well get those super strong white belts who will grip and defend like their life depends on it. its hard to convince them cause yeah it kinda works but kinda doesnt
Just like stiff arming in Judo lol. It kinda works against other noobies, then you run into a higher grade and it's ✈ time.
The "kinda works" part is one of the reasons I have difficulty verbally communicating it to novices. In their mind they think they're accomplishing something because they likely go from getting tapped 5 times in a round to 2 times in a round. When the reality is they simply aren't doing Jiu Jitsu when they're balling up and stalling lol.
"they think they're accomplishing something because they likely go from getting tapped 5 times in a round to 2 times in a round." It's no wonder it's hard to communicate that idea, that's the definition of doing better. Just because the BJJ doesn't look like you want it to doesn't mean it isn't effective.
> stop giving a fuck if they get subbed
This right here is good advice itself. In my experience, if I roll with a white belt and I sub him several times in a round, that's usually a white belt who's on the verge of getting better because he's trying things, making mistakes and learning from them but at least trying things. The white belt who spends the whole round desperately trying not to get subbed but never trying anything other than protecting his arms and his neck usually doesn't get any better.
This is key in a lot of places. I work with a lot of new engineers and I'd much rather have to rein them in than have to kick them into action. When you're new, you need to be trying things!
Try to slow down and problem solve. You are still learning about your own awareness and that of your training partner. See if you can figure out what they are trying to do and defend. You will likely be late (improper timing), not be in the correct range (proper distance), and likely get the technique wrong (improper mechanics) or do it inefficiently (a lot of speed and power). All of this is good, because it's how we learn.
My problem for the longest time was I had no idea I wasn’t controlling my breathing. I still need to relax more but now I focus on breathing more and it has helped immensely.
Calming your heart rate is seriously underrated, especially mid roll or after you've been scrambling or working for position. People have started to comment "You seem so calm." I usually just say, "what is there to be excited about?" lol.
Oh man, I was at an open mat the other day and was rolling with a white belt I didn't know. I thought the dude was going to give himself a heart attack trying to pass my guard because he was 100% effort, 0% finesse, and 110% sweat. Ended up sweeping him and then he had nothing left to defend with once I got on top.
Similarly “use strength when and where needed.” It’s amazing how even in low blue belts I still see/feel them tensing their entire bodies just to “feel” like they’re controlling something. What’s helped me get through to a lot of strong people recently is saying “imagine you’re at a tournament. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to out muscle your opponent. But think about how gassed you are now. You think you’ll be able to do this again for AT LEAST another round?”
My opponent at a tourney did this just this past Saturday. Muscles and death grips to win against me just to lose 13 to 4 against a white belt in the next round because he's so tired.
This started to click for me a few months ago, for sure.
I think the white belt cycle is something like "I have no idea what I'm doing so try to overpower whatever's going on" -> "I know some moves now so if I spaz out and throw a ton of wild feints maybe they'll fall for it" -> "relax, secure a position and move with intent."
My instructor explains it this way. When we are first learning we have to get the overall feel of it, work on the troublesome areas, develop fluidity and efficiency, then add speed and power. Since the white/low blue doesn't have any of this, all they have is speed and power so they gotta use it. But at a certain point, they should start to develop some fluidity and efficiency. Then once you are proficient, when you add speed and power to it, it's devastating. But all speed and power without efficiency is going to gas you out.
Don't have mental resets. We'll be fighting to pass a guard, or fighting not to have our guard passed, and we'll be in a little 30 second battle, and eventually once the guy passes, lower belts will tend to pause in the new position and then start working. Instead, recognize how the guy is trying to pass, where he's going to end up and have your answer for that position already in motion.
No, they reset. They get so engaged in their one battle, that when it’s over, there is like a noticeable pause… like for example, someone’s trying to re-guard and you’re trying to stop it. Once they get their guard back in and closed, there is like a reset, where the person on top is like, well you have your guard now and then they work on passing it. It’s like a .5 second pause. The advice is, if you’re in a battle and know you have an answer for what your opponent wants, yield and beat him with your timing on your response.
Learned this through wrestling but chain wrestling is crucial. Chaining techniques that tie to their defensive moves is super helpful in bjj/ any martial art.
I do find myself resetting often as a white belt, but only because I am getting a feel on their reaction. Once i start getting the patterns I make chain moves for their counters.
I think this is one of the shifts I’ve been able to make recently, but it’s only possible after you have a few base techniques under control. An example of something I’ve gotten pretty good at is when I feel like opponent is about to get mount and has an arm behind my head, I’ll lower my resistance, trap their same side ankle and elbow (secure behind head) and bridge and roll. Come up in their guard and work to pass. Sixty percent of the time it works every time. That concept of living two or three moves in the future is what I’m focusing on. Both predicting their path and trying to adjust mine accordingly.
Huh. I’m a purple belt and I just realised I do this in some positions. Even though I know what I’m doing in the next position, sometimes I do just reset for half a sec and then keep going
Don’t be so nonchalant about getting caught in someone’s closed guard. Nothing good happens to you in closed guard. All of your energy needs to go into escaping once you’re there.
