Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

Ground work (working from the bottom-- being pinned)

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•Head up knees bent and close to your butt --work from the side of the back more than the flat of the back
•Use big toe to little toe and ball of foot movement
•Bridge in diagonal line –abs must engage to unify hip and shoulder line
•Symmetrically work bridge, shrimp, and reverse shrimp for turn under and turnover actions
•Use graduated resistance with a partner
•Escape work is primary—make them give up space or adjust -- do all basic escapes until you no longer fear being pinned; internalize pinning from the bottom, then you can start offensive (topside) work

Groundwork (bottom side leg trapping and turnover -- in your "guard")

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•One foot up one foot down—both in propping positions
•Feet stick to surfaces like glue
•Hands support the foot actions with pulling action (mostly)
•Hands can replace feet as props
•Practice egg beater for full range of motion
•Stretch him out to his weakness


Ground work (working from top for the pin)

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•Golden spike—hold one square inch of the guy --concentrate your pressure into smallest surface area possible
•Enclose with hips, elbows, knees, shoulders –toes stay live or inside edge of foot turns down to brace –knees and hips and head stay low
•Make HIM the weight bearing object, not the floor
•Work step through and ball for envelope transitions and work
pin to armbar to choke to pin- stay fluid


Ground work (from top side for armbars)

•Work in the armbar line --line of the shoulders
•Let them happen—never force them
•Control the joint above the one you want to lock--control the shoulder to get the elbow
•Always work light for control, not pain
•Know your elbow anatomy by feel
•Primarily work armbar series repetitions for coil, reverse coil, straight and compression

Ground work (from variety of positions--chokes)

•Learn the anatomy of the neck by feel
•Work with precision of position and correct surfaces (small edges) –don’t hold too much gi
•Remove all slack
•Wring the hands
•Hunch up shoulders
•Drive with the legs-- power of choke should come from the whole body
•Work the variations of pulling and pushing and leg action chokes with gi and naked chokes

Ground work (top side from double leg entanglement aka. “ being in the guard”)

•One knee up, one down--live toes—stay low
•Elbows in –soften up locked ankles with pressre in the sweet spots
•Don’t reach past belt line until you are ready to transition into pin
•Drive to diagonals
•Hold what you get and compress limbs or spin or both before transition

Ground work (top side from single leg entangle)

•Knee up, elbows in
•Underhook his head to bow his body
•Shoulder in neck/ upper corner control
•Extract knee-- methodically
•Peel out with free leg

Ground work (turtle)

•Avoid going into turtle– a purely defensive – panic position
•Offensive side --work variety of drills from different beginning positions and different configuiations to take advantage of the wek strategy
•Defensive side --work the armbar turn out from underneath