Mizblog

I came in a few minutes early to warm up, but a few rounds of the small room turned my soles black, so I ended up sweeping the mat instead. Then the Krav Maga class moved outside so I swept the big mat.

Warm up went quick. My rolls were good. For the fall breaks, I did all left side for the practice.

Techniques were the butterfly guard setup to the arm drag. Cross collar and sleeve control, squeeze the knees while you open the guard, put the collar grip side leg on the ground (still pinching the knees) and hip out to put feet on the hips, push to sit up, put your non-gripping hand and the foot on that side on the mat so you can scoot your butt that way, put your other foot on the thigh above the knee, and pull the collar as you push the knee, dragging them down into the space you just scooted your butt out of. Continue to hold them down with the collar grip as you move onto their back.

The next variation we learned was to do a technical stand up from there, and maneuver right into wrapping their gi collar around their neck for a choke.

Then we learned the pendulum sweep from the closed guard. Take an elbow and knee grip with a high closed guard. Squeeze the knees and open the guard, putting the elbow-grip foot on the mat. Raise the knee-grip leg into the arm pit while lifting the knee and collapsing the false wall made by your other leg to perform the sweep.

Then we rolled. I started rolling with Christian, who was coming back from an injury. I managed to sweep him but then he swept me and got me with a paper cutter choke. He then explained that getting a near-side underhook is a bad idea, and if you get stuck that way, use that arm to block the bicep so they can’t get it under your shoulder.

Next was Tom, who’s still nursing a tweaked rib. He proceeded to hand me my ass with a couple of clock chokes (which I need to learn to defend better if I’m going to play turtle against him) and smashed me with knee-on-belly. Holy shit! He did not go easy despite his request to baby his rib. I was a bit surprised.

Then I rolled with Dave, got him in a solid kesa gatame eventually and didn’t let him out.

Next roll was Josh (cowboy). I tried a hip bump sweep but he posted his arm and stopped it. I jumped on it for a kimura and he protected it, so I finished the hip bump sweep and got on top of him. I did a slow and heavy guard pass to side control, but I kept removing the pressure and he’d start to recover guard. He told me to keep more pressure, which for sure is something I’m going to need to practice.

Last was Rick, who made me completely lose my Jiu Jitsu mind. I was in full chicken headed panic when he got on top of me, and he submitted me a bunch of times. Then he gave me some tips that I was too addled to absorb. That dude scares me stupid.

I got to class about 30 minutes early to get warmed up. I took my time, with plenty of breaks to watch the Krav Maga folks sparring. Then Chris showed up and we did some light warm up sparring.

Class started with 15 minutes of warm up. It kept going and going. Then coach Mark sat us down and told us about his visit to the Renzo Gracie academy in NYC, where apparently they’re very aggressive, and the black belts stick around instead of starting their own academy because rent in NYC is so high (Renzo pays $40k/month to rent his 3-story training studio) and they’re skilled in judo and wrestling as well as BJJ.

Anyway, we finally got around to a technique. Butterfly guard, grab same-side collar and the other knee, tip over toward the knee grip while lifting the hook on the opposite side, and turn your hips over to secure side control.

We did a few refinements on that technique, then learned about another technique – hip scoot your butt away from your same-side collar grip, then put your foot on the knee as you pull the gi over to where you just scooted away from, then scramble onto the top of them.

First roll was with new guy Ryan. We did a warm up minute, and he wrecked my open guard. He had some good sweeps from the knees too. I impressed him with my turtle defenses. He arm barred me from mount.

Next roll was with Dave. Good back and forth.

Next was Dave’s friend Ryan, who I submitted with a paper cutter choke, and mostly was in teaching mode the whole time, talking through every move.

Last round was with Rick, who submitted me about 4 times. The last time I trapped him in his butterfly guard for over a minute before he kimura cartwheeled me and submitted me.

Jumped on the mat after KM108 just in time for shrimping and rolls and fall breaks. I did well at those. Then Christian carried Saranya to the mat, and we got to the lesson, which started with a review of Wednesday night’s class, which was also reviewed on Thursday morning. A tight grip on the cross gi armpit gives you a lot of control over the shoulder and upper arm. From there, it’s relatively easy to lock up an arm bar or get to the back.

