Seminar Report: Tom DeBlass

Tom DeBlass is a renowned American grappler who has competed and medalled at many of the world’s elite grappling events (ADCC, World Championships, Pans etc). He has also fought MMA (11-2). His academy was where Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon and Nicky Ryan first cut their teeth before moving onto the blue basement with John Danaher. Tom is also a very prolific user of social media and uses his voice as an outspoken campaigner for a number of causes.

Tom was here in the UK on behalf of REORG – the charity dedicated to helping ex-servicemen and women who are coping with injuries and PTSD – to teach two seminars. In fact, I think these are Tom’s first ever seminars in the UK.

9TH JUNE: GREAT BRITAIN TOP TEAM, LONDON

**Using the knee shield half guard offensively.** In general, Tom says he likes to cross his ankles and keep his knee shield relatively low. He says, if you are using your frames to push away then you are defending. If you want to use half guard offensively you want to get really close to uke. (1) Tom removes his knee shield which invites uke to try to crush him. Crucially, his top arm is ready for the underhook. He then uses his knee to bump uke forward. If uke does not apply weight on you then you can sit up. Make sure to lead with your shoulder and not with your underhooking arm. Only once you have made contact with your shoulder do you reach for the underhook. Word of warning, take care to hide your elbow on the floor side and even grab his wrist or he will flatten you.

**Near arm kimura.** From knee shield, Tom places his knee high on ukes shoulder. He applies a collar tie, or even uses two hands, to pull uke’s head down. (1&2) With a circular motion of his left hand he feeds ukes head under his top leg and hooks his foot under uke’s far armpit. Note how Tom also cups under the nearside arm in readiness for…(3) bringing uke’s lower part of the arm towards him avoids uke reacting and grabbing his inner thigh to defend. (4) switch grips to apply the kimura finish. Move your own hips if the kimura isn’t quite secured.

***Sweep from flattened half guard.*** (1) Tom is completely flat and uke has the crossface with underhook. Tom places his feet as close to uke’s knee. (2) using his hands to assist Tom is able to sweep uke over his body. (3) viewed from the other side.

**Guillotine.** Tom showed us how he prefers to do the (no arm in) guillotine choke. He keeps it really shallow and uses the index knuckle to put pressure onto the carotid and his elbows low. This way he uses very little energy and can maintain it for as long as needed.

**Knee Shield to prevent being pancaked.** If uke is trying to flatten your knee shield, Tom suggests placing the knee much higher, right on the shoulder joint. This placement can receive as much weight and pressure and not be affected. Note his right foot on uke’s hip, to prevent guard pass.

**Sweep when being knee sliced.** (1) In half guard uke will try to pop his knee up (this tech also works generally for knee slice attempts. (Tom uses his left foot to hook under uke’s trailing leg. Unseen in photos but Tom uses his hands to push uke’s knee back down to the ground while his hooked foot lifts uke’s trailing leg. Tom’s right foot is placed close to the ankle to prevent uke’s leg windshield wiping.(3) Tom’s left foot now travels over to the other side of uke’s trailing leg and torques the lower leg to the outside. (4) Tom reaches around the waist. (5) Tom sweeps uke the reverse direction. Unseen in the photo but Tom’s right arm underhooks uke’s left leg.

**GB Top Team** is based in Mitcham, South London and is owned by former UFC fighter Brad Pickett. Fun fact, Brad and I used to spar back when I was training at Eddie Kone’s BJJ academy.

10TH JUNE, ROGER GRACIE ACADEMY HQ, LONDON

**Hip balance concept.** Tom demonstrates his asymmetric hip sprawl for passing the knee shield half guard, *which he uses for the next technique.*..

**Defending Butterfly Guard elevation sweep.** (1) From double underhooks, (2) as uke elevates Tom, his hips shift so one side is heavier than the other which nullifies the elevation (3) There is a danger of uke taking the back since he has the underhook so Tom pops his head and arm over to the other side of uke’s body. (4) Tom works his leg over uke’s right knee and switches his hips again. He now has chest to chest pressure and is angled 90 degrees to uke. The angle, Tom says, nullifies any attempt to sweep or attack with an underhook.

**Removing the knee shield.** (1) For a much tougher knee shield, Tom showed how angle changes can be used instead of pressure. Instead of facing square to your opponent, Tom places his left leg very close to uke’s bottom leg and sits heavy on that leg. He keeps some distance as there’s no need to apply heavy pressure. His body angle has changed so it isn’t square on anymore. Tom then pops his right knee up and uses it to prize open the knee shield. He places his hand on uke’s hip (on the knee shield side) and wedges his arm in between the knee and his body. Use the arm to open the knee out wider, but, rather than try to go for a knee slice (which is tempting), (2) Tom prefers to drop his knee back to the ground. This simple angle change removes the knee shield using little energy. (3) If uke tries to get their knee shield back, Tom uses his chest to pancake that leg flat. (4) Tom reminds us to fill the space once the knee shield is removed – don’t regress backwards, Tom says, continue forward.

**Passing the knee shield half guard.** (1) Tom’s right arm reaches under uke’s leg for a leg weave but he keeps it fairly low and not too tight. Tom applies a lot of heavy pressure onto the knee shield. (2) When the moment allows, he switches his hips to alter the angle of attack. (3) Tom’s right arm underhooks uke’s top leg – this prevents him from stomping the floor and attempting a hip bump sweep. (4) Tom withdraws his right leg, note how the left leg is used as a wedge to achieve this.

**Defending the Hip Switch Half Guard Pass.** (1) Uke switches hips, Tom figure 4 locks his legs over uke’s top leg to secure it in position. (2) Tom moves his left leg and hooks it underneath uke’s top leg. (3&4) Tom uses his hands and the leg hook to guide uke over his body, remarkably there is little uke can do to resist this sweep. (5&6) If uke bases out then the opportunity for leg entanglement opens.

**Using the knee lever to defend the hip switch.** This movement was too quick to photograph. But when uke switches his hips, at the same time, you use the knee lever (as per previous day’s seminar) to sweep him across your body. The trick to this is good timing.

**Defending the leg weave half guard pass**. This one was my question to Tom (because I always struggle against it, mainly when sparring with Sandeep!). Tom says push on the head (1) and keep pushing not matter what! You can either withdraw your top leg and re-pummel it (2) or get your lower leg and place the foot on uke’s hip (circled). Shame I didn’t photograph that last tip as Sandeep and I found it a gamechanger when drilling.

**Deep Half Guard sweep**. Sandeep had a question for Tom about the Homer Simpson sweep (Tom seemed to find the name amusing). Tom says use the lockdown when trying to sweep from deep half. This locks in uke’s patella and when you turn, uke will be forced to move with you.

Over two days, Tom taught a half guard technical masterclass. Since I love using half guard (and have difficulty passing it) these sessions were heaven for me! The seminars were hosted by two stunning academies – both GB Top Team and RGA HQ have huge mat space and first class facilities.

*RGA South Herts coaches (Me, Sandeep and Wayne) with Tom DeBlass*

Tom is also quite the raconteur. During the seminar, he talked often about his experiences as a high level competitor or as a coach to hundreds and hundreds of students (this was his 350th seminar he informed us). He also spoke at length about his passions outside of jiujitsu – his proactive and charitable work helping child victims of bullying is a major cause. Of course, he is also a huge support of REORG and that hook up is mainly thanks to Tom’s friendship with the wonderful actor Tom Hardy (who is an ambassador of the REORG charity).

I really enjoyed these seminars. If you follow Tom DeBlass on social media, you can pretty much predict how he is at his seminars – he really is a formidable, outspoken but also very entertaining character. I definitely took away a number of gold nugget techniques and tips to help my own game.

More information:
Follow Tom DeBlass on Instagram or Facebook
REORG Charity website
GB Top Team website
Roger Gracie Academy website.

One Comment

Toby

June 12, 2023 - 12:20 pm

Great recap of the seminar (I attended the Saturday). I often have trouble remembering all of the techniques shown at seminars as there is usually so much information thrown at you, so its great to see everything detailed so i can come back and refresh my memory, re-drill and get it engrained into my brain.
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Seminar Report: Tom DeBlass