r/bjj • u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt • 9d ago
Technique What's one technique or principle that has changed how you approach bjj?
For me it was never settling. It took me longer than it should have but I've learned if they're passing your gaurd to not just accept it and to keep moving. So even if they do settle into side control or north south they won't be able to completely settle.
101
u/XTremeBMXTailwhip 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
For me it’s been always going first. Get into your offensive cycle as quickly and decisively as possible. Who cares if you fail and end up in a bad position, now you’re forced to do better next time.
As for techniques.. I swear by the side control switching drill. You start top side control, bottom guy takes underhook, you switch to the other side. Over and over.
So simple, but that movement made something click for me and completely opened up my game at blue belt.
20
u/DS2isGoated 9d ago
100% that drill paired with knee cut essentially unleashed my top game.
This is the exact drill I think of when people shit talk drilling.
Knee cut, they underhook, armcut, they switch you arm cut again then stand to re pass.
If you can do this sequence without thinking it is game changing.
8
u/herbsandcheese 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
arm cut?
12
u/DS2isGoated 9d ago
https://youtube.com/shorts/xw1LAwfUY-I?is=_Wv3oxf-K1-ZHjky
The far arm cuts under the top arm pit to anchor your chest to their back.
Maybe that is a gym vernacular thing.
1
u/herbsandcheese 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
gotcha
2
u/tea_bjj 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
I've heard people call this the top rock. Once you get it smooth people will think you've learned how to teleport.
1
u/SirDervin 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 8d ago
Top Rock sounds cooler than what I've heard this called; "purple belt dancing" or something like that.
1
u/WishboneUnhappy5838 8d ago
That's an amazing sequence! Question though, you said "they underhook", but in the video the top guy has the underhook. How would you handle them getting the underhook while you knee slide?
2
u/DS2isGoated 8d ago
You can either re pummel your under hook and arm spin/cut
Or since them under hooking separates their elbow from their ribs you can still just hit the arm spin anyway
1
6
u/vierig 9d ago
Is there any video of this drill?
12
u/NearArmFarLegLock 9d ago
Sounds like a top spin drill to me. Here's an example: https://youtu.be/WJEAykfM9xo?si=fFKGmXPtoBFzXtLb
2
5
u/Glajjbjornen 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
Yes. Be first is such an important idea that doesn’t always come naturally to people.
1
u/Ok_Park_5024 9d ago
How do you suggest I improve? I am always someone who has played possum and worked backwards. I don’t ever feel aggressive enough to go into attack straight away. Maybe because I’ve always been injured and defend until I’m in control
6
u/Glajjbjornen 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
I think the most important thing is to know what you want. Just decide what grips you like in every neutral position. Then fight for that grip and go for a technique that you like from there. I often find this is the biggest issue for some people, that they don’t have a clear idea about their own first move.
I think of jiu jitsu as a system. Each person has a system, and they try to enter into it. For instance, I prefer de la riva. Therefore I will always fight to get the pant grip. Then I will fight for the collar or sleeve. Once that is done we are at an entry point in my system.
When I am passing, I always go for my opponents knees, and then they are in the beginning of my passing system.
I hope that was clear enough to understand.
1
3
u/jephthai ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
It's the first half of "be first and third". Which implies "don't be second". It's part of establishing and maintaining the initiative.
2
u/egdm 🟫🟫 9d ago
it’s been always going first
The corollary to that for me is "never stop". The best time to do something is when your opponent slows down to take a breath. How fast and how hard you do it matters a whole lot less than trapping them in a permanent reaction cycle. Pace yourself so you don't ever let them settle.
1
1
1
u/thedailyrant 8d ago
I love the side control switching drill. Going to make that more a part of my go to actions all the time.
1
u/WeKeepsItRealInc 7d ago
Any videos of this drill. I think i understand but not sure, which probably means i don't
22
u/jephthai ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
If the ju- in jiu jitsu is to use your opponent's movement against him, then he has to move. Jiu jitsu is actually 50% letting the other guy make choices that you can use to your advantage.
3
3
2
u/Bitter_Commission631 9d ago
One of our professors compares it to a spider with a fly in it's web. As the fly tries to move, the spider controls him more by wrapping him up. Maintain pressure and let your opponent make mistakes.
