Teaching #Evening
Artemis BJJ (7 Easton Rd), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 19/10/2022
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: I think I got everything, this class is coming together well. As I forgot it until Rob mentioned it in daytime class, remember elbow hook and walk! Most important one. ;)
Showing posts with label teaching mount maintenance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching mount maintenance. Show all posts
19 October 2022
17 October 2022
17/10/2022 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining low mount
Teaching #Evening
Artemis BJJ (7 Easton Rd), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 17/10/2022
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Next time, add tech mount switch back in, as a reaction to elbow escape. Too brief without.
Artemis BJJ (7 Easton Rd), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 17/10/2022
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Next time, add tech mount switch back in, as a reaction to elbow escape. Too brief without.
09 September 2019
09/09/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Low to high mount
Teaching #903
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/09/2019
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: I think this format is just about where it should be now. Start with a very quick summary of low mount, then mention the caveperson arm rip, followed by another quick summary on ezequiel choke (just saying how you're trying to raise up that elbow). Still not sure if I should include that or not. Finally, the finesse one, leaning into shoulders. That's followed by tech mount switch, then using elbows, hand or cross face to keep them in high mount.
A number of people were asking for more details on ezequiel choke, but not too many. Should I cut it? I mean to every time, but it's a useful way to move up to high mount. Hmm. Or I should just teach ezequiel choke after the low mount maint class next time? That would also make sense.
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/09/2019
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: I think this format is just about where it should be now. Start with a very quick summary of low mount, then mention the caveperson arm rip, followed by another quick summary on ezequiel choke (just saying how you're trying to raise up that elbow). Still not sure if I should include that or not. Finally, the finesse one, leaning into shoulders. That's followed by tech mount switch, then using elbows, hand or cross face to keep them in high mount.
A number of people were asking for more details on ezequiel choke, but not too many. Should I cut it? I mean to every time, but it's a useful way to move up to high mount. Hmm. Or I should just teach ezequiel choke after the low mount maint class next time? That would also make sense.
04 September 2019
04/09/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining Low Mount
Teaching #901
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 04/09/2019
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Feels solid. Talked about mount in general, went through control point theory, mentioned ezequiel but not in detail, also noted that "move up into their armpits" is the answer to a lot of questions. Worth adding in the both arms out wide option, along with the crossface switch I usually focus on.
I didn't put in technical mount switch this time, I think that may be better suited to the 'moving into high mount' class.
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 04/09/2019
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Feels solid. Talked about mount in general, went through control point theory, mentioned ezequiel but not in detail, also noted that "move up into their armpits" is the answer to a lot of questions. Worth adding in the both arms out wide option, along with the crossface switch I usually focus on.
I didn't put in technical mount switch this time, I think that may be better suited to the 'moving into high mount' class.
02 September 2019
02/09/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Butterfly mount
Teaching #900
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/09/2019
Mount is usually a heavy, crushing position, where you are holding them in place and looking to gradually climb up towards their head in order to isolate arms and go for chokes. However, just as with side control, there is a mobile, floating version where you are constantly transferring your weight and shifting position.
It is most commonly called butterfly mount, as your are hooking in much the same way as you would from butterfly guard. You hook their inner thigh with your insteps, so for mount that means flicking your legs back to achieve those hooks. You may find that you go straight to butterfly mount from the orthodox variations, or another typical entry is when they have started to escape to half guard. Once they trap your leg, but they haven't yet managed to get an underhook and move to their side, you can flick your free leg back to pry open space. You trapped leg slides free, putting you in butterfly mount (you can also naturally switch to other mounts from there too).
Butterfly mount is great for transitions. As your weight is floating rather than heavy and crushing, it means you can 'ride' their movements. When they attempt to turn, due to your weight being through your knees, you can swivel to knee on belly, then back again. Similarly, you can switch right across to the other side in knee on belly.
