Deep Stretches For BJJ – How To Do Them Correctly

Stretching will make you flexible. I bet you’ve heard this before If only things were that easy. Flexibility is an athletic quality that is trainable and can be improved. Factoring in individual needs and limitations, not everybody part can become more flexible at the same rate, but you can most certainly improve. The conundrum that people of the face, particularly BJJ practitioners who would love to be able to triangle choke themselves, is what type of stretches for BJJ should they use? There’s no simple answer to that as there are different types of stretching and mobility that all influence flexibility. That said, deep stretching is a proven way of really pushing your flexibility, but they also come with caution attached.

Deep stretches are all the stretches that you think of when you hear the word stretching. Every stretch that is static in nature, and goes into painful territory can be considered a deep stretch. As I said, it is the perception people usually have when they think of stretching. These types of stretches for BJJ are actually not always recommended, though. In fact, you need to be really careful with them, because they might end up doing more harm than good if you do not utilize them correctly.

What Is Deep Stretching?

In terms of stretching as an athletic activity aimed to help the recovery and improve the flexibility of muscles, there are two main types. One is active stretching, where you remain dynamic throughout the stretch, and the other is passive stretching, where you remain static. Understandably, going deep into a stretch requires you to be in control of your range of motion, so active stretches cannot be as deep as passive ones.

During a passive stretch, you try to move a joint to the end range of flexibility. In those terms, muscles are what you are stretching, but joints are how you set stretches up, and decide the depth of any given stretching exercise. For a passive stretch, the goal is to go as deep as you can, up to a point of mild discomfort, and try to hold. There are different schools of thought, but anything less than 30 seconds won’t allow you to get all the benefits of deep stretching.

In terms of deeps stretches for BJJ, there are certain muscles that require more attention than others, given the demands of the sport. More on this later. For now, remember that doing passive stretching means you need to try and go deep. If you have body parts that are not as limber as you’d like them to be, you can always use props to help you get a better range of motion. For grapplers, the belt is everything you’ll need, most of the time.

Passive deep stretching can greatly improve flexibility, aid recovery, and help your tendons recuperate after strenuous rolling sessions. However, it is key to know when to use deep stretches, and even more important to understand when you should be avoiding them at all costs.

When NOT To Use Deep Stretches

Contrary to popular belief, deep stretches are never a good idea when you’re warming up for a sport, or any athletic activity. Warm-ups should be just that, series of exercises that help you get the blood pumping and raise your core temperature. Trying to use deep stretches in a warm-up routine has a completely opposite effect – it elongates muscles, allowing them to cool. Trying to go for a roll after a solid deep stretch routine is like jumping into BJJ straining straight out of bed. IN other words, it is not the smartest thing to do. Deep stretches for BJJ have their place, but that is certainly not during the warm-ups.

The same holds true for morning routines. Yeah, Yoga is awesome in the morning, but how far can you really go into any given stretch? Try doing the same routine in the afternoon and you’ll suddenly think you’ve doubled your flexibility in a matter of hours. After sleeping, our joints are stiff, muscles are compressed, and have reduced blood flow. This is the worst time to be attempting to improve your splits, or trying to do deep shoulder or hips stretches for example. What you’ll achieve is a pulled muscle, and perhaps even worse.

Speaking of pulled muscles, deep stretches are also something you should skip when returning from an injury. Active stretches and mobility routines. Preferably put together by a doctor or physical therapist are your best bet. Trying to do deep stretches for BJJ on an injured body part will probably just exaggerate the injury, or cause a new one on a different part of your body.

So, what is the best time to do deep stretches then? When you’re warmed up, muscles have blood flow, and your core temperature is higher. That means right after training, or at the end of a dedicated mobility//recovery routine. Alternately, doing such a routine before bed is also not a bad idea.

The Best Deep Stretches For BJJ

Stretches for BJJ include 6 major joint ins the body, and all accompanying muscles and tendons. Those joints are the ankles, hips, shoulders, wrists, neck, and thoracic spine. These just so happen to be joints that allow you to practice an increasing range of motion, thus helping you make the surrounding muscles much more flexible over time. Let’s go over each one of them and see a sample stretch you can do.

Ankles – Calf stretch

You can do just about any type of calf stretch you want, but standing ones will give you the most bang for your buck. Standing against a wall is always good, but you can do it without support as well. The goal is to get one leg to step backward, on your toes at first, and then try and touch the heel of that leg to the ground. You’ll feel tightening in the calf which is the stretch you’re looking for.

Hips – Glute Stretch

Among the stretches for BJJ that people come up with, hip stretches are probably the most numerous. A great deep stretch for the hips is the lying glute stretch. It is very applicable to BJJ, given that it requires you to lie down, placing one ankle right above the knee of the opposite leg. Both legs should be bent, bringing the leg you’re stretching into a triangle/rubber guard –like position. Use both hands to pull on the hamstring of the support leg in order to rally make this deep stretch work for you.

Shoulders – Overhead Shoulder Stretch

The overhead shoulder stretch does require a ledge to hold on to, but that’s not really something you can’t easily find anywhere. You could do it standing or kneeling, as long as you place both arms on a surface in front of you, while having a 90-degree angle between your belly and things. The goal is to sag your torso while propping your arms on the ledge with the wrists. A bench, a bed, a window ledge, etc. will all do the trick. The lower you go with the torso, the deeper the stretch will be. This is one of my favorite deep stretches fro BJJ ever, and it has really helped my shoulders.

Wrists – Flexion

For the wrists, flexion and extension are really important for Jiu-Jitsu. However, wrist flexion is where you really need to improve your flexibility if you’re a grappler. That simply means bending your wrist so that the palm is trying to touch the forearm. The pressure is on the top of the palm and can be via the other arm, or by placing the arm on the ground.

Neck – Sideways Neck Stretch

After the hips. Neck stretches for BJJ are the most sought after ones. An exercise we usually do dynamically during warmups is actually the best option here. To make it deep, of course, you’ll have to turn it into a static exercise. That is the ear-to-shoulder sideways neck stretch. Use an arm to help your head to position and stay in the stretch for an allotted time. Remember to do both sides.

Thoracic Spine – The Bretzel

There’s no real way I can explain this nutty stretch with words. The Bretzel, however, is one of the best stretches for BJJ in existence. It also happens to be a very deep and multi-joint stretch that targets the muscles of the entire thoracic spine. The stretch starts with you lying on the ground, bending your knees at a 90-degree angle, and letting them fall to the ground on one side. Then, you extend the bottom leg, so that the arm on the same side can grip the ankle. Use the opposite side arm to try and force the knee of the top leg to the ground.

Closing Thoughts

I already touched on the subject that you shouldn’t do any deep stretch for less than 30 seconds. In terms of organizing all of the above stretches for BJJ into a routine, start with 30 seconds on each stretch (repeat on both sides of the body). Aim for 3 sets of them, either as a circuit or in a straight-set fashion. Once you’re good with that, and you see your flexibility improving, you can go to 45 seconds, or a minute each.

6-Year-Old BJJ Practitioner Bridger Walker Heroically Saves Sister From a Brutal Dog Attack

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“If someone had to die, I thought it should be me”. These are the words that a 6-year-old boy named Bridger Walker said after receiving nearly a hundred stitches on his face. Why? Because he courageously and selflessly jumped in front of a ranging dog that was about to attack his 4-year-old sister. That is a real hero right there, both in actions and in mindset. On top of it all, Bridger is also a BJJ practitioner and competitor, one I have a feeling we will be talking about for years to come.

Examples of bravery and real heroism are luckily still around these days. People still opt to do the right, or better said, the brave thing to do from time to time. However, when it is a kid being braver than most adults I know, he deserves more praise than we could give. Young Bridger Walker is just this type of kid. He is not just captivated by superheroes, he is one, as proven in real life. Not everyone is brave enough to step on the mats and compete as a BJJ practitioner, so we knew he was brave. However, even fewer people, including most adults would so courageously stand in front of a ragging dog and take it head-on in order to protect someone else. Hats off to Bridger!

