BJJ Class 28.12.15. A Christmas special, mainly rolling (boo!) but a nice chap worked with me on posture and was really patient with me. Actually wasn't too bad!
Before that, there was a class on 23.12.15. Worked on breaking guard, which I STILL can't do that well, but I have a birthday present of another private lesson so will work on that.
Another Xmas class is happening tomorrow night but again its just rolling - would rather give that a miss until the new year and start lessons properly again.
Lets hope the New Year sees me relaxing even more and starting to enjoy the classes - new year's resolution is to take things slowly.
BJJ Classes 19/12/2015 and 21/12/15. I didnt log much up recently, because disappointingly, the classes have been focused on rolling. And I began to hate them with a passion, because if you don't know any moves, then you would constantly ometimes we had to start rolling from someone who is in turtle - but if you do not know any moves from turtle (I think I've had one class in this) then you're doomed. Therefore the classes all began to feel a bit pointless. However- we got back into technique for a while so that was grand. And then I got a private class as a Christmas present.
Last night was my treat and I thought : hmm, what area do I need to work on the most? So I chose bridging. It did seem like when I was rolling and had to bridge, I would basically just bounce the guy around on top. However, the instructor went over some finer points: pull your heels into your bum as much as possible, make sure one of your heels is on the other side of the opponents foot, trap that opponents arm as much as you can, and then put your head to the side but still look straight up. Bridge up and then onto your shoulder as much as you can of the opposite direction of where your head is. Your opponent flips over, you land on his/her torso, hold down the biceps and then start to straighten up.
We also did some work on what to do if your opponent has caughtened on with the fact that you are going to bridge and has spread his elbows out: and I've forgotten this, but it did involve putting one hand somewhere on one arm and then hugging the back, bridging and then punching up in the air when you bridge! Must google it later on.
Trained some complex moves with the guys on how to flip guys over and then rolled iwth two white belts - and the bridging worked! May treat myself at some point to a private lesson again, if I can get my bills down.
Ok - work on takedowns including ankle picks and another one which was more complex, involving hugging your opponent around their waist, stepping round in front a bit, using your shoulder to lean them right back, then stepping in and using your closest foot to scoop up their leg from behind as you push them back more.
The next few moves involved getting your opponent in guard and flipping them over. Hence my sore elbows. Ok so if you had your opponent in your guard, you did this weird hand motion where it snaked round and cleared one of the arms to get your knee through. On the other side, you held onto the opponents arm and then swung your other leg right over their head. Your thigh (I think!!) pushes your opponent over. They are on their knees with your thigh trapping your arm. It was kinda neat. Then you could use your leg to pinch that arm in by bring your legs in closer. Reach round and grab their head. Then if you started to lift from your thighs, it put pressure on the trapped arm and you got a tap out.
After that...you started the same as above. But your opponent rolled over when you were putting pressure on the arm. Then you somehow sat on his shoulder, again used your legs to pinch the arm in. You then somehow swivelled your legs over, sat down and brought your foot over his face. You somehow grabbed onto your foot and pulled back and this weird hinge like move (which I will be very impressed if I ever use this damn thing again) got at tap out.
The moves were based on a hold known as.....the monobrow, Or the proper name for the monobrow, apparently!
Rolling took place after. Got obnoxious guy again. He's really small and looks like a Nazi. He's also a blue belt. May try to avoid him next time.
Have booked a 1:1 lesson with my instructor as its a Christmas present from my mum. Decided I would like the tutor lesson to work on bridging as I'm pretty weak at that.
Oh - a word of warning for anyone taking this up? Watch when it comes to tapping out. I accidentally padded a guy's arse by accident. There was some embarrassed looks afterwards.
Bjj classes 7.12.15 and 11.12.15. Thanks to a completely mad week at work and having to visit London I only managed two classes and have just got time now to write this up. Two classes are better than none. One of the brown belts had to take over the class on the Monday and it was a good class. Damned if I remember what it was about. Hoping it comes back. I am just about to hit the shower so it probably will then..
But last night's class worked on a basic takedown if your opponent was putting a choke on you from behind and you were both standing up. Moving back, you can put a foot directly behind them and put your head down at the side. Your opponent is down!
Some basic self defence classes followed on what to do if you are on your back being punched by your opponent when he is in guard. This involved either bringing the head very close to you so they cannot punch, and getting the opponents head into a position underneath your armpit, your head close to them and you have their arms trapped. By shifting your but out to the side, you get the position to do this. You also can do a move where you shrimp out a bit and get your knee on their chest, your hip has to be in line with their hip. But your shin acts as a barrier. So you then can use your free leg to kick their ribs. Then you can let your 'barrier' leg kick out and the opponent can fall past you and you can get into guard. OK - some not bad stuff.
Then work was done on escaping from side control by making space with a frame with the arms. I have forgotten again this and hope it does come back. Expect some editing.
Rolled after. Didn't enjoy it much but trying to learn abd be positive. Getting a 1:1 lesson in next few days so will feel better after that.
BJJ Class 05/12/15. Aye. Another Class. Another odd one (I found). If an opponent had you in spider guard, you could step back to get them up on their arse. You then could snap one of your hands away from the gi, then use that hand to do a steering wheel move on them to spin the opponent round and get their knee on their chest. From then on you could gain control.
Another one was to do the same as above, but this time was to get them on their side - you did this by again stepping back so they sit on their arse, then walk over to the side so they ended up on their side. You then could step out, and grab the arm to get into side control.
And again as above - getting the opponent to the side, but then stepping round over the opponent. You then could sit down on top of them and get your bum on their arms. You then stepped your legs out which broke your opponents grip. You then sidied down, used your arm as a scoop and then got the opponent into side control. This was tricky.
Rolling happened for an hour after. Lots of people gave me advice - relax! Posture! Stop using your elbows to prise open the kneees if you end up in guard! Was ok. Felt a bit disullisioned again. But will keep on. I've been doing this for 6 months now and apparently the first year is the hardest, so lets see where I am in a couple of months time.
Six months is a good start. The spider guard defenses you are describing are hard and no one gets them right the first time.
Getting a new move right in sparring is harder still. You are trying to pull off a move you just learned on a room full of opponents who had the same class you did and totally see it coming.
As for the hardest year: I don't know if the first year is hardest or easiest or what. I've had hard and easy years mixed in with each other. A year is hard because it's new material, or if you come back from an injury or you get into a place where you're not progressing or work/life gets in the way.
BJJ Classes 03/12/15. There actually has been a class before this but to tell you the truth, I've not had much time to log anything. Stupid work. My job has got crazy and I missed a class thanks to being locked out my car (don't ask) but at least I'm attending twice a week.
So lets think back to Thursdays' class. Bit of an odd move this time: If you were on the floor on your back and your opponent was in scarf/judo hold, you moved your body round on the floor away from them to get your opponent to follow you a couple of times. As your opponent moved, you could move your hip very quickly underneath them (the timing had to be exact for this). Using your arm must be used as a frame across the neck of the opponent (and your elbow raised), raised, you then could push up on your arm while pushing up on the ball on the foot. slip your opponent over, and then you can get on top and you end up in scarf/judo position. We then did a bit of work building up on that and getting holds on.
We then did something completely different and I still am trying to get my head round this. If you had your opponent in your guard, you could attempt to put an arm band on them by flipping your legs over their shoulders. If they slipped one of their arms through and you still had another of their arms, you somehow could sit up and put the back of your leg onto their bicep, thus pushing them down. By applying force it actually flipped your opponent over (they had to exaggerate the move a bit, it was a bit of a weird one). As they flipped over, you let go of their arm and grabbed their leg, holding it quite close to you. You then ended up on top of them and you can hold them down by putting your knee on their chest and balancing your leg out to the side. You then could put a foot lock onto them (I really do not like putting ankle/foot locks on anyway, after hearing a couple of horror stories). This was quite a complex one and I think you have to be quite advanced to put this move into practice while rolling.
Rolled afterwards. Not really enjoying rolling so much but trying to positive and take away things to be learned - right now i realised I need to relax more when on top, in order to be heavy (posture has a lot to do with BJJ too), and also to keep doing short breaths. I got taken down by an opponent as we had to start from on foot as opposed to knees. I absolutely cannot stand takedowns, its my worst section (due to knee injuries from running) but I am getting a private class for a Christmas present so going to ask the instructor to work with me on improving them.
And just off to class in a minute!
Oh - another point? Don't roll with someone if you've had a lot of vegetables the night before. I almost choked my opponent out two weeks ago, and not in a good way...
Bjj class 17.10.15. Two classes - one with Gi, one without. First one seemed a bit strange. It involved moves to get your opponent in side control if you happen to be crouched down facing him and he had got you into turtle. If your opponent had put an embracing hold with arms around your back you made your elbows 'heavy' to brake the hold. One hand went on the back of the opp's neck, one hand went on the knee. You then went and pushed/pulled at the same time, almost like a steering wheel, to bring the opp down. While doing this, your knee went underneath your opponent's leg, and your shoulder went onto their chest to control him/her. You ended up putting your opponent flat on their back, and using the shoulder to trap the opponent while you maneuvered round to gain side control.
Another move was something like the X hold?? It was bizarre but a way of weaving your legs in and out your opponent's while you were on your back, forcing them to do the splits and then raising up with their leg on your shoulder and taking them down! It was still strange!
Next class witb the Gi - worked on balance and how to escape from a rear naked choke which I have talked about already. Rolled a bit and felt able to put up more of a struggle. Good classes overall.
Sounds like your having fun with your BJJ which is good to here Great to hear your learning about turtle, and I think the other thing you describe is actually 'X Guard'...Here are a few thoughts....
BJJ is one of the most complex martial arts or sports out there. To gain black belt is said to take around ten years for someone training regularly, although some do get there faster and many much slower. It is like a game of chess with lots of detailed moves, it is important to learn, drill and explore all the detail in rolling.
I came to BJJ after many years of Judo and wrestling, like many who take that route BJJ required a complete reset and some humility. I've been at it years, and progress is very slow ,as there are always better people out there, and the team you train with are progressing too - which gives the illusion of no progress.. You only actually realised you have progressed when someone new comes through the door twice your size and half your age and you realise you do know a lot. Or if you go to competition and for a brief moment everything lines up. But it is all great fun.
Turtle is a very important position when rolling in BJJ, for Gi and NoGi.It is characterized by kneeling down on the floor and bringing your chest close to your knees and clutching your knees with your hands and arms - making yourself into a little ball, a bit like a hedge hog that has taken fright or a tortoise in its shell, or turtle - hence the name. It is also a position that is recognised and drilled in Judo. For some it is just a minor defensive position that is a defensive position you can go to and take a breather and stave off repeated attacks from an aggressive opponent from the top. For others turtle is in itself a go to position - who call it 'turtle guard'.
There are ways of transitioning out of turtle to all sorts of positions including the standard guard. There are also standard
drills to break turtle of an opponent, the most common of which is taking the back.
The other move I think you drilled is "X Guard" - X Guard is quite an advanced guard . Guards are so important and is what differentiates BJJ from Judo and most other forms of grappling. Guard is how a player on their back, can stop and control an opponent who is attempting to move in and take a dominant position. A skilled 'bottom' BJJ player can gain dominance from the seemingly bad position of being on their back.
As you say with X Guard you weave your feet around their legs in an X - difficult to describe, but I am sure a quick google or look at youtube will show anyone interested. One move from here that I love, is to roll over your shoulder and end up behind the opponent, taking their back and being able to choke them out.
Enjoy, and keep posting,Great to hear your putting in the time and hard work to get into BJJ
Thanks very much DragonUK for your very encouraging message. Its funny because last week when I was in Belfast I was rolling with another whitebelt and I suddenly realised I did know that bit more than him. It has taken me many messages on this interest group to realise it's a very slow but worthwhile journey!
Bjj classes 10.11.15 and 14.11.15 - aye, still rolling! OK so the first class was in my own school in Glasgow. Working on getting out if you were in turtle and someone was on top of you (more or less on a sprawl). This involved shrimping out the side but with care and making sure you kept your back on top of the opponent as you maneuvered round so that your opponent was trapped underneath. Then you had your opponent and that he or she got out from underneath. And so on.
Also did some gi work involving the following - if you were on your back and your opponent was standing over you, you would have one foot on their hip and one foot hooked in at a thigh. You then grabbed both sleeves of the opponent. You pushed back with the foot on the hip and then pulled forward with the foot hooked in at the hip. You then could bring yourself up to be sitting upright and could do some moves from there. But work was done from the defence side in which your opponent could position their hand as you were coming up to block you. Your opponent could then do some work including sliding over your thigh to get you into side control.
Rolling followed. Starting to not enjoy rolling with experienced people as I dont really learn much apart from the few moves I know can be blocked. So starting to ask the folk I am rolling with for tips. And trying to notice common mistakes to work on them.
Yesterday - I am back in Belfast for work and thought I would try the Kyouzin Mma school seeing they offered a class at a convenient time. Run by a lovely big character who was rough as guts but very funny, we worked on throws, then worked on ways to get access to armbars if you were on top of your opponent and they had locked arms and were putting up a struggle. I am annoyed to say I have forgotten a little of this but the general theory was to get the arms above the head - then your opponent loses strength. Work was also done if your opponent put you on seatbelt and various chokes etc.
Rolling followed and managed to put an Americana on another whitebelt, this dude had been training for 8 months and was a little unhappy to say the least! Nice pep talk given at the end by the instructor who said to everyone to keep going to as many classes as possible - as new people start then the beginners will start to realise that they know that bit more than the newbies. Bjj feels good.
Another class! Settling in a bit at my new school, working on trying to get out of a rear choke. if your opponent was sitting behind you. if you were sitting on the group and your opponent was sitting behind you but had a rear naked choke on you, then you could fell on your side away from where the choke was coming from, but turning into the arm as you fell. You then twisted round and somehow manouvered using all your body weight to trap the opponent to the floor, going round and then ending up putting your opponent in side control. Wasn't too bad (and I haven't explained it very well!).
Rolling happened in an open mat session after and a couple of purple belts were happy to drill with me and go over triangle chokes with me,and one said he was happy to go over this again with me until it sank in. Yay!
