17/09/2026
Class session working on open guard retention.
A few open guard principles
*The legs are always stronger than the arms
**Your opponents job is to take space, yours is to create space
***The earlier your retention starts (I.E. before they have even grabbed you) the more likely it is to be successful
****Only be on your back if you have to be, not because you want to be - if your opponent is afraid to engage, wrestle up, or get up.
****( Rule 4 is true as a general principal of combat - if your opponent is on top his strikes will be effective - if you are on bottom your strikes are extremely unlikely to be effective. The rule can be broken for sport Jiu Jitsu but the most boring matches are when the top player refuses to engage the guard and the bottom player refuses to wrestle up, or get up - of you are not being held down it's a good principle to get the f**k up).
Tomorrow's class will be leg locks again for the No-Gi - looking at the 50/50 position with Lewis leading the class.
See you all tomorrow!
