Tales from a night on the tatame ...
Showing posts with label Rap Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rap Star. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Planning for Training Year 8
With less than a month to go before Training Year 8 begins in August, I'm settling in on guard work, specifically closed guard work, as my main area of improvement.
What I want to do is focus on is attacking the arms, either through the King Crimson series (kimura, crossover sweep, omoplata, guillotine, kimura2back) when the elbow is wide, or through the Mendes Brothers series introduced here when the elbow is tight.
The Mendes Brothers attack consists largely of the triangle and the armdrag. There may also be a wristlock in there. What I'm looking to do is to add to these attacks the baratoplata from Professor Rafael Freitas of GB New Mexico, as shown by Profs. Rodrigo and Carlos here.
The third option in attacking the arms will be the Rap Star guard (arm wrap choke, armbar, omoplata, triangle, and sweeps). I've typically not been taking a sharp enough angle when attacking with Rap Star, and ultimately have had difficulty controlling the arm and getting enough space to properly use my inside leg. So I don't want to give up on Rap Star as an "arm-oriented" attack strategy from the guard. Ideally, all three options will flow into each other and make it more risky for those who try to kill space from the top to do so.
There are some finish details about the baratoplata that I need to work out. But I think this "barataguard" is a good project to develop my closed guard over the coming 12 month training year.
From the half guard I'll keep working on the "long range" game with the Shaolin sweeps with the take-the-back variation, as well as the Foster and Faria sweeps (more about all of this, including video, here).
From the open guard, I'll continue with the Leandro Lo sweep, plus the DLR sweep/backtake combo. I'll have a post on my submission goals for TY 8 later this week, a (hopefully) high probability submission strategy that could also be referred to as "King Crimson".
Very much inspired by some great performances from my teammates this weekend at The Revolution. Looking forward to getting back on the mat on Monday.
What I want to do is focus on is attacking the arms, either through the King Crimson series (kimura, crossover sweep, omoplata, guillotine, kimura2back) when the elbow is wide, or through the Mendes Brothers series introduced here when the elbow is tight.
The Mendes Brothers attack consists largely of the triangle and the armdrag. There may also be a wristlock in there. What I'm looking to do is to add to these attacks the baratoplata from Professor Rafael Freitas of GB New Mexico, as shown by Profs. Rodrigo and Carlos here.
The third option in attacking the arms will be the Rap Star guard (arm wrap choke, armbar, omoplata, triangle, and sweeps). I've typically not been taking a sharp enough angle when attacking with Rap Star, and ultimately have had difficulty controlling the arm and getting enough space to properly use my inside leg. So I don't want to give up on Rap Star as an "arm-oriented" attack strategy from the guard. Ideally, all three options will flow into each other and make it more risky for those who try to kill space from the top to do so.
There are some finish details about the baratoplata that I need to work out. But I think this "barataguard" is a good project to develop my closed guard over the coming 12 month training year.
From the half guard I'll keep working on the "long range" game with the Shaolin sweeps with the take-the-back variation, as well as the Foster and Faria sweeps (more about all of this, including video, here).
From the open guard, I'll continue with the Leandro Lo sweep, plus the DLR sweep/backtake combo. I'll have a post on my submission goals for TY 8 later this week, a (hopefully) high probability submission strategy that could also be referred to as "King Crimson".
Very much inspired by some great performances from my teammates this weekend at The Revolution. Looking forward to getting back on the mat on Monday.
Friday, March 09, 2012
Training Days: Thursday, Friday
Professor Rodrigo Thursday for the evening class and Brock leading the class with Brian on Friday for the daylight session. The instructional in both instances was pulling guard from standing and then transitioning through de la Riva guard to sitting guard and the tipover sweep. There's nothing I like better when it comes to the instructional part of classes than just working the same technique over and over and over again. You can literally feel the technique being carved into your muscle memory; you lose your train of thought or get distracted for an instant after doing the same drill for five, ten, twenty minutes and all of a sudden realize that your body is on auto-pilot, behaving just as you have been programming it only minutes before.
One of my wife's favorite psychologists, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it "flow." I'm convinced that it's a critical part of learning that lasts.
Live Training was typically a mixed bag. I need to spend a lot less time sparring and a lot more time in specific training. I don't mind some light sparring with smaller or less experienced folks to improve my range of motion. But as far as goal-oriented activity is concerned, the guard/pass guard specific I did with Peter Thursday night was as good a session as I've had all week.
What's working? Twist Back is working. Sticky Paw is working. Breathing is working
I want to increase my guard vocabulary along the lines I've been thinking about: refining my shin guard game and adding finishes, developing Rap Star guard ... But there are some critical issues with reguarding out of half guard that I've got to deal with immediately.
I'm also realizing that I haven't worked out of deep half or X-guard all week. What's not good about this is that I'm trying to make sure that the half-guard becomes more a movement, a way of climbing around my opponent, than a "position" per se. And that means moving from half to deep half to X and back again until the opening (the sweep or backtake) appears.
