Grapple Smart

People Learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Twitter? Why Yes they do!

Jared Asks: “I need some advice on passing half guard. Any would be appreciated!”

>GS Answer: Hi Jared, great question! Here are a few tips that you can implement immediately and hopefully immediately improve you’re ½ guard passing.

1. GET THEM FLAT ON THEIR BACK. Just imagine you’re in half guard the worst place u want to be is flat on your back. You will minimize their mobility and hip movement. How to get them on ur back? See #2

2. MAKE THEIR HEAD TURN AWAY. If you can effectively make their head turn away from you then there is no way they can shrimp their hips out (unless ur grappling gumby)!

GI: grab the lapel behind their head and straighten your wrist and arm (imagine the way your arm looks at the end of swinging a hatchet) and presto they look the other way (or at least make it extremely uncomfortable for them ).

NOGI: Utilize shoulder pressure on their chin to turn their head. HOW? Connect your hands in the typical way you would hold someone down in ½ guard roll ur shoulder across their face to make them “Look Away”.

CAUTION: Consider you’re training partners face when implementing this technique… in a completion, this pressure can be so great on their jaw and chin that they simply concede the pass to relieve the pressure on their face.

3. KEEP UR HIPS LOW KEEP UR BASE: If you’re too aggressive at pressuring up high obviously the pressure against their hips will reduce. If you keep a balanced base it will be difficult for them to sweep you or replace full guard.

4. FEIGN ATTACKS & KEEP EM GUESSING: If you just attempt to pass and they know it then they have the highest chance to defend. If you feign attacks (submissions) then they will often forget about defending the pass and more about the sub.

NOTE: You can get Americana’s, chokes, leg locks etc. from the ½ guard it’s just a bit harder. So fake an Americana, pull the material on their gi pants… for this example you’re only try’n to lead their mind away from the pass long enough for you to execute it.

There are many more things to think about but if you overload your mind with too many things then you’ll remember nothing.

Let me know if this helps you out!

Jeff
Grapple Hard, Grapple Smart

Whether your a fan of No-Limit Hold Em’ poker or not I’m sure you’ve seen some of the widely televised poker tournaments on TV. Long ago, only the final table of the World Series of Poker would be condensed into an hour show played on ESPN. These days it’s almost impossible to flip through the channels and not see some re-runs of the massive $10,000 World Series of Poker tournament, World Poker Tour, Big Money Cash Games, or Heads-Up Hold Em’ Championship.

Would you pay $10K to play 1 on 1 against Kobe?

The great thing about the WSOP (World Series of Poker) is that it is one of the few tournaments that allow ANYONE to compete in. Anyone who can put 10 grand at risk at least. The point is that amateurs can go head to head with seasoned poker pros like Doyle Brunson, Jonny Chan, Phil Helmuth, and Gus Hansen. Sort of like if anyone of us could play one on one with Kobe Bryant or fight for the Heavy Weight Championship with Mike Tyson. Sound crazy doesn’t it. Well the poker pros pretty much treat these green amateurs as pawns and own or “pwn” them lol!

Or get in the Ring with Mike Tyson?

Can you illicit the reaction you want to execute your game plan?

If you ever see a poker pro ask their opponent how many chips they have or start talking to them about particular poker hands they may have they’re actually creating an ACTION to gain a REACTION from the opponent. It could be a glance one way or the other, holding breath, even an increase in the pulse rate visible in their neck (it’s true). That reaction gives them the information they need to defeat their opponent.

So how does all this this apply to Jiu-Jitsu?

Well, once you’ve been in Jits for a while and mastered the basic movements you will begin to develop your own game plan (or attack pattern). Once you learn some submissions and sweeps you may try to force them to work right? I mean we’ve ALL done it and maybe still do!  But occasionally, you’ll execute a sweep that feels almost EFFORTLESS! Just like when Michael Jordan hit so many consecutive 3-pointers against Portland that he shrugs his shoulders to the scorers table. He himself doesn’t understand how they go in with ease, just that they do. When you execute a technique in BJJ, especially a sweep, you’ve probably in inadvertently performed an action that caused your opponent to react in a way that essentially made him fall into the sweep. It feels as easy as when you’re drilling the technique. This is the beginning of recognizing and understanding Action/ Reaction and utilizing it to your advantage in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Eventually, with practice you’ll be able to chain attacks together (action) and cause your opponent to react in a way that will allow you to execute a technique (sweep, submission, throw, or defense).  If you do it right it will seem effortless as the masters intended it.

In this ADCC match between Rodrigo Gracie and Genki Sudo you’ll see what I mean.  Fast forward to about 0:46 to see the set up and 0:55 to see the actual sweep. You’ll see Rodrigo pushing into Genki and grabbing his legs (pulling him in) which in turn causes Genki to push back into Rodrigo and falls into the sweep.

