20/10/2015 - Open Mat | Technical Mount Escape

Class #672
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Open Mat, Bristol, UK - 20/10/2015

Great open mat today, and very cool to see Kirsty there! Best of all, the gender balance today was a perfect 50/50. Awesome! I remain hopeful that we will one day get to that for every class, which would be amazing. :D

Today I wanted to focus on technical mount escapes. Looking back through the blog, I see I've only been taught this three times in the last nine years, but it was useful to review my notes. Before this open mat, I had another look at the Saulo video on the topic from BJJ Library. Previously I've found that awkward due to the position it puts you in, where I feel like my back is vulnerable. Up until now, my method has been based on what I first learned, which was Kev's version. I tend to grab their leg with both hands, then work my knee in behind theirs to create a gap. I can then create a butterfly hook, lifting and turning into guard. The problem with that one is it often ends with a scramble.

It was really useful drilling the Saulo method with Simon and Laura today. On top, I found that to stop it, I was generally either going for the back, or I could scoop up the arm they were using to push into my leg. To stop those two counters, applying the Jeff Rockwell sit up escape concepts helped. I used the stiff arm into the leg to create back for scooting out, before they can scoop up my arm. That also makes it less of a scramble. Then there's always the fall back of putting my knee into the space as before. Once you have the space behind their knee, that's where all the escapes seem to start. Generally you should at least get to half guard if nothing else (you can even go to deep half, if you reach your arm through and grab your own knee, but I didn't remember to drill that one: saw it in my blog notes from a few years ago just now).

Underneath, it would seem pushing into the hip or thigh can work too, as they often aren't expecting that and their balance is in the wrong place. However, I was practicing that on somebody smaller, so it might have just been size difference. When I teach this on Friday, I'll emphasise that it's mainly about creating some space, then filling it before they can. Also, watch out for them taking your back if you sit up and clearing your arm, as well as collapsing the arm. As soon as your arm bends, they can crush it in with their leg and scupper your escape.

21/07/2013 - Study Hall (Mount Escapes)

Class #511
Gracie Barra Bristol, (BJJ), Study Hall, Bristol, UK - 21/07/2013

Today I wanted to drill mount, mainly escapes but a bit of top as well (from the private earlier this week, though I didn't do much of that). That's because I'm teaching mount escapes next week, so wanted to have a play with the techniques to see if I could refine any details. I started off with the bump and frame to butterfly, a relatively basic technique. This isn't an option I often go for, but I do regularly use some of the principles, as per the drilling for some variations later on.

First of all you need to get their hips in range. It was difficult to land this escape if they're still upright, although in that case you would probably go for something else. Knock them forward with a bump and biffing them with your knee. As soon as they're horizontal, frame your arms into their hips and do a powerful bridge (heels as close to your bum as possible, pushing high, on your toes). Stiff arm into both their hips to keep them in the air long enough to bring both your knees through.

You can then kick forward with both legs, using the momentum to also sit up. This should put you directly into butterfly guard, where you can immediately sweep them. If they are still upright, you can sort of still do it sloppily by jamming as much of your knees as you can into the space you create. It ends up being one or one and a half knees, knocking them off to the side at best. Still, that can work too, and will almost certainly be better than staying stuck under mount.

Working on that same principle, I then wanted to do some drilling for technical mount escapes too. I think this particular technique is something I ended up doing naturally a while back, but I've also been taught it by Kev several years ago. The basic idea is wedging something under the leg that they've stepped over. I started off by grabbing it with both arms, shoving the leg forwards as I brought my knee into the space, then using that as a butterfly hook to knock them off.

You need to be careful that first they don't strip your grips (it is much harder to do with just one hand, but not impossible): keeping your elbows tight can help with that, but you also have to be aware of chokes. Secondly, be careful of them immediately passing as you try and knock them off with the butterfly hook. Thirdly, they may be able to scupper your escape completely if they grab lower on the leg you're trying to use to insert your knee before you get started.

