I may sound like a broken record at times when I tell you how important the grip fight is, but it must be stated over and over.
As you’ll run into the importance of the grip fight over and over.
When I was rolling in Tobago, a lot of times I would just stay calm and relaxed in my guard, being patient and preventing grips on me, while waiting for my opportunity to take grips on them.
And, as for a number of times my partners were trying to progress in their pass, I would take a mental note, wondering if they were going to give up the underhook.
They did, every single time!
As they tried to pass without dominant grips, they would leave themselves exposed to me taking dominant grips.
It was like clockwork, and to be expected as many of the participants were white and blue belts. This was also the case with a visiting purple belt I rolled with on the weekend.
It may feel to them like “Jordan is just better at Jiu-Jitsu”. Which has truth to it as I’m a black belt, but it’s not that I’m just better at jiu jitsu.
What I’m specifically better at, in this case, is understanding how important the grip fight is.
Because I prioritize the grip fight, this allows me to stay calm and prevent dominant grips from being taken on me, all the while searching to take dominant grips for myself when the moment is right.
Patience is key.
Prioritizing the grip fight doesn’t mean going crazy to get dominant grips for yourself, as you may give up grips if you search too hard for them in the process.
Prioritizing the grip fight should lead you to understanding that you’re safe when your opponent doesn’t have dominant grips and this will allow you to relax.
When you relax, you can think clearer and make better decisions; like finding opportunities for grips, rather than forcing grips. And not only that, but it will help prevent you from being submitted.
The old BJJ quote from Kurt Osiander, when he was asked how to escape an armbar, of: “You F’d up a long time ago…” Is absolutely true.
For example, escaping a D’arce or Guillotine Choke is very hard. But fighting the hands through grip fighting when you’re in a bad position isn’t nearly as hard. As you’re often not in too bad of a position until they have grips locked up.
If you let someone lock up a submission, it will be very hard to get out. That’s why it’s a submission.
You have to spend your energy somewhere, so don’t spend it in the late stages of your opponent’s attacks.
Conserve and spend your energy in the early stages.
Think less of: “How do I escape this submission or position”, and more of: “I need to grip fight to not be forced into the late stages.”
I ROLLED WITH A SAMBO CHAMPION
Last week, while I was hosting a BJJ retreat in Trinidad and Tobago, I had the pleasure of rolling with Joash Walkins – an excellent Sambo fighter, who earned the silver medal in the 2015 Sambo World Championships, as well as a national Judo champion and a professional MMA champion, with the record of 13-1.
It was a fun roll! Joash, who is also a BJJ blue belt, is really technical and has done a spectacular job.
Let’s take a look at some key learnings from our roll:
- Anti jiu jitsu can be an effective tactic, so learn when to use it
- Keep your elbows tight and only allow underhooks if you plan to use your overhook
- Similarly, always be on the hunt for underhooks against your opponents
- Pinning the opponent’s hips and flattening them out on their back is a great way to immobilize them
- In general, you shouldn’t be on your knees when passing guard (unless you have adequate control of the opponent’s upper body, with their back pinned to the mat)
- Can’t pass the guard? Go for a headlock 🙂
Watch the video below for more takeaways:
