Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Basics

    How many of you newer guys (less than 3 years training in Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu) are tired of all these basics? Tired of drilling armbar from guard, cross
choke from mount, escaping the mount… etc.

    A great Jiu jitsu academy will be able to offer you both basic
and advanced techniques. But, if you just don’t like doing basic movements and techniques,
well, sorry guys, but without a solid understanding of the basics of Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu, all you have are fancy tricks.

    You may want to show off, and look cool on the mat. And there
is nothing wrong with doing so and learning a lot of technique, even the fancy stuff.
However, if your goals in BJJ consist of being as good as you can be and to continue
to improve for as long as you train, then you have no choice but to master the basics.

    The ‘basics’ have another name, and it’s ‘foundation’.
I know you’re tired of hearing the same old ‘house-foundation’
metaphor, but this statement is absolutely true. Without the proper BJJ foundation,
your game is going to be weak. Even if you don’t like “armbar from closed
guard” or some other submission, if you are not extremely familiar with it, then
it’s going to be used against you.

    A great exaple of the basics at work is Roger Gracie. How many
times have you seen him finish a gi match with cross-choke from mount? How many
times have you seen Marcelo Garcia attacking the back and finishing the fight with
a rear naked choke (first move I ever learned as a white belt).

    The basics are going to set the stage for all of your future performances.
And no matter how good you are in a ‘basic’ move, you can always find
ways to tighten, breakdown and evolve the technique both offensively and defensively.

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