Training at Alliance HQ: Deep Half Week!

Monday:

Main: This week the focus was on Deep Half sweeps. I was pretty excited about this, because I know NOTHING about this position. First sweep was reaching under gripping lapel and belt grip and bridging over shoulder. Baseball slide double under pass, step over, block hips and upper body and take side control.

Tuesday:

Fundamental: baseball bat choke off lapel arm-trap, half guard pass, self defense was hip toss off thai plum/double collar grips.

Main: more deep half. Transition to x guard, tech stand, pull other leg out for sweep. Also hook deep half'd leg, grab ankle, kick out and come on top for sweep.

We then drilled some deep half, and I really suck at this guard....

Thursday:

Fundamental class included some self defense hip throws, but the meat and potatoes was back escapes. If they have the collar grip, you're grabbing the sleeve with both hands and pulling down, locking your shoulders to your side, then turning to relieve pressure on your neck in the opposite direction of the collar they're gripping. Then, knee up, bridge back and over their hook -- choking hand points to freedom. Head to the mat, then your upper back and then whole body. Block their mount attempt using your own hooks and try to get on top. In the very least, get back guard. If they stop you from bridging the right way and shove you the other way, use their momentum to turn over and tripod upward. Grip their collar, back up a bit and then bring your head out of the choke and try to assume side control.

Main: warm ups included some funky 3 way rolling and sprawl drills, then the gi tug -->ankle pick --> uchi mata or the gi tug --> drop ippon seoi nage.

Technique was more deep half. Pass through lapel, try to turtle and wait for them to sprawl. they cant sprawl too hard because of the lapel grip blocking them from shifting all the way back, so you use your other hand to grip knee material, bring a knee up, and then flip them over onto their back. There was a second technique, but I can't remember it.

Saturday:

Fundamentals discussed the Osoto Gari leg throw and how it segued into KOB and the armbar (as do nearly all judo throws). Also drilled the paper cutter from north/south with some great little details on body weight distribution, and finally how to trap the arm from a basic, strong side control and mount using KOB followed by walking the fingers up to trap the blocking arm.

Main class had Humberto and DJ teaching, since Lucas had a seminar and Jacare was somewhere else. We went over some complicated spider/leg lasso passes and also some great X guard passes. The first one is essentially to step back with your back leg (if there is no back hook), then return to position and assume side control. If they DO have a hook on the back leg, you can pretty much push the hook down while pulling their arm (that's grabbing your front leg) up and end up in a nasty tight triangle position.