Where to Start

Sometimes I come to class with a specific plan.  Sometimes I come with a general idea.  Sometimes I come empty handed.  Today was an empty hand day.

What does that mean, for the teacher to be empty handed?  Well, it means that we’ll run through some basic drills and see what comes up.  Maybe the way people move will provide an idea for the class.  Maybe someone will make a comment or ask a question that will provide a theme for the class.

Today it was a question.  What do you do when you find yourself on the bottom of a cross body position?  Well, first off, you remind yourself not to let your partner do whatever it was they did to get you there in the first place but when you’re done scolding yourself, you make space and get to a better position.

Ideally, your partner would leave you enough room so that you can simply shrimp and take half guard or guard.  Sadly, good partners rarely leave this room for you – so you have to make it yourself.  One way to do so is to make a frame with your elbows (hellbows is the lingo they use at Alive) that makes squishing you much less fun for your partner.  With the frame in place, you will squirm, you will wriggle and you will hopefully find the room to move your hips and take half guard or guard.

I love it when the students come up with my classes for me.