The Gracie family once made a famous claim that most fights end up on the ground. Although some people may disagree with this statement, if a fight does end up on the ground, it would certainly benefit to have techniques ready. Any conflict at floor level can be devastating; being so close to things such as broken glass, concrete, dirt and anything else that may be lying could end up being deadly. In addition to have skills for self-defense on the ground, there can be great enjoyment found in matching up with someone of equal size and ability, then grappling to train.
As an introduction to ground-fighting in Jiu Jitsu, here are a few different positions to study and practice with.
Using The Guard on the Ground
As one of the more common defensive positions on the ground, the guard is something every fighter will want to be familiar with.
- Tori (defender) lies on their back with Uke (attacker) between their legs. Tori can wrap his or her legs around the hips of Uke to control him (closed-guard) or keep his or her feet on the ground for mobility (open-guard.) This is the Guard and it can be either open or closed.
- While in the guard, it’s possible to work for submissions through arm and shoulder manipulation. The key is to distract using hip movement, so that the opponent is confused, then take advantage. Fighters can also use this position to apply chokes.
- From a self-defense point-of-view, the goal is to get to one’s feet and away as quickly as possible. The open-guard can be used to sweep the opponent up and away, allowing escape. Here, the defender must use his or her feet to create space and then push the fighter away.
By using the guard effectively, a Jiu Jitsu practioner can keep their enemy at bay while buying themselves options for movement or submission.
The Half-Guard for Offense and Defense
The half-guard is a position in which the attacker has managed to free one of their legs from the regular guard. The defender has trapped the remaining limb with their own legs, providing some degree of control.
- With a skilled opponent, it will be challenging to achieve, but the half-guard can be used to transition into control of the back. From the back, there are many options open to the attacker, the best of which is likely a naked choke.
- As the defender has one leg to the inside of the attacker’s thigh, it can be possible to use the knee as a control, keeping the opponent at length.
The Powerful Ground Position of The Mount
One of the more powerful of ground fighting holds, the mount is the best position for a Jiu Jitsu expert to enact locking techniques and hold-downs against opponents.
- From a self-defense perspective, being able to transition into the mount will mean a better chance of escape.
- A grappler can drop their chest and weight down into their opponent to demobilize.
- Often, an inexperienced grappler will push the mounted fighter away. This can lead to arm-bars and powerful holding techniques.
There is a great amount of depth to the ground-fighting game in Jiu Jitsu. From both a self-defense point of view, and a sporting point of view, there are many useful things to learn and practice. This small overview is simply a starting point.
See also: Jiu Jitsu Techniques or the differences between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Japanese Jiu Jitsu.
