Kimura Lock Details To Control And Submit Anyone

There are some moves in BJJ that easily withstand the test of time. Some techniques are always popular and transcend the boundaries of Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu. No matter how much they’re practiced, these moves stay highly efficient in every aspect of competition. The Rear Naked Choke is one such example of a high percentage move that’s useful to every grappler. Another is the armbar, a highly reliable move that many Judokas and BJJ players still favor to this day. But there’s one move, that is as old as BJJ itself and originally proved its effectiveness against the founder himself. We’re talking, of course, about the Kimura lock.

The Kimura lock is a shoulder lock submission, mostly specific to BJJ. It is a move that never went out of fashion, sort to speak. It’s always been a high percentage move that’s effective across all belt levels and categories. Even some of the most fearsome BJJ fighters, like Minotauro, and even Heli Gracie himself have suffered defeat due to the Kimura. It is a very powerful submission available from virtually every BJJ position we know. Time to brush up on your knowledge of a move you’ve most likely been taught during your first month of Jiu-Jitsu.

Masahiko Kimura

The Kimura lock bears the name of a formidable Judoka that reigned terror among grappling martial arts competitors. Masahiko Kimura was a Japanese Judoka and pro-wrestler who is considered to be one of the greatest of all times.

Masahiko Kimura got a Judo black belt at 15 years of age and was the youngest ever 5th-degree black belt at the age of 18. He was a very feared Judoka who, reportedly, only lost 4 matches in his entire career. His brutal training regimen included daily practices of a thousand pushups and 9-hour long training sessions. Kimura was promoted to a 7th-degree Judo black belt at the age of 30. His favorite move was, as you might guess, the reverse Ude Garami, or Kimura lock.

How Masahiko Kimura defeated Helio Gracie

Kimura is one of the pioneers of Vale Tudo fighting. The pro-wrestler faced and beat many high-level opponents during his prime. In 1951, while visiting Brazil, the famous Judoka responded to a challenge from the founder of BJJ, Helio Gracie. They fought in a “submission-only format” that included the opportunity to win by submission or knockout. Pretty similar to today’s Combat Jiu-Jitsu, in essence. Helio and Kimura squared off in the famous Maracana stadium, in front of 20.000 people. Kimura threw the much lighter Helio around for a while before pinning him to the ground. After multiple submission attempts, he was finally successful with a reverse Ude Garami, that broke Helio’s arm. As the owner of his formidable opponent, Helio later named the move the Kimura lock, after incorporating it into BJJ.

Learn more about Helio Gracie and his brother Carlos:

Deconstructing The Kimura Lock

The Kimura lock, or double wrist lock, as it is known in wrestling, is primarily a shoulder lock. It is done with two arms against one, meaning it is mechanically very sound and powerful. This very versatile submission can be reached through all kinds of positions, both top, and bottom. This makes it a very effective technique that is suitable for every level, thanks to its fairly simple mechanics.

To execute the Kimura lock, one needs to obtain the proper grips, to begin with. The most important thing is getting one of your arms across the opponent’s shoulder and deep inside their arm. As a reference point, you need to place your own shoulder on top of the shoulder you’re attacking with a Kimura lock. From there, your other arm grips the wrist of the opponent. To secure the lock tightly, the hand you threaded through their arm, need to connect with the arm gripping the wrist. The grip configuration of your arms is in a figure 4 lock.

Finishing the Kimura lock requires you to bend the opponent’s arm behind their backs, in police brutality style. The position of you in terms of your opponent decides the manner in which the arm is going to get behind the opponent’s back. The key to finishing, regardless of position, is angling your body so that all your weight is behind your opponent’ss forearm. From there all you need is to look to place their own wrist on their opposite shoulder. However, you’ll get the tap way before you’re able to achieve this.

The Kimura Locks is not only a submission, despite this common perception. It is, actually, a position of tight control, that allows you to manipulate your opponent and open up transitions and/or other attacks.

Attacking Kimura Lock From Everywhere

A great thing about the Kimura lock is that can also be used from almost any position. Once it’s engaging you to know that your opponent is in deep water. Not only are they in constant danger, but it’s also impossible to gain any leverage back.

The closed guard Kimura is a staple of BJJ. It’s one of the first moves that people learn when they sign up. The idea is to make your opponent post one of his arms to the side so that you can place a grip. From there, it is as easy as sitting up and throwing the other arm around. Once you have the grip, you get back on the ground and look to angle off to the side you’re attacking. And, in the case of opening the guard, you just need minor adjustments. You might be familiar with some of these moves already, but we are going to try to stress some of the most important, but often ignored details.

Getting the Kimura from the bottom half guard is one of the most reliable submission options. Much like the closed guard Kimura lock, you need the arm you’re attacking to be on the ground. Since most people, either knowingly or instinctively, will grip their own pants to prevent you from finishing the lock. Here’s a great trick to counter this defense:

Side control is a very dominant BJJ position that offers all to of attacking options, The Kimura lock is just one available option from there, but it’s a reliable one. For both grappling and MMA purposes, this is a great Kimura hunting position.

As a variation of side control, the North-South position offers amazing opportunities to get a Kimura on. From there you either submit or take the back.

Kimura Trap System

The Kimura Trap System is a system developed by David Avellan. It is a control system designed around the kimura lock from every position possible. The kimura trap system includes various transitions, sweeps, passes, submissions, takedowns, and takedown counters.

