03/08/2022 - Teaching | Half guard | Basic maintaining & back take

Teaching #Evening
Artemis BJJ (7 Easton Rd), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 03/08/2022

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.



Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.



To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

To help with the back take, it is a good idea to tweak out their leg before you swivel up. Your outside leg steps over and drags their leg out. This disrupts their base, making it much easier to go to their back. It can also lead to the easier to control back position where you have brought them down to the mat, rather than leaping onto their turtle (which feels inherently less stable).
______________________
Teaching Notes: Fairly happy with this at the moment. I think it is of use mentioning you can generate extra momentum with that kick, but that it isn't always necessary. Also worth noting that knee shield makes a big difference, but that we'll cover that in a future lesson as it's important to learn the basics first.

02/03/2022 - Teaching | Half Guard | Maintaining, then take the back

Teaching (Evening)
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/03/2022

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.


Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.



To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

To help with the back take, it is a good idea to tweak out their leg before you swivel up. Your outside leg steps over and drags their leg out. This disrupts their base, making it much easier to go to their back. It can also lead to the easier to control back position where you have brought them down to the mat, rather than leaping onto their turtle (which feels inherently less stable). Similarly, you can drag their leg backwards in order to further disrupt their balance
______________________
Teaching Notes: How important is adding the kick to get that momentum? It's useful, but mostly the leverage comes from that knock into their armpit. Use the dog fight switch I taught a while back (so you're on their leg), then drag their leg back, in order to make it easy to go the mat and bring them into a more standard back positions.

02/08/2021 - Teaching | Half guard | Basic maintaining & back take

Teaching #963
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/08/2021

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.



Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.



To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

To help with the back take, it is a good idea to tweak out their leg before you swivel up. Your outside leg steps over and drags their leg out. This disrupts their base, making it much easier to go to their back. It can also lead to the easier to control back position where you have brought them down to the mat, rather than leaping onto their turtle (which feels inherently less stable).
______________________
Teaching Notes: I copied the text and notes from last time, when I added a back take. This time I just stuck with basics, but adding the back take makes sense because it is easy. There is some nuance to it though. E.g., you could use the dog fight switch I taught a while back (so you're on their leg), then drag their leg back, in order to make it easy to go the mat and bring them into a more standard back positions? That leg tweak from Saulo seems very useful, I'll start sticking with that version from now on, I think. Though I'll have to refresh my brain on what that tweak was, hopefully I included it in the vids. ;)

30/12/2019 - Teaching | Half guard | Basic maintenance & guard recovery

Teaching #929
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 30/12/2019


Short Version:

• Bring your outside leg to the inside, hooking in tight
• Curl in towards their knee, prying it out with your elbow
• Pop your knee through, pushing off their thigh with your shin
• Wrap their arm and grab your opposite shoulder, put your free leg over their back
• Shrimp out to free your other leg, recover closed guard

Full Version:
In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.



Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

For guard recovery, an inside hook is preferable: step your outside leg over, to hook their leg. Your other leg should not by locking, but squeeze your thighs to maintain control. After you've controlled their leg, got the underhook (though for the guard recovery, an underhook isn't essential) and onto your side, you want to block their arms.



There are numerous options for this, but for guard recovery, I like to use an option I learned from Braulio Estima. I can't remember his name for it, but I call it the facepalm, or the Captain Picard (I LOVE Star Trek ;D). Put simply, slap yourself in the forehead. Keep your hand there, with your elbows in close. You can do this with one arm, or with both: I will often go with both, though it is useful to get an underhook with an arm if you can. With your facepalm shield in place, 'dig' with your elbows to get to their knee.

Pry that knee with your elbow, sliding your same side shin onto their thigh. Square back up. At this point, they will probably be trying to push your knee down to recover their top position. Underhook their arm, just above the elbow, then lock their arm in place by grabbing your opposite shoulder. Your opposite leg goes on their back, then shrimp out until your can free your elbow-prying side leg. Now you can establish closed guard.

You can also try framing to move into sitting guard. Simply sit up, framing with your arm into their collar bone. From there they will often forget to keep their legs tight, meaning you can move right into open guard. If you wanted, you could then recover closed guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 18, 2018 at 11:40pm PDT

If they attempt to duck their head under as you try to frame, adjust your arm to push against their head instead. That should give you enough time to reach a stable position to continue the switch into sitting guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 19, 2018 at 11:01pm PDT

__________________
Teaching Notes: All good, nothing to add really. I ran through all the leg positions quickly, along with arm variations, including how you could move to open guard too. Seems to work pretty well. Only change, I guess be sure to do this early in the month, whereas I did it at the end. Though that's because we had a heavy focus on knee shield this time around.

08/07/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Maintaining & Back Take

Teaching #885
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 08/07/2019

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.



Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.



