Scott Adcox

Doing More With Less Since 1972

Tag: armbar

Feeling Good Again

December 2, 2016 / / 0 Comments

A pretty typical warm up and partner drills with a new KoB transition variation of windshield wiper sliding across.

Went over the KoB to omoplata we did on Tuesday and then worked on an option for a toe hold for the guy in danger of the omoplata:

  • Reach for the foot
  • Head under
  • “Bend the rebar”

Rolling: Norm, Dan, Justice, Frank, Jonathan
Had a really good roll with Norm. Saw an arm and went after it. I know he was still giving me a lot and maybe trying to see what I would do and let me attack it for a while before armbaring me. Good roll for me though.

Dan (always favorite roll) was really fun. Tried to pass into side control and he was pulling my gi over my head–didn’t like where that was headed so backed out and tried to figure out a way to break his grips on my sleeves. We ended up in a crazy leg fight over half-guard. The result was me in his guard, and I tried to bait him into going for the triangle again so I could test out the last-ditch escape we learned from Gerry. Worst case I just tap, and I don’t care about that. But Dan The Man didn’t take the bait, so I’ll have to try to get him to do it again next time.

Dang…Justice is big. And heavy. I was expecting 30 seconds of hell. I got it and weathered it and ended up in side control, but he just pushed me off and I got full guard on him. Went for the classic arm bar but couldn’t get my leg all the way over in time. He stacked me up and as I tried to roll him down for the omoplata he just crashed on me. Ouch. Luckily he was gassed and I was able to wiggle out and mount him. Ended it with Americana. We went again and I tried for a long time to get the take down and establish top position. DID NOT want to be on bottom with him for another second.

With Frank, I actually got side control and held it for a little bit with kesa gatame. But, yeah, same result as always.

Jonathan–I’m really liking rolling with him as well. He does a great job of taking the techniques we’re learning in class and applying them. I get to work on my sweeps a lot with him as well. I see arm bars everywhere when we roll, and that’s what I got him with. He grabbed a toe hold for a bit and was close to having it. I was able to get out, but I think it may have done a little damage on my knee. Lesson here for me is that I’m just not going to be grabbing people’s feet and legs until I know what’s up with feet and legs. At the 30 second mark I rolled over to guard to see if I could quickly get an arm bar with the intent of getting one last sweep if I wasn’t successful. I was trying to put some pressure on myself to make something happen. Wasn’t able to arm bar, but with 6 seconds left I started setting up a scissor sweep and got it.

Big Guy Night — BJJ Training 11.29.2016

November 30, 2016 / / 0 Comments

There was a new student at the gym–big guy who trained as a kid and has taken 12 years off. Since I was the smallest student tonight (besides Ana), Coach Frank threw us some stuff we can use effectively with an omaplata option at the end for the squirmy types to finish with.

After warmups we did some knee on belly drills which flowed directly into technique.

Side Control -> KoB -> Arm Attacks

  • Thumb in shallow collar grip (elbow tight)
  • Belt knot grip (elbow tight)
  • Push up to Knee On Belly
  • Opponent’s natural tendency is to push the knee
  • Shoot arm through the hole and c-cup the shoulder
  • Roll opponent toward you and step over head, shooting other foot deep underneath
  • Pop elbow up to move arm between shoulder and neck (crook of the elbow to elbow)
  • Slide up the arm and “I-Dream-Of-Genie” to finish the down bar

Option

  • If defense reaches across your face, grab the wrist and modified Americana
  • If defense reaches low, swap grips and kimura
  • If defense is jump to the knees, swing legs to set up the omoplata

Rolling
Twice with Jonathan, once with Frank, twice with Norm. I was plumb tuckered. Caught a few armbars against Jonathan but couldn’t get anything at all (typical) with Frank and Norm. They both tapped me out multiple times (again). By the end of my last roll with Norm, I was just showing up out of respect for him and doing what I could to defend, but I was completely out of energy. I had to put my bag down and change hands walking from the door to the car.

