Submissions … Not Yet! (Theory)

I have been training off and on for sometime now. I have friends who get interested and ask for me to show them a thing or two. Not a problem, right? If they are willing to learn I am more than happy to teach. Then the first lesson happens and I have people walk away. Understandable, not ever sport is meant for everyone. People get discouraged in the first few days of training BJJ due to the progression of the sport. It is slow. I would have my friends drill positions and get the questions like; “When am I going to learn the triangle?” or “How can I arm-bar someone from here?”. I tell them to relax and it will come in time. Most do not realize how much positioning in jiu-jitsu plays in the game.

Positioning is absolutely everything. Bad position threats of submission. This does not only apply to being mounted. This applies to having mount, or controlling someone’s back. Guard is a pretty nifty game but the position you hold it makes all the difference.

In a club I belonged to a year or so ago, new folks would take at least three to five classes without learning any submission. This washed a lot of people out. Hey, we needed it, the mat room was not that big. The guys who stuck with it realized in the coming weeks why we did this to them. We would throw a submission, a sweep or escape, and a position at each practice. By learning the basics such as how to maintain mount or side-control these guys would pick up on what we would go over in class a lot better.

I am a passive roller, its quite a down fall. Yet I enjoy playing position matches. I become aggressive; I sweep, escape, and hold positions as though my life depended on it. This is where my game shines. I believe that understanding how to hold a position and what is needed to hold it can be an offensive and defensive advantage.

Knowing to hold side control means you understand the theory of jiu-jitsu, using technique not strength. You also know, if you are on the bottom, what the guy on top of you attempting side-control is looking for. Do not give it to him. It is that simple.

Positions need to be drilled though. Many schools over look them. Not because they believe they are more important things to train, but because people pay for schools to learn “to tap someone out”.

My suggestion. Before class, get with a buddy and roll real light. Let us say 25% pace. Do not attempt submission. Roll for a dominate position. Once you achieve it, try to transition to another position (I.e. mount to side-control, side-control to knee on belly). Do this just like you would free rolling. Stretch, do your class norm then at the end ask someone else to roll for position again. You will see a difference in your game within a few times.

Cheers!

First Post!

Well, here it is. I have been planning on writing a blog about Brazilian jiu jitsu for some time now and I have convinced myself to do it. Finally! I want to set up a little guide line as to what I want my blog to evolve into. I want to write about books I have read. I want to write about common questions and issues I read in a couple mma/bjj forums. I want to comment on videos, matches, and questions people pose to me. I am also going to critic my own game. I want to do this so that other people can maybe learn from my mistakes or possibly use what I have done to correct their own mistakes. Well I will get back soon. CHEERS!

Flow with the Go!