Taps: 3044, Atos JJ League Open Mat

Taps: 5. Total: 3044.

Couple of pointers from Lil Bro Brown: on my Half Leg Weave Pass - vary pressure, don't be so predictable. Also, I have my head down to keep him down and flat, but not such a good idea when he's a collar grip and can easily get a Loop Choke on me.

Tapped to a big, strong 4-stripe White. Fast armbars. Yanking Armbars. The same White Belt got me with a Flower Sweep. Just excellent timing on it. I'm in his Closed Guard. He's real relaxed, controlling my right hand. Then he hips up, and out and arm drags me, then as I move in, trying to square back, he DIVES under my leg with his right with perfect timing and my momentum, sweeps me. Damn.

I'm thinking, I have to put that back into my toolbox. Start drilling that. For my Closed Guard repertoire. Arm Drag, wait for the Squaring Movement, Dive dive dive. Sweep.

Also, stop hanging out in a bad position. Stop stalling and waiting for the clock. Work on an escape. If I was on the street, there is no clock. Work on the escape. Work on the escape. Stop being a wuss.

Tails Sweep - hit that a couple of times. Try to work in the J. Wayne, too.

One more day of Passing focus, and then I move on to Guard work.

Taps: 3039

Taps: 7. Total: 3039.

Tech - Over/Under Pass Var.

var. B -  Hop over to other side.

var. C - vs. Butterfly Guard and he has strong cross collar grip -- duck under the grip before going for the Pass.

Just remembered one more Pass to add to the List ... Sky Knee Re-Direct Pass.  

vs. Purple Brian -- A sort of success with Half Pass/Z Guard Pass ... using the Leg Weave and controlling the bottom leg and wipering that leg (per Thorton), and I also hopped over to the other side.

Need to remember to do that more -- change direction/hop ... also, sprawl to break his hook and push against his chest with my HEAD.

Those three things!!!

Also, Brian was showing me some Williams Guard entries and the concept of creating space on the way.

1. How to break grip if he's holding both biceps inside the guard. How to get inside grip.
2. Cross wrist control and the pseudo kimura grip.
3. If his elbow's down and tight, hips up and on the way down, sneak your hand under.
4. Same applies in trying to get an Arm Drag.

He said he was going to lend me the Williams Guard DVD.

I'll add that to the list -- Covell Closed Guard and the Hauteur Flower Sweep -- for next month's focus on Guard.

Tap: 3032

Taps: 6. Total: 3032.

Think i'm on a little plateau. Little frustration. It's been awhile since my last training session, and I didn't really feel like going today. But I did. And I knew I would feel better about it. But still.

Sticking with the Passing focus for this month. Need to Pass cleaner and not get stuck in Half Guard all the time.

And then also, getting smashed and stuck in Half Guard Bottom, too. Not a happy camper.

Need a system of improvement.

Drill: over/under Pass.

Taps: 3026 and Simi Open Mat

Taps: 6. Total: 3020.

A slight improvement in Passing. Use rest of the month on Passing.
Hit a leg drag from knees, and want to look at TT wheel Pass or Lo's Long Fall Pass.

Work on:

Muscle Sweep
Flower Sweep - got hit with it a couple of times. Put in back in my rotation.
Inverted Sweep

Noticed these are all Closed Guard techs.

Side Attacks 15.3

1. Zach/Rodolfo Baseball Choke.

2. D'arce (mma candy/Luta)

3. Slowly working in TT Switch Armbar.

4. Switch to other side -- Seat Belt.


Don't think. Do one of these.

Taps: 3020 and the Drop Seoi

Taps: 6. Total: 3020.

Tech 1 and 2: Seoi Nage and Drop Seoi Nage (Judo Hip throw).

I like the Drop. Need to drop both knees to mat at same time.

Tech 3 - Closed Guard Break - standing and shaking. Later, when i tried to defend it with the Muscle Sweep, I didn't quite pull it off. Review Muscle Sweep - Liera.

Mild Success with the Half Sweep - Tri Force.

Purple Brian kept swinging the leg over my head to prevent the Pass. I need to drill the Robot Legs.

Drilled with Brown Arman:
1. Leg Drag
2. Side Control Top - he turns into me, drop elbow on near belly, swing to the other side and get Seat Belt.
3. Knee Slice Pass.

Taps: 3014

Taps: 7. Total: 3014.

Black Chris -- Tech 1. hip throw with Underhook.

Tech 2.  Block punch, underhook and get to the side, step in front to Hip Throw.

Tech 3 - Get to the side and shuck and RNC.

Tech 4 - Closed Guard choke with the Lapel. Key detail: flip over to make the "pocket" with his gi to grab with the second hand.

Now my Guard and Open Guard sucks. Not surprising, not too worried about it because I've been focusing on Passing last and this month. Need to keep Passing the rest of this month, then to Guard, Back ESC and Half Guard ...

Fail: Roleta Sweep. Came close with Darce from Side.

One more thing: REMEMBER to wiper the legs after I break open Guard, so I don't end up stuck in Half Guard, which happens half the time. And I spend time passing half guard.

Taps: 3007

Taps: 4. Total: 3007.

Black Joel - Side ESC - getting far side Underhook and spinning out.

Counter to that - killing that Underhook and going N/S.

Misc: My Takedowns SUCK! Not surprising. I'm a total White Belt when it comes to takedowns. If I have time, I want to focus on the setups to:

1. Single
2. Double
3. Safada.
4. Graugart Arm Drag TD.

Still Focusing on Passing - did my reps of X Pass, on to Leg Drags. Most all of, I need to CHAIN the different Passes together ...

1. Start with Torreado, then X Pass, and Leg Drag, just cycle through them til I get the Pass.

Latest Half Guard Sweep I like.