What are the most prestigious Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments?

Have you ever met someone who said they were an "All-American" wrestling champion or some other sports hero in days gone by? Sometimes it's hard to know if these claims are true. It doesn't matter if it's just idle boasting, but if you are looking for a coach or teacher, it may be important to know if these claims are based on fact. Now it seems like BJJ is the newest competitive sport that generates dubious claims in bars and even on websites of martial arts schools, fight clubs, and instructors' biographies. For people not yet familiar to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling, anybody that puts something like "extreme ngxx grappling intergalactic submission champ" can be convincing. Hopefully the following will help those just getting into the sport to more quickly cut through the BS.

There are two organizations that run the premiere/top level tournaments in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission grappling. They are ADCC and IBJJF. There are two types of competitions that Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors train for. One is "no-gi" or submission grappling and the other is traditional Brazilian jiu-jitsu with the gi. Abu Dhabi Combat Club's no-gi submission grappling tournament is generally considered the top event for no-gi grappling. It is sponsored by the prince of Abu Dhabi and is a professional (money prize) competition held every other year. It has been around since 1998. Regulations stipulate that you must qualify through the many qualifying tournaments held around the world. Recently, ADCC has started an annual gi tournament with qualifiers. It has attracted top level guys but does not yet carry quite the same prestige as the nogi event.

The IBJJF is run by Carlos Gracie , a son of one of the Gracie jiu-jitsu founders and head of the ubiquitous Gracie Barra franchises. The world championships are held every summer. This is the event that attracts almost all the best competitors of every belt level. To win this event at the black belt level is considered by most to be the top goal of Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors. There have been only two USA-born champions (who do not have Brazilian family). One is the famous UFC champion BJ Penn in 1999. Alberto Crane shared a championship with a Brazilian teammate in 1997. Both of these competitors were pioneers who competed when the sport had far fewer participants overall. In IBJJF there are many weight classes, belt divisions and age divisions. One thing that be very misleading to many newcomers to the sport are claims of being a world champion when the person making the claim may have won at blue belt (second lowest skill level) in the senior 2 division (over 40 years old) to give an example. These divisons sometimes only have 2-3 competitors and the skill levels are NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME LEVEL as adult/open divison black belts. IBJJF also organizes a "No-gi World Championships." This is another top-tier event that attracts many of the best. Other IBJJF tournaments are noteworthy at the black belt level, especially the Pan-American and Pan-American nogi tournaments. Even lower belt divisions such as purple and brown belts can be very competitive at IBJJF tournaments.

NAGA, Grappler's Quest, USA Grappling, and other tournaments sometimes attract great competitors but titles here do not mean much in and of themselves because often events do not have many participants or at least high level ones. They are very "hit or miss" and are not as prestigious. Various Pro-Ams and other professional prize money tournaments have many great competitors but have not been around long enough for the titles themselves to be sought independently of the prize money the way IBJJF and ADCC titles are. Many events are not held regularly but are one-time events, or conversely in the case of NAGA and Grappler's Quest, they hold so many events that they are hard to keep track of even for die-hard fans.

A Brief History of the Belt Ranking System

The modern martial arts belt ranking system first started emerging in 1907 when the creator of Judo, Jigoro Kano, introduced the iconic Judo uniform and belt. Before that, his students practiced in traditional Japanese kimonos. However, back then there existed only two belt colors: white and black. White belts were those in the process of learning the fundamentals while black belts were students who mastered the basics, knew how to use them functionally and were ready to pursue Judo on a more serious and advanced level. The white coloring represented purity, avoidance of ego, and simplicity while the black symbolized a fuller repertoire of knowledge.

