Author: Fighterside

If you have ever had to face a tall opponent on the mat, you undoubtedly felt intimidated. The opponent towers over you, you feel dwarfed in comparison and those long legs make it hard for you to pass guard. So what on earth can you do about that?

Far from being a disadvantage, being tall and lanky gives you plenty of advantages over your opponent. It’s hard for the shorter rival to pass guard, maneuver around you, or make a sudden move. From your vantage point, you have a clear view of the field, and can predict the next move of the opponent as they stare at your belt and figure out what to do next.

But since BJJ is not about fighting a smaller opponent, rather fighting a taller one and coming out victorious, we’ll look at things from both sides. From the little person’s view as well as the taller guy just to give you a clear picture. And we’re being literal here when we say little person. You can be small in size facing a larger opponent, yet BJJ teaches you techniques to control that opponent’s movement and render them harmless. So how about if you’re grappling with a tall opponent on the map? Do you need to change your strategy? You bet.

Overarching Strategy

Let’s keep in mind that once you get the opponent off their feet, that advantage becomes diminished. On the floor, you’re both equal. It’s true, their long legs are still a fortress that you will need to work around to conquer. But you just need to focus on bringing the game down to the mat if you want to increase your chances of getting a submission.

Whether you’re the taller player on the mat or the shorter one, you can benefit from the overarching strategy and take full advantage of it. It involves three aspects. 

Top or Bottom

Being the tall guy in the room means you have great advantage when it comes to grappling. Unless your height doesn’t come buttressed with equal width, your shorter opponent will not have any trouble lifting you off your feet and slamming you on the floor like a WWE stunt. But if you have the bulk, then you can make grappling a nightmare for the short guy.

Another advantage to being tall in grappling is that you attack from the top not from the bottom. Your arms are your best weapons both for attack and defense. Coincidently your arms are what you use and rely most on in grappling. So in a way you have a great advantage here attacking from the top. But what about the other guy?

If you are the shorter opponent then you need to reverse that strategy and attack from the bottom. This means paradoxically that you try to get into a top position. I’m thinking a scarf hold, or a side control. Why? Because then the tall guy’s advantage evaporates once you pin them in either of those positions. Neither their long arms nor tree-trunk legs will be of use to them anymore. 

Submission or Position

As the tall player, your goal is to get to submission straight away. Not as easy as it sounds, I know, but remember that you have great advantage on your feet on the mat facing a shorter player. The longer you delay your move toward submission, the more time you give the opponent to work out a strategy to topple you off your high advantage and level the playing field, so to speak. 

So what if you are the short player? In that case, you need to opt for the other strategy. Work to gain a position advantage first and then use that advantage to get a submission. Again, it’s important to take the game to the ground as quickly as you can and from there decide the best way to get into a top position that takes the opponent’s height out of the equation.

Pin or Spin

The tall guy has long legs. Those legs make it hard for the other player to try to pass guard. So while the opponent is busy finding an opening, you can use that advantage to get a submission and win the game right then and there. Meanwhile you need to watch out for what the shorter player might come up with. Namely, the pin or spin tactics.

Pin or spin are the tactics you can use to neutralize the tall player’s height advantage. Pin here refers to pinning their legs. The idea is by pinning the long legs, you’re using the opponent’s height against them. Think of the long distance between the feet and the hips. It makes it easy for you to force them off balance and take the game to a new level on the ground. When those heavy legs crumble to the floor, you not only bring the opponent down to your level, you actually open up an opportunity for a good follow up. A grip of the knees and spinning puts you exactly where you want to be. On top.

Hips and Toes

The idea that tall players have long legs can work both ways. They can use it to their advantage to keep attacking from the top and only go to the floor when they see their way clear to submission and the door is open. But then again it can be used to their disadvantage. That’s when the short player uses the pin and spin tactic to sweep the tall player off their feet. 

That’s where the hips and toes theory comes in. Here both BJJ players can benefit from this concept widely used and practiced in wrestling. If you noticed, wrestlers like to keep their hips low while their toes do most of the work. Keeping your hips low allows you to have more stability on your feet and as the opponent uses their grappling skills and body weight to force you down, your well-grounded hips keep you steady and balanced. 

The toes on the other hand, or rather feet, are the main contact point with the floor. The tall player avoids letting their shins, knees, or thighs touch the floor. Because in that case, all that heigh advantage is gone and the other player starts to build momentum. So while the short player does everything they can to turn it into a ground game, the tall player stubbornly stays on their feet.

Knee Action

Knees are important in MMA in general and BJJ in particular. How to use them or fend yourself against them depends on whether you’re the tall or short guy. The tall player is definitely on the defensive side against the knees. The space between the shoulders are hips is fair game for the short player to use their knees to pin down and control the tall opponent. If done correctly, the short player can end up with a huge positional advantage.

Which is exactly what every short player should aim for. That advantage doesn’t come easy. And of course you’ll have to take the lanky guy off their feet first. How else are you going to bring your knees up to their waist or back? But once you send them tumbling to the mat, you can follow up with your knees. In many cases, this can be a turning point in the game and the tall guy will remain on the defensive until you score a win.

Bottom Moves

Now comes the interesting part. You’re tall and lanky. You have been keeping the shorter player busy and with your grappling techniques and height advantage you finally went to the floor with a huge advantage both positionally and tactically. Now you can use your weight to control the opponent, frustrate them, and bring this game to its logical conclusion with a resounding submission. What could go wrong, right? Well, as it turns out, the short guy might have a few tricks up their sleeve. 

Even from a huge disadvantage as being at the bottom pinned under a hulking tall player, the short guy isn’t exactly defenseless. Not by a long chance. Otherwise, what’s the point of being a BJJ player if you can’t defend yourself even against a larger opponent. So it’s time to make some bottom moves to turn the tables on the taller player.

The first thing you need to do is create some space between you and the opponent. This space will become valuable as you work out a strategy to wriggle out of the tight spot you find yourself in. While the opponent will try to keep you close to control your movement, you’ll need to give yourself room. Use your legs and hips to push yourself off the mat. This will make it harder for the tall player to maintain their advantage. From there you can launch an attack for submission from the bottom. Now the path to victory is clear and near.

One of the first hard lessons that BJJ students have to learn is how to protect their guard. Guard passing is one of the ultimate goals of the discipline. Players spend countless hours honing their skills, learning different techniques, and adding their own flair to every technique and variation of a technique. 

5 tips to improving guard retention are:

1. Embrace conflict.
2. Focus on the big picture.
3. Use the element of surprise to your advantage.
4. Use key performance indicators.
5. Practice a lot.

That brings up the question, how do you improve guard retention. For every action there’s a reaction and if you want to progress and advance along the complex BJJ belt system, you will need not only to improve your offensive techniques but work on your defenses just as hard. So how would you go about improving guard retention and making it hard for your opponent to find an opening in your defenses? The following 5 tips are recommended by experts and advanced practitioners alike. 

