The Four Threats in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Wim Louis Deputter
There are four ways to make your opponent react to you and guide him or her into making a mistake by Wim Deputter
In BJJ there are four main ways to make your opponent react to you. A properly executed threat, should in general leave your opponent only two options. In the following article I will list these four threats from weakest to strongest.
“Don’t react to your opponent, make your opponent react to you. Reactions can be predicted and taken advantage of.”
Wim Deputter VS Muuig Atlantuig. Photo by Morgane Gielen[/caption]
1) Off balancing:
An opponent out of balance has the choice to let you come on top or recover his balance by posting and pushing back against the force pushing him out of balance.
2) Pressure:
Pressure, when not adressed, will drain your opponent of his stamina. The opponent has to create space either by pushing (bad) or framing, bridging and hip- or shoulderescaping.
3) A lock:
The threat of a lock blocks your opponent from moving in one direction and gradually forces him into the opposite direction.
The opponent has the choice between going with the direction of the force or possibly injurying a limb.
4) A choke:
The choke is the king of the four threats in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
While a lock can be ignored at the price of possible injury, a properly executed choke has to be adressed. The opponent has the choice between defending his neck, with his hands or by turning his chin in, or passing out.
In a roll outside of a competition environment, were time and points act as an external oppressor, the threat of a sweep or takedown can be largely ignored.
You only lose position.
Pressure can be ignored for a good amount of time, until you are completely drained.
With a lock you still have the ‘choice’ of risking your limb.
A properly executed choke is the only threat were all choice is taken away.
This is one of my older articles that I wrote in the past and got uploaded by multiple Brazilian Jiu Jitsu related websites. I will first post all of my older articles, after which I plan to start writing on the regular again.
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Wim Deputter
Pressure, being one of the four threats in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, is something you will have to learn how to deal with. That’s is exactly what my instructional ‘A General Introduction to the Mirroring Principle and the Baby Bridge’ was designed to do; a postural approach on defending and dealing with pressure. Tired of suffering on bottom and getting smashed? Be sure to check it out! Wim Deputter ‘A General Introduction of The Mirroring Principle and The Baby Bridge’