The Kimura Trap uses the Kimura lock without necessarily going for a submission finish straight away. Most of the techniques in this system are used often, albeit in a stand-alone fashion. The innovative thing about the Kimura Trap system is the way it brings all of the techniques together. All the positions flow from one technique to the next in an easy-to-learn system. Whatever the technique or position the goal is a common one – getting the Kimura Lock.

A Jiu-Jitsu Workout Program To Lose Fat And Improve Performance

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If I had a dollar for every time I saw a person in “great shape” gas out on their first day of grappling, I’d be a very rich man. unfortunately for me, and those “in shape” people, this is not the case. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu places physical demands on the body that nothing much can prepare you for. Even if you’ve trained another grappling martial art before, you’ll need time to adjust. During this adjustment period, you’ll get tired and gas out. But, is there a way to get in specific Jiu-Jitsu shape? The answer is yes, but designing a Jiu-Jitsu workout is not as easy as following the latest Fitness Blender at-home routine.

A Jiu-Jitsu workout needs to be very specific in both nature and design. The goal is to improve someone’s work capacity, strength, and body composition so that performance can go up. However, you can’t just go lift weights or run a 5k every other day and hope to dominate on the mats. Nor should you go ultra-specific and try to stand on a stability ball while wearing your Gi and holding a kettlebell upside down. You need to find the right balance of specificity to give you the best bang for your buck. The only way to achieve this goal is through correct methodology.

Method Of Choice

The Bondarchuk Principle. That’s all it takes to build an awesome Jiu-Jitsu Workout. Since most of you have never heard of it, let me make things clearer. Dr. Anatoly Bondarchuk is the most accomplished hammer thrower in the world. Now a Soviet Olympic coach, Bondarchuk has come up with a set of principles that allow for the development of desired athletic abilities transferable to any sport.

To begin with, Bondarchuk preaches putting explosive work at the beginning of a workout. Since plyometric work requires the most nervous system engagement, two things are accomplished. First, you are fresh enough to truly use all your potential for execution of the exercises. Second, the activation of the nervous system is like an extended warm-up, getting you primed for work. The next part is heavy strength training. Lower body compound lifts are the usual choice here, although anything that helps develop maximal strength can be used. The third element of the complex is utilizing a superset (more on this later) for contrasting upper body muscle groups. Finally, before you put in some conditioning, you get to work in an area that is your specific weakness.

So how does this fit in a Jiu-Jitsu workout? Well, first you’re going to go for a specific plyometric movement. Jumps, medicine ball throws or explosive BJJ drills fit the description. After a substantial rest, you’ll go for your max strength exercise. Lower body powerlifts or advanced gymnastic isometric exercises are on top of the pile here. Upper body exercises can vary, from bodyweight to kettlebell stuff. As far as conditioning goes, sprint intervals are never a bad thing, although more specific drilling work can be done as well.

A few more things you need to know about BJJ conditioning workouts: https://bjj-world.com/conditioning-for-bjj/

The Best Tools

Before we look at a sample Jiu-Jitsu workout based on the Bondarchuk principles, let’s talk about the best tools you can use. While Bosu balls are cool looking, they’ll injure you before they help you with grappling. So, make sure you apply Occam’s razor – the simplest answer is usually the correct one. As such, stay away from all the high-tech, fancy-looking crap and focus on proven methods.

For a BJJ athlete, bodyweight work is always going to reign supreme. The idea is that you can get into mechanically disadvantageous positions in a very safe manner with bodyweight exercises. It’s what “functional” fitness looks to achieve, but it’s the right way to do it. Basic bodyweight exercises are a logical starting point for most. For those that feel too advanced, look into strength training for gymnastics. You’ll be surprised at how un-advanced you actually are.

Here’s how to use gymnastics to improve your BJJ: https://bjj-world.com/use-gymnastics-to-become-strong/

Weightlifting is the second method of choice for a grappler. It’s probably redundant to repeat this, but please, stay away from bodybuilding like stuff. Skip the triceps pushdowns and calf raises and focus on the real lifts. That said, any of the front-loaded lower body lifts are the preferred option for grapplers. Deadlift variations, front squats, Zerchers and good mornings will strip fat off you while making you super-hero strong.

In a more modern (although it is, in fact, not) context, the only popular tool that you should look to use are kettlebells. Just make sure you get a coach to explain the proper form because BJJ is enough of an injury risk by itself. Kettlebells are amazing tools to get you both strong and in shape and can be used for every part of the Bondarchuk complex.

Fast And Effective Jiu-Jitsu Workout

So, without further ado, let’s give Jiu-Jitsu workout designing a try. Being the good people that we are here at BJJ World, we’re going to give you two workout options. Why? Well, training only once per week might not cut it for those of you looking to compete for at a high level So’ the template below is one for a two-a-week training schedule.

Oh, and please remember to ALWAYS warm up before training.

