Thursday, October 23, 2008

No-gi with Tom and then Gracie class (gi) 10/23

Rolling with Tom: I started from side control because my escapes are sucky. I'm not doing things together; I either frame and push on the neck, or I bump, or I try to turn into him, but I need to do them all at once. Shrimping sucks still. He was super heavy on me and I noticed a tendency to panic a bit when I couldn't breathe. He corrected my RNC-- always have an underhook with the monkey paw over their forearm; push that arm down and hook it with your leg, pinch tight! then it's a two-on-one fight to get the choke. The underhook also prevents them from successfully turning into you.
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Oy, tonight's class at Phil's is a nearly-impossible class to blog. For one, I arrived late because I was doing a phone interview at work of a good potential witness.. for another, I'm the lucky recipient of so much brain-dumping from so many sources, I can hardly remember it all. I should wear a wire ;) Scott mentioned the tournament this weekend in San Antonio-- a gi round-robin with a takedown division too-- but I can't go, Mitch has a rowing race that conflicts. I'm fine with missing it, I'm happy to sit and learn a bit more before going out there and flailing like a landed fish again.

When I arrived, Steve was teaching some takedowns and self defense techniques. By the time I changed, I was just able to drill 3 of them a few times.

On the side, my partner showed me some tips for isolating the arm from side control to work for an Americana... just balance issues, using my head at the right time, then shooting my hips back as soon as I got the grip to avoid being swept.

Then we reviewed a counter from the full nelson, protect your neck by making a fist and cupping it with your other hand, pressed into your forehead, whilst settling into base a bit. Step around their leg and behind it and clamp down on their forearms a little with your triceps-- step forward a bit with your outside leg and turn into them a bit so you're almost at a right angle to them, still holding their arms with yours. Kneel on your outside knee and roll over your outside shoulder, taking them with you-- finish in side control.

Then Phil taught the baseball bat choke from side.

Then class broke for open mat. Phil took me and a guy who is going to compete this weekend aside for grip breaking practice, and some poor whitebelt named Jesse got yanked (though he wanted to practice takedowns) to be my uke. When they grab your pants, you can do a single or double sleeve grip and yank your foot away.. you can also figure-four your hands and lever their grip apart. The same works for a lapel grab. Another lapel grab counter-- with the sameside hand, grab your lapel just below their hand, and then use the otherside hand to sharply move their hand off your gi. It's not exactly a strike, but it's sharp and sudden and decisive. You can also "slice" their hand off a grip if you move quickly before they're truly settled into the fabric.

Then I was going to roll with Jesse, but Richard came up and asked me to roll. I bounded up eagerly but we then got distracted when I said my takedowns suck. He spent the rest of the next hour showing me takedown after takedown using poor Jesse.

I can't tell you how much fun I had, Richard is an amazing instructor, very positive and encouraging and detail-oriented without overwhelming. He couldn't roll unfortunately but I hope to roll with him Sunday. I told him I'd bring cookies :)

Then I did get to roll with Jesse, who is also very informative. As always my side escape sucks. I got mounted a few times. Defended the RNC, americana and kimura; read his bait for an armbar and defended that well too, until the very end. I finally did get armbarred because I let go of a countering grip to try and improve it, but he took advantage and it was over. My triangle counter is nonexistent. Jesse is nice to roll with-- he's loooong but not too heavy, about 160-170lbs, and he's more experienced, but not too fast or hard for me to tolerate.

OK, hopefully tomorrow get in another hour with Tom, wouldn't mind trying for the armdrag on him.

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