Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Even the most successful of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes have had to learn their first techniques… But which ones?
Here are the first 3 submissions every grappler has to learn. It’s not a “could”, but a “must” – so, if you’re just starting out, focus on these three techniques first.
FIRST 3 SUBMISSIONS EVERY GRAPPLER SHOULD KNOW
The first of the 3 submissions should definitely be BJJ’s signature technique: the Rear Naked Choke. It’s probably the first association you have when Jiu-Jitsu crosses your mind; and it will probably be your first choice when it comes to tapping people out.
However, just getting your hand around the training partner’s neck and squeezing it isn’t going to be enough. Rather, you’ll have to pay attention to how your elbows are positioned, where your head is, how you slide your secondary arm behind their head… There’s a lot to take into consideration.
Then, there is the Armbar. With time, you’ll be able to perform this submission from heaps of different positions, but for now – focus on getting it done from Mount.
Focus especially on pinching your knees together and “curling” the training partner towards you with your heels. This will make your Armbar much more effective, much faster.
And finally, of course, there’s the Triangle Choke. It’s one of the most versatile submissions out there – as you’ll be able to hit it from all sorts of different positions. Just make sure that you have a proper angle once you lock it up.
Why? Brandon Mccaghren, 10th Planet black belt, explains below:
Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: you can be slow and unathletic and still kick butt in Jiu-Jitsu.