Friday's training ended on a very weird note. Maybe it's the full moon, or the solar flares, or the fact that today's date is "3/9/12." I was 158.5 on the scale post-train, which is the other key number of the day.
One of my wife's favorite psychologists, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it "flow." I'm convinced that it's a critical part of learning that lasts.
Live Training was typically a mixed bag. I need to spend a lot less time sparring and a lot more time in specific training. I don't mind some light sparring with smaller or less experienced folks to improve my range of motion. But as far as goal-oriented activity is concerned, the guard/pass guard specific I did with Peter Thursday night was as good a session as I've had all week.
What's working? Twist Back is working. Sticky Paw is working. Breathing is working
I want to increase my guard vocabulary along the lines I've been thinking about: refining my shin guard game and adding finishes, developing Rap Star guard ... But there are some critical issues with reguarding out of half guard that I've got to deal with immediately.
I'm also realizing that I haven't worked out of deep half or X-guard all week. What's not good about this is that I'm trying to make sure that the half-guard becomes more a movement, a way of climbing around my opponent, than a "position" per se. And that means moving from half to deep half to X and back again until the opening (the sweep or backtake) appears.
Friday's training ended on a very weird note. Maybe it's the full moon, or the solar flares, or the fact that today's date is "3/9/12." I was 158.5 on the scale post-train, which is the other key number of the day.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Training Day: Thursday
Finally made it to the morning session on Thursday's. Lindsey is leading the class, and training Thursday morning was just what the doctor ordered.
The class was small - Frank, Chaim and a couple of white and blue belts I didn't recognize. Lindsey had us working on the scissor sweep from spider guard and the triangle choke in the first half of class and the triangle/straight armbar off the arm wrap/Rap Star guard.
Managed to get in a little bit of Live Training - though it was more of a guard specific, which was fine with me.
Mostly it was great to get back on the mat for a third time this week. Friday will be very busy, but I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in at least a little time on the mat around noon.
158.3 on the scale, post-train, everything but the coat. That's what an evening training followed by a morning training will do for you.
The class was small - Frank, Chaim and a couple of white and blue belts I didn't recognize. Lindsey had us working on the scissor sweep from spider guard and the triangle choke in the first half of class and the triangle/straight armbar off the arm wrap/Rap Star guard.
Managed to get in a little bit of Live Training - though it was more of a guard specific, which was fine with me.
Mostly it was great to get back on the mat for a third time this week. Friday will be very busy, but I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in at least a little time on the mat around noon.
158.3 on the scale, post-train, everything but the coat. That's what an evening training followed by a morning training will do for you.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Training Day: Monday
Live Training only today - given the holiday-nature of the day. That was fine with me. I've been debating changing my training schedule to include a lot more Live Training than usual. And while I haven't fully decided on a schedule for the fall, I'm close - and today's time spent Live Training only confirmed it.
Did a little Rap Star, but by far most of my time from the guard was spent working on the 2 on 1. Some nice success with hook sweeps and sleeve control out of that guard, but I'm still definitely getting used to it. There were probably some take-the-back opportunities that I missed, especially when guys got preoccupied with trying to free their wrist.
I also noticed that there might be a armbar/pendulum sweep option when guys over commit to trying to free their wrist using the other, free arm. Something to keep an eye on.
Speaking of armbars and pendulum sweeps, the first day of Operation Escola Na Escola is off to a pretty good start. I'm very much taking Griff's advice to build an environment that will help my jiu jitsu continue to improve - and hopefully at an even faster pace than it has for the past 5+ years. Like everything else in jiu jitsu, it's a matter of working on things a little bit each day - and to recognize that any work done after-hours will just continue to add up and add up over time.
A part of this is also about my sanity. There is a lot of change at the academy these days and while 99% of it is for the good, change is change and some of us deal better with it than others. As someone who can be a real slave for stability, I'll admit that this occasionally leaves me feeling a little lost and adrift in the school I've been training in for the better part of a decade.
"Escola na escola" should go a long way toward helping minimize these feelings, especially since I'm not likely to make my mark on Gracie Barra Seattle as an outstanding competitor or great teacher. As much as the Operation is about making my own process better and more robust, it is also about becoming a real asset for guys and gals who are blue belts and just really starting to get going in jiu jitsu. There's so much that I feel like I figured out the hard way over the past year and a half; if I can spare any blue belt some of the confusion and moments of jiu jitsu angst that I experienced, then the whole thing will be more than worth it.
159.0 on the scale post-train. I was about three pounds over in the gi before training - and in my heavier gi - which is fine. It's all IBJJF rules from here on out, meaning 167.5 in the gi about about 162 out of it are my marks.
Did a little Rap Star, but by far most of my time from the guard was spent working on the 2 on 1. Some nice success with hook sweeps and sleeve control out of that guard, but I'm still definitely getting used to it. There were probably some take-the-back opportunities that I missed, especially when guys got preoccupied with trying to free their wrist.
I also noticed that there might be a armbar/pendulum sweep option when guys over commit to trying to free their wrist using the other, free arm. Something to keep an eye on.
Speaking of armbars and pendulum sweeps, the first day of Operation Escola Na Escola is off to a pretty good start. I'm very much taking Griff's advice to build an environment that will help my jiu jitsu continue to improve - and hopefully at an even faster pace than it has for the past 5+ years. Like everything else in jiu jitsu, it's a matter of working on things a little bit each day - and to recognize that any work done after-hours will just continue to add up and add up over time.
A part of this is also about my sanity. There is a lot of change at the academy these days and while 99% of it is for the good, change is change and some of us deal better with it than others. As someone who can be a real slave for stability, I'll admit that this occasionally leaves me feeling a little lost and adrift in the school I've been training in for the better part of a decade.
"Escola na escola" should go a long way toward helping minimize these feelings, especially since I'm not likely to make my mark on Gracie Barra Seattle as an outstanding competitor or great teacher. As much as the Operation is about making my own process better and more robust, it is also about becoming a real asset for guys and gals who are blue belts and just really starting to get going in jiu jitsu. There's so much that I feel like I figured out the hard way over the past year and a half; if I can spare any blue belt some of the confusion and moments of jiu jitsu angst that I experienced, then the whole thing will be more than worth it.
159.0 on the scale post-train. I was about three pounds over in the gi before training - and in my heavier gi - which is fine. It's all IBJJF rules from here on out, meaning 167.5 in the gi about about 162 out of it are my marks.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Training Day: Friday
First day back on the mat since Monday. The idea has been to let my shoulder recover a little bit and maybe the healing and the Cissus will be able to catch up. I'm pretty much determined to not stop training unless something gets dramatically worse, so today was a halfway decent test.
Between the Ibuprofen, the generic Mineral Ice and the adrenalin of rolling with guys like Shawn, Brian and Benny, my shoulder held up well. There were a few moments when I was a little hesitant to post on it. But by the time I was rolling with Benny (for the second time), it wasn't even much of a distraction.
I'm starting to feel it a little bit now. But as long as I don't feel any worse, I'm going to go ahead and keep training for now. There are so many things I need to work on that the idea of taking any significant time off right now is just not an idea I'm interested in entertaining.
What's working? Nothing special out of today's session, which was pretty much a Live Training session. I spent some time working out of Rap Star, feeling ways to free the off hand when the top guy seeks to control it. My guess is that when someone starts to crowd your Rap Star, that is the time to rotate over and attack with the kimura. I also think that lowering my off hand instead of raising it could not only make it easier to free that arm, but may also do a better job of setting up triangle attacks from Rap Star.
Found myself battling the knee cross pass also. Very, very tough battle. I tried to counter with the Rodeo. But the guard passer did a good job of controlling my inside arm. I'd been looking at a counter over at MG in Action just last night, and forgot a few of the details to use when the passer does a good job of attacking the inside arm.
I still need to keep working on my attack and counter-attack from the Cobra/Marcelo guard. It's been years - literally - since I paid serious attention to this whole area of my game (other than just using it as a platform for pulling half guard). This means the whole Marcelinho shebang of hand fighting, deep half guards (X and otherwise) and the holy trinity of straight armlocks, omoplatas and guillotines.
Some of that will come easier than others. But part of what will be most interesting will be in seeing what it is that makes it difficult for me to get into position to launch these attacks, and then to fix those deficiencies.
For example, Marcelo's guillotine attack requires a pretty explosive launch from "falling to your back" to "sitting up pitched forward." And there are exercises for that. His single-leg guard and straight armlocks both require some hip mobility and accuracy that I don't yet have.
But I'm working on it. The trick is to work as constructively as possible, especially if you are on the impatient side, as I am. The easy way is to do as I see a lot of advanced guys like Lance and Henrique do, which is to aggressively play the exact same position at every single opportunity. This is the most common approach to developing and stoking evolution in your game, and I've certainly done my share of this, especially where the half guard is concerned.
Still there are more optimal approaches, and these are the approaches I need to embrace over the next 60 days, up to and through the October 2nd Gracie Barra Seattle tournament to the final Revolution event of the year a little over a month afterwards. They include aggressively finding partners to drill technique with after class - even if that means not getting in much if any full-on sparring on a given night. At the end of the day, 50 armbars from the guard and 50 "bullet time to slingshot" sweeps after every class will do me far more good than just about anything else I can do on the mat. At least right now.
159.8 on the scale post-train. Not bad, all things considered. Back on the mat Monday morning.
Between the Ibuprofen, the generic Mineral Ice and the adrenalin of rolling with guys like Shawn, Brian and Benny, my shoulder held up well. There were a few moments when I was a little hesitant to post on it. But by the time I was rolling with Benny (for the second time), it wasn't even much of a distraction.
I'm starting to feel it a little bit now. But as long as I don't feel any worse, I'm going to go ahead and keep training for now. There are so many things I need to work on that the idea of taking any significant time off right now is just not an idea I'm interested in entertaining.
What's working? Nothing special out of today's session, which was pretty much a Live Training session. I spent some time working out of Rap Star, feeling ways to free the off hand when the top guy seeks to control it. My guess is that when someone starts to crowd your Rap Star, that is the time to rotate over and attack with the kimura. I also think that lowering my off hand instead of raising it could not only make it easier to free that arm, but may also do a better job of setting up triangle attacks from Rap Star.
