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Wicked Wednesday and Passing the Guard

Guard Pass To Cross Body
Guard Pass with Gi Wrap

Do to family I can’t go on Monday any more, so in place of “Magic Monday”, its going to be “Wicked Wednesday”.  For all of you who didn’t want to brave the blowing snow, Rich went over guard passes.  The Guard-Pass-To-Cross-Body surprised me.  I realized Mark had used it on me a number of times to break my guard.  I either wasn’t there when he taught it or he hasn’t.  I really liked it because against Jeremy, who is larger them me by far, I was able to break his guard.  Unfortunately Rich didn’t teach us a counter to it.  I know what Mark was doing now but still don’t know how to stop him.

The second guard pass with the wrapping and trapping of the arm didn’t go so well for me.  If your opponent drops guard as you tripod or stink bug up you can’t pass the gi under.  That is what you want to happen anyway, dropping his guard,  but  it puts you in a strange position to then take advantage of it.  We also noticed that most of the gis did not have long lapels to work with.  I’m sure its by design.  I couldn’t reach around my larger training partner to effectively get it.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Scissor Sweep Leg Push Gi and Nogi Variations

Scissor Sweep Leg Push–JiuJitsuMap.com
Scissor Sweep Nogi Leg Push–JiuJitsuMap.com

My last post Scissor Sweep and Arm Bar from Guard covered most of what we did in class Wednesday.  Here are the variation on the Scissor Sweep and how to do it for Nogi.  As Rich notes in most cases you will use the leg push with the Scissor Sweep because your opponent has good base.

Thanks Rich and Blake for letting me post you in action.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Scissor Sweep and Arm Bar from Guard

Arm Bar from Guard
Scissor Sweep from Guard

Wednesday night was great.  Rich Cesena went over the standard Arm Bar from Guard as shown in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique by Renzo and Royler Gracie.  It is also found on the Pedro Sauer Blue Belt Test.  I’ve never really been that good at the Arm Bar from Guard but tonight I picked up some very helpful pointer.  One of those being how to really clamp down the second leg on the neck.  When done right I was already in pain and at the edge of hyper extending my elbow without my tormentor lifting his hips or pulling on the arm.

The Scissor Sweep is also in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique and on the Pedro Sauer Blue Belt Test.  I do fair on it.  Once again I picked up some good pointers.  What really surprised me was how close Rich did it.  I’m used to moving my hips out further.  Rich has his left knee and foot right on Blake’s.  Another point I’m weak on is remember to pull  my opponent down.  In the end its all about moving the guys weight off his legs so you can sweep them.  If your scissor isn’t so great it doesn’t matter as much I think if he doesn’t have any weight on his legs.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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On the Jiu-Jitsu Binge and Purge Cycle

I got my sorry fat self to BJJ tonight.  I had a good time like I knew I would.  So why is it I go through these binge and purge cycles.  For a while I’m all fired up and I can’t get enough.  Then I hit the purge and I can’t get my self to go.  Oh there are other factors, sickness, family, life.  Regardless I still can find time even if I can’t go to class to watch my DVD’s or practice on my Submission Master Grappling Dummy.  But I don’t.  Now I’m just about finished purging and I’m moving toward the binge.

I’ve been wanting to pick up Ryan Hall’s "Back Attack" but I kept telling myself if I’m not going to go then why?  Surprisingly this has become the dangling carrot to start motivating me.  I think I’ll set it as a reward for myself.  If I make it through the entire month of February and get in at least two class a week I’ll buy it.  As you might remember I posted 3 Top Picks For Back Control Technique Instruction in which I picked Ryan’s DVD as the best.  I also set my sights on being the best from the back.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu