Grips Dictate Position

Whoever controls the grips controls the position.

If your opponent can't get grips on you, they can't do anything to you. It doesn't matter how strong they are. Shutting down their grip game is a Jiu-Jitsu superpower.

Why do grips dictate position?

Think back to your personal experience. When you lose position, what tends to have happened right before? Odds are, you lost the grip fight...and that's why you lost the position.

If they want to get leverage against you, push/pull you to create kuzushi, or set up an attack, it almost always begins with grips.

As soon as your opponent establishes dominant grip control, you are on the defense and they can begin advancing the position. This is why countergripping is so important: you need to immediately regain dominant grips to stop your opponent's positional advancement.

Ever noticed that watching black belts fight is like watching cats fight? At first, nothing happens, then there's an explosion of activity. That's because they're being patient and getting the grips they want before making any major moves.*

*(At least that's why the black belts are doing it; I can't pretend to speak on the motivations of cats.)

But understand that not all grips are good grips. We want dominant grips.

What's a “dominant grip?”

A grip is dominant if it gives you more control over your opponent than your opponent gains over you.

Sometimes you technically have a grip, but not the type where pushing/pulling would give you any sort of advantage. Those are non-dominant grips.

Focus on getting dominant grips. If your grip is non-dominant (meaning it does not give you a degree of control), abandon it. Non-dominant grips are worse than nothing because they give your opponent control over your body. (see: body tethering)

How can I apply this?

#1: Before you do ANYTHING, win the grip fight first.
Until you're winning the grip fight: do not sweep, do not submit, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

#2: If your grips aren't dominant, get grips that are.
Always be asking yourself, “What can I actually do with this grip?” Avoid holding onto grips like security blankets. They must serve a purpose. If you can't use the grip to control your opponent or yourself, it's a liability and you should abandon it.

#3: Use different methods to win the grip fight.
Grips can be countered by either breaking the grip, inverting the grip, or changing the angle.

On the podcast:

• Ep. 3: Anatomic Hierarchy, Grips
• Ep. 270: The 3 Joint Rule, feat. Jeff Shaw

Further study:

• Countergripping
• 3 Joint Rule
• Body Tethering