Everyone handles competition differently, but if you have little zero-to-little experience competing, it can be extremely difficult to deal with the stress. This is where a competition game plan comes in hand.
Read MoreEspecially for newcomers to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it can be difficult to absorb and retain knowledge during class. Whether you’re tired from work or just overwhelmed about the bombardment of new information, these tips will help you stay focused and remember what you learned.
Read MoreWhen you first begin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you may not understand what exactly a match, rolling, or sparring is. Is it wrestling? Is it fighting? On the surface, a BJJ match is simply wrestling around—sometimes with submissions and sometimes without, sometimes from standing and sometimes not. It seems simple enough, but there are a few nuances that will help you get the bigger picture.
Read MoreWhen you first start training, you will probably learn individual techniques without the context of how you arrive to that point. This is done to keep things simple, and it’s an effective way to teach newcomers. For example, if you are learning an armbar, you start in an armbar position, with the arm captured and full control of the opponent. You probably learn sweeps the same way. However, you’ve probably found that it’s hard to hit these sweep when sparring, especially against a larger opponent. Why is that? There are a few reasons, and in this article, we will explore how sweeps work and discuss whether they can work on bigger people.
Read MoreWhen you first start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), you may feel overwhelmed with the amount that you are expected to know. Additionally, it’s not just technique that you must learn; there is a steep learning curve to the gym culture, class structure, and social dynamics.
Not everything is explained, and sometimes you cross a line you didn’t even know existed. Those trial-by-fire lessons can be painful, but hopefully this list will enlighten you and save you the burn of learning the hard way.
Read Moref you are thinking about starting a martial art like jiu jitsu, you might be asking yourself, “Can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu help me lose weight?” Many people have lost weight simply by joining a BJJ gym, even when they didn’t follow a dietary plan. Does that mean Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can help you lose weight? Well, sort of. Though it is not a cure-all weight loss solution, it can help immensely, and it comes down to a few different reasons.
Read MoreTakedowns are an important and integral component of BJJ. Some gyms train takedowns on a frequent basis and some do not, and this tends to be influenced by the gym’s affiliation and the background of the students or coaches. Takedowns are one of the reasons that a wrestler or Judoka who is new to BJJ may improve at a faster speed than a pure newcomer, as it can take years to learn and become proficient at takedowns.
Read MoreThe bottom line is that you should train both Gi and No Gi--if you can. There are advantages and disadvantages that come with each style, and each will make you a better grappler. For the most part, you shouldn’t commit yourself entirely to one style vs. the other, and the people who do this are only limiting their growth (more on this later).
Read MoreAt the simplest level, a frame is a part of your body that is used to create and maintain space. To take it one step further, a good frame is a part of your body that relies more on the bone structure of your body than it does muscular strength.
Read MoreIn BJJ, a “submission” is a technique, that when executed successfully, will control, maim, hurt, or subdue. There are many different submission techniques, each targeting different parts of the body. For example, the Rear Naked Choke submission targets the carotid arteries, thereby reducing blood flow to the brain, and rendering the victim unconscious. By comparison, another example is the Armbar, which targets the elbow, hyper-extending it to its breaking point, and thereby controlling and/or maiming the victim.
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