BJJ Class 31.10.15. Nothing spooky happened! Still at my new school and worked on getting out of half side control using a frame from the side, pulling your free leg up and using that to bridge up into full control (does that make sense??).
Next was a very complicated move based on the above, but instead of getting into full control you used your arm as a frame as before and with your other hand slid it down from the opponents hip to the opponents knee. You then shrimped out by putting your weight on your shoulder and your free foot, got your arm underneath the opponents arm and bridged up and used that particular arm plus the bridging up process to push your opponent forward . Then - this is the complicated bit - this got your head close to the opponents hip (you are facing the other way). You then reached your arm round onto the opponents shin, pushed and drove forward and your opponent flips forward and you are on top of them, freeing your legs and - hurray! - you are in total side control.
Someone asked me today if I was enjoying it. I gave them the honest answer - that some classes I am really enjoying and some classes I am leaving with gritted teeth (the move today took ages to got and my opponent was particularly obnoxious but I did get there!) Got some friendly advice from him with the fact that it is like that but still advised to stick at it. The advice felt positive and I feel pretty good. What was it the Smiths sang? "These Things Take Time".....
HI, I agree totally with redlandguy. You are doing quite well and I am glad that you have such a good interest in BJJ. I appreciate the lesson descriptions very much. Thx
Bjj class 25.10.15. Great class - until something very embarrassing happened.
The new school is going well. After some light sparring to pass guard we worked on Americanas. The class was split into two groups for those that knew how to knew how to do this and those that didn't. Even though I knew the basic grip, I decided to just go over it again and it was a good decision as we worked on positions the body, making sure that you were 'heavy' on your opponent just before you apply the grip by making sure your hip connects with them and you have your body raised. Also, to get your opponent's arm down, you can grab not just the wrist but the elbow with the other arm to get the arm on the ground before applying the grip. And also I got the tip of keeping your head low - I used my head to drive the arm forward too.
As I was walking out I said goodbye to a few people. I went to the corner of the gym to where those people were sitting. There was one door on my left and one door in front of me. For some weird reason I got disorientated and opened the wrong door - exposing a guy naked in the shower to the group of people sitting. Everyone laughed and the guy came out and asked what the fuck I was doing - I was so redfaced after this I could hardly apologise!! Felt even more like the class idiot after that....stupid BJJ class.
Bjj class 20.10.15 and 21.10.15. I am in Belfast for work. For anyone reading this (anyone actually still reading this???) who lives here and who wants to attend a BJJ class then all I can say is: you lucky lucky bastards!!
I have spent two lunchtimes at a really friendly school: SBJ jiu-jitsu. All led by a patient instructor and with attendees who can only be described as friendly.
Work yesterday was done on the triangle choke. Even though I had worked on this last Saturday I was again pleased to do this again. Because going over the basics means I get to practice and learn it even more. I did have to leave this class early for a meeting but hey.
Today was focusing on escape from side control. First drill - using a bridge of the arm to create a frame. Once you have created that frame, you can put your arm round in an underhook. Get out from the side (bring your opponent forward slightly) , put your weight on your hand and get on top. Now, one of your legs should already be in lock. Bring your other leg round on lock so you are on top of the opponent and both legs are locked in (at one point I did wonder if I was too tall for jiu-jitsu as I did have problems getting my legs round and under!!) Reach round and grab one of your opponent's wrists. Push forward and this should flatten your opponent, lift head, apply choke - tap tap tap!!
Second move was a variation on this if your opponent applies a whizzer on you after you have the underhook. If you have your opponent's leg locked in you would pass it from one foot to the other so that your opponent's leg is pushed back, then get into 'dogfight' position. You use your head at the opponents waist and grab the opponents knee, push them over (keeping our hand on the knee) and then you should end up on top of your opponent in side control! It was actually quite simple!! (Er....Let's see when I read over this in two weeks time).
But - if you had got into dogfight and your opponent reached his knee back so you couldn't get it, you could spear your hand through and underneath and more or less roll your opponent over - your hand must be around the opponents waist and this move has to be completely committed to.
Rolling after to pass guard and got two tapouts. Great class - probably the best school I have been at. And once again, for all you Belfast people - BASTARDS!!!
BJJ Class 17.10.15 - Triangle Chokes and how to get out of them! I was really pleased at my old school when we drilled - nice n slow - the triangle choke. Pulling your opponent forward in guard, getting your legs over her head (I was partnered with a lovely German girl who I had a laugh with!), and pushing one arm back behind the legs (this bit I found a bit too simple!) and then pulling the other arm across. Ensuring that the opponent's head is put under your knee joint.
You can tighten this by getting the foot of the leg that is not immediately behind your opponents head and putting this on your opponents hip. You then can grab your "tightening" leg (for want of a better expression) and then pull that so that the head of your opponent gets more into the joint behind the knee to prevent gaps. You then put your leg that was on the hip BACK on the foot. Curl your toes in, squeeze your knees - tap tap tap!
And then we did work on how to break out of it. If you were starting to get into a triangle choke, you could place your arm that was through on the floor and make sure your elbow is at the opponent's hip, and your hand is at the ribcage. Bring your other arm across and place it on your opponent's opposing shoulder. Then use your body to push through at an angle and the lock should break, and you are free!
This class did make sense, and I feel it was because we weren't trying to drill 6 moves in the space of an hour but instead finely tuned everything. Did some rolling, had a laugh with the class, all good.
I'm going to miss this school but I have a feeling my "BJJ-specific" school may be better suited and its a got a great reputation. I'll keep everyone posted.
Bjj class 14.10.15. Anyone else still reading these? Am still rolling!
Am in London for work and decided to visit a gym called Shootfighters. The class was ok. I got partnered up with a bluebell who was a bit impatient (his issue) but I got the hang of the move demonstrated as follows:
Your opponent is in your guard. You have your hands on their Gi sleeves. You somehow bridge up pull your dude forward and put your feet on their hips.
Then you put one hand on the opposite Gi jacket edge. You then slide your foot up onto the opponents shoulder om the other side and push the opponent back so he is at an angle.
This is a complex bit: you then moved your leg over their head and got them in an armlock. To do so you had to move your own body round.
Next exercise: as before with the hand on collar of Gi/foot on shoulder but you moved your legs to get them in a lock ("One Hand! One Head!" my partner kept shouting, clearly irritated). You had to readjust your shin to get that lock on a bit.
It did sink in a bit but then we started rolling, taking it turns to fight two specific guys. A member told me after that these two guys have a match at the weekend whics why the instructor got everyone to fight them. Erm...Ok, it's good to do a bit of sparring but actually it is a pet hate of mine when instructors do this, especially as I have paid good money to learn rather than roll. And this is good money is London prices.
However still enjoyed it. Looking forward to getting back from my travels and immersing myself into the BJJ school in Glasgowfor a while. Let's do this.
BJJ class 12.10.15. At the new school and an enjoyable class.
First exercise - working from standing up, dragging your opponent forward. You would then turn round, crouch and throw your opponent over. I found this difficult due to the fact I am tall, but was determined to keep going. Half of the techniques lies on getting down low, making sure your arm is up and through at the opponents arm pit then somehow using your bum to get him off the floor!
Next: how to get their leg in a single leg raise. Ok - using layman's terms here! You are dragging the opponent back again. You stick your foot behind your opponent's forward foot at 90 degree angle. You then are in a good position to crouch down and lift the leg off the floor.
We built on the above. Get your opponent's leg up, swivel your hips (there was a pushing motion from the hips that you carried out here) and the opponent is down. Make sure that when you are holding the opponent's leg, it is tight against you and your arms are folded in otherwise there is a danger of being put in an armlock.
We then did some guardwork. If your opponent was in your guard, you had one hand on their opposite bicep and one hand on their Gi. You then swivelled your body to the side (but your body was flat and NOT on your side as such). You put your weight on your shoulders and got one of your legs over the opponent's shoulder. Because of the angle of your body you were in a really good position to execute armbars and Americanas. This move was a struggle as it did involve some fine tuning, including your legs being in the right place at the opponent's back.
Rolled for two mins then went back to work. It was a good class and I enjoyed it! I am in London for work this week and found a school there so will give them a go.
BJJ Class 09.10.15 and 10.10.15. Well, I went again to the new school, which was great - everyone there was really patient and I did not feel bad about asking what to do. I was doing an exercise where if someone was in my guard and had a hand on my gi, I somehow worked their arm onto my chest, bending their arm at their elbow.. I then worked their arm onto the floor, turned round and got them on top. From then on, I managed to do some work to get into an arm bar. Unfortunately I forgot to take a note of it went and now it has been forgotten.
I rolled with a few guys, including two purple belts who managed to go into trancelike states when I was rolling with them. Very soon, I was in knots and they were completely calm.
Today - back at my usual gym and had to do some rolling. And I was up against an MMA fighter who is getting ready for a fight - and I completely and utterly forgot everything I had been told! I kept thinking : what the feck was that move from two days ago? Three days ago? From last week? And before I knew it I was in knots. Uh ok - maybe should have taken some time out to read over this and do some drilling but with visits to London and a couple of gigs (another passion of mine) its been a busy week.
I'm away again for work for a couple of weeks but I intend to find a BJJ class in Belfast (I visited Maeda BJJ before and these guys were really friendly) and in London (trying "Fightzone"). After that, my gym membership runs out for my usual gym and I'm thinking of trying the BJJ specific gym for a month to see if that helps to get my head round it a bit more. I have calmed down a bit now and stopped worrying so much about learning a/d getting beat - its only a little bit that can be learnt each time.
Got a BJJ class on Monday in Glasgow at the new school and will report back! Stay tuned!
BJJ Classes 01/10/15 and also 04/10/15. Sorry for the delay people - my computer has been in for repair!
Right: 01/10/15 - a class focusing on 5 aspects of side control and how to work from there. I wrote about the these five below and couldn't remember what the fifth one was, but it turns out the fifth one involves putting a knee on the chest. We worked on getting kumaras (spelling!) from two of them, involving from no.2 side control, which was lying facing south on top of your opponent with your torso against the opponents neck. Also from no.4, side control. I can't exactly remember what the moves were but I do remember having to step over and trying to get my knee over the head. Thats all! It was an ok class though.
Class today - i am off on annual leave and decided to try an actual BJJ school, who were offering a free week before you sign up. Today's lesson - quite a good relaxed pace with just 4 of us, and even a woman who must have been in her 60s came. We worked on basic defence, how to get out of a headlock (while standing - useful) then using "the frame", to get out if someone has put you on side control. This involved bridging, moving your hips underneath the opponent more when you bridge, but then using the fact that the opponents weight is now balanced on your hip to tip them over the other side. I hope I have described that correctly, it was actually surprising just how little effort it took for the "tipping" to happen.
Next move was again using "the frame" and then, if your opponent was on top of you at side control, bridging, getting your closest knee into his/her armpit, then at that point bringing the leg that is furthest away round to go over the head and at the neck, push back....and you got an armbar!
It was quite a friendly school and I did think I took it in a bit better (probably because I wasn't working today more than any other reason). I'm still attending my old school but will do a few more classes at this new school before deciding whether to make the transition or not. I am wondering if perhaps doing BJJ at an MMA school means you don't quite get the specialised service. Or does it? The BJJ at my first school is taught by a very knowledgable instructor.
A class focusing on different aspects of side control. The instructor told us what he informed us was side control 1 (traditional), side control 2 (you faced south over your opponent at an angle with your arm around him, side control 3 ( in which you came back round and came in at an angle doing a judo sprawl), side control 4 (you attempted to still remain on side control but your face was facing down the way) and side control 5 (totally forgotten).
We then worked on an aspect of side control from side control 2. If your opponent bridged, you then worked on getting round and as you moved round, you got him onto his side and then ended up on his back. Again, I forgot the basics of this but as yesterday was totally rushed I didn't have time to immediately log everything.
Another move happened and again I've forgotten. However - the whole class wasn't actually bad and I was able to take it in more when happening - used meditation, worked with some patient partners and did try to break everything down.
And I showed the instructor the video BJJguyNYC posted of the guy's first time at a BJJ Class - he laughed.
Right - I'm off now to see if I can remember what the feck it was it was I taught. I think one of the drawback of lunchtime classes is having to rush back to work and start getting into workmode again. Hmm. Maybe time to think about stopping wrestling/boxing classes and getting a bit more BJJ until I get my head round it.
BJJ class 19.09.15. Hmm ok a better one (and thanks to the two posters who replied last time, I've realised that BJJ can be a hard discipline to master if you just aren't used to being able to pick up techniques simply by watching an instructor go through the moves.
I told a few of the guys in my class today and they said to hang in there, one of them who I was partnered with did break it down slowly and we got there in the end.
The moves today involved the following and working on escapes. Start off from having your opponent on top position. You then shrimp to the left (which throws your opponent) to get your left leg, keep it straight then lock the other foot. YYour opponent may have you in a wizzer *spelling*. You then shrimp to the right and now you are in a position to do control - locks etc.
The next move managed to do the same but get into butterfly - this took a bit of getting used to. But we got there. My partner and I then practised moving out of this and on top to get to submission etc.
Live rolling took place after. Lost every round but did manage to get a few moves in. To be fair I am fighting experienced MMA guys or guys who used to do judo so at least they have had a bit more experience. Ho hum.
Overall? Actually this class was ok! I just feel I have to drill, drill drill and not having a training partner does not help. I can watch videos until the cows come home and not take anything in. I am however, trying to improvise - I'm putting cushions on the floor and bouncing around over them. Maybe I need a blow up doll (for BJJ, that is!).
Grappling takes 3 to 4 months just to learn the names of techniques. It then takes another 4 years to become fluent with the techniques. That's executing each technique 1000 times.
Think about that. In No Gi, there are 30 positions, 10 ways to break guard, 10 ways to pass guard, 15 different things you can do with someone in your guard, 15 different things you can do in mount. Then there's Side Control, I Position, Turtle, and taking someone's back. And, then there's all the escapes and counters.