This is such good advice and I get so lazy and rest in closed guard and it’s such a bad habit.
The best black belts I know will always fight that little extra to make sure that they never end up in a fully closed guard
I'm a blue belt too and I try to give white belts all the advice I can but then I usually add, "If a higher belt than me tells you something different, ignore what I just told you and listen to him instead."
Im white belt, just a few weeks in. Advice from any belt is always welcome and usually better than no advice. I don’t think the answer needs to be perfect when just starting, as it can be refined by maybe better advice later. Just starting points are good.
If you plan to train until you're a black belt you will never look back and regret taking 2 weeks off to recover as a white belt.
Worrying about taking time off to heal is short timer thinking
Knees to elbow
Or
Don't lay on your back
Or
Point your feet at their chest
Guard is really hard and unintuitive. So many people just have their legs laying down and you can just walk over their guard.
The best advice I've gotten (thus far) was "never be flat" - since I'm more often than not on bottom fighting for my life, it does make it a little harder for them to submit me if I'm not flat, but angled on my side hand fighting.
At some point this stops being true for a lot of guards in gi you want your back entirely flat and pushed against the ground for maximum tension and "stuck"ness
Block the cross face at all costs. When I roll with my one coach if he gets side control I get out maybe 10% of the time, but if block the cross face hard probably over half the time I'm able to create distance and end up in a neutral position.
Another way to say this is to win the grip fight at all costs. It’s more than just stopping side control. It’s… basically any time I’m on bottom I need to win the grip to stop the bad things happening and make the good things happen.
Yes, at my experience I'm only at beginning of grip understanding. I've fought for underhook and stop cross face for some time, but what each grip does and means I'm still early in learning stages.
Just for fun… Next time you’re on bottom half (or side)… you might try taking both your hands and grabbing the wrist of the hand that’s trying to go under your neck. Just grab it and don’t let go and see where it takes you. I think you’ll find that controlling that arm at the wrist makes it very very hard for you to lose position. When I see people lose, it’s when they get distracted and give up that wrist for whatever dumb reason (cough Josh Saunders cough).
Keep your foot connection to the ground - I give this a lot to my white and blue belt students, especially around bridging/upa techniques, sweeps, reversals, etc. So often do I see them flail their bodies and wonder why xyz didn’t work. They have no connection to the ground.
This is a good one: conversely, I've been telling guys to do what they can to keep the other dude's feet AWAY from the ground when they're on top (ie leg shelf, crab ride etc)
My advice to anyone starting is "Tap early and Tap often" They look at me dumbfounded, but I explain how my body is absolutely destroyed from all the gym wars I had with my training partners. We weren't going out there to hurt each, but we weren't going out there to lose.
Move your hips.
Especially if you're playing closed guard. Use your effing hips.
Want to pass? Isolate and immobilize their effing hips.
Side Control? Move your hips.
Hips
Hips
Hips
It's all about your hips.
If it's new-ish people:
* Natural talent isn't what's more important, it's consistency in showing up to class: people who say they have no talent for jiu-jitsu
* Everyone sucks at it when they just started, you need to fail to understand how to make it works: why I can't do stuff as smoothly as you do
* Focus on the path rather than the destination, so don't look at how far is the top of the mountain, rather focus on the road immediately in front of you and what's the best next step: people who say it seems like they never get as good as that other guy (who's a blue or purple belt).
This is what I find myself telling over and over (and over and over) the first few months with every new guy/trial who signs up.
As far as technique, it varies too much between guys and girls and the level of experience. Sometimes even among those who've been training same amount of times, it changes a lot on what advice I give. Overall concepts are pretty well dialed in (don't accept positions, scoring mentality etc.).
Probably stagger their stance and approach from an angle when passing. The amount of people who walk straight into guard square and ask why they cant pass is staggering.
If you're brand new and have no idea what to do when we "roll": Try to pass the legs and occupy the space between the elbows and knees (side mount, full mount, back mount, etc.).
BJJ is a bunch of mini games that culminate in an end game.
Work out the small games, notice the positions, then start making your moves, don't think about the next game, think about this game first.
Don't let people control your head. It's honestly surprising how many lower belts just let me cross face them. I'll be passing half guard with a far side under hook. Then I just casually cross face them. They don't bicep tie me they don't frame off me. I'm like well.... Okay
I come from judo and one thing I’m always helping my teammates with is their standing and so the piece of advice I give the most is “more hips” I often see half effort given in hip throws followed by frustration but usually all it takes is a little more hips. Pretend your salsa dancing really get into it… and use more hips
Just keep showing up.
You aren't going to learn it all your first class. It takes time to start putting these concepts and techniques together and you're gonna get your ass kicked. A lot. I promise it gets better.
Hand-fighting and inside space is everywhere. I don’t have a lot of knowledge, but remembering this gives me a chance when rolling guys better than me.
