More KOB, Why Not?

12/1 - Downtown
I was a little distraught when I learned we'd be doing KOB, but since I was working with someone my size it wasn't bad at all.

Set-up:
You have cross-face cross-body on opponent's right side.

Transitions
1. Transition to KOB by using your right hand to grip down on their left hip, and bring your elbow across to their right hip (upper thigh) and push it toward their feet. This is to keep them from using their knee to block your transition. Slide right knee up and kick left leg out. James didn't seem to be as concerned about where the hands ended up.

2. Transition from one side to another by leaning forward, putting hands on either side of opponent's head, windshield wiper right leg across their belly to their left side, replace right knee with left knee.

Submissions
1. Arm-bar. Must start from arm-out cross-body. Ensure that the arm remains trapped as you transition to KOB. Bring your right foot on the outside of their right arm-pit, toes pointed toward their head. Sit on their hips, and bring your right leg over their head.

2. Wrist-lock. If they try to push your knee off with their left hand (palm on knee), under-hook their left arm with your right and pull their elbow into your knee.

3. Arm-bar. Same set-up as the wrist lock. Use the under-hook to pull them toward you. Base your right hand behind their back, then replace your hand with your left foot. Pivot, and keep their arm. If you maintain the under-hook grip, you'll end up in the arm-bar with your right hand gripping the back of their bicep, which will allow you to finish the arm-bar even if your knees are not tight together. This is important, since you'll only have one leg over them.

4. Gi choke. While in cross-body, use your right hand to pull their left bottom of their jacket out and shake it taut. Transition to KOB. Slide the gi up under their left arm with your right. With your left hand, contour it palm up against the right side of their neck. Transition the corner of their gi from your right hand to your left. From there, you can either cross grip their left lapel or shoulder with your right and cross-choke, or bring their left elbow across their face and bear down on their arm.

Rolled with Antone, Wayne, Bobby, Fernando. Nice, controlled roll with Antone. Left my arm like a big dummy and he took advantage of it. Nando was fairly aggressive, wasn't expecting that from him. I've rolled with him once before, and I recall that he had a very good guard. He had top position the entire time. Very close on a choke, but I gritted it out. Wayne got me with an arm-bar...I was pissed because I made a dumb mistake leaving it out. I let Bobby work a bit, gave him a couple tips on both-arms-in-or-both-arms-out and hipping up instead of over when trying to escape mount. James tried to coach me a couple of times, but either I couldn't hear him or I couldn't execute. It's really nice that he does that. He gave us some tips after rolling that I really needed.

Don't Fall Into Bad Positions
There's probably a much better way of saying this, but basically, if someone is moving to a superior position, don't just give it up. I realize that I do that a bit, especially with the bigger guys. Sometimes their technique is so good that there's not much I can do, but there are many occasions in which I do just fall into the inferior position. Must fight it more. Make them work for it, even if they're going to get it. This is a big lesson for me, and being at both a technique and physical disadvantage, I need to focus on this. I need to consciously think of before each roll.

He also went over a basic escape from half-guard to guard...I really ought to know it by now, but I was struggling during the roll and couldn't execute it. Basically, move the leg that's in between theirs out, and the leg that was on the outside in.

When turtling and trying to transition to a head-on position with someone when you're on your knees, protect the space in your torso. I tried to capture the details but don't remember enough.