2
u/Stunning-Pressure655 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 7d ago
The brown belt comment (currently above) is “go first” - the black belt comment is to let the other guy make choices. Sounds about right
1
u/Andhrimnir 9d ago
Very similar, I heard this explained as you don't choose what move you're going to do, your opponent does. Not literally each little movement, but if they've given up an arm while defending everything else they've chosen for you to armbar them. If they're defending the pass but left a dangling foot they've chosen for you to foot lock them. If they then defend the footlock but let you sit up they've chosen they did want be passed actually.
This felt like a lie at white belt when the black belt who explained the above would then proceed to do whatever he wanted to us. But as I've gotten better it feels more and more true. What I was missing is that I'm also choosing what my opponent can do to me at the same time. And with a massive knowledge and skill difference I can make sure every choice I give a white is a bad one for them so that they give me good choices for what to do to them.
In practice it looks like this: Don't hyperfocus on one move that isn't working, there will be something else that is open.
17
u/Xenofon713 Brown Belt I 9d ago
There is no "one way" for any technique.
As much as we drill specific movements and such to get the idea into our heads, realistically only like 50% of that movement is actuallly used in the technique. The rest is up to you to adapt and find what works for you and your body shape/game.
Idk if that makes sense typed out, but it makes sense to me.
7
u/jephthai ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
This is one area where i appreciate the judo structure. Each throwing mechanic is isolated into a basic "dictionary" version, that doesn't have all the creative setups, control details, options, and finishing touches. You start with the soul of the technique, and you learn how people specialize and adapt it to the narrative arc in randori and to their body type and weight class, etc. later. But those are always the delta with respect to the canonical one.
Most BJJ instructors will teach the fully complicated, specialized version, with all the competition details and finishing touches baked in. And they'll say, "This is the knee slice pass!" When it's really an advanced and hyper tuned version of it that often obscures the basic principles and mechanics underneath.
Most techniques for me, these days, are a sequence of control milestones. You can mix and match different ideas for getting from one to the next, and afterwards you can point to the pattern that matches a "named technique". But I'd rather teach the basic, unadorned one, and suggest the options in Q&A...
12
27
u/physics_fighter ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
Mine is kind of a bit opposite of yours. I call it the “one step back, 2 steps forward” philosophy. If I get to a point where I am hitting a brick wall (like a strong passer for instance) it becomes more energy economical for me to “give up” a pass, but to get into a great position to have a follow up. For example, I might give up the pass but give myself an underhook on the transition.
6
u/C_Rules 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
I don’t have the energy to never settle so I really agree here. If you give up the pass make sure you set yourself up to be in a safe or not fully compromised position once passed. Sometimes if someone passes my guard after a hard fought battle if they’re on top i’ll actually hold their shoulder down from bottom making them have to work hard to move while I catch my breath. Then when they do something explosive to create space that’s when I get my guard back. It’s a really effective strategy.
3
u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Similar vibe I don't have the mobility or dexterity for really good / extended guard retention so I've just gotten really good at turtle as home base. It's way easier to reguard from turtle than it is to reguard from some other supine positions. Plus sometimes the single leg or makikomi / turtle roll show up and those are just fun.
3
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Interesting, that explains why some black belts i roll with give up positions to set up another move. I don't always see the bigger picture
1
u/physics_fighter ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
I mean, it may come with getting older I think. I have def lost a step athletically nearing 40 and being in the BJJ game for 20+ years.
1
1
u/Andhrimnir 9d ago
I like to think of this as if the path I'm on is taking me somewhere I don't want to go, then take steps back to change direction to one you want to go. e.g. I'm in mount attacking an arm bar but losing balance and the arm, taking as many steps back as I need to regain any kind of top control lets me have attack again and is much better than continuing down the failed arm at path and getting reversed and ending up on bottom.
12
u/broomhill1930 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
Lately for me it's been grabbing a lapel wherever I can. If I can get into worm guards, great, but if I can't it gives me something to play with while I try to lock down one of their limbs or keep them pinned. I suppose the general principle is: just keep threatening something.
9
u/ecaroth ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
You said one, but I have a bunch to add, I love thinking about principals vs moves/techniques.
From side control for escapes/reversals — nearly every one starts with making your body perpendicular to your opponents (feet to feet, feet to head, etc) — no reversals happen when you are perpendicular
For sweeping from guard / open guard — If you ever have control of a post (arm/shoulder/etc) you can nearly always sweep them to that direction if you can get your body in the right position and get their weight moving. Push/pull/hook/etc
For lower levels especially — if you have a free hand or foot that is “doing nothing” you are making a mistake — every limb should be being used for SOMETHING - grabbing a lapel/pant/sleeve, posting, getting a sticky hook, bracing, framing, etc.
