Oh jeez I’ve been slack on writing on this, and I know exactly why. It’s that damn Los Angeles trip hanging over me- apparently it’s been a month since I’ve gotten back, and I’ve yet to do a full write up of my travels there. And since I haven’t done that, I haven’t written any further entries. Now I’ve accepted that I’ll have to do the big write up down the line, out of chronological order, just so I can start writing about the day to day training again.
The trip does loom over me though, and permeates my current training back home. Firstly, the goddamn lasso guard. Everyone competitor under lightweight uses lasso in some form, and for 8 years I’ve ignored it. Now in training I’ve been drilling lasso and going for it as much as possible, and I’m finally seeing why everyone uses it; how it ties in to the DLR game and creates both offence and provides a strong defense. My guard retention is getting better and my fingers are getting more sore.
I’ve also been studying Keenan’s lapel guard a lot, which is another thing those Cicero Costha athletes played on me constantly and gave me absolute fits. I have been having a good bit of success using the lapel guards, especially against people who have no idea what I am doing. Guys like Clint who are now aware of the danger of giving me a lapel are giving me trouble setting up the guard though. There is a strong relation to lasso/sleeve control, lapel guard, and DLR, so it is all fitting together slowly but surely.
Finally, I’ve been trying to fit in more pure drilling with Clint and others whenever possible. I think both of us realised the value of drilling while over there; arguably moreso than rolling. Of course both are important, but we spend more time free rolling than we do drilling (our own techniques, which aren’t necessarily what is being taught).
Yoshi's BJJ Journal 