Universal Defenses

Some defenses are generally good options, but may not be the best option.

A “universal defense” is a defensive move you can do in many situations...

...and while it might be an okay option...

...it's usually not the best option.

Let's give an example.

When I was a white belt, I was taught that when someone mounts you, you should immediately bring your hands up to cover your neck, like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone.

That served me pretty well at first, but I remember using this defense against my instructor years later when I was a purple belt. He was not impressed.

“What are you doing, Steve?”

“The ‘Home Alone’ defense!”

“Don't do that.”

“But I was taught to do that when I was a white belt.”

“Yeah, and you're not a white belt anymore. You need a better defense.”

This is when I first realized that getting better at jiu-jitsu may mean discarding the tactics you've used up until that point. You need to trade in what you've got in order to get something better.

The “Home Alone” defense, where you bring your hands to your neck to prevent a choke, is a universal defense.

By that, we mean: If you have no idea what you're doing, protecting your neck is a good idea.

In boxing, “chin down, hands up” is a universal defense. It's one of the first things a good boxing coach will teach you. But you'll see advanced boxers break this rule all the time, because they have a better understanding of what they want to do.

A universal defense is a good thing to do, but it may not be the best thing.

There are many universal defenses in Jiu-Jitsu. Rob Biernacki has joked that ramming your heel into your opponent's butt and running away is the “universal defense” for leglocks. And he's not wrong!

But Rob also suggests growing past that escape, because running away from leglocks prevents you from engaging with (and learning) the leglock game. So while the leglock “universal defense” may work, advanced practitioners will find better tools.

The big takeaway is that not all defenses are created equal. Some are broadly applicable, but also fallible. Others are specialized or complex, but more effective. There may be a time and a place for each... not just in a match, but also in your jiu-jitsu journey.

On the podcast:

• Ep. 379: Position Series: The 90/90, feat. Rob Biernacki

Further study:

• Limb Coiling