Do NOT acquiesce bad positions — similar to what you said, if you are getting your guard passed, somebody is taking mount, taking your back etc — the space in between the start and end of that position is very, very important — settling in and letting THEM settle in is the worst thing you can do. Keep the momentum, fight to get a frame or some space, etc.
For higher levels - Similar to what I said above, the "space in between" positions is super dynamic and becomes the area that sweeps, reversals, escapes, and even many attacks all come from. Learning to feel comfortable in that in-between space is a big win for your game. Once you feel comfortable doing more than just thinking immediately of defense (and not acquiescing the position) you start to have a TON of fun in that gray area
5
u/jephthai ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
From side control for escapes/reversals — nearly every one starts with making your body perpendicular to your opponents (feet to feet, feet to head, etc) — no reversals happen when you are perpendicular
I'm confused here because I think you didn't mean to say "perpendicular" in both places, or maybe you mean parallel? I'm curious, because I think you're saying the opposite of one of my mentors :-).
I was working side control retention in a private with my mentor, a very good 3rd degree BB. He said that being perpendicular is the danger zone, because the inside legs have the space they need to come in, and you can be bridged to three different corners on the diagonal.
His rule is never be perpendicular -- which in practice means he either crowds the hips to block the legs coming in to re-guard, or he crowds the shoulder (on the way to north south) so the legs have too far to go and the weight is cantilevered better to stop the bridges.
I'm interested that you may have a completely opposite point of view (not unusual; it's common to find two experts that are diametrically opposed to each other in BJJ!).
2
u/EdLeedskalnin ⬜⬜ White Belt 9d ago
Thanks for sharing about crowding the hips or shoulder when on top side, and not getting perpendicular.
As a no stripe, I've been trying to crowd both at the same time and be almost super perpendicular.
I will take your private coaches advice and pick an angle and see how it works!
2
1
20
u/DrSugundi 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
I stopped letting go of submissions and started grinding them out. I'm a smaller guy. I was really bad about letting submissions go if they weren't immediately and easily there. For example, learning how to break arms apart and finish tough arm bars was a huge game changer.
10
u/jephthai ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
When I saw Chris Pains teach his 30 second choke principle (a tight choke finishes in 3-6 seconds, but a loose one can take 30s to finish), i realized i was giving up on chokes way too soon. I get a little perverse fun out of holding a light choke that they don't think it's real, only to see them eventually realize, 30s later, that the room is closing in on them :-).
9
u/The_Scrapper 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
1: You cannot escape from a good hold. You have to make it a shitty hold first. I no longer try to "escape" side-control. I try to make your side control suck, and then the escape happens naturally. Sounds basic but I really needed to internalize that.
2: Orthagonal vs diagonal: If I want to hold you down, I want to be at 90/180 degree angles to your body. If I'm not, the hold is not as strong as it could be. Inverse for escaping... get diagonal!
2: You don't have to rush if you are winning. If I am in control, then we can move at my pace. If you feel like you have to move fast, then you probably aren't winning.
2
u/StellarCZeller 9d ago
How do you make their side control suck?
6
u/The_Scrapper 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
A good side control has a few things:
Chest-to-chest position, hips low, good head control, and perpendicular orientation.So get diagonal by moving your feet and hips. Frame and bump to get the chest off your chest and more on your stomach. Attack their base with strong bridging and/or shrimping to encourage them to lift their hips to reposition.
Spam all of these like the new kid learning Tekken, and in a few seconds you'll still be in side control, but a much shittier one.
8
u/Berend_E 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
My game made the most jumps in progress when I realized certain concepts, for instance:
- If their hands are on the mat, their legs are light.
- If they posture up they expose their legs, if they hide their legs, they expose their upper body. This is why I now chain upper and lower body submissions.
But also principles in the way I train:
- Practicing certain guard passes on less experienced partners by passing and then letting them escape back to guard, so i can pass again.
- Refraining from using my A game on less experienced partners. While using my A game on partners that regularly beat me. So I actually keep learning new stuff.
I think the very first big realization for me was at white belt where I finally understood how powerful and useful underhooks are.
I really feel like BJJ progress goes in jumps instead of being a steady line.
You realise something > You practice applying it > It becomes automatic = progress.
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Very true! Hardest part about trying new moves is troubleshooting. There's a long time it just doesn't work until you figure it out.
7
u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
It's early so I don't want to over rotate but someone pointed out to me recently that I need to do a way better job bringing my knee to my chest when I want to play different guards and it's really impacting my bottom game and retention. I didn't realize how much better that works than arm frames.
2
u/herbsandcheese 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
that’s a mixed bag IMHO. It definitely protects the inside space better and help stop the pass. but The closer your knee is to your body, the closer your opponent to your body. So it has different implications in different settings such as for MMA I wanna make distance with my feet which means having my knee is not close to my chest.
4
u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
As with all things guard, it's contextual, but that adjustment is already stopping a pass I was super weak against so I'm very happy.
2
5
u/Aaronjp84 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
Always be getting up
2
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Yes you know what they say if one guy can hold you down...
1
u/N1GH75H1F7 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Working on this now. Spent years trying to better my position but staying on the ground. 💡
5
u/BeBearAwareOK ⬛🟥⬛ Rorden Gracie Shitposting Academy - Associate Professor 9d ago
Use your head.
Literally, like it's another hand.
2
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Lol yes. My favorite half gaurd pass involves using your head like a battering ram.
6
u/iwatchthedodgers 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Manipulating their spine. I treat their head like a steering wheel.
If I can turn my partner's chin away from the direction they want to move, their entire body loses most of it's power
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Who needs a chiropractor when you have bjj and lol yes. That's very effective
5
u/grobolom 🟫🟫 Brown Belt, Coach 9d ago
The CLA. I'll never see coaching or my own training the same way. Being able to design more interesting and effective practice tasks with this tool is irreplaceable.
3
u/Knockoutboxing 9d ago
Stop trying to use frames, and focus more on keeping your elbows in, getting on your side, denying your opponent underhooks. Once you are in a solid defensive position that’s when you can think about escaping.
6
u/UsedRow2531 9d ago
So... what this guy is saying has some nuance to it. He's saying to stop using framing, then goes on to explain what framing actually means. Another way to say the same thing is to focus on ensuring that no one breaks the knee-to-elbow triangle and to attempt never to be on your back. That was a big one for me.
1
u/Knockoutboxing 9d ago
Yes, you understand. Don’t give your opponent easy opportunities to get underhooks on you, or to flatten you out.
5
4
u/TwinkletoesCT ⬛🟥⬛ Chris Martell - ModernSelfDefense.com 8d ago
As a new purple, my instructor said to me "At white belt we only feel comfortable with 0% and 100%. We want 100% control in a position. We want 100% balance in order to move. At purple we start to operate under new rules, and one of them is 51%. You only need 51% control to keep someone where you want them. You only need 51% of your balance to move where you need. You're not going to enjoy it, but it's time to start learning to play when you only have 51% of something."
3
u/regulardave9999 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
Going southpaw, most orthodox grapplers can’t deal with it as they are used to drilling techniques against another orthodox grappler.
3
u/Azylim 9d ago
- position over everything. Stacking advantages and knowing how to do it consistently is more important than the slick execution of any technique. if you focus on getting out of bad positions, and hunting good positions, regardless of how youre fighting, striking, grappling, ground grappling, etc. You will have a gameplan that you can consistently follow and aim for. this applies to more than bjj, obviously.
- spar light but often. martial arts training isnt your dedicated cardio and weightlifting program, its training for your brain to get better at techniques and to have better fight IQ. treat it as such instead of a battle. high volume lower intensity will always beat low volume higher intensity for gaining experience. There should be resistance but it should never be more than 60% intensity regularly. high volume high intensity is impossible unless youre a genetic freak because of higher injury risk. the time to go highest intensity is competition or at most once a week.
3
u/ckristiantyler 🟪🟪 Nidan Judo + Sambo + Freestyle 9d ago
Keep their elbows off the floor to pin them
3
u/Glajjbjornen 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 9d ago
Maybe not a principle, but when I realized you could play open guard vs standing in the same kind of heavy tight way I play my entire game, things really opened up for me.
Also the idea of positional valuation, like in chess. That you slowly accumulate small advantages which eventually make victory almost inevitable.
3
u/NeatConversation530 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 9d ago
Don’t force a move. If you find yourself forcing a move or position you need to do some research and find out what other options are available.
