What to do when you're fighting a Jiu-Jitsu fighter?

[youremean]

Thanks everybody for all the great advice.

 

What should I do if he has already bearhugged me and is trying to push me down? My instinct is to clinch, but he is still able to eventually push me down (and he was a smaller guy than me too).

 

Thanks again

[Shorin Ryuu]

One principle of jujitsu is to push when pulled and pull when pushed. If he tries to push you down, go back. I recommend going back at an angle. It is important to go back "with your hips" rather than jerking back with your upper body, which will just end up getting you rocked. Especially if he is a smaller guy, you will want to sink your energy (or center of gravity) because he will try to get leverage on you. As a karateka, I'm partial to doing a low kick to the inside of the knee, but that probably wouldn't be allowed, unless you make it more of a push that allows him to fall with it rather than a break...

 

Of course, if you can neutralize his arms before he reaches you (change his direction or go soft and use up his "energy"), you would be in the position to get him in a great hold or manipulate his arms.

 

Question, does his bearhug go over both your arms or under them? Um, for that matter, is he in front or in back...that might change the answer a bit...

[SevenStar]

I've noticed many, but not all, have difficulty grabbing a strike that is performed quickly and correctly.

 

what? are you referring to japanese jujutsu stylists or brazilian? In addition to thai boxing, I train bjj and judo... we NEVER grab limbs - it's pointless, for the very reason that you stated - it's hard to grab a fast punch, whether it's done correctly or not, unless it's an arcing punch, like a hook or a hay maker.

 

What a grappler is going to do is eat your space. I want to be close to you. screw your punch and your kick - if I can get in close enough, I will jam it anyway. I'd rather duck/cover and shoot in or parry and shoot in than try to grab a limb, unless I'm grabbing a roundhouse kick, in which case the takedown is easier.

 

If he closes in, I've noticed it to be effective if you use small weapons against sensitive targets (like the thumb in the sides of the ribs, neck, etc.).

 

my experience has been different. IME, those are nothing more than a nuissance - pain compliance is not the way to stop a grappler's aggression. The way to stop him is to neutralize his attack, then counter him. As I stated above, the grappler wants your space. your job is to maintain that space - if you do that, he can't take you down. Drill your takedown defenses, like sprawling and drill countering after the sprawl. Work your distance techniques, like the teep and the jab. the roundhouse is good, but you HAVE to set it up with something, because a roundhouse is easy to grab. If he grabs it, you're going down.

 

the enxt thing the grappler relies on is forward motion - I need to come forward in order to shoot in and take you down, steal your space, etc. In order to stop that, kill my forward motion. If you are striking at me and I am going backwards, I can't shoot in - THAT'S when you use your roundhouse. Set up with strikes to get him going backwards, or at least not forward, then nail him with the roundhouse.

 

The way to beat a grappler is to control the distance game.

[SevenStar]

One principle of jujitsu is to push when pulled and pull when pushed.

 

Just like all rules, this can - and sometimes should - be broken. This is one of those instances. What you are referring to is judo's principle of maximum efficiency - since you are pushing me, I'm gonna use that energy to allow you to go in the direction you are already headed...makes perfect sense. BUT, in his case, he's bear hugged. That rulse doesn't apply if you are trapped. He wants to STOP the forward motion, because if he doesn't, he's going down. What he does to stop the forward motion depends on whether or not his hands are trapped.

 

There are other instances where that rule is broken also. If you are pushing me, you are going forward - If I lower my level, you are going forward, right setting yourself up for my double leg, fireman's carry, etc.

[SevenStar]

you're in VA... do you train with mr. miller?

[Shorin Ryuu]

SevenStar, when I said push when pulled, pull when pushed, I said to step back, but to do so at an angle (almost more of a pivot and slide). It is continuing his force, but you are not going to be flattened. If he has you absolutely trapped, your weight transition will cause his hold to be changed. Even if he can still hold on, he will be forced to compensate for your movement which might allow you to escape or do other things.

