140210....

Was thinking on the way home from training earlier, its all well and good trying to find cool BJJ related quotes for my training updates but eventually I'm going to run out haha.

Trained in Tonbridge today with Steve Haydock.
Never met Steve before as Sunday classes are usually taken by Wilson. But due to Wilson being in Brazil, Steve has been taking the classes.
Its always good to train with different instructors as they all have a different approach on teaching.
Steve is also a primary school teacher (maybe headmaster) so has an excellent way of breaking down techniques.

Today's class was focused on the closed guard. Something I Definitely need to work on. I think it is all too easy to open your guard and start playing around with different ways of playing open guard, I tend to do this a lot because it seems to be more effective, but when I really think about it, people are wiser to what you are going to try and do in closed guard.
I know if I'm in someone's guard I need to control my posture, block their hips, beak the guard, pass etc etc.
But if someone opens their guard and starts wrapping up my arms with their feet or whatever I am less likely to know what they are doing. So I get caught out.
We worked on a high guard in which you block your opponents shoulder. I've been in this position before and managed to get an armbar, but I never realised there were so many options.
There were three or four techniques we were shown from the high guard and were then shown a basic sweep.
Again I have used this sweep before but its amazing how many small details you were missing, thus making it harder to get off.

Sparring was from the guard which gave everyone a chance to put these techniques into practise.
I need to remember to just take my time and break everything down methodically. I tend to try and do everything at once and get swept/ submitted right off the bat. After the first initial attempt I calmed down and started thinking properly and began to have more success. Managing to pull off a few of the bits we went over.
I always find it hard to practise techniques we have just done right away in sparring. Everyone still has them fresh in their mind so can spot them coming a mile away.

My body doesnt feel half as broken and battered after training as it has done the last few sessions. Think it is starting to get used to the abuse again haha

Take care

xDanx