Side Control Escapes

WELCOME BACK - to myself!

Not counting a couple of days of training, I nearly took two weeks off from BJJ! St. Paddy's in Savannah took up some of it, work and laziness the other.

My buddy Josh brought his BJJ mats to my house which I have setup in my living room. Josh works with Shannon (another friend) at a BJJ school as an instructor in a neighboring town. Josh has been practicing his instructional moves with me - it's enlightening.

Anyway!

Last night at BJJ we worked on side control escapes.

I learned that when you're on the bottom, arm placement is important. You want the tip of your elbow in their hip as to support their weight, you also want your other arm either framed across their neck, or tucked under their far arm and around to their back.

Basically, step your back foot back further and frame it on the ground, use that angle to twist your body onto it's side and then get your arm below yourself so you can't be easily flattened out.

Put your hands on their hips, elbows on the ground and straighten out. Then, 'thread the needle' so your knee is up, bring your other leg through and step around

OR

When on your side and they're pressing on you, straighten your arm out, grab their pant leg, walk your legs into theirs and use your grabbed pant leg to dump them and you take their side

OR

When you go on your side, with you arm tucked, put your knee against theirs and straighten your leg out as to extend their leg - then use your other leg to hook that straightened out leg, pinch your thighs together (flag pole), twist their body, free your original knee and move to full guard - you may have to push on their loose leg. You can also sometimes get to full guard without pinching and twisting their body if you're quick/flexiable and lucky enough - but our gym leader said that wasn't the best habit to get in - it would work in a pinch but not against people who didn't want it to work.

We also did about 30 minutes of sparring last night. I felt pretty controlled and did better against the less spazzy people - moving slow. I've really been trying to slow myself down or at the least not be so winded. I find myself matching whatever's thrown at me regardless of my stamina - which is why I did better against less spazzy people. That said, my dominance and submissions didn't feel as present as they normally do.