Importance of posture in Jiu-Jitsu

Importance of posture in Jiu-Jitsu can be tricky for some. One tip for posture in Jiu-Jitsu is to stay compact. Probably one of the biggest problems beginners in BJJ face is that of extending their bodies at times that make them very vulnerable to attack. Most of the fundamental postures of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, particularly the defensive ones, involve contraction of the body – spine rounded, elbows and knees tucked in tight, often times connecting the elbows to the knees. Learning to trust in this contraction as the best means of slipping your limbs inside your opponent’s limbs as the most high percentage route to escape and evasion is a big step for the beginner in Jiu-Jitsu. As you progress, the problem will change from that of getting to a safe, contracted posture to that of maintaining this strong posture throughout the course of a long tough match against a skilled opponent who is doing everything he can to subvert that posture. Either way, learning and fighting to keep your limbs in tight at the appropriate time will be a constant theme of your training. Just as a good boxer constantly keeps his chin tucked, shoulders high and rounded to protect his jaw and elbows in tight to protect his torso when in danger, so will a good BJJ practitioner. A good Jiu-Jitsu practitioner puts his or her primary effort into sound defensive structure before anything else. Here, one of our Savarese BJJ Academy (www.njbjj.com) instructors Sean presents our student Kayla with a wall of knees and elbows that prevents her from exploiting the angle she has gained. His well rounded spine will give him the mobility he needs to quickly recover his legs and square up to her so that he can immediately shift from a defensive cycle to an offensive one. Posture before all, and in defense, when in doubt, contract and pull everything in tight. Practice the posture in BJJ theory and watch your BJJ game evolve.