To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

To help with the back take, it is a good idea to tweak out their leg before you swivel up. Your outside leg steps over and drags their leg out. This disrupts their base, making it much easier to go to their back. It can also lead to the easier to control back position where you have brought them down to the mat, rather than leaping onto their turtle (which feels inherently less stable).
______________________
Teaching Notes: Dog fight switch and then drag their leg back, in order to make it easy to to the mat and bring them into a more standard back positions? That leg tweak from Saulo seems very useful, I'll start sticking with that version from now on, I think.

03/07/2019 - Teaching | Half Guard | Maintaining & Guard Recovery

Teaching #885
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 03/07/2019

Short Version:

• Bring your outside leg to the inside, hooking in tight
• Curl in towards their knee, prying it out with your elbow
• Pop your knee through, pushing off their thigh with your shin
• Wrap their arm and grab your opposite shoulder, put your free leg over their back
• Shrimp out to free your other leg, recover closed guard

Full Version:
In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.



Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.



For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

For guard recovery, an inside hook is preferable: step your outside leg over, to hook their leg. Your other leg should not by locking, but squeeze your thighs to maintain control. After you've controlled their leg, got the underhook (though for the guard recovery, an underhook isn't essential) and onto your side, you want to block their arms.



There are numerous options for this, but for guard recovery, I like to use an option I learned from Braulio Estima. I can't remember his name for it, but I call it the facepalm, or the Captain Picard (I LOVE Star Trek ;D). Put simply, slap yourself in the forehead. Keep your hand there, with your elbows in close. You can do this with one arm, or with both: I will often go with both, though it is useful to get an underhook with an arm if you can. With your facepalm shield in place, 'dig' with your elbows to get to their knee.

Pry that knee with your elbow, sliding your same side shin onto their thigh. Square back up. At this point, they will probably be trying to push your knee down to recover their top position. Underhook their arm, just above the elbow, then lock their arm in place by grabbing your opposite shoulder. Your opposite leg goes on their back, then shrimp out until your can free your elbow-prying side leg. Now you can establish closed guard.

You can also try framing to move into sitting guard. Simply sit up, framing with your arm into their collar bone. From there they will often forget to keep their legs tight, meaning you can move right into open guard. If you wanted, you could then recover closed guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 18, 2018 at 11:40pm PDT

If they attempt to duck their head under as you try to frame, adjust your arm to push against their head instead. That should give you enough time to reach a stable position to continue the switch into sitting guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 19, 2018 at 11:01pm PDT

______________________
Teaching Notes: Tuck head in, don't leave space by forearm shield for them to swim in cross-facing arm. Also, great turnout for the women's class, 10 women! Yay! I've said it before, but the fact that a third of the Artemis BJJ membership is made up of women makes me very proud. :D

05/12/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Maintaining & Guard Recovery

Teaching #820
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 05/12/2018

Short Version:

• Bring your outside leg to the inside, hooking in tight
• Curl in towards their knee, prying it out with your elbow
• Pop your knee through, pushing off their thigh with your shin
• Wrap their arm and grab your opposite shoulder, put your free leg over their back
• Shrimp out to free your other leg, recover closed guard

Full Version:
In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.

Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 14, 2018 at 10:10pm PDT

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.

For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 17, 2018 at 11:15pm PDT

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

You can also try framing to move into sitting guard. Simply sit up, framing with your arm into their collar bone. From there they will often forget to keep their legs tight, meaning you can move right into open guard. If you wanted, you could then recover closed guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 18, 2018 at 11:40pm PDT

If they attempt to duck their head under as you try to frame, adjust your arm to push against their head instead. That should give you enough time to reach a stable position to continue the switch into sitting guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 19, 2018 at 11:01pm PDT

____________________
Teaching Notes: Probably too basic, unless it is the Monday fundamentals class. So, worth adding in that simple method of getting to sitting guard instead. I taught those as separate techniques last time, but I'll try doing it in the one lesson next time. I do still want more practice with it though, to see how viable it is. Rolling with Matt H from half guard would sort it, he's probably the best half guard guy at the club.

I have been playing a bunch with the sitting guard switch: sparring with Josh a while back meant I added in switching from a collar grip to directly pushing your hand on their head if they try to duck under. That duck under is a common defence, I am trying out the head push as a quick back-up when that happens. I also want to play with the loop choke from there more too, but it is still too windpipe-y for my liking at the moment. :)

03/12/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Maintaining & Back Take

Teaching #819
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 03/12/2018

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.

Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 10, 2018 at 6:52pm PDT

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.

For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 11, 2018 at 10:32pm PDT

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 12, 2018 at 11:07pm PDT

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.

