Leon's log

[Derek Simonds]

I have definitely flow charted my game and it helps a ton. I will try and find some of the documents that I have used. One of the things I like to do is make sure that for each position I know my 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th attack, positional advance or sweep and if I am in that position escape or pass. So if I was doing that for closed guard it would look like this

Closed Guard:
Attack: Collar Choke, Armbar, Triangle, Omoplata
Sweep: Scissor, scissor variant, omoplata, armbar
Pass: Knee up leg over, knee up leg over opposite side, stretch back grab ankle to shoulder pass, Jump to standing press down pass,

If you do this for each position it will really help you. Now all these are basic but from closed guard I have found basic to be the best.

A couple of tournaments back I had sat down and built my gameplan for each round and I did exactly what I had planned. First match pulled guard, sweep to side control, work for the opposite arm, switch sides for arm triangle. Second match was pull guard, sweep to back to collar choke (which I didn't get the sub but did win by a ton of points). So I definitely believe in working a gameplan and flowcharting my game.

If you have any questions just ask and I will try and find those documents.

[Leon Robotham]

That's fantastic, Derek!

I need to have more of a plan and the flow chart will help with that, in all honesty it's the basics that I need. After only 10 months on the mats I fugure that if I can do the simple things well then it should serve me well in the long run.

I'd really appreciate getting a copy of those charts, thank you very much for that.

Oh, what is the "stretch back grab ankle to shoulder pass"?

Cheers

[Leon Robotham]

Yesterday

50 thrusters, 42.5k

2.26 - this is 22s faster than my fastest Fran time. Not that it matters much but thought it was interesting.

5 rounds
400m
25 press-ups.

13.29.

[Derek Simonds]

Originally Posted by Leon Robotham

That's fantastic, Derek!

I need to have more of a plan and the flow chart will help with that, in all honesty it's the basics that I need. After only 10 months on the mats I fugure that if I can do the simple things well then it should serve me well in the long run.

I'd really appreciate getting a copy of those charts, thank you very much for that.

Oh, what is the "stretch back grab ankle to shoulder pass"?

Cheers

It is a great pass to get caught in a triangle is what it is. I will see if I can find a video of it and post it. I am really bad with names for the different moves.

[Leon Robotham]

BJJ

It was another warm day at the gym today so the warm-up was kept short.

breakfalls, rolls, shrimping & hip switching (not sure what this is called but it's the drill for taking the back?)

Throw: With a collar and elbow grip standing square on take the hand with the collar secure kind of a reverse underhook on the opposite arm, simultaneously turn and put your hips on the outside of your opponents (now your facing away from your opponent with two arms gripping one of his, this position feels quite like a KB windmill). It's basically now a case of whipping him over your hips to the mat and finishing with a grip on the inside arm.

Brushed over the scissor sweep.

Guard Passing: Starting in guard secure a belt and inside thight pant grip, plant one foot then stagger the opposite foot and stand with your back at about a 45 degree angle. With the arm that has the pant grip use your forearm to drive his leg to the mat, kick back into a tripod position and walk round to the side. Block the guard out with the inside knee, ride his near side elbow up high and secure head and arm side control.

Variation: The guy on bottom manages to get to half-guard when your working round to the side. Move his arm up high and switch your hips dropping them to the mat near his so that you're facing away. He'll probably have an arm on you so threaten the kimura then grab a belt grip. Next walk your foot up to get some space to pull the trapped leg out. Finish in side control with and underhook and look to mount.

Next pass similar drill, but this time when you plant your foot the guy on bottom goes to attempt a scissor sweep. You counter by weaving the arm on the same side as your opponent has his shin across your body under and over both of his legs and taking a sleeve grip. Then you basically spawl and work round t side control.

If the guy on the bottom defends by keeping his knees close to his chest you overhook the leg and pull it back, block the guard out and secure side.

