Class notes September 2011

Tonight was my first session at Pro Mai MMA. For pretty much all of the day I was nervously going through the session I knew nothing about in my head. I had mentioned to Steph several times my feelings and was very reassuring, supportive and calming. When I got there only a few people were in the hall. One guy introduced himself and made me feel very comfortable and welcomed and the nerves disappeared. I guess being a new person you always feel a sense of dread as you know you are bottom of the ladder and few people want to train with newbies as they are an unknown quantity. Warm up: Very similar to a Jits warm up in that consisted of movement to increase core heat. A nice change was the lack of intense exercise. That is for my own time. We then made a circle and started shadow boxing (hands and feet) with the insertion of the calls jump, sprawl, burpee and shoot.

DOUBLE LEG TAKEDOWN DRILLING: Main focus was posture, something that I need to be frequently aware of and thus adjusting. Hips back, short arms, elbows in, spine concave head tucked in but chin up. When shooting for the TD keep looking up and squeeze ear to the hip of opponent. This will ensure you are harder to be head controlled. Once in hold step around and stand as you lift, posted leg side, and turn (away from the posted leg). This was something of a real learning curve for me as the subtle details I had not heard before. Perhaps doing Jts by a Brazilian, details were lost in translation. Things at Pro Mai feel more detailed and technical than I have learned before.

CONCEPT: HEAD CONTROL.

STANDING: If the opponent gets lazy with his clinch, get it to the centre of your chest with proper wrestling posture. Hips and feet away. If you need to move forward to apply pressure to his posture take small steps as this will prevent the leg being caught. The clinch grip (one arm along neck, other under arm pit) meets at the centre of his chest. Clasp fingers to ensure the elbows are in tight and the head control comes from the elbows.

TAKEDOWN 1: Give him forward pressure (action – reaction) he should push back into you. As he does sprawl down to complete the takedown. The pressure on his back from your chest will ensure this completion.

TAKEDOWN 2: From head control release a hold but keep elbows in, swim an arm out to clasp the top of one of the shoulders. Using a scissor action turn his head and spine. The hand on the shoulder becomes the top hand. Keep the pressure through your chest and drive him down towards your foot. Step out and complete the takedown. I did get very confused with the completion as my feet were all over the place.

INNER FOREARM CHOKE FROM STANDING: Lee talked briefly between chokes and suppressions. Chokes are against the front of the throat and cut off the air to the brain whereas suppression cut of the blood supply to the brain. The target here is just either side of the throat and not the sides of the neck as I previously believed. Keeping chest pressure throw the arm up and over his head deeply inserting the forearm across his throat. Keep him in close and tight to the ribs. Clasp the throat arm with other hand at the wrist, palms facing in and 90 degree angle. This does require some elbow flexibility. Stack the non choking hand on top of his shoulder. This will help to lift and secure the choke. I did find this motion very hard. HEAD CONTROL FROM BOTTOM

CONTROL ESCAPE: From guard, wrap the head as you sit up and get vertical. This is key. Then post the hand out behind you and scoop same side leg as posted arm out. Maintain pressure through your chest as you sprawl the legs out.

INNER FOREAEM CHOKE: Get vertical and wrap the head, close the guard and the choke.

SWEEP: Post up and grab at the elbow on the triceps as you squeeze it tight to your own torso. Look up and behind yourself in the direction of the clasp. Lift the hips ups and sweep in to top control (mount).

DOWNWARD SHOULDER ROTATION (KIMURA): Get vertical and take wrist control of his posted hand. Swim your arm up and over his back then under his armpit trying to maintain as much pressure as possible on the top of his shoulder. This ensures better control of him. As you lie back and close guard at a perpendicular angle to him, tightly and securely bring his elbow to the centre of your chest. Close the grip and start the submission. His elbow needs to stay on the chest Keep his arm at 90 degrees and rotate towards the shoulder. Keep the arm inside rather than past the 90 for greater pain compliance and efficiency of submission.

BOTTOM CONTROL CHAINING: With resistance we worked chaining the moves together and feeling for pressure one way then moving to another move.