Grappling Basic Principles

**JohnnyS** · Posted On: 1/19/2005 5:29pm

Yeah, I actually use my ribs far more than my chest when doing side control. It allows me to drive both down and sideways into my opponent and make it very uncomfortable for him.

**deus ex machina** · Posted On: 1/19/2005 6:58pm

Marc Laimon allegedly said that the person he felt the most pressure from ever was....

BJ Penn.

**Pete_E** · Posted On: 1/20/2005 2:31am

Originally Posted by Reis

Don't leave your arms dangling or else you'll get grabbed and possibly be put into a submission (armbar, etc.). Don't reach out unless it has a purpose or else they'll get grabbed again.

That makes sense - thanks! Yet another thing to avoid...

Originally Posted by Dochter

My instructor likes to quip that the dinosaurs (notably t-rex) went extinct because they started reaching out their arms

lol - so that's who invented the original martial art....

**Ronin** · Posted On: 1/20/2005 7:01am

Patience.
Don't go for anything unless you have position AND control of at least 1 limb.
And for the noobs, guys, tap out when you are locked in ok? leave the ego and "testing your pain threshold" outside the mat.
KNOW when you are beat.
Keep everything tight and neat.

DRILL and DRILL and DRILL and when you are finished, DRILL some more !

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 1/20/2005 7:56pm

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep them in mind next class.

PL

**JohnnyS** · Posted On: 1/20/2005 8:44pm

Oh, one of the most important principles:
Control your opponent's spine. Whether he's in your guard, under sidecontrol, mount, passing your guard etc, you should be trynig to break his posture by turnnig his head. It will literally make him weaker, stop him driving into you, stop him bridging etc.

**TylerDurden** · Posted On: 1/21/2005 9:07am

Here's one I get told alot, because I make this mistake alot. Put your weight on the opponent not the floor.

**wakinonioi** · Posted On: 1/21/2005 9:50am

Originally Posted by JohnnyS

Oh, one of the most important principles:
Control your opponent's spine. .

Yes, after you've pulled it out you must hold it very carefully.

**purebjj** · Posted On: 5/22/2008 5:04pm

Great thread :)

**Gibbon** · Posted On: 5/22/2008 5:18pm

It certainly was 3 years ago!
While we're necro-ing stuff, I've heard that in things like kesa you want to get your opponents head off the floor to make it harder to bridge, but Yrkoon said pin their head to the floor. Que pasa?