This past weekend was the IBJJF’s Chicago Open tournament….the event that we’ve been preping for for weeks. While I didn’t compete, I did go, along with Purple Belt Tim, Dumi, Brady, Dave, Short Josh, Seth, Bob the Monster and Marcos. It was a pretty entertaining weekend, and not just because of the tournament! We had some good matches, and some bad ones. Brady and Bob won their divisions, Seth got second and Dave got third.

Class last night focused on a half guard passing technique, one that several people had problems with in the tournament. I was paired up with Riley who was taking his first class with us.

The specific technique was passing when you don’t have the underhook. The proper way to do so is to switch your hip, so you’re facing away from your opponent, and overhook his arm/grab his belt. Then you can inch your trapped leg up into a vertical position and pop your knee out. Retreat and situp, with that freed knee in is crotch, weave the underhook, secure his other arm, press with your head and then focus on dropping your hip to the ground. And in all likelihood, your foot will pop free and you can establish side control.

We through in one variation, when if he’s death gripping your foot and you can’t get it out, you can go to double underhooks, switch the quarter guard, and then slide your free leg in between your trapped on and his torso. That gives you much more leverage to free it.

Rolled some with Ron after class too. We did the CFT for Crossfit yesterday, so I passed on doing any 531 strength work. I did add 13 pounds to my max, and crushed my old 1RM squat (190 on July 16 and 175 in Dec-2010) with 215. Only did 100 on the press and 225 for the deadlift, but a 25 pound improvement in the squat is very solid.