26/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Open Mat

Class #894
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Open Mat, Heidelberg, Germany, 26/08/2017

From Priit stuff, I worked on hold the phone. So, shoulder up into ear. Lie almost flat in side. For running escape, really tuck your elbow way under, block hooks. Thigh over arm. For his turtle, also hold the phone. Look at the side they're on, then handfight the other side to thwart their attacks. I had good rolls with Ferdinand and Mikhail, who both squished me (plus I soon ran out of gas defending against Mikhail, meaning I used too much energy), along with a number of other people on my list, like Ahn, Amanda and Eva.

My final roll was with Bernd, who had some good advice on the double under defence to knee cut. He suggested using a frame to make space, then you can scoot in for those underhooks to escape the pass. On the single leg sweep with Ferdinand, he noted I was too high on the knee and I needed to get in deeper.

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 26, 2017 at 5:42am PDT

26/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Kimura hug (Daniel Bertina)

Class #893
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Daniel Bertina, Heidelberg, Germany, 26/08/2017

The final class of camp proved to be the one most immediately applicable to my game. It was based around a kimura follow-up that Daniel has been using since he was a child training judo, apparently. You go for the kimura, but they grab their belt or whatever to block your submission. Reach all the way through with your wrist gripping hand, hugging your own triceps. Your other hand goes under their elbow, reaching for your other triceps. Squeeze your arms together and wriggle them forwards, for a count of 1-2-3.

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 29, 2017 at 7:53am PDT

Next, walk your legs around towards their head, until your can shift your weight onto their far shoulder. To finish, twist your elbow nearest to their head up to apply a shoulderlock. I've decided to call this the kimura hug, which feels appropriate (and I like that it sounds cuddly instead of nasty ;D). It's possible to get the tap from the cutting pressure of your forearm, though personally I prefer to avoid anything that relies on pain and leaves lasting soreness. You can do this on the near side too, as well as an acrobatic jump into the position off a guard pass.

25/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Open Mat

Class #892
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Open Mat, Heidelberg, Germany, 25/08/2017

Having kicked off my sparring on Thursday, I ramped it up further for Friday, before the main sparring session for me on Saturday. I would have stayed longer, but there was the fourth and final Dungeons & Dragons session to get to for 20:30. A number of good rolls today, particularly with Karla. I was attempting to practice Priit's turtle material, but definitely missed some pointers. A reminder of why it can be tricky to practice stuff when your partner is good: she choked me for my trouble, nicely transitioning from a collar grip into a RNC. ;)

I did a bunch of drilling at camp too, on earlier days. I'll probably just put that all into the Saturday open mat post, for ease. Mostly material from Priit, along with Aaron Milam, plus some of the bits and pieces I learned over the course of the camp.

25/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Single leg sweeps (Ben Westrich)

Class #891
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Ben Westrich, Heidelberg, Germany, 25/08/2017

I had thought this class might feature material going off the shin-on-shin position or something like that, but it was tightly focused on the single leg from a wrestling angle. For example, spinning behind the leg, threading your arm and driving for the single, standing up if necessary. Lots of useful pointers here, though I don't think I'll be doing all that much standing up because I'm too lazy. Another one where I'll be carefully checking the videos, particularly when we're closing in on open guard month again.

25/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Side control escape posture (Priit Mihkelson)

Class #890
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Priit Mihkelson, Heidelberg, Germany, 25/08/2017

Like the open guard class earlier, this was an area where everything felt a lot more familiar than the material on half guard and turtle at Leuven. I have spent a huge chunk of my time in BJJ under side control, plus I have relied (far too much) on the running escape to lie there and stall. I was therefore eager to see what details Priit could add to the escape. There were a number of helpful tweaks, like bringing your arm further underneath. Priit also uses an arm position where he draps his arms, which reminded me of something I think I saw Saulo do as a 'survival' position under side control.

Elbow is near the legs, other arm is a bit higher, hugging yourself (elbow is by other hip, so elbows by both hips). Can also frame with the elbow by legs arm, other arm grabbing that bicep. If they cross face, look into the bicep. Don't turn too far away, just lift the shoulder a little. Or, all the way over to running escape. If they push really hard on the shoulder to get it down, use that commitment to shrimp and get your guard back.

