Mizblog

I couldn’t stay awake for the Tuesday morning class, so I girded my loins and limped in to the Tuesday night class. My toes were really acting up whenever I’d get up from my desk, so I was worried.

We started with a couple of 4 minute warm-up rolls. I rolled with Jose and big Jared, very lightly, with no submissions. It felt pretty good.

Then we did guard passing drills. I started trying to pass Jared, but he got on top. Then I tried again with him and failed. Finally I got Josh and was able to pass him. Then I swept Carlos and Colt before Josh came and we switched to half guard passing. Josh passed my half guard pretty easily, and then I tried to pass Jared’s half guard, but no go. Then I tried Colt, and almost got it but he swept me.

So Greggo was unimpressed, and decided to do a lesson on passing the half guard. First concept was to get the cross face and underhook, and pin their shoulders to the mat. Then you can use your free foot to pry their legs open and slice your knee through for mount or side control. He also showed us how to pin the far shoulder with a couple of gi grips, and how to use your free knee as a block on their pelvis to help you pry their legs open with your free hand so you can get your trapped foot out and step way back for base before securing your final position.

We learned a collar choke you can do while passing the half guard. Basically, you reach across and get a thumb-out grip on their far collar, then grip the other lapel with your free hand, and basically you bulldozer your whole body forward with your forearm as the blade, driving into their neck, at the same time as you pull the lapel to remove slack and help the bulldozer. It’s a serious choke!

Then we rolled. I started with Craig, my training partner. He’s still a white belt but he’s improved a LOT. He even caught me in an arm bar from mount! I did choke him with the submission-of-the-day though.

Next was Colt. I remember scrambling, turtling, and trying to roll for guard, but he locked up my leg and arm and I just tapped because I was stuck. He’s extremely strong!

Last was Jose. I started on top, mounted him, he escaped to turtle, I took his back, flattened him out, pulled his head up, and choked the shit out of him just like I’ve been rehearsing the technique. That went well. Then he started on top, but I managed to reverse him and almost finished a collar choke even after he upa’d me to my guard, but he posted his fist in my neck and I wasn’t able to get the right leverage. Good job, Jose!