 

As for intercepting strikes by closing in and "jamming" the attack or otherwise removing its potency, I agree, as that is an Okinawan karate principle as well. Yes, when I referred to jujitsu trying to grab strikes, I was referring to japanese rather than bjj. As for a roundhouse kick...I don't use it (it is a rather new technique introduced into karate that I find does not suit full combat. Now a "roundhouse" with the knee or shin on the other hand, I find very effective...).

 

In terms of the techniques I was referring to in regards to the sensitive areas, I did not imply pain compliance to be the goal, as you are correct, in a fight, pain can easily be overriden by adrenaline or simply having a high pain threshold. The techniques I am referring to (especially the thumb to the sensitive areas of the ribs, including the points of the floating ribs) are meant to unbalance or to temporarily cause the opponent to relax tension, draw back slightly, or shift in order to misdirect your force. If the opponent resists the pain, it is even more optimal because most people will naturally increase muscle tension combined with a push against it. At this point, a quick and complete relaxation of the technique will cause the opponent's momentum to shift to fill the gap where you are no longer providing pressure. As I mentioned, these aren't magic bullets, but are little tricks. This push against an opponent's force and a quick relaxation doesn't even have to be applied to a sensitive place. These are small energy changes that won't end up with him flying off you, but can allow you to get out of a hold. It also sets you up to reverse direction on the opponent. I've found that this works on bjj people that I have faced in the past as well.

There are other instances where that rule is broken also. If you are pushing me, you are going forward - If I lower my level, you are going forward, right setting yourself up for my double leg, fireman's carry, etc.

I might just be misunderstanding it, but that isn't exactly opposing that rule, is it? You aren't resisting that force, you are shifting yourself so that it doesn't go full against you. Even if you do some forward movement, it is more of a rotation along an axis that just happens to be forward at the moment. Moment referring in this case both to the time and the rotational "moment". Sorry, bad pun...But yes, that is a good technique.

 

I am of the opinion that you can play the distance game, but a lot of times the grappler might beat you, so you should try to acquaint yourself with close distance. It'd be like saying don't worry about getting sliced by a sword because you have a shield. What happens if your shield is taken away?

[SevenStar]

I completely agree about the distance thing. However, just being realistic, your advantage is lost when you lose your distance, just as you lose some advatage when you lose your shield. In his case, he is not a grappler, consequently, he has to rely on his shield for the most part.

[SevenStar]

[/b]SevenStar, when I said push when pulled, pull when pushed, I said to step back, but to do so at an angle (almost more of a pivot and slide). It is continuing his force, but you are not going to be flattened. If he has you absolutely trapped, your weight transition will cause his hold to be changed. Even if he can still hold on, he will be forced to compensate for your movement which might allow you to escape or do other things.[/b]

 

by continuing the backward motion though, you are still to disadvanted, IMO. I would much prefer to stop the motion, control his hips, stopping him from continuing to press forward, and going on from there. The space you create by stopping his hips and motion may give you enough space to fit in for a throw.

 

 

I might just be misunderstanding it, but that isn't exactly opposing that rule, is it? You aren't resisting that force, you are shifting yourself so that it doesn't go full against you. Even if you do some forward movement, it is more of a rotation along an axis that just happens to be forward at the moment. Moment referring in this case both to the time and the rotational "moment". Sorry, bad pun...But yes, that is a good technique.

 

you're right - it's not exactly opposing it, but it's not really in accordance with it either. And yes, bad pun

[Shorin Ryuu]

by continuing the backward motion though, you are still to disadvanted, IMO. I would much prefer to stop the motion, control his hips, stopping him from continuing to press forward, and going on from there. The space you create by stopping his hips and motion may give you enough space to fit in for a throw.

I'll give that a try next chance I get, but it just goes against my natural tendencies. Of course, this might be one of those "it works for you and not me" and "mine works for me and not you" sort of things...

[TJS]

counter fight....watch Pedro Rizzo fight and you will have your answer.