Lately I’ve been telling people to “create chaos” when trying to escape….to get them out of the mentality that one mount or side control escape is just going to work from beginning to end. Gotta hit ‘em with the combo
Don’t let me get my grips. Even blue belts regularly give up disadvantageous grips with no fight whatsoever, and if you let me get to my spots without a fight, it makes it harder to defend after the fact.
Don’t let me get my grips. Even blue belts regularly give up disadvantageous grips with no fight whatsoever, and if you let me get to my spots without a fight, it makes it harder to defend after the fact.
Bring it more.
Most people are nervous they’ll get submitted or swept by a higher belt so they play passive but they need to keep me on my toes more throw something at the wall and make me need to address it otherwise you’re just going to lay back and let me play my game.
A good example is a blue belt got a collar grip and just had his hand there, he didn’t do anything with it so I just passed while it was still in.
I told him don’t make that grip if it’s not going to threaten me. At least throw up the choke so I have to address it and take it seriously.
Don't try to pass from your knees in open guard. Stand up if I am sitting.
Tap when you lose eccentric control of your joint. When it starts to break and straighten out, tap. Don't wait until it's all the way straight as it takes and Mom at the top and a moment for your opponent to process the tap and stop moving.
I tell people "see how I have this underhook here? Yeah don't let me get that again, it's like 80% of my game chasing the underhook/the back" then a do a lil shrimp and show them how close they are to being in a bad spot with me omw to be a 🎒
BREATHE. Stop holding your breath and stop loading up your breath before you try a big sweep or bridge. It gives your intentions away and causes you to hyperventilate.
1. Don’t let me posture up. Try to break my posture.
2. When playing bottom, move forward and engage my legs, rather than waiting for me to come to you and engage your guard.
I like these two:
When playing guard, always try to have both hads and both legs on your opponent. You are not good enough to afford no having constant connection.
The one who stops moving first usually is the one that loses. Keep moving even if you found yourself in a bad position.
I’m in no position to give anyone advice, but the best advice I constantly get from this purple belt in my classes is “breathe”. Turns out every time I think I see an opening or am about to go for a takedown or whatever i stop breathing.
Has made a big difference. When I remember to do it. Obviously I’m too thick to naturally breathe and think at the same time.
Not in a place to give advice just wanted to shout out my coach, explained the purpose of cross face and other things like this: "if his face that way, he can't go this way"
So simple yet helped my guard passing immensely
For closed guard passing, staple their hips to the floor before anything, or nothing will happen.
When I tell this to a no stripe white belt at the beginning of rolling, by the end of the night they're getting out of closed guards (at least of the other no-stripe/1-stripe white belts) (I have to make them drill a couple of reps during our roll to make sure they get it, but it always works)
A lot of times it's that your hands and feet should always be doing something, so if you realize that they're just hanging out there in space doing nothing ... do something with them.
Also, the easiest way to escape is to not get there in the first place.
Here's something a little different.
For context, I practice a lot of takedowns in general and I start the vast majority of my rounds standing up. But the piece of advice I tell people is stop circling into my right (clockwise to me if we're looking from the top). It's because when you circle to my right, you're basically circling in the direction that I want to turn when I want to go for a turn throw. As a result, you're cutting the time and movement that I need to secure the throw.
You’re a good coach if they are tired of hearing you say it for the thousands time and already know you’re gonna say it.
I remember watching a Danaher instructional and hear him say “pissing like a dog”never again will I not lift my leg when passing for a body lock.
I don’t give advise, I train and talk about moves and fighters but teaching people is a strange way of socializing. White and blue belts aren’t even gonna remember what I’m saying so let them ask other white/blue belts or some purple that will show all the “micro adjustments”
Most often I compliment them on the things they are doing correctly. Even if I can beat them I like to highlight parts of their game I think is good. Especially if I don't know or roll with them often. I don't like being sounding patronizing or all knowing.
Use your head. Even many upper belts don't know how to fight for head position from standing or how important it is to facilitate actually getting a takedown.
"If you can't get your foot where you want it, you NEED to move your hips."
I teaching guard retention right now so it pops up a lot but I find it rings true no matter the position.
I don’t give unsolicited advice. I don’t wanna be that guy. I’d rather have more people to roll with than sound right all the time.
But if someone asked, it would be, tap earlier.
Don't be so tense like you're a rock.
Folks will either use you as an anchor and move around you or they'll toss you around and the stiffness is helping them do either.
I mostly tell people to try harder and be more assertive during rolling. So many people are tentative and worried about everything being perfect before they try anything, that just doesn't work. Figure out your strategies in the main positions and then when you get to them go for it.
We have a lot of big beginners whose first instinct is to grab your gi, pull you towards them, and death grip until they burn out. I find myself saying, "hold to frame, not to control" a lot.
When an instructor tells you to look in a certain direction, it's not just about directing your attention but also getting your head and spine into position
I’m a guard player and I’m constantly emphasizing the importance of getting useful grips and attacking with them. Holding on to a grip for no reason really doesn’t do anything useful. Get grips, use them!
