Train with Me

Carrying on with the fundamentals from the Gracie University BBS1 syllabus, this drill begins in the mount and ends with offence from the full guard. Firstly, we look at the guard recovery from the full mount. Then, we work the cross choke and armbar from guard as an attack by combination. Lastly, we add in the triangle as well as triple threat position from guard.

To confirm, please note that these video shorts do not purport to offer thorough instruction, nor are they intended to replace proper online or in-person training. However, if, like me, you are looking for inspiration for you personal at-home training maybe these drills can encourage your own practice. If so, great. If not, thanks for watching anyhow!

And now, before you go any further, couple things to bear in mind. Firstly, I’d recommend doing each drill for 2-3 days, perhaps a couple times a day – for example, as a warm-up to strength and conditioning. Consistency is key, rather than binging and burning out. Lastly, of course, you’re doing these drills at your own risk.

Suggested drill

Suggested drill is 5 minutes, alternating sides. Then, 5 minutes going from under the mount to the guard. Feel free to work your posture control and wrist-control armbar.

Sticking with fundamental techniques from the Gracie University BBS1 syllabus, this drill starts in the closed guard and ends in the side control. First, we look at the scissor sweep from closed guard. Next, we consider transitioning to the butterfly guard if the scissor sweep isn’t happening. Then, we look at the strong side and weak side sweeps from the butterfly guard, landing in side control. Finally, rather than moving to knee ride and submitting via the elbow cup armbar, we drill some basic variations of the Americana.

For clarity, please note that these video snippets do not purport to offer thorough instruction, nor are they intended to replace proper online or in-person training. However, if, like me, you are looking for inspiration for you personal at-home training maybe these drills can encourage your own practice. If so, yay! If not, thanks for stopping by.

And now, before you go any further, couple things to note. Firstly, I’d recommend doing each drill for 2-3 days, perhaps a couple times a day – for example, as a warm-up to strength and conditioning (I’m loving the online programming at Subversive Fitness, by the way). Consistency is key, rather than binging and burning out. Lastly, of course, you’re doing these drills at your own risk.

Suggested drill

Building from the scissor sweep, let’s add butterfly sweeps to side control / knee ride to side control. Suggested drill is 5 minutes per variation, alternating sides.

In order to, perhaps, help you while I help myself, here’s the second full sequence in my ‘train with me’ series. In the previous sequence we began in side control, moved to knee ride and submitted from there via the elbow cup armbar. So, this time let’s start from inside the side control. From there we can use the bump and recover escape to recover the guard. Then, we’ll work some posture prevention from the guard. Finally, we’ll submit from the guard with basic armbar and triangle set ups.

Again, I’ve confine myself to techniques within the Gracie University BBS1 syllabus. Moreover, I’m assuming a ‘greasing the groove‘ approach to training. Okay not strictly greasing the groove, but certainly inspired by that notion. In other words, frequent practices of well-defined movements, rather than blocks of longer sessions. If, like me, risk factors for you or your loved one have you off the mats during the Covid-19 pandemic, you might be tiring of the dummy and lack of fellowship. I hear you! While the current situation is unpredictable, overwhelming and exhausting, I’m doing my best to carry on in my many spheres of endeavour, including, of course, jiu jitsu. I hope you can too. This ‘drip feed’ style of training is working well for me and perhaps it’ll boost your engagement with your own training.

And now, before you go any further, couple things to note. Firstly, I’d recommend doing each drill for 2-3 days, perhaps a couple times a day – think between homeschool lessons, for example. Get that regular consistency by training a little, a lot. Secondly, what follows is intended as a fun sequence for your solo practice, rather than a course of proper online instruction. Finally, you’re doing these drills at your own risk, for the record.

Suggested drill

Suggested drill is 5 minutes from the guard, repping each posture prevention strategy. Then, 5 minutes starting from the side control, escaping into guard and working posture prevention.

Training at home in the age of covid? Looking for drill snippets to work every day in a little and often approach? Me too. For the last year, I’ve focussed on short daily drills of 10-20 minutes. I find anymore than this with the dummy is too demoralising. Perhaps you’re in a similar situation. If so, join me in the first set of drills in an emerging series of ‘train with me’ snippets.

To begin with we’ll practice controlling the side mount. Then, maintaining the knee ride. Finally, we’ll progress to an elbow cup armbar from the knee on belly. I like building up attacks by combination or flows with position-control-submission. Here, I’ve confined myself to techniques within the Gracie University BBS1 syllabus, which includes a lot of the fundamentals. In this way I can force myself to make connections between techniques, in order to internalise and conceptualise the material more fully. So, if you’d like to join me, please read on for videos and suggested drills.

Before you go any further, couple things to note. Firstly, I’d recommend doing each drill for 2-3 days. Get that regular consistency by training a little, a lot. Secondly, what follows is intended as a guide for your solo practice, rather than a course of proper online instruction. Finally, you undertake these drills at your own risk, just sayin’.

Suggested drill

5 minutes each side dropping to side control, integrating the side control flow from the previous snippet before returning to knee on stomach.

Suggested drill

Start from side control, drill your control from there. Then move to knee ride, and perhaps drop back to side control before establishing a solid knee ride. Finally, apply the submission.

10-15 minutes alternating sides.

Lastly, enjoy yourself! And for what its worth, spend more energy on celebrating getting all these great reps and less on missing the proper gym and you training partners.