Omoplata From Armbar – BJJ Training 11.2.2016

November 2, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Really sweaty warmup for me. We did sit-through and rotate drills, which we haven’t done in a while in class, and I could really tell a difference in my fitness and agility with these, which I credit to a weight drop.

Technique was more working from the armbar out of closed guard. I really like that we’ve been working on the different variations from this same setup because we’re getting a lot of reps on the armbar itself. I can tell I’m getting a little better at the finer details that make all the difference–things like keeping my knees pinched!

For the omoplata from armbar:

  • Set up armbar
  • Control non-armbar wrist and punch to waist
  • Foot to enemy’s neck and push head away
  • Rotate and sit up to side-by-side with (KEY POINT)legs straight and grip enemy across belt to hold in place
  • Post foot out and scoot hips out, dragging enemy to flatten him out
  • Move legs to s-mount, pinching trapped arm between your rib cage and thighs
  • Underhook other arm and gable grip to hand above shoulder
  • S-mount drill forward/up while bending down to tell him how much you love him

It’s sort of like this, but with more detail. I just like this fella’s accent.

We went to 4 five minute rounds of rolling.

First up was good ol’ Ed. We started with him attempting a guillotine, which I used to work towards side control. Once I got it I focused on the collar and getting mount, where I focused on the collar more. Went for an americana once, which he quickly defended.

The next round was Ed again, but we me having his back. Skipped the RNC and went straight for the bow and arrow. I think I got close, but couldn’t finish it. Moved to my guard and attempted the worst triangle ever, which he got around. I ended up back in mount and got an armbar a few seconds before time ran out.

Next was Rudy, who came at me really hard tonight. I put up a decent fight for a while, defending the armbar and eating a couple of bicep crushers. Defended one seated triangle, but tapped to another. I know he got me with something else too, but I was so exhausted I don’t even remember what it was.

Norm got the scraps tonight. And ate them all. I think he tapped me 3 or 4 times. I know he gave me one sweep from half guard, but we spent a lot of time with him on top. After the last submit we had about 20 seconds left, so I pulled guard and tried to defend that as best I could, knowing he’d try hard for a quick submit. He passed right as time was running out.

BJJ Training Log – OPEN MAT – July 30, 2016

July 31, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Lots of stretching and warming up for the first hour. I needed it. Did a squat/pushup/situp pyramid and a 15 minute yoga routine, then held the pads for the kids to strike and rolled around with them some.

Was getting ready to suggest going to the beach, but then Visiting Ben showed up (PB) and we rolled some. Maybe my most valuable session of rolling so far. We went a few rounds, then he walked me through where some of my holes are (defending armbar) and drilled with me on a side control arm bar I can use. More than anything, he gave me a bunch of wisdom and advice.

First thing–“Go home and write down what you learn.  You can even throw it away after, but go home and mentally review every session. Write down every step to a new technique you learn.”

So here are my mental steps for the arm bar we worked:

  • Feed shoulder
  • Trap arm with head-side leg
  • Wiper-blade arm trap to the other leg
  • Far side arm by the tricep and heavy with the elbow
  • Head-side arm to the ground to prevent head movement
  • Replace head-side arm with head-side foot
  • Trap leg down (controlling head) and squeeze the arm with thighs
  • Body side knee to the air or over-body. Tight thighs.
  • Not always necessary to go all the way to floor for arm-bar. Hips high first, THEN shoulders to the floor.

Arm bar escape–I was recognizing and defending, but the defense was pretty easy to break. To escape, defend and roll with the goal of getting the elbow to the ground.

Full mount advice–got the high knees into the armpits, but post the non-head control hand and you can’t be moved. Be heavy, rest, breathe, wait for a mistake.

I let him know that I feel bad about doing that from side control or mount in class because I feel like it’s taking away my partner’s chance to improve. He said if I’m getting a guy there all the time, we need to work from there. You end up in the position you deserve to be in. The other guy needs to learn how to get out, and I need to learn how to be heavier and hold it better.

Moving (especially when you are big, slow, and inexperienced) creates space. You don’t want space. any movement from a good position should be to improve that position, tightening it up. Wait for the desperate mistake.

Half-guard underhook–serve high pizza. From the top, whizzer that.

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