You might want to not just switch sides, but go to positions like reverse knee on belly, backsteps, 'cowboy' mount (a sort of s mount variation that results off a back step from reverse knee on belly), etc. It is very much like breakdancing, an extremely useful skill for BJJ. In breakdancing, you need to have excellent balance and weight distribution, which transfers perfectly to things like butterfly mount.
My friend Charles Harriott is a great resource on the topic, as he is both an experienced b-boy as well as a black belt. :D
___________________
Teaching Notes: Felt pretty good about butterfly mount. Emphasise supporting foot out and leg bent in knee on belly. Hooking around their ribs when they turn, think of a good way for people to remember which leg. Leg on same side they are turning towards? Something to think about.
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/09/2019
Mount is usually a heavy, crushing position, where you are holding them in place and looking to gradually climb up towards their head in order to isolate arms and go for chokes. However, just as with side control, there is a mobile, floating version where you are constantly transferring your weight and shifting position.
It is most commonly called butterfly mount, as your are hooking in much the same way as you would from butterfly guard. You hook their inner thigh with your insteps, so for mount that means flicking your legs back to achieve those hooks. You may find that you go straight to butterfly mount from the orthodox variations, or another typical entry is when they have started to escape to half guard. Once they trap your leg, but they haven't yet managed to get an underhook and move to their side, you can flick your free leg back to pry open space. You trapped leg slides free, putting you in butterfly mount (you can also naturally switch to other mounts from there too).
Butterfly mount is great for transitions. As your weight is floating rather than heavy and crushing, it means you can 'ride' their movements. When they attempt to turn, due to your weight being through your knees, you can swivel to knee on belly, then back again. Similarly, you can switch right across to the other side in knee on belly.
You might want to not just switch sides, but go to positions like reverse knee on belly, backsteps, 'cowboy' mount (a sort of s mount variation that results off a back step from reverse knee on belly), etc. It is very much like breakdancing, an extremely useful skill for BJJ. In breakdancing, you need to have excellent balance and weight distribution, which transfers perfectly to things like butterfly mount.
My friend Charles Harriott is a great resource on the topic, as he is both an experienced b-boy as well as a black belt. :D
___________________
Teaching Notes: Felt pretty good about butterfly mount. Emphasise supporting foot out and leg bent in knee on belly. Hooking around their ribs when they turn, think of a good way for people to remember which leg. Leg on same side they are turning towards? Something to think about.
10 April 2019
10/04/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining high mount ('Horse-riding' mount)
Teaching #851
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 10/04/2019
Sometimes, the person underneath your mount will turn to their front, although normally this will only happen when they're still inexperienced. With a few more classes under their belt, they will only turn as far as their side, prying out your knee with an elbow: as a result, it's called the elbow escape. Either way, the same technique applies to both: shifting to what's known as technical mount. Put your hands on either side of their head, using them as your base points. Putting your weight onto your hands, twist your body, sliding the knee nearest their back up towards their head. Your other heel clamps in tight to their hip. Sit back on the heel behind them, bringing your upper body close to their head. You can then return to the mount position by grasping their opposite elbow and pulling it across their body. Alternatively you might try and take their back, but that's for another lesson.
To attack from low mount is tricky, so you're better off climbing further up, into high mount. As with low mount, you need to be aware of their hip power. To control them, put your feet by their bum, tucking your toes underneath: Roger Gracie points this out as of particular importance. In what you might call 'middle' mount where you're still over their hips, Saulo suggests that you 'ride' their bridges, like you were on a horse. Lean back, then as they bridge, lift up: you’re aiming to move with their hips, rather than just leaving a big space. If they bridge to one side or the other, counterbalance by flinging your same side shoulder back. So, this approach takes a good understanding of timing.
Saulo also recommends against leaning forward, as he feels that gives them more space and leverage to escape. Hence why he leans back instead. Experiment, seeing how holding the head works for you versus leaning back. I think Saulo’s method requires more experience, and personally I feel unstable there, but as ever, I want to offer students choice whenever possible.
