UNIFYING THEORY OF BJJ

You can bet that Marcelo Garcia understands this

Most things in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu goes back to having proper Base, Posture and Structure in everything you do. If you have these three things, then you have proper Alignment. Per Island Top Team’s Rob Biernacki, our goal in BJJ is to take our opponents so far out of proper functional alignment that they fail and concede to dominate positions of submissions.

Let’s look at it as if you and your opponent each start with three points (which would be base, posture and structure), and both of you are trying to win a numbers battle against one another:

· If the score is 3 to 3, then don’t attack until you incrementally reduce your opponent’s score (by effecting one of the three)

· If it’s 3 to 2, you can attack with specific things

· If it’s 3 to 1, then you can attack with most things

· But if the score is 3 to 0, then you can attack anyone in the world with any functional technique you prefer, and you will most likely succeed

One important thing we always look to do is changing a frame into a lever, or a lever into a frame. This single idea will help elevate one’s game if they only tap into it. A simple example being, your opponent is pushing on your chest (frame), and you turn your shoulders thus changing the angle and deflecting their arm to the side (lever). A more complex example is being in someone’s Spider Guard when their foot is on your biceps (frame), but then you grab their pant and extend your hips thus changing the angle and deflecting their leg (lever).

Think about these things the next time you’re rolling against someone, or if you’re watching a great match being two skilled opponents. See if these ideas don’t ring true.

Learn. Drill. Roll. TRANSFORM!