John Danaher has outlined one of the most important – and often overlooked – differences between beginners and advanced practitioners in BJJ…
Where they generate their control and power from.
According to Danaher, the evolution from novice to expert is not just about learning more techniques, but about fundamentally changing how you use your body:
One of the most important shifts… is the shift from grappling predominantly with your hands and arms to your legs and feet.
For beginners, this tendency is natural. Most people rely heavily on their upper body because it feels more intuitive.
After all, nearly all daily tasks are performed with the hands.
However, this approach quickly becomes a limitation:
Trying to do everything with your hands and arms will get you tired and never allow you to beat people who are bigger and stronger than you.
The legs and hips contain the majority of the body’s strength, endurance, and structural power.
When used correctly, they allow practitioners to control distance, create leverage, and apply force far more efficiently than the upper body alone.
The challenge, however, is coordination:
When you begin it’s difficult to use your legs and feet effectively because they are very uncoordinated compared with our hands.
But this is where time and training make the difference.
As practitioners gain experience, their lower-body dexterity will improve:
Time will build dexterity and coordination in your feet and legs.
And then you’ll be able to use the real power of your body to perform the tasks of Jiu-Jitsu.
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