To say it’s been a busy couple of months would be an understatement.

Coach Kiser and I have been racing from one place to the next to train with some of the World’s Greatest Instructors so that we can bring you the absolute best in MMA technique, tactics and training.

Below is a brief overview of our adventures over the last few months.

Two friends battling it out and pushing each other yet again, at the 2010 Utah Erik Paulson Seminar.

Kiser: Erik Paulson 2010 CSW Seminar (Salt Lake City, Utah) – A huge success. The biggest seminar we’ve ever hosted. The highlight of the seminar for me was that Yamasaki and I got to see our student Shane promote to coach level 1 in CSW. Shane has been training with us for about 6 years. During that time he has attended all of the Erik Paulson seminars and traveled to 3 CSW camps. He is the first student of the Kiser Yamasaki Duo to get a coaching certification straight from Erik Paulson.

The seminar was a total blast.

Erik Paulson knows how to make training fun and productive at the same time.

Yamasaki: I have to agree with Kiser 100% on this one. We’ve worked so hard to build a CSW coach with the skills, and personal qualities that Shane displays. Many others have come and gone, during the time that Shane has been with us, but he has stayed the course and worked equally as hard to be a qualified and respectable representative of CSW and of the Mushin Self Defense gym.

I have to admit however, that another one of the highlights was to be able to work with my best friend, Coach Kiser and enjoy the Seminar as a couple of students, just like everybody else.

Kiser: Billy Robinson Catch As Catch Can Seminar (Salt Lake City, Utah) –

This was one of the most significant “game changers” that I have ever experienced.

Kiser and Yamasaki working referee position at the CACC Certification Course with Jake Shannon and Coach Billy Robinson.

Yamasaki: Coach Robinson continues to impress me with his wealth of knowledge and inspiration.

Every time I see him it’s like getting an energy recharge in terms of my passion for the Martial Arts. If he can be so enthusiastic and excited about the Martial Arts after as many years of teaching and fighting, there must be many, many more great times in store on my journey!

We worked on those little things, so easily incorporated, so subtle, but have immediate and profound positive effects on your grappling game.

Kiser: Erik Paulson CSW Camp 2010 (Fullerton, California) – This camp continued to re-enforce the same mantra that came from Billy. Basics basics basics.

Kiser with Cub Swanson after a hard roll at the 2010 CSW Camp

Yamasaki:

Camp was no joke this year. Plenty of hard training and intensive instruction. Again I will echo Kiser’s synopsis of the stress on the Basics. And I loved it.

Chris shows off his souvenir from CSW Fighter Camp. A proper black eye.

Especially rewarding to me was finally starting to get a handle on the Boxing Method presented by Coach Marvin Cook. I’ve been studying his approach to Boxing for the last 3 years and found it very difficult to understand as it seemed to be completely opposed to the method I had adopted and come to love from Professor Leonard Trigg. But after being open minded and truly giving it a fair shake I finally felt like I understood what Coach Cook was presenting. Rather than being opposed to Professor Trigg’s Method, it was actually and completely complementary. It was the second half to the same coin.

What I discovered was that when your opponent counters the style the Professor Trigg has taught me, openings for Coach Cook’s style began to open up, and vice versa.

On top of all that, I was able to vanquish the Evil Wolf Within me and send him home, tapped out and demolished.

Kiser: Catch photo shoot (Salt Lake City, Utah) –

Our friend Jake Shannon is putting together a Catch Wrestling History and Technique Book

Jake Paul and Coach Kiser demonstrating the basic CACC Ready Stance.

I love doing this kind of work so needless to say I had a great time hanging with my friends and doing the photos for Jake.

Yamasaki: What an experience.

Kiser got hypnotized by Jake Shannon, got regressed between lighting adjustments for the photos and discovered some deep and hidden self revelations. No Joke!

Kiser: Ricardo “ICA” Medina Half Guard seminar (West Valley, Utah) – My first time training with Ica and it was anything but basic. Half guard and X-guard for an entire day. I partnered up with my friend Mike Stidham and did everything I could to improve these two unique positions.

Kiser with Ica Medina and Mike Stidham

The techniques actually worked better than I expected. I was sweeping guys left and right!

