My YouTube Competition Video Collection...

**Stalkachu** · Posted On: 4/10/2007 5:58pm

First of all, I really hope that this is in the right place. It was either this or the videos section, but none of the subtopics seemed to directly fit this. Anyway, just throwing this out there so I can maybe get some feedback from people and opinions, and just generally because what's the point of having all this stuff stored online if you aren't going to share? ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/thejiujitsugame

All comments welcome!

Take care,

Stalks

P.S. Yes, I'm well aware pulling half-guard will get my ass kicked in a street fight. Ditto pulling side control. ^_^

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 4/10/2007 6:09pm

Is there anything in particular you want us to watch?

**Stalkachu** · Posted On: 4/10/2007 6:16pm

Nah, not really. I mean, it's basically chronological so you could track the development (such as it is @_@) over time. However, it was more about putting it out there so those who were interested could flick through it, watch anything that interested them, and give any feedback they wanted to. Of course, if they don't want to, fair enough.

It's not like me deliberately putting up a five minute sparring video and saying what should I work on, and if no-one really wants to watch more than one video, I understand. It's a lot of different stuff, not all of it particularly exciting. In short...watch as much as you like, comment if you like.

Sorry if that's a little uninspiring. ^_^

Take care,

Stalks

**Stalkachu** · Posted On: 4/16/2007 7:17pm

Updated with various new videos for the Urban Gorillaz UK Nationals!

Fight of the day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIBZPGwpB1Y

Takedown defense for the win!

Take care,

Stalks

**GoldenJonas** · Posted On: 4/18/2007 9:56am

Ummm...cool vids, good job.

In a number of the vids you pull half-guard, which is fine, I play from half-guard a lot too. However, you tend to lay flat rather than getting up on your hip and moving for a sweep setup or reversal. As soon as I pull half-guard I pummel for the underhook on the pinched side and immediately ball down and get up on my hip so my ass is facing away from my opponent. From this position you have numerous options from half-guard and your only immediate worry is countering a strong whizzer by your opponent who will try to flatten you back out.

If you lay flat your opponent will likely work for the unders and then work for the knee through pass to mount or side control.

There is my $0.02 cents of blue belt advice.

**Stalkachu** · Posted On: 4/18/2007 6:11pm

Yeah, that is true, and it's an area of my game I'm trying to work more on, rather than relying on my usual slow progression towards sweeps. As it is (at least in the recent videos), I go with the Lockdown and the double underhooks, which by necessity ends up with you on your back until you come up to your side and sweep. In the most recent videos, I wasn't actually really trying to sweep because the ruleset didn't really favor that in terms of point scoring so it was just a place to start before progressing back to full guard and going for sub attempts there. Still, your point is noted and I'm looking towards bringing my opponent's weight upwards over me and then having a clearer route for sweeping or going to the back, etc. - on the flip side this takes away from a few of my half-guard submissions, so I guess I just need to choose one or the other or find some kind of compromise.

If that makes sense?

A question, however - do you like the lockdown or not, and either way, what are your main attacks/sweeps from the half-guard?

Always nice to get someone else's perspective if they like to work the same positions. Can often learn more from a blue/purple belt who likes a position than from a black belt who doesn't like it or go there very often. At least you learn different things anyway. ^_^

Thanks anyway!

Take care,

Stalks

**GoldenJonas** · Posted On: 4/18/2007 10:52pm

Lockdown - I use it to bring my opponent's weight over me so that I can more effectively ball down and hip out to set a traditional "old school" or some variation there of.

I have read both Bravo books but I DO NOT preoccupy myself with his game. Rather, I have picked through some of his very basics set-ups and have been able to make them work in my game, which is still developing daily.

From the half-guard I use one of two things to get myself balled down toward my opponent's hips; 1) direct my opponent's weight with the lockdown, or 2) secure traditional half-guard and use my pinched side arm and leg to pull my opponent up and then pendulum myself down toward the hips.

From there you can work the old-schoolesque type sweep or counter the post with a sweep to the opposite side. The more experienced my opponent the less of a chance I will have to take the back after balling down. More experienced guys secure and work the whizzer to counter the back attempt. Further, securing the far ankle with your inside arm to drive the old school is not enough against guys with a solid base; you need to read and time it quickly and pull their knee in while driving forward which usually puts you in their half-guard. If you are able to pull you opponent over you, secure the pinched side under, and ball down, there is no reason I can think of as to why you should not transition to their back (with one hook already in) provided they do not pull the whizzer.

My newest objective when in some else's half guard is to secure the double under hooks, even if this means I give up some space. Once I have secured the doubles my success rate for passing to mount or side is close to 100%. Worse that happens is you back out and get back to standing or secure the whizzer to control him and readjust; but think quickly.

From under half guard I really do not have any subs that are worth it; most of the **** for there, at least for me, is very low percentage and gimmicky. If I'm rolling with a white or other less experienced guy I might try something. If I'm rolling with another blue or higher, I work for a better position.

Another very important transitional aspect of half guard, IMO, is the balling down. If you bring your opponent up over you and simply reach down for his legs without staying compact and balling down you are setting yourself up to be choked, specifically, brabo'ed (guy can post out with his other leg and wrap the over under and drop his chest for the brabo or neck crank from the brabo'esque position). So like anything in BJJ, success in focusing on the minutia.

Well, I now submit myself to Cassius and Shuma how may toss this in Gitmo, but I hope my post helps you some or gives you some ideas.

**Stalkachu** · Posted On: 4/19/2007 5:26am

Whoah! That's a pretty damn thorough answer. @_@

I must admit my percentages with the traditional trapping the leg sweeps from half guard are pretty low, probably partially due to poor technique and partially because everyone knows I'm going to do it. My success with what Eddie calls the 'Twist Back & Plan B' (taking them the other way) is much greater, because by basing against the normal sweep they pretty much give it to you.

As for subs, that's pretty much my sitution too. The kimura works pretty well no-gi because they don't have so much to grip on to so it's much harder to defend and you don't have to give up on it straight away, and I have one gi choke that works pretty nicely from there but it's only high percentage on guys who've never seen it before. Gradually, my success rate with it in class is going down, even if it works pretty well in tournaments still.

I find the Brabo choke, for whatever reason, isn't particularly effective as long as you can keep the arm around their body. If they're still locked pretty tight in the half-guard, it's pretty difficult for most guys to get the pressure to either pass the arm or to try and finish it from there. The gi variation is much tighter but the setup time is so much greater it ends up being harder to finish, so that also ends up being less threatening than it should be. Then again, Brabo chokes come and go in popularity so not many people I train with use them all that often, which probably works in my favor.

Taking the back from half-guard is something that seems to come and go depending on the day. Generally, it's pretty tricky to get properly, and I more commonly end up back in guard as I get to their back but without the control so they turn back into guard instead. Which isn't exactly a failure, but I guess I just need to put more pressure on their shoulder to bring them up over me and get some more space to shift my hips out. Or maybe I just suck. *shrug*

Anyway man, thanks for you detailed reply and nice to get some discussion going on here about this kinda stuff. ^_^

Best of luck with your training,

Take care,

Stalks