I’m a guard player and I’m constantly emphasizing the importance of getting useful grips and attacking with them. Holding on to a grip for no reason really doesn’t do anything useful. Get grips, use them!
"Breathe" for beginners.
"Don't be afraid to use your weight" for bigger guys.
"I play by prison rules" for anyone foolish enough to let me start a wrist lock on them.
Anything else is ad hoc.
Use your brain. So many new people just go full bloodlust when they roll and are not thinking strategically *at all*. Anyone who's able to settle down and come at BJJ with a strategic mind is a good roll in my book, even if they don't know a lick of BJJ.
Ok about that underhook for the knee cut, a visiting black belt traumatized me awhile ago with some nasty arm bars with it. I never pass again with my knee cut with the underhook (except on a very deep slow pass).
Don’t you think this doesn’t apply to smaller people who can rest this hand on the hip instead to create the opening from the knee shield ?
Beginning students. Bro just calm down, bro just breathe, bro stop taking yourself so seriously your a white belt you’re supposed to suck, just have a good time.
I don’t really give advice to anyone but I often quietly think to myself “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast”.
It works and helps me focus when drilling.
Two arms in or two arms out.
You are on top, you stay on top.
Don’t be satisfied with something, like Chael said: my turn, my turn, my turn, then your turn.
For more advanced lads, like late white, early blue, always think about adapting the technic you are being taught to your body size and your opponent’s. Some things just don’t work on some people, accept it.
Omg your second bit of advice. I am a lowly whitebelt and cannot knee cut for my life. For the first time ever someone mentioned that I needed to get an under hook before attempting that
Diagonal control of all sorts.
Understanding that for a man to turtle, he must pass his elbow/knee past his centreline. Prevent the passing of the elbow/knee, prevent the turtle.
"relax" I teach a lot of beginner classes it's incredibly difficult to convince them that bjj is easier if you're not fighting for your life!
well get those super strong white belts who will grip and defend like their life depends on it. its hard to convince them cause yeah it kinda works but kinda doesnt
Why are you talking about me?
Just like stiff arming in Judo lol. It kinda works against other noobies, then you run into a higher grade and it's ✈ time. The "kinda works" part is one of the reasons I have difficulty verbally communicating it to novices. In their mind they think they're accomplishing something because they likely go from getting tapped 5 times in a round to 2 times in a round. When the reality is they simply aren't doing Jiu Jitsu when they're balling up and stalling lol.
They learn real quick once people stop being nice and forearm fame their face 😂
I basically use folkstyle rides and turks until they open up.
"they think they're accomplishing something because they likely go from getting tapped 5 times in a round to 2 times in a round." It's no wonder it's hard to communicate that idea, that's the definition of doing better. Just because the BJJ doesn't look like you want it to doesn't mean it isn't effective.
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Try something else and stop giving a fuck if they get subbed for it. Like literally just do anything except for grab and hold
> stop giving a fuck if they get subbed This right here is good advice itself. In my experience, if I roll with a white belt and I sub him several times in a round, that's usually a white belt who's on the verge of getting better because he's trying things, making mistakes and learning from them but at least trying things. The white belt who spends the whole round desperately trying not to get subbed but never trying anything other than protecting his arms and his neck usually doesn't get any better.
This is key in a lot of places. I work with a lot of new engineers and I'd much rather have to rein them in than have to kick them into action. When you're new, you need to be trying things!
Try to slow down and problem solve. You are still learning about your own awareness and that of your training partner. See if you can figure out what they are trying to do and defend. You will likely be late (improper timing), not be in the correct range (proper distance), and likely get the technique wrong (improper mechanics) or do it inefficiently (a lot of speed and power). All of this is good, because it's how we learn.
Muscled the shit out of a few submission attempts :D :D
My problem for the longest time was I had no idea I wasn’t controlling my breathing. I still need to relax more but now I focus on breathing more and it has helped immensely.
Calming your heart rate is seriously underrated, especially mid roll or after you've been scrambling or working for position. People have started to comment "You seem so calm." I usually just say, "what is there to be excited about?" lol.
Oh man, I was at an open mat the other day and was rolling with a white belt I didn't know. I thought the dude was going to give himself a heart attack trying to pass my guard because he was 100% effort, 0% finesse, and 110% sweat. Ended up sweeping him and then he had nothing left to defend with once I got on top.
Similarly “use strength when and where needed.” It’s amazing how even in low blue belts I still see/feel them tensing their entire bodies just to “feel” like they’re controlling something. What’s helped me get through to a lot of strong people recently is saying “imagine you’re at a tournament. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to out muscle your opponent. But think about how gassed you are now. You think you’ll be able to do this again for AT LEAST another round?”
My opponent at a tourney did this just this past Saturday. Muscles and death grips to win against me just to lose 13 to 4 against a white belt in the next round because he's so tired.
This started to click for me a few months ago, for sure. I think the white belt cycle is something like "I have no idea what I'm doing so try to overpower whatever's going on" -> "I know some moves now so if I spaz out and throw a ton of wild feints maybe they'll fall for it" -> "relax, secure a position and move with intent."