Heroes Do Exist – Meet Bridger Walker

Bridger Walker is a 6-year-old BJJ practitioner that lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming. On July 9, while out with his sister, Bridger ran into a 1-year old German Shepard mix dog. The dog charged the kids, and the valiant Bridger stood between the animal and his sister, taking the attack himself. The dog bit his cheek and held on to it, causing visible and serious injuries. The little hero, in the meantime, took his sister’s hand and steered her away, eventually getting them both to safety. His sister was unharmed in the incident. The dog’s owners actually knew the Bridger and his family, and have been nothing supportive after the fact, according to the boy’s aunt.

After the fact, Bridger underwent a two-hour-long surgery and ended up with more than 90 stitches on his cheek. When his father later asked why he acted the way he did, Bridger said “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me”. Revealing that the brave boy is also a BJJ practitioner and competitor, the proud dad also added “And my son is not a guard puller. ? I promise we’re working on not giving up the back.”

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Currently, Bridger Walker is recovering at home and is already making great progress. He is expected to make a full recovery, and his otherwise cheerful spirit is intact. As well as recovering, he is expected to come back to training once his doctors clear him. The entire incident got the exposure it deserves via the boy’s aunt, who took to Instagram to share the incredible story of her hero nephew.

Praise And Support Heaping In For the Brave BJJ Practitioner

Speaking of heroes, Bridger Walker is a fan of the Avengers, as you’d expect from a boy his age. Knowing this fact, his aunt tagged as many of the actors playing superheroes as she could, hoping they’d help spread the word and reach out to Bridger to make his recovery easier. It turned out that her post got millions of likes and shares, and it definitely got the attention Bridger deserves.

“I’m not an Avenger, but I know a superhero when I see one,” wrote Ann Hathaway on her Instagram, sharing the story about Bridger.

Mark Ruffalo, AKA “The Hulk” responded to being tagged in the post by writing “People who put well beings of others in front of themselves are the most heroic and thoughtful people I know. I truly respect and admire your courage and your heart.”

Chris Evans, who plays Captain America sent a video to Bridger Walker, saying: “I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of this over the last couple of days, but let me be the next one to tell you, pal, you’re a hero,” Evans said. “What you did was so brave, so selfless. Your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother. Your parents must be so proud of you.”

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Jeremy Renner, Octavia Spencer, Gordon Ramsey, Kevin Jonas, Robbie Amell, Brie Larson, and other celebrities also poured in on the praise and support for the valiant BJJ practitioner.

Concluding that Bridger is making a complete recovery, his family is making constant updates on social media. In their last statement, they said “May we follow Bridger’s example, approach the world as a child, and bring greater peace to our own homes, communities, states, and countries.”

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In Summary

BJJ practitioner or not, Bridger Walker is one brave boy. Such heart is going to make him one of the best grapplers in the world without a doubt when he manages to get back to the mats after his ordeal. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to the boy to extend your support, and do try and share his incredible story of bravery and selflessness as much as you can. What a kid!

Why You Should Always Roll Using Only BJJ No-Gi Grips

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USe BJJ No-Gi Grips When Rolling With Gi

There’s a point in Jiu-Jitsu when you realize that gripping is actually half the puzzle. Inevitably, you go and try to figure out gripping and will get lost in a whole new world of grappling. Looking at Judo or wrestling to try and figure out how things work is what people usually do. It will yield results, but you can expect to spend a couple of years trying to figure out everything grip related. At least if you want to be any good at it. For most, this is not a very fun thing to do. Luckily, there’s a shortcut – focus on BJJ No-Gi grips. I took the longer route and went through a bunch of grip related stuff just to figure this one simple truth – No-Gi grips will teach you everything.

The first thing I really have to mention is that by saying use BJJ No-Gi grips, I mean use the mall the time. Gi, No-Gi, wrestling training, whatever you’re doing, do not grip the cloth. It is that simple. As you probably know by now, there’s no grappling without engagement, and grips mark the start of any engagement. Conversely, they happen to be the most important thing you can do, as wining a grip fight will really make anything you do next a lot easier to pull off. However, with all the possible grips, not to mention grip breaks, people often get confused and decide to just grip what they can without a clear purpose behind the grips. That’s a great way of ending up on the losing end in BJJ.

Why Do We Use Grips In Jiu-Jitsu?

Grips help us achieve two main things in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. First, they give us a connection to our opponent, which is crucial given that the goal is to grapple on the ground in order to achieve a successful pinning position, and ultimately, a submission hold. Second, we like to control how and opponent reacts by leveraging them into obedience, which again, is based on how we’re holding on to certain body parts of theirs. To achieve that, we have to use our hands, and to a lesser degree, our feet.

In terms of connection, we usually enter a grip fighting battle in order to achieve grips that will allow us to stay connected, without being at risk. This is much more difficult to achieve than it sounds. When people roll with the Gi, they tend to grab the collar, sleeves, and pants in most cases. However, in the heat of battle, just about any part of the cloth will do. This though usually translates to a very inefficient way of connection to your opponent. In fact, using the gi to grip is an overall less efficient way to grapple, compared to BJJ No-Gi grips.

When it comes to controlling, things get a lot more specific. It is one thing to hold on to someone, preventing them from attacking you, or looking to transition into attacks. It is an entirely different thing to use grips in order to pin an opponent or finish a submission. Without grips, it would obviously be impossible to achieve this. So, given that there’s basically no way to grapple without grips, it is amazing that people take gripping for granted and just try to hold on to something. Winning the grip battle is winning half of the match, and if you can use purposeful, precise, and dominant grips throughout a match, you’ll easily end up submitting just about anyone. Of course, BJJ No-Gi Grips are the way to go, at least until you get eh hang of it. Let’s talk more about why this is the case.

Direct vs. Indirect Control

When we speak of control in Jiu-Jitsu, we all tend to have our own idea of what that actually refers to. However, there are some things that are universally true when it comes to control. Namely, controlling someone means that we’re either not allowing them to move a body part, or forcing them to move a body part against their will. In both cases, we need to be holding that body part with our hands in order to be able to even think about control. Going a bit deeper, the types of control you can gain in Jiu-Jitsu via grips are direct or indirect control.

Holding on to the GI, (which, don’t get me wrong, can be efficient) is a form of indirect control. Think about it this way. You’re holding on to a sleeve grip from the closed guard. Whenever the person moves their arm, your arm, attached via the sleeve grip, follows. If you decide to maneuver their arm into a certain position, it will follow, because their arm is inside the sleeve. However, there’s always going to be a bit of slack, where they can move the wrist, twist it, pull or push the Gi to create space. This is something you can account for, but only if you’re aware of it and understand how grips work.

A much easier and more effective control is to use a direct grip. This means, using the same example as before, holding on to the wrist of an opponent with a C-grip, for example. This is the exact same way you’ll hold someone if it was a No-Gi match/roll. However, now your control over their limb (in this case, an arm) is direct. You have a lot more control when you decide to maneuver their arm into position, as well as in cases when they try to retrieve it. You can see why I tend to favor BJJ No-Gi grips of holding on to the Gi.

Use Only BJJ No-Gi Grips For A Year

Here’s an experiment for you to consider. If you’re rolling with the Gi, focus on using nothing but BJJ NO-Gi grips for a year. Moreover, do not require the same from your training partners, or expect it from opponents if you happen to compete in that period. Let people grab your Gi, but use only BJJ No-Gi grips yourself. After a few months, you’ll surely notice a few things.

First of all, all your grips will provide you with a much better connection and much firmer control. You would be using wrist grabs, ankle grips, scoop grips, chin straps, S grips, Gabel grips, and everything else imaginable that doesn’t include you holding on to a Gi. The end result, though, will be an understanding of how BJJ control works particularly direct control. Once you get through a year of this, you could look to reintroduce Gi grips and try to figure out indirect control on the base of understanding direct control. That’s the easiest way to learn BJJ gripping without having to go through tens of hours of footage.

