About BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu emphasises on taking your opponent to the ground, utilising ground fighting techniques and submission holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds, removing the advantage of a larger, stronger opponent.

The premise of BJJ is that most of the advantage of a larger, stronger opponent comes from superior reach and more powerful strikes, both of which are somewhat negated when grappling on the ground. The BJJ style includes effective use of the guard position to defend oneself from the bottom position, and passing the guard to dominate from top position with side control, mount, and back mount positions. This system of maneuvering and manipulation can be likened to a form of chess when performed by two experienced practitioners. A submission hold would be the equivalent of checkmate.

BJJ permits all the techniques that judo allows to take the fight to the ground. Once on the ground the opponents can continue to fight, and winning is usually the result of one participant “tapping out”. In sport competition, matches are timed and can also be won by outscoring your oppenent by gaining dominent positions, and completing certain manuevers.

Popular techniques employed by practioners are the triangle choke, kimura, cross-choke, armbar, foot-locks, sweeps, and maintaining dominentpositions. Fighting generally begins from the stand-up position and the fighters will work to take eachother down by employing a range of throws, sweeps, and other takedowns. Once on the ground, each oppenent will move to try and gain an advantageous position and apply techniques designed to force the oppenent into submission (tap out).