If you believe that you can learn all that in 3 months, let alone 4 years, I bow to you =)
Thanks EnetArch, that last posting was really helpful. My posting wasn't so much about how slow it is to learn but more about having a different preferred learning style to one that instructors tend to demonstrates. As I've stated before my preferred learning style is "activist" so I am in an utter state of confusion when my instructor demonstrates a move, until I am actually carrying it out (if that makes sense). Having said that, I am finding meditation helps and breaking what the instructor has said down into instructions also helps (so maybe I am a bit more "reflective"). I am totally aware of the time taken to learn BJJ - my instructor stated he still has a lot to learn after 16 years! :)
Keep posting the vids though - I will check them out later on.
AS u mentioned in the second paragraph your training partner broke down the move. This is how important it is to have a good partner. The two of you help each other after the demonstrates the move and this way u learn it best. I have good relationships with y training partners and that really helps. We help each other get it right. BJJ is not like bridge, where if you do not have a good partner, then u need a good hand. Here you need a good partner and work with each other.Do not be afraid to ask the instructor to do the move in steps, slow motion, if this is possible for the move being shown. others may want this but are afraid to ask. There is no substitute for being proactive in class. Thanks
BJJ Class 17.09.15. This one was almost called "The End". But I've had a rethink.
Ok : all going well with warm up then had to do an exercise on getting into side control. You are between your opponents legs on the ground. One knee is on your opponents thigh. Your hand is on the gi. You put your other hand on your opponents leg to hold him down. You slide over and step. Your opponent puts your leg that was between the legs in a lock. You use your other leg to kick back the opponents leg, and then you move your other leg round and sprawl.
The next step was built on this and this is where it gets complicated. And this was the part when my head just went : "Enough".
It involved starting off as above but once you are in side, your opponent has your hand in a lock. You then ended up getting behind the opponent. I really cannot describe how this happened but it somehow involved three folk all giving me instructions. Bits of it are coming back. An arm that was held. A foot that had to be at an armpit. My instructor ended up screaming at one bit "WERE YOU NOT PAYING ATTENTION?" and even though he was joking I can tell he was getting frustrated.
Truth be told, I am not very good at taking in the demonstrations the instructor gave. Its almost like a dyslexia. Everyone has their preferred learning techniques and I keep looking for the written instructions/someone guiding me - but they are not there. My wrestling instructor who is there keeps telling me to do mindfulness which I try to each day (and I notice the impact when I don't do it).
We did do some grappling and I lasted a lot longer than I thought. My wrestling instructor said to me at one point I was doing good when I managed to free him from my sleeve of the gi.
But it still feels bad - I feel like I'm holding the rest of the class back sometimes through the fact I am an activist learner who is unable to get into reflection mode.
I'm going to give this class a few more lessons and then that's it.
While it helps to have an Idenic Memory, it's like a photographic memory but works very different. Basically, what I see I can replicate. So, when Carley show's a technique, I have almost mastered it the first time.
Don't worry about getting the technique the first time. Some times your body has to absorb the technique in smaller chunks. Learning the simpler steps first, then seeing how the steps come together to form more complex technical processes (also know as, strategies).
Jiujitsu is not easy and based on your posts you are extremely dedicated. I have been doing it for close to 6 years and I still find it very hard with many new techniques. Do not feel that u are slowing down the class. The problem that you ask about is probably a problem for most but they are afraid to ask. The only stupid question is the one that you do not ask and "if you are not tapping you are not learning" and "a black belt is a white belt who never quit" I find your class descriptions very interesting and really appreciate the time and effort you take to post them. You are an inspiration to us all. Keep up the good work!
BJJ class 15.09.15 plus a bit of 12.09.15. Didn't get a chance to write this up as had issues over the weekend but hey. The Saturday class again was relaxed and just involved rolling (which I thought the instructor was actually just being lazy!) However, I got a few tap outs and then managed to perform a bit of the move of the last class (escape from guard by holding arms down and then using hand to push knee down and pass then follow on from that) and then the instructor commented "good pass". Felt good!!
Tonight: well, after the end of the last class I asked the instructor if we could work on how to get out of escapes. The instructor said we could do that tonight - which we did! We worked on the following:
- if you are under your opponent, you bridge (making sure your elbows are in).
- you then shrimp out - use your thighs to push you out more, and if you have space after that you can get out and get on top.
- if you don't have space to get out, shrimp again - to the other side, this gives you enough space to get into guard and perform locks on your opponent.
A variation of this followed which I am still trying to get my head round a little. If you had started shrimping but your opponent had started to do a whizzer on you: -
- you could lock your legs around one leg of the opponent at the ankle.
- you then get your arm on the other side down and round his leg so your hand ends up on his quad. Your head has to be on his thigh for this.
- then you use your weight to rock on the other side and you can get him over. All of a sudden you are on top and then can execute control etc.
I was with a complete beginner on this class - I had half an idea but managed to stick with it. There was five minutes rolling at the end but the beginner and I just drilled. And it was fine - quite a laidback class.
I am thinking that I have two complete beginner classes a week and a more technical minded class once a week. I may try the more technical class with the same teacher in another school on Monday as I'm visiting the other side of Glasgow that night.
BJJ Class 10.09.15. The Thursday lunchtime classes tend to be a lot more involved and technical (and therefore difficult). But this time I actually really enjoyed it.
Maybe because I had managed to get myself in "the zone". I have been taking time to meditate recently which can really help with fighting (weirdly enough). I also have began to feel a bit more relaxed in this class which has helped.
Usual warm up exercises on spider guard. Then we worked on getting on from shoot. First exercise: if you were caught in guard, you had one hand on the opponents gi sleeve, another on the collar. You stand up and swap your hands over, let go of the collar and use that hand to hold the gi sleeve. With the hand that is now free, you use that to push your opponents leg down. You then put your knee on top of the opponents thigh of the leg that is down. You then move the other leg of the opponent over your head and - this is where it gets blurry - grab either the bum (you guys are all very comfortable with each other!) or gi trousers, and still pressing forward with your weight on the opponent, you can then bring your other hand round the back of the opponents neck so you have him/her nicely pressed.
The above does not actually make that much sense but in my head it did. Calling ENetArch for youtube videos!!
The next exercise was an addition to the above and involved starting off where you end up as above : more or less at the opponents side, with your hand around the back of the neck of the opponent clutching his gi collar, and your other hand on the trouser leg of the opponent. Your opponent was holding you with the arm. You then had to bring your leg round the arm and press in inwardly against the knee to pin the arm to the floor. You then pressed forward against the leg that was holding you and then turned your legs into a sprawl to get side control.
I did feel that I walked away from the class feeling like I'd taken a bit more in than usual. I will practice this - if someone can give me a hand with the videos (hint)
Ok re read your guard break. what threw me was that you mentioned that you were in Spider Guard. I couldn't tell if you were on your back or in the guard? From what I'm reading, you're on your knees in the guard.
It appears you are doing a cross over grab with your hand to control your opponents arm. This allows you to post on the foot that your opponent can't reach. At this point you can stand up and then break the guard open and pass.
If this is correct, this is known as a standing guard pass.
I apparently don't have this on video. And from the videos taht I saw on youtube, Carley would be very dismayed at what is being taught.
I wish I could help you with this one. I only do NO-GI, and this spider guard transition appears to require a GI. Though I am trying to visualize what you did and think of a video that would show it.
BJJ Class 08.09.15 and this time in the right Interest group topic (apologies for putting the last class review in the wrong thread - and if anyone wants some rolling in Scotland then you know where I am).
The Tuesday classes are at my fighting gym are always easier. A warm up involving getting up from your back to one of your knees very quickly, another warm up involving sprawls...yu0 you know how it goes.
From then, it was an exercise from putting a leg lock (I am using laymen's terms here) in your opponent when they are in guard. Grab one wrist of your opponent, pass the other arm through your legs. Then wrap the back of your knee around the neck. I THINK you had to pull down (I'm waiting on my good friend to send the instructions!) and then you had to put your ankle at the back of your knee (again, I THINK this is the case!). You then clenched your knees together, the opponent is in a triangle type lock - and submits.
It was clumsy to begin with but I do think this is a move I could pick up quite quickly with practice. The problem is getting the practice in - with family/relationship responsibilities, a house thats falling apart and a job that does cut into my time a bit, its hard to get the practice in.
So I've decided to pack my job in - does anyone want to marry me and have me as a kept man? I'm 6'1", tall, got a good chest and likes indie music, I'm fairly good company (if I say so myself). I think my partner will be very understanding.
10 minutes of rolling happened after. I did notice that I was a lot better than the beginners, which was encouraging, and I did remember a couple of points. Its a long slow journey. Which could be speeded up by meeting the right guy. Did I mention I'm 6'1", tall, got a good chest.....??
BJJ Class 01/09/2015 - the first of two classes today seeing I am on leave. I am actually meant to be decorating but...er....yeah....you know how it goes....
So : lunchtime class. I had to miss all the BJJ lunchtime classes last week as couldn't get out of work meetings. Managed to get to this one today and instructor was pleased to see me back, which was nice, seeing I have felt like the class numpty for ages.
OK first drill, a warm up. Lie on your back, put your feet on the hips of the opponent and grab the sleeves of the Gi. Opponent moves back, you use your shoulder to raise yourself up and then go back with him, keeping your feet on his hips. So far so good.
Next was some work holding onto the gi lapel and rolling with it. There was an exercise at the beginning which I have more or less forgotten already (great, eh?) . The next one did build on that though. OK. The opponent is in guard, you are kneeling into him and the opponent has the edge of your lapel held behind your calf. Three steps: -
- You have to keep the opponents other leg high for control
- With the side that the opponent has your lapel, you then go over their thigh and onto your knee
- you then break their hold by sprawling and then maintain side control.
Game of "pass the guard" at the end. I should have used that side.
Had a word with the instructor afterwards about how slow I am to pick things up, but he assured me he is used to having a class where everyone picks things up in different ways/speeds, and told me I was doing fine. I will persevere.
BJJ Class 25.08.15. A relaxed class again (the Tuesday classes tend to be) and again it feels good to go at a slower pace. Working on armbars, but the main focus was ensuring that if you were on top of your opponent, you used your thigh more to press weight on your opponents chest as you swung your legs round to execute the move. There was some confusion for a bit with my opponent and I, until we realised that if we were putting an armbar on the left arm, we then had to use our right thigh to put the weight down and vice versa. It seems really natural now but at the time...!?!?
5 minutes of rolling happened and I was up against my partner who has beaten me every time due to his bulk and speed. We start off on our knees and I find this really difficult to start with, I kept trying to get underneath on defence but before I knew it I was actually in a lock underneath. And just as I managed to get him in a lock.....the instructor shouted out "Time up!" My opponent and I have some banter going between us, all friendly stuff, its all about fun and not being beaten, its all about trying to learn where I was going wrong and trying to execute moves...not about winning....no sirree.......*grumbles*....
An enjoyable class that once again was fun! Arrived home in a very good mood and looking forward to the next class already.
BJJ Class 22.08.15. A small class with only 3 of us. First of all was putting a choke in from turtle. If you were at the left hand side of your opponent who is in turtle, you would fish your left (I think!) hand through. You then would reach over with your right (again, I think!) hand and put a gable grip on - except you reversed your hands so the left one would be on top. You then would pull the neck in more to get more of a choke and make sure that you bring your own elbows in. Using your shoulder to push your opponent over, you also pull your opponents neck and get some semblance of a choke. You then would end up on top of the opponent, making sure your legs are spread at a good angle to prevent your opponent reaching them. Unfortunately a few of us kept losing our balance and almost went right over...more of later.
^I am hoping, at this point, that I am backed up by my friend on here who always manages to find a corresponding video from youtube.
From then on, seeing we had two beginners, it was basic elements which really did suit me - I am more than happy to spend some time going over the very basic stuff, and also it was good just to have some "downtime" - I've spent We had to make sure that we landed correctly and our base was fine. So one person got underneath, and using bridging techniques, tried to get the opponent off on top. The opponent had to make sure they landed fine.
Another one was just using side control to hold an opponent down, but ensuring that you were relaxed on top - you only tensed up when you felt your opponent move in a particular direction. So, if you were on top and you felt your opponent start to move out, at that point you increased the tension of your holds and the weight of your chest on them. My instructor said the whole idea of BJJ was you were meant to do this with your eyes closed and a bit more on instinct. Just when you think it can't get harder....
We finished with working on pullups with a Gi belt over a bar - the best strengthening techniques for fighting are wide arm pull ups, apparently. Which was fine.
Not the most in-depth class but like I said - I am more than happy to go over some basics and actually just slow down a little. Sometimes with classes it feels like they are trying to teach you about 5 complicated moves in a very short space of time.....
Sounds like the choke you were applying from Turtle was a D'Arce choke. The initial move is known as a CrowBar where one arm is under your opponent, and the other is over his neck, connected at a Gable Rip by his shoulder. You would push down and pull in towards you to dump your opponent onto his side. Then slide your arm farther throw, connect to hand to your bicep, and continue to apply the choke.
BJJ Class 20.08.15. The title of this post was originally going to be "Does anyone want to buy a slightly used Gi?". However, I've since had a change of heart....
I turned up for a quiet class, with just me and 3 other guys (including my wrestling teacher who is just beginning to learn BJJ). So, with one guy who is very experienced and another who is at least experienced in wrestling, I stood out a little. And then the drills started.
First drill: You stand between your opponent, your hands are on their chest and you are locked in between their legs. You bring an opposing leg over the thigh of the opponent and sweep the other leg round. Then swap over. Took me a while to get the positioning right but was ok in the end.
Second drill: was a variation of that except one hand was on the thigh and another was on the leg. Again sweeping past - something else happened - and i have had a complete and utter mind blank.
We then used that starting point to get into arm bars and finally, the guillotine.
I really, really, did not enjoy this class. And its through no-one's fault but my own. The teacher was paired up with someone else, and I was paired up with my wrestling teacher. When it came turn to switch over, both the other guy's eyes and the teachers were on me. I started to feel very self-conscious what I was doing, and inwardly started to panic. It was a hard effort to remain calm.
