In my opinion basics should associated with a specific move. I think you would be missing the big picture. For example, I don’t think you should say “Steve pulls off cross chokes and scissor sweeps so he has sweet basics!”
Some moves are chosen to teach beginners because they are moves that are simple and exemplify the philosophies of jiu-jitsu. When you hear people say that “Roger just uses basics” it’s not necessarily just because they use certain moves. While it is a component of it, I think it goes beyond that. Here is my opinion on the subject. Please remember, this is only my opinion.
1. Jiu-Jitsu Philosophy. Your philosophy has the largest impact on if people will view you as having good basics. There are such a wide variety of philosophies on Jiu-Jitsu. Might I suggest that a philosophy of jiu jitsu that might be rooted in good fundamentals is one that is centered on conservation of energy and strength. Minimum effort, maximum efficiency. This is the lens which all other things below are filtered through.
2. Strategy. Strategy and philosophy are so aligned that I almost made them one category but it defiantly deserves to be treated separately. I would suggest that a strategy that might be considered basic is achieving the top position followed by achieving a superior position, maintaining that position, and achieving the submission. It is also important to note that the details of your strategy might be thought of as basic if the specific positions and techniques would work well to defend yourself well in a fight as well as in the sport.
The below attributes are what allow you to realize your strategy and philosophy.
3. Base. Ever wonder why jiu jitsu logos have a triangle? It has to do with base and it is key to understanding jiu jitsu. Having good base allows you to realize your strategy of positional control and supports any specific technique you may choose to try. You can know the movements of a specific technique, but solid base is what allows you to realize it at a high level. Positional control is a subcategory of base. A subcategory of positional control is pressure.
4. Timing. When there is a mistake in your opponent’s base, weight distribution or momentum you must learn to recognize this mistake and take advantage of it at the proper time. Patience is by extension a subcategory of timing.
5. Leverage. Understanding how(and when) to use leverage to take advantage of a timing, distance or base mistake.
6. Distance. Understanding distance in all positions is critical. It dictates many things. There are times to be very close with lots of pressure. There are times to be far away. A subcategory of distance includes posture. Mastery of distance…when you want it…when you don’t…and when you’re in a danger zone is key to every position in jiu jitsu.
7. Specific techniques – To enable your philosophy, strategy and all the other things above you need to ultimately apply a technique. Most important to being a good basics jiu jitsu practitioner is to make sure the specific techniques incorporated into your game align with your jiu jitsu philosophy. The less complex the movement of the specific technique, the more it centers around the conservation of energy philosophy. Minimum effort, maximum efficiency. The specific technique should also have maximum reward with the least amount of risk with emphasis on the least amount of risk.
Once you have a good concept of these things I think it is safe to say that you have strong basics. Anybody can do a move traditionally viewed as fundamental with bad fundamentals.
TrumpetDan Send Private Message Add Comment To Profile
Here is a different perspective:
Basics: a set of movements that are used by almost all BJJ players on a regular basis
Some Examples
* Bridge
* Lateral Hip Movement (shrimp / snake)
* Roll forwards over your shoulder
* Roll backwards over your shoulder
* place weight on your knee, spin
* place weight on your hand, spin
* place weight on your elbow, spin
* place weight on your shoulder, spin
* balance on opposite corners, bring hip forward (sit through / sit out)
* balance on opposite corners, bring hip backward (stand up in base / turkish get up)
* push with the bottom of the forearm, in line with the edge of the ribcage
* push with the bottom of the forearm, in line with the front of the body
* circle the feet inwards
* circle the feet outwards
* swing the leg(s) downwards to create momentum
* swing the leg(s) in a circle to create momentum
* swing the leg(s) forwards to create momentum
* Swivel the leg inwards
* Swivel the leg outwardsThere are more.
twinkletoesCT Send Private Message Add Comment To Profile
Something I wrote years ago for website of where I used to teach..when I saw some people roll their eyes when I was going over finer points of a BASIC mvmt
FRAT FRAT FRAT WARNING..read at your own risk : )
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I want to talk about BASICS for a moment. It is a long read, but you will be the better for it. Many times a teacher will show a technique that is considered a basic and will get a “vibe” in the room. I know I have many times. The vibe is “I know that”. Well, there are many different levels of “knowing” something.
