Topic requests for new videos?

[Tony Dismukes]

I posted a couple of videos last week here and here. Based on that, a number of people said they liked my instructional style and asked me to post more videos.

I've been reluctant to put up videos in the past because there are so many people out there putting out instruction who are more qualified than I am, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Ask me a question or suggest a topic you'd like to see video on. If I can't find someone who already explains it better than I can, then I'll do my best to put something together.

 

[skribs]

If I can't find someone who already explains it better than I can

Only 2 videos in, and you already have imposter syndrome? Sheesh, that was fast!

I think one of the things that really helps these videos is that you had a specific conversation in mind when you made them. There was a topic you wanted to discuss and do a video on. Until you find a topic you can do a series on, maybe just continue to be inspired by conversations on the board. Or look at some recent discussions you've been in, where you feel a video will help illustrate your advice or discussion points better.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Something I've seen you discuss on here, that gets missed so often, is what to watch out for when changing grappling to include a weapon. From personal experience (in sparring/rolling), adding a knife to the roll changes so much what is good or bad to do, but I don't do it often enough (and none of my coaches have much knowledge on this to my knowledge) to understand exactly how the dynamic changes and what I should/shouldn't be focused on in those rolls.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Something I've seen you discuss on here, that gets missed so often, is what to watch out for when changing grappling to include a weapon. From personal experience (in sparring/rolling), adding a knife to the roll changes so much what is good or bad to do, but I don't do it often enough (and none of my coaches have much knowledge on this to my knowledge) to understand exactly how the dynamic changes and what I should/shouldn't be focused on in those rolls.

Okay, good topic. There's a lot that can go into that discussion, so I'll try to organize my thoughts for some basic starting points.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Okay, good topic. There's a lot that can go into that discussion, so I'll try to organize my thoughts for some basic starting points.

It's definitely a broad topic so there's a lot of ways you could go about it. But it's also (IMO) an important and neglected one

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Only 2 videos in, and you already have imposter syndrome? Sheesh, that was fast!

I think one of the things that really helps these videos is that you had a specific conversation in mind when you made them. There was a topic you wanted to discuss and do a video on. Until you find a topic you can do a series on, maybe just continue to be inspired by conversations on the board. Or look at some recent discussions you've been in, where you feel a video will help illustrate your advice or discussion points better.

Okay, I looked back through recent conversations and found a thread where you were asking for advice on dealing with a training partner who was a lot stronger than you and was steamrolling you during rolling. I could cover that topic in general, but I think you also mentioned a specific scenario where he was hitting you with an Americana from half guard. If you want to explain the exact position you were in and what your opponent was doing, then I can incorporate that into the discussion.

 

[Steve]

Great videos. Some things that I'd be interested in that I think play to your strengths.

1: As @Monkey Turned Wolf already mentioned, I'll second a video that would include some discussion of weapons. Also, real world debunking of some of the myths that we see in self defense about how folks would just gouge and eye or bite an arm.

2: You have a unique point of view, and I can't think of anyone more qualified to discuss BJJ/grappling as it intersects with other martial arts. For instance, does your sumo help your BJJ or vice versa? Does your HEMA training?

 

[skribs]

Okay, I looked back through recent conversations and found a thread where you were asking for advice on dealing with a training partner who was a lot stronger than you and was steamrolling you during rolling. I could cover that topic in general, but I think you also mentioned a specific scenario where he was hitting you with an Americana from half guard. If you want to explain the exact position you were in and what your opponent was doing, then I can incorporate that into the discussion.

Well, you see, I was in half guard, and then he hit me with an Americana.

This guy is normally in a different class than I am (he's a "nooner" and I go to evening class), but during the time I wrote the post, his schedule had changed. I think he's back to being a nooner.

I'm being a little bit tongue-in-cheek with my response, but also I don't really know how to explain it better than that. He took me down, tried to pass my guard, but I caught his leg for half guard. I tried to turn towards him and frame. He wasn't putting his weight on me so it was hard to get a frame, and he would just grab my arm and then put his weight down, so I'd be flattened. Then hit the Americana.