Embrace Conflict

Each sport and discipline has its core values and principles that define that sport. In Judo, grappling is by far the main concept around which the whole discipline was formed. In BJJ, it’s all about the guard. How to retain your guard while at the same time pass the opponent’s guard is by far the most important question that you need to find an answer to. 

If you look closely you’ll notice that those are actually two questions not one. Each question carries about half of the BJJ discipline and defines its goals. We have talked about passing guard techniques before and covered them in great detail. Here we will talk about the other side of the equation. How to retain your guard and block the opponent’s attempts are passing it.

The first rule is never to shy away from conflict. As an MMA discipline, BJJ is all about facing the opponent, getting up close and personal to them, and engaging in various techniques to subdue and control the movement of that opponent. This in essence is the very definition of combat. In other words, it’s pure conflict. So if you somehow have a fear of facing an opponent whether on the mat or off the mat, you will have a huge problem learning how to retain your guard let alone pass that opponent’s guard.

Conflict here doesn’t mean you go about picking fights with strangers. It means to spar with your opponent on the mat. To learn how to size them up quickly, find their vulnerabilities and work out a strategy to take advantage of those weak points. In a battle where both opponents are equal in just about every skill, then the winner is the one who can strike a good balance between their defense and offensive approaches. 

The more you spar, the more you’ll learn about your own abilities and flaws. Your teacher would help you find some of your vulnerabilities and how to work on them, but for the most part, only facing an opponent on the mat is the real test. This is where you find out if you got it or not. 

It’s all about Perspective

Soul searching and introspection are important skills that you’ll need to develop and use to your advantage. After each class you go home thinking about what happened on the mat that day. Now there are two ways to go about this. Either focus on the small things and petty grievances or look at the big picture. So how do you go about doing that and how does it help you?

At class you’ll soon find that not all your classmates are as serious about the sport as you are. Some are there because they are curious. Others just want to let out steam. There are players who want to progress and got their eyes on the ultimate prize, the black belt. While many will not make it past the current belt. So where does that leave you?

Somewhere in the middle at best. Now each of those players have their own goals and perspectives. It’s easy to get lost. Especially if you allow the less serious players to interfere in your own game and goals. This is where being self-aware comes in. You use this valuable skill to stay on track. You don’t let distractions come in the way. You know what you want and you work hard to get there. And that’s what having a perspective means. To look at the big picture. 

BJJ is a journey. It’s a long journey that takes on average about 10 years if you want to get to the top among the black belt champions. Along the way hurdles will come in your way. Either studies, work, relationships, family, or any other distractions. But as long as you know your goal and stay focused on the path ahead of you, you will not get lost.

The Element of Surprise

Whether you’re trying to pass guard or retain guard, the element of surprise should always work to your advantage. At the same time you need to be wary of the opponent’s moves and be prepared for whatever they spring on you. Now many novices and students early on the path think that when facing an opponent on the mat there’s no room for surprises. You’re both standing there looking at each other intently and charting your path to a submission. So where would a surprise or an unforeseen event come from?

Out of thin air, that’s where. Much like a poker player, you want to keep your hand well hidden and your intentions obscure. Your face should not betray what goes in your mind. Your eyes should focus on your opponent as you work how to fend off anything he throws at you. His goal is to pass the guard. Your goal is to retain the guard. You’re on the defensive, yes. And that gives you an advantage. What is that advantage?

For starters, you wait calmly for the opponent to make their move. In many cases, especially with not so killed opponents, it’s easy to read their plans. A slight jerk of their arm or the way their free leg is poised lets you know which direction he’s going to go and what plan he has in store for you. With practice and lots of sparring and competition, it will become easier for you to read your opponent and subconsciously interpret their moves and posture so that you will totally eliminate the element of surprise off the equation.

But that’s not the case with a more experienced opponent. One of the first things you’ll learn as an advanced player who has left the basics way behind is to hide your plants. You stare at the opponent with a stony face. Don’t give anything away. That way they won’t know what your next move will be. With so many techniques and thousands of variations on these techniques, your options are almost unlimited. But it’s the same for the opponent as well. So hiding your intentions while trying to read your opponent’s will give you the element of surprise and help you retain your guard. 

Key Performance Indicators

As your teacher will undoubtedly tell you, you need to take a methodical approach to your training. Think of it this way, you have a huge discipline that is based on an even larger practice that goes back centuries ago. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Where do you start and how on earth are you expected to know all these techniques in one lifetime?

First off, you’re not expected to know every technique and master every variation out there. Not even the champs of the sport know all the techniques. But they cover as many as they can. Then they settle for a select group of techniques that they know inside out and add their personal touch to. 

It’s all about getting the basics, then moving on to the more advanced skills. And the key here is to know your limits and abilities. Work on your flaws and enhance your strong points. And the way to go about it is to measure your performance indicators. How will that help you with guard retention? Well, a whole lot actually.

The more skilled and experienced you are, the more well-rounded player you become. Some players focus on the offensive side of the game and neglect the defenses. Big mistake. You have to strike a balance between those two. You can ace passing the guard but against a skilled player you might find yourself in an undesirable situation very quickly.  This is why you need to know how you perform both on the offensive and when on the defense.

Practice, and Practice some more 

All the books and videos in the world will not make you a good BJJ player. Not until you step on the mat, face an opponent and put all those theoretical skills to practice, only then will you become a good player, both at passing guard and retaining it. Some students practice 5 times a week, others only once every other week. It’s up to you how you to want to 

What started and became popular in wrestling is now finding its way on the BJJ mat. I’m talking about the famous, or infamous depending on how you look at it, Nelson Hold. In wrestling, it’s all about pinning down the opponent. But as we’ll see, Nelson Holds are great when it comes to submission grappling in BJJ as well.

Whether it’s full, half, or quarter, the Nelson hold is one of the most ubiquitous techniques in the wrestling world. And in BJJ it’s also making its presence known because of the potential it holds for submission grappling in general.

So what’s the deal with this Nelson Hold? How many variations are there anyway? And why has it taken so long for BJJ to catch up and discover the potential in this ancient wrestling technique? We’ll answer all of these questions and more in this comprehensive guide. We’ll cover its history, get a little technical, and describe what makes it stand out, and then segue into the different variations and how to use them with maximum efficiency.

History of Nelson Holds

As far as names go, this one can’t be traced back to a concrete incident or person in history. Why was the Nelson Hold named like that? Or who was that Nelson? There’s no satisfying answer to any of these questions. However, if we dig deeper into wrestling folklore we might find a clue.

In the early nineteenth century, wrestlers used to talk about “putting the nelson” on someone. It was such a common term that street fighters would often use it to talk about their brawls. Since wrestling originated in Britain and crossed the pond with the first immigrants, then we can turn our gaze that way and look for a famous or semi-famous Nelson to fit the bill.

