Comments on: How to be a Better Grappler- 4 Ways

By: Urban_Samurai

Urban_Samurai — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:52:11 +0000

As I've already said, the above tips do also apply equally to combat and stand up fighting. I just wanted to concentrate on grappling for that particular post. They were things that worked for me and I thought others could benefit from them as well.

I will take your advice of keeping on the move and constantly trying to employ technique. It seems like a good way to learn. I always try to employ strikes anyway, not just from a self defense standpoint, but from a sport jujitsu standpoint as well, since we do a bit of that. All of our sparring sessions are basically based around sport jujitsu.

Like I say, I still have a lot to learn as far as grappling goes so I appreciate your advice.

By: bossmongo

bossmongo — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:07:29 +0000

Falling in on what Bob said, do not all four of these tips apply to combat, en toto, and not just BJJ/groundfighting?
Some tips I would add:
-”if you're not tapping, you're not training.” Your advice to “keep moving” and to employ technique should be combined: keep moving and keep employing technique non-stop. After the training session, go back and figure out where, when, and why you went wrong. A natural tendency of groundfighters is to get real conservative and “hold what they got” when they feel endangered or vulnerable. I recommend iteratively training with a partner who is so superordinately better than you, you may as well move around and keep prosecuting your technique because you are going to get beat, anyway. This, more than anything, I have found to be an improvement “forcing function” over the years.
-Concentrate on the stand-up to ground transition. I'm going to commit heresy here, but Judo and BJJ are the same martial art, they have just evolved into different sports. No fight starts “in the mount” or “in the guard.” While there is value to situational training starting in these positions, don't let your training devolve into conceptualizing a ground scenario in a vacuum. Start your “ground game” whilst still on your feet.
-The BJJ competition point system is meant to reward actions, positions, and techniques that would give one an advantage in a “real” fight. This is an implicit admission that BJJ alone is not a comprehensive art. Still, always train with a view toward where, when and how you would employ strikes to increase the efficacy of your jiu-jits, and vice versa.

By: Urban_Samurai

Urban_Samurai — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:05:02 +0000

Thanks for elaborating on that, Shane. Working too hard can sometimes go against you, especially when someone has you, as you said.

By: shane

shane — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:29:15 +0000

Being only a 4 month BJJ artist- I have seen exactly what is outlined in this post. The newer guys are so stiff that I can climb around them easier to try getting where Im wanting to go.
One of my first major mistakes in class was locking my opponent down-but not knowing what to do with my lockdown.
Like the article says I try to stay relaxed calm and consciously try to feel like Im NOT “working” for a submission just manuevering for it.
Ive outlasted some triangles and guiilotines by not “working” so hard because if those moves are taking my air or carotid blood flow then moving too aggressively in the wrong way makes the heart rate go up too much and in turn you burn up too much of your blood's oxygen content

By: Urban_Samurai

Urban_Samurai — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:07:20 +0000

Indeed, Bob. Principles are often more important than techniques because they apply across the board and therefore worth taking in and learning. Thanks for pointing that out.

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:34:35 +0000

This is good advice to stand up too. Good martial concepts should apply to all forms of combat.

By: Neal Martin

Neal Martin — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:14:20 +0000

How to be a Better Grappler- 4 Ways: Grappling is not something I do quite a lot of in my training. I’m more com.. http://bit.ly/tBPfM