At Jiu Jitsu, we know that starting your Jiu Jitsu training journey can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to essential drills and techniques for beginners.
In this post, we’ll cover fundamental positions, basic submissions, and crucial defensive techniques that will form the foundation of your practice. These skills will help you build confidence on the mat and progress in your training.
Mastering Fundamental Jiu-Jitsu Positions
The Guard: Your First Line of Defense
The guard stands as the most important position in Jiu-Jitsu. This position is crucial for defense, as it allows the bottom practitioner to protect themselves from strikes and submissions while setting up attacks. From here, you can launch attacks with submissions or sweep your opponent to gain a dominant position. To practice the guard, keep your opponent close, control their posture, and always maintain at least one foot on their hip or in their bicep.
Mount: Dominate from the Top
The mount position puts you on top of your opponent, straddling their torso. This powerful offensive position allows you to rain down strikes (in MMA) or set up various submissions (in Jiu-Jitsu). To maintain mount, keep your hips low and your feet tucked tight to your opponent’s body. Practice transitions to mount from side control and defend against common escapes.
Side Control: Pressure and Control
Side control involves pinning your opponent to the ground while lying perpendicular to them. This position offers excellent control and numerous attacking options. When in side control, apply pressure with your shoulder and hip while keeping your opponent’s far arm trapped. Practice transitions between side control variations and defend against common escapes like the elbow escape.
Back Control: The Ultimate Dominant Position
Back control often ranks as the most dominant position in Jiu-Jitsu. From here, you have access to powerful submissions while your opponent struggles to defend. To maintain back control, use the “seatbelt” grip (one arm over the shoulder, one under the armpit) and keep your hooks (feet) inside your opponent’s thighs. Practice smooth transitions to the back from other positions and defend against escape attempts.
At Souza Grappling Co., we emphasize these fundamental positions in our beginner classes. Our experienced instructors will guide you through proper technique and help you develop the muscle memory needed to excel in these key aspects of Jiu-Jitsu. Mastering these positions takes time and consistent practice, so don’t feel discouraged if they feel awkward at first.
Now that you’ve learned about the fundamental positions, let’s move on to the basic submissions every beginner should know. These techniques will help you capitalize on the dominant positions you’ve just learned and give you the tools to finish a match effectively.
Mastering Basic Submissions in Jiu-Jitsu
At Souza Grappling Co., we believe that mastering basic submissions is essential for beginners to progress in their Jiu-Jitsu journey. These techniques not only help you finish matches but also improve your overall understanding of body mechanics and leverage. Let’s explore four essential submissions that every beginner should focus on perfecting.
Armbar from Guard: The Classic Finisher
The armbar from guard is a fundamental submission that teaches you to use your legs for control and your hips for power. To execute this technique effectively:
- Control your opponent’s posture
- Trap their arm
- Swing your hips to isolate the joint
- Execute a classic armbar on your opponent’s right arm
- Ensure a tight finish
A common mistake is to rush the finish – take your time to secure the position before applying pressure. This technique requires patience and precision.
Triangle Choke: Legs as Weapons
The triangle choke showcases the power of using your legs to submit an opponent. This technique requires proper angle creation and hip movement. When practicing:
- Pay attention to the placement of your legs around your opponent’s neck and arm
- Pull down on the head while simultaneously raising your hips to tighten the choke
Rear Naked Choke: Dominate from the Back
Once you’ve achieved back control, the rear naked choke becomes your go-to submission. This technique relies on proper hand placement and body positioning. When drilling:
- Slide your choking arm under the chin without alerting your opponent
- Engage your entire upper body for maximum efficiency (not just your arms)
Kimura: Versatile Joint Lock
The Kimura is a versatile submission that you can apply from various positions. This shoulder lock teaches you the importance of grip fighting and leverage. When practicing:
- Isolate your opponent’s arm
- Use your entire body to create the necessary torque
- Avoid relying solely on arm strength – use your hips and core to generate power
At Souza Grappling Co., our experienced instructors break down these submissions step-by-step, ensuring you understand the mechanics behind each technique. We emphasize regular drilling of these submissions to develop muscle memory and improve your execution under pressure.
As you practice these submissions, focus on setting them up correctly and maintaining control throughout the process. With consistent practice and guidance from our expert coaches, you’ll soon find yourself confidently applying these submissions in both training and competition scenarios.
Now that you’ve learned about basic submissions, it’s time to explore essential defensive techniques and escapes. These skills will help you protect yourself and create opportunities to counter-attack when you find yourself in unfavorable positions.
Essential Defensive Techniques and Escapes in Jiu-Jitsu
Bridging and Shrimping: Foundations of Defense
Bridging and shrimping form the cornerstone of many defensive techniques in Jiu-Jitsu. Bridging involves lifting your hips off the ground to create space and potentially disrupt your opponent’s balance. Shrimping (also known as hip escaping) requires you to move your hips away from your opponent while on your back.
To practice bridging, lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground. Push through your feet to lift your hips as high as possible. For shrimping, start on your back and use your feet to push your hips away from an imaginary opponent, turning slightly to your side.
These movements should become automatic. Practice them regularly to achieve smooth, efficient motions. Many top competitors attribute their success to mastering these basic movements.
Guard Retention: Protecting Your Position
Guard retention involves maintaining your guard position when an opponent attempts to pass. A strong guard retention game can frustrate even the most skilled opponents.
One effective guard retention drill starts in a seated or supine guard. Use your legs to pummel inside your partner’s arms or legs. Maintain grips or frames with your hands as you switch sides.
Grip fighting plays a key role in guard retention. Always monitor your opponent’s grips and work to break them before they establish control. This proactive approach can prevent many guard passes before they begin.
Escaping Mount: Regaining Control
The mount position places your opponent on top of you, straddling your torso. Learning to escape this dominant position is essential for survival and creating opportunities to improve your position.
The elbow-knee escape is a fundamental technique for mount escapes. Start by trapping one of your opponent’s legs between your elbow and knee on the same side. Bridge strongly to disrupt their balance, then use the space created to slide your knee in and recover guard.
Breaking Free from Side Control
Side control puts your opponent perpendicular to your body, pinning you to the ground. Escaping this position requires creating space and turning into your opponent.
The frame and hip escape is a classic technique for side control escapes. Establish strong frames against your opponent’s neck and hip, then use a shrimping motion to create space and recover guard.
At Souza Grappling Co., we allocate significant time to drilling these escapes. Our instructors emphasize the importance of timing and explosiveness in executing these techniques effectively.
Defense in Jiu-Jitsu is not passive. Active defense often leads to offensive opportunities. As you practice these techniques, try to find ways to transition from defense to attack. This mindset will elevate your game and make you a more well-rounded practitioner.
Final Thoughts
Mastering fundamental positions, basic submissions, and defensive techniques forms the foundation of effective Jiu-Jitsu training. We covered key positions like guard and mount, along with essential submissions such as the armbar and triangle choke. These skills serve as building blocks for more advanced techniques as you progress in your Jiu-Jitsu journey.
Consistent practice of these techniques develops muscle memory, allowing for more natural execution during sparring or competition. Regular drilling improves your ability to apply these moves efficiently and effectively on the mats. Your progress in Jiu-Jitsu depends on dedicated repetition of these core skills.
Nothing compares to hands-on instruction from experienced practitioners for your Jiu-Jitsu training. We invite you to join us at Souza Grappling Co. for expert guidance in a supportive environment. Our facility offers opportunities to improve fitness, learn self-defense, and become part of a vibrant community (all under the watchful eye of skilled instructors).
