Do you want to build a solid submission game in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? If so, then that means that you need to have a strong defense first. For, how are you supposed to feel confident in your submission attempts if you’re afraid to lose position… To get reversed or swept, and then put into a compromising position yourself?
That’s why you need to work hard on developing a strong defense. It’s going to be tough, but here’s a simple principle that you can start using right away: stop reaching in order to make contact with your opponent.
What this means is that you’ll need to keep away from overextension at all times while you’re defending. John Danaher explains why:
Whenever you REACH for an opponent, whether with arms or legs, you lose defensive soundness. Over extension is vulnerability in this game.
KEEP YOUR KNEES TO YOUR CHEST AND YOUR ELBOWS TO YOUR SIDES AND ELBOWS AND KNEES CLOSE TOGETHER AND YOU’LL BE DEFENSIVELY SOUND.
He goes on to elaborate on why movement is much better than reaching when you’re closing the gap between strong defense and powerful offense:
When you need to make contact, don’t do it so much by REACHING as by MOVEMENT. Use either your motion or your opponents motion to CLOSE DISTANCE – that way you can make contact without compromising your defensive structure.
So when you need to make contact – use MOTION to close distance rather than REACHING in ways that create vulnerability.
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