Thinking back, looking back at my rolling in general, and watching Jordan Teaches Jiu-Jitsu's "Dog Fight/Coyote Guard" video, I think what's clear to me is I'm lacking the tools to really maintain my posture or control my opponent when I have half-guard. It's a position I end up in a lot, but often I feel it's "side control, but I have a grip on a leg, so that's nice."

 

[Tony Dismukes]

He wasn't putting his weight on me so it was hard to get a frame, and he would just grab my arm and then put his weight down, so I'd be flattened.

Ah ... if he wasn't putting his weight down on you yet, then your frame attempts were probably just reaching - which makes it easy for him to use your arm as a lever. Hopefully my video on frames helped a bit with that concept.

I think what's clear to me is I'm lacking the tools to really maintain my posture or control my opponent when I have half-guard. It's a position I end up in a lot, but often I feel it's "side control, but I have a grip on a leg, so that's nice."

Half-guard is a deep topic, but I might be able to put something together to help distinguish it from "side control, but I have a grip on a leg, so that's nice."

 

[skribs]

Ah ... if he wasn't putting his weight down on you yet, then your frame attempts were probably just reaching - which makes it easy for him to use your arm as a lever. Hopefully my video on frames helped a bit with that concept.

It does help a bit. I still don't fully understand when it's a frame or a reach.

Half-guard is a deep topic, but I might be able to put something together to help distinguish it from "side control, but I have a grip on a leg, so that's nice."

Is that why they made a deep half guard?

Kidding aside, I think this would be helpful.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

It does help a bit. I still don't fully understand when it's a frame or a reach.

So it's not really a distinction between a frame and a reach, but between a frame and a lever. As I explained in the other video, that comes down to the direction of force being applied. If the force is directly in line with the long bones of your skeleton, then you have a frame which can absorb the force and transmit it to the ground without excess muscular effort. If the force is applied perpendicular to your limb, then it becomes a level which your opponent can use to manipulate you.

How this ties in to reaching: the further you extend your arm or leg, the more leverage your opponent has if he can apply force at that perpendicular angle.

Also, in a short frame you're only absorbing force primarily along a single bone - your humerus or femur. Once you extend your arm or leg, then you add additional joints into the mix (elbow & wrist or knee and ankle) and you have to make sure you're careful with your alignment or the structure becomes weak and you have to use muscle to compensate.

Finally, if your opponent is resting his weight on your frames, then you should be able to feel how he shifts his weight in an effort to create levers and you can work to adjust your angles to negate those attempts. If your opponent was holding his weight back and you reached out to make contact, it was probably a simple matter for him to disconnect his body from your attempted frames, take hold of your arms, and move them sideways to put them in a position where you could no longer make frames and you were open for the americana.

I think this would be helpful

I'll see if I can get some half-guard material recorded in class tomorrow. I've started thinking about how to put together the initial grappling with weapons video, but I had to order some extra rubber knives so that I would have enough for the whole class. I'll probably get that one posted next week.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

You have a unique point of view, and I can't think of anyone more qualified to discuss BJJ/grappling as it intersects with other martial arts.

Thanks. That does open up some interesting ideas, but I need to think about how to organize my thoughts into more focused subtopics so I don't just end up rambling on for 2-3 hours.

For instance, does your sumo help your BJJ or vice versa?

Yes and yes.

Does your HEMA training?

I'm still working on integrating my grappling skills with my swordwork under pressure. The grappling that exists in the historical European manuals is fairly rudimentary and I'm able to help my HEMA club out by teaching some of the technical nuances. But actually making the necessary transitions at speed against a resisting opponent when there are 3 foot blades in the mix turns out to be a challenge. I'm better at grappling with knives and sticks, because I've spent more time on that.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I've been reluctant to put up videos in the past because there are so many people out there putting out instruction who are more qualified than I am

The solution to this is to explain things as you understand it or as you were taught. Even if someone is more qualified you may have some insight that they don't have.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I need to think about how to organize my thoughts into more focused subtopics so I don't just end up rambling on for 2-3 hours.

