Countering the Guard Pull/Defensive Posture: 3 Ankle Pick Variations

Particularly in the lower weight classes, the majority of competitors pull guard. Its as you approach lightweight (Lucas Lepri's roost) that you begin to see guys fight for top position (from largely static tie-up positions and neutral grips - but that is a topic for another day), at any rate, knowing opponents wish to pull, and don't really want to take you down but simply avoid conceding points as they make contact long enough to pull, what does this predictably present us at the start of a match and/or any out of bounds upon which we are reset to standing?

I actually hit/scored the 3rd version shown in the clip below my first match back this year after sitting out most of 2019 due to knee surgery, so, with drilling, and sensible analysis of what our opponents will present to us, new skills can be implement even after a long lay off away from competition.

Considerations about their desire to pull guard and posture tell us ---
The low squat places their weight over their feet, costing them mobility.
The head position over their feet, or even worse, leaned far past their hips/belt also makes this lead leg even heavier (and an easier target).

Weekend Wrap-Up

Waited to see if I'd be up to working til 4am last night and tonight then making the 4.5 hour up to do the Copa Nova but managed to miss the pre-registration deadline and won't make weigh-ins due to my work schedule.

Cue the part where I ask other people to fund my jiujitsu pursuits...."I kid,

I kid."

Been feeling run down last week and this since the Extreme Submissiom Challenge match I won. Felt flat at the Submission Only put on by U.S. Grappling and haven't taken more than a day off since then. 

I find it hard know when to taper off my training versus just keep going. I haven't yet accepted I'm 33 years old or what if anything that means. I've been diligent about doing my Olympic lifts and two sprint workouts per week and perhaps this is an adjustment period. I've also been diligently drilling my kneebar and a couple set-ups for maintaining the position as well as variations to the finish. 

I'm at work til 4am, but the wrestling championships are on, so I can't complain. It's good to see grappling sports on a big stage as far as publicity goes. Gi JiuJitsu, with the way black belts matches go these days, I doubt will ever be very appealing to anything other than grapplers currently enmeshed in the sport, but we shall see. 

Been teaching a grip fighting and takedowns class on Fridays. We're focusing on the rule set for JiuJitsu and responses to bent over posture, defensive gripping and stiff arms among other common reactions by inexperienced competitors.