Horatio Nelson was a Vice-Admiral in the British fleet and he was the one that single-handedly put a stop to Napoleon Bonaparte’s dreams of adding Britain to his great empire. After the battle of Waterloo, the French armada was decimated, Nelson triumphed, and Napoleon never recovered from the defeat. Mind you, Nelson never went one on one with Napoleon nor was he known for his wrestling proclivities.

It’s easy to see why Nelson entered the cultural scene and took center place in people’s daily lives. Without him, Britain would probably be speaking French now along with the rest of Europe. So to use his name to a popular hold that even kids used in the street brawls seems like the least the Brits could do. And from there, the term traveled to the New World where it became a common name in American Folkstyle wrestling.

But why Nelson? What’s so special about this maneuver that made it survive the journey across the Atlantic, set roots in American soil, and grow in popularity that it too invades the streets, bars, and wrestling joints in the New World? The answer to that is as involved as the question itself. So let’s get up close and personal to the Nelson hold and see what makes it such a durable feature of the wrestling lore. In other words, let’s get technical and deconstruct this famous technique into its basic components.

The Technical Nitty-Gritty of Nelson Holds

So what is the nelson hold exactly? The first thing you need to be aware of is your body position and posture in relation to the opponent. To get a Nelson to work properly in your favor, make sure you’re in a perpendicular position. It’s true this is more specific to the half-nelson, but as we’ll see later, the half-nelson is the more popular of all the nelson varieties so much so that when you talk about nelson, most people would think of the half rather than full or quarter nelson.

To have a perpendicular position over your opponent on the mat is more suitable to BJJ rather than to wrestling. The rules in wrestling have changed but from a submission grappling point of view, this is your ideal posture. Whether you’re going on the offensive or assuming a defensive position, the nelson has got your back. How is that?

For one thing, when you’re on the defensive and you’re perpendicular to your opponent, that means you don’t have to worry about the rival tripping, rolling, or trapping. You’re perfectly safe from any of that and you’re fully prepared for what’s coming. As we all know, on the mat, a slight error of judgment can be detrimental to the whole match.

And if you’re on the offensive, then going head to head with the opponent allows you to execute the flank push most effectively. Just think about it. You’re both facing each other, and that leaves the opponent to your offensive since the nelson gives you much room to maneuver and take it wherever you want to go with it. As a result you can utilize your own weight as leverage which has many advantages.

The other thing that has contributed to the durability of nelson holds is the hand position. The underlying laws of the nelson hold is how you apply leverage. Your hand position can make or break the whole hold and either render it useless or lead you to the desired outcome of getting closer to a submission. Here you need to pay attention to two things.

The first is the opponent’s elbow. You need to apply as much force as possible near the elbow. The other is the top of the head. That’s where the second point of contact is and in many ways the one that really gives you full control over the opponent’s movement and whole posture.

An alternative is to work on the underarm and neck of the opponent. But that position doesn’t give you as much power as you hope and is easy for the opponent to weasel their way out of it as we will see later.

Whichever mechanical position you go for, always remember to go for the side nearest to you first. This paves the way for you to secure the other side as well. But if you reach out to the far side, you basically undermine your hold and allow the rival to escape without much difficulty. Not to mention that your stability and your own posture would be in question. You could easily trip or lose balance which backfires spectacularly.

If you keep all these points in mind when executing a nelson, your opponent will not be able to raise a defense that would reverse your hold and turn it against you as you undoubtedly have seen it happen many times before.

So what is the purpose of the nelson hold? Well, oftentimes it’s used for one of two goals.

• Positional control: This is by far the most common purpose of the nelson hold. You apply the hold to take control of your opponent’s position. The idea is by controlling the rival’s head, you also have their spine under your control which allows you to secure the whole abdomen area. How does that help? Well, you have many options when you have control over the spine and abdominal areas. You can force them down on the mat, control their movement as you plan your next move, or bring them underneath you. Each scenario ensures you have great advantage and gets you closer to a submission.
• Punishment: When you feel that your opponent is acting all cocky or have an edge energy-wise, you can use the nelson hold to put them back in their place or just exhaust them. As they struggle to escape the hold, they will use every extra reserve of energy in their body, which evens the field and allows you to subdue them and turn things around in your favor. Just think of how hard for them to breathe when you clamp their head down which cuts the oxygen supply to the head rendering their body limp and ready to submit.

Nelson Holds Varieties

Even though the rules of BJJ have rendered most of the varieties of the nelson hold rather redundant, we can still look at some of the wrestling versions for inspiration. In addition to all the benefits we detailed above when talking about the technical aspect of the nelson hold, it also provides some tactical advantages that you just can’t overlook or ignore.

For the purpose of our guide, the nelson hold has four varieties:

• Full nelson hold.
• Three quarter nelson hold.
• Half nelson hold.
• Quarter nelson hold.

We will focus here on the last two. The half nelson hold deserves a whole guide on its own since it’s the one widely practiced both in wrestling rings and on BJJ mats. The quarter nelson also has a lot to offer if you spend enough time to learn all its nuances.

Half Nelson

The thing about the half nelson is that it’s so versatile and gives you lots of power and leeway, you can perform it either from a standing position or on the mat. And the best part is, you can execute the move flawlessly from either position and take it to the desired outcome without much compromise.

What the half nelson lacks in control over the opponent’s body compared to the full nelson, it more than makes up for it in the mobility. You’re able to distribute your weight around to gain the most advantage and use your body as leverage. It also gives you many points of attack to focus on which means your opponent will be at a loss mounting up a defense since they don’t know how you will attack.

But that’s not all. The half nelson also allows you to launch your attack without ever losing your grip. It doesn’t get any better than that. While the opponent is physically restrained and totally under your control, you’re ready to make your move and launch an offensive that leads to submission. Put simply, the half nelson gives you a whole lot of dominant positions to choose from and surprise your almost defenseless opponent.

In general, the half nelson is often used for one of three possible goals.

• Pins: To say that the half nelson was designed with pinning in mind is an understatement. Everything about the half nelson calls for you to perform a pinning. In wrestling this works best in the turtle position where you apply the half nelson to pin the opponent’s stomach to the ground. In BJJ, you have the same option which means the turtled opponent is now open for an attack from the rear. Or you could pin them down in the turtle position without any ability to move. Just use your free arm to control the far hip of the opponent and you get yourself a strong hold over their body. Another option is to go for side control from the half nelson which leads to a secure pin as well.
• Transitions: It’s easy to transition from the half nelson. That underhook is all you need to transition to a back control. With the rival’s head and posture practically under your control you can virtually get control over the other arm and set yourself up for a great offensive. As with pins, all you need to do from the turtle position is to control the far hip and you can keep the rival motionless while you figure out your next move. 
• Takedowns: As you will probably know it’s not easy to perform a takedown on your opponent from the top with a half nelson. So what you’re really trying to do is go the side and launch your offensive. You can do this by either a duck drag or pushing an arm under the body of the opponent. However, it’s taking the fight to the ground that really makes the half nelson almost indispensable in every student’s repertoire. This is true for rear locks when the half nelson is the go-to technique to get down to the ground quickly.

