Half Guard Passes

2/18 - Downtown

First class back after a week off from laryngitis and who knows what else. Of course, we started off with circuits, joy. Was able to get through them, felt a little more tired than normal, but not too bad. We did a couple of variations of half guard passes and then a few rolls. Was great to be back and not feeling death.

Set-up: Opponent has you in half guard and has their feet together with toes stacked and they're laying on their R side and have your R leg in half guard.

1. Smash Pass to Side Control: Put R hand between their legs and place on the ground. Place L hand on ground farther out and dive your R shoulder toward the ground and turn it away from their legs. This should open their feet. Bring your R leg straight out on the ground to your R and then lift it up and back over the L (windshield wiper). Once you clear your leg, sleeve grip their bottom hand (R) and pull it toward you so they can't get on their elbow and dive your head into their R shoulder to drive them back. Get clear your legs and get your butt on the ground, then work your butt and legs back toward their hips to clear their legs. Move into side-control.

2. Step Over: Opponent has an underhook and is trying to take your back on your R side. Post out with your L hand and step back over the top of them with your L foot and then your R. Presumably they will still have control of your R leg. To prevent them from sweeping you (using their R foot to hook under your R ankle and grabbing your L lapel and rolling you over the L), get your knee up to their L thigh, as they need to get their L leg on the ground to complete the sweep. You can also underhook their L leg with your L arm. Once you have prevented the sweep, if they have a grip with their R hand on your R leg you can break it, and then elbow off their L knee with your L elbow. Pop your leg free and either move into side control or mount.

3. From bottom half guard, if your opponent gets you into #2 but they aren't on their toes after they've established position on your L side, you can shoot your arms and legs up to your upper L (release any hook you have their leg) and roll over the top of them to get side control. Pretty pimp move.

Rolled with Sara, Nando and Manny. Good rolls all of them. Went inverted a couple of times with Nando but didn't know what to do with it so ended up in danger of being back-mounted. Manny was doing a great job of sprawling out and keeping his weight on me while passing guard. I tried to close a triangle on him but just couldn't finish it.