Even if you only manage to get a bit of your knee under their leg, you might be able to switch into a sort of x-guard type thing by swinging the other leg around the outside to push on their hip. It looks like just the kind of position Mike would like, so quite possible he's studied something on the topic over at MGinAction: I'll have to ask him next time I see him.

If you get stuck, you could combine it with Saulo's technical mount escape. This isn't something I've tried much, as it feels risky, but I'm going to start drilling it more often as an alternative. Saulo stiff arms with one arm, the other staying back to help defend the neck. Having bent their leg outwards, he then simply sits up at an angle. I find that I end up in a vulnerable position inside their guard if I'm not careful of my pushing arm, as that can put you on your side asking to get your back taken. The principle works though, so just needs more drilling on my part to get used to it.

13/04/2012 - Gracie Barra Bristol (Escaping Technical Mount)

Class #453
Gracie Barra Bristol, (BJJ), Nicolai 'Geeza' Holt, Bristol, UK - 13/04/2012

Tonight was also my first chance to test out the Gracie Barra Premium gi I got for my birthday (my parents paid £90 from GB Shop Europe, with about £7 shipping). I'm not a fan of being restricted to an official uniform, but if I have to wear a GB gi, it might as well be comfortable. Judging by tonight's first outing, the Premium is an improvement over the basic model, but that may be more down to getting an A1 rather than my previous A2 (which is still a little large on me for my liking). My main concern is the shrinkage: I don't mind too much if I end up with a tiny gi, but hopefully it won't shrink too much (especially as I always wash gis at 30 degrees Celsius and hang dry).

The advanced class follows straight after the fundamentals, and kicks off with a bit of specific sparring from closed guard. That was a good reminder of how completely rubbish my guard is, both on top and bottom. Underneath, I spent most of the spar with head control, badly attempting three things: trying to either push their arm across to get my chest to their shoulder and take the back; push their arm over my leg to set up the kimura; look to get their hand to mat and overhook. Didn't get anywhere. My elbow problems didn't help, but still, I really need to come up with a better selection of options to work towards. It might be time I tried to get back to the flower sweep, which is something I never really worked out despite spending ages on it at white belt.

On top, I did at first try to stand up to keep working on my base, but as soon as my partner looked to go for sleeve control to disrupt my position, there was a shooting pain up my arm so I sat straight back down. Nothing much happened from there, except some attempts to get to combat base. I also tried to stay in a low crouch and get hold of the collar, but it was pretty much a stalemate. I eventually managed to get to top half guard, but that was off a scramble, so not at all technical.

The technique for the advanced class was, usefully, escaping technical mount. The key is getting either your arm or your elbow inserted into any space between the back of their knee and your torso. Your other hand (so, this will be the arm you have closest to the floor) needs to be grabbing your opposite collar tightly, as otherwise they'll have a clear route to choke you. Once you can get through arm into the gap behind their knee, reach through and grab your gi trousers, by your knee.

Start moving your legs towards your head, until there is an opportunity to shove their leg between yours and switch to deep half guard. From here, you can continue to run towards your head, then quickly turn the other way: this is what Jeff Glover calls the 'Homer sweep'. If your partner is wise to that and adjusts their weight accordingly, you may still be able to pop out the back.

I was a bit wary of sparring due to the complaints my elbow was making, but one of the advantages of training at GB Bristol is that Geeza is more than happy to accommodate injuries like that. So, I was able to train with two of the women present: as I've said many times, women tend to be more mature, considerate and helpful training partners, meaning they're perfect for rolling when injured. I had a relaxed roll with somebody who I think started that night (but she's also a 2nd dan in judo, so no stranger to judo), then Vikki.

