Monday, October 5, 2009

A revision of the revisiting

I think about new variations and applications of techniques all the time. I’m definitely not at the point where I can be sure if these things will work. Luckily for my JS was training today and he’s my best litmus test for almost everything.

I thought the idea of planting my foot in the omoplata battle and hipping away would be good. The problem is, it’s too easy for the top player to hold you down from there and keep your hip flat.

I also experimented with straightening my leg if my shin was across his belt. This actually made his pass even easier.

It was frustrating for a good half hour and I felt myself being tense and holding onto positions, trying to change angles and getting passed repeatedly. We started isolating the positions over and over and I still was not getting any better structure or attacks.

It really helped the drill that this is one of JS’s favorite passes as I want to learn how to deal with people’s best moves.

Finally after all this searching on how to change position to get the best leverage, I realized the simple truth: I needed to reexamine the advantages of the position I was in, rather than trying to change the situation to fit a predetermined outcome and series I had in my head.

I was on my right hip, not wanting to force the omoplata when I realized, simply bracing off him so that my arms were in line with my shoulders, hipping out and getting my shin in was the least path of resistance. Obviously it’s just a moment in the dance, but it felt like a big step to a situation I’ve encountered many times and seen my training partners in as well.

As always the answers are simple and right in front of me, but it took an hour of sweat, panic and looking bad in front of everyone to figure that out.

I’ll take that price every day.

2 comments:

  1. felt good to me. was very hard to pass that guard, especially when we began to isolate it to that pass. getting that leg straight was the key, i think. well done. see you tomorrow for more training.

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  2. Over the past year or so I've noticed that we're often working on similar positions at the same time (call it imitation, emulation, idolatry, man-crush, whatever). Mind you, you're usually looking at them on a whole different level than I am. But I like what you're saying about the transition back to the shin across opponent's belt. With the overhook on that side, it's a great place to be (master-blaster, shoulder-lock, elbow-lock, triangle, etc.).

    My first thought, however, is that maybe a rubber-guard approach may be another option. I haven't drank the kool-aid just yet, but I'm finding it to work a decent amount of the time. If I'm fighting for the oma-plata, say with my left leg over opponent's right shoulder, gripping my left shin with my right hand is only a minor part of my control. If I can drive my right forearm against opponent's face/neck (kung-fu move, to give credit where it may be due), I find myself in a much better place. I'll be more balled up. So, if opponent drives back into me, I have the option of grabbing a power-half-nelson on his left arm. Even if I can't finish the oma-plata, and even if I partially lose my control on opponent's right arm with my legs, I can sprawl back with my left leg, pulling opponent to his back and getting north-south. It's kind of like a cow-catcher/over-under pin in wrestling. Your chin can even be used as a third hand.

    If opponent swings his hips/legs around counter-clockwise toward my head, I can reach over with my left hand to grip his left latisimus. The power-half may present itself here. If not, perhaps I could post my right foot, pull myself up with my left grip, give up opponent's right arm with my legs, and take opponent's back.

    Or maybe I'm just breathing in too much of my dog's gas. What the hell did that guy eat?

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