05/02/2017 - Open Mat (Sunday) | Reverse de la Riva sweeps, passing drill

Class #800
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - -05/02/2017

More reverse de la Riva today, where I drilled those two sweeps again, like on Wednesday. I think based on that, I will teach the pull to back, as that seemed to most resilient testing it with Sam. The tilt sweep is still useful, but it isn't too difficult for them to free their hand. However, when they do, you may be able to quickly switch into a butterfly sweep. You still have the other hand, meaning if you immediately grab their collar, you are in the right place to go for that variation I taught on Monday. The titling motion puts your feet in the right place too, handily. I'll test that a bit more before teaching though, hopefully getting some good drilling on Tuesday.

On the pull to back, the grip appears to be the best thing about it, plus the situation where they are going for an underhook pass is more likely (at least until more people get comfortable with leg weave passes, as that would set up the tilt sweep). Grabbing the back of the gi is strong, but I think it would still work if you just grabbed the head and pulled it down. It is reminiscent of the shoulder clamp sweep set up, now that I think about it, as again you're trying to push their head down. I found when drilling it with resistance on Sam, just having that grip can be enough to bowl them over. Scrambly, but it worked a couple of times (whether it would work in full on sparring is another question, but it's got potential).

I got in a good spar too, yet again looking for kimuras repeatedly, switching into armbars if possible. I went for my favourite gi tail choke, finishing it off by putting a knee by their head for extra leverage. I wasn't sure if the tap was from chin pressure or something, but he said it was a proper choke, so that's good. Finally, I had some more good advice from Tad (he's an excellent teacher), this time for a drill. I've done the side control drill where you spin round after they underhook. Tad's version is similar, if far more applicable. He does it off a pass. They are starting to block. Your nearside hand goes by their near hip. Putting your weight on them, kick into a backstep and spin around behind. I'll start adding that into warm-ups I think, important motion for passing.