Come learn from the best in UFC veteran and BJJ blackbelt, Kenny Florian. One of the top lightweights in the mixed martial arts world, Florian has his base in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
A prolific gi competitor in his own right, Kenny will be showing some of his best techniques in the gi. His scientific and down to earth teaching style assure his techniques and concepts can be easily understood. Spots are limited, so please call now to make sure you get in.
Clockwork Jiu Jitsu
212 675 0300
650 Broadway NY NY 10012
Despite spending a few years in Jiu Jitsu, I’ve only spent the few past months really focusing on drilling. The benefits have been astounding. The purpose of this blog post is to convey to you what exactly drilling has done for me, and what it can do for you.
Of course the biggest benefit I’ve gotten from drilling is muscle memory. You do enough repetitions and you become good at something. Its very simple. More than physical though, drilling has effected my mentality on the mat and my perspective at gaining skill in anything.
Moves I considered myself “not good” at became part of me, and I started using them a lot more. I realized it wasn’t a question of “being good” at something, but just putting the work in to bring a higher level of body-mind understanding.
It can’t just be theory, because you won’t ever touch it. Thats why you can have someone explain the technique to you in perfect detail, and you still “won’t get it”. At the same time, you can’t just show up and mindlessly do reps and expect to have real progress. I found focusing on the details, listening to my coach, tons of reps, and feeling what my partner was doing when I was on the receiving end of the move all elevated my ability.
In my case, I developed a decent X-choke from guard after drilling it for a month. Before drilling I considered my X choke weak, and that I just didn’t get it. The grips seemed too tough for me, it was hard for me to finish. After doing tons of repetitions and listening to details with real concentration, its become one of my go to moves. I think this is possible for nearly any move for nearly anyone.
Check out one of the drill classes at 10:30 AM, or really focus when its the technical side of class and get as many reps in during then, or the open mat after. Your game will elevate big time.
We’ll all miss Evan and it was very kind of him to tip his hand of armbar secrets before leaving to the Holyland of Armbars, Israel.
Here’s a recap of the four Cantor flavors of armbar (attacking their right arm, on your left side):
1 – REGULAR
This is the normal armbar. There are several steps, which when followed often result in success.
First pull them forward with your knees and break their base. grab the back of their head with your left hand and reach across the top of their right arm with your right arm and grab behind their elbow on the bottom of their tricep. next, do a small bump and land on your right hip. post your left leg on their right hip to block them from pulling back their right arm. Reach up more with your left warm, pulling them down more, and grab behind their left armpit. Kick your right leg up so your calf is across their back as you move your right ear towards their knee and push their face away with your left hand. Next move your left leg across the back of their neck to secure the armbar. This next part is counter intuitive, but important. Next, instead of straightening the legs, keep both legs bent tight driving your heels down. move your hips up to get the tap.
2 – THEY LEAN BACK
if the lean back as you are going for the armbar, reach underneath theor left knee with your right hand and hit the Flower Sweep by turning your hips perpendicular to their chest and kicking the right leg over them, sweeping them. For there, take the mount or finish the armbar.
3 – THEY LEAN INTO YOU
if they lean into you, then switch arms so you are trapping their right arm with your left arm. Turn your face into the ground to your right and roll over to the belly down armbar.
4 – THEY STACK YOU
You have the armbar position, but you are getting stacked. you’re going to spin under them in a flash way, like a break dancer, and finish. release your left leg from behind the head and move it so your shin is in front of their face. swim your right arm under and in front of them so that it is thumbdown and in front of their right leg. duck your head under them, in front of their legs and you spin under them on your shoulders. They will end up face down and you will still have the arm. Finish.
Thank you Mr. Cantor, for these insights into Armbar Land. You will be missed on the mat.
On march 16th Josh Griffiths, Head Instructor, at Clockwork BJJ in NYC won his division at the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials in Canada. He will now be going onto Abu Dhabi to compete in the largest cash prize tournament ever in Jiu Jitsu.
In this video Josh Griffiths from Clockwork Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Manhattan show a kimura from the guard. The important detail is the hip switch to move the hand away from the opponents body.
Check out the new blog from Rome Za. Rome talks writes about health, well being and life as a young athlete growing up in New York. Check it out!
Establish same-side sleeve grip and underhook belt grip:
(your right hand grabs their left sleeve. Your left hand under hooks and grabs their belt.)
Try to hit the sweep by lifting with the hook (left leg with these grips) as you try to put your ear on the matt and kick your other leg under your hooking leg, turning your hips sideways.
They post with the leg to stop the sweep:
trap the leg with your arm, grab your lapel to trap.
push on their hip with your top leg.
keep your inside hook, point your knee up, and keep it tight on them so your shin blocks them from leaning in.
if they lean in:
grab their lapel with your free hand.
sit up and push with your hook shin to get the sweep over their trapped leg.
if they turn away and try to stand:
stand up with them as you gable grip behind their knee.
pull them backwards, then drive forward to get the sweep and proceed to pass.
if they post out to the side with their arms:
try to take the back
small bump and pass the trapped leg over your head while you grip the inside of this knee at the gi with your free hand. keep this grip.
take your top foot off of their hip and set a hook (this hook is like a butterfly hook but they have their back partially turned.)
now grab their belt with your free hand and pull your other leg under them to set a second hook.
now pull them toward you (you’re behind them with two butterfly hooks) and take the back.
