On the Mat Day 73: Open Guard Attacks

We did a cartwheel attack to an opponent in open guard on Monday night. It was actually quite fun. I managed to do a few during sparring but they were really sloppy. The attendance tonight was low. Perhaps that's because it was after a competition. A blue belt came who I've seen there only about 2-3 times before. He is definitely judo based because he likes to stand tall and go for grips right away. While sparring with him I kept my hips low and just pulled him to guard every time. I used the komulock (whizzer on one arm to hold his collar) from that position I tried a triangle but failed. It is becoming one of my favourite things to do in closed guard. I can go for a triangle, collar choke or omoplata. I even tried an americana lock from this position when I saw his arm bend as he tried to pull it out. I forgot to connect the whizzer arm to my own so didn't have enough leverage to submit him though. While sparring with Kondo-san I tried the collar choke from mount. I failed it but later he told me to use my elbow to knock aside his face to expose his neck to the choke. He told me that he was worried about the choke at the time which means I am becoming perhaps a little more dangerous (evil grin).

I really went to the dojo tonight with the intention of working half-guard. This is my goal from now after talking with Yoshida-san. I've been watching "Lost Techniques of the Half Guard" which is just what I needed and practising the moves on my wife - bless her bumps and scrapes. I actually got two people from mount to my half-guard by using the technique so was well pleased. I also swept Yoshida from the lockdown but don't know how the hell I did it. He in turn got me in an electric chair-type submission which I was quick to tap to because of my groin pain. Thank god I had the sense not to struggle with that.

After the workout I know I probably got tapped a lot and dominated but I have stopped caring now or even thinking about it - hence why it is so vague. All I think about are my goals (half-guard), use positions that I want to get to, etc. This is definitely the fun way to do things instead of beating my head against the wall while thinking I am crap. I will take tonight off to let my groin heal up a bit more and go on Friday night. I am, dare I say, almost fully fit now.