Bjj foundation

[spader]

What are the most important things to concentrate on to have a solid foundation in Bjj? I feel that the gaurd pass is the most important thing to learn at the start! Should you learn defense first then offense? Mixture of both? I'm looking for the top 5 opinions.
Please respond to this!!!! Dont leave me hanging!

[Cliff Hargrave]

1. Escapes (including guard passing)

2. Achieving position

3. Maintaining position

If you master these, everything else is easy.

[vadrip]

Also, I would include an aggressive guard and being able to break your opponent's posture to set him up with subs and sweeps.

[John Bennett]

You can't finish unless you can maintain superior positions.

You can't maintain superior positions until you can achieve superior positions.

You can't achieve superior positions until you can escape inferior positions.

Thus, what Cliff says is true. To be good at finishing, you must first be good at ecsaping.

BJJ works for smaller people where other arts fail specifically because this rather unique strategic paradigm.

I love the logical and technical nature of BJJ so much; in contrast to "Chaotic Arts".

[Erik]

Just for debate's sake (as I do agree with John & Cliff):
I've found that I get and keep position reasonably well yet loose it when I go for the submission. Somehow, getting the choke or armlock seems to be significantly more difficult than the getting & keeping of position.

I spent 90+ minutes last night trying to get submissions from side control and I just couldn't get the guys to tap.

Consequently, I'd argue (for debate's sake) that the submissions are equally important to train as one cannot decisively complete the match without them.

(This is weak logic as one can win by position and points, but maybe it will make the thread more interesting).

[John Bennett]

> getting the choke or armlock seems to be significantly more difficult than the getting & keeping of position.

Against other BJJ guys, it just is.

In classroom sparring and tournament play, if a guy just wants to be defensive, he can lay there for a long time without giving anything away.

Allowing elbow strikes and knee strikes causes things become more interesting and move faster.

The good thing about BJJ for self-defense is that it does have such a strong emphasis on positional skills in classroom sparring and tournament play.

Joint locks are iffy without positional superiority. With it, they become dependable and devastating, especially against non-grapplers and drunken oafs.

[Cliff Hargrave]

Consequently, I'd argue (for debate's sake) that the submissions are equally important to train as one cannot decisively complete the match without them.



It's really not an argument but more of an order of importance. Your submission set ups and finishes are equally important, but you have to master the positional stuff first.