Marco Ruas was the first fighter to prove the effectiveness of leg kicks in MMA, using them to KO Paul Varelans in the early days of the UFC

Muay Thai Leg Kicks In MMA

Not since the introduction of the Muay Thai Leg Kick to MMA via Marco Ruas and Maurice Smith has the world seen the true effectiveness of this devastating technique. In fact, I would venture to say that in recent times the leg kick, though still respected, had been more or less relegated to the status of nuisance/point scorer by spectators in a sport where takedowns and ground and pound are so prevalent.

Obviously, if you’ve read our treatise on “The Anatomy of the Leg Kick and Beyond” Article, you know that I disagree and that there will always be a special place in my heart for this brutal weapon.

However, I understand it’s limitations in the arena of MMA and will be the first to say that it is difficult to use effectively when takedowns are a factor. So I can see why people like Cecil Peoples would say things like, “You have to keep in mind we always the favour the fighter who is trying to finish the fight, and leg kicks certainly don’t do that.” (you can read more about his thoughts on the subject at www.cagepotato.com)

Aldo vs Faber

It’s my humble opinion that the Aldo vs Faber fight has once again changed the perception of the relevance of technique and application in the ever evolving world of Cage Fighting.

Urijah Faber shows what he's made of. Despite the damage to his leg he fought on like the Champion he is.

Here we saw a fight determined by the relentless use of the leg kick. We saw that it was possible, even in present times, at a championship level, for a striker to successfully employ the leg kick against a seasoned and accomplished GNP fighter and former champion.

Tips For Drilling The Basic Shield Defense to the Leg Kick

Once again, the Muay Thai Leg Kick has proved it’s importance and earned it’s role in the scheme of combat sport. No doubt the technique will see a much deserved resurgence in popularity.

But this is the present and those merely following the trend will undoubtedly become part of the past. The future will controlled by those who lead. And there, understated and lurking just beyond the horizon is leg kick defense and counter. These will be the focus of this article and it’s included video clips.

Everyone wants to be like the champions they see winning fights. Aldo won this fight with his leg kicks. And now you will see more and more people working on their leg kicks, thumping the heavy bag with their shins, talking about how hard they can kick and boasting about how they desensitize their legs by kicking some torturous object like a tree trunk or concrete column. But no one wants to know how to make sure that their leg won’t be turned into a fluid filled sac of pulsating pain.

Learn the defenses and counters and you will be two if not three steps ahead of the average MMA Caveman. Now of course any good defense begins with a thorough understanding of the weapon they are trying to defend against, so it won’t hurt (ha ha) to learn the leg kick. But as I’ve said before, that’s what everyone else is doing. To become the Enlightened Fighter you must also learn the defense, and the counters. Those who master these will rule over their less educated subjects.

Cory Hill experiences first hand, the true power of a well placed Knee Block

The future of the leg kick, lies the defensive aspects and counters, and beyond that, understanding how to effectively set up the leg kick and pre-emptively disrupt those set ups (which are entirely different subjects).

We’ve included a number of these set ups in our “The Anatomy of the Leg Kick And Beyond” Article, but will reload them to the members area for faster, higher quality play back.

Best of luck guys and Happy Hunting!

Related Articles:

• The Anatomy of the Muay Thai Kickboxing MMA Leg Kick and Beyond
• Cut Kick Counter To The Teep
• The Devastating Muay Thai 4 Count
• Erik Paulson’s Michael Jackson Kick

This is Your Jock Strap, This is Your Gun, This One’s For Fighting, This One’s For Fun!

Tip 1: Your Gear. You don’t have to go out and buy all this stuff right away, but the Basic Start Up Kit is a must.

Basic Start Up Kit:

• Jock Strap And Cup, don’t leave home with out it.



• Mouth Piece. You don’t need a fancy one, just some rubber between your teeth so that you don’t loose them or get them chipped by an errant shoulder bump or spinning elbow to the forehead when your fellow white belt spazzes out of a position and accidentally clips you.

I took a spinning elbow just yesterday from a white belt during Brazilian Jiu-jitsu class (he was trying to escape the back). If you look closely, you can see the imprint of his double weave gi in my forehead. I wasn't wearing my mouth piece... I should have. It felt like my teeth were about to crack.

Intermediate Kit:

• 16 oz. Boxing Gloves for training is what I’d recommend.
• Shin Guards. My favorite are the cloth shin and instep protectors that cost all of $15.00 and you can throw them in the wash when they get stinky. Some people argue that they don’t offer enough protection. I say, if you need that much protection, you and your partners are going way too hard.
• MMA Gloves. Nowadays they offer both the training variety and fighting gloves. The trainers are a nice way to show your training partners you care.