To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 14, 2018 at 12:29am PDT

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Teaching Notes: Mostly ok, except I'd like to have more details to show on finishing the back take. After all, they should have some idea of why it is worth going to the back, which will be tough to emphasise if they can't maintain it at all and slide off. I'll check some more vids before next time, drill that end part some more too. My favourite back take is the shrimping away one, but that's from closed guard where I've got their arm across the body. Not sure it applies in the classic half guard underhook situation? Must think about it more.

For now, I could show that switch to sitting guard along with a whizzer sweep next week. OR, some material from Heather Raftery, as I'm keen to delve into her quarter guard. Videos, videos. ;D

06/06/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Guard Recovery

Teaching #784
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 06/06/2018

Short Version:

• Bring your outside leg to the inside, hooking in tight
• Curl in towards their knee, prying it out with your elbow
• Pop your knee through, pushing off their thigh with your shin
• Wrap their arm and grab your opposite shoulder, put your free leg over their back
• Shrimp out to free your other leg, recover closed guard

Full Version:
In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.

Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 14, 2018 at 10:10pm PDT

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.

For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 17, 2018 at 11:15pm PDT

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

You can also try framing to move into sitting guard. Simply sit up, framing with your arm into their collar bone. From there they will often forget to keep their legs tight, meaning you can move right into open guard. If you wanted, you could then recover closed guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 18, 2018 at 11:40pm PDT

If they attempt to duck their head under as you try to frame, adjust your arm to push against their head instead. That should give you enough time to reach a stable position to continue the switch into sitting guard.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 19, 2018 at 11:01pm PDT

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Teaching Notes: Another one of those lessons where I feel fairly confident that there isn't a whole lot to add. The main thing is to emphasise keeping your hand on your forehead for the facepalm defence, using the length of your arms as a kind of shield against the crossface, while the elbows are for digging to their knee. A number of people were leaving a gap: perhaps it isn't as important as I'm imagining to keep the hand in place, but it seems to me that it would leave a hole in your defence if you do that. Also, you're not anchored in the same way, so less strong.

I covered the class beforehand too as Marcus couldn't make it, where I tested out the Xande option which is a sort of sitting guard frame for half guard. I have been playing a bunch with this recently: sparring with Josh on Monday meant I added in switching from a collar grip to directly pushing your hand on their head if they try to duck under. That duck under is a common defence, I am trying out the head push as a quick back-up when that happens. I also want to play with the loop choke from there more too, but it is still too windpipe-y for my liking at the moment.

Final thing to mention is that I was able to do another after-class promotion tonight, this time old student Lloyd visiting from New Zealand. I've been waiting for him to pop back to the UK for a while, as he was about to be promoted when he originally emigrated over there. Felt good to finally give him his well deserved belt. He had a year's training already before he started with us, and was at the club for over a year too. Great training partner and good attitude, hopefully he'll move back to Bristol some day! ;D

01/06/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Back Take

Teaching #783
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 01/06/2018

Short Version:

• Wrap one leg behind theirs, putting your shin behind the knee of your outside leg
• Use that 'kickstand' to get on your side, blocking their crossface with either a 'paw' or facepalm
• Drive your elbow to their armpit, rotating your arm around their back
• Fire that arm into their armpit and kick to scoot down, shucking their arm
• Come up on your elbow and knee, bring your leg over, then secure the back with a seatbelt grip

Full Version: In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.

Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 10, 2018 at 6:52pm PDT

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.

For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 11, 2018 at 10:32pm PDT

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 12, 2018 at 11:07pm PDT

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.

To take the back, fire your underhooking arm up into their armpit. You're trying to knock them forwards, while simultaneously scooting your body down towards their legs. At that point, pull your 'paw' arm back, so that you can base on that elbow, swiftly pushing up onto the hand. That should give you the balance to reach around to their lat with what was your underhooking arm. For further control, swing your leg over their back too. Establish a hook by digging your heel inside their knee. Finally, get a seatbelt grip (one arm under their armpit, the other over their shoulder, locking your hands together) and roll towards your non-hooking foot for standard back control.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jun 14, 2018 at 12:29am PDT

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Teaching Notes: Main thing for next time is the momentum on the kick, when you're trying to build up the energy to pop under their armpit. I think it makes sense to swing your arm into their armpit first to send their weight forward, then kick, rather than the other way around.

I could talk about that other method of getting to the back where you just shrimp away a bit, but that needs their arm blocked so I don't think that quite works in context. You'd need a different set up. :)

15/01/2018 - Teaching | Half Guard | Recovering Closed Guard

Teaching #743
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 15/01/2018

Short Version:

• Bring your outside leg to the inside, hooking in tight
• Curl in towards their knee, prying it out with your elbow
• Pop your knee through, pushing off their thigh with your shin
• Wrap their arm and grab your opposite shoulder, put your free leg over their back
• Shrimp out to free your other leg, recover closed guard

Full Version:
In half guard, your first concern is to stop them flattening you out and starting their pass. They are generally going to want to establish an underhook on their trapped leg side, using the other arm to control under your head. In many ways, it is a similar position to standard side control. That will enable them to crush you to the mat, then exert lots of shoulder pressure to kill your mobility. Many of the same attacks from side control can also be viable from here, like an americana.