DAY 1

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE (Jump Variation) – High Box Jumps for 5 sets x 3 reps

MAXIMAL STRENGTH EXERCISE (Front loaded lift) – Deadlift for 3-5 sets x 2-5 reps

UPPER BODY SUPERSET (Push-Pull Superset) – Kettlebell Floor Press + Pull-ups for 4 sets x 6-12 reps

WEAK AREA (OR CORE WORK) – Superset: Band dislocators + Band Pullaparts for 3 sets x 8-15 reps

CONDITIONING (Sprint ) – 200-meter sprints for 3 sets (complete recovery in between)

DAY 2

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE (Olympic Lift) – 1 Arm Kettlebell Snatch for 5 sets x 3 reps (Each side)

MAXIMAL STRENGTH EXERCISE (Upper Body Lift) – Bench Press for 3-5 sets x 2-5 reps

UPPER BODY SUPERSET (Push-Pull Superset) – Handstand Pushups + Inverted Rows (holding on a Gi) for 4 sets x 6-12 reps

WEAK AREA (OR CORE WORK) – Kettlebell Turkish Get Ups for 3 sets x 8-10 reps (Each side)

CONDITIONING (HIIT Drills) – BJJ Specific Drill Circuit (Spawls, Sit outs, Break Fall to Technical Lift, Penetration Step, Bridge with Hip Escape) for 3-5 sets x 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest.

On a final note, rest periods between sets of plyometrics and maximal strength should be at least 90 seconds and up to 3 minutes. A minute of rest is enough between the sets of all other exercise categories. Give this specific Jiu-Jitsu workout a try and watch the fat melt off while you become a beast on the mats. You can thank us later.

Check Also:

Travis Stevens’ 3 weeks / 3x per Week Weight Lifting Program for Grapplers

21 Strength and Conditioning Exercises For Jiu Jitsu!

After A BJJ Promotion, Avoid Making These Mistakes!

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The belt system used to rank people that train martial arts is an old and proven system. Granted, some martial arts tend to give away undeserving ranks just for cash. Luckily, apart from a few incidents, BJJ has managed to avoid this issue. So far, at least. In Jiu-Jitsu, getting a belt is can be really damn hard. An average estimate is that it takes about a couple of years of experience to get to the next belt in BJJ. However, it is what happens after a BJJ promotion that is important, as opposed to just before it.

A BJJ promotion is a unique event on its own. The much-debated tradition of belt whipping makes the experience much more “stingy”. Regardless of obsolete acts such as this, getting promoted is a big deal for most. It marks the time and effort a practitioner put on the mats in between belts. And that right there is what people often get wrong. It is not about what you do a few months before a BJJ promotion ceremony. It is the daily grind and attitude that count.

The Value Of Promotions

Being such a difficult task to accomplish, BJJ promotions mean a great deal to the student. Especially to those students that get a purple or brown belt. The appreciation of seeing your effort recognized is an immensely joyful feeling. Part of what makes promotions so valuable is knowing that you’ve worked hard to get there. Getting on the mats on those cold rainy nights while nursing half a dozen injuries are going to be completely worth it on promotion day. But not just that one night, every night like that. All the extra hours spent drilling moves, the expenses of training are going to be forgotten as soon as you get that new belt. And then, it starts all over again.

It is the cycle we love, it is a huge part of Jiu-Jitsu and it should be honored as such. So, acting out after a promotion is a big no-no for any self-respecting grappler. So what if you’re now a blue belt? While it bears a certain weight, it doesn’t mean you can relax and not take training seriously.

Every BJJ promotion makes a student a greater advocate of the sport. It’s not just about what happens, on the mats, Jiu-Jitsu is a complete lifestyle. Those that are fully immersed understand that it’s a furnace requiring constant re-fueling via hours on the mat. Respect is a huge factor in the BJJ lifestyle, so make sure you demonstrate it correctly by rolling quietly and purposefully. Remember, you’re not just growing yourself, you also impact the growth of your training partners and the sport as a whole.

“Top Dog” Behaviour

To begin with, whether you get a blue or a black belt, remember to stay humble. Anyway, BJJ has a way of reminding those that forget about humility. And it is not pretty. There’s always going to be someone better than you out there. It might be a seasoned black belt that’s been around the scene for decades. Or, it might be a particularly talented new guy that’s three belts below and a puzzle you can’t solve.

Getting promoted to a new belt is a mark that you have attained certain knowledge and are now ready for the next class. It is just like school but with sparring! The difference is, in Jiu-Jitsu you can’t cheat your way through because you’ll be brutally exposed. Keep your ego to yourself and keep training hard and discovering the Gentle Art. There’s no point in puffing your chest and walking around like Connor McGregor just because you’re now a brown belt. No, you do not know much more than you knew last week, and no, you won’t be able to beat every other brown belt out there straight away.

Actually, one more reason for humility is the notion that you’re now again at the bottom of a food chain. In the grander scheme of things, you might be near the black belt and near the top of the BJJ food chain. But in terms of your own level an those above, you’re still just “food”. And in order to avoid being the prey, you need to learn how to be the predator. But you need to become a true predator not just act like one. Because, once that act is exposed, you’ll be seeing the light and the end of a very long tunnel very soon!

Rolling Distractions

For everyone involved in grappling martial arts, rolling is by far the most fun part. Rolling is the time when new techniques are practiced, or competitive gameplans are getting battle-tested. It should be a time of pure focus and dedication.

No wonder instructors often fume when they witness higher ranked students teach and correct during live rolling. And they’re right to do so since the more experienced practitioners create a “comfortable” environment for both training partners. The problem with comfort is that it doesn’t build world-class grapplers. On the contrary, discomfort and life outside comfort zones do. That’s what rolling should be all about. When one student attempts to explain technical stuff during rolling, both student’s suffer.

