Master Martin opened class, thanking everyone for coming. He asked where all the red belts were (only one in attendance) and encouraged instructors, and all Black Belts, to bring the red belts to Black Belt Class. He spoke briefly about the 9th Annual Wyoming Invitational. It was a successful event; however we are always looking for ways to improve the tournament. We had good numbers, with lots of support from Colorado. It would be good for Wyoming to support Grand Master Sereff's tournament later this month.

Master Martin then turned the class over to Master Sergeant Tony Giese, IV Dan, and State Combative Coordinator for the Wyoming National Guard.

Mr. Giese began by pointing out that everyone has a universal fight plan, and if that can be taken away, the advantage will shift. We worked the whole class on ground fighting:

4 positions to start.
1) mount - you are over your opponent, straddling him on your knees - do not sit on your opponent.
2) you are over your opponent, his legs are around your waist with his feet crossed behind you.
3) rear mount - you're seated behind your opponent with your legs around his waist-do not cross your feet.
4) table top - across the body, one knee to his ribs, one leg braced out, one elbow to the neck.

Mr. Giese went over a number of specific attacks/defenses/releases, and there were some common principles that applied to all of them:
*When putting another in a hold there should be no space between you. Space is the way of escape.
*Flip side of that is that if you are on the losing end you must create space.
*Two kinds of grip - thumbless grip and a (pop) can grip. Also grips to the lapels, thumbs up or thumbs down.
*You should do drills on your ho-sin-sul repetitively with exactly the same detail, just like a pattern. Repetition and cooperation from your partner is the only way to learn the techniques well enough that they will be there if you need them. Intensity increases as you become more proficient.
*Do not expose your back to your opponent.
*There is a lot going on as you're using all four limbs at once.

Mr. Giese showed us how to choke w/forearm from behind, w/hands from the front, several ways using the lapels or not. Also defenses against a choke.
Escapes from top mount, trap and roll, pass guard and remount.
We had drills to practice before executing most techniques, which involved getting repetitions on the first bit of the attack or escape, and then going on to the finish, to put you in a position of dominance.
And we all got to "shrimp" down the floor!

Mr. Giese started out demonstrating some of the techniques...
Then we all got to practice.

1
front choke - lapels	front choke - supported behind
practicing chokes... tap your partner to tap out.	thumbless grip, bottom hand pop can grip, top hand
prep for joint lock	joint lock from mount
joint lock practice...	...goes both ways
shrimp preparation	the shrimp
everyone was shrimping down the floor.	another demonstration.
tuck the leg under, and...	roll to dominant.
	the drive back to Sheridan
Wyoming Black Belt Class, October 5, 2008

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