This is most likely my only class this week as me and AG are going to host a housewarming/birthday party
(hers/mine) this weekend and B (her place) still needs a lot of work, as well as preparing food.

Anyway, it was a good class. Warm-ups were tiring, again. Wonder when I’ll get my air back. In addition to the usual warm-ups there was also 100 jumping jacks, 100 guard-cross choke sit-ups (complete with grip-choking motion), a few sets of those clap-push-ups, and too many stationary hipscapes.

The school’s owner taught again. He really does teach the basics well. I’ve learned so much these past two weeks. Even had a whole conversation about the difference. Only one move today:

Kimura with gi lapel arm trap
This is a great gi technique if your opponent is defending his arms well. Start in side control. You should fight to keep your base over your opponent and keep it evenly spread between your arms and knees as well. Now, position an arm under your opponents head, let’s say it’s your left arm. Free up your partners gi with your other arm, it would be good to not let your opponent know what you’re doing by lowering your head so he can’t see what you’re up too. Once it’s free, quickly pass the lapel to your left hand, covering your partners arm and trapping it in the process. If it’s not trapped tight, take the time to tighten it. Position your right arm under and outside your opponents trapped arm, so it looks like you’re squeezing his elbow with your bicep. The next few steps can be done in any order (so long as it’s logical) and can be done step-by-step or all at once. Go for the mount by methodically sliding your knee across your opponents belly and putting your hooks in. This keeps them from hipscaping, turning, blocking your leg, or putting you in half-guard. Switch the grip on the lapel to your right hand. Use your shoulder to lower the target arm to the mat. You can also use your head. Once the arm is down, take your left arm from under your opponents head and position your left arm for the standard kimura. When your left arm has controlled the target arm, release the gi lapel with your other hand and go for the usual kimura/figure-four.

While practising the move, my partner quickly taught me a technique to avoid being mounted. As your opponent moves his leg over your body to mount, turn your body over sideways so you are lying on one shoulder and hip. When they plant their knee on the mat for the mount, go flat on your back again. Your opponent will roll right off and you can scramble for side control or for being in your opponents guard.

It works! I pulled it off while rolling. On my partner too. The half-guard drills from the previous two classes were visible in my game: every time my opponent went for the mount I always quickly put him into half-guard.

I’ve been having difficulty doing an armbar from the guard. I can’t seem to position my legs deep enough, which always lets my opponents escape. Something else to work on, I need more mat time…

Related posts:

BJJ class 40 and 41

North-South armbar and some options

BJJ Class 94 – Frogger

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