A popular belief within the martial arts community is that every student started off with a white belt then gradually it darkened in color from all the blood, sweat and tears of training. However, there exists no real historical evidence of this practice and it is generally regarded to be little more than a myth. Here is a list of the traditional Judo ranks:

6th grade (rokyu)
5th grade (gokyu)
4th grade (yonkyu)
3rd grade (sankyu)
2nd grade (nikyu)
1st grade (ikkyu)

1st degree (shodan)
2nd degree (nidan)
3rd degree (sandan)
4th degree (yodan)
5th degree (godan)
6th degree (rokudan)
7th degree (shichidan)
8th degree (hachidan)
9th degree (kudan)
10th degree (judan)

It was not until 1935 that other colored belts such as yellow, orange, green, blue and purple entered the ranking system. Mikonosuke Kawaishi is generally regarded as the originator of this practice when he started teaching Judo in Paris in 1935. He believed western students would show greater progress if they had a visible system of many colored belts recognizing achievement and providing regular incentives. This is very interesting because in many ways it reflects the contrasting views of the east and west. For example, people from Japan and other Asian countries are known for having a high degree of patience and a "long term" perspective of life. On the other hand, Americans have a reputation of thriving on quick results and focusing heavily on the "short term" future, made evident by the modern practice of black belt commercialization. This explains why Jigoro Kano never felt the need to have any more belt colors other than white and black while Judo was still only practiced in Japan. It seems as though the in-between plays a much more important role than the beginning and end in the eastern cultures, as shown by the way they practice their martial arts.

As Judo grew in popularity both within and outside of Japan, other martial arts began adopting Jigoro Kano's gi, belt, and ranking system for their own uses. Interestingly, if one were to randomly ask a person today the first thing that comes to mind after hearing "Japanese fighting style" he or she would most likely say "Karate" and envision a black belt practitioner donning a gi, when in actuality Karate originated outside of Japan and had nothing to do with the gi or belt system until the later days of its development.

Eventually, groundwork specialist Mitsuyo Maeda made his way to Brazil in 1914 and passed his knowledge of Judo to the Gracie family (and others), where over time it was modified and changed until it became a completely different art--Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Naturally, the gi and belt stuck around, serving as an eternal reminder of BJJ's roots.

These days, Jigoro Kano's contributions to the martial arts continue to live on. Enter any martial arts academy, be it for Tae Kwon Do, Jiu-Jitsu, or some other style, and you'll most likely see students wearing the traditional Judo uniform (or some variant of it) with various colored belts around their waists; striving to one day attain the coveted "black belt" status--an often misunderstood ranking within the martial arts community. This is largely due to the influx of martial arts films in the 1970s which often depicted fictional heroes boasting black belts in Karate and Kung-Fu; thus being unstoppable hand-to-hand combatants--a Hollywood vision that couldn't be farther from reality. In fact, these films became so popular that commercialized martial arts schools("McDojos") began appearing all over the country with intentions of profiting from them, and continue to fool the uninformed to this day. These illegitimate academies are notorious for offering lackluster instruction and promising "street-ready black belt status" in just a few short years, all while charging preposterously high membership fees. As one can tell just by looking at the average "8 year old black belt," this deceptive practice has heavily degraded the reputation of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and other traditional arts.

Belt promotions themselves are a subject of particularly high interest in the martial arts. As a student, one is always wondering what needs to be done to reach the next level and attain a higher ranking. Going back to Eastern philosophy, many people(mostly westerners) think more about the end than the in-between. They place too much focus on the "status symbol" of being at an advanced level, and not enough on actual training progress. It's a bit cliche, but the saying "the journey is more important than the destination" applies here. Requisites for belt promotion vary from instructor to instructor. One thing that sets Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu apart from other martial arts is the emphasis on live training as a basis for promotion. A student must be able to execute techniques properly against a fully resisting opponent rather than simply demonstrating a predetermined set of techniques to the instructor("kata") or taking a "belt test." If there's anything we can learn from the McDojos, it's that upholding standards, even at the expense of short-term monetary gain, is important in belt promotions. In this interview by FightsWeWant.com with John Danaher, one of the top Jiu-Jitsu teachers in the world, he shares his views on belt promotions and ranking:


FWW: Starting at white belt and every belt thereafter to black; what attributes do you look for in a student in order to consider them for elevation to the next rank both as it relates to their physical and mental approach to the art?