The worse thing about the classes is that I feel a very, very, slow learner - the teacher is showing everything and I am not picking it up until I am actually doing it. Everyone has their own preferred learning styles and I've been aware for ages I am an activist learner (i.e. I've actually got to be doing an activity until I pick it up while others would be happy with a set of instructions, others with a video etc).
Believe it or not, I DID get the guillotine just at the end. But it did feel like my head was going to explode.
OK : moaning over. What can I do to make this learning experience better?
- make sure my mind is relaxed before class. The problem with lunchtime sessions is that I am arriving from work "wired" and maybe just having a bit of time to clear the head would help. I did notice in a previous wrestling class that going for a run before the class did help my head.
- admit that I can only learn a little each time. One of the guys in my class said it took him 6 months before it sank in a bit. Maybe by then I will get an actual learning style.
- try to make sure i am writing everything down as soon as i leave the class. (Anyone on this interest group already getting hacked off with this? Apologies but this is helping).
- get time to drill. I will spend five minutes going over my notes after dinner in a bit.
- try to organise my time a bit better and maybe advertise on gumtree for a training partner (my boyfriend keeps tickling me). Admittedly, I may be scared at the response I get on gumtree but who knows.
I find that with my older students, it takes time for them to retain the instruction that I provide. Which is why I tell them to write the steps down in a book and review video whenever possible.
The writing aspect will hep you remember the terms needed to find videos that demonstrate what you were doing.
Hi, you often will find that it will take a while for a move to click. For months I had no idea about the D'Arce (Brabo) choke until someone took the time to review it one n one and now I look for it all the time. My best takedown in college would not have been as successful as it was were it not for one friend asking me to do the move on him for two straight hours. Look at the instruction as the lecture and the one on one action with your training partner as the laboratory. This is where you,with your partner will figure out all the nuances of the technique and adjust it to your body type etc. Practice enough and YOU will be able to teach it.
Class 15.08.15. Geez this is getting harder....ok focusing on chokes. One choke involved looping my arms at an angler around the opponents neck when he was in turtle (have I got that right??). Isolate the arm closest to you, get your arms in a wrist grab, and pull his head closer to you as you fall onto your left side and apply pressure. You got a choke. Of some flamin' kind.
Next: the guillotine. Again, arms in a choke...and my mind has gone blank!! Aargh!! Ok this will come back to me. There's a guy on here with a link to a great website so I'm going to study that.
Next: another choke: if you were at the side of the opponent, and got him in a headlock, you then get round facing him put his head on your belly. Bend at the knees slightly, then you do some kind of pelvic thrust (no, we are not doing the timewarp again) and there is a bit of a push and pull going on as you apply the choke. Its nasty. And apparently put a few fighters to sleep.
Sparring happened next with my attempts to put two people in chokes. It was flaming difficult and I realised how inexperienced/little I have learnt - although I did think of moves for things afterwards. It does feel like I am drowning in information. I did, however, apply a Americana on another newbie. Its not totally bad. And yes, I will keep going!!
sounds like the clock choke - when you u re on side of opponent, and walk around and let your head slide 2 ground by chocking :) a cool techical choke, very approved in competition
The Darce can be done from many different positions. That is the beauty of increasing knowledge in BJJ. You find that there are more and more positions from which u can apply a particular move. I like applying it from side control when my opponent tries for the underhook
New class from 13.08.15. - working on your back and using your legs to pull the opponent over in various means. Apparently this is the spider guard? Well your friendly neighbourhood spideyman was given a hell of a workout!!
On with the lesson. It was a fairly good lesson, despite still feeling like the class numpty (how many of you have heard that word before?). I got the basics right - lying on your back with your arms grapped onto the opponent's Gi sleeve. One move involved sweeping your legs underneath and using your feet as arms. The instructor made us sweep different legs to try to knockout your opponent and as part of the drill, the opponent had to step over them. On the fourth sweep, you had to get your feet round and pull at your opponent while your leg pushed him forward, the leverage sent him back. What was difficult for me was actually getting onto my back leg and up, I kept letting go of his Gi. Finally got there.
Another exercise - again on the back, your feet on the opponent's hip, hands on the sleeve. You reached up grabbed the gi's collar. Step 2 : put your foot on his bicep. No. 3 - reach arm round and grab ankle. Again, using a push and pull technique - timber!
Again it did take a while - but got there in the end.
Some drilling trying to get past the guard happened to finish up with. I felt like I'd learned a bit more - it was so slow but I guess mastering jiu-jitsu isn't going to happen overnight. Spideyman's got a lot to learn....
New class from 11.08.15. Right - this was also taking in the class from Saturday (08.08.15). Working with a partner in the guard position - you had to stand up using your opponents ribs or hips to stand up, break, then you could take a step back, move your opponents leg out of the way, then knee on his chest. Or slide over and get into a defence position.
Also you could work on what I was taking work on Saturday. Something very powerful and actually, quite debilitating. Apparently there are some MMA fighters who have had their careers ruined from this. I'm going to call this the Ankle Lock (I'm unsure of its proper name - comments welcome). And I am going to explain this the best I can. Bear with - and feel free to comment.
When disengaging from the guard position by beginning to stand above, you could then move your legs round and get the opponents leg in between yours. Fall back. Go on your side. Get the knee of your opponent trapped in a vice grip between your legs. Move your outside arm, around, trap opponents foot under armpit, ensuring ankle is protruding. Get hands in cable grip. Use wrist against ankle - and try to turn it round. If done properly - you soon get a tap.
We were warned against this move, as it can dislocate fighters' ankles leg and feet. Its fucking nasty. Its interesting to learn but it did make me think about being on here. How many guys reading this have "NHB" as an option? Actually, I would be really concerned if someone did use this against me without being properly trained and they knew what they were doing. in short, I'd actually be fucking furious. My teacher told me how his old teacher wrecked someone in a fight with this move and now walks permanently with a limp - career over. I think this move could cause some serious damage - and if I'm going ahead to meet anyone from MF who has some jiujtisu knowledge I'll be flagging this up.
Despite my concerns about the above, it still managed to be a fun and interesting class (believe it or not!!). If someone breaks your lock, put your feet at the armpits, grab their ankles, push and pull respectively - and the leverage will send the opponent down!
Fun times - and I'm looking forward to Thursday's lunchtime class already!
Many academies ban ankle locks for white belts. People think they are dangerous. But they aren't that scary really. Until you get used to people attacking your legs it is fine to tap early. Eventually you will have enough experience to feel more comfortable escaping legit leg attacks.
The reason for the ban is due to what can happen to the knee. While performing the ankle lock is easy and can be performed by the attacker safely, the person being submitted has a nasty habit of trying to twist their leg out of the situation, and in doing so, will rip their knee apart.
This is why no one blew a purple belt in Carley Gracie's class and my own are allowed to perform ankle locks. Practice yet, but never during sparring.
BJJ Class 06.08.15. How to escape from underneath....woah. Ok : You are lying between your opponent's legs with your back turned to him, your opponent has one arm underneath you and one arm over you. You have your hand at his wrist to prevent a choke. . Your opponent rocks you back (I am using laymen's terms here).
You land at the side where his/her (hey I fight anyone!!) arm is underneath. You use your foot to get underneath and your shoulder to get through his/her clench. you land on your back. Break free, turn and get into mount.
But if you were the person who was on the behind, you could then lock the foot as he is getting over (lets just stick with "he", I was wrestling with my wrestling instructor!!). Use your knees to push him forward and get your arm underneath. Thats you got a gap to squeeze out! So you get on his back - quick.
Your opponent could have got into "the Turtle". This is where i lost it a bit...ok.reach round and grab the Gi at the neck with your choking hand. You then put your other hand round and pass the gi into the other hand, slide it up and choke him. Damn I need to look this up - any ideas.
This was not as easy as it sounds and I got told by the instructor I had to keep the spaces tight at all times - the slightest space gives your opponent time.
Do these moves above make sense? I am enjoying it immensely, which is the main thing, but feck feck feckity feck, is this stuff complex or what?!? Will persevere though!!
Jiu-jitsu class 04/08/2015. This was a class working on getting on side control after being in a half-lock. At least, I think it was a half-lock. I was lying on top of the opponent, the opponent had his right leg around my left, I was lying at an angle and had the opponent in a lock.
I then had to use my head to reposition his arm. I slid along his leg onto my left thigh. I then did some kind of weird kick (this does require some more work) and went onto my knees, positioned myself for side control with my arms still around the opponent in a lock.
Further work involved swapping the arms around the head, so instead of my left arm being underneath the opponents head the right arm was then swapped round (the opponent had to be turned into me for this). I then could put a lock on by getting my right hand on my left bicep then sprawling back, making a kind of choke with pressure from my body. Took a while but eventually got some taps.
Class ended with a game of "King of the Mats". I won a couple quickly, and lost a couple but put up a decent attempt. At the age of 42, I'm discovering I can still have a lot of fun!
So I've just come away from BJJ class no.6. It was the first time in a Gi (it didn't help that I kept wanting to sing the theme to "Hong Kong Phoey")(younger readers ask your parents) and I was surprised how later on I actually got used to it.
Today's class was actually focusing on side control : if you are at the side of your opponent, then using both knees to get in at the side of opponent and your elbow that is furthest away from the opponents head on the other side of the body, wrapping around the other arm and neck. Pretty basic stuff.
Then it got complicated. Work was carried out on trying to get out from underneath the opponent. This involved bridging and rocking your opponent over, trying to get your opponent to sprawl. From then, you had to shift your body round so you could lock your leg in a half-butterfly ("?"), shift out, get up on your elbow and then somehow end up on top of your opponent after he has used a wizard on you. (Wizard? Have I said the right thing?).
It was complicated. However, BJJ is just like everything else in life - the only way to learn this is to drill, drill, drill. I am slowly beginning to get my head round this and it will require perseverance.
Had some good fun at the end with some grappling and managed to put my opponent into an Americana (again, I hope that's the right term!) lock to submit. Aye, this class is gonna require a lot of work but I have a feeling I'm going to get a lot out of it. Even if it does feel like I'm wrestling in a dressing gown!!!
*If no one in this interest group minds, I'm going to keep logging up the classes - it would be really helpful to me if I could do this in order to help to give me a record and reflect on what happened in the class.
Keeping a written record. A whizzer us a powerful controlling tool and I have found it quite helpful
If u do not whizzer in some positions u will give up your back, thus knowing its application is quite helpdul
FitScot (38)
12/29/2015 9:15 AMBJJ Class 28.12.15. A Christmas special, mainly rolling (boo!) but a nice chap worked with me on posture and was really patient with me. Actually wasn't too bad!
Before that, there was a class on 23.12.15. Worked on breaking guard, which I STILL can't do that well, but I have a birthday present of another private lesson so will work on that.
Another Xmas class is happening tomorrow night but again its just rolling - would rather give that a miss until the new year and start lessons properly again.
Lets hope the New Year sees me relaxing even more and starting to enjoy the classes - new year's resolution is to take things slowly.
Have a great New Year everyone!
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
12/29/2015 2:40 PM(In reply to this)
Happy New Year. Your description of jiujitsu classes and moves taught is very informative. Keep up the good work.
FitScot (38)
12/22/2015 5:22 PMBJJ Classes 19/12/2015 and 21/12/15. I didnt log much up recently, because disappointingly, the classes have been focused on rolling. And I began to hate them with a passion, because if you don't know any moves, then you would constantly ometimes we had to start rolling from someone who is in turtle - but if you do not know any moves from turtle (I think I've had one class in this) then you're doomed. Therefore the classes all began to feel a bit pointless. However- we got back into technique for a while so that was grand. And then I got a private class as a Christmas present.
Last night was my treat and I thought : hmm, what area do I need to work on the most? So I chose bridging. It did seem like when I was rolling and had to bridge, I would basically just bounce the guy around on top. However, the instructor went over some finer points: pull your heels into your bum as much as possible, make sure one of your heels is on the other side of the opponents foot, trap that opponents arm as much as you can, and then put your head to the side but still look straight up. Bridge up and then onto your shoulder as much as you can of the opposite direction of where your head is. Your opponent flips over, you land on his/her torso, hold down the biceps and then start to straighten up.
We also did some work on what to do if your opponent has caughtened on with the fact that you are going to bridge and has spread his elbows out: and I've forgotten this, but it did involve putting one hand somewhere on one arm and then hugging the back, bridging and then punching up in the air when you bridge! Must google it later on.
Trained some complex moves with the guys on how to flip guys over and then rolled iwth two white belts - and the bridging worked! May treat myself at some point to a private lesson again, if I can get my bills down.
But the good news is that my BJJ mojo came back!
FitScot (38)
12/22/2015 6:07 PM(In reply to this)
Apologies for spelling and bad grammar but I had to rush out to go to A and E with a small case of Cauliflower ear. My first! And hopefully my last.
FitScot (38)
12/14/2015 10:14 PMBJJ Class 14.12.15. My elbows hurt.
Ok - work on takedowns including ankle picks and another one which was more complex, involving hugging your opponent around their waist, stepping round in front a bit, using your shoulder to lean them right back, then stepping in and using your closest foot to scoop up their leg from behind as you push them back more.
The next few moves involved getting your opponent in guard and flipping them over. Hence my sore elbows. Ok so if you had your opponent in your guard, you did this weird hand motion where it snaked round and cleared one of the arms to get your knee through. On the other side, you held onto the opponents arm and then swung your other leg right over their head. Your thigh (I think!!) pushes your opponent over. They are on their knees with your thigh trapping your arm. It was kinda neat. Then you could use your leg to pinch that arm in by bring your legs in closer. Reach round and grab their head. Then if you started to lift from your thighs, it put pressure on the trapped arm and you got a tap out.
After that...you started the same as above. But your opponent rolled over when you were putting pressure on the arm. Then you somehow sat on his shoulder, again used your legs to pinch the arm in. You then somehow swivelled your legs over, sat down and brought your foot over his face. You somehow grabbed onto your foot and pulled back and this weird hinge like move (which I will be very impressed if I ever use this damn thing again) got at tap out.
The moves were based on a hold known as.....the monobrow, Or the proper name for the monobrow, apparently!