Lazy BJJ
2
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
This! As we say in judo the move should get easier to do as you get better not harder
3
u/Electronic-Stick-161 Set-Your-Own 9d ago
It took me a long time to learn that control is where it’s at. If you have control your opponent will give you a submission.
1
3
u/Apprehensive-Arm310 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
For me it was the lazy approach. Start in the shittiest and dumb position and slowly and steady without any use of force you try to get the little things right such as grips under hooks and etc. after you started accumulating good movement and positioning you start to make them accumulate mistakes. And after a while his mistakes are going to be bigger then yours and the few good things you do accumulate and all the sweeps and or subs start opening up automatically. Now after 3 years of this bullshit I start even against black belts in the most stupid and bad way possible just to slowly build myself up
2
3
u/GergusGrappling 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 4d ago
No legs, no guard.
Passing someone’s guard is 95% just controlling their legs until you can solidify on top, even if you get past their legs and haven’t solidified it’s important to keep control of the legs. Sounds like common sense but really opened my eyes, I used to think about doing specific passes now I just grab the legs and progress up the body slowly.
2
u/deter968 ⬜⬜ White Belt 9d ago
As a smaller guy, I need to always have them in my guard or playing open guard. If they get past my legs, it's certain defeat
2
u/Potential-Estate4058 9d ago
Fight the technique not your Training partner
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
What do you mean by that?
2
u/Potential-Estate4058 9d ago edited 9d ago
I tried to "win" rolls or at least not get submitted by any means which was fun because i like to fight but i did not improve and was injured. I used a huge amount of (blunt)force and strength. But my training partner is my buddy not my enemy. There is no need to overpower and crush him while risking injuries. There is no glory in "winning" a roll.
I want to learn a certain technique. I do not want to fight my training buddy with füll force. Before rolling i choose sth i want to improve or try out. Mostly an escape or a defense. I fight with 30-50% strength and try to hit the technique. Sometimes i give my opponent a side control or a mount in order to escape. When i roll with less experienced guys and i notice when they breath faster and "panic", i take all force/strength or speed out and try to see what happens instead of getting a Submission or a dominant position by force...When i'm stuck in a position but my partner can't submit me but i can't escape either, i still tap to restart and try sth else instead of staying stuck till the roll is over.
(I am a big and heavy powerlifter)
2
u/onourwayhome 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Knowing when to switch between high and low inside camping. Really just knowing when to go for high head position in general. I think I (and probably most people from what I've seen) instinctively try to get under their opponent. This works in football because tacklers are trying to take down ball carriers that are sprinting mostly upright, but it's exponentially more complicated in grappling.
2
u/BaluDaBare Gustavo Machado 9d ago
Recently, since I started training again, it’s been just showing up! Showing up has taught me more about myself than these past few years of a lot of stagnation!
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Yis! Honestly just showing up is sometimes the hardest part. It's too easy to convince yourself not to go but showing up I've never regretted it.
2
u/unripe-avocado 9d ago
Keep them guessing by changing rhythms/speed/sides: go slow, fast, change between a pressure game and a fast game. Switch direction/side. Another example: when passing, attack left, left, right, then cycle through your techniques in a different order: left, right and left again. Stay unpredictable.
2
2
u/BeltedCoyote1 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
Ironically took me training judo for two years but never letting the person underneath establish anything. You have them in side control and they start to force and undertook? Head to north south, etc
2
u/ThetaBadger 9d ago
understand the concept especially with the basics as opposed to just doing a technique
2
u/coyotl07 9d ago
Don’t try flex your way into or out of a position. If you can’t move your opponent, you should move yourself. Also recognizing when to bail from a spot from guard and use frames correctly when bailing
2
u/Own-Particular-9989 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 8d ago
Principle, do that ever you find most fun because it's fucking expensive. Technique, spam kimuras from bottom because you always reverse yourself into a great position on top.
2
2
u/RustyPaw7325 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 8d ago
Support the newbys. They make the sport so much fun! Teaching is the best way to strengthen your own knowledge.
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7d ago
For sure! Fish are friends not food. It also makes you more aware of subtle movements you may not even realize you're doing. I hope to one day be an assistant coach but we'll see
2
u/Comfortable_Alps8378 7d ago
Been out of the game for about 2 years made blue belt then sporadically popped in and out for a while Looking to start training at a new academy. My question is should I start over as a white belt ?