JD: The first and most important criteria for promotion is performance. Can you successfully apply your moves in live training in the gym against people in the belt category above yours? Or, for those who like to compete, have you consistently excelled in local competitions within your current rank? To this fundamental demand I add some other considerations. There may be some handicaps that a student has that soften my demand for performance. The age of the student, for example. I don't expect a 55 year old blue belt student to tap out 22 year old purple belts. I also look at the breadth and precision of the student's technique. If he consistently wins in class with only a few sloppy moves from a limited number of positions due mostly to advantages in strength and size, I will be reluctant to promote him until he improves his technical repertoire. In general I am fairly easy in giving out belts as I do not attach great importance to them. If you make Jiu-Jitsu a lifetime study (as I hope all my students do), the vast majority of your training years will be at black belt level and beyond, so the amount of time taken to acquire the various early belts is not a significant issue. In all truth, you do most of your learning over a life time post-black belt. Accordingly I see people growing into their belts over time, so I don't like to hold people back in rank forever.


On a final note, I encourage readers to explore the rich history of the martial arts. It's fascinating to look to the past and discover the roots of age-old traditions that not only still exist today, but continue to play a practical role. The next time you step into a Jiu-Jitsu class at Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh, remember: a black belt is just a white belt who never quit.

-Dino

Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh 2011 Recap

Two thousand twelve is here! The past year went really fast for me so writing this was a nice way to reflect on all the good memories. Challenges overcome are always good memories so I'll start with those. The toughest challenges were thrown at guys most of us respect. First, Lance Thompson had a very serious injury last December. I've heard that the number one reason purple belts don't move up the ranks is due to injuries. This is understandable having had one myself. It is amazing how such an obstacle can change your mental state. Injuries give some people a powerful reason to quit something, even when it is positive for them. Lance underwent surgery and came back even better than when he left! Mike Wilkins faced a different kind of challenge. After establishing himself as one of the areas best amateur MMA fighters, he decided to step up a level and go professional against the advice of the armchair critics and other people involved in mixed martial arts. He finally got a fight in Costa Rica. He lost at the very end of the first round (which he dominated) to a submission. It was a difficult way to lose after spending almost a year on improving his grappling. The critics and naysayers were vindicated, right? Wrong. Mike came back and had a dominating win in his first official pro fight right here in Pennsylvania. Heather Wiederstein also came back from injuries and losses.

The members of Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh participated in many competitions. In MMA we saw Mike Wilkins make his pro debut. Sean Clair made his amateur debut with a decision win over a tough 2-0 jiu-jitsu fighter. Lucas Burdette returned to the cage, fighting in the NAAFS organization after a long layoff. He came back strong with one of the most inspiring victories I've seen in my years watching MMA.

Heather Wiederstein and Curt Uniatowski stepped in the cage for the first time and fought hard but dropped decisions. In jiu-jitsu competition, I surprised myself by placing third in the black belt adult division (middleweight) at the Nogi Pan-Ams and third in the Miami Open black belt absolute division (www.ibjjf.org). While these are not the best tournaments in jiu-jitsu/grappling (that would be the IBJJF Worlds and ADCC), they are certainly top-tier competitions that few Americans (and no one training out of Pittsburgh) have placed in before. I have to thank all my training partners at RGA for getting me ready to compete successfully at a world level, especially considering the limited time I have to spend on my own training. On a less happy note, I was invited to compete in the Kerberus Pro Absolute and lost by footlock so quickly that I made Atos's highlight reel. As a team, we had a great showing at the Kumite Classic in Monroeville this past May. We dominated the white belt adult gi division. Individually we had many champs including Heather (gi and nogi), Jonas (gi and nogi), Phil, and Jarret Lewis (blue belt gi). We had several other place winners. At a local West Virginia tournament, Dave Ziegler took first place in blue belt gi and second in advanced nogi. Phil Norbeck took second in white belt gi. At the IBJJF New York Open, Dave took second in the blue belt division. He showed technical skill as well as toughness winning three matches in a tough, high-level event. Check out videos of the action on YouTube. We miss you, Dave! Jonas and Alex (youth division) also took first place finishes at Steel City's tournament during the summer. I think everyone who competed learned something valuable.

