Core Jiu-Jitsu | Questions To Ask About Your BJJ Training

CORE BJJ& GRAPPLING |249 PERCENT ON TRACK

So 2 weeks into the initial program launch we’ve covered the first module of content and the reviews have been great.

But after watching the classes reactions to the technique and new situations being addressed I’m more sure than ever this is the missing link in what we were offering in our Jiu-Jitsu Program.

Seriously think about it…

How would it feel if push came to shove and you had to defend yourself against an aggressor but even after all the hours of martial arts training, had no answer for the situation you had to deal with because it was foreign to what you practiced???

Its kind of ironic that this situation was what gave Jiu-Jitsu the “almost unfair” advantage practitioners enjoyed for a long time over the rest of the martial arts community.

When you have an idea to use Jiu-Jitsu properly for a fight against someone totally ignorant to it what you are doing it’s almost like one guy throwing stones vs you taking aim with with a machine gun :)”

Take a look below at some great footage to illustrate the point taken from Rorion Gracie’s vault of footage

This type of dominance was great as a practitioner of BJJ, but times change and people learn.

Today we are witnessing a situation where just about every ”Joe” on the street has some familiarity with grappling and has seen a couple UFC events, and is adding what they have seen to their tool box of tactics.

While in the world of Jiu-Jitsu many of the powers that be have grown complacent and doing exact opposite, not addressing the most common situations that would face a student in a real fight and instead immediately focusing on what works best in a grappling tournament.

Now don’t get me wrong tourneys are great for a variety of reasons.

The quote below not the least of which take from 3^rd degree black belt Jorge Britto

Tournaments are good for you, if even only once because for most of us who aren’t professional competitors will never have that feeling of preparing and going to face a motivated and ready opponents and dealing with all the thoughts emotions and feelings that go with the process.- Jorge Britto

This quote is paraphrased and not an exact quote, as he delivered the message in a post training speech to the class in a way only he can do.

So while I’m not doing it complete justice I trust you get the general idea.

Best BJJ tournament highlight of 2014

Does your training focus match your goals? 

Competition is not for everyone, and if you don’t fit the category of the people focused on competing in sport BJJ and grappling events as your primary goal then you are probably looking to learn a system of self-defence which means you have to as yourself a few honest question about what you are doing a student training BJJ

Do you  know how to recognize, create & maintain a safe distance in a fight???

Is jumping guard your strongest plan in getting the fight/match to the ground??? 

Do you have a working knowledge of what to do with the most common attacks used by untrained individuals? Headlocks, Chokes, Bear hugs, Sucker punches & Headbutts ???????

For most students things are totally backwards.

I am not suggesting anyone go out and get in a fight, but why do new students looking to learn JiuJitsu better fitness a new hobby or so real world self-defence skills immediately get tossed into competitive sport BJJ training?? Often without ever addressing any of the tactics that come up in an a real fight situation.

I know it is totally backwards, but even with less than 10 percent of students actively competing in tournaments we can safely say +95 percent of the training done  in most academies revolves around tournament rules and scoring.

Where Core BJJ is different

At its base the Jiu-Jitsu taught at our Mississauga Martial Arts Academy is a self-defence system.

This means when you come to train as a new or experienced student. The Core Jiu-Jitsu classes won’t be start out revoloving around you winning tournaments vs other competitors in the same art, but more instead start out with basics of how to properly fall, move, punch,kick and deal with the most common tactics used by people who don’t train Jiu-Jitsu

Mark Twain said it best

There are some things that can beat smartness and foresight? Awkwardness and stupidity can. The best swordsman in the world doesn’t need to fear the second best swordsman in the world; no, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn’t do the thing he ought to do, and so the expert isn’t prepared for him; he does the thing he ought not to do; and often it catches the expert out and ends him on the spot.-  Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Long and short… This program while highly technique based, still gives the students a tool box of skills that begin with the goal of not getting HURT outside of the academy first and foremost.

Of-course we still have our competition sport BJJ/ grappling and mixed martial arts programs available for those looking to build and test their skills in the daily in the academy and at competitions but the goal of this new Core Jiu-Jitsu program is to lead the charge in giving local JiuJitsu practitioners a way to actually practice the “gentle art” gently and at the same time learn the base skills that make Jiu-Jitsu such a complete & powerful  martial art…

Think learning the tools of the trade and enjoying all the benefits of good training without all the needless rumble tumble and damage done to ones body, people often mistake for a solid training session…

p.s

A quick Summary of module 1 techniques covered in the last 3 classes

Phase 1

Footwork & movement to create safe range in or outside of the middle distance

Striking offense and defense to the jab, cross, right hook/ haymaker

Phase 2

Safety position

Takedowns- body lock & leg hook

Phase 3

Trap and roll mount escape from 2 hand positions (on or off the body)

Headlock escape to armlock from the mounted position

see you on the mats

 Core Jiu-Jitsu Quickstart form