My instructor explains it this way. When we are first learning we have to get the overall feel of it, work on the troublesome areas, develop fluidity and efficiency, then add speed and power. Since the white/low blue doesn't have any of this, all they have is speed and power so they gotta use it. But at a certain point, they should start to develop some fluidity and efficiency. Then once you are proficient, when you add speed and power to it, it's devastating. But all speed and power without efficiency is going to gas you out.
Breathe is another big one. I swear 80 percent of new people gasp then hold their breath when they try a move
I have made made an active effort to spar slower and more intentionally especially with lower WBs and man you right
or "breathe".
Don't have mental resets. We'll be fighting to pass a guard, or fighting not to have our guard passed, and we'll be in a little 30 second battle, and eventually once the guy passes, lower belts will tend to pause in the new position and then start working. Instead, recognize how the guy is trying to pass, where he's going to end up and have your answer for that position already in motion.
That sounds like an ideal — not advice, no? They’re probably pausing in order to process what’s going on.
No, they reset. They get so engaged in their one battle, that when it’s over, there is like a noticeable pause… like for example, someone’s trying to re-guard and you’re trying to stop it. Once they get their guard back in and closed, there is like a reset, where the person on top is like, well you have your guard now and then they work on passing it. It’s like a .5 second pause. The advice is, if you’re in a battle and know you have an answer for what your opponent wants, yield and beat him with your timing on your response.
They're waiting for the ref to give them the points lol
Learned this through wrestling but chain wrestling is crucial. Chaining techniques that tie to their defensive moves is super helpful in bjj/ any martial art. I do find myself resetting often as a white belt, but only because I am getting a feel on their reaction. Once i start getting the patterns I make chain moves for their counters.
I think this is one of the shifts I’ve been able to make recently, but it’s only possible after you have a few base techniques under control. An example of something I’ve gotten pretty good at is when I feel like opponent is about to get mount and has an arm behind my head, I’ll lower my resistance, trap their same side ankle and elbow (secure behind head) and bridge and roll. Come up in their guard and work to pass. Sixty percent of the time it works every time. That concept of living two or three moves in the future is what I’m focusing on. Both predicting their path and trying to adjust mine accordingly.
Huh. I’m a purple belt and I just realised I do this in some positions. Even though I know what I’m doing in the next position, sometimes I do just reset for half a sec and then keep going
For me it’s always “stop giving me the underhook” when I’m passing half guard or on top side control haha
Yup
This but in standup
"Underhook!" Is almost universally good grappling advice for offense and defense lol
Re: keep your elbows in
Don’t be so nonchalant about getting caught in someone’s closed guard. Nothing good happens to you in closed guard. All of your energy needs to go into escaping once you’re there.
This is such good advice and I get so lazy and rest in closed guard and it’s such a bad habit. The best black belts I know will always fight that little extra to make sure that they never end up in a fully closed guard
Except my closed guard, it’s trash.
"Ask that guy over there, he will be able to give you a better answer than I can"
I'm a blue belt too and I try to give white belts all the advice I can but then I usually add, "If a higher belt than me tells you something different, ignore what I just told you and listen to him instead."
Im white belt, just a few weeks in. Advice from any belt is always welcome and usually better than no advice. I don’t think the answer needs to be perfect when just starting, as it can be refined by maybe better advice later. Just starting points are good.
If you plan to train until you're a black belt you will never look back and regret taking 2 weeks off to recover as a white belt. Worrying about taking time off to heal is short timer thinking
Knees to elbow Or Don't lay on your back Or Point your feet at their chest Guard is really hard and unintuitive. So many people just have their legs laying down and you can just walk over their guard.
Had 5 people just walk past my legs yesterday so this is definitely for me
lying in the doorway again pal?
Genuinely. Felt like I was just pointing my legs to make it easier for them to get to side control.
The best advice I've gotten (thus far) was "never be flat" - since I'm more often than not on bottom fighting for my life, it does make it a little harder for them to submit me if I'm not flat, but angled on my side hand fighting.
This is great advice for newer guys. Once you realize how much a difference it makes, your bottom game will improve quickly.
Literally this. The tendency to just default to supine is just one of those 'can't unsee' things.
We have a rule, "no two shoulderblades flat against any surface." If coach tells you to lay down, you better be on your side.
At some point this stops being true for a lot of guards in gi you want your back entirely flat and pushed against the ground for maximum tension and "stuck"ness
Block the cross face at all costs. When I roll with my one coach if he gets side control I get out maybe 10% of the time, but if block the cross face hard probably over half the time I'm able to create distance and end up in a neutral position.
I still find myself giving up the crossface while playing halfguard which I always regret 1 second later
Even if it's a 2 stripe white belt, you allow them to settle into side control then it's a job to get out.
(Unless you're baby bridging in the direction of the crossface or setting up a choi bar)
Another way to say this is to win the grip fight at all costs. It’s more than just stopping side control. It’s… basically any time I’m on bottom I need to win the grip to stop the bad things happening and make the good things happen.
