Notes from John Will seminar on Sat 18/10 at Rick Spain’s gym.
Takedowns
Low single leg
From toe to toe (your left leg forward his right): level change to 3 points, both feet and right hand. The feet do not have to move. Drive forward (not down, you changed levels first to enable that), fold your left knee to the floor, and grab the ankle or heel of his right foot, and drive your left ear into the inner side of his right knee. Drive out to the left with your head, pulling on the foot, rather than straight back.
The post allows your momentum to keep going forward, rather than down.
If you go straight back, his other leg also goes straight back, and is in prime position for an axe kick or stomp to your head. If you take him out to the side, his other leg swings away from you and he will be unable to stomp you.
It should come in so low that getting punched or kneed is not possible. He might be able to soccerball kick you with his front leg if he is very fast, but there is so little space. If he tries to soccerball kick you with his back leg, he is gone once he shifts his weight to the front foot.
Practice against a partner just putting his front leg forward and back for timing, then against a partner circling. Practice shooting under a broomstick held low.
Be sparing with training partners, as this will stress the knee. Use either a cylindrical pool float doubled and held by a partner or a heavy bag on its end for practising power attacks.
If he moves his leg back, just crawl forward on the other knee and attack his other leg. Repeat.
If you get his front leg but he manages to sprawl his right leg back bring your right knee up so you are comfortable: Stand up on your left foot through his legs at about 10:00 and lift his right leg on your shoulder. Extend the right arm forward as if pointing, then spin clockwise on your ight knee, take your right arm over his butt and move to take his back; grab his knees, drive into his hips with your shoulder and flatten him out. Move onto his back.
Bear Hug Takedown
Crash into him, head on his chest (listening to his heartbeat) with your head and body well covered. Do not come in with arms outstretched (the “zombie attack”) as it gives him too many opportunities to pummel and get underhooks, arm drag, etc.
If you crash in, arms close, his natural reaction will be to grab your upper body with both arms, which allows you to get double underhooks with ease.
Use the C / gable grip (no thumbs) as it is the strongest and allows maximum movement of the wrists and arms while retaining the grip. The thumbs make the grip weaker and less flexible. Pull him in TIGHT and weld your COG’s together, then pull back strongly with the arms as you flex forward at the waist (“toy bird drinking”), pushing his chest with your head. Step both feet around his body (the “cowboy walk”) as he falls and move to the mount, letting go of his body in time to post and break your fall.
Legbars
Step Through Legbar Against Guard
You are standing in his guard, his legs are open. Pass your L arm under his right leg and push his L leg to the floor with your R hand. Slide your L arm up his R leg until his heel catches in the crook of your elbow. Step over his R leg with your R foot, turning anticlockwise and fall to your right side. Your crotch should meet his thigh just above the knee. Your L foot is on the floor with the crook of your R knee on top of it, protecting it from his attempts to hook and remove it. Perfect technique has his R foot on the R side of your head {the other side of your head from him) so he cannot grab it. Even better, hold the foot in the crook of your right elbow, next to your R cheek, with your R hand on your L bicep and your L hand grabbing your head (and protecting your face) like a head-arm choke.
With legbars, unlike armbars, you must go to the leg, whereas you can bring the arm to you. Legbars are regarded as fairly exotic in BJJ because they generally require you to relinquish some positional control, and if missed can often end up giving the guy your back or in another bad position.
Rather than having your crotch right down near his hip, it should be just a little above the knee on the thigh. Always grab the end of the lever (his foot/ankle).
Step Through Legbar from Side Control
You have him in side control on his R. he lifts his R knee and puts his foot on the other thigh to block you coming over into the mount. Switch base slightly and lift your R knee. Push at the gap under his R knee with your R elbow until you R elbow and R knee meet. Prise his lower R leg up and slide your R leg under it, stepping over his L leg and putting your R foot on the floor. Post on your L hand and slide your L knee over his stomach to the floor, leaving your instep on his belly. Roll onto your L side and you can now legbar his R leg.
Rolling Legbar from Standing
Rolling legbar. He has you in a bearhug around the waist from behind. Your arms are free. Exhale and bend forward from the waist so your hands are on the floor. He now cannot lift or choke you. Move to the right until his R leg is right between yours. Grab his R foot with your R hand. Step back with your R foot, kick high backwards with your L leg as you roll over your R shoulder and legbar his R leg.
Rolling Legbar from Turtle
You are on your knees, he has your back, but his R leg is between your legs from behind. Reach through with your R hand to grab the right rear of his R knee. Move your torso around to the left and roll over your R shoulder and lifting with your L leg to take him into a legbar on his R leg similar to 3 above.
Rolling Legbar from Butterfly Guard
You have both hooks in. For all hooking sweeps, your feet should be right up next to your butt and you weld your COG to his by getting a tight grip on his waist and belt with your L hand, posting behind with your R hand. Shift your hips to the left, pulling him hard toward you (atomic wedgie), making him post on his L hand. If he attempts to pass by putting his left hand on your R knee, just put your hand on it and fall to your right to apply a hooking sweep. If this doesn’t happen, post behind you and swing your R leg around behind, like standing up in base, so you are on your knees with his R knee between your shins, still grabbing his waist. You can apply the kneebar in 4 from here, though the belt grip allows you to pull him into your roll with greater ease.
I particularly like the way JBW finds the exact phrase to give you the right mental picture when he teaches – listen to the heartbeat, zombie attack, atomic wedgie, etc.