The most common questions I am asked by the bjj beginner at Gracie NEPA is, “Where do I start?” The overwhelming number of techniques and strategies encompassed by Brazilian Jiu-jitsu can be a staggering meal for the beginner to digest if they try to swallow it whole. With the thousands of variations of submissions, sweeps, counters, escapes, passes; bjj is a dinner that if eaten whole is enough to make you want to vomit! Therefore, your training should be taken one small bite at a time until you have enjoyed every morsel of the vast buffet of techniques available to you.
So where then does the beginner start? Which techniques and strategies should be focused on in order to improve as quickly as possible without being overwhelmed? Advice regarding this is often conflicting and confusing but one commonality that all masters of bjj offer is in the beginning keep it simple!
To follow is my take on which techniques to learn and focus on as a beginner student of bjj. I have selected the following FIVE techniques because they are simple in their execution, they are high percentage, and they will build good habits that will serve as a foundation for more advanced techniques that you will learn later in your bjj life. These techniques certainly are not the end all-be all of what you should be learning but spending time mastering the following techniques will alleviate much of the frustration and confusion a new student may experience during their first few months on the mats.
Beginner Technique 1: Guard Replacement with Hip Escape
Why? You’ll use this side control escape more than any other side control escape from your first rolls right up to black belt. You have to learn to move your hips on the bottom for all escapes and this is the first one you should learn. It teaches you the 2 most important hip movements for escaping from the bottom in BJJ: Bridging and Hip escape.
Replacing guard is your number one priority when your opponent has passed your guard. And if you become skilled at this side control escape technique then you’ll also learn a lot about guard retention in BJJ – the movements can be very similar with a lot of carry-over between techniques.
Common Mistake: Trying to bench press your opponent off of you instead of using your arms to create “frames”
Beginner Technique 2: ‘Simple Choke’ from Guard
Why? The cross collar grip is the starting point for your sweeps and other attacks from the guard. The basic cross collar and sleeve grip is how you should base your closed guard strategy. It allows you to control your opponent’s head and break their posture down and is the starting point for many guard attack combinations including the ‘simple choke’. The simple choke was Helio Gracie’s favorite attack from the guard and he memorably choked a Japanese challenger unconscious with this technique during a challenge match in Brazil.
Common Mistake: Not getting the first hand deep enough in the collar. You must remember to reach DEEP into the collar, and ‘grab the tag’ at the back of the opponent’s neck.
Beginner Technique 3: “Upa” / Bridge and Roll Escape vs Mount
Why? Powerful hip bridges are the beginning to nearly every escape on the ground. It is critical skill to learn to use the power of your hips in order to bridge to escape the mount. One of the base concepts of BJJ is utilizing the strongest muscle groups in the most efficient manner possible whenever you can. For the Upa escape you are activating your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back! It is important to resist the urge to bench press your way out of the mount; doing so is not only a high energy risk but also provides a skilled opponent an automatic armbar. The Upa gives the beginner student a high-percentage escape from the bottom without the risk of getting your back ‘taken ‘ or having your arm taken home by your opponent.
Common Mistake: Forgetting to trap the opponent’s arm when bridging; thus allowing them to post the arm to counter and maintain top position.
Beginner Technique 4: Elbow to Knee Escape vs Mount
Why? When you combine the elbow to knee escape with the Upa you will have a solid chain of technique that can allow you to escape the mount even more efficiently! As a bonus when you layer this strategy with beginner technique 1 you will become more efficient and effective in both areas with regards to creating space.
Common Mistake: Not shrimping the hips enough to create sufficient space to wedge your knee and elbow under the opponent’s hip. Our warmups start with the shrimping because it IS that critical to be able to execute it at will.
Beginner Technique 5: Rear Naked Choke
Why? This is the granddaddy of all BJJ submissions. The back mount is most desirable position in the positional hierarchy of Gracie jiu-jitsu and the Rear Naked Choke is the best submission from the back. The rear naked choke, RNC, or “mata leon / lion killer” is statistically the most successful submission in UFC history as well as the effective and efficient technique to force the submission from a bigger, stronger, nastier opponent in or out of the gym!
Common Mistake: Trying to choke over the opponent’s face; be certain to slide your forearm UNDER the opponent’s jaw until the ‘V’ of the elbow lines up with the opponent’s chin.
There it is – my top BJJ techniques for beginners! In addition to these techniques I would advise that it is important for beginners to learn the concept of ‘hierarchy of position‘ as well as ‘the guidelines of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu technique‘. Remember in order to understand the ‘big picture’ you must connect the pieces of the puzzle accordingly take you time and enjoy the challenge!
About the Author:
Jeff Reese, Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belt, has had the honor of learning from two generations of Gracie family members including Royce, Royler, Rodrigo, Rolker, Ralek, Rener, and Ryron; he teaches at Gracie NEPA in Scranton, PA
