Skill Building - Back to Basics

At this point in training, today, right now, get back to basics! Whether you are a brown belt world champion, or you are a brand new grappler with 2 months experience, get back to basics.

It is so easy to get sucked into the lure of wanting to learn alot of new cool "tricks". There are literally hundreds of submissions out there to learn, but only a few basic positions. Learn those few basic positions and the principals for being successful at them now!

- Learn to prevent your guard from getting passed or replacing guard
- Get your posture better when in the guard or passing
- Improve your base to feel as dominant as possible in mount/side/north-south/back
- Improve your control and timing

To do all this, all it takes are some basic skill building exercises.

- Guard pass drill. Get a partner to get in guard and try to pass. Break down his posture, shrimp and adjust your guard to prevent his passes.

- Get in guard and improve your posture by sitting back straight, head up, torso alignment should be straight up and down with your weight over your hips, NOT I FRONT OF YOUR KNEES, with your legs apart in comfortable base. Use pressure and slow control to pass. Make it uncomfortable for your partner, so that letting you pass is a better option for him than having you stay in guard.

- Get in side mount and practice moving around from side to knee on belley, to mount, then knee on belly on the other side, then side, then north south, and back to original side. Do this by maintaining constant closeness and good body alignment. Keep weight on your partner and always block his hips and head as you move around i this circle for several reps. Be sure they check your base at the beginning of each position.

- Timing requires a partner that knows at least as much as you for whatever moves you are going to be working. Get in mount and have your partner check your base so you can get that cue to adjust hooks and control, then he should do the "bench press" to cue and armbar, or he should feed him arm across your chest to show giving up the back and you take that cue to take the back and get the RNC. these types of exercises will improve timing and recognizing threats and openings.