Establishing solid grips is super important in Jiu-Jitsu, as this is most often the first step to controlling someone on the mats.
However, not all grips are created equal. Some are more important than others.
John Danaher explains why this is the case:
Some grips confer a greater degree of control than others. Even from identical grips, there are subtle positional tricks that can confer advantages to you.
Your goal is to attain a grip that offers you greater control over your opponent than he has over you.
So, how will you know if you have a better grip than your opponent does?
Well, you’ll figure it out soon enough:
Whether you have attained this goal will be immediately apparent when you try to move and control each other.
If you are roughly same size and skill level but your grip makes it easier to move and control your opponent, then it’s likely you’ve got a better grip than him.
That is to say, Danaher emphasizes that you shouldn’t be satisfied with “just any grip”.
Instead, you should always be on the lookout for the most domineering ones:
Remember – in a world where everything begins with grip, your job overall gets significantly easier when you start every engagement with a better grip than the other guy.
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Check Out Travis Stevens ‘Scientific Gripping Systems‘ , The Gripping Formula That Makes All The Difference No Matter Where You Start: By An Elite BJJ Blackbelt Who Is Also An Olympic Silver Medalist In Judo:
