2009-01-28 Wed PM BJJ Class

Cassio Werneck BJ - Sacramento CA - Adrian

Apparently tonight was open guard night. We worked a number of techniques all from the same starting pass.

Starting Pass:
Partner in on their back, feet on your hips. You have an inside grip on their pants at the knees. you sprawl your legs out, driving one of your opponents legs down flat, locking your arm. The other hand goes underneath and around your opponents thigh, your shoulder should be driving into their hamstring. The arm that's driving into the leg should be pretty tight, wrapped around the leg, holding a belt if desired. Keep the other arm locked straight at all times. you will most likely have your hips and shoulders level or lowered on the side that driving into the hamstring. maintaining that straight arm switch your hips and shoulders, driving your 'non-hamstring' shoulder into your opponents torso. You will likely be stradling your opponents pinned leg. step over it or hip switch past it. Keeping the pressure on (i.e. stay the hell off your knees) you can let go of the under hooked leg and reach down and exchange grips on the pinned leg. now finish by moving into a tight side control. Ta da!

The first variation involves your partner getting their pinned leg free as you are trying to go around. They then drive their knee across preventing you from passing. Easy enough, being VERY wary of the kimura, you block their knee with your hand nearest their head, then continue to alk around past the knee. keep your elbow tight to your body to avoid the dreaded kimura.

The next variation was a submission. The opponent get the knee across, and rather than forcing the knee through and passing you go to one knee, pinching his foot against your thigh and torso. Now there were two finishing moves. under hook just the heel and get a heel hook (not ok for general training btw, house rules) or underhook the whole ankle and spin around driving your knee over their thigh/hip and lay back for the knee bar.

Rolled:
Passing only start over on pass, sweep or submit.
Groups of 3. One person on bottom for 8 minutes, other two people switch out every 2 minutes. After 8 minutes switch out the bottom guy.

Jim, John, and myself.
I went first and was pretty tired by the end of it. John was passing my open guard like nothing. I need to get more flexible and keep my feet in front i think. more hip movement.