The danger of leaning back is when you're facing somebody with flexibility and/or long limbs. They might be able reach their legs over to kick into your armpits, either sliding out through your legs or pushing your over. You must control their hips with your feet, to prevent them from bending their body. Swimming the arms through might help you out here, this time against their legs, depending on how they attack. If they do get their feet in place, I generally grab on the back of their collar, stay really low, then attempt to gradually work my hips back to flatten them out: that worked for me last time it happened.
________________
Teaching Notes: Stop their head sliding up: elbows on shoulders, hands on head, cross face. Be ready to fire knees up, driving off toes. Grab collar if they feel like they are going to slip out underneath.
I stay low. Can also stay high, ride like horse Saulo style, or even hips up like Rickson. But, risk of them bringing legs up. Swim arms through. Also swim if they try to trap arm. I prefer the leaning down low version, but that's pretty much covered in other lessons. Keep teaching this horse riding option? I could also add something about butterfly mount, though I need more details on that to build a whole class around it.
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 10/04/2019
Sometimes, the person underneath your mount will turn to their front, although normally this will only happen when they're still inexperienced. With a few more classes under their belt, they will only turn as far as their side, prying out your knee with an elbow: as a result, it's called the elbow escape. Either way, the same technique applies to both: shifting to what's known as technical mount. Put your hands on either side of their head, using them as your base points. Putting your weight onto your hands, twist your body, sliding the knee nearest their back up towards their head. Your other heel clamps in tight to their hip. Sit back on the heel behind them, bringing your upper body close to their head. You can then return to the mount position by grasping their opposite elbow and pulling it across their body. Alternatively you might try and take their back, but that's for another lesson.
To attack from low mount is tricky, so you're better off climbing further up, into high mount. As with low mount, you need to be aware of their hip power. To control them, put your feet by their bum, tucking your toes underneath: Roger Gracie points this out as of particular importance. In what you might call 'middle' mount where you're still over their hips, Saulo suggests that you 'ride' their bridges, like you were on a horse. Lean back, then as they bridge, lift up: you’re aiming to move with their hips, rather than just leaving a big space. If they bridge to one side or the other, counterbalance by flinging your same side shoulder back. So, this approach takes a good understanding of timing.
Saulo also recommends against leaning forward, as he feels that gives them more space and leverage to escape. Hence why he leans back instead. Experiment, seeing how holding the head works for you versus leaning back. I think Saulo’s method requires more experience, and personally I feel unstable there, but as ever, I want to offer students choice whenever possible.
The danger of leaning back is when you're facing somebody with flexibility and/or long limbs. They might be able reach their legs over to kick into your armpits, either sliding out through your legs or pushing your over. You must control their hips with your feet, to prevent them from bending their body. Swimming the arms through might help you out here, this time against their legs, depending on how they attack. If they do get their feet in place, I generally grab on the back of their collar, stay really low, then attempt to gradually work my hips back to flatten them out: that worked for me last time it happened.
________________
Teaching Notes: Stop their head sliding up: elbows on shoulders, hands on head, cross face. Be ready to fire knees up, driving off toes. Grab collar if they feel like they are going to slip out underneath.
I stay low. Can also stay high, ride like horse Saulo style, or even hips up like Rickson. But, risk of them bringing legs up. Swim arms through. Also swim if they try to trap arm. I prefer the leaning down low version, but that's pretty much covered in other lessons. Keep teaching this horse riding option? I could also add something about butterfly mount, though I need more details on that to build a whole class around it.
08 April 2019
08/04/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Low to high mount
Teaching #850
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 08/04/2019
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: Keep control of head when then slide, forgot to add that bit. Don't bother with ezequiel choke next time, that just ends up confusing people. Better to save for a separate lesson on just the ezequiel, which come to think of it I haven't taught for a little while. :)
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 08/04/2019
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: Keep control of head when then slide, forgot to add that bit. Don't bother with ezequiel choke next time, that just ends up confusing people. Better to save for a separate lesson on just the ezequiel, which come to think of it I haven't taught for a little while. :)
03 April 2019
03/04/2019 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining low mount
Teaching #849
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 03/04/2019
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Head low, 45 degree arm out, shoulder to palm. Is showing tech mount confusing? Basic it up, just intro, so not in depth. No arms drill (leg and hip focus), on end of progressive (so, 2 mins prog each, 1 min no hands each).