We also learned that you can feed the opponent’s gi around their arm, punch through to get an overhand grip to wrap the gi around their upper arm and pull it across their body, then scoot around like you’re taking the back. Get on your elbow and feed that gi tail to your other hand, then sit back with it and roll them over, finishing with your choice of choke or arm bar.

Saranya and I left before rolling. Good thing I did, because after I got home I got so stiff and sore that I was getting angry and panicked. I took a 2 hour nap and that helped a lot.

Pam’s Saturday morning class started with her complimenting me on my carry-fold of my BJJ gi. Then we got into shadow boxing mixed with jumping jacks, push ups, squats, sprawls, and sit ups. After that we paired up and our partners pulled us back using a belt around our waists while we sprinted across the mat and side-shuffled back for 2 minutes each. It was exhausting! The clock felt broken.

That done, we did a couple rounds of focus mitts. Combos 1-5 and then the same with a quick double jab cross added to the end. I did alright. Hardest part was holding pads for Scott, and that went okay too.

After that we did a one-in skill drill where we slowly and deliberately defended with all the level 1 and 2 chokes, bear hugs, etc. I did remarkably alright, with a few hiccups from rust. After everyone got their two minutes, we got further instruction on the carotid choke defense, as well as the bear hug from behind with a lift. Pam thought it was an orange belt technique, but I thought it was green belt. Anyway, it was the first time I’d seen the technique taught outside youtube in all my Krav Maga training. I just checked the green belt curriculum and yes indeed there it is! IN YOUR FACE PAM! ;P

Anyway, after that we went to the back alley where we did choke defenses while being pushed against the wall. On stucco. Fun! Then we did a drill where one half of the class would spin with eyes closed, and the other half would administer chokes (front or back) and the spinner would have to do the defense.

In the middle of this, I was called to see the kids’ class, where Saranya got her first stripe on her yellow belt.

Saranya got in at about 10:15am to start warming up and learning some things to do about side control. She really struggled with the back roll over the left side. She also taught me a very nice subtlety about osoto gari – the push-pull setup. Push them away real quick before pulling them in, stepping to their side, and sweeping the leg.

Krav Maga was doing kickboxing sparring during our warmup, but eventually they came to the back room and I grabbed a broom and swept the mat quickly. We did our warmup and again Saranya needed help with the left shoulder back roll.

The first technique we learned was using a two-handed hold on one arm to transition to an open guard. Cross-sleeve and same-side-outer-armpit grips, open the guard and plant the grip-side foot, hip back and get your other foot on the hip, then put your planted foot on the hip and sit up. From there, if they have a grip on your gi, you can throw up a triangle, and if they let go, you can push them across and get up to get on their back.

Speaking of triangles, we learned a hack to finish even a loosely locked triangle: get up on your elbows and lift your hips off the mat, then scoot back until you get the tap.

Then we rolled.

I first rolled with Dave. He got on top of me and smashed me, but I kept my cool and avoided all his submission attempts, eventually getting back on top.

Next I rolled with Dave again because everyone else already paired up. He had an arm bar attempt on me and I bent my fingers sideways to escape. I knew it was a bad idea as soon as I finished doing it.

Then I sat out a round. Saranya was sitting out and I invited her over. She had a bloody thumbnail and I told her to wash it.

Then I rolled with Greggo. I did the move of the day on him, and at the end he walked me through an arm bar finish.

Then I rolled lightly with Aaron to finish things off.

Saranya made it to her first adult class today! Hooray!

We went about 25 minutes early, so we could warm up in the small room and Saranya could learn the moves for the big class. We went through running and shuffling, shrimping, reverse shrimping, somersaults, and fall breaks. Coach Greggo stepped in to break down the rolling fall break some more and give us some pointers. It was very helpful. Then he started showing me the butterfly guard sweeps he promised to show me last week. They both involve pinching the hooks and planting the head in the chest to put the guard player’s back to the mat. The first one involves reaching under with one hand to grab one of the butterfly hooking legs and pull it across. This opens that side for the pass. The second one involved unhooking one of your legs by kicking out, and then tucking it under the remaining butterfly hooking leg, allowing you to pull your other one around for the pass, or push the knee down and slide your hips over for the pass. Something like that. We were interrupted halfway through by the Krav Maga folks moving it to the small room, so we continued on the big mat until class started.