Rolling took place after. Got obnoxious guy again. He's really small and looks like a Nazi. He's also a blue belt. May try to avoid him next time.
Have booked a 1:1 lesson with my instructor as its a Christmas present from my mum. Decided I would like the tutor lesson to work on bridging as I'm pretty weak at that.
Oh - a word of warning for anyone taking this up? Watch when it comes to tapping out. I accidentally padded a guy's arse by accident. There was some embarrassed looks afterwards.
FitScot (38)
12/12/2015 10:00 AMBjj classes 7.12.15 and 11.12.15. Thanks to a completely mad week at work and having to visit London I only managed two classes and have just got time now to write this up. Two classes are better than none. One of the brown belts had to take over the class on the Monday and it was a good class. Damned if I remember what it was about. Hoping it comes back. I am just about to hit the shower so it probably will then..
But last night's class worked on a basic takedown if your opponent was putting a choke on you from behind and you were both standing up. Moving back, you can put a foot directly behind them and put your head down at the side. Your opponent is down!
Some basic self defence classes followed on what to do if you are on your back being punched by your opponent when he is in guard. This involved either bringing the head very close to you so they cannot punch, and getting the opponents head into a position underneath your armpit, your head close to them and you have their arms trapped. By shifting your but out to the side, you get the position to do this. You also can do a move where you shrimp out a bit and get your knee on their chest, your hip has to be in line with their hip. But your shin acts as a barrier. So you then can use your free leg to kick their ribs. Then you can let your 'barrier' leg kick out and the opponent can fall past you and you can get into guard. OK - some not bad stuff.
Then work was done on escaping from side control by making space with a frame with the arms. I have forgotten again this and hope it does come back. Expect some editing.
Rolled after. Didn't enjoy it much but trying to learn abd be positive. Getting a 1:1 lesson in next few days so will feel better after that.
FitScot (38)
12/06/2015 11:30 AMBJJ Class 05/12/15. Aye. Another Class. Another odd one (I found). If an opponent had you in spider guard, you could step back to get them up on their arse. You then could snap one of your hands away from the gi, then use that hand to do a steering wheel move on them to spin the opponent round and get their knee on their chest. From then on you could gain control.
Another one was to do the same as above, but this time was to get them on their side - you did this by again stepping back so they sit on their arse, then walk over to the side so they ended up on their side. You then could step out, and grab the arm to get into side control.
And again as above - getting the opponent to the side, but then stepping round over the opponent. You then could sit down on top of them and get your bum on their arms. You then stepped your legs out which broke your opponents grip. You then sidied down, used your arm as a scoop and then got the opponent into side control. This was tricky.
Rolling happened for an hour after. Lots of people gave me advice - relax! Posture! Stop using your elbows to prise open the kneees if you end up in guard! Was ok. Felt a bit disullisioned again. But will keep on. I've been doing this for 6 months now and apparently the first year is the hardest, so lets see where I am in a couple of months time.
redlandguy (195)
12/06/2015 6:31 PM(In reply to this)
Six months is a good start. The spider guard defenses you are describing are hard and no one gets them right the first time.
Getting a new move right in sparring is harder still. You are trying to pull off a move you just learned on a room full of opponents who had the same class you did and totally see it coming.
As for the hardest year: I don't know if the first year is hardest or easiest or what. I've had hard and easy years mixed in with each other. A year is hard because it's new material, or if you come back from an injury or you get into a place where you're not progressing or work/life gets in the way.
Enjoy the journey.
FitScot (38)
12/07/2015 9:22 AM(In reply to this)
Thanks Man! Oh I am staying in this road..I may just moan a lot as I do so!!
FitScot (38)
12/05/2015 8:58 AMBJJ Classes 03/12/15. There actually has been a class before this but to tell you the truth, I've not had much time to log anything. Stupid work. My job has got crazy and I missed a class thanks to being locked out my car (don't ask) but at least I'm attending twice a week.
So lets think back to Thursdays' class. Bit of an odd move this time: If you were on the floor on your back and your opponent was in scarf/judo hold, you moved your body round on the floor away from them to get your opponent to follow you a couple of times. As your opponent moved, you could move your hip very quickly underneath them (the timing had to be exact for this). Using your arm must be used as a frame across the neck of the opponent (and your elbow raised), raised, you then could push up on your arm while pushing up on the ball on the foot. slip your opponent over, and then you can get on top and you end up in scarf/judo position. We then did a bit of work building up on that and getting holds on.
We then did something completely different and I still am trying to get my head round this. If you had your opponent in your guard, you could attempt to put an arm band on them by flipping your legs over their shoulders. If they slipped one of their arms through and you still had another of their arms, you somehow could sit up and put the back of your leg onto their bicep, thus pushing them down. By applying force it actually flipped your opponent over (they had to exaggerate the move a bit, it was a bit of a weird one). As they flipped over, you let go of their arm and grabbed their leg, holding it quite close to you. You then ended up on top of them and you can hold them down by putting your knee on their chest and balancing your leg out to the side. You then could put a foot lock onto them (I really do not like putting ankle/foot locks on anyway, after hearing a couple of horror stories). This was quite a complex one and I think you have to be quite advanced to put this move into practice while rolling.
Rolled afterwards. Not really enjoying rolling so much but trying to positive and take away things to be learned - right now i realised I need to relax more when on top, in order to be heavy (posture has a lot to do with BJJ too), and also to keep doing short breaths. I got taken down by an opponent as we had to start from on foot as opposed to knees. I absolutely cannot stand takedowns, its my worst section (due to knee injuries from running) but I am getting a private class for a Christmas present so going to ask the instructor to work with me on improving them.
And just off to class in a minute!
Oh - another point? Don't roll with someone if you've had a lot of vegetables the night before. I almost choked my opponent out two weeks ago, and not in a good way...
FitScot (38)
11/18/2015 9:34 AMBjj class 17.10.15. Two classes - one with Gi, one without. First one seemed a bit strange. It involved moves to get your opponent in side control if you happen to be crouched down facing him and he had got you into turtle. If your opponent had put an embracing hold with arms around your back you made your elbows 'heavy' to brake the hold. One hand went on the back of the opp's neck, one hand went on the knee. You then went and pushed/pulled at the same time, almost like a steering wheel, to bring the opp down. While doing this, your knee went underneath your opponent's leg, and your shoulder went onto their chest to control him/her. You ended up putting your opponent flat on their back, and using the shoulder to trap the opponent while you maneuvered round to gain side control.
Another move was something like the X hold?? It was bizarre but a way of weaving your legs in and out your opponent's while you were on your back, forcing them to do the splits and then raising up with their leg on your shoulder and taking them down! It was still strange!
Next class witb the Gi - worked on balance and how to escape from a rear naked choke which I have talked about already. Rolled a bit and felt able to put up more of a struggle. Good classes overall.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
12/05/2015 11:13 AM(In reply to this)
Were u describing the banana split?
FitScot (38)
12/05/2015 6:07 PM(In reply to this)
No idea!!!
dragonuk (21 )
11/19/2015 7:58 AM(In reply to this)
Sounds like your having fun with your BJJ which is good to here Great to hear your learning about turtle, and I think the other thing you describe is actually 'X Guard'...Here are a few thoughts....
BJJ is one of the most complex martial arts or sports out there. To gain black belt is said to take around ten years for someone training regularly, although some do get there faster and many much slower. It is like a game of chess with lots of detailed moves, it is important to learn, drill and explore all the detail in rolling.
I came to BJJ after many years of Judo and wrestling, like many who take that route BJJ required a complete reset and some humility. I've been at it years, and progress is very slow ,as there are always better people out there, and the team you train with are progressing too - which gives the illusion of no progress.. You only actually realised you have progressed when someone new comes through the door twice your size and half your age and you realise you do know a lot. Or if you go to competition and for a brief moment everything lines up. But it is all great fun.
Turtle is a very important position when rolling in BJJ, for Gi and NoGi.It is characterized by kneeling down on the floor and bringing your chest close to your knees and clutching your knees with your hands and arms - making yourself into a little ball, a bit like a hedge hog that has taken fright or a tortoise in its shell, or turtle - hence the name. It is also a position that is recognised and drilled in Judo. For some it is just a minor defensive position that is a defensive position you can go to and take a breather and stave off repeated attacks from an aggressive opponent from the top. For others turtle is in itself a go to position - who call it 'turtle guard'.
There are ways of transitioning out of turtle to all sorts of positions including the standard guard. There are also standard
drills to break turtle of an opponent, the most common of which is taking the back.
The other move I think you drilled is "X Guard" - X Guard is quite an advanced guard . Guards are so important and is what differentiates BJJ from Judo and most other forms of grappling. Guard is how a player on their back, can stop and control an opponent who is attempting to move in and take a dominant position. A skilled 'bottom' BJJ player can gain dominance from the seemingly bad position of being on their back.
As you say with X Guard you weave your feet around their legs in an X - difficult to describe, but I am sure a quick google or look at youtube will show anyone interested. One move from here that I love, is to roll over your shoulder and end up behind the opponent, taking their back and being able to choke them out.
Enjoy, and keep posting,Great to hear your putting in the time and hard work to get into BJJ
FitScot (38)
11/20/2015 7:14 AM(In reply to this)
Thanks very much DragonUK for your very encouraging message. Its funny because last week when I was in Belfast I was rolling with another whitebelt and I suddenly realised I did know that bit more than him. It has taken me many messages on this interest group to realise it's a very slow but worthwhile journey!
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
11/21/2015 12:04 AM(In reply to this)
Worthwhile journey. Absolutely and without a doubt!
FitScot (38)
11/15/2015 3:01 PMBjj classes 10.11.15 and 14.11.15 - aye, still rolling! OK so the first class was in my own school in Glasgow. Working on getting out if you were in turtle and someone was on top of you (more or less on a sprawl). This involved shrimping out the side but with care and making sure you kept your back on top of the opponent as you maneuvered round so that your opponent was trapped underneath. Then you had your opponent and that he or she got out from underneath. And so on.
Also did some gi work involving the following - if you were on your back and your opponent was standing over you, you would have one foot on their hip and one foot hooked in at a thigh. You then grabbed both sleeves of the opponent. You pushed back with the foot on the hip and then pulled forward with the foot hooked in at the hip. You then could bring yourself up to be sitting upright and could do some moves from there. But work was done from the defence side in which your opponent could position their hand as you were coming up to block you. Your opponent could then do some work including sliding over your thigh to get you into side control.
Rolling followed. Starting to not enjoy rolling with experienced people as I dont really learn much apart from the few moves I know can be blocked. So starting to ask the folk I am rolling with for tips. And trying to notice common mistakes to work on them.
Yesterday - I am back in Belfast for work and thought I would try the Kyouzin Mma school seeing they offered a class at a convenient time. Run by a lovely big character who was rough as guts but very funny, we worked on throws, then worked on ways to get access to armbars if you were on top of your opponent and they had locked arms and were putting up a struggle. I am annoyed to say I have forgotten a little of this but the general theory was to get the arms above the head - then your opponent loses strength. Work was also done if your opponent put you on seatbelt and various chokes etc.
Rolling followed and managed to put an Americana on another whitebelt, this dude had been training for 8 months and was a little unhappy to say the least! Nice pep talk given at the end by the instructor who said to everyone to keep going to as many classes as possible - as new people start then the beginners will start to realise that they know that bit more than the newbies. Bjj feels good.
FitScot (38)
11/08/2015 4:12 PMAnother class! Settling in a bit at my new school, working on trying to get out of a rear choke. if your opponent was sitting behind you. if you were sitting on the group and your opponent was sitting behind you but had a rear naked choke on you, then you could fell on your side away from where the choke was coming from, but turning into the arm as you fell. You then twisted round and somehow manouvered using all your body weight to trap the opponent to the floor, going round and then ending up putting your opponent in side control. Wasn't too bad (and I haven't explained it very well!).
Rolling happened in an open mat session after and a couple of purple belts were happy to drill with me and go over triangle chokes with me,and one said he was happy to go over this again with me until it sank in. Yay!
FitScot (38)
10/31/2015 5:59 PMBJJ Class 31.10.15. Nothing spooky happened! Still at my new school and worked on getting out of half side control using a frame from the side, pulling your free leg up and using that to bridge up into full control (does that make sense??).
Next was a very complicated move based on the above, but instead of getting into full control you used your arm as a frame as before and with your other hand slid it down from the opponents hip to the opponents knee. You then shrimped out by putting your weight on your shoulder and your free foot, got your arm underneath the opponents arm and bridged up and used that particular arm plus the bridging up process to push your opponent forward . Then - this is the complicated bit - this got your head close to the opponents hip (you are facing the other way). You then reached your arm round onto the opponents shin, pushed and drove forward and your opponent flips forward and you are on top of them, freeing your legs and - hurray! - you are in total side control.
Someone asked me today if I was enjoying it. I gave them the honest answer - that some classes I am really enjoying and some classes I am leaving with gritted teeth (the move today took ages to got and my opponent was particularly obnoxious but I did get there!) Got some friendly advice from him with the fact that it is like that but still advised to stick at it. The advice felt positive and I feel pretty good. What was it the Smiths sang? "These Things Take Time".....
redlandguy (195)
11/01/2015 6:10 PM(In reply to this)
Keep up the good work. You're not the only one here who trains BJJ but you might be the best at writing about it.
A few thoughts on your earlier posts:
Yes people read this!
A lot of us feel like we forgot everything we know when rolling with someone much more skilled.
It's totally normal to struggle with the more complicated moves in class. That's the point!
Keep training.
Osss
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
11/02/2015 8:24 AM(In reply to this)
HI, I agree totally with redlandguy. You are doing quite well and I am glad that you have such a good interest in BJJ. I appreciate the lesson descriptions very much. Thx
FitScot (38)
10/28/2015 12:55 PMBjj class 25.10.15. Great class - until something very embarrassing happened.
