Musings from the BJJ Gi#25, lessons 26 & 27; leg hook takdedown/trap and rolls, & clinch (aggressive opponent)/americana armlock

We've done the leg hook takedown/trap and rolls lesson a couple of times now, and there wasn't much to report about it really. All good with the trap and rolls, and I got the leg hook takedown happening a bit more like one smooth motion rather than a step-by-step motion. It's almost like you spin a full 180 degrees with your opponent when you do it right. I got a good tip on my head placement on their chest as well, being that my head should be against the side of their chest opposite to the side of the leg which I'm hooking, that way you get optimal leverage in the most useful direction for the takedown.

The next lesson was a first time lesson at this academy, involving shooting for the clinch with an aggressive opponent approaching, being one throwing punches. The drill involves your opponent taking two steps towards you, and on the third attempting to punch, at which point you shoot in with your 'helmet' on (arms protecting head/face), and attain the clinch, and hold while they resist for a while. All good again for this one, no problems and pretty straight forward. The americana drills were cool, starting from the mount, you throw a few slaps to the face to bring their arms up, you then push one of their forearms to the ground using both of your hands, and body weight to push down. Then, the hand holding their wrist, you put that elbow on the ground, so that your elbow is right next to their neck, and your hand is gripping their wrist. Then with your other hand, palm facing up, go underneath their trapped arm, then turn your hand facing palm down once it's through and grab your own wrist, and now make sure both of your hands have thumbless grips. Put your forehead down on your own wrist, insert your leg hook on the opposite side to the armlock, then 'paint the floor' with the back of their hand, angling it south while simultaneously (slowly) lifting their elbow, but making sure the back of their wrist/hand stays connected to the floor. We practiced this on both sides/arms.

There's a headlock variation of the americana too, where you're mounted again, but have them in a headlock. You feed their wrist to the hand you have behind their head, then insert your other hand underneath the same as before, palm up, insert, then palm down to grip your own wrist. Now go thumbless grips, and insert your leg hook, opposite side to the armlock again. You then loop your headlocking arm over their head and into the regular americana position, and apply in the same way again slowly.

I really dig the americana as a submission, as it seems pretty easy/quick to lock up, an awesome one for self defence.
Cheers,

• David