• Rash Guard and Leggings. These are to protect against microbes. They put an extra barrier between you and whatever worm, rash or creepy crawlie that might be wiggling it’s way into your training partner’s skin. They also help protect your knees and elbows from mat burns which create openings in your skin for said creepies to get a foothold and start setting up shop on your body.



• Kneepads. My favorites are the bubble knee pads for volleyball. They take off that extra wear and tear from working from your knees all the time or from dropping hard, repeatedly on a knee for your shots. I’ve experimented with applying Shoe Gu to the Asics Brand of bubble knee pads that I like best. They increase the life span and aren’t too abraisive to your partners if you take the time to make sure you smooth the surface before the Gu dries.

Some MMA gyms have equipment for sale. The basic equipment can be found at most sports stores.

You can find all kinds MMA equipment online at MMA Wharehouse.

Recon

Tip 2: Research Your Potential Instructor(s).

Look them up on the internet. Take the time to learn about their background and what organization, if any they are a part of. While organizational affiliation doesn’t always mean that you’re dealing with an upright, credible and helpful instructor, the lack of affiliation can sometimes be an indicator that something is amiss. Often times it is not, but it’s something to take note of and place in the databank for future reference should other indicators arise down the line.

How do you know if an instructor is a good one?

Take a lesson or two and ask questions. There are about as many different ways to do a said technique as there are instructors. The how to isn’t as important, in my opinion, as the why.

If the instructor on test drive is able to explain to you, in a way that makes sense, why you should do what he’s instructing you to do, that’s a pretty good indicator that he/she knows what they are talking about.

If they start looking around, or give you the, “because I told you to”. That’s another one of those, things to put into your databank and tally up with the organizational affiliation thing at the end of the day.

Most importantly, did the potential instructor provide you with a safe and enjoyable learning environment?

If not, then despite what the findings were in the first set of suggestions, I’d be in a mad dash to get out of that gym. It doesn’t matter if the instructor in question is God’s gift to MMA, if you didn’t have a good time, or if you got the feeling that you might not last more than a week before suffering some catastrophic injury in the environment you were in, you should get out of there. Don’t be a sissy and drop out just because you don’t like doing a push up or two, but if you fear for your life because you’re seeing other newbies getting tossed like cookies at cruise ship case of food poisoning, having their heads snapped back like crash test dummies from the punches being thrown, I’d suggest a different gym. You’re looking to learn, have fun and increase your level of physical fitness and overall health. No jah rah budkus about training like “Real Fighters” is going to justify the potential for injury that you will find at a place like this.

Skill will come from hours trained, and this means injury management. The fewer the injuries, and the lower the severity of those injuries, the more mat time you’re going to get. The more mat time you get, the better you’re going to get period.

Blessed is he who in the name of good will and charity, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness.

Tip 3: Know you’re potential training partners.

During your test drive of the MMA Gym you are looking into, try to get a read on the current members. There is always going to be some level of snootieness going on. It’s the pecking order and birth right of any gym. You have to EARN the attention and respect of the seniors there… to a degree. Not being caudled by the upper level students isn’t anything that should be raising alarms but it’s nice to find a place where you at least get friendly vibes from these guys.

And perhaps more importantly, if the seniors are simply using you as a piece of fresh meat to be beat on (and you wouldn’t believe how many people have come into my gym with horror stories about this actually happening at a few different gyms in my area), that should be sending up red flags.

Don’t try to lose 10 pounds before you go on a Diet

Tip 4: Get started now!

Don’t wait. So many people feel the need to get in shape before they get into an MMA gym. That’s total nonsense. The MMA Gym should be the means by which you get into shape. Just be smart about it and do it the right way. Communicate your fitness level and your limitations and don’t be ashamed to say, “I’m reaching my breaking point.” Training, fitness and Martial Skill are an exercise in long term dedication.

If you are so sore after your first day of training that you can’t get off the toilet, you’re probably not going to want to subject yourself to that torment again.

Kudos to you if you are that kind of person. But otherwise, take your time and ease into your training sessions and gradually increase the intensity level of your workouts until you get up to speed. It’s usually only a matter of a few weeks.

It's alright to be a white belt if that's what you are. It's alright to be a white belt even when you may be something more.