As I'd failed miserably to do anything in guard earlier that class, I wanted to be a bit more varied this time, so attempted to move into butterfly guard (not very successfully, but I'll get there in the end if I keep trying it). I'm still keen to get better at that guard, as like I've said in the past, I don't think spider guard is going to be good for me long-term, given what Chiu told me about it completely mashing his fingers. Improving my closed guard is important too, along with my basic foot-on-hips guard, where I can keep working my tripod/sickle sweep combination.

15/12/2009 - BJJ (Advanced)

Class #272



RGA High Wycombe, (BJJ), Kev Capel, High Wycombe, UK - 15/12/2009

There has been some cool historical grappling stuff on the internet recently, starting with this judo video from 1905, followed by this old (1952, I think) judo text, Higher Judo Ground Work, and finally Pat Jordan's 2009 follow-up to his original 1989 article on Rorion Gracie.

Kev continued through into the technical mount, which followed on nicely from the problems I had been having during sparring. First Kev initiated a basic drill to get used to the timing, because as he had said earlier, it is essential you pre-empt their escape. From mount, your partner shrimps and goes for an elbow escape. Immediately slide your knee up to the top of their back, while the other knee raises up, foot tight to their hip. You can also use your hands to both base out and help make that transition of your weight smoother.

Those based out hands are also helpful for the next technique, a choke from technical mount. Use your hand nearest their chest to scoop up their arms, also preventing them from digging an elbow under your leg. You need to get a hand under their top arm to grasp their nearest collar, then open it up. Your other hand curls around their neck, whereupon you can feed the collar for a tight grip.

Your first hand is now going to push through past the crook of their elbow, catching their arm in the process. Bring that hand behind their head, then pull your collar gripping hand back towards you, snaking around their neck. This should result in a tight choke: your first hand is mainly blocking their arm, rather than playing a major role in the choke.

Also note that it is tempting to try and use that grip on their arm to drop back for an armbar. Kev advised that you don't, as it is all too easy to leave sufficient space that they follow you round, ending up in your guard instead of at the receiving end of a submission.

The escape from the technical mount, as you'd expect, involves preventing that grip on your collar. Grab either just the upper collar or both and pull them tight to your body, so your partner can't secure a grip or open them up. Shift your legs backwards to prepare your escape, then shrimp in the same direction.

As soon as you open up any space by the foot they have against your hip, wedge in an elbow, which should help you insert a knee. You can now use that as a hook to move into butterfly, attempt a sweep, or simply recover open guard. This fit the pattern of the spar I had with Callum in the previous lesson, where we were both doing that to escape each other's technical mount.

Sparring in the advanced class is full, but we started from the mount – this makes much more sense than going from the knees, if you want to work a specific position (as we did here). I tried to be proactive, following Eamonn's advice from last week, which did help, though it also left me considerably more knackered than usual.

I also found that with both Callum and Trev, I spent some time trying to escape back mount, especially with Callum. He came close with a collar choke, but I just about managed to spin into half guard, having been trying to turn towards him for what seemed like ages. That tends to be my main escape from the back, so I need to try out some more (or even better, stop finding myself in back mount so frequently!).

Trev presents a different set of problems, due to his long flexible legs. They seem to appear out of nowhere, pressing down on your back, sliding in front of your face, or looming over your own legs as your guard pass is suddenly ruined. Today was no exception, as I had a tough time trying to even get my posture in Trev's guard. He was very near to landing a sneaky choke as I spun out of one attack: the only thing that saved me was his grip was loose enough that my momentum was enough to break it.

My main tactic was to try and stay square to his hips, so that he couldn't angle off to go for an attack. That sort of worked, though I was on the defensive the whole time. I managed to slip out of a triangle he was setting up, but failed to capitalise and pass. What I should have done is really drive with my hips and perhaps pull up on his leg.

I also almost gave up my back yet again, but this time, I was rescued both by us falling off the mat and time running out. Not much of an escape, so again, I have to be more careful about exposing my back, especially against people with the physical attributes to really take advantage of that mistake.