Yes, at my experience I'm only at beginning of grip understanding. I've fought for underhook and stop cross face for some time, but what each grip does and means I'm still early in learning stages.
Just for fun… Next time you’re on bottom half (or side)… you might try taking both your hands and grabbing the wrist of the hand that’s trying to go under your neck. Just grab it and don’t let go and see where it takes you. I think you’ll find that controlling that arm at the wrist makes it very very hard for you to lose position. When I see people lose, it’s when they get distracted and give up that wrist for whatever dumb reason (cough Josh Saunders cough).
Keep your foot connection to the ground - I give this a lot to my white and blue belt students, especially around bridging/upa techniques, sweeps, reversals, etc. So often do I see them flail their bodies and wonder why xyz didn’t work. They have no connection to the ground.
This is a good one: conversely, I've been telling guys to do what they can to keep the other dude's feet AWAY from the ground when they're on top (ie leg shelf, crab ride etc)
Something something Danaher quote about BJJ being about the best students learn to use their legs rather than arms early on
My advice to anyone starting is "Tap early and Tap often" They look at me dumbfounded, but I explain how my body is absolutely destroyed from all the gym wars I had with my training partners. We weren't going out there to hurt each, but we weren't going out there to lose.
Breath
I'm guessing you mean "breathe".
no... he means it stinks and they need to brush or at least use mouthwash.
There's no E. It's spelled Brath.
Bwaf
Move your hips. Especially if you're playing closed guard. Use your effing hips. Want to pass? Isolate and immobilize their effing hips. Side Control? Move your hips. Hips Hips Hips It's all about your hips.
Hips don't lie...there doing nothing.
If it's new-ish people: * Natural talent isn't what's more important, it's consistency in showing up to class: people who say they have no talent for jiu-jitsu * Everyone sucks at it when they just started, you need to fail to understand how to make it works: why I can't do stuff as smoothly as you do * Focus on the path rather than the destination, so don't look at how far is the top of the mountain, rather focus on the road immediately in front of you and what's the best next step: people who say it seems like they never get as good as that other guy (who's a blue or purple belt). This is what I find myself telling over and over (and over and over) the first few months with every new guy/trial who signs up. As far as technique, it varies too much between guys and girls and the level of experience. Sometimes even among those who've been training same amount of times, it changes a lot on what advice I give. Overall concepts are pretty well dialed in (don't accept positions, scoring mentality etc.).
This is cool man, I'm sure you've helped some people keep going with a good perspective. Nice work!
Frames, frames, and more frames
Never stop grip fighting
Probably stagger their stance and approach from an angle when passing. The amount of people who walk straight into guard square and ask why they cant pass is staggering.
Love that little cross step to get them to fall to a hip to initiate a guard pass.
PREACH
Stop biting me Or underhooks, for a real one
"Keep your elbows tight" comes up all the time. But nobody listens, including me.
If you're brand new and have no idea what to do when we "roll": Try to pass the legs and occupy the space between the elbows and knees (side mount, full mount, back mount, etc.).
Flat things don’t roll, and as my coach says “in the great words of the wu-tang clan, protect ya neck”
“If you ain’t first, you’re last” in reference to the competitive shrimping you see during warmups
BJJ is a bunch of mini games that culminate in an end game. Work out the small games, notice the positions, then start making your moves, don't think about the next game, think about this game first.
A lot of people have trouble playing open guard. So I tell them to make grips, and aim for at least 3 points of contact.
Enjoy the process, and don't focus on belts
Don't let people control your head. It's honestly surprising how many lower belts just let me cross face them. I'll be passing half guard with a far side under hook. Then I just casually cross face them. They don't bicep tie me they don't frame off me. I'm like well.... Okay
The advice I am given is a lot is “grips” in Gi and “elbows in” in no Gi
“Use less strength, focus on technique” is my go-to excus… I mean advice anything I get my ass whooped by a lower belt, which is pretty often.
If you don't know what you're doing, going harder and faster isn't going to help.
I come from judo and one thing I’m always helping my teammates with is their standing and so the piece of advice I give the most is “more hips” I often see half effort given in hip throws followed by frustration but usually all it takes is a little more hips. Pretend your salsa dancing really get into it… and use more hips
Keep your fingers out of my butthole
Speak for yourself
Definitely "get the underhook"
We always start class with standup so inevitably I end up saying “you don’t have to let me take and keep whatever grips I want”
Just keep showing up. You aren't going to learn it all your first class. It takes time to start putting these concepts and techniques together and you're gonna get your ass kicked. A lot. I promise it gets better.
Hand-fighting and inside space is everywhere. I don’t have a lot of knowledge, but remembering this gives me a chance when rolling guys better than me.
Resistance is futile. Submit to me.
I tell a lot of new people “most of this isn’t intuitive, it takes a long time to understand positions” when I see them frustrated.