If you knew it all, you’d be teaching the class not the other way around.

Tip 5: Don’t be afraid to be a beginner.

No one likes to be a noob. But the reality of it is, you are. And that’s totally o.k.

Don’t try to impress your partners or instructors by trying to tap or knock out anything that has arms and legs in the gym.

If you want to impress your partners and coaches, impress them by your egolessness, your humility, your respect and your willingness to be tapped, to learn and to listen. Even if you’re transplanting from a previous gym and have some prior experience, don’t go in and try head hunting. Taking scalps and going after the seniors is only going to hurt you in the long run.

These guys are your biggest assets. They are going to show you the ropes, give you the inside scoop, take you under their wings so to speak. Even if you can tap them out, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have something to teach you or can’t give you something that you may have never seen before. And how likely do you think it will be for them to go out of their way to help you after you’ve destroyed them on their own home turf.

Relax and learn. Once you’ve proven to your fellow training partners that you’re a friend, not a foe, that you’re there to learn and grow vs. to satisfy your ego, they’re going to help you out big time. But if you force them into a Kill or Be Killed type of situation, they’re going to do what they need to do to survive. And that might mean anything from simply shutting you down during your roll, to with holding some critical piece of information that might really take your game to the next level, because

let’s face it, does anybody really want to go out of their way to make their own life more miserable?

MMA can be a great way to get in shape, meet wonderful, driven and goal oriented people with a common passion for the arts. It can be a great basis for self defense, and for learning life skills. There are so many stress relieving and rejuvenating qualities that can be had by training in MMA. If you are interested, don’t wait to start up. Find a good gym, or check out our members training area and get started today!

My first encounter with leg locks was with my Cousin Kelly. He had seen a technique sample clip from one of the original UFC productions where Ken Shamrock taught how to hit a toe hold and heel lock off of a broken guard. We drilled and worked leg lock quick draws for hours.

Later I would see more locks, different variations, set ups, entries and chain techniques while working with Coach Brandon Kiser. This I would supplement by soaking up everything I could from material released by Sensei Erik Paulson via his seminars, DVD’s and online instruction.

Over the years, what I’ve come to realize is that the more skilled, the larger, and the stronger my partners and opponents, the more the course of a roll or fight would bring me towards a leg lock.

Needless to say, I fell in love with Leg Locks and have become an avid student of their many uses and subtle intricacies.

Inevitably, any thorough study of Leg Locks will eventually find it’s way to Russia’s Sambo. As far as Leg Locks go, few individuals can say they specialize on a subject as in depth as Sambo Practitioners.

It would be an understatement to say that Sambo has a complex history. But what would you expect from an art that has grown from such a large country with so much cultural diversity. Sambo is a relatively modern art, it’s formative years comprised of the first part of the 20th century. However, you could say that the seeds that would finally germinate and begin to bear fruit as a nationally recognized sport, had been present since the birth of Mother Russia herself.

In those early times pre-dating it’s forefathers, Sambo finds it’s ancestry in the form of numerous tribal, folk and indigenous wrestling styles ranging from Mongolian Wrestling to Tartar Koras and seemingly everything between, on the boarders, and from the center of Eastern Europe.

The formation of a comprehensive empty handed combatives curriculum for the Red Army would be the impetus for what could be considered the conception of early Sambo. Two men (who’s names I have seen numerous spellings for) are consistently credited with the early development of the Russian art, Vasili Oschepkov and Victor Spiridonov. Each had a different area of expertise and each had their own ideas about how Sambo should be developed and propagated (either as a system for military combat or as a national sport).

According to sources on Wikipedia

Oschepkov (a second degree black belt in Judo) would eventually be executed under orders of Stalin for his refusal to deny education and ties with Judo’s founder Jigaro Kano.

It’s important to look at the translation of SAMBO to really understand what’s under the hood of this high octane martial art.

“SAMBO” is actually an acronym for a series of Russian words that can be intrepreted as “Self Defense Without A Weapon”.

“Sambo is not taught as a collection of techniques but rather as a series of principles which will allow a faster development of combat skills.”

I can relate to this on a personal level as I gave a name to my own gym “Mushin Self Defense” with the same intentions. I didn’t want to limit an individual or myself to any one method. I wanted to empower my students with and “ends justify the means” mentality and in so doing, lay a foundation from which the most efficient technique for the individual could be employed to that end.

