Tag Archives: Techniques
Best Takedown vs. Larger Opponents?
Every grappler needs to have a basic understanding of takedowns. You don’t want to be so uni-dimensional that you have no idea how to take somebody down.
But the problem is that not every takedown you learn from Judo or wrestling will work on someone a lot bigger and stronger than you. (more…)
Stabilizing and Attacking Larger Opponents from Sidemount
Many battles are lost by not sufficiently stabilizing sidemount, and/or choosing the wrong attacks to use from that otherwise dominant position.
Let’s say that you’ve done everything right and cut through the guard of a bigger stronger opponent. (more…)
Advanced Triangle Choke Details
Today’s tip is about the details of the Triangle Choke, one of the very highest percentage submissions at every level of competition.
Have you ever noticed how some people can catch EVERYBODY in their signature submission, again and again? Once they’ve got their setup position it’s pretty much a done deal (this applies whether that signature submission is an armbar, a triangle choke, a kneebar, or an upside-down, inside-out Jehosophat choke).
Defending Stupid Big Guy Attacks (and the Honor of Jiu-Jitsu)
It’s amazing what some big guys will do when they get frustrated. In fact, sometimes they’ll try stuff so stupid that it’ll take you completely by surprise!
Now, many BJJ instructors never bother to teach you what to do against these ‘stupid attacks.’ (more…)
How to Attack Super-Defensive Opponents
It’s a fact: big guys don’t like losing to smaller guys.
That’s why sometimes, when a bigger guy realizes he’s not going to be able to actually win a match, he changes gears and uses all his strength and size for only one thing… (more…)
Advanced Omoplata Armlock Finish
Jiu-jitsu is so cool! As you might know, the omoplata armlock is one of my very favorite techniques. But even after 10 years of studying this position, I’m still learning new stuff about it…
Today I want to share a variation of the omoplata that I learned this summer working with Brandon Mullins. Of course this finish works great on larger people, but even though I’m 6’2′ and 215 lbs I’m gonna ‘hijack’ it and use it in my own game as well. (more…)
Are my legs too short to apply the triangle choke?
The first time I ever saw the triangle choke in action was in 1994, during the last match of UFC 4.
Royce Gracie had just squared off against Dan Severn, a seemingly unstoppable wrestler with a huge weight advantage. I remember thinking, ‘There’s just no possible way that Royce is gonna win this one.’ (more…)
2 Good Reasons to Bail Out of the Mount
What? Abandon the Mount? The position you’ve worked so hard to achieve?!? Let me explain…
BJJ is a position-based art. The positional system of BJJ is the central organizing theme of my ‘Roadmap for BJJ’ book (more…)
The Sakuraba-Style Standing Kimura
The first time someone showed me the standing Kimura attack I was pretty skeptical…
I was like, “yeah, that would never work, not in a million years!” (more…)
Four Ways to Fix Your Omoplata
The omoplata is one of my very favorite submissions. But there are a lot of ways to screw it up. Here’s how to make sure it works for you. (more…)
Three X Guard Mistakes (and my Best Drill for Getting a Killer X Guard)
The X Guard is one of my very favorite ‘go to’ positions. If I can get there in a match then I’m suddenly a very happy camper…
In fact, this position is so dominant that you should be able to sweep your opponent at least 80% of the time when you get him jacked up into the X Guard. (more…)
What To Do When Your Guard Attacks Fail
It’s my very favorite quote from the movie ‘The Avengers’ which I saw last night:
Captain America: We need a plan of attack!
Iron man: I have a plan… Attack!! (more…)
4 Mistakes That'll KILL Your Half Guard...
Whether you want to or not, you ARE going to end up in the half guard!
Some people simply use the half guard as a last resort when their guard is being passed. Their opponent is blasting around their guard, so without even thinking about it they lash out with their legs and trap one of his legs between their own. (more…)
An Easy Way to Make Your Closed Guard Hard to Pass
I was recently watching an out-of-print instructional DVD by a friend of mine and had one of those really great ‘aha’ moments.
It was a tweak that I can use to make my closed guard much, much harder to pass. And also much more powerful when it comes to setting up attacks and sweeps. (more…)
Escaping Side Mount for Smaller Grapplers
A reader writes…
Q: Hi Stephan, I’ve got a question for you if you don’t mind me asking. I often struggle when it comes to rolling with big guys. I weigh roughly 52 kilos and the guys at the gym obviously weigh a lot more than me. (more…)
How to Finish the Armbar Against a Resisting Opponent
There’s nothing worse than having an opponent counter your armbar attempt by locking his hands together and using grip and bicep strength to stop you from extending the arm. Especially if he’s big, strong, and determined to not let tap him out! (more…)
Arm Behind the Back Guard Pass
Getting a handle, or a grip, on your opponent in MMA is not always easy. Here Denis uses an unusual grip both to control his opponent and remove one of his potential weapons from the equation. (more…)
As you probably know, I write a free newsletter called the Beginning BJJ eCourse.
Just to give you a taste, here are some of the tips that get sent out in that newsletter – some sample lessons, if you will.
Shoot Wrestling Armbar Escape
Here’s a simple, but still very effective, method to escape from the Armbar (more…)
Posture Under Side Mount
Recently we discussed the concept of ‘posture’ and how it applies when you’re pinned underneath someone. A few people have contacted me since then, asking for specific examples of posture while pinned.
Let’s start with with just one pinning position: here are the three most common postures used to defend submissions and set up escapes while pinned in sidemount. (more…)
Technique 2: Reverse Shoulder Lock
Marcus and Denis demonstrate the reverse shoulder lock. (more…)
Technique 1: the Reverse Clock Choke
A demonstration of the Reverse Clock Choke against the Turtle Position by Denis Kang and Marcus Soares (more…)
Marcus Soares technique 3: Half Guard Pass and Cervical Choke
Marcus Soares and Denis Kang demonstrate a Half Guard Pass and a Cervical Choke. (more…)
Marcus Soares - Kimura from Open Guard
Marcus Soares demonstrates the Kimura from the Open Guard (more…)
Marcus Soares - Kimura from Mount
Here’s how the Kimura can help you transition from the Closed Guard, to the Mount, and then to your opponent tapping out. (more…)
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