17 July 2015

17/07/2015 - Teaching | Open Guard | Leg Drag Pass

Teaching #357
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 17/07/2015


You can do this pass against various positions, but for this lesson I went with de la Riva. They have inserted a de la Riva hook (bring their leg around the outside of yours, wrapping your inner thigh with their instep) and are also grabbing your same side heel, while their foot on the other side is pressed into your hip. Immediately turn the toes of your trapped leg outwards and pressure your knee forwards. Ideally this will pop off their hook completely, but regardless it should at least weaken their ability to control your leg.

Grab the heel of their hip pushing foot with your same side hand, then with your remaining hand, grip low on that same trouser leg, knuckles facing down. Step back your free leg (so, the one their foot is on) and push with your heel drag across your body. That step back is important: otherwise, you'd be trying to pull their leg against the resistance of your own body.

After the step, you're also going to pull with your trouser grip, stretching their leg around your thigh/hip. Be sure to step back in, so they don't have any space. Maintaining the pressure with that trouser leg grip, bring your free hand under their head and pressure into them. To finish, swing your other leg back and move into side control. If they are retaining a tight grip on that leg, just grab their gripping hand/arm before you kick. It shouldn't be too difficult to generate enough leverage to free your leg, as you're so far around their guard already.
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Teaching & Sparring Notes: I'm pleased with how well this went, as it's the first time I've taught a leg drag (and it's not a technique I use much myself. Jason Scully's video was really useful for reference). For next time, I'll emphasise pulling the leg across thigh and stepping back, though I did already emphasise that quite a lot: I'll have to think how to make it really clear. Maybe some drills in the warm-up related to those actions?

Speaking of which, I did add in some new drills, starting with side control to mount, then technical mount to the back. My plan is to add in more techs to the warm-up, also making it flow through several positions logically. E.g., start with guard pass to side control, switch to mount, then to the back. From there, I could perhaps put in an escape, or even an escape into deep half? It could be tricky to come up with something that is simple enough for a warm up, but I'll keep thinking.

Also, I included the push/pull bullfighter pass, as I want people to get used to the knee on belly leg positioning (a number of beginners end up instinctively posting in weird positions that look unbalanced). Having a back drill also means I can highlight not crossing the feet too. From my perspective, it's to stop the foot lock that can be done against that. I don't care so much about it as an IBJJF rule, as I am keen to avoid gearing the stuff I teach purely for winning medals under IBJJF rules rather than simply developing good jiu jitsu. However, for the competitors it is well worth getting used to not crossing their feet anyway.

In sparring, same stuff as usual, I took it fairly easy. I need to remember to switch the legs when I'm going for a single off koala guard, making that a natural motion. I still got it, but had to consciously think "oh yeah, leg goes here, switch, now drive," rather than smoothly flowing into the technique.

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