2/23 More Side Control

We worked on bridging from bottom side control. Discussed arm positioning. Your inside arm can protect your neck by going flush against the side of your face,elbows in. Your outside arm should get an underhook. Bridging without the underhook could leave you vulnerable for arm locks. When you start to bridge, your inside arm can be used for spacing as you bring your feet to your butt and bridge over. Once your reach the peek, tuck your inside elbow under your body. This provides the extra leverage to prevent being rolled back on your back. Now hip escape for space then transition into half or full guard.

One variation can use a takedown instead of a transition to guard. When you hip escape, your opponent will be on their knees. Scissor kick to change the position of your legs, imedietly get to your knees and reach for their farside knee with your outside arm. Drive into your opponent from the side and follow them down into side control. Your pressure combined with the knee control will natrually put them on their side. This leaves the back exposed. When you drive into their body, you need to follow to the exposed side. With luck, you may also take the back.

We rolled for 4 7 minute rounds. I probably had my most productive day. I had a ton of energy and managed to keep my composure to escape several submission attempts. I was able to lock in a gi choke after taking the back of a much more experienced partner.

Even though we worked on side control sweeps, I did struggle in bottom side control against an opponent who had 50lbs on me.

A bit of redemption in my Foundations class

I needed a great class today after feeling down about yesterday's class. It was only a Foundations class, so we focused on a smaller scope of technique. Today we focused on proper bridging and ways to utilize it with a trap and roll from bottom mount and transiting from bottom side control to half guard.

In both techniques the bridge needs to be over one shoulder and not straight up. In the trap and roll, you do not have to control the arm before bridging, but you need to time the trap so that it occurs right when you try to sweep, to prevent your opponent from posting. Your free arm should almost punch over your opponents back for momentum.

From side control, the bridge is primarily used to create space. Most likely your opponent will have an underhook of your inside arm. Your free arm should try to go under their necks and either graps the opposite shoulder or gi. This puts incredible pressure and create a little space. Next you bridge and either control their hip or knee with your underhooked arm. When the time is right, pull back off of the bridge and shrimp your knee in to half guard.

We rolled after class and I did a decent job despite taking a hour long kickboxing fitness class and 60 minutes of BJJ before starting the roll. I did a good job of conserving energy and utilized several of the techniques I learned that day.