Naturally, you don't want them to reach that dominant position. Your goal is to get up on your side, with your own underhook around their back, on your trapped leg side. That is one of the main fights you'll have in half guard, so it is essential that you get used to working for that underhook.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 15, 2018 at 10:35pm PST

If you can get the underhook, that accomplishes two things. First, it prevents them crushing their chest into yours, which would help them flatten you out. Second, it means you can press into their armpit to help disrupt their base, as well as help you get up onto your side. You can use your knee knocking into their bum at the same time to help with this too, as that should bump them forward.

For your leg positioning, the standard half guard is to have the inside leg wrapped around with your foot on the outside. Your other leg triangles over your ankle. This provides you with what SBG refer to as a 'kickstand': that outside leg is useful for bridging and general leverage. It's harder for them to flatten you out if you can resist with that kickstand structure.

After you've controlled a leg, got the underhook and onto your side, you want to block their arms. Almost a decade ago, Indrek Reiland put together an awesome video (made even more awesome by being free) about the fundamentals of half guard. The main principle I use from Reiland is what he calls the 'paw'.

By that, he means hooking your hand around their bicep, just above the elbow. You aren't gripping with your thumb: this is just a block, to prevent them getting a cross-face. Reiland emphasises that preventing that cross-face is the main principle. Therefore, if you can feel they are about to remove your paw by swimming their arm around, bring your underhooking hand through to replace your first paw with a second: this is what Reiland calls the 'double-paw' (as he says in the video, it's an approach he learned from SBG black belt John Frankl).

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 17, 2018 at 12:08am PST

Similarly, if they manage to underhook your underhook, bring that arm over for a double-paw (this is also applicable from the start, if you're framing against their neck), then work to recover your underhook. Keep in mind with the double-paw that you need to make sure you don't leave space under your elbow. Otherwise, as Reiland demonstrates, they can they go for a brabo choke. Get the elbow of your top double-pawing arm to their nearest armpit, as that makes it easier to circle your arm around to their back.

If you've been flattened out but you've still managed to block the cross face, then I find it is easiest to try and recover closed guard. It's generally more efficient to shift your leg positioning for this, bringing your outside leg over and hooking their leg, inserting your instep underneath their shin too. That leaves your other leg free to be pulled out. Curl your body towards your non-trapped slide, aiming to get an elbow inside their knee. Pry that open, while simultaneously attempting to wriggle your leg out. Once you get your knee/shin onto their thigh, you can square your body back up, using that knee/shin for leverage.

From there, it's the same technique as recovering closed guard from side control or mount. Hook your arm just above their elbow and grab your opposite collar/shoulder, to stop them pushing your knee down. Get control of their head with your other arm. From here, keep shrimping until you can bring your legs around their back for closed guard: how much you need to shrimp will depend on your flexibility. Going to open guard is fine too: butterfly can feel natural from here, but only do that if you feel comfortable with butterfly guard, of course.

A post shared by Artemis BJJ (@artemisbjj) on Jan 17, 2018 at 9:11pm PST

Particularly for guard recovery, Braulio's alternative to the paw is a good option. Instead of hooking around their arm, he just 'facepalms' by putting his hand on his forehead. It's surprisingly effective at blocking their crossface, because they have to somehow get past your arm first. With that facepalm defence, you can dig underneath and get closer to their leg, ready to pry their knee away to recover full guard.
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Teaching Notes: I felt I might have rushed this one, particularly recovery after you've got to the point where you have your shin on their thigh. That could do with some more detail. I am too used to already teaching it as a mount escape, so I'm probably assuming people know it already, which isn't necessarily the case. Next time, no need to mention the paw again, as this is a facepalm technique.

On the last part where you're blocking their ability to push your knee by wrapping over the arm, that seemed to confuse people. So, spend more time on that during demonstration next time, reaching all the way across to grab your opposite shoulder. Also, noting that this is a good technique for when you're getting really squished (though not so squished that you resort to the lockdown). If you have the underhook, you'd normally go for the back instead. Speaking of the underhook, I was introducing it with a double facepalm, but could be worth pointing out you can do it with an underhook too (not super important though, I guess).

Tonight was also the first time I've promoted somebody on my own (though I made sure to get permission from Kev first). Kirsty has been overdue for her blue belt for a while now, as she's missed a few gradings. Kev has rolled with her, so I felt totally confident grading her to blue. Technically as a brown it's fine to promote to blue, or at least, Kev has given me his blessing, but I don't want to abuse that trust. It therefore will be fairly rare that I promote anybody without Kev: I'll save it for people who can't make it to Kev's gradings, for whatever reason. :)