Catching Up

I've got a few things to catch up with insofar as it's been a few days since my last post.

First, the next Copa tournament is April 22nd, a little over six weeks away. That's plenty of time to get ready. More about this in the days and weeks to come.

Second, I'm back to the "every other Saturday" routine. I trained Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and I'm whipped come Thursday morning. I'm still having a hard time getting back on my personal training track. But hopefully having this tournament out in front of me will help with that. I want to put in some serious treadmill work on Saturday morning and some heavy-duty lawn work on Sunday. That should set me up for Monday morning and the renewal of the tournament-training program.

Third, I haven't written about the Saturday class, Monday's class, Tuesday's class or last night's class. My memory of Saturday and even Monday has faded a bit. Maybe it will come back to me after I talk about Tuesday's and Wednesday's night classes ...

Let me say this straight out: I've GOT to do a better job of incorporating what Rodrigo is teaching us. Sure, I'm going to have a hard time implementing my new techniques against the higher belts. But I've got to, got to keep doing it. Otherwise, what's the point?

I really like the open guard stuff that Stephan and Rodrigo have been showing, controling the sleeves and using your feet in their biceps or hips. I also like the "sitting up" type guard that Marcelo Garcia uses. I can match that up with the technique that Rodrigo showed us that created both a sweep and a pass to the back. I've been trying to incorporate a kimura attack when the guy (or, as the case was last night, gal) tries to grab my ankle cuff. But while I was able to put both Joe and Maggie on the defensive with that quick kimura move, I was pretty much stuck once they countered it (Joe straightened his arm; Maggie grabbed first my pant leg, then her own gi).

I'm thinking that the kimura attack from the sitting up guard needs to be combined with something like an arm drag and move to take the back. I'm thinking that the arm that is under (as opposed to the arm that has the wrist gripped) should grab the elbow and pull it toward and across my body. With the inside hook in, I should swing my other leg around and move to take the back. The wrist-holding hand should reach around and the other hand (the one that was grabbing the elbow) should reach under the arm to establish back control.

Wednesday night
Rodrigo really worked the hell out of us. A lot of running, pushups and squats ... not so much ab work. But he did have us do the fall/standup drill for awhile. It's been many moons since he's had us do that one ...

I worked with Tommy. Rodrigo has us learn three techiques, I think.

Side control to armlock via knee-on-belly

In this combination technique, you start from side control. Leap up from side control to go knee-on-belly.

From knee-on-belly, the opponent will try and push your knee away.

When he does that, reach under his arm at the elbow.

Step out and around the head with the back leg. Swing your body around (toward the south first) and drop into the armlock. The leg that was applying the knee-to-belly will become the leg that goes across the neck. The other leg should be tightly wedged, knee up, against his side--preferably under his arm.

I want to double check the spin-into-armbar part of this move. I think I've got it right. But I need to make sure.

Open guard sweep of standing opponent

Grab both cuffs. One foot in the belly, the other on the ground hooked around a leg.

You work into the sweep by changing direction: switching feet and turning as far to your side as possible.

To do the sweep, switch the grip of the cuffs so that the outside hand is free. With the outside hand, reach down and grab the ankle on that side.

Simultaneously do the following four moves: Pull the ankle. Pull the cuff. Scissor sweep the standing leg at the ankle. Push with the foot in belly.

Spider guard sweep of down opponent

Start in spider guard with grips on the cuffs and knees in the biceps.

Reach under with the far hand (the side you aren't going to sweep toward) and grab under the thigh.

On the opposite side, kick out with the knee and pull on the cuff. At the same time, lift the guy with the other hand (on thigh).

You want to bring him on top of you first, then off at a 45 degree angle over the shoulder that you did the knee kick with.