Fundamentals: 5b: Tue pm, Wed am, Thu pm
1. Counter to rear bear hug w/ arms pinned (step back and hip lift)
2. Side control escape to turtle (going flat then to knees)
3. Side control escape to turtle to double leg takedown
#3 is the one I want to focus on the most. There are a ton of times you'll find yourself in this situation and being able to convert and get the reverse is key.
From the turtle, you want to grab behind the knee on the leg on the opposite side as your head. Bring your knee on that side up and, as you do this, post on the mat with the hand on the other side (the head side) and posture up sharply. This will help secure your grip on the leg and set you up for the takedown.
Once you have upright posture, reach behind the knee on the headside and post out with the leg on the headside. The takedown is a kind of circle, as you bring your posted leg around like a big sundial.
A lot of power in this reverse. But the key is to get the mechanics down right: Grip. Crunch (knee to grip and posture up). Post. Run.
Did a lot of side control specific and definitely felt my cardio being tested. One of the things I want to do is to break these drills down into key movements that I can then add to my conditioning routine: side control escapes, mount escapes (mount is the focus for next week, BTW), rear mount escapes). For example, today's side control escape to turtle involved a bridge, hipscape to belly, and belly to knees. I need to be able to do repeated 60-90 second rounds of moves like this in order to really get these moves ingrained in muscle memory/circuitry.
A good day on the mat. I'm still having an impossible time working in some of my focus areas, tending to "wing it" more often than not. I'm still very much in the market for some under-165 training partners who are into a little drilling before or after class, and I suspect that's where I'll get a lot of my improvement time in. But all of that is a work in progress - and another goal for 2010.