SAMBO’s principle of “use what works”, works well for those of us who enjoy the freedom to experiment and modify systems and tools to suit our own needs.

Another interesting fact concerning SAMBO is that unlike it’s contemporaries,

it does not have a formal structure or ranking system.

To bring this breif history full circle and back to the original discusssion, the bottom line is winning. Surviving an un armed altercation and giving an individual the best chances for victory. And there is no better way to do this than Sambo’s library of Leg Locking techniques.

Time and again, leg attacks have bailed me out of otherwise unsalvageable situations.

If you enjoyed this series of instructional videos, you might also enjoy Reilly’s DVD’s which are available for purchase. Not only is the content unique and well presented, but the price is unbeatable.

Sambo Leglocks for Nogi Grappling 2 DVD Set by Reilly Bodycomb CLICK HERE TO ORDER	Sambo Leg Locks for No-Gi Grappling DVD Vol 1 with Reilly Bodycomb CLICK HERE TO ORDER	Sambo Leg Locks for No-Gi Grappling DVD Vol 2 with Reilly Bodycomb CLICK HERE TO ORDER
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Reilly Bodycomb: Sambo Grappler

A special thanks to www.lockflow.com who agreed to share Reilly with us here at DamageControlMMA.

CSW has many influences, perhaps one of the main influences was originally Shooto

O.k. Superfans, this week I stumbled upon a series of videos that is absolutely awesome. Especially for those of you who enjoy the culture of technique and Martial Art as much as you do watching the latest moves on the mat. This is a timeless classic that holds an important place in the history of MMA, especially for me personally and any of us that have been influenced by Sensei Erik Paulson and CSW.

Below is a series of lock flows from the Original Shooto Lockflow series. I have never seen these all compiled online like this before and so I thought I’d share.

For those of you who have been studying with Coach Kiser over the last few weeks, this is what he has been teaching you. If you’ve ever wanted to see the whole lockflow documented so that you’d have an easier time remembering everything, here you go.

Here is a gem from Khuen Khru – Coach Alvin Chan of Maryland CSW. I really like this lock and have been playing around trying to hit it from other situations such as off a 1/4 nelson (a.k.a. “Kaputa Kapaula”) vs an opponent who has an underhook and is trying to come up from bottom half guard… if that makes any sense at all.

Either way it’s a nice little trick to have up your sleeves… ahem, rash guards.

If you know me at all, you know that I’m into survival craft… Survivorman style. And

nowhere are survival skills more important than in a post apocalyptic state, over run with Zombies.

While killing a perfectly good Saturday afternoon reading an article about putting together one’s own survival kit, it hit me.

There is a wealth of Zombie related information that I could share with my MMA brothers and sisters to help improve their MMA Games.

Thus, I decided to relate the Zombieland List of Rules to the many hazards that plague the average MMA practitioner and here we are.

Upon doing further research for this article, I found some peculiar facts concerning the “official” Zombieland Rules to Live By. Many of the rules have not yet been made public and some of those that have, appear in or out of order depending upon whether they were mentioned in the actual theatrical release or in official promotional material.

Take for instance rule numbers listed on the official Zombieland website and those featured on this international trailer. I’ve seen so many different lists and rule numbering systems that I’ve about given up. I would go with the rules listed in the US movie release but I don’t remember them exactly and I’m too damn cheap to go watch the movie again.

These discrepancies make for interesting conversation, and have occupied the better part of my days for the last few weeks. But I won’t bore you any longer with my movie trivia nerdomania.

Below are Damage Control MMA’s Zombie Land Rules for MMA Fighters to Live By… And I’m basing my numbering system, LOOSELY, on the list I found on Wikipedia.

You got a problem with that, you can go write up your own Zombie List of Rules to Live by.

Wikipedia’s version of the list:

01. Cardio

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMLcy5qh0Cs

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmLaDn7Obl4

Zombie Land Rule 1 for MMA is Cardio^[14]. Once your Cardio goes, one of the first things to happen is your hands drop by your side. Another tell tale sign of spent Cardio is a mouthpiece that’s hanging half way out of your mouth. When this happens… well, you just saw what usually follows.

^{02.Beware of Bathrooms}

Zombie Land Rule 2 for MMA is Beware of bathrooms^[14][15]. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve seen and er smelt things much scarier than Zombies comin out of the public bathroom.

