Today in class I started rolling with Michael, but he's evidently got a real job and has to jet right at 1. So I was just sitting watching a couple other guys roll, thinking about my guard passing.
Then it was like a stream of senior guys asking me if I wanted to roll... I was in BJJ heaven (if one can equate getting choked out or arm barred to a state of bliss).
So Charley just kicked my ass basically. He's got the most devastating invisible knee! I just about tapped from it alone. However, I noticed something rolling with him. As I'd try to staple down his grounded leg when he was on his side. He'd escape his hips just a little so that I wasn't squared up with him at all. In fact, he was able to sit up and reach over my head and under my far shoulder. Not really a neck crank, but totally destroys any ability to resist him pulling me over. It was really interesting, because I honestly felt that I had won the lower half battle, but he was able to somehow control my far shoulder and either roll me to get side control or my back.
I say thanks and sit down to digest all this, and then John walks over and asks me to roll. I'm like "damn, now I gotta get my ass kicked twice!", but I'll never refuse a roll with John. I always learn a lot rolling with him. So I went back to work.... SAME DARN THING! At least basically. I tried to stay really clamped down on his thigh, but he was able to get under my far elbow and collapse me while hip escaping. He did it time and time again, each time I felt like I did a little better, but still have a lot to work on.
So now I'm cooling down, getting ready to get back to work, and Doc says "cmon Elliott'. "SHIT!" If you don't know doc, you're not missing much, he's pretty much a total dick. I'm saying this to see if he's actually reading (or anyone for that matter). Actually, Doc is a great guy, and I'm pretty sure he's the most technical Blue that I've rolled with at Vandry's. Add that to the fact that he's got some crazy wrestling background, and ain't a lil boy, he's pretty much a beast. He's also gotta fix my back tomorrow.
So I'm thinking, "Ok O'Hara, let's see if we can apply some of that stuff J and C just gotcha with." Well, the answer was evidently no. First roll, he goes to his side, I try to pin down a leg, and walk around, and he says "I'm pretty sure you're over comitted" and sweeps me like I'm a little school girl. Instead of destroying my far side, Doc started putting a hook in under my near shoulder. Interesting delima. I concentrate on my far shoulder, and end up getting some crazy hook under my near shoulder.
I've got a lot to work on, that's for sure. I definitely feel like I've got the hips working well, it's just time to work the shoulders together. I also think that I need to stop that bottom hip escape. If there was a way to keep myself tight, and deny that hip escape somehow, it would take away a lot of their options.
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