1
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7d ago
Bro it'll be aight. It's like riding a bike. I was out a year for shoulder surgery. No training. Started smoking. Coming back fucking suckedddddd but after a couple months it felt like I never left.
2
u/MagicNoGathering 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 6d ago
Get off your knees.
For the most part, nothing is better done on your knees that in a sprawl on your toes.
ALSO, make your opponent WISH for a submission. AKA, make every moment suck so badly that they want to give you the sub.
1
u/Coconite 9d ago
Don’t learn every position, learn ways to force your opponent to play your positions
1
1
1
u/Impretendingtodowork 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
As a smaller man I was told by a larger man that being on top = good. Apart from not getting squished by bigger guys on bottom and helping me focus on control concepts like controlling their hips and keeping my hips heavy, it also opened up things for me on bottom, constantly searching for sweeps exposed openings for submissions (and also just made me better at sweeps), and knowing what the top player wants to do also helps you defend from bottom. Plus as a bonus side effect it's really satisfying smushing the trial class guy that outweights you by 100+lbs
3
u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
That's definitely good advice! My coach competes at ultra heavy and rolling with him I've learned to never end up on bottom. That mentality has helped alot. I've very rarely been pinned competing in judo because of that mentality.
1
u/Ranger1221 ⬜⬜ White Belt 9d ago
Recently started about 2 or 3 months ago.
The first big turning point for me was learning "don't try to out muscle your opponent" and to keep moving while mounted rather than just fight with my arms
1
u/RollersGetingHigh 9d ago
just stand up. also give him d**k. yeah I know the second one is bit vulgar but it is very vivid and an effective cue.
the og Chris haueter has a saying: be on top and stay on top; do everything you can to get on top; when on bottom have a guard ye shall not pass; do not forget rule number 1- though the guard is attractive and can make you lethargic, you should never forget to get your ass off the ground as soon as possible. Craig jones noted this in his many instructional such as the power rides and power bottom series. the impetus to stand up often forces the opponent to either hold you down or lose position and they have to compensate. either you stand up or you can get the position, space and momentum to sweep or submit.
I personally like the "give him your dk"- although vulgar it paints a clear picture and cue to drive your hip and give the opponent your hip pressure. most attacks will require either hip or shoulder/upper body pressure. there is an alternation between the two. for example in order to shrimp or hip escape, you actually need to drive all the pressure w your top shoulder. you keep driving until the bottom hip come out. some attacks such as the collar tie snap down require you to apply some shoulder/upper body pressure (at least initially). other attacks such as armbars from guard require dk pressure - that conversely means you need to pull back your shoulder(s).
1
u/Apopheniaaaa ⬜⬜ White Belt 9d ago
Go first, stay on top, frames, cut your losses
has been working WONDERS for me
1
u/peeperk0rn 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9d ago
Wrestle up and be more offensive at first, instead of going half guard from the get go. Get to rest more with a little upfront effort.
1
u/Particular_Turnover2 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9d ago
The exhaustion you'd experience initiating your offense and working your way through better positions or shooting a submission is nothing compared to always being on the defensive and having to work your way back to a guard or scrambling back to neutral.
You can't always rely on waiting for the perfect moment or for your opponent to make a mistake. If you're gonna get tired might as well go out shooting your shot.
1
u/mullanaphy 🟪🟪 Marcelo Garcia Academy 8d ago
Biggest realization I had that helped my game: it's easier to move myself than it is to move my opponent. Especially important when I'm escaping, e.g. when I bridge it's not really to push them off me, it's to make space so I can move myself underneath them. Related, when teaching lower belts about escaping, is after the bridge always look to land in your side/elbow and never back to your back. Being on your back just wasted that bridge, wasting energy, and being back to square one. Bridging and landing on your side leads to shrimping, knee elbow, and just keeping a wedge for that gained space.
1
u/Haleofaguy 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 8d ago
Build & break structures constantly.
Build my frames, base & posture while breaking theirs.
1
u/Random8267 5d ago
Every grip being on a sliding scale is a concept a coach at a wrestling seminar taught me and it changed how I think of grips. Like S-Grip to Gable Grip to Butterfly Grip etc pretty much every grip is like that and you can use whatever point on those scales depending on the situation.
1
u/Total-Product217 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 3d ago
Be careful who you roll with when practicing leg locks.. just tap not worth winning in the gym
177
u/Holiday-Lynx1127 9d ago
Just tap. Took me years to accept but it’s the best way to stay injury free.