Found myself battling the knee cross pass also. Very, very tough battle. I tried to counter with the Rodeo. But the guard passer did a good job of controlling my inside arm. I'd been looking at a counter over at MG in Action just last night, and forgot a few of the details to use when the passer does a good job of attacking the inside arm.
I still need to keep working on my attack and counter-attack from the Cobra/Marcelo guard. It's been years - literally - since I paid serious attention to this whole area of my game (other than just using it as a platform for pulling half guard). This means the whole Marcelinho shebang of hand fighting, deep half guards (X and otherwise) and the holy trinity of straight armlocks, omoplatas and guillotines.
Some of that will come easier than others. But part of what will be most interesting will be in seeing what it is that makes it difficult for me to get into position to launch these attacks, and then to fix those deficiencies.
For example, Marcelo's guillotine attack requires a pretty explosive launch from "falling to your back" to "sitting up pitched forward." And there are exercises for that. His single-leg guard and straight armlocks both require some hip mobility and accuracy that I don't yet have.
But I'm working on it. The trick is to work as constructively as possible, especially if you are on the impatient side, as I am. The easy way is to do as I see a lot of advanced guys like Lance and Henrique do, which is to aggressively play the exact same position at every single opportunity. This is the most common approach to developing and stoking evolution in your game, and I've certainly done my share of this, especially where the half guard is concerned.
Still there are more optimal approaches, and these are the approaches I need to embrace over the next 60 days, up to and through the October 2nd Gracie Barra Seattle tournament to the final Revolution event of the year a little over a month afterwards. They include aggressively finding partners to drill technique with after class - even if that means not getting in much if any full-on sparring on a given night. At the end of the day, 50 armbars from the guard and 50 "bullet time to slingshot" sweeps after every class will do me far more good than just about anything else I can do on the mat. At least right now.
159.8 on the scale post-train. Not bad, all things considered. Back on the mat Monday morning.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Training Day: Saturday
Drove over the academy for some weekend training today. A good crew: Lance, Clint, Lindsey, Elliott, Benny J, Andrew, Jeremiah, "Buscape" and a bunch of other folks I can't recall at the moment. I got to train with Lance, clint, Lindsey, Elliott and a good sized blue belt whose name escapes me. A good straight-to-the-point workout today - pretty much all Live Training/Competition Team training.
I went to training hoping to work out of Rap Star for the full guard, and the Slingshot for the half. Suffice to say that neither was accomplished - though I did manage to get some good work in from knee on belly, specifically the baseball choke from that position. Getting and maintaining knee on belly has been the real jewel of my jiu jitsu game here at the beginning of Training Year 6 (Aug 2010 - July 2011).
What I need to work on is pulling guard from the "sparring starting position." A lot of guys are just using basic toreano tactics to hop past me as I defend out of the sitting guard. And many of these guys are getting directly to side control - not the most fun way to start off a six or seven minute sparring session. I know that the pathetic quality of this part of my game is because I'm still learning how to use this position (even though I've been avoiding the "start on the knees" Clash of the Titans silliness since I was a blue belt). But it is still more than a little aggravating.
So out of this situation, I need to improve my guard pull from that position, as well as continuing to work on some of the solutions that Marcelo comes up with when that happens.
I also need to work on Saulo's "Bullet Time" tactic to reclaim the underhook in half guard. Coming in close second on the list of things I'm doing wrong is letting guys get that underhook against my half guard. Rap Star is my "overhook" guard option. But I'm not doing what I need to do in order to create space (i.e., foot in the hip) in order to make Rap Star work when I lose the underhook from half. So while working to gain Rap Star is a good strategy, Saulo's "Bullet Time" is probably better. Bullet Time also sets up the Slingshot, which has been on my TO DO list for longer than I care to remember.
The one thing with training with tough guys most of the time is that your "A" game is constantly challenged (good) while your "B" game typically doesn't stand much of a chance (bad) - to say nothing of moves that you are just beginning to experiment on. It's a "good" problem in most respects. But it does make self-directed development and evolution that less predictable.
157.2 on the scale post-train. I was dragging on Thursday and skipped the scheduled cardio capacity workout. I'll probably pick that up tomorrow.
I went to training hoping to work out of Rap Star for the full guard, and the Slingshot for the half. Suffice to say that neither was accomplished - though I did manage to get some good work in from knee on belly, specifically the baseball choke from that position. Getting and maintaining knee on belly has been the real jewel of my jiu jitsu game here at the beginning of Training Year 6 (Aug 2010 - July 2011).
What I need to work on is pulling guard from the "sparring starting position." A lot of guys are just using basic toreano tactics to hop past me as I defend out of the sitting guard. And many of these guys are getting directly to side control - not the most fun way to start off a six or seven minute sparring session. I know that the pathetic quality of this part of my game is because I'm still learning how to use this position (even though I've been avoiding the "start on the knees" Clash of the Titans silliness since I was a blue belt). But it is still more than a little aggravating.
