18/04/2017 - Open Mat (Tuesday)

Class #813
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 18/04/2017

Good fun with kettlebells, despite still feeling a bit woozy from lack of sleep. I think I've managed about nine or ten hours since Friday, due to the GrappleThon (write-up of that coming later, though as ever it will be backdated on the blog). There was a reasonable turnout for open mat, by Tuesday standards, with three other people. Rich M, Greg and Greg's housemate all popped down. Greg and his friend mainly wanted to roll, unsurprisingly, so I went through some back escapes with Rich.

It was the standard bridging escape, with some extra details for the instructional I've been reviewing, The Ace of Escapes. Gustavo from MMA Leech has a load of useful tips, which build and refine what I already know: exactly the kind of instructional I find most helped. E.g., he has some pointers on head placement, plus he also demonstrates going to half guard from the back escape. I will sometimes go to deep half, but I forget about the simpler option of just pushing their leg to move into standard half guard. I'll try teaching that over the next couple of weeks.

I also liked Gustavo's straightforward solution for getting moved to the 'wrong' side. Head on the mat, bridge and walk your feet over. That works well, although you need to be careful you don't try and bridge your way across. That will feel like a strain. It's the walking across that does it, so that will be something I'll likely need to emphasise when I teach it, avoid people straining.