Friday 5/14/2010

BJJ open mat training at the Westin. We had me, a black belt Steve K., a purple Chris, Blue John and Craig in the sets. Very good training. I had Chris twice and each of the others once. The set with Steve was the most interesting of course. He plays a very solid half guard and pulled to it. He managed to get under my hips and was trying to set me for the sweep where he goes flat on his back, then to his opposite side, catches the foot, Kips his hips up and sweeps with pressure between the knee and hip. It's a good technique but i defend it well, so I was interested to see how he did it. Very fundamentally sound and patient, I blocked it the first time but he stayed after it. Eventually I was unable to better my position and he hit the sweep. I did well in the transition, almost making it to X guard. To avoid the X guard he sacrificed his elbow discipline and I was able to use pressure on his arm to come up and take side control. I got to knee in the belly and went for a mount, but he made it to half guard again. I was able to pass this time and worked back to knee in the belly. final score was 7-2 but it was a very interesting and entertaining set. His game is tight and patient and he will make me better by working with him. Other things of note were that I later used the same sweep that Steve hit on me to Chris. it reminded me to work for it and that i like the position. Steve asked a question about my impression of kouchi Gari at the end of the time and we covered it a little. Good training today, if we add John d, Dave O and Mike B, the training level will improve even more.