Please Feel free to post questions and comments at the bottom! Happy training!!!

Seriously, "What the F@#K were you thinking?"

Ok, this post is half rant and half warning to all of you budding BJJ players out there. In all the years I’ve been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sub Grappling, Muay Thai, and MMA I’ve seen, heard first hand accounts of, and been a victim of really bone headed things guys have done to their training partners.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Let’s just start with my biggest peeve and poses the biggest threat to the safety of newbie and veteran grapplers alike – SLAMMING! I guess with the explosion MMA and the UFC wannabe Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s come out of the woodwork. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Rampage. I’ve been a fan and will always love his entertaining attitude toward MMA. I mean have you heard his interviews? The guy is just flat out funny! I’m talking about the guys that see his high flying slams in the octagon and think that somehow translates to BJJ and Sub Grappling.

Just to be clear on this: “It is NEVER ok to slam your training PARTNER during live sparing or grappling opponent in a tournament EVER!”

Rampage slamming Arona in PrideFC

K there I said it, feel’n a little better now. One of my instructors was rolling with a guy who was new to the gym

and basically “flowing” with him to get a feel for his skill level. For those of you who don’t know, to FLOW with your partner is to basically work with him to improve transitioning from technique to technique with the emphasis on transition not submission. Anyway, my instructor at the time who weighed maybe 150#’s moved up for a triangle. In this case it was a leg triangle choke

which traps the head and one arm. Before he could flow to the next transition the guy picked him up about head high AND SLAMMED HIM!  His head hit first and he

Rampage slamming Minowa in PrideFC

was knocked out!

He ended up coming to rather quickly and recovered just fine, thank goodness.  The guy was bounced out of

the gym and was lucky he was allowed to walk out (vs. dragged out).

I’ve been lucky enough to have avoided this in my years.  Maybe it was because world class grappler Dean Lister

"The Boogeyman" Dean Lister

was one of my first instructors.  Dean always taught us ways to defend against, well basically stupid and crazy things people do.  I learned to hook their leg with one arm which makes it

One of Many of Rampage's slamming of Sakuraba in PrideFC

virtually

Lister hooking Sakara's left leg thus preventing slam and escape!

impossible for them to gain the leverage required to slam you.

Why do they do it?  Well, my guess is either their ignorant or have bad intentions.  Sadly, both have the same result, someone getting badly hurt.  I mean in an MMA fight it’s an accepted form of attack.  Those guys sign a waiver saying, “I understand that I could get seriously injured or even die from participating in this event.”  When you see Rampage pick up guys and when he’s in a full arm bar or triangle and get out of the sub by slamming them in the ring, it’s exciting.  But that’s where it should stay, in the ring.

Fast forward to 8:00 if you just want to see Mike get spiked on his head. This is a pretty amazing match between US superstar and Lloyd Irvin prodigy, Mike Fowler vs. Brazilian super star Daniel Moraes.  The spike on head is ABSOLUTELY not allowed in any tournament.  Mike proceeds to release the submission assuming Daniel will be DQ’d but this match is in Brazil and I guess home court advantage applies.

Bottom line, is until you know someone well use extreme caution when you roll with them.

Originally, I intended for this to be a single post but after more thought it will be multiple posts.  I’ll also be releasing some new audio programs that will go into many grappling topics that you may find helpful.  Love to hear your comments on this topic or anything you’d like to know more about!

Grapple Hard but Grapple Smart!

From Twitter: Follow me @GrappleSmart

My twitter goal is to help people be successful in #BrazilianJiuJitsu or any form of self-defense for that matter. #BJJ is a very practical and effective art for protection in real world scenarios where a smaller individual is often attacked by a larger stronger person.

Although BJJ and Aikido are derived from Judo, BJJ requires students to live spar or “roll” against each other attempting to submit (allow partner to stop before any damage is done) or gain a dominant position on their partner.

Since 90% or more of real world altercations end up on the ground, BJJ focuses a large amount of time on learning to fight off your back.

U can read more on my bio page: http://www.grapplesmart.com/blog/?page_id=2

Feel free to hit me up w any questions u may have! Jeff

If you’re an experienced grappler or Jiu-Jitsu player then you know about these invisible nuisances on the mat.  Bacteria is constantly lurking on your skin and on the mat just waiting for the right time to attack.  In order to keep yourself safe you must be aware of the dangers these pests present and how to deal with them.

Check out this great site for an informative look at Preventing Skin Infections!

