Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Grappling Drills

This is one thing I notice very often in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There are many practitioners
out there that know lots of BJJ techniques, but very few of them can execute those
techniques while fighting, as a reaction.

But there are those who are able to execute the techniques, knowing what they need
to do. Not because they had time to stop and think about what their next movement
is, analyze it and go for it. But because it’s become so second nature to them,
because they’ve drilled the movement so many times.

And what’s important about movements in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that there may be
several different variations of a technique, but typically the movement itself is
what’s going to make the technique work.

So if I go with a smaller guy and I want to set up an omo plata, for example, then
I’ll perform the technique a certain way. And if I go with a bigger guy and I want
to set up an omoplata I might have to grab that person different, or I might have
to put my foot a different way or make little adjustments to make it work on someone
like that. But my movement is very similar, as far as what I do to get my hips in
that right position. Now, it’s not always the same. I’m not saying that every movement
for the omoplata is exactly the same. You can do omoplatas from all over the place,
just like you do a lot of other techniques.

But I will say that I think movements are more important than just the moves by themselves.
A lot of times you have to work out the kinks and the details, and you certainly
need a good coach to help you there. But you do so much on your own, training with
different people and by feeling out different body styles. You train movements,
you train drills, it makes you reactionary. And you can react in a moment’s notice.

I think a good comparison is a musician who plays the guitar. They don’t think about
exactly what note they’re hitting next. They’ve practiced the song a thousand times,
and they just play it. Sometimes when they’re playing, they’ll play stuff they haven’t
played before without even thinking about it. Because they’ve played those notes
and scales so many times that they can just flow with the music.

And that applies to Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu. You train the movements so often you learn how to combine them, how
to react from an opponents defense, how to combine it with of a number of different
situations without even thinking about it. I think that’s what makes grappling drills
and movements so important. It makes your Jiu Jitsu just happen, sometimes without
you even being aware of exactly what you are doing. Your upper body tends to react
a certain way while your legs are doing something else, all the while your mind
is focusing on the goal at hand.

This concept applies to all aspects of the game. In Judo they emphasize a lot of
movement. You do endless drills so that when you start moving around, there’s not
much stopping. And Judo is a little faster paced than Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Because
you’re moving in circles, and you’re moving around so much, you have to be able
to react. You have to work those drills and movements so that you will be able to
execute them when the opportunity presents itself.

I believe that often times in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches, or any martial art, you’ll
have a window of opportunity that may last a split second. And you may not see it
because you haven’t trained it enough. Or you may see it, but you haven’t drilled
movements enough to react to it. But if you’ve drilled enough movements so that
as soon as an opportunity presents itself you’re always on top if it, you can grab
it right away. Even when you’re tired. You feel it there, and you’re ready to execute
it at any given time. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu drills are essential in developing a strong
mind-body connection.

Drills should be part of any martial arts training program. Whether practicing, competing,
or defending yourself, reaction is key. So you must not only learn a technique,
but make it part of you by drilling it, over and over and over again. That’s the
only way it will become a true reaction and a technique that really belongs to you.

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