Be ready to put in double underhooks too, like that knee cut defence. If you can turn towards them and connect knee to elbow, that double underhooks is waiting there for them. Can walk away in that hugging posture, aiming to spin up on your head (I think? That part looked a lot trickier). With the running escape, elbow is right under. Keep your legs close enough so they can't drive their knee in over the top.

As ever with Priit, I'll need to review the videos a lot, but I'm hopeful I'll be able to pick this up more easily than his other material, given I already spent plenty of time there. We'll see. ;)

25/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | de la Riva x (Steven Antoniou)

Class #889
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Steven Antoniou, Heidelberg, Germany, 25/08/2017

I was curious to see what Steve did for de la Riva x, as like me his legs are on the shorter side. He taught the technique against combat base, threading your leg thread, pulling on their heel to help. Your other leg goes through, then you grab their sleeve to take away their base. Attempt to sweep them one way, then if that doesn't work, go the other way. I was trying this in sparring, but need to double check the videos to clarify some details. Similar to how Ana Yagues taught it, except Steve had some variations on how to come up, plus some extra tweaks. Coolness, I hope he teaches at the next camp I'm at too. :)

24/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Rich Sab

Class #888
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Rich Sab, Heidelberg, Germany, 24/08/2017

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 24, 2017 at 11:13am PDT

This was one of the best taught classes at the camp, from my perspective, all on passing butterfly and sitting guard. Push them down to the mat, where Ferdinand mentioned about keeping your head in the middle, don't turn or they can frame to stop you passing. Reach under for their opposite foot, squash the leg and pass. If you can't get hold of their foot, push one knee a little forwards, which will put their foot closer to your hand for the pass. I like to squish the leg and walk around, Ferdinand prefers to drive a knee through. Both work, as long as you can maintain your pressure. :)

24/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Defensive frames (Jonathan Cuniowski)

Class #887
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Jonathan Cuniowski, Heidelberg, Germany, 24/08/2017

It was great to see Jonathan and Daphne again, having first met them in Leuven, then they visited me back home at Artemis BJJ. The theme was defensive frames, similar to what I've been trying from Ryan Hall's Defensive Guard DVD and the Jeff Rockwell instructional too. There were some difference though, such as gripping the same side collar rather than opposite side. Jonathan also made the important point that this was just meant to be a temporary position, the idea is getting back to guard. I will often hang out there too long. My long range open guard still needs a lot of work, that still feels like my biggest weakness at the moment.

23/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Butterfly guard (Mike Hartmann)

Class #886
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Mike Hartmann, Heidelberg, Germany, 23/08/2017

My brain wasn't working by this point, but fortunately Mike Hartmann's class was more theoretical anyway. I love that he brought out a whiteboard to illustrate his concept, drawing a tree of techniques with numerous branches. He took butterfly guard as an example, starting with a guillotine from butterfly guard, then into a sweep. To keep detailing his concept of a tree with many branches, he showed more techniques from there, like the pressing armbar. He finished off with an interesting take on the omoplata, which I need to practice. He wraps both their arms up, using that to pretzel them into a very tight omoplata they can't roll out of. Also, my room mate Ferdinand was the uke, resplendent in his lederhosen rashguard and matching shorts. :)

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 23, 2017 at 8:51am PDT

23/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Torture guard (Daniel Bertina)

Class #885
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Daniel Bertina, Heidelberg, Germany, 23/08/2017

I was looking forward to this, especially as I didn't get the opportunity to learn Bertina's crushing pressure at a Leuven Camp a while ago, because commitments meant he wasn't able to attend. The wait was worth it, as both his classes at the Heidelberg Camp were excellent (if a little mean for my preferences, but I can always modify ;D). For what he calls Torture guard, begin by grabbing their triceps with your same side hand, in an 'Eagle claw' type pinch grip. Grasp their wrist with your other hand, in a way you can rotate it, palm facing you.

Pull their arm across, then the triceps gripping hand goes to grip your wrist instead. From there, you can now transfer into a deep armdrag, take the back and choke. If they straighten their arm, trap their wrist by your armpit. Lock your legs around their shoulder, sort of in an L shape. Slight hip lift for a super tight armbar. Should they try to slip out, press the knee you have by their by head inwards, twist arm for americana. Wristlock is another option, or you can go into standard armbar.

