by Prof. Martin Guggi
We just had the privilege to have Prof. Yuri Simoes from CTA here in Austria for a BJJ NoGi Seminar. I really appreciate the opportunity to learn from him. Yuri just won his 2. ADCC title.
On the seminar Yuri showed us nice ways to finish the fight starting from standing. Especially NoGi Wrestling makes a big difference in the standup game. And Yuri explained to us very well the main mistakes BJJ guys are still doing when the fight starts standing.
But what got my focus was one quote he gave us during the seminar.
“Every detail should make a difference in your game!” It matters how you grip, it matters how your angle is and it matters where you head is placed on your partners body. This is nothing new, but we forget that: when a moves works for you there is no space for details you just do because you learned it this way. If someone ask you a basic question and you do not have an answer for it – then you did not develop the move to its maximum – which is efficiency!!! Especially as an instructor you need to know what your feet, arms, head, body are doing. What the perfect angle is, where you place your hips, where and how you grip, where you need to have perfect control ….
The answer to a question a students is making cannot be: “I do it because i learned it this way” or “I never thought about this question before!”
We are sometimes much focused on drilling techniques and finding the best technique for certain situation that we forget to rethink about the technique. But from every little detail we need to get a benefit in the fight. Yuri explained why he uses one grip instead of another grip. And even this small details can really lead to a big impact in your game. For me this even means I have to rethink about all moves that I learned over the last few years. Do not get me wrong. All my teachers, instructors and training partners had no bad intention when they showed me a move. But when I want to make the move work for my body, and I am now in a level to have the knowledge to think for myself, then I have to find the best solution for me! And one day my students need to start to be able to think for themselves too. In the beginning we start by copying our instructor’s moves but later on we have to step out of their footsteps and start to develop our own game which can only be based on the moves which are perfect for our body type and anatomy.
BJJ is compared to other sports very young. Also the methods of teaching are still evolving. Some people like to drill every day, some people do not drill at all but roll as much as possible. I just talked to a friend and he said that now high level bjj guys start to do more “super special resistance training”. This means not only working out of one position but for example you are trying to get a special grip. If you got it you start over again. Then you start focusing for example placing your head on his chest – if you got it you start over again. I think this is a very nice way to focus on small details which are key points in the fight.
Instead of just focusing on supmitting for example from the mount you start break down the position in key points of the fight! This “super special resistance training”! could look like this:
- You need to stay on top for 2 min without loosing the position;
- You need to isolate one arm;
- You need need to transition into S-Mount
- and so on….
The more key points you find to focus on the more you control the fight! In the end to get a submission you need to advance the fight in your direction. This means you have to win more small fights before you get the submission. You need to win the grip fight. You need to win the scramble. You need to win the position. You need to bring his attention to something else before you start your move. You need to win the submission setup and then finally, perhaps you are successful and win the fight.
In the end it comes down to what Prof. Yuri said:
“Every detail matters, to improve the fight in your favors”!!!!
And this attitude starts when you start to learn a new move. This attitude you should keep in your mind when you are drilling, working on resistance training or sparring. Never take any detail as unimportant!!! The small details make the difference in the end!
When I look at ADCC 2017 i do not see a lot of new moves anymore, but i see so many details which never came to my mind! The more I want to understand the game, the more i need to get into the small details which i took for granted so far!!!
