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This website is about Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). I'm a black belt who started in 2006, teaching and training at Artemis BJJ in Bristol, UK. All content ©Can Sönmez
Showing posts with label teaching butterfly passing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching butterfly passing. Show all posts

29 January 2015

29/01/2015 - Teaching | Butterfly Guard | Knee Forward Pass

Teaching #270
Artemis BJJ (PHNX Fitness), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 28/01/2015

This time, you haven't managed to flatten them out before passing: they are still upright and ready to sweep. Reach over their back and secure a grip under their opposite shoulder blade, leaning slightly to the opposite side. Post on that side with your hand, or grab their knee. Step up your leg on the same side as your reaching arm, tight to their leg, so that the inside of your knee is pressing into the outside of theirs. If it isn't tight, they'll be able to exploit that space, perhaps hooking and initiating a sweep.

Using your upright knee, turn and push their knees in the opposite direction (if you're wondering what to do with your other arm, Saulo suggests basing on the floor with it). The idea here is to clamp their knees to the mat, pressuring through the side of their top knee. Ideally you want it right on the knee, rather than on the thigh or lower, though that would still be effective to a degree. Replace that pressure with your non-gripping hand, keeping the arm straight to use your skeletal structure rather than muscles. You can then pass to side control or possibly take their back, depending on their reaction.
________________

Teaching & Sparring Notes: I included that Saulo lean, but I'm not sure how he uses that hand for base, if he's leaning away. I think I need to rewatch the video on BJJ Library. I was tending to put my hand on their other knee, rather than basing on the floor like Saulo does in his video.

I was pleased to get in a little bit of sparring again, where I practiced stiff arm guard some more, combining with tripod and sickle sweeps. I was able to knock them down, but I'm not coming up quickly enough afterwards or pinning the leg. That's something I'll try to focus on in sparring, but generally the stiff arm has been a big help and improved my retention quite a bit (at least with white and blues, so I guess that's not a true test yet).

It was cool to have Nacho there (also cool to FINALLY get in some sparring with him, though I think he was going easy because I'm still injured). When Steve asked about passing Nacho's inverted guard, I decided it was better to just ask Nacho. Sure enough, he was able to show what looks to be a good option: bring your forward knee into the back of their knee, then squash through for the pass. At least that's what it looked like, I was the one being demonstrated on so may not have seen it properly. I'll have to ask again on Saturday if he's there, or if Steve remembers it. :)

28 January 2015

28/01/2015 - Teaching | Butterfly Guard | Shin Trap Pass

Teaching #269
Artemis BJJ (MyGym/Bristol Sports Centre), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 28/01/2015

We're moving on to passing butterfly this week: I therefore started with the butterfly pass I have been taught most often. I'm not sure of the name, but in the interests of being descriptive, I'll refer to it as the shin trap pass. I first learned this from Kev, a good few years ago now. Start by flattening them out: I'm sure there is a more refined way, but I just pummel for an underhook then drive my head into their chest. You aren't out of danger, as they can use their butterfly hooks to move you back and sit up again, but it gives you some time to work.

After you've driven them flat, wrap around the outside of their leg with your arm, so that their shin is in the crook of your elbow (I think the lower on their shin the better, in my experience). Secure that by gripping the top of their thigh, or their belt/gi if you can reach it. This should prevent them being able to lift your leg with their hook and it also means they can't try and re-hook under your leg as you move around for the pass.

On the side you've just blocked, kick your leg back to remove their hook. Re-insert that knee beside their other foot (so, their instep is next to the outside of your knee), meaning that you have both of your legs on their other shin. From here, there are quite a few different options: the two most basic I'm aware of are either sprawling back then walking around on your toes, or using your free hand to shove their knee down as you move to side control. It's worth experimenting to see which works best for you.
________________

Teaching Notes: I added in a 'heavy hips' drill, where you try to resist that basic 'double underhooks from butterfly and rock back' drill. I threw in a drill for the headstand flip pass too, as that tends to get some laughs at it being more acrobatic. Does work, but not as high percentage, at least in my experience. I think I also just show the shin trap pass with a sprawl next time, as that seems to be the most effective and easiest one to learn. It should also hopefully avoid people leaving much space, as that's a common problem with this pass.

26 August 2014

26/08/2014 - Teaching | Butterfly Guard | Shin Trap Pass

Teaching #187
Artemis BJJ (Impact Gym), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 26/08/2014

We're moving on to passing butterfly this week: I therefore started with the butterfly pass I have been taught most often. I'm not sure of the name, but in the interests of being descriptive, I'll refer to it as the shin trap pass. I first learned this from Kev, a good few years ago now. Start by flattening them out: I'm sure there is a more refined way, but I just pummel for an underhook then drive my head into their chest. You aren't out of danger, as they can use their butterfly hooks to move you back and sit up again, but it gives you some time to work.

After you've driven them flat, wrap around the outside of their leg with your arm, so that their shin is in the crook of your elbow (I think the lower on their shin the better, in my experience). Secure that by gripping the top of their thigh, or their belt/gi if you can reach it. This should prevent them being able to lift your leg with their hook and it also means they can't try and re-hook under your leg as you move around for the pass.

On the side you've just blocked, kick your leg back to remove their hook. Re-insert that knee beside their other foot (so, their instep is next to the outside of your knee), meaning that you have both of your legs on their other shin. From here, there are quite a few different options: the two most basic I'm aware of are either sprawling back then walking around on your toes, or using your free hand to shove their knee down as you move to side control. It's worth experimenting to see which works best for you.
________________

Teaching Notes: I'm feeling fairly happy with this class the second time around, although again I didn't manage to fit in a drill for heavy hips, that's important for passing. I think it would work best as an addition to the kicking butterfly recovery: I could start with trying to lift them, they resist they push you flat, after which you do that kick. A pummeling drill might be of use too, if I can fit it in.

13 August 2014

13/08/2014 - Teaching | Butterfly Guard | Knee Forward Pass

Teaching #183
Artemis BJJ (Bristol Sports Centre), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 13/08/2014

Following another great women's class, we looked at passing the butterfly guard in the mixed class straight after. This time, unlike Monday you haven't managed to flatten them out before passing: they are still upright and ready to sweep. Reach over their back and secure a grip under their opposite shoulder blade, leaning slightly to the opposite side. Post on that side with your hand, or grab their knee. Step up your leg on the same side as your reaching arm, tight to their leg, so that the inside of your knee is pressing into the outside of theirs. If it isn't tight, they'll be able to exploit that space, perhaps hooking and initiating a sweep.

Using your upright knee, turn and push their knees in the opposite direction (if you're wondering what to do with your other arm, Saulo suggests basing on the floor with it). The idea here is to clamp their knees to the mat, pressuring through the side of their top knee. Ideally you want it right on the knee, rather than on the thigh or lower, though that would still be effective to a degree. Replace that pressure with your non-gripping hand, keeping the arm straight to use your skeletal structure rather than muscles. You can then pass to side control or possibly take their back, depending on their reaction.
________________

Teaching Notes: Dónal has taught this one before with a nifty drilling sequence, so I added that in at the start. It begins from a press-up type position. Kick your left leg over your right so that the sole of your left foot contacts the floor, still keeping your chest towards the floor as well. That same motion works as a pass if they've elevated you from butterfly guard. Done right, you'll slip off to one side.

Further refining that motion, you can bring your knee slightly forward and knock their knees to the side, in the midst of doing a backstep out of their butterfly guard. Knocking their knees away increases the efficacy of the pass, as they will have a harder time getting their leg in the way of your pass (without that knocking away, their knee will often remain pressed across your stomach). That then leads into the pass.

I think next time, I'll emphasise that the pressure needs to go through the knee, as a few people were slipping lower or higher on the leg. There were also some who were grabbing the bottom leg: that can work, but it's not as effective as driving your weight through the top knee into their their bottom knee, because that controls both at the same time. Also, if their top leg is free, they can start getting it in the way and trying to recover to a better position.

11 August 2014

11/08/2014 - Teaching | Butterfly Guard | Shin Trap Pass

Teaching #180
Artemis BJJ (Bristol Sports Centre), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 11/08/2014

We're moving on to passing butterfly this week: I therefore started with the butterfly pass I have been taught most often. I'm not sure of the name, but in the interests of being descriptive, I'll refer to it as the shin trap pass. I first learned this from Kev, a good few years ago now. Start by flattening them out: I'm sure there is a more refined way, but I just pummel for an underhook then drive my head into their chest. You aren't out of danger, as they can use their butterfly hooks to move you back and sit up again, but it gives you some time to work.

After you've driven them flat, wrap around the outside of their leg with your arm, so that their shin is in the crook of your elbow (I think the lower on their shin the better, in my experience). Secure that by gripping the top of their thigh, or their belt/gi if you can reach it. This should prevent them being able to lift your leg with their hook and it also means they can't try and re-hook under your leg as you move around for the pass.

On the side you've just blocked, kick your leg back to remove their hook. Re-insert that knee beside their other foot (so, their instep is next to the outside of your knee), meaning that you have both of your legs on their other shin. From here, there are quite a few different options: the two most basic I'm aware of are either sprawling back then walking around on your toes, or using your free hand to shove their knee down as you move to side control. It's worth experimenting to see which works best for you.
________________

Teaching Notes: I tried adding that flipping over the top headstand pass as a drill, to see if people were able to pick it up. I wasn't sure if it was overly advanced or too acrobatic, but as I later saw people giving it a shot in sparring, seems to work ok as a drill. :)

I stuck with butterfly drills in the warm-up: there were quite a few to get through. Having said that, I normally like to throw in some other positions, so perhaps should at least have the simple side control escape drill to start. Then again, it doesn't hurt to occasionally focus on just the one position in drilling. I should add in another drill for heavy hips, that's important for passing. I'll try adding that to the lifting drill, or maybe the kicking forward drill.

I also want to give the mid-air backstep drill a try on Wednesday: this is something Dónal has taught a few times, relating directly to the pass I want to teach. I feel like I could refine my approach to flattening them out too, as my method is a bit basic at the moment (just pummel for underhooks then shove your head into their chest). Something to think about. Writing 'pummel' reminds me that I could add a pummeling drill: it's more of a wrestling thing for working takedowns, but applicable here.