Only the Advanced class today. I would have liked to spar and do some Live Training, but by the time the Advanced Class was over, it was time for me to get my hat, as the old folks used to say. No worries insofar as I'll be back on the mat Tuesday and there was plenty for me to think about and integrate from today's class.
The whole session was devoted to pulling half guard, pulling deep half really. The idea is to dive into the half guard using your sleeve grip side, using your collar grip to pull the guy lower and break his posture down. Prof. Carlos had us underhook the rear leg rather than wrapping both arms around the front leg as Jeff Glover prefers in his deep half. From here scissor your legs and drag on the collar to sweep the guy face forward.
One variation on this takedown/sweep was to transition from the scissor to the shin sweep using the pendulum motion to turn the guys leg over and bring his knee closer. Here, you grab the foot with the collar grip and slide under the front leg with your farthest out leg cocked behind the guy's leg at the knee. Carlos had us grab our pant leg to wrap up the leg for more control. But the basic sweep is very similar to the one that Marcelo Garcia has relied on for some time now.
We also did a variation where you dive with the collar grip, but I'm going to ignore that one because I like the sleeve grip dive better: more options, more control.
Lastly we finished up with some basic half guard. In addition to the Old School sweep that I've made my bread and butter, Carlos also showed a butterfly half sweep option in case the guy posts his leg out wide. Most of the time, I've gone to the Twist Back when the leg is posted wide. Having this hook sweep option out of the half butterfly is a nice additional option.
It was also nice to work the transition from deep half to regular half. I am able to scramble to deep half more often than not when in trouble. Being able to get from deep half to regular half will soon come in handy I'm sure.
162.5 on the scale post train, everything but the coat. Three weeks to go, I'm pretty much were I should be. I've been brushing up on some escape details, things to work on over the next couple of weeks. Today's class was definitely a building one in terms of techniques I can put to work immediately.