Quarter Nelson

If the half nelson was the backbone of most wrestling moves, in BJJ, it’s the quarter nelson that really gets you where you want to go especially for the purposes of submission grappling. The reason has to do with the differences between wrestling and BJJ in their definition of the turtle position or “hands and knees”.

In that position, the head and spine form a straight line and the eyes of the opponent is straight at the floor. However, new variations mean the head sometimes goes up and breaks the line forming from the spine to the head. It’s a subtle difference but has a great impact on the application of the quarter nelson in BJJ. In what way?

For one thing, the quarter nelson is really effective when you have full control over the back of the head. But if the head moves up, that means you lose control over that region which renders the quarter nelson less effective. However, with submission grappling where you can strangle the opponent, then bringing the head up doesn’t really affect the power of the quarter nelson.

That means that you can use the quarter nelson as part of a whole bunch of offensive strategies that give you a huge advantage. To be honest, of all the four nelson holds, this is the least vulnerable. The reason being the near arm is not all the way under the opponent’s arm which allows you much leeway to move it around and change your weight.

In other words, as long as you keep a safe distance, there’s no risk the opponent could reverse this position and get you under their control. What’s more, even if the opponent manages to escape from the quarter nelson, he will not get much advantage out of that. He would either end up in a similarly bad position or one which is even worse.

The quarter nelson is such a rich and great technique that many variations of it exist today in practice. These include:

• Quarter-Nelson with a chin-hold. More often seen in professional wrestling although many local wrestling academies ban this practice because it’s too dangerous. Here, instead of gripping the head of the opponent, you go for the chin instead and secure their spine in that way. You can also turn the head away for more control and to apply more pressure on the spine.
• Quarter-Nelson with body scissors. This variation as the name describes is done with the legs scissoring the opponent’s body. Both are on the mat. It has been renamed as the power half nelson.
• Quarter-Nelson across the face. You apply the quarter nelson across the face with the opponent on the mat on their back and your arm that should secure their head goes instead for their face. Keep your forearm bearing downward for maximum impact and to secure the head and face in place.

Whether you prefer the half nelson, quarter nelson, or any other variation of the nelson hold, one thing is for sure, submission grappling has never been the same once the nelson hold has been introduced to the sport.

As a white belt there aren’t many things more terrifying than your first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament. You want to do your best, but you’re not sure if you have the skills to compete. Here are a few tips for the beginner practitioner to help make your first tournament all the smoother. 

1. Trust Your Instructor.

While the process of competition may be daunting. Your coach wouldn’t let you compete if they didn’t think you could get something out of it. Your instructor may believe it is a learning experience or thinks you have what it takes to win. Either way, trust their judgment. This also goes for when they are giving you instructions on the mats. Stay focused on what your coach is saying and try to drown out the noise. You can rely on their knowledge to fill in the gaps and help you do better in competition. Learning this skill can make the difference between a good and great performance. You go to their classes for a reason, let them earn their coaching fee.

2. You’re There To Learn,So Learn!

White belt competition is not about finding out who is the best. It is about learning and developing your skills as a BJJ practitioner. It’s important to remember that early competition is not high stakes. Learning from your successes and failures is what matters. Don’t let the results of the tournament blind you from that fact. Learning to deal with the nervousness and the fatigue competition puts you through is an important skill to understand and master. Pay attention to what works, what doesn’t, and reflect on why. Don’t get caught up in the results. The only way you truly lose is if you don’t learn anything in competition. Also, don’t be a meathead and refuse to tap. You’ll do yourself more harm long term by breaking an arm and missing out on six months of practice, than by not advancing to the next round.

3. Scout Your Opponents.

If there are people in your division competing, it is a good idea to watch them. This way, you’ll learn about their habits and tendencies. You can also see their physical attributes, whether they are explosive or are lacking in their cardio. You can also learn their reaction to different positions. For example, what is their ‘go-to’ move when put in side-control? You can plan your attacks based on how they react. You can also learn what techniques they are best at and prepare your defense. Having this information might just make the difference between winning and losing. It’s also good to develop this skill as you continue your BJJ journey. The more you learn to watch your opponents, the more you can pick up and adjust within your own game. Just remember not to let it psyche you out. Watching other people compete may make you more nervous, which could mess up your performance. 

4. Listen To Your Body

While it’s essential to be in shape for competition, you’re not going to make much difference to your cardio if you take it easy the week before. You want your body to be functioning at maximum capacity, and that’s not going to happen if you’re exhausted or injured from training too hard. Make sure you are listening to what your body needs. The idea is to be at peak physical performance. If you’re trying to get there a week out, it is already too late. Sure, it’s nice to be known as a workhorse, but workhorses don’t have to grapple in tournaments. It’s better just to be the best version of yourself you could be at that moment. That way, you know you tried your best. You can learn what to work on, instead of limiting your abilities because of injury or exhaustion. 

5. Be Willing To Break Your Opponent.

It sounds harsh, but competition is competition. While you should treat this as a learning experience, part of that experience is realizing that you need to perform at your most vicious. You need to be able to tell the difference between practice and tournament behavior. While you should always go lighter in training, you need to go for the kill in tournaments. It may seem like it’s the opposite of what BJJ is all about, but remember that most people are humble because someone made them by choking them out or bending their joints. Your goal is to make as many people humble as you can. If you learn to act decisively and mercilessly, you will have a great deal more success in tournaments. Remember, you aren’t competing with your teammates. You are against your opponent. Don’t be scared to break them.

6. Train What You’re Bad At, Perform What You’re Good At.

If you have a wicked guillotine or slick sweeps, make sure you use them in competition. At the same time, if you know there is a technique or position you’re terrible at, make sure you’re drilling it as much as possible. It’s good to be able to adjust and deal with uncomfortable or challenging positions, but don’t let it stop you from using the skills you have developed for your techniques. Remember, competition is about testing yourself and learning, but you still want to do as well as you can to represent your gym and yourself the best. In order to do that you need to work on what you struggle with, but implement the skills you have learned along the way. If you don’t know what you’re good or bad at, talk to your coaches and training partners to help you find out. They’ll have a more objective take on your skills and abilities.

7.  Wear The Proper Gear

Tournaments will often dismiss or disqualify competitors for not wearing the right gear before a competition. Make sure your Gi is not too worn and is regulation size and thickness. Wash your Gi as well. You can’t be getting into tournaments with a sweaty, old Gi. If you’re not sure whether your Gi qualifies for tournament use, ask your coach. Wear your Gi the entire time you are on the mats. Bring sandals or shoes to wear when you are off the mats. It would be disappointing to be removed from competition just for not following basic rules around appropriate gear. Also, remember to trim and file your nails out of respect for your opponents. No one wants to get scratched up in competition. You don’t want to have a reputation as some clawing monster.

