July 31, 2008
Refusing to Concede the Sweep
I trained with Denis Kang for the first five or six years of his MMA career. At some point during that time he became very, very difficult to sweep. Partially this was due to his increasing technical knowledge, but it was also more than that. He started refusing to accept getting swept, and would keep on scrambling and fighting the sweep from its initiation to its very end. Even when I managed to complete the first 90% of a sweep on him I could usually never finish the last 10%: at the very last instant he would bounce, twitch, roll and scramble, ending up back on his feet again.Needless to say, this was VERY frustrating.
Refusing to concede a sweep has a lot of advantages. In MMA the bottom position is almost always a bad place to be, because your opponent can use gravity and land some very heavy blows. In BJJ and submission wrestling getting swept costs you points which could lose you the match.
Some grapplers, however, give up too easily when fighting a sweep. Often this is particularly noticeable for grapplers who love the guard position: they are almost relieved to be swept because it means that they can retreat to their comfort zone and start working their own guard game. Probably their jiu-jitsu would improve faster if they tried to keep the top position and worked on their guard passing skills.
Some people might argue that high-speed scrambling uses up too much energy, but think of it this way: if you do get swept and pinned then how much energy are you going to have to use to escape to a neutral position? It's probably a lot better to use some energy up front and prevent the sweep from getting finalized, rather than ending up in a bad position and having to settle in for a long, hard, and defensive fight.
Scrambling out of sweeps can be taught and trained. What you need is a training partner who will sweep you at 50% to 70% of regular speed, and then takes his time finalizing the sweep by coming to the top position rather slowly. He has to give you the time to scramble and get your legs back underneath you, rather than jumping on top of you and squishing you flat. It can be difficult to find someone who is willing to help you this way, but the results of this sort of training can be very valuable.
IMPORTANT CAVEAT: I don't want to end on a downer, but I have to point out that refusing the concede the sweep is not without its own dangers. If you're trying to stop a very high-energy sweep, or if your opponent is heavy (or heavier than you), then the consequences of posting an arm out could include a sprained wrist, a hyperextended elbow or even a broken bone in the arm. The basic rule here is that it is OK to scramble but it is NOT OK to post on the ground with a straight arm. Better to concede the sweep than end up with your arm in a cast for six weeks!
Not having your arm straight and posted on the mat was also discussed in this previous tip: www.grapplearts.com/2008/02/simplest-way-to-avoid-injury.htm
Finally, some people take the principle we're discussing a step further and apply it to their standup wrestling, which is to say that they refuse to concede the takedown even after all their technical counters have failed. This approach is valid and has won a lot of matches, but the danger level of doing this is very high. I know several people who have broken their arms or dislocated their shoulders posting on their hands while fighting a throw, and every decent size Judo tournament features multiple visits from ambulance crews to pick up and cart off yet another Judoka who was doing all sorts of silly things while trying not to get thrown. Do it if you want to, but consider yourself officially warned!
Labels: Injuries, MMA, positions, the guard
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July 20, 2008
Jiu-jitsu, a Game of Inches
One of my favorite expressions is that "jiu-jitsu is a game of inches". Sometimes a whole match can be decided by the battle to move your hand one inch forward.
The single best example I can think of to illustrate this concept is the Ten Finger Guillotine as taught by Chris Brennan. Take a look at this picture, paying special attention to the position of the thumbs.
Notice how the first knuckle of the right thumb is lined up with the second knuckle of the left thumb, while the first knuckle of the left thumb is aligned with the second knuckle of the right thumb. Is this splitting hairs? Not really! When someone can't get this choke to work, the most common mistake BY FAR is not lining up the thumbs properly. Having your thumbs lined up incorrectly by half an inch makes the technique about half as effective!
You can read my article about the Ten Finger Guillotine to find out what else makes this technique so effective.
Another example where inches make a difference is the basic achilles lock. Many people place their forearm several inches too high on the leg. The achilles lock can still work in this position, but it takes a LOT more strength to finish the move. The most effective spot to place your forearm is at the base of the achilles tendon, right where the wrinkles form when you flex your foot. With your forearm snug in the right place it takes much less strength to finish the submission. Your forearm should be right where my fingers are pointing.
