TECHNIIQUES AND FUNDAMENTALS

Here are the fundamental Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) positions and movements—these are the building blocks of everything else in grappling. If you grasp these concepts, you understand the 'language' of BJJ, which is essential for both traditional and adaptive grappling.

Fundamental Positions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

1. Closed Guard (Bottom Position)

This is when you are on your back with your legs wrapped around your opponent’s waist. 

- One of the safest positions for beginners 

- Focus is on control and breaking posture 

- You can attack or defend from here 

- Common for learning grips, sweeps, and submissions 

- You are controlling your opponent using your legs.

2. Mount (Top Dominant Position)

This is when you are sitting on top of your opponent’s torso.

- One of the strongest control positions in BJJ 

- Allows strikes (in self-defense contexts) or submissions 

- Hard for the bottom person to escape if controlled properly

3. Side Control

You are on top of your opponent, chest-to-chest, perpendicular to them. Your legs are spread out on the mat.

- Very stable control position 

- Used to transition to mount or submissions 

- Focus is on pressure and control, not speed 

- You are pinning your opponent’s upper body.

4. Back Control

You are behind your opponent, usually with your legs 'hooked' around them.

- One of the strongest attacking positions 

- Hard for the opponent to see or escape 

- Common submissions come from here (like chokes) 

- You control your opponent from behind where they are most vulnerable.

5. Guard Passing (Movement Between Positions)

This is the process of moving from someone’s guard (legs controlling you) into a dominant position like side control or mount.

- One of the most important skills in BJJ 

- Requires patience, balance, and timing 

- Often involves controlling legs and hips 

- You are 'solving' the opponent’s legs to advance position.

Core Movements Every Beginner Should Know

These are the 'invisible fundamentals' that connect all positions:

1. Shrimping (Hip Escape)

- Moving your hips away to create space 

- Essential for escaping bad positions

2. Bridging (Up Escape Motion)

- Explosive hip movement upward 

- Used to escape mount or bottom pressure

3. Technical Stand-Up

- Controlled way of standing from the ground 

- Very important for self-defense situations

4. Frames

- Using arms and legs to create structure and space 

- Prevents your opponent from collapsing your body

Why These Matter (Especially for Adaptive Athletes)

These BJJ positions and fundamental movements are particularly beneficial for visually impaired and adaptive grapplers because:

- They are based on touch, pressure, and balance—not vision 

- They rely on feeling weight shifts and body contact 

- They develop strong spatial awareness through contact 

- They create a predictable structure of movement and control.