Artemis BJJ (Easton Road), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 03/04/2019
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Head low, 45 degree arm out, shoulder to palm. Is showing tech mount confusing? Basic it up, just intro, so not in depth. No arms drill (leg and hip focus), on end of progressive (so, 2 mins prog each, 1 min no hands each).
09 May 2018
09/05/2018 - Teaching | Mount | Moving from Low to High Mount
Teaching #777
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/05/2018
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: Seymour's tip about going at a 45 degree angle is handy. I have been doing the whole spider hand walk thing for a long time, but I'm not sure when (or if?) I was taught it. Seymour has a structured system for it, making things far more effective. Using the cross face and switching to side to side is important, some people weren't doing that. Also, going up as high as you can with your knee.
On a non-technical note, I have not yet managed to get a good camera angle on maintaining high mount lessons. I end up pointing the camera too low, so it cuts off the stuff I'm doing upright. Same was true to a certain extent on the north south kimura lessons. Next time, experiment with pointing the camera more up, or possibly even going portrait (perhaps with a wide angle lens?)
I had a lovely surprise later on in class, when my old friend and training partner Tony suddenly appeared. I haven't seen him in years, to it was wonderful to catch up. He's an important figure for Artemis BJJ, as Tony was the other person Donal and I spoke to when we were first talking about setting up a club in late 2013. Artemis BJJ wouldn't be what it is without Tony: meant a lot to me to see him today. :D
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/05/2018
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: Seymour's tip about going at a 45 degree angle is handy. I have been doing the whole spider hand walk thing for a long time, but I'm not sure when (or if?) I was taught it. Seymour has a structured system for it, making things far more effective. Using the cross face and switching to side to side is important, some people weren't doing that. Also, going up as high as you can with your knee.
On a non-technical note, I have not yet managed to get a good camera angle on maintaining high mount lessons. I end up pointing the camera too low, so it cuts off the stuff I'm doing upright. Same was true to a certain extent on the north south kimura lessons. Next time, experiment with pointing the camera more up, or possibly even going portrait (perhaps with a wide angle lens?)
I had a lovely surprise later on in class, when my old friend and training partner Tony suddenly appeared. I haven't seen him in years, to it was wonderful to catch up. He's an important figure for Artemis BJJ, as Tony was the other person Donal and I spoke to when we were first talking about setting up a club in late 2013. Artemis BJJ wouldn't be what it is without Tony: meant a lot to me to see him today. :D
02 May 2018
02/05/2018 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining Low Mount
Teaching #776
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/05/2018
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Putting the arm out wide and head down, loading up weight on that side. It's worth noting you can do the 'superman' thing so, both arms out, though I always grab the head. Hip turn to control weight distribution too, as they try to turn. Could I add more?
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 02/05/2018
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Putting the arm out wide and head down, loading up weight on that side. It's worth noting you can do the 'superman' thing so, both arms out, though I always grab the head. Hip turn to control weight distribution too, as they try to turn. Could I add more?
11 October 2017
11/10/2017 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining High Mount
Teaching #709
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 11/10/2017
Sometimes, the person underneath your mount will turn to their front, although normally this will only happen when they're still inexperienced. With a few more classes under their belt, they will only turn as far as their side, prying out your knee with an elbow: as a result, it's called the elbow escape. Either way, the same technique applies to both: shifting to what's known as technical mount. Put your hands on either side of their head, using them as your base points. Putting your weight onto your hands, twist your body, sliding the knee nearest their back up towards their head. Your other heel clamps in tight to their hip. Sit back on the heel behind them, bringing your upper body close to their head. You can then return to the mount position by grasping their opposite elbow and pulling it across their body. Alternatively you might try and take their back, but that's for another lesson.
