North/South Escapes

4/9 - Valley

First class back at the Valley in quite some time. Worked some different N/S escapes, primarily the set-up. It should be intuitive to keep your arms in, but apparently I've made it several years into my jiu jitsu journey w/o working on what to do when you're being transitioned into bottom N/S. While it made a great deal of sense and seemed like something I should have already know, I hadn't seen it before. Anyway...

1. Transitions: When defending movement from side-control to N/S and vice versa, focus on keeping your arms in a prayer position when in bottom N/S. Upper arms should be against on your chest (i.e. instead of having your elbows pointing up). Keep them in tight so opponent can't snag an arm for an arm-bar. This will give you some cushion, almost like car springs and will help you create space for an escape. When opponent transitions to the side, arms follow them, with arm that is closest to the ground defending the cross-face.

2. Escape to Pass: From the position above, peel their R arm down toward your hip by hooking your forearm under their tricep and pushing away from you. Bring your R knee up at the same time and connect to your elbow. Slide their arm past the outside of your knee and then grip their wrist. Get some momentum by swinging your L leg up, and then back down. As it comes down, straighten your R leg, which will extend them out and onto their back. Move into side-control.

3. Escape to Triangle: Same set-up as above. Once their arm is secured over your knee, push their head away, bring your leg over and do an inverted triangle. I'd have to do this a bunch more to be able to visualize it. It was pretty cool though.

Set-up: You didn't get into a good defensive position and their elbows are in your arm-pits.

4. Work your hands into their hips. Make a fist with your R hand and grip your R wrist with your L hand. Put it firmly in their L hip and work to get your head for some air if you need it. If done correctly, you should be able to keep the distance regardless of whether they try to move to the R or L. You're blocking their L hip with your hands and their R hip with your elbow. Key is to not overextend. Just enough to give you the space you need to breathe and escape. Once you get your head out, get some momentum by swinging your legs toward your head (the L) and then around to the R. Goal is to at least get your R knee into their chest/hip. You should be able to bring your knee in b/c you are blocking their hip. You can then move into an arm-bar, collar choke, shoulder lock or any number of submissions.

Quick roll at the end with Gary. I tried to work an open guard game with him, with mixed success. Could never get the hooks for DLR, but set up spider guard several times and almost tried for the inverted Robson thingie but he shut it down. Felt like my defense was pretty good when he was moving to top positions. Was great to roll with him again, hope I get to roll with Scott again soon.