From Ring Worm to Impetigo to Herpes Gladiatorum there are many forms of infection you can get while rolling.  Some things like Staphylococcus (AKA Staph) infections can actually be life threatening.  There is one form Staph (MRSA) that is resistant to most antibiotics and can be potentially deadly.  If you see a pimple surrounded by a read area that is hot you should see the doctor immediately.

Post from Twitter:

#BJJ #BrazilianJiuJitsu #Grappling QUESTION: What methods do you use to keep mat bugs away?  This a serious topic!!!

My Methods:

1. Wash Gi right after practice each and every time to avoid growing unwanted bacteria.

2. Use Ken Shield before each practice (esp Nogi) It’s creates a anti bacterial barrier on your skin.  My doctor also recommended Hibiclens (sold over the counter) to use once a week  to keep the skin clean!

3. Use Defense wipes or anti microbial wipes directly after each and every practice to kill or remove any unwanted Staph germs that may enter through small breaks in skin common in Jiu Jitsu.

4. Don’t roll with anyone who clearly has (or admits to having) ringworm or other infection.  Kindly encourage them to sit out until it is treated and healed.

Gym:

1. sweep and mop before class (use a good mat cleaning solution and hot water).

2. Clean blood immediately with appropriate cleanser.

3. Make sure students understand that good hygiene mat is EVERYONE’S responsibility!

Ok, so I’ve been posting my weekly goals on Twitter and I thought I’d post them here as well.  You’re welcome to follow me at @GrappleSmart on Twitter!

My #BJJ/ #BrazilianJiuJitsu goal for this week is to be inefficient!  That’s right inefficient when I train.  Far too often I catch myself utilizing as little effort as possible to win because I’m afraid of gassing out in later sparring rounds… sound familiar?  So this week I’m going to gas myself out so that I finish my sparing sessions in O2 debt (hopefully).  I’m hoping this will do 2 things: first, it will give my cardio a boost since I’ll be pushing my aerobic threshold and second, I’ll get used to attacking faster and more often.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  Anyone else have a goal they’d like to share?
The interesting thing about BJJ is that it’s similar to doing any repetitive exercise in one respect.  Just like running, biking, or whatever exercise you do, if you do it the same way consistently enough you’re body will get used to the exercise and slowly become fore efficient at performing it.  Sounds good right? Well, if the goal is to burn as many calories as possible in a workout then it’s not.  Basically, your body adjusts to what ever stress  you put it through and adapts.

The same adaptation can be said for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  Think about it, back when you first started BJJ wasn’t it hard to breathe all the time, and so tough to think of the move you were just taught when it’s time to live spar?  As the weeks and months went by you were able to feel more comfortable sparing, and could think better in tight spots right?!?  Well, now it’s time to give your Jiu-Jitsu metabolism a boost and make you’re self gas out.  I mean what’s the worst that can happen? You get tapped out? So what!  But the benefits can be huge!

PART 3: PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT – NOT PERFECT!

The great American investor Warren Buffet said it best “Practice makes permanent – not perfect.”  The same rule applies to everything you do to prepare for your first competition.   You can not expect to be able to effectively execute techniques and think clearly when you’re tired in a real match if you only train when you’re fresh and full of energy.

Goodbye clear headed methodical grappler, hello reptilian brain.

I was ready for my first competition… so I thought.  I felt like I had decent technique and had several combinations that I was ready to execute in my first match.  I was clear headed and was ready to apply what I had learned in a methodical thoughtful manner… WRONG!  I was keyed up from all the anxiety leading up to the competition.  The grappling tournament was poorly run so although I was scheduled to compete at 1pm I didn’t end up fighting until 8pm!  As I began to wrestle and get out of breath, my mind went BLANK.  I couldn’t even remember how to recompose full guard from half guard.  Forgetting technique was the weirdest feeling, it was like having a persons name on the tip of your tongue, and you know you know their name but you just can’t remember it.  Sadly, my reptilian brain took over and I did what felt instinctual.  As many of you may know, doing what comes instinctually or naturally is typically not the correct Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique and rarely effective.  For example, when mounted and being smothered by your opponent it is a natural instinct to push the opponent away (extending your arms) which exposes you perfectly to an arm bar.  Correct Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique, however, calls for a hip escape to the side to recompose guard.

Simulate real match conditions

Once you learn the mechanics of a takedown or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique it is imperative to simulate how you will feel in an actual match.  Although you can’t simulate everything you will experience in a competition match there are a few things you can simulate.