To attack from low mount is tricky, so you're better off climbing further up, into high mount. As with low mount, you need to be aware of their hip power. To control them, put your feet by their bum, tucking your toes underneath: Roger Gracie points this out as of particular importance. In what you might call 'middle' mount where you're still over their hips, Saulo suggests that you 'ride' their bridges, like you were on a horse. Lean back, then as they bridge, lift up: you’re aiming to move with their hips, rather than just leaving a big space. So, this takes a good understanding of timing.
He also recommends against leaning forward, as he feels that gives them more space and leverage to escape. Hence why he leans back instead. Experiment, seeing how holding the head works for you versus leaning back. I think Saulo’s method requires more experience, and personally I feel unstable there, but as ever, I want to offer students choice whenever possible.
The danger of leaning back is when you're facing somebody with flexibility and/or long limbs. They might be able reach their legs over to kick into your armpits, either sliding out through your legs or pushing your over. You must control their hips with your feet, to prevent them from bending their body. Swimming the arms through might help you out here, this time against their legs, depending on how they attack. If they do get their feet in place, I generally grab on the back of their collar, stay really low, then attempt to gradually work my hips back to flatten them out: that worked for me last time it happened.
________________
Teaching Notes: I tried a different split of techniques today. Most of the stuff I normally teach in high mount is about moving into the position, but I put that in its own lesson earlier this week. That left me with a few elements to choose from. Today, I went with the shift into technical mount to return back to full mount, along with swimming the arms through when they try to trap them. My reasoning was that the two main things people tend to try under mount are either prying an elbow under the leg to start escaping (which you can counter with technical mount), or trapping an arm to get the trap and roll escape (which you can stop by swimming your arm free).
I'm still not happy with the structure of that, I think I could build it more effectively. So, next time I think that the technical mount side of things belongs better in it's own lesson, where there is the switch along with the back take. The arm swim is useful, but I should bolster it by talking about maintaining the high mount, so things like posting on your forehead. I think it would be better to have more detail on driving the hips under the elbows to open them up for attack, along with things like hooking an elbow and walking your fingers up in order to attack. That might be where a simple americana could fit, although perhaps that needs more detail?
Technical mount is a lesson on its own really. Also, building some kind of sequence around having a hand in the collar. I used it to pull up into technical mount, but that would fit better as a following lesson to cover technical mount in general. It also would mean less reliance on them turning.
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 11/10/2017
Sometimes, the person underneath your mount will turn to their front, although normally this will only happen when they're still inexperienced. With a few more classes under their belt, they will only turn as far as their side, prying out your knee with an elbow: as a result, it's called the elbow escape. Either way, the same technique applies to both: shifting to what's known as technical mount. Put your hands on either side of their head, using them as your base points. Putting your weight onto your hands, twist your body, sliding the knee nearest their back up towards their head. Your other heel clamps in tight to their hip. Sit back on the heel behind them, bringing your upper body close to their head. You can then return to the mount position by grasping their opposite elbow and pulling it across their body. Alternatively you might try and take their back, but that's for another lesson.
To attack from low mount is tricky, so you're better off climbing further up, into high mount. As with low mount, you need to be aware of their hip power. To control them, put your feet by their bum, tucking your toes underneath: Roger Gracie points this out as of particular importance. In what you might call 'middle' mount where you're still over their hips, Saulo suggests that you 'ride' their bridges, like you were on a horse. Lean back, then as they bridge, lift up: you’re aiming to move with their hips, rather than just leaving a big space. So, this takes a good understanding of timing.
He also recommends against leaning forward, as he feels that gives them more space and leverage to escape. Hence why he leans back instead. Experiment, seeing how holding the head works for you versus leaning back. I think Saulo’s method requires more experience, and personally I feel unstable there, but as ever, I want to offer students choice whenever possible.