Some good friends and training partners are no longer training at the academy. Hopefully some will be back in the new year. Our membership numbers doubled. Heather organized some women's only training which brought women from other academies. Our kids program really took off in 2011. Jarret took the conditioning program to a new level. He continued his learning with a TRX certification and lots of hard training. Jarret also organized the David Clancy kettlebell seminar.
We had a world-class instructor from Brazil, Roger Ambrosi, join us for a few months. He brought a different perspective to classes and his championship technique to our school. He also did many private lessons and helped me with my training. I could not have competed at a high level in 2011 without training with Roger. Daniel Gracie awarded him his black belt in December at his home academy in Brazil. Roger and his wife Mel returned to Brazil not long ago so that he could undergo orthopedic surgery. We hope to see them back in Pittsburgh sometime in 2012.

We had plenty of social events and good times watching the UFC at bars and at our fellow members houses. Our year-end party was fun and lots of nice gear was won.

We hosted two seminars this year. The first was Igor Gracie. Since my son Jake was being born in Costa Rica, Logan helped organize the seminar. Everyone said Igor was an inspirational but down-to-earth guy and that they learned some valuable jiu-jitsu lessons. I think Mike Wilkins already dangerous guillotine got even meaner. I was really happy to bring my old teacher Shawn Williams to Pittsburgh and host his seminar. He showed us why he is such a respected teacher. We are still working on lots of the stuff he showed us.

Thanks to CPAMMA for attending the seminars and stopping by to train every now and then. We like having you! We have had many visitors who have added to our school by training with us and sharing technique. Will Durkee (adult purple belt pan nogi champ) and Garry Tonon (brown belt world gi and pan nogi champ) gave us great training and tips when they were in town.

We had many belt promotions in 2011. Here is a list:

Purple: Brendan Lupetin and Jarret Lewis



















Blue: Anthony Previte, Jason Coligan, Sean Clair, Chris Ripple, Casey Stapleton, Mike Mehalko, Doug Placko and Geoff Hogate.

Brendan and Jarret were the first purple belts I have given so they are extra special for me. Jarret got his blue from Jean Jacques Machado and Brendan got his from Renzo himself. Jason and Geoff started at Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh and are "home grown" (not in a Rastafarian way I don't think).

Thank you for the great camaraderie, great workouts, and for being members of the Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh Academy. I sincerely thank all of you. Unless the Mayans and ancient Indian Vedas writers are correct and the world ends, we are going to continue to grow and get better in 2012!

-Warren

Self-Defense vs. Sport Jiu-Jitsu at RGA Pittsburgh

I'm reposting this, which was originally a question from someone looking at our school for the first time. I've edited it a little and added some things. The question was: "Does your school focus more on sport or self-defense?" It is a good question and I had to reflect on it some before writing an answer. There are schools that focus on one or the other, if not exclusively then at least they state one or the other as a focus. For example, Gracie Torrence states that the main goal of their jiu-jitsu is self-defense. I think Alliance would be on the other end of the spectrum. There are both great schools and, although I have trained with students from both, I have never been at either school for a class. Below is what I feel is the focus of our school. Individual members may have a different focus. Hopefully the response will give you a better idea of what our guiding principals are at Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh.


Robert,

Sorry that it took me a while to respond. I saw your message when I was training in NYC and wanted to provide a more thoughtful answer than was possible on my Blackberry while sitting at a restaurant with other people.

I do not think we are really about competition or self-defense. What I think we emphasize is more like personal development. For example, use the following as an analogy: someone who enjoys mountain biking is not necessarily doing it for competition and may not use his bike as transportation to and from work. It is more of a game that the person derives challenge and other benefits such as health and camaraderie from.

The techniques of jiu-jitsu were developed from both sport and martial-craft/self-defense over the centuries. There has always been a co-mingling between the two different expressions of jiu-jitsu and more generally grappling. One of the modern geniuses of martial arts, Kano Jigoro, (founder of Judo), emphasized training/competing with a resisting opponent. He felt that this type of training was the only way to truly learn how to apply techniques even if they were martial or self-defense applications. Another way of saying this is that the only way to develop effective self-defense skills is to hone them in a competitive environment. This can be friendly competition among classmates among classmates or high-level international sport. The venue doesn't matter. At Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh we adhere to this philosophy. Renzo Gracie (one of my teachers) believes this and has had extensive "street" experience and teaching experience with NYC and Rio De Janeiro special police units. Katas, or as we say in western martial arts, "shadow boxing" and drilling techniques is important but cannot, on their own, realistically make someone competent in a high pressure, real situation.

To answer your question in a more specific way, the techniques we teach/practice, especially in our beginners ("fundamentals jiu-jitsu classes) will be effective outside the academy on the street or in entry-level competitions. They will give you a good base. You will not see "defense to a chair strike" or how to disarm a knife-wielding person. There are places which teach this. I do not think there is strong evidence that it really helps in life and death or seriously stressful situations. I feel that, as a black belt, I would be at a serious disadvantage against a sixteen year old kid with a five-inch blade. Furthermore, some of the benefits I would receive from my training would not be specific techniques. Some important benefits may be more body awareness and clarity of mind under stress. I do believe that I am safer and more confident due to my jiu-jitsu training and technique although this is tempered by understanding the limits of it. I hope this answered your question. See you in class.

-Warren

New to Jiu-Jitsu? What to expect Q & A:

Q: What should I do if I would like to try a Jiu-Jitsu class, a fitness class, or a private class?

A: Fill out the simple contact form under the contact tab on our webpage. Someone will get in touch with you soon. Alternatively, just stop by the school 10 minutes or so before a class and speak with an instructor. See our schedule page on the website http://www.renzograciepittsburgh.com/for class times.

Q: What should I do once I arrive?

A: Introduce yourself to the instructor, fill out the participation waiver completely, tell the instructor a little about yourself and your background in athletics and fitness if any, and ask questions.

Q: Who can do Jiu-Jitsu?

A: Anyone who is healthy enough for exercise can participate. In your class you will find people from ages 14-50+. Most fundamentals classes include beginners as well as a few more experienced participants who often help new students with the techniques. Both men and women participate in our classes. Our women students can elect to train with other women or with anyone in the classes.

Q: What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

A: It is a grappling-based martial art that teaches how to control a resisting adversary through the use of leverage, timing and creating situations that utilize strength imbalances. As a sport and activity it is one of the fastest growing worldwide. Mixed martial arts (MMA), of which BJJ is a integral part, is the fastest growing sport in the world in terms of revenues and viewership.

Q: Will I get hurt in class?

A: Our Fundamentals Jiu Jitsu program is designed though years of experience to minimize the chances of injuries. Instructors monitor students training constantly and also ensure that the environment is safe. For example very large and athletic people are paired with people of similar stature. There are no strikes in the fundamentals program. As with any contact sport there is some risk.

Q: Do you have women in your school?

A: Yes. We have several women members.

Q: What does it cost?

A: We offer beginners a free introduction lesson. After the introduction lesson you can stay and watch a class. If you can't make a class just come by and watch. Meet the intructor and talk to other members. If you would like to try some classes in a more hands on way before joining us they we offer a 5 day unlimited pass for just $20 for new prospective members. If you would like to stay with us after that ask an instructor to go over payments options with you. Our prices start at $89-140 month for adult classes and start at $65 for youth.  Those with at least 6 months of Brazilian Jiu jitsu, or extensive grappling, judo, or wrestling get 5 days unlimited training free. Visitors from other academies are free.

Q: Do I have to be an athlete to do your classes?

A: No! Most people are fit enough to start our classes. You can go at your own pace.

Q: What is a typical class structure?

A: 10-minute warm-up, which is designed to create heat in the muscles and develop basic movement skills from Jiu-Jitsu. 40 minute of instructions and drilling techniques. 10 minute of live positional training.

Q: Do you have showers?

A: Yes, we have two showers.

Q: I’m new in the area, is your school a good place to meet new friends?

A: One of the best things about Jiu-Jitsu is that it brings people together. We cultivate a friendly atmosphere in class and often have events which can include an informal get-together at a bar to watch the UFC, a group trip to New York City main Renzo School, an academy party, or going to an MMA event to watch your friends compete.

