Dave is a perfectionist and in starting the new location he wants it to be built in exacting vision.  This means the vibe, the facilities, the organization, the attitude, and of course, the techniques.  To accomplish this, we started from the beginning - ukemi, shrimp drills, proper hand positioning, etc.  These are the foundation of the house we all are trying to build day in and day out, and I have never taken the time to reset and really learn this core.  Some people may be bored with this material, but I find it so valuable.  Somehow inside I believe that doing these fundamentals right is the single most important thing I can be doing.  I just think that if I have this solid base in place, I can add to it - without it, I will somehow be floating aimlessly.  Been there, done that.

One of those fundamentals is the shrimp move.  It is essential, but it never felt right to me.  I always had to work so hard.  It was frustrating and I never knew why.  After a few weeks of doing shrimp drills and hearing Dave explain the movement over and over it finally clicked.  Said another way, the movement became clean.  It was now somehow easy and natural.  The difference?  I started to roll on my shoulder before moving my hips away.  This created some space and removed the friction from the mat.  Very simple, but I never really knew why it was so tough.

In last night's class was another of those moments.  We were working the standard armbar from guard.  Like you, I have seen about a thousand people teach this move, but Dave's armlocks are second to none.  What is cool is that he is constantly evolving.  I guarantee you that he did not do his armlock this way 5 years ago.  The main differences from the traditional approach are that he crossed his legs and used the off hand in a type of rubber guard.  It makes this move very hard to counter. (note - he does not always cross, but he showed that last night).  Just another example of a core move that I have struggled with and now hope to hit much more often and with more confidence.

See you on the mat!