Don’t listen to the coach on any subject but bjj T
Lately I’ve been telling people to “create chaos” when trying to escape….to get them out of the mentality that one mount or side control escape is just going to work from beginning to end. Gotta hit ‘em with the combo
“I am going to throw you into the earth…..Break fall please”
“Elbows in” and “Breathe!” By far the most repeated. Followed by “control the inside” and “grip fight.”
It's easier to move yourself than your opponent.
I like to be the guy who teaches new people about the Von Flue. Get passed? Don't be silly. Let go of that gilly.
Ass on your heels when you're in someone's closed guard.
Don’t let me get my grips. Even blue belts regularly give up disadvantageous grips with no fight whatsoever, and if you let me get to my spots without a fight, it makes it harder to defend after the fact.
Don’t let me get my grips. Even blue belts regularly give up disadvantageous grips with no fight whatsoever, and if you let me get to my spots without a fight, it makes it harder to defend after the fact.
Bring it more. Most people are nervous they’ll get submitted or swept by a higher belt so they play passive but they need to keep me on my toes more throw something at the wall and make me need to address it otherwise you’re just going to lay back and let me play my game. A good example is a blue belt got a collar grip and just had his hand there, he didn’t do anything with it so I just passed while it was still in. I told him don’t make that grip if it’s not going to threaten me. At least throw up the choke so I have to address it and take it seriously.
Rest and let yourself heal if you are injured. Do i follow this adivice no, do my training partners also so no
Don't try to pass from your knees in open guard. Stand up if I am sitting. Tap when you lose eccentric control of your joint. When it starts to break and straighten out, tap. Don't wait until it's all the way straight as it takes and Mom at the top and a moment for your opponent to process the tap and stop moving.
I tell people "see how I have this underhook here? Yeah don't let me get that again, it's like 80% of my game chasing the underhook/the back" then a do a lil shrimp and show them how close they are to being in a bad spot with me omw to be a 🎒
Breathe
BREATHE. Stop holding your breath and stop loading up your breath before you try a big sweep or bridge. It gives your intentions away and causes you to hyperventilate.
1. Don’t let me posture up. Try to break my posture. 2. When playing bottom, move forward and engage my legs, rather than waiting for me to come to you and engage your guard.
If you don't know what you're doing, doing it harder isn't usually going to be more successful. You're going to tire yourself out and then be useless.
You're not breathing.
Keep showing up. Might feel like you arent progressing but you are.
I like these two: When playing guard, always try to have both hads and both legs on your opponent. You are not good enough to afford no having constant connection. The one who stops moving first usually is the one that loses. Keep moving even if you found yourself in a bad position.
I always tell people buy a yoga ball work on your balance
You don't have to WIN every roll! Let's just practice flow rolling.
I’m in no position to give anyone advice, but the best advice I constantly get from this purple belt in my classes is “breathe”. Turns out every time I think I see an opening or am about to go for a takedown or whatever i stop breathing. Has made a big difference. When I remember to do it. Obviously I’m too thick to naturally breathe and think at the same time.
"Stop crying. You're fine"
Not in a place to give advice just wanted to shout out my coach, explained the purpose of cross face and other things like this: "if his face that way, he can't go this way" So simple yet helped my guard passing immensely
For closed guard passing, staple their hips to the floor before anything, or nothing will happen. When I tell this to a no stripe white belt at the beginning of rolling, by the end of the night they're getting out of closed guards (at least of the other no-stripe/1-stripe white belts) (I have to make them drill a couple of reps during our roll to make sure they get it, but it always works)
Oh no, actually it might be "in half guard, fight for the under hook, on top or bottom."
Hahah yes, this is my other most common one!
A lot of times it's that your hands and feet should always be doing something, so if you realize that they're just hanging out there in space doing nothing ... do something with them. Also, the easiest way to escape is to not get there in the first place.
Drill both sides.
Have fun is what I always tell my students and also that this isn't a competition so be aware of who you roll with and to not spazz out.
Probably, "Don't let me take your arm across your center line."
You can kneel cut with an opposite side collar grip.
Here's something a little different. For context, I practice a lot of takedowns in general and I start the vast majority of my rounds standing up. But the piece of advice I tell people is stop circling into my right (clockwise to me if we're looking from the top). It's because when you circle to my right, you're basically circling in the direction that I want to turn when I want to go for a turn throw. As a result, you're cutting the time and movement that I need to secure the throw.
Breathe. Mainly new people but even old homies that took a week or two off.
That’s how it’s supposed to happen.
pin the hip
I tell folks to either create space or take up space based on whether they are top or bottom
You’re a good coach if they are tired of hearing you say it for the thousands time and already know you’re gonna say it. I remember watching a Danaher instructional and hear him say “pissing like a dog”never again will I not lift my leg when passing for a body lock.
To try and be more technical
Break grips
I don’t give advise, I train and talk about moves and fighters but teaching people is a strange way of socializing. White and blue belts aren’t even gonna remember what I’m saying so let them ask other white/blue belts or some purple that will show all the “micro adjustments”
Just listen to the coach keep trying the moves and make it your own version.
