4.25.08 #43

Trained with Bamboo

We spent the first 15 minutes tonight talking about ankle locks and heel hooks. We looked at set-ups and defenses. The set-ups all came from the same way - our standard guard pass, knife the knee through, other leg to your opponents hip and then fall back in to the ankle lock. The success comes from being down on your opponents heel, so if you don't get the tap, scoot further down.

We also reviewed guard passing again (I don't think you can ever have enough review and discussion on this) and we talked about the defense of half-guard. Bamboo also pointed out a few things that Ferret has discussed with me. 1. I flare my elbows out too much, in half-guard, while passing, I need to work on keeping my elbows glued to my ribs for better defense. 2. I need to work on my base, I did better on mount tonight, but on side whenever my hips get in the air, I am going to get rolled. I have to have a better base - sprawl the legs!!!! Those are some things I am going to try and work on.

We spent most of the hour free rolling tonight, Bamboo had me work on all of my attacks and my defense. I didn't see some of the moves he was setting me up with, but I thought it was good work. My cardio was not anywhere near where it should be, I have been a real slack ass lately about my training. Just like right now, I am going to go to bed, I am beat. I will clean this up tomorrow. Good night

4.23.08 #42

Trained with Bamboo

Before we think I am a total slack ass for not training for two weeks, I want you to know I was on vacation. Yes, I was lazy and didn't train but I did go snowboarding for a week and drinking in Orlando with my wife for a week. But today, we got back to work.

The lesson today was to sprawl the leg!

We reviewed the last few lessons today - attacks from the guard, attacks from the mount and guard passing. Plus, we went over a few different things from half guard and more arm drag talk. Arm drag is my favorite! The two big things I took away from today was to make sure I sprawl the leg and give myself a solid base whether it is side or mount, I need to keep myself in attack position. All the while, I need to expect my opponent to try to get back into a better position - so be prepared. Then the other idea to take away, was the exact opposite. When my opponent is putting me into a bad position, I need to be prepared to escape and make the move!

4.5.08 #41

Trained with Bamboo and Shane

Actually, I get beat up by Shane, but we will stick with the theme of I trained with him. Today our focus was attacks from the guard. Bamboo showed me to clear the arm by pushing on the bicep and then grabbing the tricep/elbow and pushing with my knee to put pressure on the bicep - this move is done AFTER grabbing the head and bringing my opponent down in to me. A key part of the move was keeping my elbow glued to my hip. Due a crunch to secure the elbow to the hip to take away the space and stop my opponent from working back in to me and creating space. Then once I have the hand on the head, the elbow to my hip, my knee to my opponents bicep and my arm on his elbow, I can hit him with the opposite leg. From that move I have now created several opportunites, first omoplata, then triangle choke and finally, the arm bar. After reviewing the moves a few times each, I rolled with Shane for 15 or 20 minutes.

Rolling with Shane was interesting to say the least, Shane is big, strong and has solid jiu-jitsu. He submitted me several times and Bamboo gave me a few things to work on. I have to make sure that when I have my opponent on me in side control I have to get my arms in the correct defensive spot. Again, underhook with my elbow to my hip and then my other arm to my opponents hip again with my elbow on my hip. I have to maintain this position to play stronger defense. The other thing I have to work on is when I get to side position is to hunt the underhook and don't do anything before I get the underhook. Finally, I need to make sure when I go to headpressure from side control, I have to release my hands and apply pressure by turning the head and get my shoulder up in the air to apply more pressure and have a free hand to do what I need to do.

4.4.08 #40

Trained with Bamboo

We worked on passing open guard. Two simple rules to live by when passing:
1. Take away ALL space
2. Put your head on the ground

From that Bamboo showed me several different ways to pass guard. Of course they all started with taking away all of my opponents space. Second, I had to get my head on the ground. Then the variations kicked in. Once in that position, I can use my hand to hold my opponents leg and then hop over his guard. Or I can use my shoulder to push his leg in to got 2v1 and then pass. Or if my opponent is giving my pressure, pushing me back with his legs, I can pop his legs with my bicep and hop over.

Bamboo showed me two other passes. The knee through pass, very simple pass but can be defended with the opponent keeping their foot hooked into yours and as you pass, you get swept. The other pass I learned was for when the opponent has both feet on my hips or one on my hip and one to the outside of my leg. Push the foot off the hip, hold it down and then shoot my opposite arm to the outside of my opponents hip, through his legs. Then from there I slide into 2v1, only this time my outside leg is way outside of my opponents leg and it makes for a very simple pass.

The third, not so concrete rule that we discussed today was passing to the same side your head was on. The idea behind this rule was to prevent you from being swept when you took side mount across your opponents body. If you don't pass to the same side as your head, when you get to side position you must sprawl to prevent from being swept. If you are ready to defend the sweep, then the third rule goes away. For the time being, I am going to try to work with all three rules.

4.2.08 #39

Trained with Bamboo

I could tell I was away from BJJ for awhile, I was not on my game today. It doesn't help that Bamboo's jiu-jitsu is head and shoulders above mine. We rolled for ten minutes or so today and I don't think Bamboo even worked up a sweat submitting me at will from his back, from the mount, taking my back.

The focal point of my training today was to work on maintaining mount. Bamboo showed me how to apply head pressure and base out. We always discussed ways for me to keep my weight off of my opponent and to look for the upa and the knee escape and be ready for them. The mount training worked its way into submissions from the mount. Bamboo also showed me a great way of getting the arms up. Bring my chest to their arm, the arm only needs to be up a little bit and then smash the head. It was a great set up for gift wrap. We also looked at the arm bar from mount. I am looking forward to training more with Bamboo and spending more time focusing on just one or two moves so I can add them to my game.