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BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU TECHNIQUES
OK, I confessed. I cross-train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques or BJJ, the ground fighting or grappling style made famous by the Gracie family in many NHB (No Holds Barred) or Vale Tudo reality fighting matches like the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), where the rules are minimum and it closely resemble a real fight. Although these NHB, Vale Tudo or UFC matches are not real fights, they act as a valuable pressure test to see which techniques really worked in a fight, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques are arguably the dominant fighting techniques in most NHB, Vale Tudo, UFC or no-rules fights.
Now the million dollar question: Why do we need to train in ground fighting or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques? Most Karatekas or other standup martial artists would argue that they don't want to fight on the ground or they can't be taken down to the ground. Well, the reality is: you can be easily taken down to the ground. Doesn't even matter how you were taken down, with intention or by accident. What matter most is do you know what to do when you are on the ground? For the non-believer of ground fighting, ask your friend to try his best to really tackle you down to the ground and you try defending his tackle/takedown. You will be surprised at the result.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques are not so much about who cause the takedowns than who can dominate and eventually submits his opponent, whether by strikes, joint-locks or chokes. Being the best ground fighting style, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques stressed position first before submission. That's why they can literally dominate and win over their opponents when fighting from the ground, unless their opponents are also skilled in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques. The fighters in reality fighting matches like the UFC showed that we need to learn how to fight at all ranges, not just from standup using strikes and kicks. It's better to be a mediocre fighter who knows how to fight at all ranges (standup, clinch, ground), than an expert kicker who will be totally helpless once taken to the ground. So it's always good to learn some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques to defend yourself should you ever find yourself on the ground while fighting. In this sense, learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques will be the prefect complement to your Karate strikes and kicks.
BJJ IS A GREAT COMPLEMENTARY SKILL FOR ANY STANDUP MARTIAL ARTISTS.
The most basic Brazilian Jiu Jitsu technique is called the guard. This means you are lying on your back and trying to keep your opponent between your legs. The rationale is to use your legs and hips to prevent him from striking you, pinning you, mounting you and putting you in all kinds of unfavorable positions where he can ultimately lock or break your joints, choke you or beat you down. So we train to use our legs and hips first while on our back, to keep our opponent at bay while constantly looking for an opening to launch an attack from the ground. Since Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques stressed position first, most of the time you will find 2 BJJ opponents in a match constantly fighting for a superior position first before launching their attacks. For a first timer in a BJJ class, it's terrible to be under a BJJ opponent weight and control. Once you under their pinning or control positions like side control, north-south, or the dreaded mount, you are literally at their mercy. From these BJJ positions, they can launch all kind of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques consisting of strikes or submissions on you.
So firstly you learn the guard, then you learn how to pass the guard (pass the legs of the opponent) to achieve a superior position and attack. You will also learn many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques from the guard, enabling you to control, sweep, lock and attack your opponent while you are on your back, doesn't matter whether your opponent is standing, on his knees or lying down. Here is a sample of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu technique you can use if you are attacked while on the ground.
One of the best thing about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques is that they are practice against moving, resisting opponents, ensuring much quicker mastery of these techniques with a certainty that it will work when applied. BJJ is an art that is practice with aliveness, and most martial arts practice with aliveness have proven themselves on the ring in many NHB or Vale Tudo reality fighting matches like the UFC, Pride, K-1, KOTC (King of the Cage), XFC, Caged Combat and etc.
We in Kissaki Defensive Tactics Academy in Malaysia believed that martial arts should first and foremost be functional, before adhering to any rigid forms, patterns, traditions or rituals. Our affiliation with Will-Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu means that we are recognized by one of the most progressive and largest BJJ/MMA/Self Defense organizations in the world, in line with our aim to promote "aliveness" in any martial arts training. We are constantly evolving and improving, discarding techniques which have lesser probability of working in favour of techniques proven in reality fighting matches. Since we believed a Karateka should know how to fight at all ranges, we recommend anyone serious about self defense to cross-train in BJJ for at least a year (or longer if you enjoy it). Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques might not look pretty or martial, but it works, and that's all that matter.
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