Guard Passes

4/10 - Downtown

Did the evening class instead of the lunch class due to scheduling snafu.

Felt like I was really getting the guard passes. Worked on two from DLR and one from standing when you aren't yet engaged. Rolled first with white belts and was feeling good about myself, then higher blues and a young orange belt and got humbled again. Thanks BJJ.

Technique

1. Pass from shallow DLR (leg drag): Opponent has shallow DLR on your R leg. Grab their R knee with your R hand and their R ankle with your L hand. Backstep your L leg to free the R leg that is pressing on it, then quickly step back over to the R, continuing to hold their R leg (to keep them from taking your back when you backstep). Leg drag by pulling their R leg across your R hip, and then sinking to the floor with your R knee going between their legs and touching the ground. L knee is also on the ground and comes up to their back. If you get under their R arm and around the back of their head with your R arm, you can ezekiel.

2. Pass from deep DLR: Opponent has deep DLR and grip on your R sleeve. Break the grip, backstep and same as #1.

3. Pass from shallow DLR (knee to sternum): Same set up as #1, but instead of taking the leg across your R hip, you stuff their between yours, squat over their hips and put your R knee on their sternum. Get your weight over the top of their chest and head, and base out over the top of their head with your hands. Get used to moving around side to side as they try to turn. When you're ready to pass, turn your hips to the R, almost until your knee touching the floor, then immediately take a big backstep in the opposite direction across their back. Move to side-control.

4. Pass from standing (not engaged): Assuming opponent is sitting up and you are standing in front of them. Come in with elbows close to your body, pick up their feet and pull them up. They'll rock back and then rock forward again. As they rock forward, R hand goes on their L hip and L hand goes on the inside of their R knee, pushing their knee to the floor. Legs should be far back away from them as you walk toward their head. They'll probably try to block your hip and L arm and would be able to regain guard fairly easy if you left it at that. So walk back toward their hips, which will flatten out their back and make it easier to get into side-control.

Rolls

Started off with white belts Eddie and Fernando. Did well against them, stuck with my no-attempted-subs-from-guard. Tried to arm drag from guard with some success, was able to transition to superior positions pretty well. Then rolled with Russell and he had dominant top position the entire time. He ended up with a wrist lock from technical mount (I think). I defended as best I could, but felt like I was way out-matched. Rolled with Antone, who did his thing and also dominated the roll. Got me with I don't remember what. Then Zack, who did really well and caught me a couple of times. Then a roll after class with James who schooled me as per usual. I had one moment where I almost foiled a pass but couldn't keep the momentum.