Apart from getting extremely efficient at gripping, you’ll also notice a few other benefits. Given that people will grab your Gi during this time, this creates an unfair advantage for them. Once you get comfortable with it, you’ll become a machine at breaking grips, particularly Gi grips. In other words, nobody will be able to hold you down. Also, when you reintroduce Gi grips in your game, it will be you who gains the unfair advantage even though you’ll both be gripping h Gi now.

Finally, there’s a very interesting hack in there as well. When someone is holding on to your Gi, they’re basically giving you control over their limb. Using the fact that the Gi moves a lot, simply let them hold on, by positioning the Gi in a way that gives them no control. That’ one grip out of the way, even though they’re holding on. Once again, you get the unfair advantage, while opponents aren’t even aware of it.

Final Thoughts

I have been using BJJ No-Gi grips exclusively for more than three years now. I wanted to reintroduce gi grips once I got the hang of it, but I just enjoy direct control too much. In No-Gi, this gives me the advantage of experience in this type of gripping. In Gi, it confuses opponents and lures them into thinking they have an advantage by grabbing the cloth. At a certain point in time, I will get back to Gi grips, but for now, BJ No-Gi grips seem to be doing the trick for me. Try it out for a year and see for yourself. It will completely change your game.

Steel Mace BJJ Workouts For Unrivaled Functional Strength

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Train as unusually as possible” seems to be a fitness mantra these days. However, unusual doesn’t always also mean practical or safe and efficient, for that matter. Standing on a BOSU ball while juggling 30 lb kettlebells is a great way to end up in a very usual hospital bed, albeit because of an unusual reason. Training strength and conditioning for Jiu-Jitsu is a completely different thing, although you might, and should include odd object training into your BJJ workouts. Training with a steel mace is a great example.

Steel maces might not be the first choice of training tools for most. However, if you look back at the not so distant past, you’ll notice that kettlebells had the same reception before they blew up in the fitness industry. It doesn’t matter if something looks unusual, what matters is whether or not it can help. While being odd is not a guarantee for success (the BOSU ball example again), it will certainly provide your body with a challenge the conventional fitness tools can’t bring to BJJ workouts. In essence, why not give some steel mace workouts a try before you decide whether or not it works for you?

Steel Maces – Origins And History

The steel mace is a strange training tool, which is understandable given its historical use as a weapon, first and foremost. First of all, let’s answer the question of what a steel mace is before we go into how it turned to frоm a weapon to a fitness training tool, and ultimately, how it can improve your BJJ workouts.

Steel maces are pieces of equipment that consist of steel, much like kettlebells. The construction includes a steel handle with varying lengths, with a steel ball welded to one end. The length of the handle (or shaft) varies depending on the weight of the ball welded on its end. The heavier the ball, the longer the shaft will be. They range anywhere between 5 – 55 lbs, but they might even be heavier.

Origin-wise, the steel mace was the weapon of choice for Hindu warriors for the better part of 2.000 years. Known as the Gada, it was not only famous among Hindu warriors but also their Gods, as far as depictions go. The damage that a steel ball welded on a steel shaft could do to an opponent is needless to point out. You can see why the mace was such a popular weapon. Back in the day, though, they weren’t made of steel.

Originally, the mace was a stone tied to a bamboo stick. Warriors, either on foot or horseback would swing it around their heads to gain momentum, delivering crushing blows to enemies, regardless if they wore armor or not. Conversely, warriors spend a lot of time training with maces in order to become proficient at wielding them in combat. This gave birth to the fitness side of training with a mace, something that’s been a part of Indian wrestling culture for centuries. Lately, the mace has as a fitness tool managed to spread all around the world, although many still do not look at it as a useful conditioning tool. Hindu warriors and wrestlers would tend to disagree.

Why Train With A Steel Mace?

The structure of a steel mace means that similarly to a kettlebell, you need to use your entire body in order to maneuver it around. Moreover, the distribution of weight is highly specific, challenging more than just your muscles. Swinging a steel mace around improves balance, coordination, core strength, explosiveness as well as cardio and overall strength. Plus, it looks beyond cool when you’re training with a 50 lbs. ancient weapon in order to be a better grappler.

In fact, nowadays, the steel mace is still used by Pehlwani wrestlers in India and Pakistan. A famous Indian wrestler named the Great Gama is to blame for the popularization of the mace. He was undefeated for 50- years, and fought all across India and Europe, beating every wrestler to ever face him. His only tool for strength and conditioning was using the mace ball or steel mace.

Some of the benefits of including a steel ancient weapon in your BJJ workouts are first and foremost, the range of motion benefits you gain from training with it. The rotational movements and uneven weight distribution mean you get to work on your shoulders and upper back mobility while having to think about your posture. Tailor-made for Jiu-Jitsu, right?

Furthermore, there’s a huge grip strength component involved. Holding on to the handle can be progressively harder, depending on how long it is, and the motions you’re going through. This ties in with muscle endurance as the next great benefit. A steel mace is highly unpredictable in the way it feels when you’re manipulating it. This translates perfectly to grappling, particularly in the sense of being able to keep dealing with the motions as you move it through space for longer periods of time and at greater speeds.

Last but not least, developing a heightened sense of proprioception is always welcome for any grappler. Steel maces will help you gain kinesthetic awareness that you often see in black belts when they seem to anticipate every move before it actually happens. Well, maces will definitely help you develop this skill faster.

Steel Mace BJJ Workouts

While you might be able to find a steel mace in some gyms, it is not something that’s readily available in commercial facilities. Most likely, you’ll need to find an old school garage gym or some functional training facility that has no idea why they have it there. All the better for you. Also, you could invest in one, or a few, and workout wherever you might desire. I’ve seen them in some BJJ gyms as well, which is probably the best possible version of events.

That said, when starting off with a steel mace, go light. Like, really, really light. 10lbs I plenty if you’ve never wielded an ancient weapon before. Other than that, there aren’t many things you need to consider apart from knowing several exercises an understanding hand positioning. In other words, positioning your hand near the end of the lever will make it extremely harder to train with even the 10 lbs. mace, if you’re not used to it. Now, let’s look at several BJ workouts that implement the use of a steel mace.

Getting Started

Barbarian squats – Holding the mace in front of you, like a vertical baseball bat, perform a squat.
Romanian Deadlift – Like a regular RDL but it feels different because the weight is on one side only. Do on each side.
Bent Rows – Similar to RDL’s like with a barbell, but expect it to feel really different. Do on each side.
Curls – Like with a barbell. Do on each side.
Overhead press – Really works stabilizing muscles on top of the shoulder muscles. Do on each side.

Conditioning Steel Mace BJJ Workouts

Here’s a simple routine to really get your cylinder firing. Do this work out as a circuit, going from one exercise to the next with no rest. You get to rest at the end for a minute, before repeating the circuit for a total of 4 rounds.

Single Arm 360 – 5 rounds x 30 sec (each side)
360 to Squat – 5 rounds x 30 sec
10-2 – 5 rounds x 30 sec
Overhead Alternating Lunge – 5 rounds x 30 sec
Jump Squat – 5 rounds x 30 sec
Split Jump – 5 rounds x 30 sec

Summary

BJJ workouts with a steel mace are extremely fun, completely unconventional, and more challenging than anything you’ll do outside of grappling. The benefits of such a tool for grapples are well proven, given the millennia Hindu wrestlers have spent getting into shape by using this highly unusual and even more effective fitness tool.

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Hacking The BJJ Closed Guard In Just Three Steps

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Love it or hate it, you’re going to end up in the closed guard. Passing it is a nightmare on its own, but playing a closed guard with success is also not an easy task to accomplish against another person that also knows grappling. In that sense, toady’s focus is going to be on the BJJ Closed Guard game from the bottom. There are now so many different ways of playing guard that is ti very easy to get confused. My take on the closed guard is to remove all the gibberish and implement a three-step formula that’ll help you be efficient against anyone, in both Gi and No-Gi. Simple is best!

The reason I started looking into the closed guard, trying to “dumb it down” was seeing some of my students performing in a competition. One purple and one blue belt, in particular, really, have a knack for all the new guards, particularly lapel-based that are popular now. As such, I let them drill and play around with those concepts, hoping one day they can teach me. As it turned out, in that particular competition, both ended up in the BJJ closed guard position by default. From there, they couldn’t find ways to go to their fancy guards and establish their games. So, I decided to take them (and everyone else ) back to closed guard, but from a different perspective.

Hacking The BJJ Closed Guard Once And For All

The BJJ closed guard poses a lot of questions, just like any other Jiu-Jitsu position. Do you grip the lapels or the collar? What about cross grips, or using the lapels for fancy guard combinations? Sweep or submit? Attack by breaking posture, or making opponents lean backward? All these questions usually have a specific answer. That means that you get an answer for each question you ask. The problem is, there are countless questions, meaning there are countless answers, and that all boils down to so much information that you won’t be able to recall anything when you actually need to use the closed guard.

So, why not choose a simpler knowledge retention model? My approach was to ask the one best question you can ask about anything in Jiu-Jitsu – why? In this case, the “why “refers to why the BJJ closed guard works as a primarily defensive and secondary, offensive position. The answer is easy – because you can control highly specific parts of your opponent’s body, while also being able to use your own body to start attacking sequences. However, there’s a hierarchy, or better said, order to things when you’re in the closed guard. Well, at least if you want to be effective.

To begin with, you need to be safe. Let’s look at the BJJ closed guard form a broader perspective. The first question is why are you safe in the closed guard under any circumstances (MMA, self-defense, BJJ, grappling, etc.)? The second question is why are you able to control an opponent from that particular configuration of your body? And finally, why is the closed guard a good attacking position?

If you notice, I focus on the “why”, rather than the “how” trying to reduce the number of possible answers to one – the most fundamental one.

Staying Safe In Closed Guard

Why are we safer in the BJJ closed guard as opposed to all other positions? The answer is easy – we control the only free limbs that could be used against us – the arms. IN a closed guard, the top person is sitting on their legs, effectively taking them out of the equation as weapons. That leaves the arms as the primary source of trouble, whether it is striking, or pure grappling.

When we look at it like that, the answer why we’re safe is extremely easy – we control the arms .that means that the moment you end up in the BJJ closed guard position you need to get double wrist grabs. Whether you go from thumb up No-Gi wrist grabs, thumb down wrist grabs, sleeve grips, or something else, is completely down to you. The goal is to control both arms. When you achieve that an opponent won’t be able to strike, they also won’t be able to establish purposeful grips and start opening your guard to get past the legs.

Most importantly, double sleeve/wrist grips are very easy to control. As long as you keep your arms loose, you’ll be able to follow your opponent’s arms wherever they move. Plus, you can use the grips to set up attacks of your own (as you’ll see later on).

Controlling Your Opponent

Now that you’re safe, let’s look at the second piece of the puzzle – preventing your opponent from changing position. In other words, why does the closed guard allow us to control opponents so effectively? The answer is – your knees. Yup, it doesn’t have anything to do with your crossed ankles. If you want to be effective from the closed guard you need to focus on keeping your opponent in between your knees. That means that you can have your ankles uncrossed behind them and they’ll still think they’re stuck in closed guard. The focus is on keeping their rib cage in between your knees.

Think of the BJJ closed guard as reverse back mount. If you had someone’s back, you won’t be looking at your feet to keep them there, but rather your knees. If an opponent is between your knees, you can control them from the back. The same is true from the front- keep them between your knees and you’ll never tire out your feet ever again. Plus, the control is much more difficult to escape from.

The reason we have such great control over someone from the closed guard is that we have our legs, (particularly our knees0 in the space between their armpit and their knee. Whoever controls that space, has the advantage in grappling. Combine this with the wrist/sleeve grips, and now we are in control over the most desirable area of an opponent’s body, with our strongest body parts (legs) while they can’t reach the same parts of our body to try and control us. The perfect storm is brewing.

Attack, Attack, Attack!

Let’s just go over the two points above before we go on. First, to stay safe in the BJJ closed guard, grip the wrists/sleeves of an opponent. Next, control their movement by placing their torso/hips in between your knees. Now, you’re not just safe from attacks but have also limited where an opponent can go. That means you’re ready to do some attacking of your own.

Which brings us to the final big why of the BJJ closed guard – why is the position so often used to attack? Well, the safety and control you already have, gives you the ability to break the opponent’s posture. Once you have the posture, in addition to the control and safety, you have your opponent in a very vulnerable position.

Breaking the posture is easy from the closed guard because you can use your powerful legs to pull the opponent towards you. Don’t focus on their posture but rather on the goal of trying to touch your own knees to your shoulders. Combined with a double wrist grip, nobody will be able to prevent it. Once you have an opponent al broken down, you can start setting up any attack that you wish. Yes, now you can release a grip, r both, and start doing your thing, It may be high guard attacks, you might be going for guillotines, wristlock, cross chokes, any closed guard sweep or trying to arm drag to the back. Now that you’re safe, have control over an opponent and you’ve broken their posture, you can do pretty much anything you want with them. And all that without breaking a sweat.

In Summary

Let’s recap. You find yourself in the BJJ close3d guard. Immediately go for the double wrist/sleeve grips. Now, you’re safe from strikes, grips, and any other immediate threat. Next, focus on placing your opponent in between your knees, rather than squeezing with your feet. The aim is to control the space between their armpit and knee with your thighs. Finally, break the posture by pulling or tilting with your legs, rather than trying to pull with your arms. Now you’ve got an opponent neatly tucked with a bow and ready for any attack you might fancy. Lazy BJJ at its best!

The No-Gi Shaolin Sweep From Half Guard

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The half guard is the safe spot for most people in BJJ, whether it is Gi or No-Gi. It tends to be the position people favor over the closed guard, probably because of the options it offers. From the half guard, you can attack, defend, stall, do whatever you want. Moreover, it is way easier to get to than the closed guard, or any of the complicated open guards of today. In terms of attacks, half guard sweeps are among the most reliable moves you can make. Today, we’ll take a look at the Shaolin sweep and why it should be your go-to half guard sweep.

While the half guard is a position that is easy to get to and hold, and there are plenty of variations of it, actually attacking from there requires some finesse. The fact that an opponent has a low base with their knee so nth ground makes it quite hard to sweep them if you do not know-how. Luckily, there’s the Shaolin sweep. This sweep works like a charm because it utilizes movement and leverage, as opposed to explosive, forceful movements.

Moving In Half Guard

If you want to become a high-level half guard player, you need to learn how to move when you’re holding half guard. While the half guard is a form of closed guard, thus guaranteeing you can keep someone in place, it is not a spot you can really hold for too long without doing something. The thing you need to remember is that the half guard will work for you if you move when you have it.

By movement from half guard, I mean purposeful, technical movement that helps you achieve a preset goal, rather than just flailing around. It doesn’t matter which half guard variation you are playing. IN most of them, having your knees close to your shoulders, and being on one side are the two key starting points. They will allow you to block the opponent from pinning you (because you’re on your side) and will help you generate movement (because of the fact you’re crumbled in a safe “shell”).

The final thing to remember about movement from half guard is that you don’t just have to move left and right. You can move towards your opponent as well, or try to get your opponent to go over your head. In other words, you have four directions of movement that work perfectly well. they work even better if you combine two or more into an attack, like the Shaolin sweep does, for example.

Shaolin Sweep Details

The Shaolin sweep looks really complicated when you first see it but is in essence, real simple. From half guard, you’re looking to create space, bate an opponent in, redirect their pressure, and roll them over your head, ending up in top[ half guard, or in a leg lock. Let’s go step by step.

