One thing I’ve liked about having our BJJ lesson plans mapped out is that everyone gets enough repetition to actually build reactions.
In Jiu-Jitsu, you don’t always have time to think your way through every position. Eventually, you need to recognize what’s happening and react.
That came up in class today when we spent some extra time working on the sprawl.
The Sprawl
I realized a few people were treating it almost like a burpee. Feet go back, body goes down, get back up.
That’s not really what we’re trying to accomplish.
A good sprawl is about takedown defense, but more specifically it’s about controlling the person with your hips.
If somebody gets in on a double-leg takedown or starts working underneath you on a single-leg takedown, you don’t want to simply throw your feet backward and give them space to adjust.
- You want hip pressure.
- You want your upper body controlling their position.
- You want to stop their forward movement and make it difficult for them to continue underneath you.
That’s the difference between just doing the movement and actually understanding what the sprawl is supposed to do.
Wrestling Fundamentals for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
It reminded me of some recent training I did in Ottawa with Tiago.
He’s known as a pressure passer, although I was actually surprised by how good his guard was. One thing we definitely agreed on was how valuable wrestling fundamentals are for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
And I don’t necessarily mean wrestling as a sport.
Every grappling sport has its own rules, and those rules change how people approach a match.
You can spend years developing takedowns and then compete in BJJ against somebody who grabs you and immediately jumps guard.
That doesn’t make wrestling useless.
Far from it.
Understanding hip pressure, how to use an underhook, when to use a whizzer or overhook, and how to control a scramble carries over everywhere in Jiu-Jitsu.
Wrestling Fundamentals and Finishing Sweeps
It becomes especially useful when you’re finishing sweeps.
A lot of modern BJJ involves the wrestle-up. You start from guard, come underneath somebody and turn the position into a single leg or a direct attack on the hips.
If I get there, I want to know I can finish.
I don’t want the other person sprawling, circling and shutting the whole thing down.
And when I’m defending, I want that same reaction working for me.
Educated hips are essential for all styles of grappling
That’s why learning to sprawl isn’t only important for people who consider themselves wrestlers.
Even if you train BJJ in Mississauga and have absolutely no interest in shooting takedowns, somebody is eventually going to try to get underneath you.
Someone will wrestle up from guard.
Someone will counter a sweep.
Someone will attack your hips.
Someone will put you into a scramble.
You need an answer for that.
Options From the Sprawl
From the sprawl, there are obviously a lot of directions we can go.
Sometimes you establish a front headlock.
Sometimes the D’Arce is there.
Sometimes you use a crossface to turn the person away and stop them from continuing the attack.
Sometimes you move into the Kimura trap, attack the single leg yourself or simply flatten the person out and establish control.
There are plenty of options.
But before worrying about all of those, learn to control the position properly.
That’s the foundation.
Learning the Basic Sprawl
I’m going to put up an older video I made for our BJJ basics curriculum covering the basic sprawl, along with an updated version showing a couple of the variations we’ve been working on in class.
It might look like a simple movement, but learning proper takedown defense, hip pressure and control in these situations is one of those fundamental Jiu-Jitsu skills that keeps showing up everywhere.
Whether you’re dealing with a double leg, single leg, wrestle-up or scramble, the principle is the same.
Know how to use your hips, control the position and stop the person from progressing.
That’s what makes the sprawl useful.
