Rip it, roll it, and punch it!

You know that scene in Finding Nemo where Squirt is talking to Marlin....

It's like he's trying to speak to me, I know it. Look, you're really cute, but I can't understand what you're saying. Say the first thing again... 


That is pretty much how I felt Saturday morning grappling Ben.


He swept in pretty much the same fashion about 10 times...after the first few, I started thinking... Okay, he clearly wants me to do something other then what I am doing....  but in the five minutes I couldn't figure out what he was trying to show me...  I kept trying to get my base off of him, and on to the mat, but I couldn't figure out how to do it...  So, I basically kept trying, and failing to kick my leg backward to get out of his hook and post my leg out.  (What is the definition of stupid?  Repeating the same thing expecting different results....lol) 


After the grapple, he told me to wait right there for a second because he wanted to tell me something.... so I knew my suspicions were correct.  Ben was trying to tell me something I just wasn't getting.  And it of course was pretty much one of those, "Oh, duh, I am an idiot." moments.


He wanted me to go the way he was pushing me... Step my foot over his head and get to side control.  


It was an extra duh moment because it was a simple motion.  Step.  Take a step.  And doubly stupid because Ben has probably told us 1000 times to go with what you are being given.  Don't force anything.  


So, I am going to actively start trying to just go where I am being pushed...  Going with the flow.  You push, I pull... Or you push, I step over your head and get side control.  lol

Duurrrh

Today we worked sweeps from guard, landing in knee on belly.  We did a couple variations of the same sweep...  but the biggest thing I took away from class was pretty much, the most obvious thing I have ever missed.

The second I tried it, I was like, "Oh my gosh, I am such a moron, why have I never noticed this before?!"

The sweeps started from closed guard.  You started by grabbing a hold of both sleeves of the person you are sweeping, and just kind of push their sleeves up into their shoulders, open your guard, and pull your knees in under their arms.  Basically to butterfly guard without your hooks in.

Trying to get peoples arms out of the way while they are in my guard is one of my biggest problems when I want to transition to another position.

It is especially easy when someone is trying to pass your guard as they are leaning away from you anyhow.  You just push them the way they are trying to go, and get your legs in.

Hello.  Anyone home?  Is that not what Ben has pretty much been telling me from day one.  Duh!

It may not work as well, when someone is hunkering down in your guard, but that doesn't happen very often unless it's a roll toward the end of class and people are feeling gassed.

Anyway, that was probably the biggest "duh" moment I have experienced since I started Jiujitsu.