11/03/2015 - Artemis BJJ | Open Mat | Open Guard

Class #633
Artemis BJJ (MyGym), Open Mat, Bristol, UK - 11/03/2015

Drilling with Chris, he wanted to go through some guard retention stuff. That worked well for me, as then I could work on my open guard, running through what I did at the Kev private recently. I'm still not too clear on the shin-to-shin guard, but that should improve the more I get to practice with it (the main thing at the moment is that I don't seem to end up in positions conducive to it at present, thought that could just as easily be an inability on my part to apply the guard to a sufficient breadth of situations). Chris had a nice wrestling type grip when he tried the second shin-to-shin sweep, switching to grab around the outside of their leg and threading it through. That helped control during the pass.

The single leg x guard is continuing to confuse me. Initially lifting that leg, it felt really heavy at first, though just from the lift that knocked Chris over a number of times. I changed to pushing out the other leg to help lighten the forward leg, which made a difference. I could also try that entry the visiting purple belt from the open mat has shown me before, from spider guard IIRC. I need to remember to hook my foot around their hip, in terms of my leg which is above their knee. To get the sweep, it was easier when I was attacking their left leg, I found I could raise my hips and turn over without it feeling so awkward. Not going too high and too tight with my leg under their knee was beneficial to the sweep too, it seemed.

Switching from collar to the back of the head before I switch to grabbing the shin might be worth practicing as well. Otherwise, it means there is a moment where I don't have any kind of grip on them with my hands. Finally, Dónal's grip-break from the back, raising the wrist of my top hand. That's something I should practice much more, as it is all on the back this month.