So out of this situation, I need to improve my guard pull from that position, as well as continuing to work on some of the solutions that Marcelo comes up with when that happens.
I also need to work on Saulo's "Bullet Time" tactic to reclaim the underhook in half guard. Coming in close second on the list of things I'm doing wrong is letting guys get that underhook against my half guard. Rap Star is my "overhook" guard option. But I'm not doing what I need to do in order to create space (i.e., foot in the hip) in order to make Rap Star work when I lose the underhook from half. So while working to gain Rap Star is a good strategy, Saulo's "Bullet Time" is probably better. Bullet Time also sets up the Slingshot, which has been on my TO DO list for longer than I care to remember.
The one thing with training with tough guys most of the time is that your "A" game is constantly challenged (good) while your "B" game typically doesn't stand much of a chance (bad) - to say nothing of moves that you are just beginning to experiment on. It's a "good" problem in most respects. But it does make self-directed development and evolution that less predictable.
157.2 on the scale post-train. I was dragging on Thursday and skipped the scheduled cardio capacity workout. I'll probably pick that up tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Far Side Kimura from Rap Star
My version of the kimura from Rap Star or Overhook Guard is derived from the omoplata attack from the arm-warp in Kid Peligro and Rodrigo Medeiros' book, The Essential Guard.
They don't show a kimura from this position. But given the way they attack with the omoplata, I assumed that the kimura would similarly attack the inside/wrapped arm.
Here's a version of the kimura from Rap Star or Overhook Guard that attacks the far arm instead. What is especially nice about this kimura is the way shooting the far side leg helps create an excruciating angle for the shoulder lock.
Cleber Luciano with Sherdog's Technique of the Week: Kimura from Guard
They don't show a kimura from this position. But given the way they attack with the omoplata, I assumed that the kimura would similarly attack the inside/wrapped arm.
Here's a version of the kimura from Rap Star or Overhook Guard that attacks the far arm instead. What is especially nice about this kimura is the way shooting the far side leg helps create an excruciating angle for the shoulder lock.
Cleber Luciano with Sherdog's Technique of the Week: Kimura from Guard
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Training Day: Wednesday
Great to see Bryan back on the mat today. I got held up and missed the warm-up and first self-defense technique (I'll pick it up on Friday), so I wasn't really able to ask him about the quick turnaround. But it was still nice to see given how scary things seemed for a few moments at least on Monday.
Working a lot on the mount this week. On Monday, we worked bump and rolls and being alert to the threat of the choke by posting on the chest. Today we worked on some issues from the top, particularly avoiding getting rolled in the bump and roll and letting the guy get to turtle. From here, an under-the-arm lapel grip to help you roll the guy to the side as you reach around the neck with the other arm.
One key detail here was to keep the choking arm's elbow on the mat. You don't want to roll too much. Having the choking elbow on the mat provides for a lot of leverage and you don't want your choking elbow up in the air without support.
Did a lot of specific training, which I love. Did some mount/mount escape work with Benny and then King of the Guard with the lightweight division of the class. I'm feeling increasingly comfortable and aerobic in both situations - though since the King of the Guard work was no-submission, I really wasn't able to work on Rap Star like I intended. I did manage to do some good pre-Rap Star grip-fighting in my sparring roll with Glenn later. But no full-fledged Rap Star guard.
161.2 on the scale post-train. I was hoping for an under-160 number, but dropping almost five pounds in two days is fine with me. At a minimum, after my Friday training, I'd like to be another two and a half on the light side.
Working a lot on the mount this week. On Monday, we worked bump and rolls and being alert to the threat of the choke by posting on the chest. Today we worked on some issues from the top, particularly avoiding getting rolled in the bump and roll and letting the guy get to turtle. From here, an under-the-arm lapel grip to help you roll the guy to the side as you reach around the neck with the other arm.
One key detail here was to keep the choking arm's elbow on the mat. You don't want to roll too much. Having the choking elbow on the mat provides for a lot of leverage and you don't want your choking elbow up in the air without support.
Did a lot of specific training, which I love. Did some mount/mount escape work with Benny and then King of the Guard with the lightweight division of the class. I'm feeling increasingly comfortable and aerobic in both situations - though since the King of the Guard work was no-submission, I really wasn't able to work on Rap Star like I intended. I did manage to do some good pre-Rap Star grip-fighting in my sparring roll with Glenn later. But no full-fledged Rap Star guard.
161.2 on the scale post-train. I was hoping for an under-160 number, but dropping almost five pounds in two days is fine with me. At a minimum, after my Friday training, I'd like to be another two and a half on the light side.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Day One: 6 Weeks Out
The first day of the camp for the Subleague event in early May was a light one: muscle endurance program (MEP) using tempo and explosive pushups from Joel over at 8Weeks Out. I had tried to do this program last fall, but my shoulder was still too weak from my labrium injury. So far, with the first routine done this afternoon, so good.
I'm doing Berardi/Beaster on Tuesdays and Man Makers on Thursdays, LSD9 on Saturday. The MEP is Sunday and Wednesday, with the final two weeks of the program having a Monday session, as well.