This doesn’t mean that mistakes shouldn’t be corrected by higher belts. However, it should be done after the round is over. A senior student can then provide feedback to help a less experienced practitioner learn more. Furthermore, it’ll force the senior student to remember exactly how the roll went which is a crucial skill that they need to develop if they ever hope of reaching black belt. So, roll without distractions and leave the analysis for later.

Skipping Class After A BJJ Promotion

The number one thing that annoys professors of the Art is the disappearance syndrome. This is a fairly common occurrence following a BJJ promotion. Getting a new belt is very often a reward from your instructors, in a manner of speaking. It’s a sign that they recognize the hard work you’re putting in, and a token for your dedication and perseverance. Remember that instructors went through the same path as you, so they understand completely the sacrifices that Jiu-Jitsu requires. Let’s face it, there’s no progress in BJJ without accountability. In easier terms, you have to show up in order to progress.

A BJJ promotion can be thought of like motivation for a student to push on harder. Getting promoted should restoke the fire you have for the Gentle Art. It should be a driving force that pushes you to train more, not less. Every belt is a new challenge to conquer, and the journey doesn’t end at black belt. Why would you take time off when it’ll only derail your BJJ evolution? Of course, injuries and other justifiable situations for absence are legitimate reasons that no one will dispute. It’s the “I’m a purple belt now so I can just pop in from time to time” attitude that has no place in the world of grappling. After all, the path is the same for everyone, so do not expect different treatment if you look to cut corners!

Higher rank brings about greater responsibilities, even if you’re not engaged in teaching. Higher ranked belts are examples that lots of new students look up to. So what does that mean for them when they see you train from time to time? They’ll never shake off the “novice” tag thinking they can get promoted with only a couple of sessions a month!

Common Blue Belt Mistakes Caused By Bad White Belt Habits

BJJ Mental Attitude For Each Belt Level

7 Awesome Tips To Make You A Formidable White Belt

Secret Toe Hold Details To Submit Any Opponent

BJJ World

Leg locks are the “great equalizer” of the Jiu-Jitsu game! This is a common reference today and one that’s in many ways true. The burst of leg locks on the scene proved that size can be irrelevant when a person is well versed in the leg lock game. However, using leg locks to level the playing field is not as easy as it sounds. Against bigger and stronger opponents you need to be aggressive and know how to maximize leverage and force. Furthermore, not all leg locks are equally suited for every opponent. In the case of a much bigger and/or more experienced opponent, the kneebar would be a hard submission to get. Of course, the heel hook would be the lock of choice, but it is often considered illegal. Since ankle locks are not nearly as effective, it’s up to the toe hold to perform. And it does so admirably!

In this article, we’re going to dive into the details of a very powerful leg lock. In fact, it is arguably, the most powerful leg lock allowed under the rules of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Top competitors of the sport like Caio Tera and Mackenzie Dern have used it to great effect. Actually, both of them being quite small grapplers, they’re an outstanding example that toe holds slay giants. But what makes them so effective? As always, the foot-locking devil is in the details, and that’s exactly where we’re going to look for him today.

Basic Toe Hold Mechanics

The toe hold is a twisting lock that puts the ankle joint under tremendous pressure. It both extends and bends the tarsal joint in a very uncomfortable fashion. As such, it is not anything new or unknown to BJJ. Quite the contrary, it’s a staple of the art that has often been overlooked, despite its obvious effectiveness.

This is a foot lock that’s legal in the Gi at the brown and black belt level at IBJJF tournaments, it’s also legal at most no-gi submission tournaments. The beauty of the toe hold is that it is as easy as other foot locks, but as painful as a heel hook.

The toe hold is technically a twisting style foot lock. It involves grabbing the foot by the ball of the foot and the toes with a thumb-less grip, and using your other arm as a brace against the opponent’s shin, and connecting your arms by another thumb-less grip. The grip is similar to that of a rear naked choke. It can be applied from a variety of leg-locking positions and used as a blitz attack as well.

Check out the top leg-locking positions here: https://bjj-world.com/leg-locks-ultimate-guide-positions-submissions/

Mechanically, it’s important to not just be satisfied by locking your hands together. You have to make sure you’ve “loaded” a lot of pressure on the bent foot of your opponent. This way, no muscular strength will be required for a strong finish. Next, you’ve got to bend the opponent’s big toe towards their same side elbow.

In certain situations, however, the toe hold just won’t work. Whatever you do, you don’t seem to be able to get that one resilient opponent. Read on to learn the secret details that make the toe hold such a formidable submission!

Bend It Like A Cucumber

When looking to bend the foot for a toe hold it is important to make sure you utilize every little trick to your advantage. As such, it is very important to grip the foot properly. In order to do this, you could go with both a monkey grip or a C-grip. The C-grip is more of a personal preference of mine since it allows for a crushing motion to be added to the hold.

From there, here’s the first dirty little trick: look to put the figure 4 grip as high as possible. This means, that instead of a Kimura-like grip, you look to place your hand higher on your wrist. Actually, you need to look for to reach the fingers of your other hand. The pressure is going to be immense.

To cap it off, look to apply a double twisting motion. You already know that the toe hold needs to bend towards the opponent’s elbow on the other side. Well, before bending the toes back use a shrugging motion to cause an outward extension of the joint. It’ll result in the lock coming on much quicker. make a cucumber out of their foot, and you’ll know you’re on the right track to a tap or snap.

