It is all about the details.

So today we worked on a bunch of different moves in competition class.  We started by reviewing and tweaking guard passes and then moved into using stand up passing to break the guard and then immediately transition into the pass.  We then moved into side mount and covered different ways of isolating the arm pressing on the hip in order to control the position and take mount.  Finally we worked on several different chokes from the mount to finish.  The following is an outline of details for everyone who made it.  If you weren’t there the rest of this post is probably worthless.  Whether you were there or not, we talked about “The Art of Learning” by Josh Waitzkin you can purchase on Amazon here, amazing book and guaranteed to make you better and jiu-jitsu and life.

Here is the basic outline for the guys that were there today:

From Guard establish Tall Posture with hand on chest and hand on the rib cage.

If your opponent sinks the grip turn away and break his grip near the wrist.

Stand up and push with your elbow on the leg, or swing your arm back through to get the break.

Push the leg to the ground and drive your knee across.

Wrap the head and elevate the other leg with your leg.

Make an X with your legs, then remove your 1st leg.

Slowly remove your second leg while maintaining shoulder pressure.

Once in side control isolate the arm on your hips by walking towards the legs and using your leg near the head to push the arm high, or catch the elbow with your hand and switch your hips through for control.  The first variation will leave you in standard head and arm control the second will have your arm across the head pulling back with your elbow.

Once you have a strong side control with the arm isolated high move to knee mount so you can start moving to the mount.  If you can control their far elbow move right to the mount, if not spider crawl your hand while flaring your elbow to control the arm, if you can utilize the incredibly mean arm trap to make this position worse.

Once in the mount begin searching for chokes.  The first hand goes in DEEP with 4 fingers in the collar.  The second hand can go in 4 fingers, thumb in, or you can shave the face with your forearm.  Always make sure to use the sharp part of your wrist and use the “banana hand” trick.

Alternatively you can go thumb in with a shallower grip and grab the opposite lapel.  Pull the lapel down and drop your elbow.  Move your elbow up along the mat to finish the choke.

Practice practice practice.