Clinch (Aggressive Opponent)
Most martial arts rely heavily on the use of strikes to defeat the opponent. This strategy may work against a smaller opponent but is very risky against a larger, more athletic opponent who could just as easily knock you out every time you put yourself in range to strike them. The best strategy is to establish a clinch and take the fight to the ground where you can preserve energy, neutralize punches, and win the fight with ease. The key to establishing a clinch on an aggressive opponent is to understand that there are two safe distances in a fight: all the way out or all the way in.
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Americana Armlock - Mount
The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount, exhaust your opponent, and then win the fight. Punching your opponent from the mount can be effective but is exhausting, risks your balance, and could injure your opponent more seriously than desired. We prefer to use leverage-based submissions instead so that we can maintain better control of our opponent and save energy. The Americana Armlock is a highly effective submission that can be used with minimal effort to defeat a larger opponent. First, you will learn the Basic Application and then two variations that could be used in combat.
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This week focuses on empowerment and the ability to remain calm and focused in otherwise uncomfortable situations (in and out of a fight). We discuss the challenges of “Zero Tolerance” School Policies and the importance of the Rules of Engagement. Techniques are practiced with an emphasis on remaining calm and with the goal of building confidence in all areas of life.
Armbar - Mount
The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount because from there we can deplete our opponent and eventually submit them with ease. When you mount an opponent, it is very common for them to reach for your chest or throat in their escape attempt, and this creates the perfect opportunity for the Straight Armlock. The Straight Armlock is one of the most dynamic submission in jiu-jitsu since it can be applied from virtually any position and it can be used to incapacitate even the largest opponent. In this lesson, you will learn how to apply the Straight Armlock from the mount, and in future lessons you will learn it from other positions in the fight.
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Guillotine Defense
When you establish the clinch, and your opponent no longer has the space or distance to strike you effectively, they will often wrap your neck in an attempt to submit you. For this reason, the Guillotine Choke is one of the most common techniques used by unskilled individuals because it’s simple and it gives them a feeling of control during the chaos. Although the proper clinch position should prevent the Guillotine Choke, your opponent may surprise you if your head is too low, and in this lesson, you will learn the most important Guillotine Defense principles.
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Elbow Escape - Side Mount
If your opponent is able to achieve the side mount, chances are they will be so eager to punch you that they will create space for you to execute the Shrimp Escape (Lesson 24). If they are able to prevent the Shrimp Escape, the best thing to do is conserve energy and wait until the opponent transitions from side mount to full mount so that you can use the Elbow Escape to recompose the guard. In this lesson you will learn two variations of the Elbow Escape from the side mount.
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Pull Guard
In an ideal situation, you would be able to close the distance, establish the clinch, execute a takedown, achieve the mount and win the fight. Sometimes however, your opponent is expecting the clinch and is very resistant when you try to establish control of them. If you get into a clinch and you are unable to take your partner down because they are too strong or you lose control of their hips, you have two options: let go and try again or Pull Guard. If you let go, you risk getting knocked out when you try to reestablish the clinch. If you pull the opponent in your guard, you can neutralize the punches, exhaust their energy, and eventually win the fight in a variety of ways.
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Our upcoming Master Cycle classes will revisit Mount Controls, focusing on advanced methods to dominate and exhaust your opponent from this position. We'll explore additional, sophisticated techniques to enhance control and effectiveness from this fundamental and dominant position.
Headlock Escape 1 - Side Mount
Besides punches, headlocks are the single most common form of aggression used by untrained individuals on the streets. Although they aren’t as effective as a true submission hold, getting caught in a headlock by a stronger opponent can be a very painful and demoralizing experience. The Frame Escape is the first of two headlock escape strategies that we recommend you perfect for use against larger adversaries in a ground fight. In this lesson, you will start by learning the Standard Frame Escape, and then you will see what to do if it doesn’t work.
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Standing Armbar
Although we normally recommend you take the fight to the ground, sometimes your opponent will give you an opportunity to end the fight while standing. Many confrontations begin with an opponent pushing your chest with one or both hands unknowingly creating the perfect opportunity for you to apply the Standing Armlock. First, you will learn the Basic Application, then you will see how to use it in a more dynamic situation.
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Positional Control (Mount)
The mount is the most dominant position in a fight because it enables you to win the fight in a variety of ways while depleting your opponent’s energy. You must understand, however, that as soon as you achieve the mount, your opponent will do everything in his power to get you off of them. In this lesson you will learn how to control and exhaust a larger stronger opponent from the mount. First, you will learn how to apply effective hip pressure, and then you will see how to neutralize the most common escape attempts you can expect from an untrained opponent in a real fight.
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Body Fold Takedown
Instead of exchanging punches with a larger opponent, we recommend that you establish the clinch and take them to the ground where you can exhaust and submit them. Once you establish the clinch, there is a good chance that they will get desperate and try to hit you in the face. In doing so, they will lean back and unknowingly create the perfect opportunity for the Body Fold Takedown.
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While the Standard Wrist Release is quick and effective, if he changes his grip, the escape technique will no longer work. In this lesson, we’ll teach you four Inverted Wrist Releases that can be relied upon anytime the Standard Variations fail, starting with the 1-on-1 variation. The greatest challenge when trapped beneath an attacker is to avoid panic and exhaustion. In this lesson, we teach you additional variations of this critically important technique to ensure your survival against an attacker trying to punch, pin, or choke you.
