7/27/09 Class

Tonight class focused on the Half-Guard. According to Darren his objective with the half-guard is to use it as a way to get back to the full-guard. So the first technique we covered was a closed-guard recovery from half-guard. In the half guard position we discussed 3 essential components. First was to always stay on your side. If you are flat your ability to move is killed. Second was to keep his arm out of your "stinky armpit." Meaning, keep your top arm/elbow glued to your body like in side-control survival. That will keep him from getting an underhook which he can use to flatten you. Third is to "keep your face handsome." In other words, use the bottom arm to hook around his far bicep so he can't cross face you (mess up your handsomeness) which is used to flatten you out.

Closed Guard Recovery from Half-Guard:
Start in the half guard with your right leg inside and on your right side. Start by hooking your outside leg (left) over top of his near calf so he doesn't advance his knee as you make space. Make space by scooting your hips away from him and slide your bottom leg inside. Place your knee on the front of his far hip (knee points up) and plant your foot on the mat so he can't kill that leg. Now switch your hips (so you are on your left hip) and scoot your hips away from him in the opposite direction. You may have to scoot more then once to free your right leg (circle your foot close to you and then to the outside to free it). Once you right foot is free establish the closed guard.

Triangle Choke from Half-Guard:
Start in the half guard with your right leg inside, on your right side. Allow him to underhook your top arm so you can overhook his and then grab his far lapel for control. Scoot your hips away from him (to the left) to create space for your bottom leg to come out. Grab his far wrist with your bottom hand and throttle it (turn it like you would a motorcycle throttle) to open his arm creating more space. Pass your bottom leg out and then over top of his far shoulder. Now bring your top leg over his back and cross your ankles to lock in a "triangle situation" or "triangle set-up." Hold his head down so he doesn't posture up. When ready, hip up and use both hands on his arm to drag his near arm across your body as your drop your hips. Grab your right shin with your left hand to maintain pressure down on his head. Your left foot goes to his hip (keep you knee pinched into him so he can't escape his arm) and use it to scoot your hips to the left. Once your shin is perpendicular to him lock in the triangle, pinch your knees together and pull down on his head to finish.

Note: if you have a hard time escaping your bottom leg in the start of this technique then simply escape it as far as you can, post your foot on the mat with your knee pointing up, switch your hips and scoop in the opposite direction then escape your foot just like in the guard recovery technique above. This time you will bring your leg over his shoulder to the "triangle set-up" position.