The first stop on the standup grappling train was posture… and the next stop is:
Connection.
I talk a lot about the central importance of connection in Jiu-Jitsu for a reason: the better your connection, the more effortless and effective your technique will be….
To be honest, not a lot of people really get the concept of effortless connection, even if they are tough on the mat. And even more rare are Jiu-Jitsu practitioners who do get it, and can translate it to their standup grappling as well as their matwork.
The good news is that you can use this all-important principle anywhere in your Jiu-Jitsu, whether on the mat or on the feet!
As an example, today I’m breaking down a single underhook control from the clinch to a high single leg takedown.
In the video below, pay special attention to the details on the transition from the undertook to the leg – as well as to the placement of my shoulder right before I go for the takedown.
As is often the case with connection, these subtleties tend to be felt rather than seen…
A single underhook and a single leg takedown are very common in wrestling, and there are various ways to teach transitioning from the upper body control to the lower body control in this sequence.
If you were looking at snapshots between what I’m showing today and a similar transition that relied more on physicality, they may look the same. But here are the critical differences:
1) The way I’m demonstrating requires far less speed or explosiveness
2) Your opponent will feel an even greater loss of control and ability to defend
In other words, it’s good technique for anyone, but indispensable for anyone who wants to maximize effectiveness without having an advantage in strength or explosiveness.
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