I like silent video. No words, only action. IMO, MA is what you can do on your body, not what you may think in your mind.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

The solution to this is to explain things as you understand it or as you were taught. Even if someone is more qualified you may have some insight that they don't have.

I like silent video. No words, only action. IMO, MA is what you can do on your body, not what you may think in your mind.

If I have a qualification for making these videos, it's that I'm pretty good at breaking down concepts in a way that makes sense to most people. My BJJ/MMA coach has more skill and fight experience than I do, but he will freely tell people that I am better at explaining his techniques and the details of how they work than he is.

For anyone who just wants to turn off the sound and observe excellence in motion, I can link to hundreds of people whose movement makes me look like a bumbling buffoon in comparison.

 

[Buka]

Thanks. That does open up some interesting ideas, but I need to think about how to organize my thoughts into more focused subtopics so I don't just end up rambling on for 2-3 hours.

Yes and yes.

I'm still working on integrating my grappling skills with my swordwork under pressure. The grappling that exists in the historical European manuals is fairly rudimentary and I'm able to help my HEMA club out by teaching some of the technical nuances. But actually making the necessary transitions at speed against a resisting opponent when there are 3 foot blades in the mix turns out to be a challenge. I'm better at grappling with knives and sticks, because I've spent more time on that.

I wouldn't mind you rambling on for three hours.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I wouldn't mind you rambling on for three hours.

It's a shame I can't choose like, haha and agree.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If I have a qualification for making these videos, it's that I'm pretty good at breaking down concepts in a way that makes sense to most people.

Like they say, sometimes the best fighters are the worst teachers.

If you can teach something that's accurate, people learn, and people are able to successfully execute what you taught then that's what matters. Even if a person doesn't know much, as long as they know what they know and can teach it.

For anyone who just wants to turn off the sound and observe excellence in motion, I can link to hundreds of people whose movement makes me look like a bumbling buffoon in comparison.

ha ha ha.. yeah keep the words on. Words help me to understand what I'm looking at and what I'm trying to accomplish. Teachers use words when they teach even if they are physically unable to teach. I've been thinking to try to create a kung fu version of some the things that you presented in your video. I don't want to explain what you have already explained, I just want to show the same methods of driving power. that you described. My hands are fresh after 3 weeks of low training, so I can nail the heavy bag. There are a couple of power driving methods that I'm afraid to hit my hardest on because I don't know if my hand can handle

 

[Tigerwarrior]

Could you please do a side control survival and escape video? I fought in a tournament and lost the championship years ago because I don't understand the concepts of escaping, yes I heard the term framing but I don't ever make enough space. When I go against guys stronger than me if they get me in side control it's a matter of time before they get me. I literally won 3 fights in that tournament and lost to a guy I know I'm a better technical fighter than, but once he got me in side control he was so strong it felt impossible to escape. If you could explain the concepts of framing and survival and escape I'd appreciate it. I want to do another bjj tournament in the future but it's not worth it until I figure this flaw out first.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Could you please do a side control survival and escape video? I fought in a tournament and lost the championship years ago because I don't understand the concepts of escaping, yes I heard the term framing but I don't ever make enough space. When I go against guys stronger than me if they get me in side control it's a matter of time before they get me. I literally won 3 fights in that tournament and lost to a guy I know I'm a better technical fighter than, but once he got me in side control he was so strong it felt impossible to escape. If you could explain the concepts of framing and survival and escape I'd appreciate it. I want to do another bjj tournament in the future but it's not worth it until I figure this flaw out first.

Bunch of stuff I can do on that topic. Hopefully you are learning at least some of the fundamental side control escapes at your school and of course there are tons of escape technique videos on YouTube already. But I'll try to put together a couple of videos on some concepts that don't always get explained as well as they could be.

What are your go-to techniques that you currently try when you are caught in side control?