This time I didn’t get to put up two posts on time, so here’s Tuesday, May 31st‘s post:
Today’s instructor went over the finer details of the scissor sweep with us. After warm-ups and takedown drills he had everyone that knew the sweep demonstrate it. He then went over our mistakes, tweaking a grip, pointing out the flaw in a foot position. To begin with, use the right hand (for this example) to open the same-side lapel for the left. Get the left hand in as deep as possible. This way, if the sweep fails, you can push the opponent over into a collar choke or an omoplatta. With your other (right) hand, get a solid grip on the same-side cuff (or elbow, personal preference). Escape the hips out to the left. Bring the left knee up so that it is in front of the opponent’s left shoulder. Your foot should be by the right hip. Keep your right foot on the left hip. Use that foot to keep the opponent’s hips back while you pull her upper body towards you. Once you feel the weight is distributed far enough forward, bring the right foot down so that the leg is lying on its outside on the mat, with the calf pressed against the outside of the opponent’s left leg. Pull down and to the left with your right hand (which is on the cuff). Push the hand holding the collar out towards your right. You should now be lying towards or on your right hip. Scissor your legs so that your left extends while the right sweeps back along the mat, towards your back. Straighten your back as you do so, and as your opponent goes over use her momentum and your grips to pull yourself on top, into mount position.
A variation of this sweep is useful when the opponent spreads her knees to widen the base, making the sweep more difficult. Using the previous example, the counter to this is to put the right foot on the left knee instead of lining up the calf muscle with the outside of the left leg. Shove the foot down, pushing the opponent’s knee out from under her. Continue the sweep as described above.
My first partner today was rather new to the gentle art, so I got to try a bunch of submissions and sweeps. Not to say I wasn’t trying to give him tips too. The hip sweep, an omoplatta on a standing opponent, and a spider guard sweep that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine all saw some use. Later the professor came over and switched me to work with another student. He was far stronger than I, better too, and when I finally managed to somehow stand up in his guard he caught my right heel with his left hand while his left leg trapped my right thigh/knee. What to do from this position? Step through the guard? Spin around backwards? I’ll have to find out more about this. In any case, I got swept and ended up spending most of the rest of the time in bottom half-guard. When I finally thought I was going to reacquire guard, time was called and class was over. I still often feel very helpless from bottom half-guard. Need to drill being proactive in this position. I’m getting better at not letting my opponent flatten my back to the mat when I’m in bottom half-guard. One step at a time.