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.