I'll be curious to see how I handle this camp compared to the last one. I definitely felt like I was breaking down after week six of the previous eight week camp. I was doing too much calorie restriction and wasn't getting the hours of sleep I should have. Times were pretty stressful, too, off the mat. And I can't help but think that contributed to the general malaise of late February.
But with spring in the air and fortune having at least reversion to the mean on its side, I'm thinking I can have a good run through the middle of the year.
I'm trying to fix the conditioning to the type of event Subleague will be (no gi, submission only, 4 minute matches). A combination of explosiveness (power and power endurance) and strategy are what will be needed to prevail. I have a four minute jiu jitsu Tabata that I may add to Saturdays before the LSD9 to get a feel of what that four minutes might feel like. With regard to strategy, I have my half guard for the bottom, and will spend the next six month focusing on taking the back.
As much as I want to improve my ability to take the back from half guard, there are a few other positions I want to master, as well. I'm liking, for example, the Rickson move that Saulo shows in his book (103-105) as "Closed Guard Overwrap" and "Overwrap to Back". I think both "rooms" go well with the Rap Star and half guard I've been working on.
I'm slowly working this cold off. Monday will probably be my first day back in two weeks. I've missed about 5 classes, but there's a pretty good chance that I can make up that time - and then some - in April during my 6 Weeks Out. One goal for 2009 is to average 15 classes a month - including seminars and competition/tournaments - which is 180 classes a year. So far I've got 14 for January, 13 for February and, hopefully, at least 11 for March. A big April (17-18) will go a long way toward my number.
I also want to do a better job of focusing on using both the move of the day and whatever I am working on for competition. In the same way that Berardi talks about meals as "feeding opportunities", I need to make sure I look at every sparring opportunity as a "continuing education opportunity." At the risk of sounding extreme about it, if I'm not working on something, I'm working toward nothing.
I'm doing Berardi/Beaster on Tuesdays and Man Makers on Thursdays, LSD9 on Saturday. The MEP is Sunday and Wednesday, with the final two weeks of the program having a Monday session, as well.
I'll be curious to see how I handle this camp compared to the last one. I definitely felt like I was breaking down after week six of the previous eight week camp. I was doing too much calorie restriction and wasn't getting the hours of sleep I should have. Times were pretty stressful, too, off the mat. And I can't help but think that contributed to the general malaise of late February.
But with spring in the air and fortune having at least reversion to the mean on its side, I'm thinking I can have a good run through the middle of the year.
I'm trying to fix the conditioning to the type of event Subleague will be (no gi, submission only, 4 minute matches). A combination of explosiveness (power and power endurance) and strategy are what will be needed to prevail. I have a four minute jiu jitsu Tabata that I may add to Saturdays before the LSD9 to get a feel of what that four minutes might feel like. With regard to strategy, I have my half guard for the bottom, and will spend the next six month focusing on taking the back.
As much as I want to improve my ability to take the back from half guard, there are a few other positions I want to master, as well. I'm liking, for example, the Rickson move that Saulo shows in his book (103-105) as "Closed Guard Overwrap" and "Overwrap to Back". I think both "rooms" go well with the Rap Star and half guard I've been working on.
I'm slowly working this cold off. Monday will probably be my first day back in two weeks. I've missed about 5 classes, but there's a pretty good chance that I can make up that time - and then some - in April during my 6 Weeks Out. One goal for 2009 is to average 15 classes a month - including seminars and competition/tournaments - which is 180 classes a year. So far I've got 14 for January, 13 for February and, hopefully, at least 11 for March. A big April (17-18) will go a long way toward my number.
I also want to do a better job of focusing on using both the move of the day and whatever I am working on for competition. In the same way that Berardi talks about meals as "feeding opportunities", I need to make sure I look at every sparring opportunity as a "continuing education opportunity." At the risk of sounding extreme about it, if I'm not working on something, I'm working toward nothing.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Thursday Night Training
Taking the mount from side control was the focus of training tonight. Rodrigo had us work three moves from the hips-switched position, with the "shoulder of justice" as Frodo calls it, firmly applied.
Another detail he added to the "shoulder of justice" was gripping the far shoulder material in your four fingers and pulling toward you. I found that it was a great way to control the upper body when you were transitioning from one type of hip block to another.
#1 was the basic leg up and over from the hips-switched position. #2 had you go through a very low, tight knee on belly first, knife the knee all the way over to the mat and pivot in the direction you are moving to bring your hips down and keep your legs free. #3 was a version that looked a lot like Eddie Bravo's "Jailbreak" side control escape in which you grabbed your foot, pulled it in tight and then sort of shoved it across to the other side of the guy's body as you took the mount.
Good basics to keep working on - one reason why I plan on continuing to take the "beginner's class" for as long as I train.
For the no gi open mat afterwards, I got in one good long session in the gi and then rolled with Animal no gi for a regular sized session. During the gi roll, I got to work on Rap Star far, far more than I have all year, which was great. Nothing special in terms of submissions or sweeps, but it was very nice to start to try and get the feel of the position better.