Warm up was usual, except that Saranya was in the bathroom. She joined class as we were running around. We did all the warm up exercises that I showed her (except reverse shrimping) and we also did backward rolls, which I forgot to show her. She spoke up and asked Greggo for help though, and he broke it down for her. :)

After doing fall breaks in the warm up, we did synchronized fall break practice. 10 back fall rolls and 10 side fall flops. Then we stood up and practiced snap downs moving backward across the mat. I paired with Greggo and my fingers hurt from the grip. I kept trying to do the Navy finish to the snatch single, but I couldn’t get it right. I kept forgetting to get my head to his chest!

Then we did randori in a chain method. Dave, Tom, Greggo and I went to the small room and did 3 minutes each with rotating partners. Dave went first and kept trying to stick his leg in for a trip. He was not too successful. Tom was next, and when I went with him he headbutted me in the face, right on the bridge of the nose. I saw stars and had to sit out. My turn was next, and I did alright. Got Dave down once countering his wild trip attempt. Greggo eventually got me down. Now my nose is bruised.

Then we circled up on the big mat to learn mount escapes. The key details I picked up was to frame with your hands, get your leg flat on the mat and use it to scoot their foot out on your frame side to disrupt their base, then push their leg to make a hole for your knee to come out, then recover guard or whatever. Again, paired with Greggo for the drill, he taught me some really awesome subtleties.

Then we rolled.

I first rolled with Taco. He started on top, I upa’d him over and stayed on top for the rest of the round. He had good arm and neck defense, but he couldn’t get me off the top of him very well.

Next I rolled with Aaron, who just finished his Krav Maga blue belt test. He’s always elusive. He scissor swept me hard onto my left shoulder and had me evaluating my wellness. Good enough. I survived.

Then I rolled with Colt, who I did okay against. Played a little half guard and he kept trying to coach me the whole time.

Next was coach Greggo, and he walked me through upa, then swept me, then walked me through mount escape from the lesson, then through a back take and choke.

Last roll was with Dave. I got a baseball bat choke locked in and had to dismount to finish it, so I jumped off and spiked my left big toe straight into the mat. Stupid! That was it for me. I sat out the rest of the round until we bowed out.

Saranya sat out all but one of the rounds. She spent that round in side control bottom and was unable to escape. Now she’s on a mission to beat Skyler!

Coach Mark taught this Saturday morning class. I got on the mat at the end of warm ups because of Krav Maga but we got right into a takedown for BJJ – the snatch single. Basically, you grab one leg and pull it to your chest, keeping your ear pasted to their chest and your spine straight and solid. They’ll just stand there on one foot, so you have to take them down. We learned the Navy finish (named because that’s how it’s named in wrestling) where you hook one leg around their raised leg at the same time your back arm seat belts their waist and your front arm reaches between their legs and folds their far knee for them and your head pushes them over.

Next we learned how you can use this in a BJJ situation – when a turtled opponent tries to tripod/quadpod and then stand up. Hook their near leg and seatbelt their waist, then when they go to fight your hands, reach through with your front hand and fold their knee into the Navy finish.

Next we went to the rear naked choke (RNC). Monkey grip their hand/thumb with your helper arm while you spider crawl the killing arm across their throat, cross body control with the top hook, put them on the rack and optionally finish by letting go their helper hand and pushing the back of their head to tighten the choke.

Finally, we learned how to take a guy from turtle to back control while already sinking in this choke. Go from Iowa ride (hooking his near leg with yours) and get a body hug, but with your far arm sinking between his legs and your near hand grabbing his near hand. Pull him toward you to open the far leg for hook insertion, then when you put in the hook you’re free to put that arm around his neck to become the kill arm. Roll him over that way (toward the hook) and you’re in the back control position we were practicing previously.

After that, we rolled. I started with my drilling partner: Colt. He babied me and coached me through the anaconda I locked up on him, so I just let it go. There was no point. He also gave me some wrestling pointers which I appreciated.

Next roll was with Sean, who choked me about 3 times and made me work hard. Can’t remember learning anything there except I hurt my ear again pulling out of a guillotine.

Next was Curtis, who got me first with a slick straight arm bar, then a quick kimura from guard, then a scrambly kimura from bottom half guard just at the end of the round.

Next round I couldn’t find a partner so I just watched.

