tallgeese

bushido, I've never heard of Koga. Is it specifically LEO related? As to the rigid cuffs, I feel they have pluses and minuses. On the up side, they afford alot of control once they are on. That's their biggest strength. Plus, from a text book cuffing situation they line up pretty well. On the down side, they don't move around while you're trying to cuff some dude who's fighthing like crazy to keep his hands free. The chain lets you rotate around get them on from odd positions. In addition, they can be a bit uncomfortable for the bad guy. I know, not a major issue, but I'd rather keep a border line guy happy rather than have him kick my back window out. Granted, you get to charge him up from there, but it's a hassle turning your car in and doing the paperwork. I think there are alot more cuff specific controls for the rigid cuffs than chain, again due to their structure they lend themselves well. Be aware too that due to the shortened sturcture, bigger guys might have a harder time fitting in them. The chain gives you a bit more room to work with in the back. Either one is fine, just be aware of the pros and cons. Fill me in on this koga.

12/13 Drilled open guard passing. Moved on to omo plata from half butterfly. Transitioned to triangle from there. 6, 2 min rounds of open guard v. pass 45 min free roll. 12/14 1 mile run conditioning per crossfit today

To cite an example from my day to day work, I pre-emptively put anyone in hand cuffs that a) has been violent even prior to my arrival, b) or might become violent based on this state and the history on the call, or c) may have had or it has been suggested that he might have any sort of weapon. Now, from time to time this idea of being cuffed for safety will push some people over the edge and a fight will be precipitated. That's okay with me. I picked the time and place for hostilities to begin. I'm mentally prepared and anticipating resistance. This keeps me from being suprised and starting from a negitive position. The same is true when we talk about sigular combat. If the subject's history is violent, his body posture indicates he's prepping for a fight, and he makes preparatorymovements for combat; then it's best to pick the instant of aggression and start the fight from a mentally superior, if not physical position, of superiority.

Right, to each their own. For every person who subscribes to your definition of the ma's, there are several more who have differing ones. There are enough schools for everyone.

Comfort in whatever guard game you happen to have come upon first is a big bonus for moving into other ones and being confident in transitions. I know when I first cam eout of mma, closed guard was about all I was comfotable with. Once I moved beyond that into butterfly, I was able to more comfortably move into others. This is where the game exploded for me. Once I opened up, the sky was the limit on moving thru new positions. That confidence made learning new positions, I think spider was what I landed in next, much easier and enjoyable. The big thing, Shori, is to relax and actaully work those new positions during free roll time. Don't worry about doing as well with it as the closed guard you're comfortable with. Get smashed a bit, passed, it's okay. Figuring out how to use those new tools is far more valuable than "winning" with the same thing you've been doing for years again.

Congrats!

I stayed out of this for a bit due to the fact we're a very offense heavy school out of an active guard. Therefore, the main goal has never been soley to regain top from the guard. I think we're all in agreement that top is a far more desireable position in about any given enviornment. However, my goal from guard is not always to sweep. Again, coming from a very active guard school of thought. I like how JJN broke down guard focus. I find that I use variants of open guard quite a bit for the offensive reasons stated. It is good to note as well how opponants will dicate some changes to how one plays. I'll almost always look to butterfly, 1/2 butterfly, open, or x a big guy. I'll never drop half of full on choice unless I'm focusing on a developing a specific movement. I do agree however, I'll go to closed very quickly if my partner is just flat out beating me on speed or hip dynamic. The only thing I'd mention as well, and put in a plug for playing all of them to the best of one's ability, is that as the match progresses you often see and feel how the other half is playing. What he likes and how he moves. Often, you can match up a favorable guard to his game that will shift things back to your favor in tight match.

After years of drilling escapes in mma clubs and being less than successful with it, my current BJJJ coach summed it up very well for me: If the guy is good enough to put you in that spot, what chance do you really thing you have at escaping it once it's all the way on. Now, it doesn't mean that we ignore escapes, it just means that you have to look at it realistically. This was a big moment for me. And knind of a "duh" thing once he said it. Get better at your game and don't end up there. I see way too many guys worrying far too much about "getting out" of this or that. Keep rolling, drill technique and learn to maximize position. That's been far more bbenifical to me than endless reps of "escapes". Escapes really occur before any positive position is gained by your opponant. Not after you're going to sleep due to a rear naked choke.

Welcome aboard KF!

12/11 off 12/12 1 mile on treadmill. Man I am sick of being inside already lift day: deadlift sqaut bench incline pull downs rows curls tri presses abs

Thank you all and congrats all around!

Certainly, you'll probably learn both at the same time. Things are just structured that way, and to achieve any sort of equatable skill, you might as well start drilling both early. That being said, as JJN alluded to, in any free form training, expect to be defensive when you start. It's just part of the game, but it'll get better. However, you'll need to be developing both sets of tools as you go.

12/10 1.5 mile easy run to close out the week

12/9 BJJ nite: Drilled over cross guard position. Worked triangle, partner defends, recover triangle and option to armbar. Omo from cross guard. 6, 2 min rounds of cross guard v. pass 20 min free roll

12/8 early pm: conditioning curcit 1 min of: sprint kettle bell lift belt pull ups sprint kettle bell swings belt rows sprint kettle bell TGU's steps ups with medicine ball sprint rest 2 min and repeat late pm: legs I've been holding on the upper body on lift the past week due to a nagging shoulder injury. I cycled stuff back in conditioning this week and plan to do the same with the lifting next week. So far so good on this workout. I think I'll end the trial just before Christmas. I think this will be my go to for next year pre-comp. I've even managed to trouble shoot it around an injury. Not bad, and still got my main focus on the rolling. Lots of sport specific movements, ect. The experiment has been worth the time.

12/7 am: crossfit for conditioning abs pm: 2.5 mile run

Welcome to KF!

Not to mention that you shouldn't assume that just because you don't appriciate a weapon in his hand does not mean that he does not have one. A hand full of sap or small knife will end your defensive preperations pretty fast.

12/6 BJJ nite: Worked on cross guard to triangle, sweep, taking back. 6, 2 min rounds of cross guard vs. pass 45 min free roll.

Master Pain, you have got to get up to Charelston and play with the SCA guys there. You'd love it.

You can't forget as well that Brock came out of a wrestling background with an exceptional pedigree and competitive record. He'd been doing martal arts for years in the form of wrestling, can't forget that. Additionally, it's a sport centered around competition. He'd grown up drilling to win and working on his mindset to do just that. There was no learning curve on that. Finally, he studied a martial art that is one of the main componants of MMA as it's known today. So, although it seems that he walked in as only a WWE wrestler, he's actually comeing out of a background very well suited to the transition. In fact, with the money being what it is these days in the UFC we'll see more and more quality wrestlers, with better and better pedigrees moving into it after they are done with wrestling I think. Brock is the highest profile poster boy for that coming wave I believe.

12/4 Drilled takedown for 15 min Free roll for 90 min

Again, maybe. But you're still shortcutting your development in the grappling arena if you rely on these. Not to mention there are plenty of guys out there, if you're talking about fighting them on the street, that have diminished pain sensitivity, usually due to some sort of chemical intervention. Pain of grinding won't matter, but you can't deny leverage and mechanical priniciple. In the end though, trading positional advantage for strikes that may or may not prove valuable is questionable at best. The biggest problem I see is stunting your grappling growth by relying on them vs. working for technical skill.

Welcome back!

Good luck and keep us posted!