End Week 4

For my first two weeks here at the Gracie Academy we worked on submissions from the guard. Every single thing we did seemed well above my level.

The next two weeks were counters to submissions. Every sequence in this area started at a much lower level, and many didn't proceed beyond what I learned to earn a single lowly stripe on my Blue Belt.

Interestingly, the Purple and Brown belts were asking a lot of questions. It was as if some of this stuff that I consider low-level to be new to them.

Don't get me wrong, I learned plenty from these lower level techniques. The Gracies pack them with abundant, incredible detail.

Soon we move away from counters into sweeps.

Another interesting facet is that the two main instructors, Rener and Ryron Gracie, sometimes teach the material quite differently.

Take omoplata. There is a point in that technique where one needs to sit up very quickly while controlling the opponent's hips. Ryron teaches it with a leg snapdown while Rener details a rapid arm separation.

Against a triangle choke, Ryron works the inside, while Rener prefers to move back.

Rener seems to have everything preplanned, while Ryron goes more with the flow. With Rener, I know exactly what the point of each instruction is, but with Ryron we sometimes do pretty wild stuff.

A great pair.