The new school is going well. After some light sparring to pass guard we worked on Americanas. The class was split into two groups for those that knew how to knew how to do this and those that didn't. Even though I knew the basic grip, I decided to just go over it again and it was a good decision as we worked on positions the body, making sure that you were 'heavy' on your opponent just before you apply the grip by making sure your hip connects with them and you have your body raised. Also, to get your opponent's arm down, you can grab not just the wrist but the elbow with the other arm to get the arm on the ground before applying the grip. And also I got the tip of keeping your head low - I used my head to drive the arm forward too.
As I was walking out I said goodbye to a few people. I went to the corner of the gym to where those people were sitting. There was one door on my left and one door in front of me. For some weird reason I got disorientated and opened the wrong door - exposing a guy naked in the shower to the group of people sitting. Everyone laughed and the guy came out and asked what the fuck I was doing - I was so redfaced after this I could hardly apologise!! Felt even more like the class idiot after that....stupid BJJ class.
FitScot (38)
10/21/2015 3:12 PMBjj class 20.10.15 and 21.10.15. I am in Belfast for work. For anyone reading this (anyone actually still reading this???) who lives here and who wants to attend a BJJ class then all I can say is: you lucky lucky bastards!!
I have spent two lunchtimes at a really friendly school: SBJ jiu-jitsu. All led by a patient instructor and with attendees who can only be described as friendly.
Work yesterday was done on the triangle choke. Even though I had worked on this last Saturday I was again pleased to do this again. Because going over the basics means I get to practice and learn it even more. I did have to leave this class early for a meeting but hey.
Today was focusing on escape from side control. First drill - using a bridge of the arm to create a frame. Once you have created that frame, you can put your arm round in an underhook. Get out from the side (bring your opponent forward slightly) , put your weight on your hand and get on top. Now, one of your legs should already be in lock. Bring your other leg round on lock so you are on top of the opponent and both legs are locked in (at one point I did wonder if I was too tall for jiu-jitsu as I did have problems getting my legs round and under!!) Reach round and grab one of your opponent's wrists. Push forward and this should flatten your opponent, lift head, apply choke - tap tap tap!!
Second move was a variation on this if your opponent applies a whizzer on you after you have the underhook. If you have your opponent's leg locked in you would pass it from one foot to the other so that your opponent's leg is pushed back, then get into 'dogfight' position. You use your head at the opponents waist and grab the opponents knee, push them over (keeping our hand on the knee) and then you should end up on top of your opponent in side control! It was actually quite simple!! (Er....Let's see when I read over this in two weeks time).
But - if you had got into dogfight and your opponent reached his knee back so you couldn't get it, you could spear your hand through and underneath and more or less roll your opponent over - your hand must be around the opponents waist and this move has to be completely committed to.
Rolling after to pass guard and got two tapouts. Great class - probably the best school I have been at. And once again, for all you Belfast people - BASTARDS!!!
FitScot (38)
10/17/2015 5:14 PMBJJ Class 17.10.15 - Triangle Chokes and how to get out of them! I was really pleased at my old school when we drilled - nice n slow - the triangle choke. Pulling your opponent forward in guard, getting your legs over her head (I was partnered with a lovely German girl who I had a laugh with!), and pushing one arm back behind the legs (this bit I found a bit too simple!) and then pulling the other arm across. Ensuring that the opponent's head is put under your knee joint.
You can tighten this by getting the foot of the leg that is not immediately behind your opponents head and putting this on your opponents hip. You then can grab your "tightening" leg (for want of a better expression) and then pull that so that the head of your opponent gets more into the joint behind the knee to prevent gaps. You then put your leg that was on the hip BACK on the foot. Curl your toes in, squeeze your knees - tap tap tap!
And then we did work on how to break out of it. If you were starting to get into a triangle choke, you could place your arm that was through on the floor and make sure your elbow is at the opponent's hip, and your hand is at the ribcage. Bring your other arm across and place it on your opponent's opposing shoulder. Then use your body to push through at an angle and the lock should break, and you are free!
This class did make sense, and I feel it was because we weren't trying to drill 6 moves in the space of an hour but instead finely tuned everything. Did some rolling, had a laugh with the class, all good.
I'm going to miss this school but I have a feeling my "BJJ-specific" school may be better suited and its a got a great reputation. I'll keep everyone posted.
FitScot (38)
10/14/2015 9:09 PMBjj class 14.10.15. Anyone else still reading these? Am still rolling!
Am in London for work and decided to visit a gym called Shootfighters. The class was ok. I got partnered up with a bluebell who was a bit impatient (his issue) but I got the hang of the move demonstrated as follows:
Your opponent is in your guard. You have your hands on their Gi sleeves. You somehow bridge up pull your dude forward and put your feet on their hips.
Then you put one hand on the opposite Gi jacket edge. You then slide your foot up onto the opponents shoulder om the other side and push the opponent back so he is at an angle.
This is a complex bit: you then moved your leg over their head and got them in an armlock. To do so you had to move your own body round.
Next exercise: as before with the hand on collar of Gi/foot on shoulder but you moved your legs to get them in a lock ("One Hand! One Head!" my partner kept shouting, clearly irritated). You had to readjust your shin to get that lock on a bit.
It did sink in a bit but then we started rolling, taking it turns to fight two specific guys. A member told me after that these two guys have a match at the weekend whics why the instructor got everyone to fight them. Erm...Ok, it's good to do a bit of sparring but actually it is a pet hate of mine when instructors do this, especially as I have paid good money to learn rather than roll. And this is good money is London prices.
However still enjoyed it. Looking forward to getting back from my travels and immersing myself into the BJJ school in Glasgowfor a while. Let's do this.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
10/14/2015 9:19 PM(In reply to this)
Yes, still doing BJJ and sparring is usually part of our classes. Wish more on this site would be willing to train with me, though
FitScot (38)
10/14/2015 10:48 PM(In reply to this)
Dude I can't get anyone to be a training partner either. You tried other websites? Gumtree for example?
FitScot (38)
10/12/2015 4:16 PMBJJ class 12.10.15. At the new school and an enjoyable class.
First exercise - working from standing up, dragging your opponent forward. You would then turn round, crouch and throw your opponent over. I found this difficult due to the fact I am tall, but was determined to keep going. Half of the techniques lies on getting down low, making sure your arm is up and through at the opponents arm pit then somehow using your bum to get him off the floor!
Next: how to get their leg in a single leg raise. Ok - using layman's terms here! You are dragging the opponent back again. You stick your foot behind your opponent's forward foot at 90 degree angle. You then are in a good position to crouch down and lift the leg off the floor.
We built on the above. Get your opponent's leg up, swivel your hips (there was a pushing motion from the hips that you carried out here) and the opponent is down. Make sure that when you are holding the opponent's leg, it is tight against you and your arms are folded in otherwise there is a danger of being put in an armlock.
We then did some guardwork. If your opponent was in your guard, you had one hand on their opposite bicep and one hand on their Gi. You then swivelled your body to the side (but your body was flat and NOT on your side as such). You put your weight on your shoulders and got one of your legs over the opponent's shoulder. Because of the angle of your body you were in a really good position to execute armbars and Americanas. This move was a struggle as it did involve some fine tuning, including your legs being in the right place at the opponent's back.
Rolled for two mins then went back to work. It was a good class and I enjoyed it! I am in London for work this week and found a school there so will give them a go.
FitScot (38)
10/10/2015 6:12 PMBJJ Class 09.10.15 and 10.10.15. Well, I went again to the new school, which was great - everyone there was really patient and I did not feel bad about asking what to do. I was doing an exercise where if someone was in my guard and had a hand on my gi, I somehow worked their arm onto my chest, bending their arm at their elbow.. I then worked their arm onto the floor, turned round and got them on top. From then on, I managed to do some work to get into an arm bar. Unfortunately I forgot to take a note of it went and now it has been forgotten.
I rolled with a few guys, including two purple belts who managed to go into trancelike states when I was rolling with them. Very soon, I was in knots and they were completely calm.
Today - back at my usual gym and had to do some rolling. And I was up against an MMA fighter who is getting ready for a fight - and I completely and utterly forgot everything I had been told! I kept thinking : what the feck was that move from two days ago? Three days ago? From last week? And before I knew it I was in knots. Uh ok - maybe should have taken some time out to read over this and do some drilling but with visits to London and a couple of gigs (another passion of mine) its been a busy week.
I'm away again for work for a couple of weeks but I intend to find a BJJ class in Belfast (I visited Maeda BJJ before and these guys were really friendly) and in London (trying "Fightzone"). After that, my gym membership runs out for my usual gym and I'm thinking of trying the BJJ specific gym for a month to see if that helps to get my head round it a bit more. I have calmed down a bit now and stopped worrying so much about learning a/d getting beat - its only a little bit that can be learnt each time.
Got a BJJ class on Monday in Glasgow at the new school and will report back! Stay tuned!
FitScot (38)
10/05/2015 4:59 PMBJJ Classes 01/10/15 and also 04/10/15. Sorry for the delay people - my computer has been in for repair!
Right: 01/10/15 - a class focusing on 5 aspects of side control and how to work from there. I wrote about the these five below and couldn't remember what the fifth one was, but it turns out the fifth one involves putting a knee on the chest. We worked on getting kumaras (spelling!) from two of them, involving from no.2 side control, which was lying facing south on top of your opponent with your torso against the opponents neck. Also from no.4, side control. I can't exactly remember what the moves were but I do remember having to step over and trying to get my knee over the head. Thats all! It was an ok class though.
Class today - i am off on annual leave and decided to try an actual BJJ school, who were offering a free week before you sign up. Today's lesson - quite a good relaxed pace with just 4 of us, and even a woman who must have been in her 60s came. We worked on basic defence, how to get out of a headlock (while standing - useful) then using "the frame", to get out if someone has put you on side control. This involved bridging, moving your hips underneath the opponent more when you bridge, but then using the fact that the opponents weight is now balanced on your hip to tip them over the other side. I hope I have described that correctly, it was actually surprising just how little effort it took for the "tipping" to happen.
Next move was again using "the frame" and then, if your opponent was on top of you at side control, bridging, getting your closest knee into his/her armpit, then at that point bringing the leg that is furthest away round to go over the head and at the neck, push back....and you got an armbar!
It was quite a friendly school and I did think I took it in a bit better (probably because I wasn't working today more than any other reason). I'm still attending my old school but will do a few more classes at this new school before deciding whether to make the transition or not. I am wondering if perhaps doing BJJ at an MMA school means you don't quite get the specialised service. Or does it? The BJJ at my first school is taught by a very knowledgable instructor.
Either way - I'm rollling, rolling, rolling.....
FitScot (38)
9/25/2015 7:22 PMBJJ Class 24.09.15.
A class focusing on different aspects of side control. The instructor told us what he informed us was side control 1 (traditional), side control 2 (you faced south over your opponent at an angle with your arm around him, side control 3 ( in which you came back round and came in at an angle doing a judo sprawl), side control 4 (you attempted to still remain on side control but your face was facing down the way) and side control 5 (totally forgotten).
We then worked on an aspect of side control from side control 2. If your opponent bridged, you then worked on getting round and as you moved round, you got him onto his side and then ended up on his back. Again, I forgot the basics of this but as yesterday was totally rushed I didn't have time to immediately log everything.
Another move happened and again I've forgotten. However - the whole class wasn't actually bad and I was able to take it in more when happening - used meditation, worked with some patient partners and did try to break everything down.
And I showed the instructor the video BJJguyNYC posted of the guy's first time at a BJJ Class - he laughed.
Right - I'm off now to see if I can remember what the feck it was it was I taught. I think one of the drawback of lunchtime classes is having to rush back to work and start getting into workmode again. Hmm. Maybe time to think about stopping wrestling/boxing classes and getting a bit more BJJ until I get my head round it.
bjjguynyc (11)
10/03/2015 3:06 AM(In reply to this)
You go to class this week?
FitScot (38)
9/19/2015 6:24 PMBJJ class 19.09.15. Hmm ok a better one (and thanks to the two posters who replied last time, I've realised that BJJ can be a hard discipline to master if you just aren't used to being able to pick up techniques simply by watching an instructor go through the moves.
I told a few of the guys in my class today and they said to hang in there, one of them who I was partnered with did break it down slowly and we got there in the end.
The moves today involved the following and working on escapes. Start off from having your opponent on top position. You then shrimp to the left (which throws your opponent) to get your left leg, keep it straight then lock the other foot. YYour opponent may have you in a wizzer *spelling*. You then shrimp to the right and now you are in a position to do control - locks etc.
The next move managed to do the same but get into butterfly - this took a bit of getting used to. But we got there. My partner and I then practised moving out of this and on top to get to submission etc.
Live rolling took place after. Lost every round but did manage to get a few moves in. To be fair I am fighting experienced MMA guys or guys who used to do judo so at least they have had a bit more experience. Ho hum.
Overall? Actually this class was ok! I just feel I have to drill, drill drill and not having a training partner does not help. I can watch videos until the cows come home and not take anything in. I am however, trying to improvise - I'm putting cushions on the floor and bouncing around over them. Maybe I need a blow up doll (for BJJ, that is!).
ENetArch (3)
9/25/2015 6:02 AM(In reply to this)
Were you doing a HIP Escape from Mount?
ENetArch (3)
9/25/2015 6:00 AM(In reply to this)
Grappling takes 3 to 4 months just to learn the names of techniques. It then takes another 4 years to become fluent with the techniques. That's executing each technique 1000 times.
Think about that. In No Gi, there are 30 positions, 10 ways to break guard, 10 ways to pass guard, 15 different things you can do with someone in your guard, 15 different things you can do in mount. Then there's Side Control, I Position, Turtle, and taking someone's back. And, then there's all the escapes and counters.