Last round I went with TJ, who got me in an arm bar that I nearly slipped out of, but couldn’t sink in the move of the day. He’d get me on the rack and I’d turn my shoulders to the mat and ruin his choke.

At the end of class, we just walked around breathing and raising our arms over our heads.

Brandon’s Saturday class was tuned to the five new students on the mat. We did tombstone pad punching and kicking, then we did thai pad combos with kicks. Saranya hurt her back attempting a double leg takedown when Ella sprawled on top of her, but she was alright.

http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/5/2/39/html

The big takeaways I got from this study were:

1. The feet and toes are injured more often than anything except the hands and fingers
2. Skin infections are the worst
3. Neck and rib injuries are not as common in the general populace as they were in our gym’s first year
4. Coral belts do not participate in BJJ injury surveys

We had three black belts on the mat this Thursday morning – Mark, Christian, and Greggo. Greggo got us running, shrimping, and rolling to warm up. Mark intervened to have us do diving break falls on the crash pad, focusing on using our pinky to make the outer wheel even on the crash pad dive. I did kind of okay.

Then we got together, bowed in, and got a lecture about the 2-foot wide tatami walk vs. the 3-foot wide bridge over a 500ft drop. It’s all in your head.

The first technique of the day was when you turtle and your opponent locks his hands under you from north-south. Grab the hands and roll them over on their shoulder, then switch your hips back the other way and secure side control. I paired up with Brandon Sherman. He kept grabbing me pretty strongly, making it difficult to secure side control at the end.

The next technique was for when they don’t clasp their hands together but instead do the Lego grip. Then you can hip out while raising your outer elbow high (to clear their arm on the exit side), step through with your far leg while also sticking your head through, then rotate your hips back quickly to attack them from the side.

The third attack from turtle was for when they keep their knees too close in front of you. Grab their leg, hug it close to your chest, and push them down over that leg. Then plant your forehead on the mat, tripod up on your toes, and jump your body across theirs into side control. It’s best if you release your grip while your body is in the air, otherwise they can stick you with a strong grip (as Brandon demonstrated to me).

Coach Mark then told us that every warm up will end with us learning to balance on our heads. I tried and I fell to my feet several times, then once I almost fell forward but bent my neck to roll, only I didn’t roll! I collapsed onto my neck before rolling. Oops. Didn’t hurt that bad right away, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings.

And then we rolled. I started vs. Brandon Sherman. He did the arm drag on me and passed to side control, while whacking my sore ear, but I maneuvered and got a knee in, then shifted to turtle. He maneuvered to try to set something up, but I rotated around and eventually got an elbow to my left eye. Actually right under my eye. Brandon joked that it was right where he was aiming. I joked that it was good Krav Maga. After that we went back to it, I used turtle to take his back (using the second move of the day) and rode him to mount. I tried to pull off an arm bar but he slipped out and got on top before the round ended.

Next round I got called out by Desi and we rolled in the back room. She’s very small and soft, and I got her in side control after fiddling with her legs a bit. She kept getting the knee shield in but eventually I got past it. She was guarding her arms pretty well but I managed to sink in an anaconda choke and mount her for the tap. Next time I pulled guard and immediately swept her, got to side control and got the same choke as before, but I didn’t cinch it up. I let it go and basically let her recover guard. Then I just maintained good posture as she tried triangles and arm bars and hip bump sweeps. I rebuffed them all, and the round ended. She said I did a good job.

Then back on the main mat, I paired up with Dave, whose shoulder is up to 75%. I vowed to leave it alone. I can’t remember much of this roll. I did almost sink a D’arce into his turtle position but couldn’t quite do it. I also never quite took his back. Still, I had him worried a couple times.

Next I rolled with coach Greggo. He did his usual butterfly guard, but this time I tried a pass I learned from Youtube. It worked about 2/3 of the way, and then he gave me trouble. We had a couple scrambles but I always managed to escape, square up, and bottle up his butterfly guard again. He was frustrated by that, and chalked it up to he’s not good at nogi, so I told him I studied up for his style. Then he got excited and started telling me of all this other stuff I can do to attack the butterfly guard. I told him for sure I’d try that on him next time.

Was that all my rolls? Seemed like there were more than that, but we did end 15 minutes early. Coach said it was 30 minutes of rolling but it was just four 6-minute rolls. D’oh! I still had energy left.