8. Relax

Remember to take it easy and relax. You’ll never accomplish anything by getting worked up. Focus on your breathing while waiting for your match. Listening to music on your headphones is an excellent way to distract yourself. You can use it to zone in and focus. Don’t let the anxiety of competition limit yourself from enjoying the moment. Talk to your training partners and try to keep calm. These are special memories you want to cherish. There’s no point in letting anxiety or stress get to you during the competition. The outcome of your match will be what it is. There is no point in allowing it to work you up. All that you can ask of yourself is to compete to the best of your ability. Whether you win or lose is unimportant. What matters is if you do yourself justice.

9. Prepare Appropriately

It may be tempting to go hard in your warmups to get the adrenaline flowing, but you run the risk of wearing yourself out before the competition starts. You need to pace yourself to make sure you’re in prime position to do your best. Make sure you eat enough before you compete.You need your energy if you’re going to be at your best. Also, at this stage, there is no point in weight cutting. While it might be a good idea further along in your career, weight cutting for your first few tournaments is unnecessary and may strain you before the competition. You want to focus on doing your best, and it makes it a lot harder to do that if you’re cutting weight. Take care of yourself. Warm up properly, eat a light meal, and try your best. You can’t expect anything more than that.

10. Be Polite

When you’re done with your warmup, get off the mats. Be respectful to the judges and your opponents. Remember you’re a practitioner of the gentle art. You’re also a representative of your instructor and your academy, so act accordingly. The BJJ community is tiny, you don’t want to get a reputation just because you forgot your manners. Remember, a lot of the competitors will be feeling the same way as you, so it’s best to have good manners and be respectful. Who knows, the people you’re competing with may be your future training partners, so it’s good to be polite. 

Your first BJJ tournament can be quite scary, but these tips may help the process be a lot easier. Remember to try your best and have a good time. You only get one chance at a first tournament.

You’ve just increased your training days but you can’t afford another gi just yet. You need to wash and quickly dry your gi to be ready for the next training session. But, you’re wondering, what is the fastest way to dry my gi? Here’s everything you need to know about drying your gi fast after washing it.

How comfortable you are in your gi determines how you perform. A gi should feel comfortable on your body because you will be wearing it for hours on the mat. A well-dried gi is a comfortable gi. Here are a couple of methods you can use to dry your gi, the last one being the fastest;

• Hang Your gi to Dry on a Clothing Line
• Use a Fan
• Iron with caution
• Use a gi rack
• Use a dryer
• Combine drying methods

However, before diving into discussing the fastest way to dry your gi, here are a few things you need to know about how to wash and care for your gi.

Things You Need To Know Before Washing Your GI

One mistake during the washing stage and you won’t have a gi to dry at all. Here are some important things you should know about washing your gi. 

1. Never Use Bleach

Stubborn stains on your gi can tempt you to use bleach. Regardless of how tough a stain is, DO NOT use bleach. Using bleach to wash a gi causes the fibers of the fabric to become weak. Over time, the fibers deteriorate. When you see someone’s gi tear right in the middle of a fight, chances are that the individual used bleached on the gi at some point. There are alternatives that you can use.

2. Consider Vinegar

Yes, vinegar. The best part about this hack is that vinegar is quite affordable and is easily available. Vinegar will help you with that tough stain you want to remove from your white gi. Use just one cup of it along with your usual laundry detergent. Vinegar will whiten, soften, and freshen your gi without damaging it.

You do not have to worry about the smell. After evaporation, vinegar disperses and the smell disappears. To remove a stain, spray some undiluted vinegar on it and then wash the stained part. Vinegar is much more effective on white gi’s.

3. Lemon Juice

Lemons possess many benefits and one of them is that lemon juice can help with whitening your white gi’s. Just like vinegar, use lemon juice when you need to remove a stain on your gi, and the gi will not only whiten but will also smell fresh.

4. Baking Soda

Use of baking soda is another amazing hack that you should embrace if you want to soften, whiten, or freshen your gi. Half a cup of baking soda combined with your detergent will leave your gi thanking you. To remove a stain, mix baking soda and water to create a paste and then apply that paste directly to the stained area. It works best on white gi’s.

5. Dishwasher Detergent

The dishwasher detergent is an easily available product if you do not already have it in the house. Dishwasher detergent helps with whitening white gi’s. However, it is important for you to make sure that the detergent is chlorine-free. Chlorine acts as a bleaching agent and can cause your gi to fade. It can also affect the quality of the fabric. Once again, try this on your white gi.

6. Wash Gi’s By Themselves

As the saying goes, better safe than sorry. You might assume that none of your other clothes bleeds but color bleed is a common occurrence. Never mix your gi (especially your white one) with regular colored clothes when washing.

Discovering that your favorite white gi turned purple or pink is not humorous.

Not only is stuffing clothes alongside your gi dangerous for your gi but it also harmful to your washer. Filling your washer with many clothes can reduce the efficiency of the washer. A gi is heavier than normal clothes and stuffing it with other clothes can create banging sounds or even cause a washer to stop completely.

7. Use Cold Water When Washing Your GI

If you do not want your gi to shrink, then wash it with cold water. Washing a gi with cold water possesses several other benefits. It is a good way of preserving colors, removing stains, and conserving the integrity of clothes. 

In case of a stubborn stain, you’ll have to soak your gi in cold water with a detergent of your choice. Here is how you can soak your gi in case of stubborn stains;

• Fill a tab and make sure the water does not drain.
• Add your washing substances
• Mix it up using an available tool such as the handle side of a broom
• Immerse your white gis in the tab
• Use the broom as if you were washing using your hand
• Soak for as long as you possibly can 
• Transfer to a washing machine and wash normally

Let’s face it, a quality gi costs quite some money and if you only have one, you do not want to have to wear a wet gi because you washed and dried it the wrong way. Therefore, take extra caution when washing your gi.

The Fastest Way to Dry Your Gi

Now you know some basics about how to wash and care for your gi. Here’s a look at the fastest way to dry your gi.

1. Hang Your Gi to Dry on a Clothing Line

Using a clothesline in the open is one of the most effective ways to dry your clothes. Therefore, hang your gi on a clothesline. However, you need to be careful when air-drying your gi under direct sunlight. Ultraviolet rays have both positive and negative effects on clothes. The rays destroy bacteria on your clothes and sunlight also helps remove any odors that might have been present on your gi. However, if you expose your gi to too much sunlight it might shrink and fade

Hanging your gi outside when the weather is both sunny and windy works well and fast. Hang drying your gi not only helps in fast drying. It also helps in maximizing the life of your gi and minimizing shrinkage. 

2. Use a Fan 

Using a fan sounds like an obvious solution that many would think of, but if you are here, it means that maybe this idea has not yet crossed your mind. Consider hanging your gi in the same room with a fan. You can also decide to hang the gi on a hanger and set two fans next to it in opposite directions. Your gi should dry within a few hours.

However, there is a downside with using a fan. Fans can result in a stiff gi that feels like cardboard.