Q: What is a “gi”?

A: A “gi” is the training uniform used by Judo and traditional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Unlike some martial arts that use uniforms for dress only, our gis are very functional. They are a training tool that teaches skills. Grips and holds use the gi so it is much heavier and stronger than uniforms used in Karate for example. In addition to being a teaching tool the gi is also important for building self-defense skills since in Pittsburgh we often wear jackets when we are out on the street. We also have classes which are no-gi . Ask an instructor how you can get a gi.

Q: Should I train with the gi or without (no-gi Jiu-Jitsu)

A: You should do both no matter what your goals are. The gi teaches posture, help make your defensive skills crisp and builds certain types of physical strengths. These are just some of the benefits. Training without a gi builds speed and sharpens certain offensive skills to name a few benefits. It is a lot of fun to learn different holds and movements for each discipline as well as seeing where techniques intersect or need to be modified. There are competitions both with and without the gi. Most of the top competitors are champions in both. Most good MMA fighters train both gi and no-gi at different times.

Q: How do I get a gi?

A: Ask an instructor at Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh when you arrive and they will help you. We sell top quality gis at good prices.

Q: Do the classes teach you how to fight like fighters in the UFC and other MMA events?

A: UFC fighters and most professional MMA fighters spent years training and are full time fighters. Many are also exceptional athletes. Most of the best ones train or started training in a school like Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh. You will immediately be more of an educated fan of MMA by participating our classes. After more time you will learn to use many of the most important skill that top MMA fighters use.

Q: What should I do if I want to compete in mixed martial arts or sport Jiu-Jitsu?

A: Join our school and participate in our classes! UFC champions Frank Edgar and George St. Pierre are often seen in public classes at Renzo’s in NYC. You should be prepared to dedicate lots of time and work. It is not an overnight process but months and years of training. Anyone who wants to compete can do so at some level if they can dedicate the time and effort. Many of our members do not compete. Some of the most respected Jiu-Jitsu practitioners have never competed.

Q: Will I get in shape and lose weight by doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

A: Without a doubt, yes. We have had many members loose over 20lbs in a couple of months and change their body composition to one with less fat and more muscle. There is no other activity that, in one hour, does as thorough a job of mixing resistance training, endurance/cardio, balance, coordination and flexibility as BJJ or grappling arts. Other benefits are breath control, hand and core strengthening and mind/body connection. Almost all muscles are worked. Metabolism is raised so calories are burned not just in class but also throughout the rest of your week. Our conditioning classes offer an extra boost to get you in shape even faster since we feel physical fitness is so important.

www.renzograciepittsburgh.com

Jiu-Jitsu Techniques and Position Outline

The amount of technique in jiu jitsu can be overwhelming especially when you are new to the activity. It helps to organize it into categories and names. The Japanese did this very well with Judo. Techniques are grouped into two general categories for example, ground and standing techniques. There are subgroups under this. Wrestling has not done as thorough of a job of naming and organizing techniques. Organization and naming is, in my opinion more important in the beginning learning stages of jiu jitsu. Because competitive rules and, hence, priorities in jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts are so different than Judo, and other techniques not used in Judo are involved, the following can serve as a guide to organizing jiu jitsu techniques. Another reason I believe that Judo names don’t suffice is that something is lost in using Japanese language words for English speakers. [1]

John Danaher, who is recognized as one of the world’s top jiu jitsu instructors by many people in the community, attempts to define the goal/purpose of jiu jitsu techniques as the science of winning a fight by control leading to submission of the adversary. This definition brings up the possibility of two groups of techniques; control techniques (including techniques that put the executor in a better position) and submission techniques. The following is an outline of these two groups with major subgroups listed.

