The Turtle and the Anaconda (diary entry)

19.10.16   Tonight’s first lesson looked at grappling mobility with a focus on groundwork top position. I emphasised the importance of engaging the hips at all times in order to dominate and I also used a few timing drills.   The warm-up began with some basic grappling exercises – Quadruped Shoulder Rolls, Indian Press-ups, Squat Thrust/Indian Squats, Forward Break-Falls and Backward Break-Falls. We then did some partner drilling. This started with collar and elbow transitioning, changing to bulling, then necktie/wrist grip transitioning and escaping. This section was finished with using the necktie/wrist grip to set up for a single leg entry and then just single entries, swapping between legs.   We then looked at the sprawl defence from a double leg takedown as a lead into ground mobility training. With the failed double leg takedown turning into a turtle defence, I looked at the various ways a fighter can attack. We drilled entries the anaconda grips at the front, transitioning to the back for seat belt grips on either side as well as a waist-lock. The purpose of this exercise was to move cleanly and smoothly around the turtle position to various different attacking options.   We then focused on a single technique: the anaconda from a side sweep on the turtle position. This very simplistic and straightforward move was recently popularised on a video demonstration given by Milton Vieira, who is sometimes credited with being the inventor of the anaconda choke. The mechanics are great. The fighter sets up the anaconda choke (a reverse arm triangle) deep, moves to side control, hooks one leg, switches his leg position to scarf-hold and then sweeps the opponent.