Keep Everything Tight

Many people try to do what’s known as the shot-put method. When finishing the toe hold, where they look to push the leg away from them. The idea is that the closer it is towards your opponent, the easier it is to tap them. Well, just take a look at a Caio Tera match and you’ll notice that he doesn’t seem to agree. Tera looks to extend the leg as far from the opponent’s butt whenever he can. However, he uses a sneaky little trick that helps him achieve better mechanics that way.

Namely,, if you analyze what toe hold experts like Terra and the Mendes brothers do, you’ll notice that during the setup and the finish, they keep the attacked leg very tight. The make a point out of keeping the opponent’s foot and ankle glued to their chest. Only then they look to rotate to the side. That way, the whole torso is behind the lock, ensuring immense pressure to get the tap. It is much more effective and easy than pushing the leg away, creating space for your opponent to defend.

Twisting Direction

It’s been traditionally taught that in order to force the toe hold tap, you’ve got to bend the opponent’s big toe towards their butt. In fact, you should be bending his big toe towards his same side elbow. We’ve already covered this. What we didn’t look at is why this detail is important and how it improves the toe hold.

What this does is it gives you an increased range of motion. This range of motion also places the knee joint under pressure. It is right in line with Danaher’s principles of controlling every joint in the leg when attacking it. Because you’re bending the foot out and over the opponent’s own knee joint instead of just towards it, you get a double trouble situation. When it comes to finishing this attack on someone bigger and stronger, you’ll definitely want to ensure that you’re loading as much pressure on as many joints as possible. This also prevents a really strong opponent from defending via a leg extension motion.

How Danaher’s leg lock philosophy has improved all grappling martial arts: https://bjj-world.com/john-danaher-leg-lock-system/

How BJJ For Kids Can Benefit Children Of All Ages

BJJ World

Jiu-Jitsu training offers a unique blend of both mental and physical exertion. As a sport, BJJ is easily one of a kind! No wonder children of all ages love the sport once they’re exposed to it. The sport has benefitted immensely from the involvement of children. they get integrated into the art at a young age, which means they grow up to be the perfect representatives. But this connection works both ways. BJJ for kids is a fun, physical activity that encourages logical thinking. Could you ask for a better all-around activity for your child?

The growing popularity of Brazilian Jiu0JItsu means that the art is now available for all ages and categories of people. Not that it was different before, but the world wasn’t exposed to all the benefits of training Jiu-Jitsu. Unil not so long an ago, people that trained in grappling martial arts were mostly amateur or pro fighters. They were looking for a fighting advantage instead of a complete sport. Nowadays, BJJ is so widespread that you’d be hard-pressed to find an academy that doesn’t offer BJJ for kids classes.

When To Start

It is usual for most martial arts schools to only accept children over the age of 6 or 7. The idea is that by that age children already have a certain degree of discipline and understand teaching hierarchy. It is difficult to keep the attention of children, even in the best of circumstances, let alone when they’re not used to class-like structure.

BJJ, however, is a completely different martial art. Most academies that have a BJJ for kids programme, enroll kids as young as 4 years of age in their classes. The interesting thing is, not only these kids stay focused and interested (within the realms of reality) but also develop a strong bond with BJJ. This is rarely, if ever, the case with other martial arts when kids are at this particular age. Jiu-Jitsu classes for the youngest are organized in such a playful fashion that children simply adore them. Learning discipline through fun, all the while developing physically and mentally is a task not many educational platforms can deliver effectively. BJJ effortlessly achieves all of the above, and then some, in all age categories of children.

As a note to parents out there, who had martial arts training aspiration of their own – DO NOT force your children into anything. Enroll your kids in BJJ for the sake of proper development of their whole person. Do not expect that every kid that starts training is going to become a world champ. Furthermore, not all children are going to stay involved in BJJ as they grow older. However, if you allow them to train at their own pace, they’ll undoubtedly reap all the benefits, whether they train 3 years or 30.

More on the subject of parents forcing kids to train here: https://bjj-world.com/parents-stop-forcing-kids-good-jiu-jitsu/

Physical Benefits Of BJJ For Kids

When looking at all the possible benefits of BJJ for kids, the physical aspect is the obvious one. Almost all sports are beneficial in the physical development of kids. Complex contact sports, like Jiu-Jitsu, take things even further.

To start with, physical culture is the number one activity for proper posture development in children. In today’s world, when kids learn to hunch up in front of a computer before they learn how to run, this becomes even more important. BJJ not only enforces correct posture, but develops spine strength along with mobility.

Coordination is another huge physical benefit of grappling training. Martial arts have long been known to develop the superior coordination to almost any other sport. In those terms, BJJ rules the martial arts world. it involves the development of coordination on the feet, on the ground and in between. Every aspect of the movement is included in the Gentle Art. Furthermore, the animal drills, like bear walks, build strong muscles and tendons in addition to coordination. Plus, they’re the kids’ favorites.

On a more physiological note, training BJJ offers kids the complete physique and health package. Lower body fat levels, balanced hormones, stable blood pressure and insulin and improved cardiac output. All while having fun and solving puzzles. Do you really need more reasons to get your child into BJJ? Read on…

Mental Benefits Of BJJ For Kids

Fun fact – no other sport offers the same level of mental engagement during physical practice as Jiu-Jitsu. Logical thinking is a very important aspect of every kid’s development. Most early school subjects focus on just that area of the mind. BJJ begins to guide children towards logical conclusions even before the start school. Not only does it encourage problem-solving, it does so under very controlled circumstances. “Sparring” sessions with kids are done in a very controlled fashion, allowing them to think about the actions they are undertaking.

