Entries by savarese

Every submission has an escape in BJJ

Every submission has an escape in BJJ Every submission has an escape in BJJ. The key is to identify the problem. Every escape involves a set of movements – but invariably there is ONE movement that does the majority of the work of escape. For example in upper body submission holds from guard involving your […]

Best BJJ training is sparring tired

Best BJJ training is sparring tired The best BJJ training is sparring tired. It’s common to feel utterly exhausted some days in the middle of your sparring rounds. Sometimes you come in feeling fine and have a couple of very tough rounds and feel very fatigued. It’s natural to feel like stopping, maybe taking off […]

Dictating pace in Jiu-Jitsu

Dictating pace in Jiu-Jitsu Dictating pace in Jiu-Jitsu is one of the keys to success on the mat. Whatever your opponent wants to do – do the opposite: BJJ can seem like a very complex game at times, but in some ways it is very simple. It is a classic zero-sum game in the sense  […]

How to improve while injured in BJJ

How to improve while injured in BJJ   How to improve while injured in BJJ has an easy answer-watch class. It really is that simple. Watching BJJ class: Whenever my students are injured, I usually encourage them to come in periodically and watch classes from the sideline. Why? When you can’t train your body – […]

Defense first in BJJ

Defense first in BJJ Something we have really been stressing lately at Savarese BJJ is defense first in BJJ. How good are you at getting out of bad positions? Whenever people ask me to diagnose their skill level one of the first things I observe is their skill at getting out of bad positions. Why? […]

Back control mastery in BJJ

Back control mastery in BJJ Back control mastery in BJJ can be tricky. it can also take a while to learn. When you’re starting on the path to back control mastery – focus on the upper body first: The back is the most dominant position in a grappling match without striking. Nothing else creates such […]

BJJ, like a fight, isn’t always fair

BJJ, like a fight, isn’t always fair BJJ, like a fight, isn’t always fair. Life isn’t fair – neither should be your Jiu-Jitsu: Fair play is a wonderful thing but not in Jiu-Jitsu. Your whole game is to create an uneven playing field using mechanics and tactics that put your opponent at a disadvantage that […]

Head/Hand attacks in BJJ

Head/Hand attacks in BJJ   Hands and head: When you first make contact with an opponent whether it be standing or from seated guard situations, the first points of contact with your opponent will typically be at the hands and forehead. Learning to place them so as to create defensive barriers and then manipulate them […]

What’s your worst BJJ skill?

What’s your worst BJJ skill? What is your worst skill? Every jiu jitsu player, you, me, everybody, has a worst skill – some part of the game that lags far behind their other skills. We all carry it around as a burden and hope it does not show up in sparring or competition. A great […]

Protecting the chin in BJJ

Protecting the chin in BJJ Protecting the chin in BJJ is vital to defensive soundness. Defensive soundness: I’m sure you’ve all been to a boxing match and heard fools in the audience randomly screaming “KEEP YOUR HANDS UP!†every twenty seconds regardless of what is actually happening in the ring. Well, underneath it all there […]