It is important to live spar and practice takedowns when you are physically tired as well as when you are fresh.  It is too easy to execute a throw when you’re well rested with a clear head.  Try executing throws after you’ve done wind sprints or a conditioning workout.  You’ll notice that your muscles don’t feel as strong and your mind isn’t as clear.  This is the time to find out how you react under these conditions, not during your first match!  Did you draw a blank on the simple throws you’ve learned? I did.  Was it really difficult to execute the take down when you were really out of breath?  It was for me.  Now you can make an honest assessment of how prepared you are and make the necessary changes to your training.  You may determine that you need to add some High Intensity Interval Training to your conditioning program.  This will have the obvious effect of increasing your physical endurance and strength.  The other benefit will be that you will feel more confident with the knowledge that you’ve prepared to the best of your ability.

Now go train!

Stay tuned for part 4: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Question: from Twitter: Wayne (@vinson06) asks: Why did you go to Gi grappling?

Answer:

Special thanks to xharekx33 amazing photography!

Hey Wayne n Bruce.  My transition to mostly Gi BJJ occurred when my PB instructor, Tyrone Glover, introduced GI work into City Boxing which at the time was nogi all the time.  Over time I began to realize that I had a lot more techniques available to me with the addition of “handles” which of course are the things you can grip on the Gi jacket; collar, sleeves, belt, pants etc. Another reason is that as I got older (and a little slower lol) the Gi game was more methodical, slower and negated some of the pure athleticism many of younger wrestlers possessed.

I also like the Judo throws that you can implement in BJJ, especially competition.  Since I’m always looking for any edge I can get to catch up with some of the really experienced sport jiu-jitsu players I tried to get better at Judo take downs than my opponents.  I found that a lot of sport jiu-jitsu players (people who train to compete in BJJ tournaments vs. Brazilian jiu-jitsu only for self defense)  didn’t always have the best stand up game.

Interestingly, I use nogi techniques when rolling gi and vice versa.  You also have a lot more options for sweeps and subs in Gi game which I like.  Finally, the belt system in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu gives you yet another incentive to improve and train consistently.

Nice question Wayne!

Grappling phenom Tyrone Glover

This post is a tribute to one of the greatest influences in my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling game.  I had the honor of being coached by Tyrone Glover at City Boxing for a couple years.  I earned my blue belt from him as well as so many insights into the his grappling philosophy.  Thanks for everything!

Here’s a famous video of a demo Tyrone did at Cassio Werneck’s place.  Truly dynamic movement!

Here’s a cool highlight vid:

And another.  Can you say figure four toe hold?!?

Still roll’n even after earning his JD.

QUESTION: How can I learn to fight at home?

I’m in high school(a freshmen) and the 10th graders are a holes at my school. I really want to learn how to fight because I almost got in a fight with this HUGE girl because she thought I was calling her fat when I wasn’t.. But I want to learn so that I can defend myself. What exercises can I do, and with what equiptment? I’m only like, 5’1″ so I know it will take a lot of practice. Any ideas on what I can do? Thanks! And don’t leave any rude comments pleasee.

Great question and I give you a lot of credit for asking the question because frankly there are a ton of people men and women that are in similar situations but are too afraid to ask for help.

This is a confidant look. Meet their gaze but not mad dogging.

I’m sure you can probably think of other people your size that don’t get targeted by bully’s like that HUGE girl. I’d bet they have a different demeanor about them that say’s “Don’t mess with me!” Now I’m not saying to mad dog (stare down) the person but the way you present yourself plays a large part in how you’re perceived by the school bullies. So keep your head up and don’t slouch when you pass a bully. If they try to instigate you, then you don’t have to respond but don’t act intimidated even if you are inside. Main idea here is to put a question mark in the head of the bully and they will move on to someone else.

If you must defend yourself you WILL be able to!

To develop this confident presence you should consider taking a martial art of some sort. I’d suggest Brazilan Jiu-Jitsu or submission grappling because it’s a martial art that best fits the David/ Golliath (small vs. large) scenario. Since it was developed to help the smaller opponent neutralize the strength and size of a larger and stronger opponent it’s perfect for you.

You WILL have to grapple and be put in some difficult and uncomfortable situations in a controlled training environment BUT it’s a great way to prepare yourself if you ever have to defend yourself out in the real world (uncontrolled environment). Find a good BJJ school by talking to the instructor and observing a class. Some BJJ schools have special womens only classes if that makes you feel more comfortable. A good instructor will help you learn without you feeling like you’re going to get hurt all the time.

You will learn to control your breathing, and emotions when in semi stressful situations and begin develop confidence in your technique. You will see that good technique can prevail over size and strength. When you get to that point and you wear your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu shirt to school a few times, I’m pretty sure those bully’s will stop harassing you. Remember that bullies actually don’t want to get into fights, unless they know they can win.

Good question, and you CAN do it!

If you’re not quite ready to step on the mat today then please check out my E-Book and audio entitled “10 things I wish I knew before I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – A practical introduction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling”.