Passing & Regaining Guard

2/27 - Downtown
Today was a mix of passing drills and omoplata reversals. I really wish I would have taken notes, b/c James doled out quite a few good nuggets from various positions. Will try to remember as best I can.

Right arm felt really weird, like a tendon was out of place (best way I can describe it) on the inside of the elbow. Made the lower arm feel weak and generally not quite right. Feels better tonight, so hopefully just a temporary thing.

Technique
1. Very basic standing pass: If your opponent is laying flat on their back (by some freak of nature) with their legs up and you are standing in front of them, grab their ankles and pull toward you. Shake a bit side to side and then throw their legs in one direction as you pass to the other. Important to keep your posture and head up so that you don't take an accidental foot to the face. This is probably more of an MMA scenario.

2. Regain guard from #1: If you are the one getting passed in this manner, keep your inside leg on the mat and bring your outside leg to the hip that is closest to your head. For example, they throw your legs to the L. Let your legs be loose and hit the mat, as it will allow you to recover faster. Plant your R leg, cup the back of their L ankle with your R hand as you turn back into them and put your L foot on their L hip. As you face them again and regain contact with your R foot on their L hip and move L foot to their R hip.

James made a point here to not shrimp away from your opponent. This creates space and can often lead to your opponent gaining the upper hand in the pass. Better to maintain contact and face them again. This was a good nugget.

3. Omoplata Escape: Assume you are on your knees and opponent is on their back. Your R arm is under their L thigh and wrapped around the front of their R thigh. If your R forearm is turned back toward their chest you're in trouble. But if you can get it turned towards their legs, you can turn the corner around their R leg and pass. They may be likely from this position to transition to an arm-bar, especially if you have your L knee in a combat stance. They could hook their R foot under your L thigh and start to do awful things to you. If they do move their foot in that direction, catch it and put it on top of your neck and pass under their R leg. Key is to pivot around the leg, think of peeking/turning around the leg. Need to stay tight to make this work. If they try to reguard using #2 above, swim your L arm through the other leg and pass to the other side. Again, stay tight, keep upward pressure on their legs and turn the corner.

Rolls
Rolled with Chris first, he does such a good job of using his hips and applying pressure to get to side-control and stay there as long as he wants. I tried to regain guard but wasn't doing so hot. Rolled with Cory who got me with something, I don't remember, maybe an arm-bar? I got a triangle variation on him, didn't quite have it locked up but it was good enough. Had a collar grip too and  I think that's what did it. Antone and I had a pretty interesting roll, I pulled off the oddest defense to date. He had top side-control and was yanking out his gi top out for some dirty choke. I was in a bad spot, but had enough of my hand free to get a grip on the fabric of his gi to keep him from doing whatever he was trying to do. He tried it on both sides and both times I was able to get enough of the fabric to stop him. I'm pretty sure he got me with something at least once (though not with the gi!). Rolled with Sam, don't remember much about it. Pretty sure he got me at least once and of course dominated position the entire time. Don't remember much about my roll with Manny either, other than I think it was somewhat competitive. Rolled with Julio last (tears in heaven) and he crushed and submitted.