23/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Arm Triangles (Lilo Asensi)

Class #884
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Lilo Asensi, Heidelberg, Germany, 23/08/2017

Lilo's class the morning after her first was on arm triangles. They are framing into your neck, pushing slightly. Make a 'v' with your hand (useful tip from Jeff Knight here), creating a firm wedge. Put that just under their elbow, then use the force vector (thanks Josh!) to drive it across. As soon as you have that arm across, jam your ear into their arm. Bring your other arm around their neck, then on that other side, push your shoulder into their neck too, everything tight (a tip from Daniel Bertina this time, who was being Lilo's uke).

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 23, 2017 at 3:54am PDT

Wriggle your legs over to the other side, then move round to a perpendicular position. Slide your hips down into the choke. If they block, you can move to the back. You have their neck in the crook of your elbow. Lift them up and transfer your arms, then adjust into that arm triangle again. If you are going for leg drag but they push into shoulder, you can knock the arm, slide down into the choke. If they press into the other shoulder, you can jump into an armbar, hooking your foot into their armpit. If you have them in closed guard, you can sit right up and put on the arm triangle grip, or maybe do it from lower. Then butterfly hook, knock them over to mount and back to the arm triangle.

22/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | de la Riva sweeps (Lilo Asensi)

Class #883
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Lilo Asensi, Heidelberg, Germany, 22/08/2017

Lilo is one of Ana Yagues' training partners in Hamburg: both of them are cool Spanish black belts teaching in Germany. Lilo also taught a similar position as Ana did back at the Bournemouth Camp, focusing on de la Riva. I always make a beeline for classes taught by female black belts, as they are invariably smaller than the men teaching. That means they are closer to my body type, so their games tend to fit better for me. Lilo proved that to be true once again, especially as she was an excellent teacher. Even though her English is still developing, she got her points across clearly and memorably.

Beginning with the usual sweep where you pull their arm under their leg and then grab their shoulder to roll them over, Lilo continued to build. If they post with their arm to prevent the roll, grip their other arm and shift over, kicking up into a triangle. If they free both arms, you can go behind them, reach for their leg and kick into the back. If you can't reach that other leg when you move behind them, push into the back of the first leg, then grip their far leg and roll over (this is known as a 'baby bolo', apparently).

22/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Bow & arrow chokes (Chad Wright)

Class #882
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Chad Wright, Heidelberg, Germany, 22/08/2017

Sinking into the black hole with Chad referred to the bow and arrow choke. This was the standard set up, although Chad prefers the version where you lean back, as opposed to the more upright approach I like to use. The main part I hadn't seen before was using your gi tail to finish the choke instead. When you're on their back, on the armpit hand side, pull out their gi lapel if it isn't already loose. Pull that up behind their back, then pass it forward over their shoulder to your choking hand. As with the collar, you don't want it too deep. As it was Chad, he also came up with an entertaining analogy, relating to the 'optimum level of highness' in jiu jitsu. ;)

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 22, 2017 at 9:43am PDT

You can then complete the choke as normal, just using a different grip. It is considerably easier on your fingers, because you can grab with your hand rather than the ends of your fingers. However, I have found that it can be tricky to get this without ending up in a neck crank, having drilled it back home since. The solution to that is possibly just patience. Instead of insisting on getting the choke quick, do it slowly, as that way you aren't pulling really hard and twisting the neck.

22/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Unexpected Armlocks (Alexander Neufang)

Class #881
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Alexander Neufang, Heidelberg, Germany, 22/08/2017

Unexpected armlocks was a well named class, as Neufang sprang into the armbars from all kinds of crazy armbars. I had trouble getting any of this, but it was entertaining to watch. That man's jiu jitsu defies the laws of physics. The main thing was getting a solid collar grip and sleeve. You can then leap past and rotate into armbars, pushing off your grips to rotate and spin into those attacks. Even more impressive, Neufang threw in a headstand into an armbar too, falling by legs for armbar. Fun, but I can't imagine this is something I'd be teaching or trying myself, Neufang's game is very unique. ;)

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 22, 2017 at 6:17am PDT

22/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Avoiding sweeps when passing (Priit Mihkelson)

Class #880
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Priit Mihkelson, Heidelberg, Germany, 22/08/2017

I struggled with Priit's classes in Leuven, finding it difficult to take in the concepts. Will open guard standing make more sense than half and turtle? Let's find out. :)

It turns out that the classes he taught in Heidelberg suited me much better. I felt a lot more comfortable with the class this time, as not only was I prepared for Priit's megalong lectures, the position was plenty familiar. The whole class was built around the tripod sweep, but in terms of countering it.