The competitive aspect of the sport means that kids are going to get an opportunity to test their newly acquired skills. Kids learn how to be brave under stress, how to take control of situations and how to be responsible. Competition brings out the best in everyone, and this is especially true for children. Competing in BJJ gives children the focus and confidence they’ll most certainly need later in life.

Competitiveness is an essential skill in today’s society and many sports shy away from having clear winners or losers. This is not the case in BJJ, where there are no draws, even in the earliest competitive categories. The rules are very strict and kids are very safe in tournament conditions, so they can really put in an effort. Defeat, or more importantly, coping with it is a huge life lesson. It’s better to learn this crucial lesson early in life, and there’s no better way than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions to do so.

More on winning and medals in BJJ: https://bjj-world.com/medals-without-winning-tournament-people-praise-success-social-media/

Social Benefits Of BJJ For Kids

The social aspect is a hugely important one for human beings. In the modern society of virtual communication, making real friends is now something that doesn’t come easily to kids. Even for adults, grappling training creates strong bonds of friendship that often extend for a lifetime. With kids, these bonds can be even stronger and are way more important. Being friends with your peers, while playfully competing with them at the same time is a huge influence on the development of the social personality in children.

Martial arts have always been related to discipline and structure. While not as military-like as some Japanese martial arts, BJJ does put an emphasis on order. Through the Gentle Art, kids are going to learn punctuality, accountability, respect and the hierarchy of teaching. Knowing when to listen, how to ask questions and when to speak are skill lots of adults are lacking in.

The ability to defend themselves is just one more in the huge list of benefits of BJJ. Not only are kids going to be able to take care of themselves, they’ll build much-needed confidence. In true martial arts spirit, they’ll know how to deal with potential conflict situations without resorting to violence. Even more so, they’ll be bully proof on the playground.

The Brown Belt in BJJ – Just A Step Away From Mastery

BJJ World

Do you know what every white belt dream is? Contrary to popular belief, it is not reaching black belt. Yes, the thought and desire exist somewhere in the background, but it is considered to be far in the future. White belts are all about getting the blue belt. As weird as it might sound, the only other belt that as far, if not farther, from the black belt, is a brown belt. It defies all logic, I know, but it is true. Reaching the brown belt is a saga on its own, and we’ve already covered each belt level’s struggles. Remember all the stuff blue belts have to deal with? Here’s a reminder: Common Blue Belt Mistakes

Having a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu is the final hurdle to that elusive black belt everyone expects marks mastery. Instead of just getting through the final “obstacle’ in no time, many people end up spending eternities at brown belt. That’s because it is harder to get from brown to black than it is to get all other belts before that. Here, we’re going to look into what makes a brown belt and how to make that final jump to the other side.

Traits Of A Brown Belt

As with all other BJJ belt levels, the time spent at the brown belt is marked by certain technical characteristics. It is well established that brown belts already know, or better said, are aware of, every technique in the BJJ arsenal. It is now about knowing techniques at this time as much as it is about the finest details in executing them. This is a very difficult thing to achieve and is more of a black belt trait, to be honest. But it is the one trait that needs to be attained at brown belt.

Knowledge of the fundamentals is a must for any experienced brown belt. And this is not only knowing how stuff is done. It’s the true knowledge of what makes a move efficient and all the ways in which it can be applied. Brown belts are in general beyond the experimental phase characteristic for purple belts. It is, instead, time to get back to basics and master the nuances. Given the teaching responsibilities of brown belts, knowing the details is paramount.

The personal defined grappling game that starts to appear at purple belt comes to the forefront at brown. This is the time of focusing on those areas of Jiu-Jitsu the work for you. By this time, most will have their collection of bumps, bruises, and injuries. This is a big factor in a brown belt defining his/her game. If you can’t do something, like inverted guard, you just need to look in another direction. You don’t need to learn anything new, just create connections that allow you to be as efficient as possible.

As mentioned, teaching is a huge part of being a BJJ brown belt. Teaching BJJ to others is going to refine all those fundamental details that you need to reach the next level.

Brown Belt Goals

Of course, the one common goal for all brown belts is getting promoted to black belt. However, apart from becoming a BJJ “master”, every other aspect of BJJ should be adapted to your level.

For those brown belts that have no current competitive ambitions, one major goal is just to be able to keep training. Your love of JiuJitsu is apparent by now and it’s the driving force that leads you to the mats every day. A job, a family and all that comes with life mean that time is hard to come by. The goal for the recreational brown belt is to form a style that’ll keep them safe and allow them to keep training. Be careful who you roll with and keep evolving on a daily basis, no matter how slow. If you’re interested in more details, check this Old Man Jiu-Jitsu article: https://bjj-world.com/old-man-jiu-jitsu-training-tips/

For the brown belt looking to become a teacher, this is the time to develop your teaching style. Make sure you think about what you’re going to show. Don’t allow yourself to just repeat the motions, give every class a thought before you teach it. Understand how to get through to the different types of learners out there. It’s a certain way to reach black belt soon.

As for the competitors, brown belt is the time to go all- out. You have to know the competition scene in detail. Expect everything from your opposition and learn how to analyze opponents. Make sure your training is preparing you for competitions because they don’t get more grueling than at brown belt. Also, stay in line with all the innovations that come around, since most of them are done by brown belts. remember Keenan when he was a brown belt?