Control Techniques

1. Takedowns

a. Throws

b. Leg attacks

c. Trips and foot sweeps

d. Sacrifice takedowns

e. Pulling opponent to your guard

f. Snapdowns and head control pulldowns

g. Go behinds

h. joint pressure and submission attempts that solicit reaction

2. Sweeps/reversals

a. Hip rolls

b. Hook sweeps

c. Rolling/”berimbolo sweeps”

d. Spider guard sweeps

e. Leg attack sweeps

f. Arm and head crank sweeps

g. Drags

h. Hip bumps

i. Cross corner control or “flower sweeps”

j. Go behinds

3. Pins

a. Side control

b. Knee on stomach

c. Headlock

d. Mount

e. Back control

The Basic submission categories are:

1. Chokes

a. Strangles

b. Blood chokes

c. Windpipe crushes

2. Armlocks

a. Elbow locks

b. Wrist locks

c. Shoulder cranks

3. Leglocks

a. Knee bars

b. Straight footlocks

c. Twisting leglocks

4. Neck and Spinal attacks

a. Neck cranks

b. Facelocks

c. Spine attacks

5. Crushes

a. Muscle crushes

b. Tendon and bone crushes

c. Joint openers

6. Other submissions that can be important but are either not specifically a technique or are not relevant to grappling are Fatigue, Strikes, and pressure to soft tissues such as eyes.

Another way jiu jitsu techniques are organized is by positions. This organizational outline coincides with the point system of Brazilian jiu jitsu . It is simpler. It stresses starting positions and groups techniques by the positions they are initiated from.

1. Takedowns

2. Guard

a. Halfguard

b. Fullguard

c. Open guard

3. Side Mount

4. Knee on stomach

5. Turtle

6. Back Control

These positional categories are important for competitions. They are also very good for beginners to orient themselves while training. Under this organizational outline there is a clear hierarchy that allows a practitioner to know if he/she is gaining or losing the battle for control.

The postions are listed below in order from best to worst.

1. Back control

2. Mount (top)

3. Side control (top)

4. Guard (top and bottom) and also, both people standing on the feet are considered even positions but it is rare that one person does not have an advantage based on skill or size/athleticism.

5. Half guard

6. Side Control (bottom) and Turtle (bottom)

7. Mount (bottom)

At Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh our fundamentals program is built around the positional organizational outline. Focus is primarily on understanding these positions and how to move from one to the other. A secondary focus is on some of the basic submission categories from an offensive and defensive perspective particularly armbar techniques, chokes from the back, cross chokes, "kimura" lock, and triangle choke. Before Students move to blue belt level they should have an understanding of all of these positions and be able to move from one to another against resistance. At blue belt students should start to be able to use at least a couple of techniques from each of the three Control headings above against resistance. Blue belts should also be able to attack and defend Armlocks and Chokes. We work on basic leglocks particularly straight footlock in the bluebelt program as well as giulotines, and armtriangles without-gi.

After people get a basic understanding of positions some will focus on a few techniques and master them. For example armdrags can be applied as takedowns and sweeps. Someone could get very good at armdrags and not know any throws (under the general heading of Takedowns) or spider guard sweeps (under the general heading of reversals). If this armdrag expert was able to impose the opportunity to armdrag on opponents, then he may defeat an opponent with a more broad set of skills. Another way to illustrate this idea is by the following example: someone could learn a triangle choke from the guard, an armbar from side control, a single leg from the standing position, or, as an alternative, someone could learn how to apply a triangle from all three positions. Of course eventually, when someone has been learning jiu jitsu long enough these two paths merge. The issue is which one best serves beginners. I think the answer to this is very complex. It is also subjective for each individual depending on their goals and learning styles. At RGA Pittsburgh we emphasize the broad positional learning at the beginner level and introduce delving deep into one technique (to apply it to multiple positions) to some degree in our blue belt program. Lloyd Irving for example seems to focus on a few techniques in-depth and applied to many positions for his beginner competition team members. They have good success with this method usually in a relatively short amount of training time.

Another feature of our teaching system is that beginners focus on ground techniques and guard position in particular. After students get three stripes they are expected to start to learn takedowns and techniques applied from the standing position. There are several reasons for this that could be subject for another post. Hopefully the positional outline helps organize your thoughts on Jiu Jitsu technique. Please post comments and questions.

-Warren

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[1] Studying Judo terminology can be very interesting. A great resource is the book “Best Judo” by Inokuma and Sato