3. Iron With Caution

Ironing is definitely one of the fastest ways to dry clothes, but you should be extremely careful when ironing your gi. Ironing a gi can ruin patches and the fabric. If you must iron, turn your gi inside out and do not iron over patches.

4. Use a Gi Rack

You can look up how a gi rack looks like on Pinterest and try making one or have someone make it for you. When you use a gi rack, hang your gi without placing the sleeves over the other body of the gi. The sleeves hang freely away from the other parts of your gi; thus, your entire gi dries faster. A gi rack is not complicated to make.

5. Use a Dryer

If you do not mind shrinkage, then you can try using a dryer to dry your gi. The advantage of a dryer is that it does not cause your gi to become stiff.  A downside with this method is that it can cause shrinkage. You can try using the lowest settings on the dryer to protect your gi. You can also choose to air-dry your gi for a while and then put in a dryer on medium heat for around five minutes to soften it.

Also, try using a tumble dry but without any heat if you are worried about shrinkage. Include a fabric softener in the process.

6. Combine Drying Methods

You might think that unhanging your gi when it starts raining and putting it in a basket with other clothes then drying it at a later time is wise. Doing so might result in your gi smelling, and that means that you will need to re-wash it. In the end, your gi will take longer to dry.

Instead of unhanging a wet gi and keeping it balled up in a bag or basket with other clothes, try unhanging it and use a fan or dryer to dry it further. When you remove your gi from the clothesline, and it is not yet dry, hang it in a room with a fan and let it dry indoors. 

You can also embrace the use of a clothing line plus the gi rack. For example, when it starts raining, unhang your gi and hang it indoors on the rack that you made or purchased. The main thing to remember here is that you should not store a wet gi claiming that you will hang it later.

There you have it. Apply any of the methods and your gis will love you for that. Your gi is your armor and armor needs care so it can protect you. As much as you want it to dry fast, remember to always take care of it in the process.

As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, your gi is your uniform. When it comes to maintaining that gi, it is important to wash it after every use. Even if you only had a light roll, you need to wash your gi every time you use it.

It is important to understand why you need to wash your gi regularly and other gi maintenance tips, so let’s dive into why.

Your gi is your uniform as a BJJ practitioner. It is made of woven cotton and consists of a jacket, pants, and a belt. You use it to represent yourself and your school, which is why it is critical to take proper care of it. 

Part of taking care of your gi is making sure you wash it after every use. The sooner you wash it after practice, the better. The main reason for this is that your gi is covered in sweat and bacteria from your skin. If you don’t wash it, that bacteria can spread and infect your gi. This infestation can cause infections and even spread disease. 

One of the most common diseases that can be spread is Staphylococcus Aureus, also known as a Staph infection. Staph lives on your skin and can spread onto your gi and the mats through sweat. The bacteria can live for a while and will try to get into your body through cuts or direct contact. A person infected with Staph will get blisters or crusty skin that is sensitive to the touch. These are highly infectious, and you can quickly spread your infection to others if you’re not careful.

In addition to the already mentioned blisters and crusts, Staph’s other symptoms include red and itchy skin, boils or clusters of boils, painful eyelids or eyes. While Staph isn’t usually life-threatening, it can develop into a severe infection. Plus, due to it being incredibly contagious, you would have to sit out practice for a while if you test positive. With all the danger you face, it is probably worth just making sure your gi is clean.

How to take care of your GI

The gi is one of the oldest forms of martial arts uniform. It was created by Dr. Jigoro Kano to be a sturdier replacement than the Samurai kimono. The uniform is made up of an overcoat, a pair of string cloth pants, and a belt. The belt is used to inform rank. In BJJ, there are five belt levels, white, blue, purple, brown, and then black. The BJJ gi has been modified over the years to be a tighter fit and is more focused on the ground grappling of the sport as opposed to Judo throws.

Most gi’s are made with dense cotton fiber. This means that they are sensitive to certain cleaning products, like bleach. It also means that they can shrink when washed with hot water. It’s important to make sure that your gi is washed in cold water. Otherwise, you might end up with a child-size gi. If you are machine washing your gi, try to make sure it is the only piece of clothing in the wash. Gi’s are usually a thick piece of clothing and could damage your washing machine by overloading it. 

Another reason is the risk of color spill messing with your gi. You don’t want your beautiful off-white gi to become some pink monstrosity. This may sound silly, but it’s crucial when remembering that the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) has regulations about appropriate gi colors. Those colors are royal blue, white, and black. Your gi must be consistent throughout as well.

Now you may be questioning how viable it is to wash your gi every time you train. Surely your gi would take unnecessary wear from the washing? That’s a fair point, and there are some ways to address that issue. 

The first is the most obvious, have spare gi’s. Having two or three gi’s that you can switch between would reduce the amount of wear on each. However, gi’s are expensive, and it might not be possible for you to afford more than one. Another possible answer is investigating whether or not your school has no-gi classes. If you’re able to train half the time without a gi, then you’re already limiting half of the wear on your gi.

Another thing you can do is hand wash your gi. If you are washing it by hand, you severely limit the amount of stress put on the gi over machine washing. While handwashing is a luxury few have the time to afford, it may be worth it to wash your belt by hand. It’s quite possible to lose or damage stripes in a machine wash, so handwashing prevents that from happening.

Be a good representative of your school

By wearing your gi, you are representing your BJJ school. If you don’t wear your gi correctly or don’t take care of it, you tell the world that your school isn’t worth respect. The same goes for your training partners. You cannot say you respect your training partners if you’re showing up with a filthy, stinky gi.

The same can be said for your opponents. No one wants to roll with the stinky guy who never cleans their gi. Your gym will also not appreciate having all of their efforts to maintain a hygienic space undermined because you’re too lazy to wash your gi after practice.

All in all, it’s simply not worth the risks connected to not washing gi. So make sure you are washing your gi after every practice. 

Tips on how to wash you gi

As said before, using bleach to wash your gi is a bad idea. This is because bleach can damage the fabric and cause it to wear out faster. Therefore it’s a much better idea to use softer chemicals to ensure your gi’s longevity. A couple of bleach alternatives can be found right at home.

1. Baking Soda

Baking Soda is a great way to clean your clothes. You can add about half-a-cup to a load, and it will do wonders. Baking Soda is great because it is cheap, available and is easy on your clothes and washing machine. It also has no scent, which is a plus for anyone you roll with. If your gi is in real bad shape, feel free to soak it in some baking soda for an hour or two before you wash it. 

2. Vinegar

Using about a cup of vinegar in the wash can get rid of all the bacteria on your gi. It also works as a softener, so your gi will come feeling a lot better. Just make sure you have no baking soda in your washer, or you might accidentally make a volcano. The only problem with using vinegar is there may be a hint of the smell on your gi, but it’s worth it. Just make sure you are using white vinegar, as other forms may stain your gi.