If you believe that you can learn all that in 3 months, let alone 4 years, I bow to you =)
FitScot (38)
9/25/2015 5:34 PM(In reply to this)
Thanks EnetArch, that last posting was really helpful. My posting wasn't so much about how slow it is to learn but more about having a different preferred learning style to one that instructors tend to demonstrates. As I've stated before my preferred learning style is "activist" so I am in an utter state of confusion when my instructor demonstrates a move, until I am actually carrying it out (if that makes sense). Having said that, I am finding meditation helps and breaking what the instructor has said down into instructions also helps (so maybe I am a bit more "reflective"). I am totally aware of the time taken to learn BJJ - my instructor stated he still has a lot to learn after 16 years! :)
Keep posting the vids though - I will check them out later on.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
9/19/2015 10:39 PM(In reply to this)
AS u mentioned in the second paragraph your training partner broke down the move. This is how important it is to have a good partner. The two of you help each other after the demonstrates the move and this way u learn it best. I have good relationships with y training partners and that really helps. We help each other get it right. BJJ is not like bridge, where if you do not have a good partner, then u need a good hand. Here you need a good partner and work with each other.Do not be afraid to ask the instructor to do the move in steps, slow motion, if this is possible for the move being shown. others may want this but are afraid to ask. There is no substitute for being proactive in class. Thanks
FitScot (38)
9/17/2015 10:28 PMBJJ Class 17.09.15. This one was almost called "The End". But I've had a rethink.
Ok : all going well with warm up then had to do an exercise on getting into side control. You are between your opponents legs on the ground. One knee is on your opponents thigh. Your hand is on the gi. You put your other hand on your opponents leg to hold him down. You slide over and step. Your opponent puts your leg that was between the legs in a lock. You use your other leg to kick back the opponents leg, and then you move your other leg round and sprawl.
The next step was built on this and this is where it gets complicated. And this was the part when my head just went : "Enough".
It involved starting off as above but once you are in side, your opponent has your hand in a lock. You then ended up getting behind the opponent. I really cannot describe how this happened but it somehow involved three folk all giving me instructions. Bits of it are coming back. An arm that was held. A foot that had to be at an armpit. My instructor ended up screaming at one bit "WERE YOU NOT PAYING ATTENTION?" and even though he was joking I can tell he was getting frustrated.
Truth be told, I am not very good at taking in the demonstrations the instructor gave. Its almost like a dyslexia. Everyone has their preferred learning techniques and I keep looking for the written instructions/someone guiding me - but they are not there. My wrestling instructor who is there keeps telling me to do mindfulness which I try to each day (and I notice the impact when I don't do it).
We did do some grappling and I lasted a lot longer than I thought. My wrestling instructor said to me at one point I was doing good when I managed to free him from my sleeve of the gi.
But it still feels bad - I feel like I'm holding the rest of the class back sometimes through the fact I am an activist learner who is unable to get into reflection mode.
I'm going to give this class a few more lessons and then that's it.
ENetArch (3)
9/25/2015 6:07 AM(In reply to this)
While it helps to have an Idenic Memory, it's like a photographic memory but works very different. Basically, what I see I can replicate. So, when Carley show's a technique, I have almost mastered it the first time.
Don't worry about getting the technique the first time. Some times your body has to absorb the technique in smaller chunks. Learning the simpler steps first, then seeing how the steps come together to form more complex technical processes (also know as, strategies).
bjjguynyc (11)
9/19/2015 3:37 PM(In reply to this)
FitScot (38)
9/19/2015 5:52 PM(In reply to this)
^ I am absolutely crying with laughter at this. At least, I think its laughter!!
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
9/25/2015 9:45 PM(In reply to this)
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
9/18/2015 11:09 AM(In reply to this)
Jiujitsu is not easy and based on your posts you are extremely dedicated. I have been doing it for close to 6 years and I still find it very hard with many new techniques. Do not feel that u are slowing down the class. The problem that you ask about is probably a problem for most but they are afraid to ask. The only stupid question is the one that you do not ask and "if you are not tapping you are not learning" and "a black belt is a white belt who never quit" I find your class descriptions very interesting and really appreciate the time and effort you take to post them. You are an inspiration to us all. Keep up the good work!
FitScot (38)
9/19/2015 5:57 PM(In reply to this)
OK OK! I will keep going - thanks for listening. This is certainly a tough journey!
bjjguynyc (11)
9/18/2015 4:09 AM(In reply to this)
Grappling is hard. Takes a long time to get better.
Sounds like you are talking about the knee slice pass
Rafa Mendes -
FitScot (38)
9/19/2015 5:59 PM(In reply to this)
Thanks! Video watched. I still think I just need to get a training partner to drill a bit each day....
FitScot (38)
9/15/2015 9:25 PMBJJ class 15.09.15 plus a bit of 12.09.15. Didn't get a chance to write this up as had issues over the weekend but hey. The Saturday class again was relaxed and just involved rolling (which I thought the instructor was actually just being lazy!) However, I got a few tap outs and then managed to perform a bit of the move of the last class (escape from guard by holding arms down and then using hand to push knee down and pass then follow on from that) and then the instructor commented "good pass". Felt good!!
Tonight: well, after the end of the last class I asked the instructor if we could work on how to get out of escapes. The instructor said we could do that tonight - which we did! We worked on the following:
- if you are under your opponent, you bridge (making sure your elbows are in).
- you then shrimp out - use your thighs to push you out more, and if you have space after that you can get out and get on top.
- if you don't have space to get out, shrimp again - to the other side, this gives you enough space to get into guard and perform locks on your opponent.
A variation of this followed which I am still trying to get my head round a little. If you had started shrimping but your opponent had started to do a whizzer on you: -
I was with a complete beginner on this class - I had half an idea but managed to stick with it. There was five minutes rolling at the end but the beginner and I just drilled. And it was fine - quite a laidback class.
I am thinking that I have two complete beginner classes a week and a more technical minded class once a week. I may try the more technical class with the same teacher in another school on Monday as I'm visiting the other side of Glasgow that night.
I think I'm starting to like BJJ.
FitScot (38)
9/10/2015 7:44 PMBJJ Class 10.09.15. The Thursday lunchtime classes tend to be a lot more involved and technical (and therefore difficult). But this time I actually really enjoyed it.
Maybe because I had managed to get myself in "the zone". I have been taking time to meditate recently which can really help with fighting (weirdly enough). I also have began to feel a bit more relaxed in this class which has helped.
Usual warm up exercises on spider guard. Then we worked on getting on from shoot. First exercise: if you were caught in guard, you had one hand on the opponents gi sleeve, another on the collar. You stand up and swap your hands over, let go of the collar and use that hand to hold the gi sleeve. With the hand that is now free, you use that to push your opponents leg down. You then put your knee on top of the opponents thigh of the leg that is down. You then move the other leg of the opponent over your head and - this is where it gets blurry - grab either the bum (you guys are all very comfortable with each other!) or gi trousers, and still pressing forward with your weight on the opponent, you can then bring your other hand round the back of the opponents neck so you have him/her nicely pressed.
The above does not actually make that much sense but in my head it did. Calling ENetArch for youtube videos!!
The next exercise was an addition to the above and involved starting off where you end up as above : more or less at the opponents side, with your hand around the back of the neck of the opponent clutching his gi collar, and your other hand on the trouser leg of the opponent. Your opponent was holding you with the arm. You then had to bring your leg round the arm and press in inwardly against the knee to pin the arm to the floor. You then pressed forward against the leg that was holding you and then turned your legs into a sprawl to get side control.
I did feel that I walked away from the class feeling like I'd taken a bit more in than usual. I will practice this - if someone can give me a hand with the videos (hint)
ENetArch (3)
9/10/2015 10:17 PM(In reply to this)
Ok re read your guard break. what threw me was that you mentioned that you were in Spider Guard. I couldn't tell if you were on your back or in the guard? From what I'm reading, you're on your knees in the guard.
It appears you are doing a cross over grab with your hand to control your opponents arm. This allows you to post on the foot that your opponent can't reach. At this point you can stand up and then break the guard open and pass.
If this is correct, this is known as a standing guard pass.
I apparently don't have this on video. And from the videos taht I saw on youtube, Carley would be very dismayed at what is being taught.
FitScot (38)
9/12/2015 9:24 AM(In reply to this)
Ah! Ok. Sorry Carley as well! I think I have it in my head though. For some weird reason, I seem to take this class in more. Thanks anyway EnetArch!
ENetArch (3)
9/10/2015 10:09 PM(In reply to this)
I wish I could help you with this one. I only do NO-GI, and this spider guard transition appears to require a GI. Though I am trying to visualize what you did and think of a video that would show it.
FitScot (38)
9/08/2015 9:24 PMBJJ Class 08.09.15 and this time in the right Interest group topic (apologies for putting the last class review in the wrong thread - and if anyone wants some rolling in Scotland then you know where I am).
The Tuesday classes are at my fighting gym are always easier. A warm up involving getting up from your back to one of your knees very quickly, another warm up involving sprawls...yu0 you know how it goes.
From then, it was an exercise from putting a leg lock (I am using laymen's terms here) in your opponent when they are in guard. Grab one wrist of your opponent, pass the other arm through your legs. Then wrap the back of your knee around the neck. I THINK you had to pull down (I'm waiting on my good friend to send the instructions!) and then you had to put your ankle at the back of your knee (again, I THINK this is the case!). You then clenched your knees together, the opponent is in a triangle type lock - and submits.
It was clumsy to begin with but I do think this is a move I could pick up quite quickly with practice. The problem is getting the practice in - with family/relationship responsibilities, a house thats falling apart and a job that does cut into my time a bit, its hard to get the practice in.
So I've decided to pack my job in - does anyone want to marry me and have me as a kept man? I'm 6'1", tall, got a good chest and likes indie music, I'm fairly good company (if I say so myself). I think my partner will be very understanding.
10 minutes of rolling happened after. I did notice that I was a lot better than the beginners, which was encouraging, and I did remember a couple of points. Its a long slow journey. Which could be speeded up by meeting the right guy. Did I mention I'm 6'1", tall, got a good chest.....??
FitScot (38)
9/01/2015 3:11 PMBJJ Class 01/09/2015 - the first of two classes today seeing I am on leave. I am actually meant to be decorating but...er....yeah....you know how it goes....
So : lunchtime class. I had to miss all the BJJ lunchtime classes last week as couldn't get out of work meetings. Managed to get to this one today and instructor was pleased to see me back, which was nice, seeing I have felt like the class numpty for ages.
OK first drill, a warm up. Lie on your back, put your feet on the hips of the opponent and grab the sleeves of the Gi. Opponent moves back, you use your shoulder to raise yourself up and then go back with him, keeping your feet on his hips. So far so good.
Next was some work holding onto the gi lapel and rolling with it. There was an exercise at the beginning which I have more or less forgotten already (great, eh?) . The next one did build on that though. OK. The opponent is in guard, you are kneeling into him and the opponent has the edge of your lapel held behind your calf. Three steps: -
- You have to keep the opponents other leg high for control
- With the side that the opponent has your lapel, you then go over their thigh and onto your knee
- you then break their hold by sprawling and then maintain side control.
Game of "pass the guard" at the end. I should have used that side.
Had a word with the instructor afterwards about how slow I am to pick things up, but he assured me he is used to having a class where everyone picks things up in different ways/speeds, and told me I was doing fine. I will persevere.
ENetArch (3)
9/02/2015 8:39 PM(In reply to this)
Sounds like you were trying to figure out how to do an Under Arm Stacking Pass from Guard.
FitScot (38)
8/25/2015 9:59 PMBJJ Class 25.08.15. A relaxed class again (the Tuesday classes tend to be) and again it feels good to go at a slower pace. Working on armbars, but the main focus was ensuring that if you were on top of your opponent, you used your thigh more to press weight on your opponents chest as you swung your legs round to execute the move. There was some confusion for a bit with my opponent and I, until we realised that if we were putting an armbar on the left arm, we then had to use our right thigh to put the weight down and vice versa. It seems really natural now but at the time...!?!?
5 minutes of rolling happened and I was up against my partner who has beaten me every time due to his bulk and speed. We start off on our knees and I find this really difficult to start with, I kept trying to get underneath on defence but before I knew it I was actually in a lock underneath. And just as I managed to get him in a lock.....the instructor shouted out "Time up!" My opponent and I have some banter going between us, all friendly stuff, its all about fun and not being beaten, its all about trying to learn where I was going wrong and trying to execute moves...not about winning....no sirree.......*grumbles*....
An enjoyable class that once again was fun! Arrived home in a very good mood and looking forward to the next class already.
ENetArch (3)
8/26/2015 2:10 AM(In reply to this)
Taking Back from Knee to Knee
Elevator Sweep from Knee to Knee
Pushing your opponent into Side Control from Knee to Knee
Osotgary from Knee to Knee
FitScot (38)
8/26/2015 7:52 AM(In reply to this)
Excellent help as always - will check these videos out. Thanks!
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
9/02/2015 9:53 PM(In reply to this)
Agreed, these video posting are quite helpful to my game.
FitScot (38)
8/23/2015 10:42 AMBJJ Class 22.08.15. A small class with only 3 of us. First of all was putting a choke in from turtle. If you were at the left hand side of your opponent who is in turtle, you would fish your left (I think!) hand through. You then would reach over with your right (again, I think!) hand and put a gable grip on - except you reversed your hands so the left one would be on top. You then would pull the neck in more to get more of a choke and make sure that you bring your own elbows in. Using your shoulder to push your opponent over, you also pull your opponents neck and get some semblance of a choke. You then would end up on top of the opponent, making sure your legs are spread at a good angle to prevent your opponent reaching them. Unfortunately a few of us kept losing our balance and almost went right over...more of later.
^I am hoping, at this point, that I am backed up by my friend on here who always manages to find a corresponding video from youtube.
From then on, seeing we had two beginners, it was basic elements which really did suit me - I am more than happy to spend some time going over the very basic stuff, and also it was good just to have some "downtime" - I've spent We had to make sure that we landed correctly and our base was fine. So one person got underneath, and using bridging techniques, tried to get the opponent off on top. The opponent had to make sure they landed fine.
Another one was just using side control to hold an opponent down, but ensuring that you were relaxed on top - you only tensed up when you felt your opponent move in a particular direction. So, if you were on top and you felt your opponent start to move out, at that point you increased the tension of your holds and the weight of your chest on them. My instructor said the whole idea of BJJ was you were meant to do this with your eyes closed and a bit more on instinct. Just when you think it can't get harder....
We finished with working on pullups with a Gi belt over a bar - the best strengthening techniques for fighting are wide arm pull ups, apparently. Which was fine.