First of all, you need to have a Z-guard or knee shield in. Next, you want to grip their far side hand with your top hand. The grip, in No-Gi, should be with your thumb towards the forearm. The Z-guard allows you to extended your hips, creating space and pressure that opponents don’t want. That means they’ll try to pressure in, looking to get back in a better position. This pressure is what you need to redirect them.

When an opponent pressures in after you extend the hips, simply remove the frame and use the grip on the arm to redirect them. There’s one key detail here – look to place the arm that’s holding their arm as near as you can to your hip. Like putting it in your pocket. This will ensure their arm is off the ground at all times, which is crucial. Now, you have an opponent perpendicular to you, lying on top of your legs. Your other arm should grip with an underhook on the leg that’ s out of the half guard. From there, it is easy to roll backward over a shoulder, ending up on top.

If you want to go for submission attacks you could use the Shaolin sweep to end up on top and immediately go for the 4/11 AKA Honeyhole position. The moment you end up on top, after rolling over your shoulder, you switch your hips, doing a long-step motion to scoop the leg and get into position. From there, you’re free to finish with your favorite leg lock. However, this is not a direction that is tactically smart. The Shaolin sweep gets you two points and top position, so going back with your butt to the ground should only be a Hail Mary option, or you should have an abnormally good leg lock game.

How To Succeed With The Shaolin Sweep

There are three main reasons why the Shaolin sweep works so well. They all have to do with movement (surprise, surprise) and concepts, rather than techniques. Since we already got all the technical stuff out of the way, let’s explore why the Shaolin Sweep works so well.

The first movement you do with this weep is to drag the opponent towards you. This is accomplished via the grip on the arm, and the extension of your hips. In No-Gi you grip the wrist, while in Gi, it is the sleeve. The goal of that grip is to pull your opponent forward. moving their center of gravity and pulling them forward. It is important that you make it a point to drag before you try to sweep, or you’ll have an opponent in base who might capitulate on your failed sweep attempt.

The moment when you release pressure and succeed in dragging the opponent is when you need to focus on keeping their arm off the ground. This movement helps you reach stage two – loading your opponent. Simply keeping your arm in your “pocket” will keep the opponent lying on your shins. Given that your legs are crunched on top of you, it means you’ve just loaded the opponent onto a spring that could send them flying in any direction.

The final portion of the Shaolin sweep is an extension. All you need to do after you’ve dragged an opponent into the loaded position is extend the legs. Once again, you do this from the hips, aiming to roll over your shoulder as you do. If you’ve done the drag and load correctly, nobody will be able to counter the overhead sweep and you’ll get your points and top position.

Final Thoughts

The Shaolin sweep got its name from Victor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. The reason it works is that you go underneath your opponent’s center of gravity, like in the X-guard or deep half guard. No matter how heavy they are, you’ll be able to send them flying as long as you drag, load, and explode, and you put in your hours of practice to get all the technical details right.

BJJ Safety: Helping Injured Students On The Mats

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BJJ Safety: How to Deal With Injuries On the Mats

The BJJ academy you go to should be the safest place you visit during the day. People have to feel safe on the mats, even when things go wrong. Injuries are a part of any sport, like it or not. When I come to combat sports, particularly grappling, they’re pretty much inevitable. Usually, it’s no more than a bent finger, a bruise, or a nasty twist of a joint. However, in certain cases, there can be injuries that are of a more serious nature. During such times, it is the instructor/coach/professor’s knowledge and reactions that help guarantee BJJ safety for the injured student.

Practicing a martial art where the ultimate goal is to break any and all joints in the body or strangle someone unconscious, injuries will happen. Usually, they’re just accidents that nobody can really predict or do anything to prevent. Regardless of how an injury comes to happen, or any sort of health issue for that matter, it is the response that matters. Not making things worse, helping the person in question, and making sure nobody else suffers a similar thing is what BJJ safety within an Academy is all about.

BJJ Safety 101

While we all know what we’re going into when we get that Gi on and slap and bump, nobody likes to emerge out of a roll with an injury or any sort of health issue. Yet, sometimes, it is going to happen. At this point, it does not matter where the responsibility lies, but rather what we do to make things better. Even the best-intentioned folks can make a mistake, or slip, and there’s no reason to hold things against them.

First of all, a few ground rules. The first one, of course, is to tap. Tap a lot, tap really early, don’t just tap to submissions, but to everything that scares you or makes you uncomfortable. That’s how both you and your training partners learn stuff. Our bodies are our most valued material possessions, and we’re voluntarily giving them to another person to play. That other person, although they do the same, really have a huge responsibility to their training partners. Early taps help reduce injury potential by at least half, in any given situation.

A huge aspect of BJJ safety, particularly during unwanted injuries is knowing what to do if you’re on the receiving end. You might just get choked out to sleep, or you might’ve really messed up an ankle or a shoulder. The main thing to do is not try to fix it yourself or walk things off. Accept that something happened and wait, or better yet, call for the person responsible. That said, every academy should have someone trained in first aid in order to provide BJJ safety for students. That is the only person, apart from perhaps an ER doctor that might be training, that should come near an injured student on the mats.

On that note, first aid training should be mandatory, as well as the presence of a first aid kit. More on that later, but of a BJJ gym does not have someone that’s adequately trained to cope with people getting choked out, skeletal or muscle injuries, people fainting, and all other common ailments you might run into in a gym, I’d recommend that you look for a different facility to train at.

What To Do When People Are Choked Out

Something that is common in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is someone going to sleep. Let me be clear from the start – this should not happen in training. Tap early and respect your partner’s tap. If you follow this simple rule, nobody is going to fall asleep. And if your instructors insist you need to feel what it is like, change the gym immediately. That is not an environment that can guarantee BJJ safety.

Still, someone will fall asleep from time to time. It can be in training, or it could be at a tournament. While not a naïve thing, being put to sleep with a chokehold is not dangerous if the person doesn’t hold on to it for quite some time. The odds of that happening are slim to none in any BJJ gym. However, when someone goes to sleep, there are certain protocols to follow, in order to make sure they don’t suffer any consequences.

The first thing to do, as the person in charge, is not panic. Ask the training partner, and all other curious bystanders (there will be lots of them) to step back and give you space. Instead of rushing to lift the legs, first, you have to check that the person is breathing, and their tongue is in place. No amount of blood flow (which is what lifting the legs provides) will help if an airway is blocked. Remove a mouthguard (if there’s one) and make sure that the person’s head is tilted back if they’re lying on their back. If everything is in order people usually wake up this point. Still, you should lift the legs and leave them in the recovery position for a little while.

If a person has trouble breathing, and the airway is clear, make sure you do a little massage of the throat/neck to stimulate blood and airflow. Once everything is ok, lift the legs again to help them recover. Also, keep in mind that people might have an underlying condition of sorts that might their response to being choked out or the risk of a serious complication greater.

In a worst-case scenario of someone not breathing, start CPR while someone calls and ambulance.

The thing to remember is that if someone s choked out, they‘re done for the day. It doesn’t matter if it is the first roll – they rest for a while where you can see them and go home, preferably not driving themselves.

Coping With Limb Injuries

When trying to provide BJJ safety for everyone, limb injuries will be the number one thing you tackle. Chokes do happen, but they’re few and far between. Twisted ankles, blown knees, perhaps even a broken bone or two are stuff that you’ll surely see as an instructor/coach/Professor.

When it comes to limbs, the golden rule of immobilizing two neighboring joints always applies. In most cases, it will be dislocations or torn ligaments you’re dealing with, rather than broken bones. Whatever the case, the thing to remember is to assess whether the injury is severe to require a reaction from you, or is mild enough for the person to just R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) it.

In the case of obvious severe injuries, or if you suspect them to be worse than they look, always immobilize the joint before doing anything else. Your first aid kit should have splint material to help you achieve this, but if that’s not available, just use whatever you can get your hands on, from broomstick handles to pieces of mats to create a splint. Only then can you think about moving the person to get them to a hospital, or perhaps calling in an ambulance.