3. Vodka

While it may sound strange, it is worth remembering that alcohol is a disinfectant. While it may not be worth the price, if you’re in a pinch, a few shots of vodka in the wash won’t hurt. It’s not going to be able to lift any stains, and people you roll with might think you have a problem, but if you have nothing else, vodka can help you keep your gi clean.

Another thing you can do to preserve your gi is to make sure you hang it to dry. While this may cause the gi to feel stiff when you put it on, it’s just a better way to maintain the fabric.

Cleanliness is now more critical than ever.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that you take proper hygiene measures. Failing to do so could shut your entire gym down. While COVID is not a bacteria, it is able to live on surfaces for long periods. One such surface is the fabric of your gi. COVID really likes material. It seems, and trace amounts can be found on cotton for up to seven days after exposure. That means it’s vital, for the sake of your health and the health of those you train with, to wash your gi after every use.

As a practitioner of the gentle art, keeping your gi clean should be a matter of pride. If you are proud to be a member of your school, proud to represent your teachers in tournaments, then you should wear your uniform with pride.

It’s a good idea to remember that your gi is an expensive investment in yourself and you should make sure to treat it that way. Make sure to hang it up. Swap gi’s after each practice. You probably paid a lot of money for your gi, and it likely has sentimental value, so do yourself a favor and take care of it.  Wash your gi after every practice. Keep yourself clean, your gym clean, and everyone safe.

Whether you’re foot sweeping or hooking legs, the art of knocking the opponent off their feet is a deep and involved topic. Even the term foot sweeps is a blanket term that covers many techniques. Some are straightforward and easy to grasp. Others are a little more complex. 

The main ingredients, if you will, of the foot sweep are:

1. The sweep.
2. The footwork.
3. The arm works.
4. Timing.

Each one plays a role and helps you get the results you want which is having the opponent off their feet. The sweep has to be done in a quick and fluid move. Don’t hesitate or change your mind mid-move. That can result in an awkward kick that might backfire as the opponent takes advantage of your own lack of balance.

This article covers the underlying concept of foot sweeps, what you need to know about the various techniques, and how to master them. 

The Theory Behind Foot Sweeps

Foot sweeps are some of the most versatile and ubiquitous techniques in MMA. In theory, they’re easy and simple enough. You focus on the leg where the opponent got their body weight, dislodge it from under them and use a push or pull to speed up the process. Down the rival goes, and you’re on top of them. Works like a charm every time. Or almost every time. See, there are many moving parts here and it doesn’t always go according to plan. What you need to keep in mind is that you can use the foot sweep either when you’re on the offensive or when you’re feeling cornered and need a quick way out.

In general, there are two types of foot sweeps. You have the inside sweeps and outside sweeps. Let’s dive deep and explain what each type means and why you’d choose one over the other.

The inside foot sweep is the one where your own leg goes across your body to connect the opponent’s foot and take them off balance. The opponent is on the move and their foot is not resting on the ground. So you’re just preventing that foot from landing on the ground. In other words, you elongate their step, cause them to lose balance and a little push sends them tumbling down.

The outside foot sweep has your foot connecting with the outside of the opponent’s foot and causing them to lose their balance. Most often you won’t have to choose which type to execute. As soon as you get an opening, you go for it.

Foot sweeps are common in many MMA sports. Judo is by far the one that employs it the most. But you can also find it used in sambo, no-gi, and others. If the sport allows takedowns, then most likely you’ll see the players resorting to foot sweeps more often. This is especially true where the sport allows leg attacks. We focus here on no-gi styles.

How to do Foot Sweeps

When it comes to foot sweeps, one thing should get your utmost attention. That’s timing. More than any other factor, timing is by far the most crucial aspect that can make or break a foot sweep. Why is timing so important? Because you don’t have much of an opportunity.

Unless your opponent is totally defenseless and clueless, chances are, you won’t get a big window to perform a foot sweep. Most often the opponent realizes they made a mistake exposing themselves or leaving themselves open to a foot sweep and then immediately takes precautions. So if you’re waiting for the right moment, it passes really fast.

This is where being quick on your feet and being alert for such opportunities becomes crucial in your game. So how would you go about executing this intricate move and get it right every time no matter how narrow your window of opportunity is? It’s simple, you need to know the different components of the foot sweep.

The main ingredients, if you will, of the foot sweep are:

• The sweep.
• The footwork.
• The arm works.
• Timing.

Each one plays a role and helps you get the results you want which is having the opponent off their feet. The sweep has to be done in a quick and fluid move. Don’t hesitate or change your mind mid-move. That can result in an awkward kick that might backfire as the opponent takes advantage of your own lack of balance.

The footwork is equally important. While you might not have trouble performing an outside foot sweep, when it comes to footwork, the inside foot sweep can be problematic. Kicking the opponent’s foot from under them is not easy this way. Most often you cause a loss of balance but the opponent will not actually fall. This is where the arm work comes in.

Since the full weight of the opponent’s body is on one or both legs, you won’t always be able to trip them. Not without the help of your arms anyway. Here you have two options. Either push the opponent to tip them over or pull them toward you and accelerate their fall. The better grip you have over the opponent the better the outcome.

And finally, you have the timing. Time it right, and you can send the opponent on their back with less effort. It’s all about picking the fraction of a second when they’re shifting their weight of wobble about as they gain the center of their balance. That’s when you’re most likely to succeed in your attempt at a foot sweep.

Effective Techniques against Foot Sweeps

We have seen how effective the foot sweep can be. Done right, it takes your opponent off their feet and opens the way for a full mount. But what if it happens to you? What if you opponent sees an opportunity and sweeps you off your feet? You need to be prepared to prevent that from happening. Here are some techniques to help you.

Shrimping

Shrimping is a technique you practice to strengthen your core muscles and improve your balance so that an opponent doesn’t take you down when you least expect it. Here’s how you use shrimping for best results.

Plant one foot on the floor and raise the other one in front of you. Turn your body opposite to the planted leg while you tighten your core muscles. Hold your breath and maintain this posture. Breathe deeply. Now reverse the position. Do it with the other leg.

Do this exercise as often as you can. It helps you gain control over your balance and posture. Make sure to keep the raise leg straight in front of you. 

Grip

Another technique has to do with your grip. One thing you often hear from BJJ players is that they don’t have a strong grip. We talked in a previous article about how Judo cross-training can help you become the master grappler you dream of being. It also gives you a steely grip that makes it easy to take down any opponent no matter how firm their feet are on the ground.

But if you don’t have the time or inclination to try out Judo, here are a few exercises to help you strengthen your grip like the best Judokas.

