Jitsu Inferno

Meerkat just had an awesome three consecutive days worth of training. On Sunday I attended an instructors training day with my Association head, sensei Brian Herbert. This was awesome as we got to examine in minute detail various throws, kung-fu style blocking drills and stand-up sparring techniques. Favourite moments were a quick but more efficient way to do a winding throw and the spur kick as a better way to use the front kick in sparring.
On Monday it was BJJ class over at Mill Hill and I flukely managed to get a collar choke on another blue belt who was much, much bigger than me.
Tonight, as the photos here show, I invited Nick Brooks over to prep our guys on groundfighting, BJJ style, for those interested in our forthcoming tournament.
The session began with one simple premise - the hip escape. Nick then showed a wide variety of escapes from mount and side, all using the hip escape, but escapes that would also lead to a subsequent submissions. We then worked some very simple opening gambits when starting with knees on the ground (our style) which is different to BJJ where you start standing up. These simple techniques were so easy, everyone got them straight away and had fun attempting these when we sparred at the end.
Speaking of which, something I thought quite extraordinary happened. Nick offered to spar with each and every one of us, one after another without a break. He duly did this, against our biggest guys too, and subbed each one with, if my memory serves me right, a triangle choke in each case. It was a jaw dropping display of groundfighting at its best.

Triangle to finish


Erm, triangle to finish

Yep, that'll be another triangle to finish.

Imperial Ju-Jitsu Club London with Nick Brooks

Nick and Seymour possibly in their most aggressive fighter pose.

So there you have it, three days of training bliss, with much much more to come. Sometimes I hate myself.

More pictures on Flickr.