The danger of leaning back is when you're facing somebody with flexibility and/or long limbs. They might be able reach their legs over to kick into your armpits, either sliding out through your legs or pushing your over. You must control their hips with your feet, to prevent them from bending their body. Swimming the arms through might help you out here, this time against their legs, depending on how they attack. If they do get their feet in place, I generally grab on the back of their collar, stay really low, then attempt to gradually work my hips back to flatten them out: that worked for me last time it happened.
________________
Teaching Notes: I tried a different split of techniques today. Most of the stuff I normally teach in high mount is about moving into the position, but I put that in its own lesson earlier this week. That left me with a few elements to choose from. Today, I went with the shift into technical mount to return back to full mount, along with swimming the arms through when they try to trap them. My reasoning was that the two main things people tend to try under mount are either prying an elbow under the leg to start escaping (which you can counter with technical mount), or trapping an arm to get the trap and roll escape (which you can stop by swimming your arm free).
I'm still not happy with the structure of that, I think I could build it more effectively. So, next time I think that the technical mount side of things belongs better in it's own lesson, where there is the switch along with the back take. The arm swim is useful, but I should bolster it by talking about maintaining the high mount, so things like posting on your forehead. I think it would be better to have more detail on driving the hips under the elbows to open them up for attack, along with things like hooking an elbow and walking your fingers up in order to attack. That might be where a simple americana could fit, although perhaps that needs more detail?
Technical mount is a lesson on its own really. Also, building some kind of sequence around having a hand in the collar. I used it to pull up into technical mount, but that would fit better as a following lesson to cover technical mount in general. It also would mean less reliance on them turning.
09 October 2017
09/10/2017 - Teaching | Mount | Moving from Low to High Mount
Teaching #708
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/10/2017
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: I don't normally split this into a separate lesson, but it felt like it made sense. There was enough in here to split it into three videos when I did editing later, and it felt like it flowed together well. The stage after that (material on maintaining high mount) is not quite so solidly formatted, so I need to think more about that.
Make sure they have the hands fully on the shoulders, not part way off. I could also talk more about the grab the head and drive the hips option, especially against somebody who is staying very tight. That normally leads into a back take, so perhaps that could be a high mount lesson, fit that in somewhere? Walking the hands up to pry the elbow away would be a good one to talk about too.
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 09/10/2017
In order to progress from low to high mount, the main barrier is going to be their elbows. There are several ways you can remove that barrier. There is the brute force method, yanking their elbows out of the way and driving your knees up into their armpits. I wouldn't recommend that method, though it can work. A more reliable option, with greater finesse, is to put your hands on their shoulders. Keeping you arms straight, lean forwards to put all your weight through your arms. That should lift their elbows, enabling you to slide right up into high mount.
The ezequiel choke is another way to get them to lift their elbows: as soon as they give you that space in their attempt to defend, shove your knee into the gap. To really fire the leg forward, you can push off your toes. Another option is to simply keep walking your feet up their sides, as if you were climbing up a wall. Every time you see a gap, fill it, until eventually you're up really high and their bridge is nullified.
Grabbing the top of their head and driving your hips forwards is another possibility, using that leverage to raise their elbows. To further help that motion, you could try hooking an elbow and 'spider-walking' your fingers up the mat, aiming to bring their elbows away from their body. Once you have gotten up into high mount, make sure they can't wriggle back out by blocking their shoulders. You could do that with your elbows on the mat, grabbing their head or indeed the cross-face.
________________
Teaching Notes: I don't normally split this into a separate lesson, but it felt like it made sense. There was enough in here to split it into three videos when I did editing later, and it felt like it flowed together well. The stage after that (material on maintaining high mount) is not quite so solidly formatted, so I need to think more about that.
Make sure they have the hands fully on the shoulders, not part way off. I could also talk more about the grab the head and drive the hips option, especially against somebody who is staying very tight. That normally leads into a back take, so perhaps that could be a high mount lesson, fit that in somewhere? Walking the hands up to pry the elbow away would be a good one to talk about too.