Not the most in-depth class but like I said - I am more than happy to go over some basics and actually just slow down a little. Sometimes with classes it feels like they are trying to teach you about 5 complicated moves in a very short space of time.....
ENetArch (3)
8/23/2015 7:08 PM(In reply to this)
Sounds like the choke you were applying from Turtle was a D'Arce choke. The initial move is known as a CrowBar where one arm is under your opponent, and the other is over his neck, connected at a Gable Rip by his shoulder. You would push down and pull in towards you to dump your opponent onto his side. Then slide your arm farther throw, connect to hand to your bicep, and continue to apply the choke.
FitScot (38)
8/20/2015 9:36 PMBJJ Class 20.08.15. The title of this post was originally going to be "Does anyone want to buy a slightly used Gi?". However, I've since had a change of heart....
I turned up for a quiet class, with just me and 3 other guys (including my wrestling teacher who is just beginning to learn BJJ). So, with one guy who is very experienced and another who is at least experienced in wrestling, I stood out a little. And then the drills started.
First drill: You stand between your opponent, your hands are on their chest and you are locked in between their legs. You bring an opposing leg over the thigh of the opponent and sweep the other leg round. Then swap over. Took me a while to get the positioning right but was ok in the end.
Second drill: was a variation of that except one hand was on the thigh and another was on the leg. Again sweeping past - something else happened - and i have had a complete and utter mind blank.
We then used that starting point to get into arm bars and finally, the guillotine.
I really, really, did not enjoy this class. And its through no-one's fault but my own. The teacher was paired up with someone else, and I was paired up with my wrestling teacher. When it came turn to switch over, both the other guy's eyes and the teachers were on me. I started to feel very self-conscious what I was doing, and inwardly started to panic. It was a hard effort to remain calm.
The worse thing about the classes is that I feel a very, very, slow learner - the teacher is showing everything and I am not picking it up until I am actually doing it. Everyone has their own preferred learning styles and I've been aware for ages I am an activist learner (i.e. I've actually got to be doing an activity until I pick it up while others would be happy with a set of instructions, others with a video etc).
Believe it or not, I DID get the guillotine just at the end. But it did feel like my head was going to explode.
OK : moaning over. What can I do to make this learning experience better?
- make sure my mind is relaxed before class. The problem with lunchtime sessions is that I am arriving from work "wired" and maybe just having a bit of time to clear the head would help. I did notice in a previous wrestling class that going for a run before the class did help my head.
- admit that I can only learn a little each time. One of the guys in my class said it took him 6 months before it sank in a bit. Maybe by then I will get an actual learning style.
- try to make sure i am writing everything down as soon as i leave the class. (Anyone on this interest group already getting hacked off with this? Apologies but this is helping).
- get time to drill. I will spend five minutes going over my notes after dinner in a bit.
- try to organise my time a bit better and maybe advertise on gumtree for a training partner (my boyfriend keeps tickling me). Admittedly, I may be scared at the response I get on gumtree but who knows.
- keep breathing!!!
ENetArch (3)
8/20/2015 9:53 PM(In reply to this)
I find that with my older students, it takes time for them to retain the instruction that I provide. Which is why I tell them to write the steps down in a book and review video whenever possible.
The writing aspect will hep you remember the terms needed to find videos that demonstrate what you were doing.
Keep up the great work.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
8/20/2015 9:44 PM(In reply to this)
Hi, you often will find that it will take a while for a move to click. For months I had no idea about the D'Arce (Brabo) choke until someone took the time to review it one n one and now I look for it all the time. My best takedown in college would not have been as successful as it was were it not for one friend asking me to do the move on him for two straight hours. Look at the instruction as the lecture and the one on one action with your training partner as the laboratory. This is where you,with your partner will figure out all the nuances of the technique and adjust it to your body type etc. Practice enough and YOU will be able to teach it.
FitScot (38)
8/15/2015 7:39 PMClass 15.08.15. Geez this is getting harder....ok focusing on chokes. One choke involved looping my arms at an angler around the opponents neck when he was in turtle (have I got that right??). Isolate the arm closest to you, get your arms in a wrist grab, and pull his head closer to you as you fall onto your left side and apply pressure. You got a choke. Of some flamin' kind.
Next: the guillotine. Again, arms in a choke...and my mind has gone blank!! Aargh!! Ok this will come back to me. There's a guy on here with a link to a great website so I'm going to study that.
Next: another choke: if you were at the side of the opponent, and got him in a headlock, you then get round facing him put his head on your belly. Bend at the knees slightly, then you do some kind of pelvic thrust (no, we are not doing the timewarp again) and there is a bit of a push and pull going on as you apply the choke. Its nasty. And apparently put a few fighters to sleep.
Sparring happened next with my attempts to put two people in chokes. It was flaming difficult and I realised how inexperienced/little I have learnt - although I did think of moves for things afterwards. It does feel like I am drowning in information. I did, however, apply a Americana on another newbie. Its not totally bad. And yes, I will keep going!!
ENetArch (3)
8/18/2015 7:08 AM(In reply to this)
I looks like you may have done a version of the darce choke and anaconda.
Darce Choke from Turtle
I don't have a video for the Guillotine or Anaconda. I will fix that tomorrow =)
musclejudo (27)
8/17/2015 12:10 PM(In reply to this)
sounds like the clock choke - when you u re on side of opponent, and walk around and let your head slide 2 ground by chocking :) a cool techical choke, very approved in competition
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
8/15/2015 8:41 PM(In reply to this)
I think you were learning the Darce (Brabo) choke..wish u were here and could practice with you..the other chokes seemed to be the guillotine
FitScot (38)
8/16/2015 7:38 PM(In reply to this)
No - it was more from the side of the opponent rather than in front. Unless the Darce can be done from different positions?
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
8/18/2015 8:10 AM(In reply to this)
The Darce can be done from many different positions. That is the beauty of increasing knowledge in BJJ. You find that there are more and more positions from which u can apply a particular move. I like applying it from side control when my opponent tries for the underhook
FitScot (38)
8/16/2015 2:01 PM(In reply to this)
Thanks! Gonna do some homework tonight!!
FitScot (38)
8/13/2015 8:59 PMNew class from 13.08.15. - working on your back and using your legs to pull the opponent over in various means. Apparently this is the spider guard? Well your friendly neighbourhood spideyman was given a hell of a workout!!
On with the lesson. It was a fairly good lesson, despite still feeling like the class numpty (how many of you have heard that word before?). I got the basics right - lying on your back with your arms grapped onto the opponent's Gi sleeve. One move involved sweeping your legs underneath and using your feet as arms. The instructor made us sweep different legs to try to knockout your opponent and as part of the drill, the opponent had to step over them. On the fourth sweep, you had to get your feet round and pull at your opponent while your leg pushed him forward, the leverage sent him back. What was difficult for me was actually getting onto my back leg and up, I kept letting go of his Gi. Finally got there.
Another exercise - again on the back, your feet on the opponent's hip, hands on the sleeve. You reached up grabbed the gi's collar. Step 2 : put your foot on his bicep. No. 3 - reach arm round and grab ankle. Again, using a push and pull technique - timber!
Again it did take a while - but got there in the end.
Some drilling trying to get past the guard happened to finish up with. I felt like I'd learned a bit more - it was so slow but I guess mastering jiu-jitsu isn't going to happen overnight. Spideyman's got a lot to learn....
FitScot (38)
8/11/2015 9:52 PMNew class from 11.08.15. Right - this was also taking in the class from Saturday (08.08.15). Working with a partner in the guard position - you had to stand up using your opponents ribs or hips to stand up, break, then you could take a step back, move your opponents leg out of the way, then knee on his chest. Or slide over and get into a defence position.
Also you could work on what I was taking work on Saturday. Something very powerful and actually, quite debilitating. Apparently there are some MMA fighters who have had their careers ruined from this. I'm going to call this the Ankle Lock (I'm unsure of its proper name - comments welcome). And I am going to explain this the best I can. Bear with - and feel free to comment.
When disengaging from the guard position by beginning to stand above, you could then move your legs round and get the opponents leg in between yours. Fall back. Go on your side. Get the knee of your opponent trapped in a vice grip between your legs. Move your outside arm, around, trap opponents foot under armpit, ensuring ankle is protruding. Get hands in cable grip. Use wrist against ankle - and try to turn it round. If done properly - you soon get a tap.
We were warned against this move, as it can dislocate fighters' ankles leg and feet. Its fucking nasty. Its interesting to learn but it did make me think about being on here. How many guys reading this have "NHB" as an option? Actually, I would be really concerned if someone did use this against me without being properly trained and they knew what they were doing. in short, I'd actually be fucking furious. My teacher told me how his old teacher wrecked someone in a fight with this move and now walks permanently with a limp - career over. I think this move could cause some serious damage - and if I'm going ahead to meet anyone from MF who has some jiujtisu knowledge I'll be flagging this up.
Despite my concerns about the above, it still managed to be a fun and interesting class (believe it or not!!). If someone breaks your lock, put your feet at the armpits, grab their ankles, push and pull respectively - and the leverage will send the opponent down!
Fun times - and I'm looking forward to Thursday's lunchtime class already!
bjjguynyc (11)
8/12/2015 4:02 AM(In reply to this)
Great article on ankle locks from bjjheroes.com.
Many academies ban ankle locks for white belts. People think they are dangerous. But they aren't that scary really. Until you get used to people attacking your legs it is fine to tap early. Eventually you will have enough experience to feel more comfortable escaping legit leg attacks.
Straight ankle lock escape from Ryron Gracie.
IBJJF legal leg locks for mobile devices.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
9/09/2015 3:50 PM(In reply to this)
Thanks for the links, most helpful as am very poor with foot and ankle locks.
ENetArch (3)
9/02/2015 8:17 PM(In reply to this)
The reason for the ban is due to what can happen to the knee. While performing the ankle lock is easy and can be performed by the attacker safely, the person being submitted has a nasty habit of trying to twist their leg out of the situation, and in doing so, will rip their knee apart.
This is why no one blew a purple belt in Carley Gracie's class and my own are allowed to perform ankle locks. Practice yet, but never during sparring.
FitScot (38)
8/06/2015 10:35 PMBJJ Class 06.08.15. How to escape from underneath....woah. Ok : You are lying between your opponent's legs with your back turned to him, your opponent has one arm underneath you and one arm over you. You have your hand at his wrist to prevent a choke. . Your opponent rocks you back (I am using laymen's terms here).
You land at the side where his/her (hey I fight anyone!!) arm is underneath. You use your foot to get underneath and your shoulder to get through his/her clench. you land on your back. Break free, turn and get into mount.
But if you were the person who was on the behind, you could then lock the foot as he is getting over (lets just stick with "he", I was wrestling with my wrestling instructor!!). Use your knees to push him forward and get your arm underneath. Thats you got a gap to squeeze out! So you get on his back - quick.
Your opponent could have got into "the Turtle". This is where i lost it a bit...ok.reach round and grab the Gi at the neck with your choking hand. You then put your other hand round and pass the gi into the other hand, slide it up and choke him. Damn I need to look this up - any ideas.
This was not as easy as it sounds and I got told by the instructor I had to keep the spaces tight at all times - the slightest space gives your opponent time.
Do these moves above make sense? I am enjoying it immensely, which is the main thing, but feck feck feckity feck, is this stuff complex or what?!? Will persevere though!!
FitScot (38)
8/04/2015 9:38 PMJiu-jitsu class 04/08/2015. This was a class working on getting on side control after being in a half-lock. At least, I think it was a half-lock. I was lying on top of the opponent, the opponent had his right leg around my left, I was lying at an angle and had the opponent in a lock.
I then had to use my head to reposition his arm. I slid along his leg onto my left thigh. I then did some kind of weird kick (this does require some more work) and went onto my knees, positioned myself for side control with my arms still around the opponent in a lock.
Further work involved swapping the arms around the head, so instead of my left arm being underneath the opponents head the right arm was then swapped round (the opponent had to be turned into me for this). I then could put a lock on by getting my right hand on my left bicep then sprawling back, making a kind of choke with pressure from my body. Took a while but eventually got some taps.
Class ended with a game of "King of the Mats". I won a couple quickly, and lost a couple but put up a decent attempt. At the age of 42, I'm discovering I can still have a lot of fun!
Great class!
bjjguynyc (11)
8/06/2015 2:58 AM(In reply to this)
Half-Guard
http://www.bjjheroes.com/techniques/half-guard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_guard
FitScot (38)
8/01/2015 5:26 PMSo I've just come away from BJJ class no.6. It was the first time in a Gi (it didn't help that I kept wanting to sing the theme to "Hong Kong Phoey")(younger readers ask your parents) and I was surprised how later on I actually got used to it.
Today's class was actually focusing on side control : if you are at the side of your opponent, then using both knees to get in at the side of opponent and your elbow that is furthest away from the opponents head on the other side of the body, wrapping around the other arm and neck. Pretty basic stuff.
Then it got complicated. Work was carried out on trying to get out from underneath the opponent. This involved bridging and rocking your opponent over, trying to get your opponent to sprawl. From then, you had to shift your body round so you could lock your leg in a half-butterfly ("?"), shift out, get up on your elbow and then somehow end up on top of your opponent after he has used a wizard on you. (Wizard? Have I said the right thing?).
It was complicated. However, BJJ is just like everything else in life - the only way to learn this is to drill, drill, drill. I am slowly beginning to get my head round this and it will require perseverance.
Had some good fun at the end with some grappling and managed to put my opponent into an Americana (again, I hope that's the right term!) lock to submit. Aye, this class is gonna require a lot of work but I have a feeling I'm going to get a lot out of it. Even if it does feel like I'm wrestling in a dressing gown!!!
*If no one in this interest group minds, I'm going to keep logging up the classes - it would be really helpful to me if I could do this in order to help to give me a record and reflect on what happened in the class.
BJJWrestlerLasVegas (14)
8/02/2015 1:25 AM(In reply to this)
Keeping a written record. A whizzer us a powerful controlling tool and I have found it quite helpful
If u do not whizzer in some positions u will give up your back, thus knowing its application is quite helpdul