Build Unbreakable Grip Strength For Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

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If you have ever trained grappling you are aware of how unusually much your arms ache after training. Whether it is Gi or No-Gi training, your arms, more specifically forearms are going to be on fire. If you’re new to BJJ or in your first tournament, you might even feel helpless when it comes to tying your belt back on. Jiu-Jitsu world our grips so much that it develops a certain level of grip strength on its own. But is this enough to get you through tough rolls high paced matches?

Grip strength matters a lot in BJJ. If you do not control your opponent, you won’t be able to do much to beat them. In terms of control, grips play a key role in manipulating your opponent. They provide levers, help build frames, can be used to construct wedges, or to finish submissions. Whether you’re gripping the Gi, the belt or just rashguard-covered anchor points, you need to be able to hold on. Grip strength needs to be addressed off the mats as well as on them, Given how crucial it is to grappling martial arts, it should be a huge part of any serious strength and conditioning plan.

Doing Gymnastics training will do wonders for both your grips and your BJJ in general. Learn how to incorporate it: https://bjj-world.com/use-gymnastics-to-become-strong/

The Role Of Grip Strength

A good level of grip strength opens up lots of opportunities for grappling athletes. Firm grips offer both the comfort of safety and an increased threat to your opponent. Strong grips can keep even the most technical opponent at bay, especially in a Gi environment. They can also make or break a submission, whether you’re the one doing it or escaping from it. Good grips are crucial for a solid stand-up game as well because you could hardly throw somebody unless you have a good grip on them. All in all, the stronger the grips, the easier the techniques.

Strong grips allow the body to move more efficiently, Weak grips, on the other hand, mean that the rest of your body is also going to be weaker. You might be able to bench, squat or deadlift enormous weights, but you’re only as strong as your grips. When grappling, if your grips give out your body is soon going to follow suit. Add to that an opponent with Popeye-sized forearms and you’re in for one tough match.

It is clear that grip strength is a priority for any self-respecting grappler out there. Remember that grips do not work in just one singular fashion. They have different complex mechanisms that make them strong or weak. It is precisely these anatomical features that need to be correctly trained in order to maximize grip strength for BJJ.

Pinching Grip Strength

An often overlooked aspect of gripping is so-called pinch strength. It is the strength of the connection between your thumb and one or more of your other fingers. More precisely, it is the strength of the connections at the tips of the fingers. We start off with this particular category of grip strength because it is the most difficult for athletes to master.

In Gi Jiu-Jitsu, pinch grips get a whole different meaning when it comes to controlling an opponent. Very often, in the heat of battle, proper deep grips are very difficult to establish. In cases like this, half-grips or variations are often the only available option. That’s where pinching grip strength comes in. Being able to hold on to a sleeve or pant leg just with the tip of your finger may be the deciding factor of a match. Holding on is going to allow you to either re-grip properly, or enough time to transition into a dominant position or out of danger. Talk about a last resort safety net!

Developing pinching grip strength is no easy feat. Training modalities that focus on this specific area of grip strength involve using the grip on appropriately thick materials and holding for time. In bodyweight terms, a towel or a Gi thrown over a pull-up bar is enough. Try to support your own weight with a pinch grip and you’ll be surprised at how weak you actually are. Weight plates (usually a couple of them at least) and wooden blocks can also be used for pinching.

The smart approach is a progressive loading one. If you can not do it for time, going for reps is your best option. Just make sure that your final goal is hanging as long as you can from a mechanically disadvantageous position.

Isometric Grip Strength

Isometric grip strength is probably the most important one for BJJ. The term isometric means that you’re holding a certain position without moving for a certain amount of time. In our case, this would be holding a Jiu-Jitsuspecific grip pattern in order to strengthen it.

Imagine you have your hand closed around a certain object. How long can you hold if there’s no resistance? Now imagine that there’s resistance coming from the object. It’s getting more difficult to hold on, isn’t it? Finally, imagine that you’re hanging from an object that trying to resist your hold at the same time. Now, you’re in a BJJ-specific scenario. This is something that happens to anyone in every roll, often on multiple occasions.

Grapplers are constantly in close-quarter situations and have to clinch in order to apply techniques and advance through positions. Being able to hold on while you’re maneuvering is essential for a good transitional game. A strong isometric grip means that you can pin a part of your opponent that would be instrumental in preventing you from executing something.

Training isometric grip strength requires spending time under tension. It means that your muscles need to get used to the stress of staying contracted without rest, for as long as possible. Farmer carries are an awesome way of developing iron-clad grips for grappling. You can go for distance or time, just make sure the weight you’re using is challenging. the timed deadlift is going to give all those meathead-oriented grapplers what they’re looking for. Ganging from a thick pull-up bar is the way to go for bodyweight training enthusiasts.

make sure you keep your fingers safe while training BJJ grips with these taping methods: https://bjj-world.com/best-bjj-finger-tape/

Crushing Grip Strength

Last but not least, being able to crush is a major advantage for any Jiu-Jitsu athlete. This aspect of grip strength is actually quite simple. You grab on to something. Then, you squeeze that something. Hard. It’s all there is to it. Imagine squeezing a beer can. You’re putting your fist around it and squeezing as hard as possible. The force of your action is going to crush the can inwards.