06 October 2017
06/10/2017 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining Low Mount
Teaching #706
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 06/10/2017
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Make certain the shoulder is driving in for the cross-face, some people weren't quite on the jawline. I could probably talk more about the cross-face and that the reason you're doing it is to stop them being able to turn. Also, making sure your arm is out 45 degrees and you're keeping your head low. Perhaps more about the grapevine, though I'm not sure if there is much more I can say about that? I decided against including the arm swim today, as I think that would fit better in a different lesson. I did also continue to include the no-arms mount drill, because I think that helps drive home the importance of thrusting your hips down to pin them in place. I'll keep reviewing if I want to keep that, based on feedback. :)
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 06/10/2017
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: Make certain the shoulder is driving in for the cross-face, some people weren't quite on the jawline. I could probably talk more about the cross-face and that the reason you're doing it is to stop them being able to turn. Also, making sure your arm is out 45 degrees and you're keeping your head low. Perhaps more about the grapevine, though I'm not sure if there is much more I can say about that? I decided against including the arm swim today, as I think that would fit better in a different lesson. I did also continue to include the no-arms mount drill, because I think that helps drive home the importance of thrusting your hips down to pin them in place. I'll keep reviewing if I want to keep that, based on feedback. :)
06 March 2017
06/03/2017 - Teaching | Mount | Maintaining Low Mount
Teaching #640
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 06/03/2017
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
_____________________
Teaching Notes: I should talk more about adjusting the body position to make sure you can curve in properly, there were a few people who still had their bums too high, not enough hip pressure. I kept up the no hands drilling thing, which I'm still not totally certain whether it's useful. Kirsty suggested trying it with one hand, which is something I could give a go next time. I will eventually crack the structure for these maintaining mount lessons, but they still don't feel quite right. Next time, I really want to get more feedback, so I'll make a point of sending out a message or something.
Artemis BJJ (MYGYM Bristol), Can Sönmez, Bristol, UK - 06/03/2017
There are two basic types of mount to choose from, which I call low and high. Once you've achieved mount, I find that low mount provides the most control. First off, you want to immobilise their hips, as their main method of making space is to bridge up forcefully.
Bring your feet right back, threading them around their legs to establish two hooks: this is known as a grapevine. Alternatively, you can also cross your feet underneath (or just near, depending on your flexibility and leg length) their bum, which has the advantage of making it much harder for them to push your hooks off. Your knees are ideally off the ground, to generate maximum pressure. How far off the ground they are depends on your dimensions: the key is getting loads of hip pressure. Another option, which I learned from Rob Stevens at Gracie Barra Birmingham, is to put the soles of your feet together and then bring your knees right off the floor.
Whichever option you're going for, thrust those hips into them. It's important to get into a position where you can thrust your hips down, rather than getting bunched up so your bum starts going into the air. Use your hands for base, where again you have a couple of options. Either have both arms out, or put one under the head (remember, you can always remove it for base if you're really getting thrown hard to that side) while the other goes out wide for base.
Try to grip the gi material by their opposite shoulder, or even better, by the opposite armpit. Keep your head on the basing arm side, loading up your weight there. If they're bridging hard, you can switch from side to side, lifting their head slightly and bringing your other arm under, meaning your remaining arm bases out to the other side.
To do the trap and roll/upa escape, they will need to get control of your arm. So, don't let them grab it and crush your arm to their side. Instead, swim your arm through, like Ryron and Rener demonstrate in the third slice of the third lesson in Gracie Combatives. Be sure to do it one at a time, or you may get both arms squashed to your sides.
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Teaching Notes: I should talk more about adjusting the body position to make sure you can curve in properly, there were a few people who still had their bums too high, not enough hip pressure. I kept up the no hands drilling thing, which I'm still not totally certain whether it's useful. Kirsty suggested trying it with one hand, which is something I could give a go next time. I will eventually crack the structure for these maintaining mount lessons, but they still don't feel quite right. Next time, I really want to get more feedback, so I'll make a point of sending out a message or something.
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