From a BJJ safety standpoint, this applies to limb injuries only. If you’re trained in First Aid then you’ll know how to handle anything, from a dislocated patella to an open femur fracture, and all the tools you need will be in a well-stocked First Aid kit.

Know Your Limits

The key part about guaranteeing BJJ safety to people inside an Academy is knowing your limits. This is not some ER TV show and you can’t just fix everything. That is precisely why I emphasized limb and muscle injuries above. In the case of severe bleeds, spinal trauma, head trauma, etc. act only in accordance to Firs Aid guidelines to help stabilize someone and immediately call an ambulance.

If you really want people to be safe, then be aware of your limitations as the person responsible fr First Aid. Spinal injuries, which tend to happen (although rarely those of a serious nature) are a great example of how patience will do more good than rushed actions. Moving someone that has a spinal injury is never a good idea, even if you have a backboard and all that jazz. Unless you’re an EMT/doctor, and even then, you should just make sure the person is conscious, breathing, and stable. Immediately call an ambulance and let the professionals do their thing.

This is a call I certainly hope no gym owner will need to make. However, it is more important to know when not to do something, rather than when to take action. Unless a person is unconscious and in need f CPR, simply hold their head (in a spinal trauma case), have them lie as still as possible, and monitor them, staying close while help arrives. That is a responsible way to guarantee BJJ safety for everyone in the gym.

What Is In Your Gym’s First Aid Kit?

Finally a few words about your First Aid Kit. Having a gym without a first aid kit is like rolling without submissions – most of your tools are not there, despite you knowing how to use them. To that extent, a First Aid Kit geared up for BJJ safety should look something like this:

Athletic Tape
Band-Aids
Butterfly Bandages
Alcohol wipes
Ace Bandages
Anti-inflammatory pain reliever – ointment
Instant cold packs or ice packs
Antiseptic Ointments and sprays
Trauma Scissors
Latex Gloves and/or Non-Latex Gloves
Tweezers
Sterile Gauze pads
1 breathing barrier with one-way valve
Absorbent compresses

All In All

Instructors/gym owners, take BJJ safety it seriously. The sport is risky enough on its own, and it could be catastrophic if nobody on the mats can come to the aid of someone in need. Make sure you or your staff is trained in giving first aid, and have the necessary equipment on hand. Students, you also have a huge part to play in this. If you’re ever injured and in need of help listen to what you’re being told by the person in charge. It is rare that serious help is needed in a BJJ academy, but anything can happen, so let’s try and stay as safe as possible.

What Happens To Your Knees From A Heel Hook Injury?

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BJJ Heel Hook Injury - What Happens to The Knee ?

The boogeyman submission of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the heel hook. Nо other submission hold has been demonized as much as the heel hook. While it does carry the potential for a catastrophic injury, so do all the other submissions we perform in BJJ. the heel hook, along with the associated knee reaping positions got its bad reputation mostly due to the potential for leavening someone with knee issues for life. But what does a heel hook injury do to the knee joint exactly? Let’ take a look at what happens during both an inside and outside heel hook, before we get back to practicing them anyway. Because that’s what we do in BJJ.

How many people have you hurt with a heel hook? Exactly. The injury rate is hugely exaggerated particularly when it comes to training. Even in competitions, it takes Vinny Magalhaes type of stubbornness to get your knee destroyed via a heel hook. That said, a heel hook can most certainly pulverize any knee joint when applied correctly. After all, that is its purpose. For those that take heel a heel hook injury to be something, you can walk off, pay attention. The submission can really completely wreck someone’s knee and put an end to their BJJ journey.

The Mechanics Of A Heel Hook

A BJJ heel hook submission has the potential to be very devastating because it utilizes the principle of levers and opposing forces. Granted, most people outside of Danaher’s carefully chosen few usually fail in on or more aspects of control or braking mechanics, thus making heel hook consequences feel less significant than they actually are. A heel hook injury, though, is no joke.

The mechanics of the heel hook work via transferring the force you apply on the heel up to the knee joint. To begin with, if you don’t have control over the hip, you can’t execute a heel hook successfully. So the first and most important thing is having the hip of the leg you’re attacking placed firmly on the ground. That’s the role of all those Ashi Garami and Sambo knee raping positions we use.

In order to cause a break in the knee joint, you need to create tension. That’s where the grip comes in. gripping the heel with any of the three major heel hook grips will do the trick. However, all the power comes from opposing forces. Namely, you place the toes under your armpit and the heel in your grip. This for starters applies an opposing force to the ankle joint. Next, you use your legs/hips to pressure the knee, depending on the Ashi Garami. By having the hip firmly on the ground and twisting the heel you cause an opposing force that targets the knee joint.

In all of these the grips you have on the heel act as a wrench, transferring and multiplying the force to the knee joint. As a result, a heel hook injury results in either some damage to the ligaments in the knee or severe damage to most ligaments and the menisci. It suffices to say, that it can be so catastrophic that you could cripple someone for life. Surgery is needed in most cases.

What A Heel Hook Does to The Knee

Let’s take an in-depth look at what a heel hook injury does to the structures inside your knee. The knee joint has four major ligaments, two on each side (the lateral ligaments), and two on the inside (the cruciate ligaments). There are several more, but none are of interest in regard to heel hooks. The menisci are the cartilage “pillows” that are inside the joint, cushioning the contact point of the thigh and shin bones. On top of it all, there are multiple tendons, which are just the endpoints of muscles that attach to a specific ovation on the bones.

Speaking of heel hooks, there are two usual varieties – inside and outside. The outside heel hook is the “gentler “ one. That is down to the fact that the ankle plays a role in this submission, and the ligaments inside it can actually give way before those in the knee. Moreover, if the knee ligaments do pop, it is usually limited to the lateral collateral ligament (the one on the outer side of the knee).

An inside heel hook injury, on the other hand, is much more devastating. There is far less motion of the ankle in this direction, meaning a lot more of the force transfers to the knee. The subsequent force causes tears in the cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL) as well as the medial collateral ligament (inner side of the knee).

Moreover, the menisci, especially the medial one can suffer additional damage, depending on the intensity of force. In other words, without me getting to medical, it will shatter the inside of your knee. To make things worse, given the stability of the ankle joint in this direction of twisting, and the strong ligament that prevents it from turning, you could end up with an avulsion fracture (the ligament pulling so hard it breaks a bone in your ankle joint) to go with the complete tearing of your knee’s support and stabilizing structures.

Treating A Heеl Hook Injury

What happens when you get a heel hook injury? Simply put, your knee will buckle. Obviously, it’ll buckle a lot more form a tight and perfectly executed inside heel hook, than an outside one. The knee will start to swell up almost immediately, and it will become not just painful to touch, but painful all over. This is particularly the case when the meniscus is also involved.

Actually, the reason most people tap too late to a heel hook is that the ligaments involved have very few sensory receptors. That means you won’t feel the pain during the application of the submissions but rather when it is too late. So the first thing to do in order to avoid a heel hook injury – tap early. Even better, for those doing the heel hooks, the moment you feel the tension release the pressure.

A heel hook injury will take time to heal. With the case of a torn lateral ligament (outside heel hook), you might just be able to train again without surgery. It will take physical therapy, though, and wearing some sort of supportive knee brace. In the case of an inside heel hook, cruciate ligaments require surgery and there’s no way around it. The more ligaments you damage, the worse off you’ll be. In fact, if you tear both cruciates and the medial collateral you won’t be able to stand or walk, let alone grapple.

There’s a hefty period of recovering and physical therapy following surgery, so if you get a heel hook injury from an inside heel hook, expect to spend at least 6 months off the mats, in the best-case scenario. The best way to get back I s to heeds doctors’ advice and take it slow. If you force it, any remaining ligaments and tendons in your knee will be forced to overcompensate, tearing as well and requiring further surgery, and perhaps even a full stop to any athletic activities in the future.