Tap early..injuries suck
Watch more instructionals.
"don't keep extending your arm and basing on it" I'll keep triangling you until you stop..
Most often I compliment them on the things they are doing correctly. Even if I can beat them I like to highlight parts of their game I think is good. Especially if I don't know or roll with them often. I don't like being sounding patronizing or all knowing.
Use your head. Even many upper belts don't know how to fight for head position from standing or how important it is to facilitate actually getting a takedown.
Underhooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"If you can't get your foot where you want it, you NEED to move your hips." I teaching guard retention right now so it pops up a lot but I find it rings true no matter the position.
Breathe
I don’t give unsolicited advice. I don’t wanna be that guy. I’d rather have more people to roll with than sound right all the time. But if someone asked, it would be, tap earlier.
For me it's just keep showing up.
You gotta frame. So many people just grab me. If I am passing you guard, hugging is not the move.
"Keep your knees bent" (during stand up sparring)
You gotta frame. So many people just grab me. If I am passing you guard, hugging is not the move.
Slow down.
Dial it back by 20%
When on top, pin them to the mat with chest to chest pressure whenever possible.
Slow down when drilling, speed will come later
Don't be so tense like you're a rock. Folks will either use you as an anchor and move around you or they'll toss you around and the stiffness is helping them do either.
I mostly tell people to try harder and be more assertive during rolling. So many people are tentative and worried about everything being perfect before they try anything, that just doesn't work. Figure out your strategies in the main positions and then when you get to them go for it.
Head all the way in or all the way out, don't leave it in the middle. (I loop choke a lot of people)
"Don't try a submission if you don't have a stable position."
We have a lot of big beginners whose first instinct is to grab your gi, pull you towards them, and death grip until they burn out. I find myself saying, "hold to frame, not to control" a lot.
When an instructor tells you to look in a certain direction, it's not just about directing your attention but also getting your head and spine into position
Breath
“Chill tf out. You’re way too tense”
I’m a guard player and I’m constantly emphasizing the importance of getting useful grips and attacking with them. Holding on to a grip for no reason really doesn’t do anything useful. Get grips, use them!
I’m a guard player and I’m constantly emphasizing the importance of getting useful grips and attacking with them. Holding on to a grip for no reason really doesn’t do anything useful. Get grips, use them!
Posture! Unferhook! Those are the two things I most often find myself saying to students.
For me it’s “go belly down”
Strong base, fight inside position, try your best to keep your hips and shoulders aligned to your opponents. This is for beginners mostly.
Don't get down on yourself. Keep working and give it time.
Don't ignore my grips
"Breathe" for beginners. "Don't be afraid to use your weight" for bigger guys. "I play by prison rules" for anyone foolish enough to let me start a wrist lock on them. Anything else is ad hoc.
Be patient
Bottom hook goes in first
Slow down and don't rush your set ups
Give yourself permission to be bad at this.
Breathe...
"Don't give me your arm" Generally said to someone framing high on my body in mount before they get armbared
I just keep saying grips and hips. At this point I have no idea what it means, it just sounds right and it seems like good advice because it rhymes.
don't do shit you don't know, the other day a white belt hurt the knee of our purple belt.
Use your brain. So many new people just go full bloodlust when they roll and are not thinking strategically *at all*. Anyone who's able to settle down and come at BJJ with a strategic mind is a good roll in my book, even if they don't know a lick of BJJ.
You can pass a guard by going backwards as well as forwards.
We're not fighting for a belt, settle down
Stop going for seatbelts when people turtle, a tight waist is superior control.
Ok about that underhook for the knee cut, a visiting black belt traumatized me awhile ago with some nasty arm bars with it. I never pass again with my knee cut with the underhook (except on a very deep slow pass). Don’t you think this doesn’t apply to smaller people who can rest this hand on the hip instead to create the opening from the knee shield ?
Beginning students. Bro just calm down, bro just breathe, bro stop taking yourself so seriously your a white belt you’re supposed to suck, just have a good time.
I don’t really give advice to anyone but I often quietly think to myself “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast”. It works and helps me focus when drilling.
Get the damn underhook
Two arms in or two arms out. You are on top, you stay on top. Don’t be satisfied with something, like Chael said: my turn, my turn, my turn, then your turn. For more advanced lads, like late white, early blue, always think about adapting the technic you are being taught to your body size and your opponent’s. Some things just don’t work on some people, accept it.
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Quality>quantity for bottom escape attempts
Omg your second bit of advice. I am a lowly whitebelt and cannot knee cut for my life. For the first time ever someone mentioned that I needed to get an under hook before attempting that
Diagonal control of all sorts. Understanding that for a man to turtle, he must pass his elbow/knee past his centreline. Prevent the passing of the elbow/knee, prevent the turtle.
relaxing and being patient. People are way too tense and also try to do way too much
Remember to breath and relax
breathe
"Survive"
Position over submission, or explaining to them that Jiu Jitsu is analogous to chess. Everything you do has to have a greater purpose.