Still not going after the twist sweep out of half guard like I should be. With two weeks before the GB Friendly Invitation event - let alone the Revolution event two weeks after that - there's plenty of time to get that groove back. But it needs to start happening on Monday. The tackle sweep, which I have been obsessively trying t perfect, still isn't half as effective as it can and should be without a fully developed and ready to go twist sweep if the guy gives me the momentum. Arguably, more than anything else, feeling as good with the twist sweep as I did back in December (and as I do with the tackle sweep right now) is an early February priority.
Another detail he added to the "shoulder of justice" was gripping the far shoulder material in your four fingers and pulling toward you. I found that it was a great way to control the upper body when you were transitioning from one type of hip block to another.
#1 was the basic leg up and over from the hips-switched position. #2 had you go through a very low, tight knee on belly first, knife the knee all the way over to the mat and pivot in the direction you are moving to bring your hips down and keep your legs free. #3 was a version that looked a lot like Eddie Bravo's "Jailbreak" side control escape in which you grabbed your foot, pulled it in tight and then sort of shoved it across to the other side of the guy's body as you took the mount.
Good basics to keep working on - one reason why I plan on continuing to take the "beginner's class" for as long as I train.
For the no gi open mat afterwards, I got in one good long session in the gi and then rolled with Animal no gi for a regular sized session. During the gi roll, I got to work on Rap Star far, far more than I have all year, which was great. Nothing special in terms of submissions or sweeps, but it was very nice to start to try and get the feel of the position better.
Still not going after the twist sweep out of half guard like I should be. With two weeks before the GB Friendly Invitation event - let alone the Revolution event two weeks after that - there's plenty of time to get that groove back. But it needs to start happening on Monday. The tackle sweep, which I have been obsessively trying t perfect, still isn't half as effective as it can and should be without a fully developed and ready to go twist sweep if the guy gives me the momentum. Arguably, more than anything else, feeling as good with the twist sweep as I did back in December (and as I do with the tackle sweep right now) is an early February priority.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Post Compete Week Training: Monday/Tuesday
I managed to get on the mat Monday and Tuesday nights this week. It's been an off week in some respects, with my ankle still giving me problems and a few sore knuckles on the hand on the same side that have made it difficult to write and type. I'd hoped to train Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday since I was going to be busy Thursday night. But I felt a little too beat up Wednesday night to roll in and, as a result, ended up with only two days of training this past week.
Monday night was some good work, starting from standing. My footing was a little ginger, I worked mostly uchi matas to avoid having to change levels dramatically. Uchi matas, arm drags and a few feeble duck unders. From there we did some open guard rolling, movement and position stuff for the most part, and I focused pretty much on Rodrigo's heel 'n' hook open guard.
During some specific work, I felt a little bit off my game. Specifically, my good side half guard was coming up short. I was having a hard time getting control of both the legs after getting in deep. Now I figure that the problem was that I was still too much on my back and not enough on my side, which would have allowed me to reach farther around with my underhook/outside arm to better secure the lower legs.
Tuesday night we worked some techniques from closed guard: triangle to omoplatas mostly off the Rap Star. The specific lockflow was, from Rap Star, choke, triangle when he defends with the opposite hand, then omoplata when he tries to pass by coming around the side. Rodrigo emphasized escaping your hips to the outside after you secure the arm in the omoplata. That way you put more pressure on the shoulder and inhibit the roll/jump over escape.
Some good training. I rolled forever with Steve Monday night and Mike Tuesday night. My stuff sweep out of half guard is definitely something I want to keep working on since I'm having some success there. And I need to make sure that I'm bringing my right side half guard up to speed on the basics. Another half guard note is to make sure that I turn on my side even - if not especially - when I'm deep in half guard. That is what will allow me to get the leg lock I need to work the Old School/Twist Back double attack.
Monday night was some good work, starting from standing. My footing was a little ginger, I worked mostly uchi matas to avoid having to change levels dramatically. Uchi matas, arm drags and a few feeble duck unders. From there we did some open guard rolling, movement and position stuff for the most part, and I focused pretty much on Rodrigo's heel 'n' hook open guard.
During some specific work, I felt a little bit off my game. Specifically, my good side half guard was coming up short. I was having a hard time getting control of both the legs after getting in deep. Now I figure that the problem was that I was still too much on my back and not enough on my side, which would have allowed me to reach farther around with my underhook/outside arm to better secure the lower legs.
Tuesday night we worked some techniques from closed guard: triangle to omoplatas mostly off the Rap Star. The specific lockflow was, from Rap Star, choke, triangle when he defends with the opposite hand, then omoplata when he tries to pass by coming around the side. Rodrigo emphasized escaping your hips to the outside after you secure the arm in the omoplata. That way you put more pressure on the shoulder and inhibit the roll/jump over escape.
