27/02/2011 - RGA Aylesbury (Beginner)

Class #378
RGA Aylesbury, (BJJ), Kev Capel, Aylesbury, UK - 27/02/2011

Due to my Malta trip, this is my first training session in three weeks, which is the longest I've been out for a while. Of course, not necessarily a bad thing, as I'm also still injured, so that time away gave it some time to heal. It isn't 100% yet, but definitely improving. I'm hoping to try some light sparring next week, and see how that goes.

We started off with a double leg takedown drill. Drive forward with your leading leg, ending up with it inbetween theirs. Bring the other foot outside, both arms round their legs, then raise up, driving your head into their side. Fortunately for my leg, we only did the entry, otherwise I would have had trouble drilling this.

That moved into taking the back. As they shoot in for the double, thrust your hips forward, then sprawl back. They will probably still have an arm over your leg. Insert your arm on that side of their head, reaching through to grab their bicep. They should now find it tough to follow as you move round. Walk your feet in the direction of your cross-facing arm's elbow, then get a harness grip. Insert hooks, then roll, lifting with your leg, to take their back.

To escape back mount when facing the ceiling, Kev had a useful phrase to keep in mind: "head, shoulders, hips." If they don't have a choke on, you can move to either side. If they do, look towards their choking elbow to relieve pressure on your neck, then move in the direction of their choking hand: that points the way out.

Start the escape itself by posting your head to the mat (remember, whichever side their choking hand is pointing towards), pushing off with your diagonally opposite foot. Next, wriggle your shoulders to the mat, which then means they can't finish their choke attempt.

Now that you should be safe from chokes, move your hands to grab their knees (or wherever you can grip on their trouser leg). First step your leg free on your head side. Maintain your grip on the other leg, to make sure they can't just roll on top of you.

Keeping your weight on them, shift your hips towards their head, still holding that leg (you could use your free arm to post). Thread your leg as you would in the shrimp to all fours drill, establishing side control.

Kev finished with a basic sliding choke. You have the back, one hand past their armpit. Use that hand to open up their nearest collar, feeding it tight to your other hand. Then grip the other collar with your armpit hand, pulling on both for the choke.

During king of the hill sparring, my training partner generously gave his time to do some more drilling with me. As ever, I decided to work some more on the overhook choke. My wrist is still ending up too bent, although he did say the choke was still on, pressing into the carotoid arteries rather than just i to the windpipe. Nevertheless, I want to get it right: I think perhaps I need to allow for more cloth, in order to make a proper fist and avoid twisting up my wrist and hand once I bring my arm past their head. Problem of course is that the initial grip also needs to be a tight for the choke to function properly.

While people were warming up with the usual star jumps, squats, breakfalls and shrimping, I tried warming up with exercises I could do with only one leg. However, I ran out of ideas after sit ups, press-ups and whatever that one is called where you lie on your front, then raise your upper body and legs (Kev suggested it: I think he called it dorsal raises or something?) So, if anyone has some further suggestions, let me know.