Jiu Jitsu Diary - 12

Went down to World Team today. Lucio Muramatsu taught class. 

We did a lot of things, but what was really cool for me was his technique to get to Back Mount when your opponent is curled up in Turtle Guard. Mostly I try to plant a knee in the small of the back (got that from Jorge) or grab a leg and steam roll them into Side Control (also Jorge) or even roll them in to a Loop Choke, though I never get the Loop Choke. So close! And yet, so far.

Lucio, though, showed us this really easy variation where you, once they've turtled up into Turtle Guard and you have the Seatbelt hold, you use your shoulder to apply pressure to the head and neck and then just, bam, roll. It's super simple and once you roll, you can sink in your hooks and then go right from there into a Rear Naked Choke. Lucio's variations are so subtle and kinda idiosyncratic, I can't always find them on Youtube, or find the right search terms, but I found this video below. It's pretty much exactly on point, but this guy walks around his opponent a bit before he rolls. Lucio's works fine, but I see the wisdom of the clock walk. Might try it. Either way, this is it and it's so simple!

After that we did controlled sparring. Two guys sat in the middle while the opponents took their back and got Seatbelt and that's how the round started. Whoever won, stayed in the middle. Who would want to stay in the middle!?!?!? And yet...

Was tough. Went with Oscar, Harry, Rick, Adrian, Conrad, and Lucio. I stayed active with Conrad, but his back was a bit tender so I think he went easy. I got Oscar in a Bow-And-Arrow Choke, which is a bully move I learned from Ricky, but Harry, the new white belt, he just kept me in control the whole time! I got him in Half-Guard, but this dude stayed low, kept his hips near the mat and just worked the position until he got his leg out and took Full Mount! After that, went with Lucio and that guy just slid out, like a ninja, every time, made it look like child's play. And that's why he's a Third Degree Black-Belt. Great class!