I got to the academy super early. I was pretty much determined to warm-up with somebody before the seminar started. As it turned out, I ended up with more than a handful in Joe, who hadn't trained in a couple of months. As far as I was concerned, he wasn't missnig much. He caught me in a couple of chokes, including a katagatame. I think we rolled for at least six or seven minutes.
Before that I was doing some agility drills, taking advantage of the space. I managed to work up a nice little sweat - imagine having a basement with that much mat space to drill and spar on! I'd take half, a quarter.
The seminar notes are next. It was funny to hear Professor Feitosa talk about having to fight so many guys that were bigger than him. He seemed bigger than Lindsey (who was my training partner during the seminar), who I consider a pretty solid welterweight. Maybe they grow them big in So Cal.
After the seminar I rolled for quite awhile with Jessie Chen (Chan?) from Bellevue. It was a very nice way to finish off the day. Joe provided a more than rigorous enough pre-seminar roll, so I liked being able to focus just on movement and technique in a post-semianr roll. I tried to work the butterfly hook game from half guard and even a little x-guard and the Fugitive guard. It was a nice opportunity to really open things up.
157.6 on the scale. A great number. Must not forget to register for the Revolution today - it's the last day to get your free t-shirt with your registration!
Single Leg Defense
Single Leg Counter to Guillotine
Arm in Guillotine
Questions from Students:
1. The Punch
Controlling the legs between the knees and the ankles with a fist grip.
2. Countering Spider Guard
One leg in and one leg out. Many problems when standing in the guard come from standing with feet parallel. Don't get your head out in front of your hips. Sit down into your stance to keep your hips low and your posture up. Use the elbow/knee connection to break one of the spider guard grips and then knee-on-belly smash or use your hips to bully the other leg forward.
3. Countering the Knee Through Pass
Similar to the point that Saulo makes, you want to use your knee to wedge in between you. Your other major point of contact was your head as you arched backward on your side (the fish move). Here the grips were a choke attack with your inside arm (usually left in my case) and grab the far wrist with your outside arm.
If he continues to press forward, then you'll eventually end up side by side on your knees, with you have much more control of him than he has of you.
If you are late and you can't get your knee in between, then you can put your knee under his butt and bump him forward, upsetting his balance. Depending on how he reacts to that (i.e., whether or not he posts) you will either be able to insert the knee and do the basic counter or wind up side by side if he doesn't post and tries to balance with his head or shoulder.