If you want to learn more about the critical details that make ankle locks work, check out this Youtube video on the four most common footlock errors, and/or my article on breaking down the ankle lock, and/or the highly acclaimed High Percentage Leglocks DVD.
The two submissions discussed aren't the only examples of majorly important minutiae in BJJ. Grip placement on the lapel can make the difference between a successful guard pass and getting choked out during the guard pass attempt. Flexing your foot just the right way can allow you to counter a leglock, or, in a different context, enable you to successfully apply a triangle choke submission. The position of your opponent's thumb can prevent, or enable, your opponent escaping your armbar.
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of details you need to know in order to get good at this sport, get motivated and also tell yourself how lucky you are. We've chosen a great sport that you can continue to grow in for decades. I've said before that the necessity of paying attention to detail is one (and perhaps the only) similarity between Golf and BJJ.
I am a black belt with many years of BJJ and submission wrestling experience. Do I know all the minute adjustments for every technique I try? Not by a long shot! I'm pretty good with my favorite moves, but I have a long list of techniques that are still 'under development'. So when you're out there on the mats trying to figure out if a certain technique will work better if you slide your wrist half an inch to the left, take some comfort in the fact that I'm probably trying to figure out the same thing.
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The single best example I can think of to illustrate this concept is the Ten Finger Guillotine as taught by Chris Brennan. Take a look at this picture, paying special attention to the position of the thumbs.Notice how the first knuckle of the right thumb is lined up with the second knuckle of the left thumb, while the first knuckle of the left thumb is aligned with the second knuckle of the right thumb. Is this splitting hairs? Not really! When someone can't get this choke to work, the most common mistake BY FAR is not lining up the thumbs properly. Having your thumbs lined up incorrectly by half an inch makes the technique about half as effective!
You can read my article about the Ten Finger Guillotine to find out what else makes this technique so effective.
Another example where inches make a difference is the basic achilles lock. Many people place their forearm several inches too high on the leg. The achilles lock can still work in this position, but it takes a LOT more strength to finish the move. The most effective spot to place your forearm is at the base of the achilles tendon, right where the wrinkles form when you flex your foot. With your forearm snug in the right place it takes much less strength to finish the submission. Your forearm should be right where my fingers are pointing.If you want to learn more about the critical details that make ankle locks work, check out this Youtube video on the four most common footlock errors, and/or my article on breaking down the ankle lock, and/or the highly acclaimed High Percentage Leglocks DVD.
The two submissions discussed aren't the only examples of majorly important minutiae in BJJ. Grip placement on the lapel can make the difference between a successful guard pass and getting choked out during the guard pass attempt. Flexing your foot just the right way can allow you to counter a leglock, or, in a different context, enable you to successfully apply a triangle choke submission. The position of your opponent's thumb can prevent, or enable, your opponent escaping your armbar.
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of details you need to know in order to get good at this sport, get motivated and also tell yourself how lucky you are. We've chosen a great sport that you can continue to grow in for decades. I've said before that the necessity of paying attention to detail is one (and perhaps the only) similarity between Golf and BJJ.
I am a black belt with many years of BJJ and submission wrestling experience. Do I know all the minute adjustments for every technique I try? Not by a long shot! I'm pretty good with my favorite moves, but I have a long list of techniques that are still 'under development'. So when you're out there on the mats trying to figure out if a certain technique will work better if you slide your wrist half an inch to the left, take some comfort in the fact that I'm probably trying to figure out the same thing.
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July 02, 2008
Slumps Vs. Plateaus
Acquiring new skill sets and polishing your existing skills is the very essence of training. When everything is working properly and you're surfing up the learning curve it is an exhilarating process. The learning curve isn't always smooth, however, and sometimes you run into things called slumps and plateaus. These two phenomena have some similarities, but are different.
In a slump your skills and performance deteriorate. Suddenly you have no gas, no coordination, and are always a step behind in sparring. Those sparring partners you usually dominate start dominating you, tapping you out with ease.