Sparring: We worked in groups of 3s today each getting 8 rounds of 4 minutes on while the other two switched at the 2 minute mark.This was tough, fun and fast paced. I played mostly off my back and managed to get and inverted triangle on but didnt finish. Quite suprised I gt as far as I did with that but i'm guessing Kafui was just happy to work on his counter to it. Fun times...

Finished with 10 minutes ginastica.

Time for a few beers

[Leon Robotham]

Back Squat 5-3-1+

135-152.5-175x8

The Bear

5 rounds incremental loading, rest as needed.

Worked up to 70k was still sleepy got confused somewhere along the line and did 6 rounds. From 40-70.

This was the first time I've trained at 6.45am, mentally I wasn't really fired up for the squats but they turned out ok, and the bear was just a complete brainfart.

[Leon Robotham]

Burgener warm-up PVC x 3

Snatch 2-2-2-2-1-1-1-1

30-40-50-60-70-75-80-85F-85F-85.

My PB is 96k, but I haven't snatched that since coach B helped me at lunch on his Scottish cert. To achieve my goal of a 100kg snatch i'm going to have to do it more than once a week. I think i'll add in a few lifts before BJJ on a wednesday and accessory before squats and deads, pulls, SB & tall snatches etc.

40 pull-ups/chins done in 5s between sets.

[Leon Robotham]

The traffic on the way to the gym was crazy tonight so I didn't have any time for oly.

BJJ

Warm-up: Jogging, bear crawls, rolls, shrimping and hip mobility.

Guard passing/retention drills. We started off with a pant grip of any kind, but had to be near the ankles. You then chose a side and worked towards it, the reaction was for the guy on bottom to recover guard and the counter was to use his momentum to pull his legs to the opposite side, finishing with a knee on belly.

Next was the single leg stack pass counter. With one leg pinned to the mat and the other wrapped over the shoulder you work round to side, but before you make it the bottom guy blocks it by making a frame with his hand on your hip. From there you basically shoot your hips out and turn in while dropping the leg which is over the shoulder down towards the mat. This gives you another frame and allows you to take the pinned leg over his head to meet the hand on the hip, then you remove the leg making the frame and recover guard.

Double under stack pass counter. From the stacked position make your legs heavy on your opponents arms, now walk the shoulders back to create space and pull him down to the mat. To finish simply recover an open-guard.

After covering the drills a few times we did them at speed in sequence from start to finish a couple of times.

5 rounds of 4 minutes flow-rolling. The rules are no strength above 50%, no submissions, relaxed pace and you're not allowed to stay in one position for more than 5 seconds.

I really like rolling like this because it allows me to focus on the smoothness of transitions, grips and also allows me to try new things against a semi-compliant opponent.

5 rounds sparring. Everything was working well for me tonight, especially the triangle which I usually always struggle with. Ahh!, i've just figured out why it clicked... on the double under pass we worked prior you had to shuffle your shoulders back to create space. I used the same technique to gain space and more of an angle and managed to hit it 3 times. For the rest it was a really relaxed roll, the perspective from the lessons carried over into sparring. I think the point was being made on purpose, because in recent weeks there's been some wreckless randori.

Great night on the mats.

[Leon Robotham]

5-3-1 Deads

170-192.5-215x7 2.388 x bwt.

2 mile jog 14.40

Foam roll and stretch.

I was feeling a little stiff today from BJJ and being at a desk for 8 hours didn't help. I'd set myself a goal of 8 reps, but because I like to keep a couple in the tank I cut it short there. Pretty happy with the numbers.

The ligt run was done with a couple of lads from the gym so we just chewed the fat for 15 mins and had a laugh. Feeling a lot looser than earlier thank god.

[Leon Robotham]

Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. Plenty of good food, beer, rum and socialising

Thank the lord for this deload week.

Back squat 40,50 & 60%

80 (should have been 77.5 but 80 was on a bar already), 92.5 & 112.5

50 Pull-ups. 10-10-10-5-5-10.