What a great class! Looked like everyone turned out, I counted 30-something of us. Including Tom and Matt who I haven’t seen in a month.

Dave seemed like a pretty nice guy. Sure knew what he was talking about. Just watching him showing the techniques, he seemed super smooth. And the couple of times I asked a question he took the time to answer and demonstrate where I was going wrong.

We started off with a simple judo foot sweep. Dave was a long time judo player (starting at age 5) and a black belt before he started doing jiu-jitsu. He’s undeniably the top guy that has combined the two. He teaches a very agressive & offensive style of both. The following foot sweep we warmed up with was just the right combo of simple and effective that appeals to me. I always like doing take down stuff, so this was perfect. Ethan and I drilled it away. The first couple of times were pretty awkward, and Dave overheard me telling Ethan how it must pain him seeing us butcher his art. He laughed and told us we needed to start somewhere.

The meat of the class was Dave’s “system” from closed guard. He has developed a strategy for each of the main positions, a default plan. And then relies on experience if and when things go awry from his plan. The first part of the system was the snake move. You release closed guard, and end up on your side with your bottom foot on his hip, and your other foot hooking his other hip, knee across his belly. From there we moved to the scissor sweep, drop your low foot, pull with it, kick with the high one and you’re in mount. Very similar to the simple sweep, but with your knee horizontal on his chest rather than at 45. I LOVE this sweep. It’ll get alot of use I think.

From the same position, we transitioned into an armlock. And then into a triangle if he defends. And then back into closed guard if things go really wrong. We worked various combos of going between these positions and attacks over and over. Good stuff. Dave spent the hours walking around, spending a little time with each of the pairs. At the end there were a few general questions. He emphasized the importance of grip fighting.

We had a couple of promotions yesterday too. Couple of guys got a stripe, and two new purple belts were handed out. One to a guy that’s been doing martial arts of one sort or another since 1967. 42 years! I hope I can keep going when I’m his age.

All in all a great class. Well worth the extra expense and time.