Your first option is what Priit calls the Elvis, turning your hip in. Second is the buttsprawl, a sort of modified reverse technical stand up, dropping to your butt with a leg stretched forward. I was a little concerned with the impact on my wrist, but the concept seems sound. Finally, if you've already been swept and want to beat them to the punch, you can bring your other leg over to spin, then run away to break their grips.

As ever with Priit, the concept can be quite simple with a limited set of mechanics: it then gets complex when you try it, learning the right application through a lot of drilling. So I'll need to get stuck in with these once I have some open mat drilling time back home.

21/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Open Mat

Class #879
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Open Mat, Heidelberg, Germany, 21/08/2017

For an initial bit of open mat drilling practice, I grabbed my room mate Ferdinand to have a play with some of the stuff from my Aaron Milam private. In closed guard where they're posting on your hips, your hands swim underneath their posted hands. Get an overhook on their arm as you slide to the side. Bring your knee up to that arm, pressing into their elbow. Reinforce your knee with both your hands. It's important your hand comes out to reinforce, adding that extra leverage. Otherwise, they will stack you. Your other foot is underneath them, pressing into their far hip.

From there, you can wristlock, push the wrist for a kimura or omoplata. If their arm slips higher, you can go into a pressing armbar. Should they push off their other arm, that gives you space to rotate your bottom leg out and go for the triangle. If they manage to swivel their arm the other way, trap it there, locking around their body, go for the back. If they try and bring their head back towards you, hook their leg and roll them, like a flower sweep.

For the underhook, again swim your hands in, then the underhook hand goes past their armpit, palm facing away, elbow high. Gable grip to your other hand, then you can clamp in and control from there. If their arm slips or straightens, you're back to the pressing armbar and that sequence from there. Keep your elbow high to get that arm twist.

A post shared by Can (Jun) (@slideyfoot) on Aug 22, 2017 at 1:02am PDT

21/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Maintaining Side Control (Steven Antoniou)

Class #878
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) Steven Antoniou, Heidelberg, Germany, 21/08/2017

Heidelcamp marks the first time I've learned from Steve Antoniou from Poseidon BJJ: it was an absolute pleasure. Steve has a ton of charisma, meaning his classes were all a lot of fun. He began with a session on the basics of maintaining side control. You should ideally stay up on your toes, drive your shoulder into their cheek, grabbing their head. Kill the near arm.

Steve also drapes his free arm by their legs, in order to stop them recovering guard. From there, they will often frame into your face. Thread your free arm through, gripping their triceps, ideally pressing your forearm into theirs. You're attempting to drive your weight through your elbow into their ribs, compressing their breathing.

You can then step your other leg over their head, which means there is a possible armpit armbar on near arm, potential pressing armbar on far arm, or americana, plus wristlock, and even a scarf hold type armbar on near arm. If none of that works, with the gi you have a choke if they're wearing a gi.

21/08/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Heidelberg 2017 | Half Guard Kimura Pass (David George)

Class #877
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Olympiastützpunkt Rhein-Neckar) David George, Heidelberg, Germany, 21/08/2017

The first session in Heidelberg was on passing half guard using a kimura. David began with several tips on maintaining top half guard, such as the importance of sitting on their leg, so they can't lockdown. Swim in for an underhook, grab their other shoulder and pull it in. You can then walk your feet over to put them flat. Cross face and gather up their far arm, switching your cross face arm over.

Transfer grip, still controlling with first arm. Move into kimura, switch hips. Maintaining pressure, raise up enough to get your shin into their leg, acting as a wedge so their leg doesn't follow when you pull it towards you. This enables you to then free your leg. If you can't get a kimura because their wrist is too high (as then when you reach, it would tilt you backwards), whip your leg behind for base. You may need to do what David calls a 'poop flick' to free it. In other words, pull their leg back to full extension, then flick to whip your leg out.