Crushing strength is the golden standard against which grip strength is measured. Dynamometers are used to measure one’s crushing strength in PSIs. In BJJ terms, crushing strength is essential to removing the grips an opponent has on you. Grip fighting is a dynamic battle of grips where crushing strength plays a major role. Whoever strips off the opponent’s grips and establishes tight isometric grips of their own is going to have the upper hand.

To train the crushing power of your grips, you can go the modern way or the ancient way. Do you know those grippers that bodybuilders swore upon in the 90s? Well, they’re exactly what you want to develop crushing power. In a more ancient manner, sticking your arms into a bucket of rice is going to do the trick. The idea is to get the muscles of your entire arm to work in coordination. To do so, you have to go for reps, the higher the better.

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How to Remember The Jiu-Jitsu Techniques You Learn

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A common analogy for BJJ is the one with the shark and the ocean. Come, on, you’ve heard it at least once. The ground is my ocean and I am the shark. Well despite a lot of grappling martial arts practitioners claiming to be sharks, only a few actually are. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is safe to say that all belt levels below black are nothing more than smaller fish. Learning BJJ is a long and tough process, which involves memorizing a huge number of Jiu Jitsu techniques and terms.

If you are a white belt or even a blue one, you’re probably still struggling with many of the names. The path of Jiu-Jitsu is such that it incorporates a multitude of languages in the nomenclature of moves. Some Jiu-Jitsu techniques have Portuguese names, others have English names and a small portion has Japanese terms, inherited from the original art. It’s no wonder that a white belt can’t swim in the BJJ ocean. They won’t just get eaten by the bigger fish. They’ll also drown easily in the names and nicknames of moves and positions.

How Many Jiu-Jitsu Techniques Are There?

In all honesty, I doubt anyone can provide a precise answer to this question. Jiu-Jitsu is so technically deep that most people attribute it to being endless. While this is most certainly not the case, it is arguably impossible to master BJJ in one’s lifetime. A big part of this is due to the technical diversity of the sport.

Different nomenclature systems for similar positions or moves do not help either. Eddie Bravo’s technique names are amongst the most creative, albeit weird ones in BJJ. But if you walk into a Gracie Barra academy you’ll most likely recognize only a few common terms. But, do not worry, there’s a method to all the madness. There are even ways to remember moves in a way that transcends inter-school naming differences.

I’m sure you already know that it gets easier with time. But you do not want to wait, and need to start categorizing all these moves that make no sense, straight away! Ok, hold your horses, it can be done. In Jiu Jitsu, just like in school, there’s a practical and a theoretical approach to it all. yup, there’s even homework included! Carry on reading.

Drill To Win And To Remember

Andre Galvao‘s famous ‘drill to win” phrase is one commonly accepted and used in the world of grappling. Actually, some forms of grappling martial arts, like wrestling, are extremely serious when it comes to drilling moves over and over again. Again, there’s a reason behind this, often perceived as a boring approach. It’s quite easy actually – the more you repeat something, the more you learn.

Drills in BJJ are organized in such a way that they stimulate muscle memory along with mental memory. You can not mindlessly perform BJJ drills just for the sake of it. You have to think about the Jiu-Jitsu techniques you’re doing and how you’re doing them. This body and mind engagement not only develops superior grappling coordination but also helps in remembering moves and their names.

Drilling half guard passes every session for a month is easily going to help you discern Z guard from a deep half guard. This holds true for other moves as well. Was it a Kimura or an Americana? Well, drill some closed guard Kimuras and you’ll get both the name and the movement pattern very quickly.

Word Associations

If drilling was the practical aspect of learning Jiu Jitsu, then this is the theoretical one. Very often, especially when you’re completely new to things, a personal touch can help you get into the groove of what you’re doing. So, a white belt giving names to moves shouldn’t be seen as disrespectful. Well, ok if they’re doing it without any attempt to learn the real name, it merits some talking to. But if a new student uses associations to remember Jiu Jitsu techniques, instructors should only encourage it!

Let’s say you’re Brazilian training in the USA. Portuguese names are no big deal, but all the other stuff really confuses you. Was it a flower or a pendulum sweep? Well giving Portuguese names to the same moves might help you categorize them more easily. Furthermore, you can use phrases to describe certain positions or offensive/defensive concepts. “Answering the telephone” against an arm triangle is one. Going into the “diamond’ position when attacking with a triangle choke is another. Opportunities are endless, you just need to get a little creative. Just remember to try and learn what your instructor teaches instead of renaming the art to suit yourself.

Scribbling Down Notes

This is where homework comes in the game. Actually, this one is great for all levels of BJJ practitioners. Even black belts often attend other black belts’ seminars. A BJJ seminar usually lasts in excess of 4 hours. That’s a lot of new material for anyone to absorb directly. So, choose your favorite notes app or just bust out the pad and a pen.

Whenever you’re having trouble remembering moves, give writing stuff down a go. You could do it right there on the mats after class, or wait till you get home. A cool piece of advice here is not to wait longer. Firstly, you’ll forget the key details about whatever you were trying to write down. Secondly, you might go into a new class and be overwhelmed with new content, thus completely forgetting what you were about to put down. So pay your due diligence and get into a post-training writing habit. It’ll do wonders for your BJJ game.

You could also go fully digital and ask to film the technical part of the class but this often draws too much attention. At seminars, not everyone likes to be filmed, so writing stuff down I way easier. So, next week write down everything that you’d like to remember about Jiu-Jitsu techniques after class. You’ll see that it won’t take long to make a habit out of it.

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