Conclusion

As a huge proponent of leg locks, I certainly do not encourage you to stop heel hooking people. However, as a doctor, I recommend extreme caution when applying or trying to defend a heel hook. Getting a heel hook injury is no walk in the park, pun intended. Whenever you hunt for heel hooks, catch and release. Whenever you’re being caught in one, at least try not to spin as your life depends on it. Actually, why not use the 100 % heel hook defense – tap?

CrossFit-Style Training For BJJ: EMOM & AMRAP Workouts

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BJJ Strength Training - EMOMs And AMRAPS

Do you know what the biggest problem with BJJ strength training is? People do not want to do it. While rolling is fun, unpredictable and we can never get enough of it, strength and conditioning is boring, repetitive, and doesn’t feel as rewarding. However, we absolutely need to complement our Jiu-Jitsu with some additional work. Whether it is stretching, corrective exercises, strength, conditioning, or all of the above, we need to do our homework. If only we could do it in a time-efficient manner where we could be done and dusted with it in less than 20 minutes…

Many Jiu-Jitsu instructors refer to BJJ strength training as homework. What we do on the mat during class is our main work. It is where we learn the ways of the Gentle Art and develop as grapplers. Conversely, it is not when or where we should be aiming to also develop athletic abilities we need or think we need. As per his mantra, “do your curls and bench presses outside of the Academy. They’re homework”. This is a great way to approach BJJ Strength and conditioning, but that still doesn’t make the actual training fun and easy to stick to. But that’s only if you’re stuck doing traditional-style bodybuilding stuff or some functional fitness crap. As it turns out, there are some pretty effective, and most importantly, time-efficient ways to get into crazy shape in 10-20 minutes.

Time Efficient Strength Training For BJJ

Time-efficient training does not only refer to finishing a workout in as little time as possible because you’re bored with training or don’t have the time. Given the grappling workload, and everyday chores, squeezing in BJJ strength training can be really hard. Moreover, it takes a lot of time to recover Jiu-Jitsu, to begin with. Additional conditioning just means more time required for recovery, and that can prove to be even harder than planning for strength training sessions. Luckily there’s a “hack” of the sort, that might just help with all of these conundrums.

Time-efficient training means you get the job of BJJ strength training done in anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes. This refers mostly to the organization of training, or the methods used. In terms of tools or exercises, you can do just about anything you want. You could use free weights, gymnastics, kettlebells, maces, bodyweight, partner workouts, etc. You can also program intensity and volume according to your specific needs. Intensity is how hard you’re pushing yourself, while volume refers to the amount of weight and/or reps you’re using.

The key with any training session and particularly short ones is balance. You need to make sure you push enough to make progress, but not so much that you exhaust yourself and be unable to recover. That’s where programming comes in. However, that’s not something we could just write for you. You know your goals, your body, your access to fitness tools, etc. When you plan your time-efficient BJJ Strength training, remember to think progressively – start slow and low, and build up from there. You could rotate exercises, fitness tools, or even among the two training methods, I’m about to cover as the best versions of time-efficient training for grapplers.

EMOM Workouts

EMOM stands for Every Minute On the Minute. That means that you’re going to do an exercise, or a superset/triset of them, fro the prescribed reps or amount of time at the start of every minute. You get to rest for the remainder of the minute and repeat at the start of every next minute. The length of such a workout is usually 10-20 minutes, but I’d strongly recommend that you start with 10 if you’ve never done EMOMs before.

You could go straight forward with EMOMs, doing the same exercises on each minute. You could also use an alternating style of training or start complicating things. There are options to use odd and even minutes, or even-numbered minutes to switch up exercises or intensity.

EMOM BJJ strength training is really useful because you can throw in just about anything you think of. You could train heavy, you could go light for reps, or you could focus more on conditioning if you want to. A great option is to set up stations. If you set up 4 stations and spend a minute on each, training EMOM style, in 5 rotations you’ll end up with a grueling and ultra-effective 20 minute BJJ strength training session.

AMRAP Workout

AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible. Once again, it is a CrossFit-style of workout, something they use in their WODs (workouts of the day). Unlike CrossFit, though, for BJJ strength training you need to program workouts in a progressive fashion. That said, AMRAP training has you doing maximum repetitions of an exercise, or rounds of a circuit, for example, for a preset amount of time. An example of AMRAP for rounds would be the highest amount of rounds you can od of 10 kettlebell clean and presses, followed by 10 sprawls you can do in 10 minutes.

Once again, don’ be fooled by the deceptively easy nature of this type of workout. Start with 10 minutes, or even less, and do not exceed 20, because there’s a point of demising returns, depending on the exercises of your choice.

AMRAP allows you to really control the intensity by controlling the pace. If you’re doing heavy deadlifts, you’ll, of course, go slower. However, if it is bodyweight/gymnastics exercise or explosive medicine ball work, you could pick up the pace and/or reps. There’s a lot of variety to program in here and these types of workouts can be really grueling.

Putting It All Together

Let’s look at a couple of EMOM and AMRAP examples that are perfect for BJJ strength training. Given that folks often like to train with simple equipment, I’m not going to focus on workouts that require a specialized gym to execute. In fact, for both examples below, you only need stuff you can find in any commercial/garage gym. Or, you could always modify them to use whatever tool, style of training, or exercise you want. Just remember to follow the methodology, and you’ll be done in no time.

EMOM for BJJ

Equipment: Kettlebell

Ketllebell Swings (5 reps with each arm)
Wrestling Sit outs (10 reps total, alternating sides)

*Repeat the circuit every minute, on the minute, for 10 minutes

Grappling AMRAP

Equipment: 2 Kettlebells

Dead swing-clean-squat-thrusters (5 reps)
Triceps push-ups (5 reps)
Sprawl jump and clap (5 reps)

*Repeat for 10 minutes with as little rest as possible. Try to beat the number of rounds next time you do the workout.

Wrapping Up

Doing BJJ strength training doesn’t have to be time-consuming nor boring. Instead, it could be fun, really efficient, and just as difficult as grappling. With EMOM and AMRAP training, you get everything you need to develop all the athletic qualities you’ll need as a grappler, neatly tucked with a bow. You could even use the same workouts to go for strength, conditioning, gas tank, recovery, corrective exercises… the combinations are endless, and there’s no way you can’t squeeze in 10-20 minutes a couple of times per week to really take your grappling to the next level.

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What Are The BJJ Traditions That You Should Know?

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Every sport has traditions, and Jiu-Jitsu is no different. Even though BJJ is young as a sport / martial art, it does have roots in martial arts that have been around for centuries. As such, some traditions are simply a sign of respect to old times, while others are specific BJJ traditions that have formed throughout the years. In any case, knowing how things came to be and what they mean might help you understand the context of BJJ traditions a bit better.

After those first few months in Jiu-Jitsu, when everything is a blur, you start picking up on things in the gym. People do certain things on the mats that seemingly have nothing to do with the sport, or simply make no sense. But that’s exactly how traditions work. To be honest, there aren’t that many BJJ traditions that have spread worldwide, and I guess it is a good thing. Jiu-Jitsu is complicated as it is, and there’s no need to introduce more to the confusion. That said, some BJJ traditions can be really fun, while others make absolutely no sense at all.

The Place Of Traditions In An Untraditional Sport

Jiu-Jitsu is far from traditional martial art, or a traditional combat sport, for that matter. That means that we get to train as traditional martial arts, with a technical answer for every technical question, but then do battle like combat sports, in pure chaos. As if that is not as original as it can get, there are also some weird BJJ traditions that seem like they’ve dropped out of nowhere.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a sport where you get to learn how to kill people in a gentle way. BJJ is very different from what we usually perceive as martial arts. There are no right or wrong things, just easy, hard, and dumb. There’s also no end to it, and nothing is fixed. What is popular and working today, might not be as well next month, given that the sport is constantly evolving. Plus, everyone involved in it is usually super cool. Given that taps are extremely humbling, and if you’ve been tapping for a long time there’s really nothing that will bother you too much.