Before I started doing BJJ and was a Black in Japanese JJ and a Brown in Judo. I “discovered” the scissor sweep…it was pure gold to me. I have been doing the scissor sweep the longest (years and years) and just NOW after 10+ years of doing it does my body feel the precise moment to do it. There is no thought process involved. It is just instinctual. It takes years to have a movement to that level. When a student says “I know that”..I am sure they can perform it, but can they nail it on people at their same skill level, do they know why it works, and when to use it. I am sure Sperry and Riberio know the scissor sweep very well and how to defend it, but I have seen Margarida NAIL them with it…a BEGINNER technique…go figure.
Watch Margarida, all basics in comp. Versus Riberio..Ouch Gari takedown to knee over thigh guard pass to knee on belly to baseball bat choke. No flash there. All beginers know those moves…but could you catch Riberio with them? Supporting claim for my theory of “knowing techniques” on a different level” I am comfortable with the scissor sweep. Do I “know” it? Well I could say relatively…but not really…even as a black belt. If I reviewed the sweep with Margarida (one of his favorite sweeps) there are probably 10 things I did not know about it. Does Margarida “know” the scissor sweep? Relatively (!). If he reviewed it with Carlson Sr there are probably 10 things he did not know about it.
I watched Edson Carvalho tap out BJJ BLACK BELTS with the first hold down taught on your first day of judo (after learning breakfalls)…Kesa Gatame. I am sure all these black belts knew kesa gatame..and I am sure they all “knew” how to get out. So what happened? Edson’s “knowing” of Kesa was on a DIFFERENT level than their knowing how to escape.
The beauty of BJJ is that the success or failure of a technique is determined by ONE INCH OR ONE SECOND. Meaning if your hand/foot/hip placement was adjusted by an inch you would have nailed it, or if you went for it a second earlier (this is where being instinctual comes in) you would have nailed it. WATCH the Mundials. For every crazy acrobatic move, you have 20 basic subs (armbar, triangle, keylock) etc. The word BASIC is also misleading. There is really nothing basic about armbars, triangles, scissor sweeps, americanas etc. They are called basic because they are usually the first techniques taught…thats it.
Performance of “basics” white through purple:
White Belt – can perform basic moves on unresisting opponent
Blue Belt – gets basics on resisting opponent..usually muscles it
Purple Belt – begins to get timing down and begins developing combos .
Brown & Black – Body FEELS the timing for the technique before your brain begins the cognitive thought process of “I should apply now”
Using the Guard as an example..If you could develop the scissor sweep, armbar, triangle, cross choke, omoplata to the instinctual level we spoke of earlier you would have a SICK guard game and would be CRUSHING people. Unfortunately people get those moves to a reasonable skill level and then use tricks to fill in the holes (I am guilty of this also). Also, we all know the same things as we are all taught them by the same teachers. Lets not discard techniques because we say they “dont work”. We are trying them on people that were just in the same lesson as you.
When I did my “seven guard choke series” I nailed people with them repeatedly..they knew it was coming but was stuck and tapped. Guess what…I cant get them with it anymore. Does that mean the technique does not work?? NO. It means I need to raise it to the next level of timing (instinctual) and set-ups (combos). I bet if I went to a different school I would be nailing people with it. That is how our game grows. I need to figure out a way to catch people with them again. When I do…they will then eventually shut it down again…and on and on it grows.
It is ok to learn tricks, it is ok to know X-guard and Rubber guard. Those are not the foundation to your house though…those are the windows. Practice the flash and tricks and new advancements in the game. BUT…if your basics (hate the word because there are no basic techniques…realize that when i use it) have not improved over the last 6 months you are doing something wrong!
snakepitz Send Private Message Add Comment To Profile
http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum_framed.posts&forum=11&thread=1723818&page=1&pc=20
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