Marcelo Garcia Gi Seminar

The second day covered Marcelo's gi technique. He noted that it doesn't matter what your opponent does or wants to do, you do not let their game dictate yours. For example, you cannot rely on passing the guard as offense because it predicates on getting into the guard, nor can you worry about how good a player is stand-up is and you only want to get him to the ground. You need solutions that do not depend on your opponent but on yourself. Again he emphasized simplicity, situational application, and similarity between gi and no-gi skills.

"Arm drag" sleeve grip

Grab wrist with same side hand and use momentary control to secure best cross hand sleeve grip, using a "pistol grip" (pinky nearest forearm) on the dorsal side of the forearm sleeve, retaining wrist control with other hand. Keep extended from partner's body as well as up and away from your body, denying control.

Developing this grip and foot in hip

Pull and sit placing foot in hip on gripped side. Extend keeping partner's hand from controlling kimono. Use "free" leg to push in biceps or shoulder if partner tries to grab hip post leg pant with free hand hand. If partner grabs "free" leg, use hip post to push in lower chest to re-extend and detach/deny pant control.

Hip Extension Sweep

The first sweep off this set-up

1. Set up "arm drag" sleeve grip then pull and sit placing foot in hip on gripped side.
   
2. Immediately use wrist grip hand to secure grip on same side ankle, pull and lift ankle, while extending foot in hip, then slip your knee inside and under partner's knee, controlling lightly with hand. Keep extension.
   
3. Sweep out with free leg, essentially kicking back of post leg calf. Lighten balance with extension of hip post into "hole" created by snared leg.
   
4. Sit up and tuck into kneeling position free/kicking leg knee up. Variation: Slide up knee cross body, over thigh to ground immediately into guard pass.

Posterior X Guard Sweep

This next part is simple, too (I think Sensei Marcelo has a different Portuguese/English dictionary than I do):

1. Set up "arm drag" sleeve grip then pull and sit placing foot in hip on gripped side.
   
2. Immediately use wrist grip hand to secure grip on same side ankle, pull and lift ankle, while extending foot in hip, then slip your knee inside and under partner's knee, controlling lightly with hand. Keep extension.
   
3. But this time partner controls "free" leg, circle inside thigh and set hook.
   
4. Lift hip post side leg across your body over the top of the opposite wrist (i.e. the one controlling the sleeve).
   
5. Elbow circles out and over the lifted ankle.
   
6. Hip post moves to opposite hip in an X-guard like set up.
   
7. Sit up and hook upper arm with free hand (above partner's thigh)
   
8. Using legs to support weight, roll/sweep over you shoulder to partner's back, go to side mount. Do not throw your partner away from you, so that you lose side mount.

Takedown following defense of Posterior X Guard Sweep

Your partner gets smarter and defends the Posterior X Guard Sweep (repeat steps #1-4 above):

1. But this time partner scrambles, shaking off hook and trying to pass. Let them but stand up with them.
   
2. Use gripped sleeve and free hand to lift leg nearest you.
   
3. Grab back of kimono and make small reverse circle, spinning into the hole created by elevated leg.

Arm Drag From Ground

After setting up sleeve grip and trying to load hip post, partner retreats and pulls you to a sitting position.

1. Move one foot to outside line. Your head should be off center with your partner's.
   
2. Use the next pull by partner to lift butt off the floor putting you in a low squat. Use this loaded position to push backwards dragging your partner with your entire body, pull across your body. Keep upper body off floor.
   
3. Anchor sleeve controlled hand to floor with sleeve grip, use this to pin hand and post to pivot up. Free hand underhooks and grabs overhook hand (coming from forearm grip/pin).
   
4. Insert overhook (near) side hook, use rear side over-under control to pull to side and insert underhook (far) side hook and rear naked choke.

Triangle Armbar with Choke

Alternatively from rear side over-under control (#3 immediately above)

1. Use your underhook side knee to open the position of the near arm so that you can hook it with the overhook side arm.
   
2. Slide overhook side leg into triangle position around partner's arm. This knee pivots out making it perpendicular with your body.
   
3. Slide distally on your partner's snared arm to increase pressure with the armbar.
   Alternatively after securing the arm but being unable to finish the arm bar, switch to side rear naked choke:
   
4. Overhook hand wraps neck and climbs as high as possible on your partner's far shoulder (underhook side).
   
5. Underhook releases, choke hand picks up this biceps and underhook folds over back of head.
   Variation: If partner tucks chin, hook base of thumb at seam between chin and chest, palm toward chest. Use small oscillations to lift chin and work arm in for choke.

Cross Knee Insertion with Underhook Pass

To train this use a bit of imagination, start with partner seated in front of you

1. Lift his legs and insert leg, foot goes slightly under base of spine. Partner regains equilibrium and sits up.
   
2. Drive knee toward your centerline and to the floor, across partner's thigh. Simultaneously underhook his opposite armpit and grip the overhook. Partner should still be sitting up right.
   
3. Plant to floor, slide head to underhook side and post on floor over partner's shoulder. If partner manages to snare leg, slide knee into hip and increase pressure, use free foot to push off partner's legs and pass to sidemount.

Belly Guillotine

Partner is sitting up, poorly hugging leg (i.e. in that nebulous range between far and tight control of the leg).

1. Hugged leg arm hooks under partner's chin with elbow/forearm on thigh, other hand pops head down.
   
2. Lay stomach over depressed head, secure guillotine grip
   
3. Slide free leg back into lunge and pull up with guillotine, securing choke.
   

In conclusion, watching the incredibly unassuming Marcelo Garcia is a treat of technically spectacular jiu-jitsu. If he is anywhere nearby for a seminar, go! If not, for now, make do with his video series. And setting dislocated fingers is not as difficult as it looks. Freaky yes, difficult no.