Mizblog

We had all 3 black belt coaches on the mat today, along with Professor Pat. We had a quick warm up.

Coach Greggo taught the kimura from guard again, with extra emphasis on the wrist throttling. Same as earlier this week. I paired with Ray for the drills.

Next was again kimura from bottom half guard, with emphasis on the wrist throttling and also pinching their trapped leg between your legs to control their hips. Also, it helps if you stretch them out by pulling their elbow away from their body while keeping the 90 degree bend and wrist throttling down.

Next was the sweep as they pass to side control. Ray had trouble with this, but I helped him by pointing out that you need the north-south angle to align your rotational axes and that makes the roll easier.

Next we learned how to finish the kimura from side control. It involves pressing the arm to the mat as you roll them onto their back, but also keep your weight on them by rolling your hip onto them. Step over their head with your top foot to keep them from sitting up, and lift their shoulder to get the tap.

The last trick we learned was if they’re gripping their gi and you can’t separate it, you can lift their head and windshield wiper your same-side leg under their neck. Put your top leg above their neck and fall to your side, crossing your feet and scissoring your knees together on their neck. You use your kimura grip to pull against your scissor grip on the neck to pull the head away, so they feel it in the neck and the shoulder, and they’ll tap to whichever hurts worst first (usually the neck).

After that we rolled.

My first roll was with Ray, who started in guard, scrambled away from my guard pass attempt, got in my guard, and passed to mount, where he stayed for the entire round.

Next roll was with Curtis. He also got on top of me, but I eventually reversed him and got on top, where I finished the round going for the kimura.

Next roll was with Desi, which was mostly her defending my half guard pass.

Coach Mark called for gi-tops off, and no-gi rolling (no pants grips). I rolled with Steve for the first time ever, starting in his guard. I managed to pass to half guard, then scrambled to mount, where I grapevined his legs and got heavy. Then I slid off to side control and got the kimura grip. He defended pretty well, and even knocked me over and got on top, but I used the sweep of the day to get back on top. I got my knee on his free arm to pin it down, and that allowed me to get the tap from the kimura.

Next I rolled with Coach Greggo, and he coached me through the move of the day a couple of times before finishing the round with me in a D’Arce setup.

Next I rolled with Corey. I passed his guard, got mount, got heavy, got a guillotine, and flattened myself out on him for the tap. Then in his guard I swept him with a hip bump, got the kimura grip, and finished with the move of the day.

Next I rolled with Anna, who mostly defended my half guard pass the whole round.

Last round was on the feet with the gi on, and I paired up with Cosmo. He got me up against the wall before flubbing a takedown and I ended up in half guard top. He tried for the kimura but I postured up and started to turn it into a kimura of my own before he let go. I finally got to side control and was working for the move of the day when the round was over.

Coach Mark then had us circle up and got the Rosales family up front, and complimented them on their recent promotions to blue belt. Then he called me up and promoted me to blue belt as well!