A couple of good half-guard passes.
A way to escape rear mount.
I feel especially good about the latter. Saulo Ribeiro's technique for resisting the common collar choke is brilliant. Even grabbing your own collar with the opposite hand has a tremendous deterrent effect. Tonight, both Tom and a brown belt had my back and were working for the choke. The brown belt eventually got it--but mostly because he incidentally rubbed hard against the sore on my left side and I decided to give up.
The pain wasn't horrible. But it was the first time I felt any pain there all night, so I overreacted.
I did like the way I kept either on my side or on my back when both Tom and the brown belt took my back. No figure fours--for which I am now ready to defend and attack. I even shot the leg out as Ribeiro offers by way of escape from rear mount.
I also wouldn't mind knowing the mechanics of the backdoor escape from the rear mount. I thought I had an opportunity use a backdoor escape against the brown belt. But I couldn't figure out the physics in real-time.
A great first night back after missing three classes in a row. The missus was right about all that walking up and down hills in San Francisco. The miles I put on the treadmill before and after the vacation probably didn't hurt, either.
If I can get my conditioning routine down (resistance tomorrow morning, tough guy ... and five miles after work!), then I suspect I will be very grateful over the next several months.
The Class:
We started off with a warm-up that was mostly mat laps with push-up intervals. I was gassing, but it really wasn't too rough of a warm-up. Some shoulder work and some mat sprints. But not too terrible.
We then did that grappling, dueling underhooks routine I've seen fighters do on The Ultimate Fighter. Nice to know, and a good drill. I worked with Arnell, who was very good to work with--in the Joe/Mario/Elliott category of good guys to work with.
We worked on a pass from the front, sort of a pass against the butterfly guard. It's basically a headstand pass where you hump in deep against the knees in the butterfly guard. Then plant your hand to one side, plant your head to that side and go vertical into a headstand. Then you switch your hips with the leg-side leg coming down first to block the hip. You wind up in side control.
Tbere was another pass we did. I'd call it an open guard pass to knee on belly. It's a classic drill in the sense that it isn't just a technique, but it also emphasizes a basic tenet in guard passing.
The opponent is in the knee-up/knee-down basic position. You put one hand on each knee to keep them separated. The pass comes by stepping with your inside leg between your arms. You want to plant your shin against his chest to push him back. As always keep as low as possible--at one point the pass might even look like a lunge. Move to knee on belly.
We did the escape-from-wrist-grab as a finishing drill. That one I've done before.
That was the class. I've already talked about the sparring. I rolled with Joe, Tom, Robert and the brown belt. I really emphasized standing out of Joe's guard, but he was very good about re-establishing his guard each time I got to half-guard or so.
I've already talked a bit about rolling with Tom. He took my back a couple of times but couldn't get the choke he was working for. He didn't really try the armbar transition from the rear mount--or at least I don't think so. I just forgot the basics of escaping the rear mount--even though I knew enough to stay on my back or on my side. I also spent a lot of time in his half-guard again. I really need to learn some half-guard passes.
Rolling with Robert this time was a lot like last time. Like with Joe, I wound up back in Robert's guard a lot. But I had him in side control for much of the five minutes. I had a hard time improving my position, but he had a hard time dislodging me.
The brown belt rolled steady-like. I spent a lot of time in his guard, too. But I think I did an excellent job of keeping my arms short, and only once felt vulnerable to an armbar.
Basically, I'm learning to keep my elbows in and not "abadoning" an arm. If an arm gets extended, then I'm learning to bring my head and shoulders into play. I want to bring my arm and body closer one way of the other, and if I can move my arm then I'll move my body.
Note that I use my head to make way for my shoulders and upper body. If I don't keep that "closer" pressure on, then I can get triangled. That's where keeping the elbows in is key. Never let your elbows get higher than his abs nor wider than his body. That prevents the triangle. Bring your body to your arm. That prevents the armlock.
Did I say that Ribeiro's choke defense method is unbelievable?
A good, good night back on the mat.
