Wow, it's been a while since I last wrote anything...I have posted up some new videos though so you can be assured I haven't forgetten all about the website or giving you guys some pointers!

Plus I've been injured again (boo!!) but in a way, that's helped me improve one of my areas that I was conscious I needed to work on - The top position or full mount! Having a bad lower back just meant that I didn't want to spend too much time fighting off my back with the risk of getting stacked or pinned.

The mount has always been one of my least favourite positions, although I was happy with high mount & using s-mount to set up submissions, I was never great with the basic full mount as I was previously too content to allow myself to be reversed & catch a sub in the transition or to work from my guard. Consequently, although I periodically worked on attaining it, I was never particularly good at holding the position.

So I decided to sit down & work out how I could change that. First place I looked at was the exact opposite position...being mounted & the theory & principles behind escaping (ie not allowing your opponent to settle & achieve a base, keeping his hips off you & keeping moving)

Soon as you see & understand how to escape you can start working on the techniques necessary to restrict your opponent when you are on top (weight distribution, hip position etc). And the revelation was that it was all about the basics again! I just went back & revised & practised & drilled everything I'd learned about the mount; how to get there, where each limb can & should be, position & posture of hips, back, legs, grips using a jacket & without, controlling opponents upper & lower body etc. I never realised I'd learnt so much about one basic beginners position!!

All in all I think I'm saying, if you have a problem with using a position, don't think about that position first. Think about getting out of it & allow all your sparring partners to put you in that position again & again. Once you are comfortable with escaping you'll be more aware of how people move when they are under you trying to escape. Plus you can watch how people counter your escapes and learn from them.

Then get out there & practise. Don't go straight to your favourite position, go to your worst & improve it.

If you think everything is equally bad, just pick one and start there...

And take note from me of how the simplest basic stuff I learnt first & get bored of is the stuff I keep coming back to in order to improve my own ability.

Now all I've got to do is get my back to full flexibility & movement & I'll sit on a few of you for a while.