03. Wear seatbelts^[14]

04. Double tap

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Gi0xJlZ98

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PapZO7NXB3Q

Zombie Land Rule 4 for MMA is the Double tap^[14]. If you think your partner has had enough and taps out. Making him tap one more time, makes you both 100% sure.

Yeah, you don't want that "attached" to you.

05. No Attachments (I added this based on my research.  For us MMA, Muay Thai and Submission Grappling Practitioners, this usually means, no ringworm, no scabies, MRSA, Mat Herpes… you get the gist.)

06. Cast iron skillet^[9]

07. Travel light

08. Get A Kick Ass Partner (I added this based on the movie poster found here)

You couldn't ask for a better partner than Kiser.

12. Paper Towels

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YZaeCe4oOc

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohvY7d4RrxY

Zombie Land Rule 12 for MMA is Bounty paper towels^[9]. If there is one way to describe a MMA gym, it’s “moist”.

Gomi twists his opponent into a ball of contorted limbs.

15. Bowling ball^[9]

17. (Don’t) Be a hero^[16]

18. Limber up

22. When in doubt, know your way out (see the Damage Control MMA video for rule 2.)

29. The buddy system^[9]

31. Check the back seat^[17]

32. Enjoy the little things^[18]

Mmmmm milkshakes... Little things indeed.

33. Swiss Army knife^[9]

Now I know I didn’t complete the list in terms of relating the various rules to the worlds of MMA, Thai Boxing and Submission Wrestling.  But that’s where you come in.

I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to fit some of these rules into our scheme of things.  But I am sure that our viewers, in all their infinite wisdom will succeed where I have failed.  I welcome your rules, and look forward to reading them in the comments below.

In the mean time.  Prepare yourselves, zombies are coming, they don’t take any prisoners and Big Brother Won’t Save You!

When was the last time you worked cage tactics?  When was the last time you incorporated the cage wall into your takedown to nullify your opponent’s ability to sprawl and protect his hips?  When was the last time you defended having your head crushed in the cheese grater of chained links?

Ignoring the importance of this aspect of MMA competition can be detrimental to your MMA game.  If this is the first time you’ve given these situations any consideration, or if you drill these positions as frequently as you clean your bathrooms, than this article might have some use for you.

Below are two more basic options for when  your opponent takes you down and attempts to drive you into the fence, a tactic that can severely cramp your ability to use your guard to it’s full extent.  These clips are Damage Control MMA exclusives for our friends here at www.DamageControlMMA.com

Basic Turn Off The Cage

Cage Walk Arm Bar

Here is an older clip we released with UFC Veteran Todd Medina. It contains more information pertaining to the use of the cage in an MMA fight.

And one more little bonus for you loyal followers of Damage Control MMA. A scrap from an old shoot we did that never made it to production because of a problem we had with the mic. The audio is unsalvageable but maybe you might find something of use in this one. A different way to look at knees while your opponent is against the cage.

Some techniques are timeless. Last week we took a look at the frontiers of Submission. The very bleeding edge of what can be done. This week we take a look at an old classic; the first counter to a kick catch that I ever learned. It’s like leather, seeing someone take one to the nads, The olde One-Two Combination or the Triangle Choke. These things never get old and I don’t think they ever will.

A special thanks to Khuen Khru Will for sharing these and for being our wonderful instructor for all these years.

In the modern game of submission grappling it seems as though new rules are being written, old rules are being revised or recounted, and sometimes even broken at a break neck pace.

At times this leads to great leaps in the progress of the art and at others, great disasters. And there are still other instances, where these changes in conventional thinking simply further a particular strain of the overall submission fighting game. For instance, there are many techniques and tactics that work well within the confines of submission grappling, but not as well when applied in the area of Mixed Martial Arts. Even within MMA, there are rule structures (soccer kicking/kneeing the head of a downed fighter) and environments (cage vs ring vs open mat) that will foster the development and favoritism of differing methods.

The object of this article isn’t to pass judgment or to push an agenda (stick to the basics vs. explore the frontiers of possibility). I think there is great value in both areas of study. The object of this article is simply to compile some material I’ve found interesting and explain why I feel it has some merit.

I’ve found similar types of articles on other sites, though their subjects are a lot more focused. To this day, I believe that the Darce/Brabo study and the “No Posture Guard Pass” articles on www.aesopian.com are some of the most ground breaking compilations on the internet.

So lets get down to the analysis and explanation.