Oftentimes there is an obvious reason for the slump (at least in retrospect). Maybe it was because you were overtrained, or fighting off a cold, or emotionally drained from work, or sleeping badly, or not training enough. In any case, you usually figure it out and your learning curve starts to go head in the right direction again. Most slumps are fairly short, on the scale of days to a few weeks. It's very frustrating while it's happening, but at least it's over quickly.
A plateau, on the other hand, happens when you stop making progress and get stuck at the same skill and performance level for a long time. You might be training just as hard as you always have, but you're just not getting any better.
Plateaus usually last longer than slumps, especially as you become more skilled. Plateaus typically last one to several months, and sometimes as long as half a year. To make matters worse, during this time your highly inconsiderate training partners insist on continuing to make progress, widening the gulf and leaving you in the dust.
Plateaus are usually more demoralizing than slumps. Anyone can handle having a bad day or two, but training hard and not seeing any obvious benefits or improvements from training is hard on the ego and can make anyone question themselves.
The underlying cause for skill plateaus is hard to diagnose, and definitely harder than figuring out why someone is in a slump. Furthermore, without knowing the cause for a plateau it's hard to prescribe a cure, so often one is just left with a shotgun approach to solving the problem. Sometimes people have some success in ending a plateau by changing their techniques, training regimen, diet or the amount of sleep they get, but the fact of the matter is that most people's skills improve in little steps, not in a smooth line. You work and you work and you work and then, all of a sudden, BAM! Your game jumps up one or two levels overnight!
My advice for dealing with plateaus: maybe try shaking things up in your training or conditioning routine, but mainly try not to get too discouraged and remember that everyone goes through this at some point. Definitely hang in there: everyone gets better eventually!
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In a slump your skills and performance deteriorate. Suddenly you have no gas, no coordination, and are always a step behind in sparring. Those sparring partners you usually dominate start dominating you, tapping you out with ease.
Oftentimes there is an obvious reason for the slump (at least in retrospect). Maybe it was because you were overtrained, or fighting off a cold, or emotionally drained from work, or sleeping badly, or not training enough. In any case, you usually figure it out and your learning curve starts to go head in the right direction again. Most slumps are fairly short, on the scale of days to a few weeks. It's very frustrating while it's happening, but at least it's over quickly.
A plateau, on the other hand, happens when you stop making progress and get stuck at the same skill and performance level for a long time. You might be training just as hard as you always have, but you're just not getting any better.
Plateaus usually last longer than slumps, especially as you become more skilled. Plateaus typically last one to several months, and sometimes as long as half a year. To make matters worse, during this time your highly inconsiderate training partners insist on continuing to make progress, widening the gulf and leaving you in the dust.
Plateaus are usually more demoralizing than slumps. Anyone can handle having a bad day or two, but training hard and not seeing any obvious benefits or improvements from training is hard on the ego and can make anyone question themselves.
The underlying cause for skill plateaus is hard to diagnose, and definitely harder than figuring out why someone is in a slump. Furthermore, without knowing the cause for a plateau it's hard to prescribe a cure, so often one is just left with a shotgun approach to solving the problem. Sometimes people have some success in ending a plateau by changing their techniques, training regimen, diet or the amount of sleep they get, but the fact of the matter is that most people's skills improve in little steps, not in a smooth line. You work and you work and you work and then, all of a sudden, BAM! Your game jumps up one or two levels overnight!
My advice for dealing with plateaus: maybe try shaking things up in your training or conditioning routine, but mainly try not to get too discouraged and remember that everyone goes through this at some point. Definitely hang in there: everyone gets better eventually!
Labels: Injuries, overtraining, the mental aspect
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Paulson Podcast
My friend and coach Erik Paulson was recently featured on the MMA Podcast Carson's Corner. It is a very interesting interview in which he candidly discusses his recent (triumphant) return to the ring, why he wasn't allowed to compete in the early UFC, and coaching such fighters as Ken Shamrock and Josh Barnett.bookmark this! del.icio.us | Digg it | reddit | Yahoo MyWeb | Google | StumbleUpon