November is a big one! We're hosting a Veterans Day open mat to benefit the We Defy Foundation, a few of our kids and adults are headed to the BJJ Tour U.S. Open in San Jose, and we'll be taking a short break for Thanksgiving. We also put together a full review of everything we covered in October, so you can keep sharpening those details between classes.
Veterans Day Open Mat Fundraiser for We Defy
Ground Rules Academy is proud to be the 2026 official host of the Veterans Day Ruck/Roll for the We Defy Foundation! Join us on Wednesday, November 11 from 11am to 1pm for a fundraiser open mat at the academy. We Defy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that gives combat veterans coping with military-connected disabilities a long-term way to overcome their challenges through Brazilian jiu jitsu and fitness training.
This open mat is for serious grapplers only (teens and adults). All other classes are canceled on Wednesday 11/11, so the open mat will be the only thing on the mats that day. Donations are optional to attend (the flyer lists a suggested $20 donation), and if you can't make it, donations are always welcome without attending.
All donations go directly to the We Defy Foundation.
Thanksgiving Schedule
We’ll be closed for Thanksgiving. The academy will be closed for all regular classes on Thursday 11/26 and Friday 11/27. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!
Upcoming Tournaments
BJJ Tour U.S. Open
A few of our kids and adults will be competing at the BJJ Tour U.S. Open on Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15, at Independence High School, 717 N Jackson Ave, San Jose. Kids compete on Saturday, and juveniles, adults, and masters compete on Sunday (pre-schedule, so it may change). If you're interested in registering, let us know so we can help you get ready!
Register for the BJJ Tour U.S. Open here. Late registration closes Monday, November 9 at 11:59 PM.
IBJJF San Jose Winter International Open
The U.S. Open is also a perfect warm-up for those of us with our sights set on the IBJJF San Jose Winter International Open on January 16-17, 2027, at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Exposition Hall (344 Tully Rd, San Jose). If you're interested in competing, please contact us at info@groundrulesacademy.com so we can get you formally registered with the IBJJF. Athletes need an active IBJJF membership that lasts through the event, so reach out early. The IBJJF's preferred affiliation deadline is December 24, 2026, and registration closes January 8, 2027.
IBJJF event page and registration
October Technique Review: Mount Escapes, Bottom Half Guard Escapes, and Back Attacks
October was all about the bottom game. We started by escaping the mount, spent two weeks on bottom half guard, and finished with back attacks. Below is a review of the positions and techniques we covered at our Pleasanton academy, why they work, and how they fit together. Whether you're a regular on our mats or just curious about Brazilian jiu jitsu in the Tri-Valley, use this as your study guide.
Week 1: Mount Escapes (Upa Escape, Elbow Escape, Escaping on the Trailing Leg, Upa/Elbow Hybrid to Butterfly)
Being mounted feels awful, but you have more options than you think, and the earlier you start your escape, the easier it is. We built the week around a few escapes that work together.
Upa escape. Trap one of their arms and the foot on the same side, then bridge up and over that side so they roll off you. Trapping the arm and the foot together is the key. If you only trap one, they post out and stay put.
Elbow escape. When the upa isn't there, use your elbows and hips. Get your frames in, shrimp your hips away to make a gap, and then bring your knee through to get your guard back. Make the space first, then move your leg.
Side control to mount transition escape on the trailing leg. The best time to escape the mount is before it settles. When your partner steps from side control to mount, their trailing leg is the last piece to arrive, so that's where we go to work. Catch the escape on that trailing leg while they're mid-step and you can stop them from getting comfortable.
Upa and elbow escape hybrid to butterfly. The last piece was combining the two. The hybrid uses the bridge from the upa escape and the frames and hip movement from the elbow escape, so you bridge and frame your way up into butterfly guard instead of staying flat on your back.
The common thread is to stay active. Don't wait for them to settle in, and don't just push with your arms. Use your hips.
Week 2: Bottom Half Guard Escapes (Lower Body Escapes, Low Knee Shield, Forward Shrimp, Knee Lever)
Half guard on the bottom is a very common spot to find yourself, and it gets uncomfortable when your upper body is stuck. This week was all about lower body escapes for exactly that bad position, when your partner has the underhook and the crossface and your shoulders are pinned. If your upper body is locked up, your legs and hips have to do the work.
We worked three options. First, club their head with your bicep and shrimp to bring your top knee in to a low knee shield. Second, scrape your bottom knee to their far hip and forward shrimp. Third, go the other way and use the knee lever. Each one works without needing your upper body to be free: the first two create space so you can recover guard, and the knee lever sweeps you to the top.
Week 3: Bottom Half Knee Shield (Low Knee Shield, Positioning, False Kimura to Back Take, Knee Lever)
We continued the topics from last week and then built on them. The low knee shield and its positioning is the foundation, because the shield keeps distance between you and your partner and buys you time to work.
From there, we added the false kimura to a back take. You threaten the kimura, and when your partner reacts to defend it, it opens the door to take the back. We also combined the false kimura with the knee lever, so that if one doesn't work, the other is there. As always, the idea is to have two threats at once, so that when your partner defends one, the other opens up.
Week 4: Back Attacks (Basic Positioning and the Rear Naked Choke)
We finished the month on offense with the back. The back is the most dominant position in jiu jitsu, so we started with the basics of positioning, because the finish is only as good as the position it comes from. From there, we worked the rear naked choke. Positioning comes first. The choke is easy when the position is right and hard when it isn't.
Putting It Together
Put October together and you have a nice bottom game story: survive the mount, get out from bad spots in half guard, use the knee shield to turn defense into offense, and take the back. Now it's November, and we flip back to the top, so you'll learn to attack the same positions you just learned to escape.
November Curriculum
Have you figured out the pattern yet? October was the bottom game, so November flips back to the top. We start with half guard passing. Week 2 is side control immobilizations and transitions. We finish the month over weeks 3 and 4 with side control and knee-on-belly submissions. Week 4 is a short week because of Thanksgiving, so we stay on the same topic for both weeks.
Want to see what these classes feel like? Ground Rules Academy is at 7034 Commerce Circle, Suite F, in Pleasanton, and you can reach us at info@groundrulesacademy.com or 925-400-8805 to set up your first class.