IN terms of BJJ traditions, it’s all about being different again, and not on purpose. You’ll rarely se bowing to pictures of dead people in BJJ, or instructors asking students to sit like Tibetan monks during a demonstration. A lot of those traditions that have their roots in different cultures have been weeded out. What is left are BJJ traditions that make sense (to a certain degree) all across the world. Moreover, they’re fun, friendly, and really do fit into the character of Jiu-Jitsu perfectly.

A Few BJJ Traditions Everyone Should Know

The thing with BJJ traditions is that you could consider just about anything to be one. To that extent, there’s no point trying to figure out what every academy has pegged as a tradition. However, there are certain things that grapplers all around the world do, and in most cases, they really have no idea why. From saying Oss all the time to never take a photo without the Shaka gesture, from the promotion gauntlets to the slap and bump, there are some curious and fun-looking BJJ traditions out there.

Without claiming to go deep enough to include very possible BJJ tradition that’s spread around the globe, let’s just talk about a few most of us have run into.

Slap And Bump

How does every BJJ roll and match start? You slap hands than immediately bump fists and it’s go-time. It is the same everywhere around the world, in every gym, at every competition at every BJJseminar or camp. Everyone does it and nobody is asking if they should do it or not. But why? Where exactly does this tradition come from?

This is not something that has been a part of BJJ since its inception. Instead, this tradition emerged in the early 2000s, coming to the mats in the form of a Brazilian fad. As with other BJJ traditions, this one might have started with surfers in Brazil, and subsequently ended up on the mats.

The meaning behind this is a sort of an unspoken agreement that the training partners and even opponents in a match will keep things fair, and would look out for one another. Nowadays, it signifies the start of a roll, and in most cases, every restart during a round, after one of the training partners taps out. It is one of those things that symbolize respect in Jiu-Jitsu, which is kind of a big deal for grapplers.

Bowing

This is clearly a remnant of the Japanese traditional martial arts roots of Jiu-Jitsu. Beita Japanese, Chinese, Korean, or any other Easter martial art, bowing is a part of it. In most, it is just a bow as we do at the start/end of class. Others. though, bow throughout the class, they bow down to pictures, empty gyms, kneeling down to bow, etc. In eastern culture there’s a lot of meaning to this, but what does it mean in BJJ as a global sport?

The bow in traditional martial arts is a sign of respect. Bowing to the instructor is much more than just saying “Hi”, and that class has started or ended. However, as a BJJ tradition, the bow is just there to pay homage to the Japanese Judo/ Ju-Jitsu roots. In BJJ, people usually bow at the start of class when they line up, as it is a great way to signify that it is time to get down to work. Most gyms skip the same at the end, although some do like to wrap things up with a bow as well. The bow is often accompanied by “Oss” but has no deep philosophical meaning, past marking the start or end of class.

The Pineapple Conundrum

This is probably the funniest of all BJJ traditions. According to this one, you need to bring a pineapple for the instructor on your first day of training. It started off as a joke on Reddit, from what I could find. However, people have started showing up with pineapples to class, whether jokingly or seriously, and this one might just end up being really funny in a few years.

The premise behind it was that people who couldn’t pay for BJJ brought their instructors fruit in the early days in Brazil. When BJJ spread, somehow it turned to bring a pineapple on your very first class. Of course, this one is a joke, but it is one that’s catching on so I’m really looking forward to seeing where we end up with the pineapple thing.

The Gauntlet(s)

Arguably the most controversial BJJ tradition out there. When people get promoted in BJJ, it is a big thing. I’m not talking stripes here, but actually getting the next belt. Apart from getting a black belt, the tradition dictates that you need to go through a gauntlet of your teammates, while they’re whipping you mercilessly with their belts. The gauntlet has many forms and it is not always belt whipping. I’ve been to an academy where everybody had to punch the promoted student in the gut, and throw them or take them down. Also not fun (for the promoter).

BJJ Traditions - the Gauntlet The gauntlet is not one of the original BJJ traditions. It dates back to the ’90s and has its roots in the USA, rather than in Brazil. Chris Haueter is the man to blame. He thought a hazing ritual, like those in the army, would do people good and started doing it in his own gym. It suffices to say, the gauntlet took on like wildfire and is spread as far as BJJ is nowadays. The good news is, you get to choose whether or not you participate in it.

Not Washing Your Belt

If the gauntlet is the most controversial of all BJJ traditions, not washing your belt is the nastiest one. It is not a tradition but more of a superstition, and one we certainly don’t need in Jiu-Jitsu. Hopefully, the Covid-19 pandemic will get even the most hardcore believers in not washing your belt to change their minds.

The idea si that you’ll wash away all your mojo, or knowledge, or experience, or whatever it is if you wash your belt. Considering that a belt is made out of cotton, that’s not a really smart thing to do. You do wash your Gi after every class, so why not include the belt? Unfortunately, in certain places, this practice gets passed on as a BJJ tradition, which it is not. So be smart, wash that belt!

Belt Hierarchy Traditions

What happens when a higher belt asks you to roll? How about you asking them to roll first? And what if you bump into people with higher belts while you’re rolling? Some of these could well be thought of as BJJ traditions, while others are just courtesy.

In terms of asking to roll, I see it as dumb. There’s no point that a lower belt can’t ask a higher one, back or otherwise, to roll. The higher belt can always say no if they feel like it., But then again, so can everyone. In some schools, this is a tradition that is really honored, but it makes no sense to me. Similarly, there’s a tradition that if a higher belt asks you to roll, particularly a black belt, you shouldn’t say no.

This has roots in Japanese martial arts, where refusing s seen as dishonorable and weak. In BJJ, particularly in modern times, where different types of people train, ti is not really something that makes sense. In terms of higher belts refusing, that’s not an issue, but I’ve seen many gyms around the world that really reinforce the tradition about not saying no to a higher belt when they ask you to roll.

As for the courtesy of moving away from higher belts when you bump into them during trolling. That’s just common sense. They’re in a more complicated position most likely anyway.

The Shaka

This is one of these BJJ traditions that fall under the pet peeves category. As you go crazy about Jiu-Jitsu and embrace the sport as a lifestyle, you’ll start to display the love for it in any possible way. One of the most common ones is throwing the Shaka hand gesture every occasion you get. The Shaka is a surfing thing, by origin, and it is exactly how it got transferred to BJJ since the two have a very close relationship.

The origins of the Shaka are uncertain as well, but they do involve a man with three fingers missing that used to wave folks in Hawaii, most likely. Whether he was a fisherman or a train operator is not clear, but he did exist and his gesture is now famous worldwide because of BJJ. The meaning is the same as in surfing – “hang loose”.

“Oss”

Probably the one thing most easily associated with Jiu-Jitsu, along with the Shaka. It is one more Japanese formality that has found its way into BJJ via the eastern roots. Similarly to bowing, it is more of a thing that is said, rather than something done in the original formal way as in Japan. Oss has many meanings, from “let’ train” to “thank you for with you’ve taught me” and even “Hello”. In that sense, throwing it around might just have a sense, but as a BJJ tradition, we’ve completely taken it out of context. Every second word out of most people’s mount is “Oss”, and, while it is a sign of respect that we’ve kept it, nowadays it means just anything you want it to mean.

The Clap

Finally, a tradition that has the BJJworld divided. Lots of schools have instructors that end every technique demonstration with 1,2andacalp (the count can be to 3 instead of 2). It is a method that supposedly strengthens team spirit, synchronizes people, and helps mark the end of the demonstration. As such, it is pretty much futile in Jiu-Jitsu, but it is one of those BJJ traditions that’s quite widespread. Some people can’t do without it, while others despise it completely. In any case, the clap is here to stay, although how ti got into BJJ remains unclear at this point.

All In All

BJJ traditions can be fun, like the pineapple thing. They can also have a deeper meaning, showing respect to our roots, or can just be complete coincidences that somehow ended up defining the sport, like the Shaka. There are, of course, plenty more traditions out there, and we’d be delighted to hear some of them if you have to share. Feel free to sound off in the comments!

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