The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

1/25/2025

This update to the training log is the first session of a two-day, multi-style cross-training seminar that was hosted by the Aikido dojo in town.  Today's first session was three hours of BJJ from three different instructors.

BJJ:  12:30 - 3:30 pm.

Hour 1:  This first hour was pretty basic stuff.  We did some warming up running around the mat (I hate running, even more than tapping out in BJJ), then we did some shrimping across the mat and back, and then a hip/shoulder movement across the mat and back on our backs.  That one was really tough, basically being in a crunch position the whole time.  After those warmups, the instructor, who is an Aikido student who also started a BJJ club at the local college and also had some training while he lived in the KC area, showed the basic positions we'd find ourselves in on the mat: close guard, open guard, full mount, side control.  He did step-by-step walkthroughs for technique, starting with an armbar from guard, then from mount.  We just did reps on both sides and switched positions, getting lots of reps in.  The last thing he covered was an elevator sweep that he did from a seated, hooks-in position.  One foot moved to the hip, the other hooked, and hooked side elevated.  I had not seen it from that position before, so that was interesting.

Hour 2:  This session was taught by the coach that I was training with before wrestling season got started up.  He lays out his drills in a series of 'games' that make the students have to experience the concepts in real time with set parameters.  I really enjoy it, and it's also a great workout. 

For Game 1, the object was to establish connection with the partner at two points, then touch one of the other partner's knees to get a 'point.'  Three points wins and rotate out (round robin style).  You had to use the connections to move your partner around and get kazushi, and thus open up your chances to score. 5 min.

Game 2, started the same way with establishing two connections, and one person would try to trip/sweep, and the other would try to get arms wrapped around one knee (1 point), two knees (2 points), or get both arms around the hips (3 points).  I was working on the tripping/sweeping part, and felt like I was getting better.  5 min.

For Game 3, we started from the front head-snap position, with the top person locking their hands around the bottom person's torso while having pressure on their upper back/shoulders/neck area; his job was to hold this position as long as possible by moving with the opponent; this person could not win.  Bottom person's job was try to break the connection, move, posture up to reverse/escape, or get the top person's hips on the ground.  That was a win and switch roles.  I did pretty good at posturing up and getting close, and getting my shoulders over my hips when doing so.  That would often allow me to put enough pressure on to break the grip without having to fight the hands.  5 min.

Game 4 started the same as Game 3, but top person now tried to isolate head and arm or just the head.  Same goals for the bottom guy, and only the bottom guy can win.  5 min.

Game 5 was the same as Game 4, accept now the top person could try to sink a submission; D'Arce choke, anaconda, or head-and-arm guillotine.  I think he showed one other option, but I forget what it was.  This parameter made the drill much more active than it was before.  I didn't hit any submissions, but it was a lot of fun.  5 min.

Hour 3:  This hour was taught by my old DT instructor from the college Defensive Tactics Club.  He took a more self-defense approach to his hour, talking in the beginning about the red, yellow, and green zones, (red zone is in front of the attacker, don't want to be there, yellow zone is to the flank, and green zone is behind the attacker with their back available).  He showed everyone standing up in base, and then went into how to set a rear naked choke, and then defending it by feeling the arm come around and pulling down on the arm and looking away as it slinks around.  He also showed a "bicep pass-off" that you can probably get away with once in order to help sink it in deeper, especially if it isn't quite there.  The final defense he showed was if the hold was already set, from a seated position with attacker behind and hooks in.  You'd sit all the way back, drive head into their jaw if possible, and arch up (bridge) to put as much pressure as possible onto their head, hopefully the jaw area.  He next covered defense against a standing bully choke that I've done quite a bit and have a very close version I use in DT when training at work.

After hour 3, there was an hour and a half break before the next session started up, so I rolled with my coach from the second session a couple of times.  I felt like I was doing some things better, and even had a takedown on him, but he's just too smooth and experienced for me to keep up with.  We finished up about 4:00 pm.

And that was it for the first session of this cross-training seminar.  All in all, the seminar included BJJ, TKD, Aikido, and Shorin-Ryu Karate.