Basics are the key to success in any endeavor and jiu jitsu is no exception!
With thousands of techniques out there its hard to know which ones to incorporate into your game. More is not better in this game, a strong foundation in basic skills is key to advancing in our sport. So what then should you work on first??
THE GUARD! The guard position is what uniquely separated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the likes of Judo and the other grappling arts. A clean understanding of the guard position should be the first skill developed in BJJ. From your back it is possible to submit or sweep an opponent. The key concepts of this position are the following: breaking posture, learning the "attacking zone concept", armlock, triangle, cross choke, omaplata, and basic reversals.
In the same umbrella idea the bottom game is essential to know. This means you must understand the concepts of the half guard, all the pin and basic submission escapes, dealing with getting out of the mount and escaping the hooks. Once you have learned these basic skills it is possible to train freely without getting stuck and being confused.
The top game is much easier conceptually and can be learned second. The most important aspect of top control is breaking and passing the guard!! You must learn proper posture, how to stand up, how to open the guard, how to pass around the legs, and how to pin your opponent in cross side. From cross side the skills required are the following: basic movement and control, transitioning to the mount and attacking the back control, and basic submission skills.
After learning the basic concepts of the sport it is then possible to start adding content to your training. From a strong fundamental base it is then helpful to start focusing on positional strategy and more advanced submission skills. Here is also a good time to start developing your own style. For example different body types perform different techniques with varying effectiveness. If you would like to know what type of game is best for your body type give me a shout about a 1-1 lesson or chat to me or one of the Purple or Blue belts in class. Private instruction and game plan development Ive always believed is a good investment in your developement!! Good luck guys.
