Lesson 47 of the Crossroads Martial Arts Curriculum starts from closing the distance when somebody makes it clear they are going to attack you by raising their hands as if they were going to punch you. In this lesson we discuss when and why we would choose to close the distance and then if necessary bring the fight to the ground using a hip throw.
On the ground Lesson 47 talks about how to stay comfortable on the bottom of side control. When you first begin rolling or sparring in BJJ you soon realize that being comfortable in “uncomfortable” situations is an absolutely necessary skill if you want to become successful in this Martial Art. Panic causes you to take in less oxygen as you breathe, this lack of oxygen causes you to fatigue faster, this also effects your decision making and all of this eventually leads to getting submitted. Being comfortable on the bottom of side control is essential. In this BJJ class we talk about getting onto your side, which allows you to reduce the weight of your opponent on your chest and lungs, and also allows you to become more mobile in the position.
Once everybody had learned how to get on their side we discussed some things the top player will do to prevent the person on the bottom from getting onto their side and facing them. While there are several different ways in this Jiu-jItsu lesson we discuss the crossface and Von Flu choke. The Von Flu choke is a very powerful submission which uses your shoulder to restrict the carotid artery. However even if the top player is not able to get the Von Flu Choke just the crossface by itself will be enough to shut down any attempts at facing the top players hips. Blocking this technique before it is in place is extremely important.
Once you are on your side and mobile it is important to stay mobile, this means not getting flattened again. Not getting flattened is all about your arm position and the angle of your torso. if you can maintain this angle you will be able to move your hips and work to improve your position. The last two technique of the Crossroads BJJ Martial Arts Curriculum: Lesson 47 are variations of the elbow escape and learning to understand when each variation is used.