hopefully result in improvement on my part.

Sparring started with guard passage. I was about to start a stack pass on Chet, when Maurição motioned me to stand up. At first I thought I’d done something wrong (Maurição will quite often stop you to correct technique), but turned out one of the recent female beginners needed someone lighter to roll with.

I’m not sure how to spell her name, but it sounded like ‘Joy-amma’, or possibly ‘Joy-emma’: either way, Brazilian, as Maurição was talking to her in Portuguese. As she’s still fairly new, I was able to try a few different sweeps, mainly the elevator. I also went for a flower sweep at one point, but still not quite landing that one: can but keep trying. I think she’s having similar problems to what has hindered my passing, in particular not leaving space (although she did manage to get round to side control a couple of times).

On top, I went for my normal tailbone break and stack pass routine, also trying the leg pin Maurição had demonstrated earlier. I think like my training partner, I was leaving a bit too much space: getting used to sliding into position is going to take some practice, but should eventually result in better technique. I also tried a standing pass later on, something I need to attempt more often. I’d especially like to perfect that standing tailbone thing Maurição showed a while ago, as that looked like a particularly effective way of opening the guard. However, this time I went for the basic step back slightly and push their knee off your leg method, which seemed to work ok, though I need to be careful to maintain my base.

Class finished with sparring under side control. I don’t think Joyama (must look up the spelling for that) was too familiar with side control (though she still got mount a couple of times), as she was leaving enough space for me to either shrimp back to guard or roll her right over, as she also tended to put her weight too far forward. I was reminded again that I need to bridge more in order to make space (another lesson from Bristol), rather than just getting into position and not doing anything with it. I had a go at getting double underhooks then rolling my partner over, but I forgot to bridge and rock first, meaning I didn’t have sufficient leverage.

The rolling wasn’t too intensive, but I wasn’t feeling 100% at the end of the session, so decided to leave the advanced class until tomorrow (presuming I feel better by Thursday). Nathan got his third stripe today, which was cool as he’s another of my regular sparring partners: will be good to have more fellow white belts in the advanced class.

I had meant to pick up my bronze medal from Pippa today, but left it too late as she’d already gone to join the class. Will have to remember to get it tomorrow. Its amusing that I got a medal for losing, but nevertheless a good way to commemorate my first competition, and also motivate me to do better next time. I may put my name down for the gi tournament in Reading this September, but I want to be certain of transport to and from the venue. Also, need to check my gf doesn’t mind me popping off to another comp: I don’t think she’d mind too much if it’s a while off, but 30th September is kinda near, and weekends are the main time we get together.