Wrestling Techniques In BJJ: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that emphasises positional superiority and submissions when engaging in ground combat. Techniques in Jiu-Jitsu frequently include pinning the opponent to the ground. Today’s BJJ fighters occasionally utilise tactics from other grappling styles, especially when they are standing up, which is not BJJ’s strongest ground. Wrestling strategies may be quite helpful for BJJ practitioners, especially in the opening exchange. Today, we’ll look at five wrestling moves that have found a home in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The snapdown is a crucial wrestling manoeuvre that may be seamlessly implemented into BJJ. You must use enough force with your hands to drag your opponent’s head downward and throw off their balance and posture. The snapdown may be used as an opening move for a variety of holds, including front headlocks and guillotines. Furthermore, by bringing down your opponent, you may quickly switch to other dominant positions or prepare takedowns by upsetting their posture.
Use These 5 Wrestling Techniques In BJJ
1) Snapdown
The snapdown is a fundamental wrestling move that fits in perfectly with BJJ. Your opponent’s posture and balance are upset as a result of the manoeuvre, which entails dragging their head down with force while utilising your hands to do it. The snapdown may be used to set up guillotine chokes or front headlocks, among other submissions. Pulling your opponent to the ground helps you get access to more advantageous positions and sets you up for takedowns.
Make sure you have a firm grasp on the back of your opponent’s neck or head when doing snapdowns. Use a rapid downward motion and leverage your weight to cause them to lose equilibrium. It’s critical to be nearby and take advantage of their vulnerable position as soon as you can.
You might also be interested in reading this: Simple & Easy Backtakes For BJJ Beginners
2) Arm Drag
To open up an attack angle, you seize control of your opponent’s arm and pull it across their body using the simple but effective arm drag method. By dragging their arm, you can force your opponent to expose their side or back, allowing you to launch your punches from there. Taking your opponent’s back can be one of the best positions in the game in terms of applicability. Additionally, it may be used to be ready for sweeps from guard positions or to fend off a rough hold.
Maintaining a firm hold on your opponent’s wrist with one hand while controlling the elbow or tricep with the other is crucial. You may also cup your hand just over your adversary’s armpit for extra control. Pull their arm across their torso next while moving at an angle. This will immediately show their side or back.
3) Single Leg Takedown
By holding onto one of your opponent’s legs, you may throw them off-balance and knock them to the ground. By far, the most common takedown in BJJ is this one. It doesn’t take special abilities to pull it off and is quite low risk. The versatility of the single-leg takedown lies in its capacity to permit a controlled descent to the ground. Once you’ve achieved the takedown, you may quickly switch to a number of top pins, including side control, knee on belly, or north-south.
It’s a smart idea to lower your level to overtake your adversary. With one hand, hold the back of their knee or thigh while your other arm is around their leg. As you advance, use your head to press against their body and knock them to the ground. Always be aware of how your head is positioned since guillotine chokes frequently target that area.
4) Double Leg Takedown
A powerful wrestling move called the double leg takedown involves grabbing both of your opponent’s legs and cutting an angle to send them to the ground. This is a great grappling move that Georges St-Pierre, a legendary fighter, likes to use.
The double-leg takedown is a quick way to take someone down in BJJ and other grappling sports. It’s a technique that depends on timing and explosiveness because you’re coming at your opponent from the front. Perfect execution might result in powerful positions like the mount or side control. In MMA and self-defence scenarios, it is a smart move to make. Once you have your opponent’s hip in place, it is often ideal to move at an angle so that you fall to the side rather than straight in front of them. After getting the opponent down, the last thing we want to happen is to get caught in their locked guard.
A crucial piece of advice is to lower your level and fire at your adversary, trying to get your shoulders as close to their hip or belly as possible. As you advance and raise them off the ground by wrapping both arms around their legs, you may then utilise your momentum to knock them to the ground.
5) Sprawl
A defensive wrestling move known as the sprawl is used to defend against takedowns, particularly against shots like the double or single leg. The fundamental idea behind the sprawl is to utilise your body to deflect their assault while maintaining a healthy space between your hips.
A well-timed sprawl can stop an opponent from taking you down, keeping you in control and presenting opportunities for a counterattack. It’s an essential technique for those who wish to win the first round of a match or keep the battle standing.
Move your hips backwards as your opponent moves in for a shot, and expand your base by spreading out your legs and “sprawling” your weight onto them. Utilise this chance to block with your chest and arms, applying pressure to their back. The second step is to get to a better position (often moving to the back or establishing a front headlock) in order to stop them from reshooting after you successfully defend the takedown.
Constructing A System
Consider these methods as the foundation of your standup routine. For the upcoming several months, we urge you to continuously put these strategies to use by drilling on both sides. Every time you practise, get your repetitions in by gradually incorporating them into your sparring bouts.
Conclusion
Even though wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are two separate grappling disciplines, the incorporation of wrestling techniques into BJJ gives practitioners a better and more complete toolkit for taking someone down. You may develop a whole standup game that will unquestionably advance your jiu-jitsu by comprehending and mastering techniques like arm drag, sprawl, takedowns, and snapdown.
Use These 5 Wrestling Techniques In BJJ. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