Inverted Wrist Release (4 variations):
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Guard Get-Ups (Rider/ Heavy Chest):
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Triangle Choke - Guard
If you achieve the mount but are unable to maintain control, you should resort to the guard position. From the guard, you can neutralize punches and submit your opponent with one of several techniques. In this lesson, we will discuss the Triangle Choke which is one of the most amazing techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, since it gives any individual the ability to render their opponent unconscious from the bottom of the fight. In this lesson, you will learn the finishing steps first and then you will learn two effective methods for setting up and catching the Triangle Choke in a street fight.
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Haymaker Punch Defense
In many cases, the precise movement and aim of your opponent’s strikes are hard to predict. Sometimes, however, your opponent is so eager to attack you that their punch is totally predictable. The Haymaker Punch Defense is used when a determined attacker comes at you from a distance with the objective of putting all of their bodyweight behind one fight-ending punch. Because of this punch’s power and predictability, the best option is to slip underneath it and get behind your opponent.
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Twisting Arm Control - Mount
The beauty of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is that it enables you to defeat virtually anyone while controlling the amount of damage you inflict. The Twisting Arm Control is premium example of this because you can use it to set up a choke, straight armlock, or simply control your opponent until they surrender. In this lesson, you will first learn how to set up and maintain the Twisting Arm Control, and then you will learn two reliable finishing options.
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Rear Takedown
When you establish the clinch, your opponent’s arm may end up over your head. In some cases it happens inadvertently, in other cases it’s a deliberate attempt to catch you in a Guillotine Choke. Either way, any time your head ends up under your opponent’s arm, you can use it to transition into the Rear Clinch control position, from where you can set up the Rear Takedown. In this lesson you will learn how to transition from front to back of your opponent as well as how to take them down once you get there.
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This week will focus on all the possible submission techniques in jiu jitsu that makes sense for kids in
each age group. Default to “catch-and-release” in Little Champs with no pressure, and allow for light
pressure application in Jr. Grapplers. Incorporating the Rules of Engagement into the instruction and
really emphasizing the safety considerations of each submission, including the importance of tapping out,
will help prepare them for the eventual transition into Black Belt Club.
Our upcoming Master Cycle classes will revisit Mount Controls, focusing on advanced methods to dominate and exhaust your opponent from this position. We'll explore additional, sophisticated techniques to enhance control and effectiveness from this fundamental and dominant position.
Armbar - Guard
The most common type of attack you will encounter from an opponent who is trapped inside your guard is a punch to the face. Once they realize that they can’t effectively punch you they will try to get access to your neck or face by any means necessary. Whenever someone attacks your neck or face from within your guard, they are giving you the opportunity to catch them in a Straight Armlock. In this lesson you will learn two variations of the Straight Armlock as well as what to do if the opponent escapes by pulling their arm out.
Click here to view lesson on gracieuniversity.com
Clinch (Aggressive Opponent)
Most martial arts rely heavily on the use of strikes to defeat the opponent. This strategy may work against a smaller opponent, but is very risky against a larger, more athletic opponent who could potentially knock you out each time you put yourself in range to strike them. The best strategy is to establish a clinch and take the fight to the ground where you can conserve energy, neutralize strikes, and win the fight with ease. The key to establishing a clinch on an aggressive opponent is to understand that there are two safe distances in a fight: all the way out, or all the way in.
Click here to view lesson on gracieuniversity.com
Reflex Development - Standing Focus Class Preview
In this class we'll bring together all of the standing controls, escapes, and submissions with some extra details, bonus slices, and scripted fight simulation drills that will help prepare you for your transition into Master Cycle!
Gracie Combatives Test -Drill 4: Standing Techniques
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Striking a larger, stronger assailant in the face with punches has limited effectiveness and may cause you to break your hand. In this lesson, we teach you how to use a Super Slap to disrupt the attack and facilitate your escape. First we will teach you how to maximize power with a solo preparation drill, and then we’ll discuss how to apply the Super Slap in combination with previously learned techniques. In this lesson, we teach you additional variations of this critically important technique to ensure your survival against an attacker trying to punch, pin, or choke you.
Super Slap:
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Guard Get-Ups (Choke/Wrist Pin):
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In this chapter top priority is given to teaching the children the various positions of control in jiu-jitsu and putting those controls to the test with some fun and positionally-specific resistance games. Ample time is spent teaching them the names for each position as well as the core principles of effectiveness.
In our upcoming Master Cycle classes, we'll explore Back Mount Submission Counters, focusing on defensive strategies and counter-techniques. Gain proficiency in identifying and neutralizing submission attempts from the back mount to enhance your defensive skill set.
Armbar - Mount
The goal in the fight is to achieve the mount because from there we can deplete our opponent and eventually submit them with ease. When you mount an opponent, it is very common for them to reach for your chest or throat in their escape attempt, and this creates the perfect opportunity for the Straight Armlock. The Straight Armlock is one of the most dynamic submission in jiu-jitsu since it can be applied from virtually any position and it can be used to incapacitate even the largest opponent. In this lesson, you will learn how to apply the Straight Armlock from the mount, and in future lessons you will learn it from other positions in the fight.
Click here to view lesson on gracieuniversity.com
Guillotine Defense
When you establish the clinch, and your opponent no longer has the space or distance to strike you effectively, they will often wrap your neck in an attempt to submit you. For this reason, the Guillotine Choke is one of the most common techniques used by unskilled individuals because it’s simple and it gives them a feeling of control during the chaos. Although the proper clinch position should prevent the Guillotine Choke, your opponent may surprise you if your head is too low, and in this lesson, you will learn the most important Guillotine Defense principles.
Click here to view lesson on gracieuniversity.com
The Gracie Character Development Program consists of six chapters: Responsibility, Health, Respect, Citizenship, Manners, and Caring. We spend two months on each chapter. In every class, we discuss the featured character trait for 10-15 minutes, emphasizing the simple things your child can do to make it a part of their life.
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