PROGRESSIVE BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU: THE MOST COMMON BJJ MISTAKE (AND HOW TO FIX IT!)
You train jiu jitsu like an animal. You pay attention in class. You go hard during live training. But for some reason your guard gets passed like a hot knife through butter, and your submissions just don't lock in. Frustrating, isn't it?
I have the solution: move your hips!
Hip movement is the foundation upon which jiu jitsu is built. Moving your hips is critical for almost everything you do in jiu jitsu - getting under your opponent to destabilize him, establishing distance when your guard is being passed, reaching up to lock in an arm bar or triangle. If your hips don't move, all of these options just go away.
Moving your hips correctly takes a lot of practice, but it's something you should think of every day you train. Use your hips to buy you more time to escape, use them to help you lock in a submission. Most of all, just USE THEM! You may end up moving the wrong direction when you hip escape, but that's ok. Just like with every other technique, it takes practice.
A great way to get used to the feeling of using your hips is to do solo jiu jitsu drills and a great one is shrimping. Practice hip escapes/shrimps around your living room, around the school before or after class, and otherwise go crazy with it. Be sure to get all the way onto your side and move those hips as far out as you can. When it comes time for live training, just remember your practice time and apply it.
Using your hips correctly is something that doesn't come naturally to everyone, so don't get frustrated if others do it well. Just persevere and you'll get it down in no time!
Train hard,
- Draculino
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