Seminar: Roy Dean, Basingstoke, UK

Roy Dean gave a seminar today at one of his UK affiliates - the Basingstoke School of Martial Arts. Regular readers may recall that I attended Roy's previous visit to the UK at his Poole affiliate academy.

For those who have not heard of Roy before, you may want to check out the many videos he posts on YouTube in particular the student belt demonstrations. Roy is also a prolific producer of high quality instructional videos. My blogger buddy Can Somnez, aka Slideyfoot just reviewed Roy's Brown Belt Requirements DVD - check it out here. I'm a keen follower of Roy's instructional output and his latest DVD is a very good pep talk on what it means in his opinion to become brown belt level standard. Given that I am a four stripe purple belt, you can bet that I have been taking notes!



Stand up
Roy's previous seminar two years ago was a blisteringly hot day, and today was also the same. Roy should visit more often! He obviously brings the sun with him.

The first portion of the seminar was dedicated to standup. I arrived late so I only managed to catch the last few techniques, which focused on the single leg takedown. It was a nice, safe, high percentage move designed to get the job done and one that all levels could attempt without too much error. But Roy progressed from this basic technique to an interested dropping technique that I really liked. I've not done anything like this before but it is very reminiscent of the sacrifice throws I used to train when I did Japanese ju-jitsu...only in Roy's version I had to drop behind the opponent's legs, not in front. Intriguing to say the least and very good fun!

Closed Guard
Roy taught us a flower/pendulum sweep from closed guard. In this technique, Roy showed us a neat way to move the opponent's arm all the way across and past the centre line - which is an important set-up when performing this sweep. Whenever I spar, I pretty much always work to get my opponent's lead arm to go past my centre line, but Roy's technique was a variation I had not seen before. This is why I like attended seminars and learning from new people as it gives me exposure to new variations on stuff I like to do normally. More weapons!

Two on one
Roy taught an arm drag that relied on hands gripping the opponent's wrist and elbow. It was a pure nogi technique that also worked well with the gi. From the core armdrag opening, Roy offered techniques depending on how the opponent resisted. Each one ended with a submission. Speaking of which, there is one area of the body that I am really starting to open my eyes to - foot locks.

Foot locking
Roy loves his foot lock attacks. He told us the story of his own instructor, Roy Harris, being tapped by a sambo champion during a routine sparring session at his academy and from then on, Harris made it a priority to learn and master attacks on the foot and passed this knowledge on to his students, including Roy.

The set Roy taught today focused on the basic straight ankle lock and he spent a good deal of time explaining how to make the lock work properly. There was a neat drill too where you attempt a lock on one foot, your opponent butt shifts out of it and you immediately attack his other foot and continue this drill. It was a good way to practise that 'second option' attack when the first one fails.

Roy wrapped up the three hour seminar with a calf crush technique. It was fancy and ornate but devilishly good fun to practise. Heck I might even try it out in normal class next week!

My big thanks to Roy for conducting another great workshop. I always enjoy how Roy structures his seminars - each technique connected to the next with a logical flow that made it easy to remember and practise. Roy delivers his instruction with crystal clear clarity and always explains the concepts behind the techniques.

Thanks also to Kevin Hall - owner of Basingstoke School of Martial Arts for hosting the event and to Steve Greenaway, head instructor of Poole RDA for inviting me.

Shout out too to MMA fighter Jeff Lawson, who is a brown belt in BJJ. We had a roll and all I can say is blimey!

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