• Do chin ups often. They strengthen your grip and build your arms. Another variation is to use a towel with the chin ups and vary the distance to work out all your shoulder muscles.
• Walk around with a kettlebell dangling from a towel. Be careful you don’t hurt your lower back or pelvis muscles if you swing the kettlebell too wide as you walk. Do this exercise for a minute or so at a time then take a break. Avoid doing it when you’re tired since it can lead to injuries.
• Practice grip fighting. It’s a unique way of fighting where you only use your grip to dominate your opponent. It’s fun but also very powerful.
• Do more deadlifts. Your grip will benefit a lot from this since it handles most of the weight as you deadlift. You also get an overall improved body strength and power.
• Ask a partner to act as a balancing weight. Lie on the floor on your back, your opponent stands or bends over you. Grab them by the lapels and lift yourself up. This is one of the most powerful exercises to work on your grip.

Foot sweeps are more common than you might think. The thing is they tend to happen so fast, if you are not paying attention or even if you blink you might miss them. But when done right they can be an effective way to take you opponent down and launch an offensive attack that gets you the submission you work so hard for.

When we talk about the legality of Judo throws in BJJ, most of the original Judo throws are perfectly legal. But the fact that a throw is legal doesn’t mean it’s good or effective in BJJ. The stance, posture, and even goal of the throws in Judo are totally different than their counterpart in BJJ.

Take Sumi gaeshi as an example of a legal Judo throw that works well on the BJJ mat. It’s easy to execute and quite effective. It also fits with the defensive nature of BJJ more than it does with Judo. Even BJJ novices can learn this throw and add it to their repertoire. But other throws such as Uchi mata, Ippon seionage, and hip throws while still legal, are not suited for BJJ.

We’ll cover some of the most common Judo throws that you should consider taking seriously. We’ll steer clear from others which though perfectly legal, will not help you on your BJJ progress. You should also weigh in the pros and cons of every throw and choose the one or ones that work best for you.

Sumi Gaeshi (Corner Reversal)

Sumi Gaeshi is as original as they come. In Judo it’s considered one of the basic throws that students learn early on. And while you can still use it in your BJJ practice, you need to be a little cautious in your approach to this one. On the surface, it looks easy enough, but there are ripples of deceptiveness underneath that if you’re not aware of can turn against you.

The way you go about this throw is to force your opponent to do a forward throw. You start it from a sitting position and do a back throw.  You end up on top of your opponent which opens the path for a good offensive tactic. But how do you get to that sitting position?

Usually when the opponent launches an attack where they try to do a leg takedown. Your best defense is to sit down grabbing their belt and perform Sumi Gaeshi. Your opponent will literally not know what hit them until it’s too late. The best part is, with Sumi Gaeshi you can either end up in full mount or at least in half guard.

One thing to add about this throw is that it is being used less and less in Judo. Not because it’s less effective. On the contrary, it gives you a great advantage. But since in Judo leg takedowns have been banned, you don’t see many players using this throw. The opportunity for it doesn’t come up often. But in BJJ, it is still practiced widely and its popularity is growing every day. 

O-Soto-Gari (Major Outer Reap)

One thing about the O-Soto-Gari is that it’s so basic, many players get it in one or two attempts. However, it’s not that effective unless the opponent is totally defenseless or doesn’t try anything to block you. So how do you go about performing O-Soto-Gari?

The logic and sequence of movements are both simple. Start on your feet facing the opponent. Grab the opponent by the lapel and sleeve forcing them to lean in that direction. Put your back into the grabbing so that the opponent has no choice but to lean on their leg. Next, you raise your leg as if you’re kicking a ball then as you bring it back you aim for their ankle. 

This is usually enough for the rival to lose their balance and fall on their back. In Judo you get an ippon and win the game then and there. But in BJJ it’s a different story. You still get two points for knocking the opponent off their feet, but it also gives you the opportunity to have a headlock or even land with knee on belly situation.

Keep in mind that on the mat, the throw might not hurt the opponent much. But if you find yourself in a confrontation in the street, O-Soto-Gari is so powerful, your opponent will not recover from it especially if you’re fighting on asphalt or even concrete. There’s also a possibility that they will hit their head on the ground and save you the trouble of finishing them off.

De Ashi Barai (Advanced Foot Sweep)

If you want to get the De Ashi Barai right, you need to pay extra attention to your timing. A fraction of second too early or too late will render the throw harmless or worse, it could backfire and land you in trouble. And you need to do it when your opponent is on their feet. If they’re bent over, it won’t work.

Start by getting a good grip on the lapel and opposite sleeve. This gives you a good stance and prepares you to perform a quick move that startles the opponent and leaves them defenseless. Now move your foot under their sleeve side and perform a swift sweeping motion that takes them off their feet completely. 

At the same time you’re doing two things simultaneously. You’re pulling at their sleeve while pushing up their lapel. It’s a swift motion similar to turning a wheel with both hands. At some point, the opponent will be in the air with your arms guiding them in their fall.

Done properly, you’ll have the opponent on their back and you in a knee to belly position. The advantages here are huge and you can choose what course to action to take from there. 

Ouchi Gari (Major Inner Reap)

Even though Ouchi Gari is a 100 percent Judo throw, it actually can be used in BJJ more effectively. Why? The simple answer is that many BJJ players have this knack to assume a stance where their legs are wide apart and their upper body is bent. I think you know where I’m going with this. This is the perfect throw to perform on a player in that stance.

You start with a collar and sleeve grab. A good grip is essential for the success of this throw. But rather than swept them off their feet as you would do with the previous throws, this one requires you to collide with your opponent. Use your momentum to push them backward. 

As you shove them back you hook one of your legs behind theirs. It doesn’t matter which leg you hook. Use the more convenient one and give them a good push. Now they’re helplessly on their back and you’re on top. Keep in mind that you might land in their guard.

Many players start their pass at this time while the opponent is flustered. While the advantages are not as overwhelming as in other throws we covered here, it still gets you an opening and cuts a lengthy confrontation short.

Tomoe Nage (Circle Throw)

In BJJ a strategy that involves both pulling guard and throwing at the same time might seem a little too risky. This is true for both novices and experienced players alike. However, with that risk comes huge rewards. We already saw how Judo throws get you in an advantageous position where your opponent is on their back and you’re on top in a full mount position. Think about how much work you need to do to get there without that throw.

Tomoe Nage is one of those Judo throws that when applied in BJJ lets you pull guard and throw at the same time. How’s that even possible? Well, you need to execute this tricky move before the opponent pulls guard. Otherwise, it loses its effectiveness.

The move starts with a good grip on the opponent’s lapel and triceps. Now do the next few moves very quickly. Sit down fast and plant your foot in the opponent’s stomach. Still maintaining a good grip on their Gi, you pull them over your head and throw them behind your back. 

Now comes the good part. Perform a somersault to launch yourself in the air and land on your opponent’s back. In many cases, you could find yourself in a mount position. It doesn’t get better than that, right?

An alternative outcome is that you land in the open guard. So even without a complete throw, you have a good opening to launch an effective offensive. 

As we have seen, many Judo throws works very well for BJJ while others not so much. The point to take out of this article is that you should have an open mind. Some Judo throws are better left to Judo players since they have little to no effect on a BJJ mat. Other throws have faded from the Judo realm due to changes in the rules but still have their place and use in a BJJ class.