The first article, the “Brabo Choke Homework” caught my attention because it showed so many different angles and set up possibilities for this one type of choke. It’s funny because I am horrible at it. Despite all the research and information available though articles like this as well as first hand personal accounts from my own, very qualified instructors, I swear, I can’t remember the last time I was even close with one of these arm chokes.

I want to say it’s because I have short arms but the truth is more likely that I am an epically slow learner and not that bright to begin with.

But what I took away from this article was a realization that paired with something I heard Sensei Erik Paulson once say concerning triangling with the legs.

“So long as you have an arm and an leg between…” you’ve got a triangle choke. This article made me realize this to a much broader and higher degree.

Moving on to the second article, The No Posture Pass series. I thought this to be very interesting. For me, I think it would be dangerous to try this pass as a first option. I much prefer to establish and maintain solid posture from within the guard. But that doesn’t mean that I have to turn my nose up to something like this. In fact, there are plenty of times when my opponents or training partners are skilled to a degree that I am unable to regain or establish posture in the first place.

This is where I give ideas like the No Posture Pass series, their due. They have a place in my game as a last resort or plan B. I haven’t necessarily had that much success with this series either. But to be honest, I haven’t worked on it that much either. I put my effort into keeping, regaining and maintaining posture. But I like knowing that there is another route I can take if things don’t go the way I plan.

I like to keep series like this in my back pocket for rainy days. They’re like building a motorcycle in your garage on the weekends.

You work on them, piece by piece, now and again, when you have a moment of free time. You never know. One day, you just may be riding that bad boy right out of a nasty situation.

Recently I’ve found some new food for thought at www.jiujitsushare.com

The Kimura and Straight Arm Bar from within guard from Phil Migliarese and Jiujitsumatrix.com. This is another technique that I just don’t ever see myself “going for” when given a choice. But, as I’ve said before, there have been numerous times where I’ve found myself without a choice. Where a skilled BJJ Black Belt has set me up and put both my arms to one side of his body, or God forbid, I made a mistake and put them there myself.

When my opponent is all over me and simply will not let me get my arm back over to the other side. Why not go for a Kimura? If you are unable to get your arm back into position, your opponent’s probably going to take your back anyway. At least this way you might be able to put him in a reactive mindset and possibly on the defensive.

I like these types of clips because they are unorthodox and can catch your opponent off guard.

The challenge is really in finding how they fit into your personal game.

I like this technique and those like it because they give you a ray of hope, just when things are at their darkest. Sometimes you might even be terrible at pulling them off, which more times than not, is how I roll.

But so long as you have something to pull off, you’ve got a glimmer of hope. You’re not just sitting there waiting for your back to be taken.

The Kimura with your legs from bottom Side Cross:

This is craziness. And I Love it! This one is so far out there that I haven’t even drilled or begun to try to figure it out for myself. But I still really enjoy the clip.

What I like most about it is that it dares to think of the possibilities and challenge the limits. It looks at the essence of a submission hold and then asks, what tools do I have at my disposal to make this work?

And that to me is what is most valuable about this clip. If you can think that way about a Kimura, you can think that way about any submission using any available machinery to get the job done.

And finally, Ryan Hall’s 50/50 Guard and No Hands Leg Lock: http://pageman.multiply.com/video/item/109/ADCC_Verbal_Submission_via_5050_position_Ryan_Hall_Vs._Rafael_Gordinho_Correa

I’ll be honest, when I started hearing about this new thing, the 50/50 Guard, I had to learn more. But once I got a look at it, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. It just looked like a plain old, leg lock war to me. Nothing out of the ordinary, or exceptional about it. It just looked like a position I’ve seen plenty of times before and worked within myself over the years.

But once I saw Ryan ripping knees apart without so much as hooking a heel, I took a second look.

This was what sparked my imagination. Being so technical with the isolation mechanics of a lock that you could submit or even break someone without even putting on the final touches. It inspired me to look at all my submissions in the same way and to begin the refining process, an over hall, of my submission arsenal if you will.

The first clip or Mr. Hall reminded me of Imanari’s iconic leg Kimura, except that Ryan’s was inverted/reverse but essentially the same mechanics were utilized to effect torque on the knee.

I’d love to see the clips that have inspired you guys or made you think again about your game or a technique in your repertoire. Please post them here and share.

I’ve shown you mine, it’s time to show me yours. It’s alright… I’m a Doctor.