Some good training. I rolled forever with Steve Monday night and Mike Tuesday night. My stuff sweep out of half guard is definitely something I want to keep working on since I'm having some success there. And I need to make sure that I'm bringing my right side half guard up to speed on the basics. Another half guard note is to make sure that I turn on my side even - if not especially - when I'm deep in half guard. That is what will allow me to get the leg lock I need to work the Old School/Twist Back double attack.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Wednesday Night Training
Lindsey led the class tonight. We worked a couple of different moves from the guard and mount. The first was a triangle from the guard. Lindsey's main emphasis on was on keeping everything tight and, like Cindy's triangle, grabbing the shin instead of trying hit the Instant Triangle.
Lindsey also likes to underhook the arm to help you pivot into the "rifle sight" of the triangle. I would imagine that if you combined that with the shin grab and pivoting with the overlocking leg, you would very effortlessly get perpendicular and perfectly into prime triangle position.
We also worked to Rap Star moves. The Rap Star triangle and the Rap Star butterfly sweep. I had success going both directions with the Rap Star butterfly sweep, but Lindsey's approach of sweeping away from the rap side seems to leave you in the most dominant position.
I go back and forth over whether I should stick with developing my half guard whenever possible or introduce butterfly guard and try to optimize them both at the same time. I still think the better approach is to bring on the butterfly guard work after I've started to feel some real comfort with my options in the half. But it is nice to work the butterfly a bit from time to time, just to alert my body to what will be coming with more frequency in 2009.
We last did a triangle choke from mount. I had been looking at this position in one of my books because I'm still looking for a "go to" attack from mount. I'm feeling more and more capable of maintaining mount, switching from the Squeeze to double grapevines to Saulo's "technical mount". But I'm not at a point where I have a proven gameplan for finishing from the top.
I'm sure I'll figure it out. Clearly that will be where I will be getting most of my submissions from: I'm doing too well at getting and keeping mount to look to finish fights elsewhere (i.e., from the guard, knee on belly, rear mount ...). I've just got to keep trying different things and see what surfaces.
Lindsey also likes to underhook the arm to help you pivot into the "rifle sight" of the triangle. I would imagine that if you combined that with the shin grab and pivoting with the overlocking leg, you would very effortlessly get perpendicular and perfectly into prime triangle position.
We also worked to Rap Star moves. The Rap Star triangle and the Rap Star butterfly sweep. I had success going both directions with the Rap Star butterfly sweep, but Lindsey's approach of sweeping away from the rap side seems to leave you in the most dominant position.
I go back and forth over whether I should stick with developing my half guard whenever possible or introduce butterfly guard and try to optimize them both at the same time. I still think the better approach is to bring on the butterfly guard work after I've started to feel some real comfort with my options in the half. But it is nice to work the butterfly a bit from time to time, just to alert my body to what will be coming with more frequency in 2009.
We last did a triangle choke from mount. I had been looking at this position in one of my books because I'm still looking for a "go to" attack from mount. I'm feeling more and more capable of maintaining mount, switching from the Squeeze to double grapevines to Saulo's "technical mount". But I'm not at a point where I have a proven gameplan for finishing from the top.
I'm sure I'll figure it out. Clearly that will be where I will be getting most of my submissions from: I'm doing too well at getting and keeping mount to look to finish fights elsewhere (i.e., from the guard, knee on belly, rear mount ...). I've just got to keep trying different things and see what surfaces.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Demian Maia: Rap Star Triangle
Demian Maia put on a Fight of the Night/Submission of the Night performance this Saturday against tough, UFC middleweight gatekeeper Jason MacDonald. Here he is setting up the Rap Star Triangle in the first round.
Maia would go on to win by rear naked choke. But it is great to see someone of his calibre using the Rap Star triangle. It's a reminder of how you have to go after a move persistently, forcing the opponent to react, rather than just trying it once and giving up on it to try something else. Give the guy a chance to make a mistake!
It reminds me of what I love about the Werdum v. Lindland ADCC match from 2003. You see Werdum with three distinct attacks in his gameplan. You can see them as clear as day. But he stays at them and stays at them and eventually Lindland makes a mistake and the fight is over.
The work Cindy had us doing with the arm stuff triangle helps me think about trying to bring my Rap Star game back on board. She emphasizes getting the hips up high and just getting the initial lock with one arm in and one arm out before methodically working to finish it off.
I've been thinking about Rap Star on and off for the past few weeks. This six week pre-Revolution Prep period might be a good time to see how far I can take it.
Maia would go on to win by rear naked choke. But it is great to see someone of his calibre using the Rap Star triangle. It's a reminder of how you have to go after a move persistently, forcing the opponent to react, rather than just trying it once and giving up on it to try something else. Give the guy a chance to make a mistake!
It reminds me of what I love about the Werdum v. Lindland ADCC match from 2003. You see Werdum with three distinct attacks in his gameplan. You can see them as clear as day. But he stays at them and stays at them and eventually Lindland makes a mistake and the fight is over.
The work Cindy had us doing with the arm stuff triangle helps me think about trying to bring my Rap Star game back on board. She emphasizes getting the hips up high and just getting the initial lock with one arm in and one arm out before methodically working to finish it off.
I've been thinking about Rap Star on and off for the past few weeks. This six week pre-Revolution Prep period might be a good time to see how far I can take it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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