Training 2014/01/27 #005

Drills and skills

We worked on knee on belly today. I honestly spent most of my drill time working with a heavy bag because my timing was so wretched! Basically, it was knee-on-belly transitions: right to left, step around the head, and drop into mount.

We also played an interesting game. It was 2 on 1. Two attackers attempt to move one defender about 20 feet across a line on the mats. The defender can submit the attackers but the attackers can't attack the defender. The drill is really about positioning.

You quickly learn a few things as the attacker:

1. Keep your grips legal! An inside cuff grip is dangerous when someone can kick out.
2. Get a leg and an arm. If each attacker can get a leg and an arm, the defender is useless.
3. Control and move. Another strategy is for one of the attackers to simply control the body of the defender via mount, guard, etc. The other attacker can then grab a cuff and haul them both across the line.

There is also a few lessons to be had as the defender:

1. Try to keep both of your defenders close. If they get in each other's way they really can't coordinate the attack.
2. Escape decisively. If you're going to move, don't pause or hesitate. You basically have two sets of grips to break and then two tackles to avoid!

Overall, the exercise was quite entertaining and absolutely exhausting. It was very interesting to explore the different interactions of weight and position.