Complexity in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

The Unbreakable Arm

When people talk about Posture in Jiu Jitsu, they usually mean “alignement of the spine and back engagement“.

In the following article I will talk about “Arm Posture“; how to engage and move your arm in order to make it seemingly “Unbreakable“.

Complexity in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu BJJ Wim Deputter The Mirroring Principle The Unbreakable Arm Armbar Defense

Jiu Jitsu is seemingly very complex.

Imagine all the possible motions a human-body can make. The number of possible motions, if not unlimited, is at least very high.

Now imagine the number of possible motions your body can make, combined with all the possible motions of another body.

That number is truly insane.

However, there is a way to break down this complexity in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Let’s use chess as an allegory.

Shannon's Number Chess BJJ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Wim Deputter The Mirroring Principle

A conservative estimate of the amount of chess games possible, is 10^120.

This is more than the total amount of atoms in the visible universe! Shannon’s number.

Even though chess is so complex, it can be understood by breaking down the movements of each individual piece and the rules.

I would dare to argue that the total number of possible jiu jitsu matches is higher than the possible amount of chess games (possible infinite).

And yet, all this complexity arises from just two “groups” (bodies) moving their “pieces” (head, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, hips / core, legs, feet and toes).

Just as chess, Jiu Jitsu is impossible to solve and completely fathom.

Yet, it becomes easier to understand if we look at Jiu Jitsu in therms of the movement of our individual pieces / bodyparts.

First the movement of our bodyparts by themselves, then in combination with eachother and ultimately in combination with our opponents moving bodyparts.

To understand Jiu Jitsu and to be able to teach it better, The movement of the human body can be broken down in

core-, arm- and leg movement.

The core movements are quite easy to understand, and so are the arm and the leg movements.

Indivually, the movement of core, arms and legs are not that complex. But it is in the combination between the movement of our parts and those of our opponent that give rise to the complexity in Brazilian jiu jitsu (and all other movement arts).

In this video I will break down the motion of our arms and the relation between our arm motion and core movement (and hopefully give you an “unbreakable arm”).

In the second part of the video, I will show you how the arm and core motion relate to the armbar attack.

Understanding the armbar as an attack and how our arms and core can move individually and in relation to this attack, makes you both able to do, teach and explain late armbar escapes.
If you have very good late game armbar defense and armbar escapes, if not truly, your arm will at least seem “unbreakable” for all intents and purposes

In that sense “The Unbreakable Arm” is not an ultimate statement, merely a goal.

Want to learn more about the armbar?
Check out the following playlist!

Complexity in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the unbreakable arm