My conundrum (spazzes, open guard, promotion, and FUNK)

[Chris Beeby]

I have been training Luta Livre (see also: No-Gi BJJ) ~4 times a week for just over 5 months. Sounds like a short period of time, but I wrestled for just under 2 years, and have been interested in MMA/BJJ (mostly BJJ) for years, so it's safe to say I had a pretty damn good base.

I was sitting with my instructor and one of the other regulars while everyone did the standard warmup (I was already warm) and my instructor was talking about promoting people. My name was brought up about being promoted to Yellow (equivalent to between white/blue in BJJ) and my instructor said I was ready but I'd have to show dominance over one of my peers.

He (my peer) stinks like shit, spazzes, and I KNOW I'm better than he is (a brave statement, I know). When we roll, he goes all out, often attempting to bumrush me, so I'll pull guard. I've since decided that I'll just take top, because his defensive/guard game sucks.

So instead of learning, I basically have to submit him in whatever fashion possible. The ONLY part of my game that I can't submit/sweep him from at will is my open guard/postured guard. He'll often just sit up and chill and as soon as I sit up to break his posture/hip bump sweep (I'm bad at it) he'll spazz. From their I'll fight for guard again or he'll escape to half guard, and again back to full, killing time, making it difficult to show my dominance.

TLDR.

If you're bored, throw some pointers on just about anything.

 

[blanko]

what do you mean by "open guard" cus it seems like you just unlock your feet...

 

[codemonkey76]

i agree with blanko... what form of open guard are you using? when you break his posture, keep it broken and start attacking, climb your legs high, lock up a shoulder and start attacking collar chokes, armbars and triangles.

 

[Chris Beeby]

i agree with blanko... what form of open guard are you using? when you break his posture, keep it broken and start attacking, climb your legs high, lock up a shoulder and start attacking collar chokes, armbars and triangles.

I'll sit up and go to butterfly or try to regain guard or whatever. I realize my question doesn't make sense. I think I was just having an off day today, I'll see how I really do with him tomorrow, as I think I solved my own problem.

Some pr0n for your time.

 

[Davii]

I currently (have to) train luta livre since there's no other bjj gym around the area where im working this summer. A lot of the guys, like you said, just spazz. Obviously this could just be my gym, but it seems to go along with the style somehow.

And in all honesty - 5 months of BJJ or Luta Livre isn't very much. Wrestling helps your base, yes, but not really the game of bjj.

Anyways - when you do the hip sweep from guard where he postures, the ONLY way for him to stop that (assuming hes a beginner) is when he leans into you (you counter with guillotine) or he posts out an arm (you kimura or do a fancy little triangle.)

Thats pretty basic stuff to counter his counters.

From closed guard I wouldn't voluntarily go to butterfly guard.. especially not if you just started luta livre 5 months ago.

Good luck

 

[masada555]

Just get top and dominate him.

You wrestled; it should not be too difficult for you to get the other guy on his back at the beginning of the roll, right? If your instructor is evaluating your dominance, don't sit to guard; fight as hard as you can for the top position.

If he does put you on your back, rather than focusing on sweeping or submitting, focus on standing up and fighting for the top again. FYI the hip bump sweep combos very well with standing up...go for the hip bump, if they keep their base, immediately do a technical standup and be ready to sprawl/front headlock.

 

[BCarr]

Lock his shoulder down to your chest while you're working. That will help open up some opportunities (like Codemonkey said)...and I mean REALLY pin it to your chest. Make him struggle to free it, then work the sweep or finish from there.

 

[Bucketbot]

Not trying to be vague...but use his spazz energy against him. Work on half guard/butterfly sweeps (esp butterfly sweeps with your hooks) to use his spazz energy against him...

When he comes flying at you, just use his energy against him. Push into him to get him to push back more...and than just reverse the position on him...sweeping him in the direction that you want!

That get on top and CRUSH him! Make him pay for all of the spazz energy!

There are a few guys like you described (minus the stink) at the my club, and that is how i deal with them. I may have to take a little punishmnet on the bottom while i work to sweep them, but once i do, i pay back all of that spazz energy on them by crushing them...

Also i find once i do this a few times, they tone down the spazz factor (at least against me) because they know that if they spazz against me, i will make them pay when i get on top

as always, just a thought

 

[STFUjiujitsu]

Does dominance necesarilly mean being able to submit him at will???
Maybe your looking at it all wrong. Maybe what he means by dominance is merely being in control. Pushing the action. Your movements force your opponent to move...


Even on your back. If he sits up and just sits there, Abandon guard and play a scramble. As long as your in 100% control of your opponents next move, to me that is dominance.

Being able to pull guard and armbar because that's your go to move doesn't mean you can dominate someone.

Being able to go from mount to side control to knee on belly, to N/S and decide when and where to submit him is DOMINANCE. As far as spazz goes....Being able to control a spazz is difficult but maybe your instructor wants you to be able to use your technique to prevail over strength and speed?

There's also a good chance I have no idea what I"m talking about and my low carb diet has gone to my head.

 

[BJJ in Chicago]

i sure hope there's no fee for the yellow belt.

 

[Chris Beeby]

Anyways - when you do the hip sweep from guard where he postures, the ONLY way for him to stop that (assuming hes a beginner) is when he leans into you (you counter with guillotine) or he posts out an arm (you kimura or do a fancy little triangle.)

Thanks much. These are things I should at least remember, but we rarely drill the absolute basics like this, because everyone else who goes regularly has been going for 1 1/2 years or so.

If he does put you on your back, rather than focusing on sweeping or submitting, focus on standing up and fighting for the top again. FYI the hip bump sweep combos very well with standing up...go for the hip bump, if they keep their base, immediately do a technical standup and be ready to sprawl/front headlock.

I was always told this was douchy, but eh, I'll do it anyway.

Does dominance necesarilly mean being able to submit him at will???

See, this is how I feel, but my instructor said "he (me) needa submitta heim (the guy)" and I said, "I will", and he googled his eyes and said "A lot". That said when rolling with him my conditioning is better, he grunts and breathes heavily, I dictate the pace, I throw subs from all angles, but I just need to use initial energy and end up on top.

i sure hope there's no fee for the yellow belt.

TD if you're implying that that's not a long time, which it isn't, realize first that Luta Livre has a different belt system. I don't go to a McDojo, and my instructor wasn't necessarily talking soon, it was just the subject in general.

 

[BJJ in Chicago]

TD if you're implying that that's not a long time, which it isn't, realize first that Luta Livre has a different belt system. I don't go to a McDojo, and my instructor wasn't necessarily talking soon, it was just the subject in general.

nononon.. not at all. i was just saying that in traditional bjj, yellow is a kids belt. i never knew luta livre has a different system. i guess i never knew that because, well, i've never seen vids of luta livre guys wearing gis and belts haha. thanks for the eye opener.

 

[masada555]

I was always told this was douchy, but eh, I'll do it anyway.

It's one of your 3 primary options while playing guard: sweep, submit, or stand up. If you leave out that pressure of standing up, you are limiting your game and making it easier for your opponent.

It's only douchy if you stand up while you're both on your knees, and only when you are starting from the knees.

It's never douchy when you start the roll from standing. It's also not douchy if you're playing guard and he's playing top, actively trying to hold you down or pass, and you snap him down and stand up. It's a great habit to develop, especially if you're interested in MMA or self-defense.

 

[BJJ in Chicago]

i'll stand up from time to time to escape and then sit back down to my knees. if i have to stand up to avoid a sweep i'll stand up and out and then sit back down. good habits.