Category Archives: For Beginners
A Glossary of Guard Positions, or Lumping vs. Splitting
When it comes variations of the guard position grapplers tend to fall into one of two categories: ‘lumpers’ and ‘splitters’. (more…)
How to Find a Grappling School
Every couple of weeks I get an email from a reader asking if there are any good BJJ, MMA or submission grappling schools close to where they live.
Unfortunately I rarely have specific advice for them, because there are just too many good schools out there. (more…)
Teacherless Training
A reader writes:
Q: “I would like to hear you address grappling with no formal teacher or school. What are the benefits/downsides to this? What should we be careful to avoid? This is the situation I am in now, I get to practice with some good guys but have actually never had formal training. ” (more…)
Beware the Belt Chaser
When people start new activities they like the reassurance of being able to know how they are progressing in that activity. In the martial arts, including most grappling arts, this is typically done by awarding stripes, belts, and other measures of rank. (more…)
It’s very common for new grapplers to become discouraged at about the 2 or 3 month mark. In the beginning this person sort of expected to get his ass kicked, but now (after a few months of classes) he is still STILL getting his ass kicked. (more…)
If you try contesting a larger, stronger opponent using your strength against his strength you will probably lose.You need to fight the battle on your own terms, and two effective (and somewhat related) strategies to do this include:
1, Move quicker
2, Tire him out. (more…)
The Fundamental Rear Mount
In the last tip we talked about how you should (mostly) avoid crossing your ankles while rear mounted on your opponent. This week I just want to go over some fundamental tips that may help you maintain rear mount on an opponent trying to escape. (more…)
The rear mount is arguably the most dominant position in grappling. When you have rear mount you can apply some very powerful chokes and locks. In MMA or self defense you can administer severe punishment without your opponent having the ability to strike you back. (more…)
Static Bridging - a Common Mistake in Sparring
There are two fundamental ways to escape from most pinning positions: escapes based on ‘shrimping’ style hip movement, and escapes based on bridging.
One common mistake I see among beginners is that they hold the bridge position for far too long. (more…)
Training: How Often
Probably the most common question I get asked is “how many times a week should I train to make progress?” As with most questions the answer is “it depends”.
Once a week: If you are just starting grappling you can definately pick up a few things training even once a week, particularly if you already practice another martial art. (more…)
A Roadmap for Grappling
When an uninitiated person sees grappling in action for the first time it seems very chaotic and confusing. There are limbs and bodies all over the place and then, all of a sudden and for ‘no reason’ someone taps out. This can be a very intimidating activity for beginners to launch themselves into. (more…)
In a recent article I talked about the most common mistake novice leglockers make when trying to use the ankle lock. Here are a few more common errors: (more…)
Let’s talk about the basic ankle lock (also known as the ‘Achilles lock’ or the ‘straight foot lock’) today. When I see people trying ankle locks in sparring and in competition the most common error I see is targetting, by which I mean where they are placing their forearms on their opponent’s ankle. (more…)
Armbar Fundamentals
OK, let’s talk about something really fundamental this week: armbars when you and your opponent have your backs on the floor (i.e. bellies to the sky).
Even if you are an advanced grappler it helps to review basic techniques. (more…)
How to Squeeze With The Rear Naked Choke
The so-called rear naked choke (also known as “hadaka-jime” in Japanese) is one of the most powerful submissions in grappling. Properly applied, this choke should give your opponent no way out except to tap or go to sleep. (more…)
Here are some of my favorite quotations with some relevance to the sport and science of grappling
“No plan of action survives contact with the enemy” – Military Proverb (more…)
Free BJJ Book !
To receive this free report and receive the Grappling Tips Newsletter enter your email below
Featured Grappling MMA Pic
