Pulling guard….. while it can sometimes get smack talked, it has its place and benefits. If someone isn’t comfortable in their takedowns, pulling guard allows a sense of control. You get safely to the ground and can control posture, before planning your own attack, at your own pace. 

I would say it’s a mixture of the 2 options for me. I feel like I try to bait my partner into an action, and then I react to that. 

Pulling guard. Lol

This is definitely a technique that I saw some of the kids could have benefited from in the competition. Especially when the opponent in guard leans back, take the momentum and use it against them. Great reversal. 

When I try a technique or move that I can typically always land, and the person I’m rolling with, shits it down like it’s my first day at the gym. So demoralizing. 

While we would hope that nobody makes the mistake to extend their arms from the bottom, it is great to see our kids recognize the opportunity to secure an arm, twist the hips, throw the leg over, and land an arm bar. I also love that for every attack technique shown to the kids, it also shows the defensive technique in a way for the training partner. Great training partners make for great jiu jitsu. 

Trap, Bridge, and Roll is such a solid technique that it’s a fundamental for little kids, but still applicable to adult jiu jitsu on a daily basis. It’s even taught as part of the defensive tactics curriculum for local law enforcement. 

I enjoy training with someone that I can have a conversation with. I can try some technique that is not traditional and we can laugh about it being a dumb move or explore variations to show why it’s a good move. 

Would you say that those 2 days off help equilize your body? LOL #Casey

While this is sport jiu jitsu, and these are kids, Jiu Jitsu as a whole idea is great for self defense. It builds confidence and allows them to know what is safe and what is not safe in regards to limits of flexibility. A choke however, doesn't really have a "flexibility line". If the choke is in, especially one as devastating as a rear naked choke, the importance of knowing that it can come on so quickly and be so powerful is critical. Done correctly and safely, the rear naked choke is one of the all time greatest.