Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

BJJ is THE ground fighting system, period. If you want to learn to fight or defend yourself on the ground, and you should, you need to train BJJ. The system takes a "position then submission" approach, where practitioners learn to maintain, attack, and escape from every conceivable position on the ground. BJJ has roots in judo, but has gone far beyond with respect to ground fighting.

Self Defense Considerations

For self defense, it's important to keep in mind that there are no strikes in BJJ. You'll need to add striking and dirty tactics to the mix. But like our recommendations for stand up grappling, it makes sense to begin training without strikes and add them in once you've got a solid grappling base. Although "going to the ground" is not ideal in a self defense situation, you never know where you'll find yourself. And, the best way to avoid ending up on the ground and being dominated there is to train clinch and Brazilian jiu jitsu + striking, so you'll be better able to avoid it.

BJJ Techniques

There are countless techniques and variations on positions in BJJ. The positions and techniques listed below are those that we feel are fundamental and a necessary base for ground grappling training for self defense.

Ground vs. Stand Up

• Kicking
• Rotating
• Proper Stand Up
• Sweeping

Ground vs. Kneeling

• Kicking, pushing
• Scissors Sweep
• Push Sweep

The Guard

Maintaining the Guard

• Closed Safe Guard
• Closed and Open Striking Guard

Basic Escapes from Guard

• Elbow Escape
• Stand up with groin punch

Locks and Chokes from Guard

• Kimura
• Guillotine
• Straight Arm Bar
• Getting the Back
• Triangle
• Omoplata

The Mount

Basic Escapes from Mount

• Buck and roll (arm and foot control)
• Buck, squeeze, and roll
• Buck, fists in pelvis, to guard
• Buck and throw
• Feet Under Arms
• Feet Over Shoulders

Attacking from Mount

• Striking
• Chokes
• Straight Arm Bar
• Americana

The Headlock

Escape from Headlock

• Face push with head lock (leg)
• Arm Frame
• Step Over
• Climb Over
• Walk Around

Attack from Headlock

• Striking
• Arm Bar with Leg
• Bent Arm Lock with Leg
• Step Over Arm Bar

Knee-in-Stomach

Escapes from Knee-in-Stomach

• Push and Shrimp
• Scoot Under

Attacks from Knee-in-Stomach

• Striking
• Face Turns
• Straight Arm Bar

The Side Mount

Escape from Side Mount

• Shrimp to Guard
• Leg Over Head
• Shrimp to North-South

Attack from Side Mount

• Arm Across Face w/ Striking
• Arm Bar
• Americana
• Kimura

BJJ Training

All training in BJJ revolves around sparring or wrestling. A technique is learned, drilled in isolation with progressive resistance, and then quickly thrown into the sparring mix, just as detailed in our training and clinch sections.