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Rickson Gracie: “It’s Important To Teach BJJ Strategy To White Belts”

Rickson Gracie: “It’s Important To Teach BJJ Strategy To White Belts”

If you’re a white belt, then learning “BJJ strategy” – the concepts and the principles that are a part of our sport – can seem something that’s far off in the distance. Heck, you first have to learn the basics, right?
Well, the legendary Rickson Gracie doesn’t fully agree. He thinks that BJJ instructors should teach their students the importance and the groundwork of BJJ strategy as early as possible; so that the students can learn how to rely on the principles that make all the difference (such as timing and leverage) sooner, rather than later.

Rickson shared his thoughts on a recently published video:

The idea of being strategically important is something you have to introduce to the student in a gentle way. Because, he has to believe and rely on the technical options. To rely on the timing, rely on the leverage, rely on the connection… And to diminish the physicality, to diminish the tension.

So, that way, [when] you introduce Jiu-Jitsu to somebody, he’s not fighting you and he’s not afraid of you. But [instead], he starts to discover different elements about a little bit better connection, a little bit better base, a better breathing… And he starts to feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations.