Half Guard Pass

Not a 100% healthy, but close enough.

6/14 - Seminar - Valley

Had a 2 1/2hr seminar over half guard sweeps. Three techniques, none of which was overly complicated. I had a fair amount of individual instruction in the first one b/c I kept repping it wrong. I finally started to get it though and was hitting it on the regular. Rolled with people I haven't seen in quite awhile. Fun (and free!).

Interestingly, I've tried to use that sweep several times and it's not working. I don't think I'm picking the right time (i.e. my opponent is too far up on my torso) for it to be effective. Very sad, b/c I thought all of my bottom half woes were solved.

6/15 - Downtown

Went to class against my better judgment. I should follow my instincts more. It was a couple of white belts and the rest were upper blues. We started off rolling, and I was getting my ass kicked by everyone. This isn't so unusual, but I didn't have the mental fortitude for it today and almost walked out b/c I was so frustrated with myself. Bah.

6/17 - Downtown

Half guard passes today. I needed to get the bad taste of the 6/15 out of my mouth. Lucky for me, I did.

Assumption: You are in opponent's half guard, where they have a knee shield (their L knee is across your hip).

1. Combat stance to knee slide: Come up to combat stance with your R leg. As soon as you do, post out to your L with your L hand and slide your L knee across their belly. Bounce your hand to the R (best way I can think of to describe it) until your L hand is now on the L side of their head. The idea is to get your torso turned to the L to turned to the R. From here you can grab their L knee pant with your R arm and try to free your R leg. Or you can sit off to their R side on your R hip if you have them cross-faced and free your leg from there.

2. Combat stance to knee slide to kimura grip: Same as #1, but assume when you put your knee through that they try to push it off with their hand. Get a kimura grip, put your head on the mat to their L side and forward roll, attempting to free your R leg as you go. Keep working it until it's free while you maintain the kimura grip with straightened arms. If you bend your arms, they can come right back into you. Keep them straight, and once you free your leg you can come up into a kimura (squat over their head), slide your legs in and over for an arm-bar or if they sit up slide your legs in for back hooks.

3. Thwart underhook by back-stepping: Assume they sit up and get an underhook on your R side in an attempt to take your back. Reach across their back with your R hand and grip their L lat while you post your L hand, duck your head close to theirs and back-step with your L leg so that you end up on their L side. It doesn't not need to be a giant back step, and you don't want to create a ton of space between you and them. Should be very tight. To prevent their escape from here, get your L knee under their L thigh and dig your toes in to the L. Break a grip if they have it on your R gi pant at the knee and use your L elbow to shove their L knee to the R as you kick your R leg out.

• The escape for the person on the bottom is to change where their feet are hooked and to get their L foot on the mat and their R foot underhooking the outside of your R leg. They grip your R pant leg and push off the mat with their L foot and kick up with their R foot as they roll you over to your L. By having the knee in the back of their L thigh, it prevents their L leg from hitting the mat, which is essential to them pulling off this move.

Rolled with Sol, Dennis and Julio. Sol said that he was having a tough time maintaining top side control b/c I kept regaining guard, but I think he's just being nice. Had a back and forth roll with Dennis and ended up on his back at one point. I had sat out the round before while he rolled with Sam, so I don't give it much credence. Rolled with Julio who tried to jump into my guard and pass. Good times.