Friday, June 10, 2005

BJJ Move #12: In Cross Side - Standard Reversal to Guard

Now for what to do when you're on the bottom of cross side...

WARNING! These techniques could result in serious injury or death if practiced incorrectly or even if performed correctly. They should only be practiced with the supervision of an experienced instructor.

In Cross Side - Standard Reversal to Guard:
-reversal
-basic

First, how to protect yourself in cross side:

Your opponent has you in his cross side on your right side with his left arm under your head and right arm under your left armpit (“underclasp”).
Put your left forearm against his throat under his chin, right forearm across his belly/chest (higher than his hip—you’re going to move his upper torso… though some also say to stick it so it fits into the crease where his legs meet his body “like a key”). “Gooseneck” your wrists so your hands form hooks to keep him from sliding up past your arms.
It is critical to remember that when you defend cross side, you’re defending with the length of arm from your shoulder to your elbow (not your forearms). Concentrate on keeping that space and using your arm as a prop against your opponent's neck, chest, hips, etc. If you can always keep your elbows in there and use that length of arm to make that much space, you can always prevent him from submitting you or getting too tight. Don't think about your forearms, think of yourself as an amputee, with stumps at the elbows, and those stumps always have to be pointing up or keeping that set space between you and your opponent.
Bridge up onto your right shoulder, raising your upper arms perpendicular to the ground so your forearms are now parallel to the ground (elbows at ninety degrees); this way, when you drop back down, your arms are propping his upper body off you. The left forearm against the throat is the more important lever.
With this space created, hip out to the left as far as you can—-you’ll now be lying on your right hip/side, not your back—-and get your right knee/shin (and, if possible, foot) under his right thigh. Be sure your hips are turned all the way onto the ground facing your opponent before you try sticking the knee in.
Then hook your left foot in between his legs, and pop your right knee outside his left hip—-he’s in your guard.
It may help to have the sole of your right foot against your left knee so you can drive with your left foot and hip to get the right knee inside his legs. In general, he wants to stay perpendicular to you, and you want to close the angle so you’re closer to parallel (with feet pointing in the same direction).

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