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Closed guard is arguably the most fundamental position in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. For most jiu-jitsu practitioners, it was their very first entry into the world of martial arts and/or self-defense. For everyone else, it was likely their second. This is because it is the safest position to be in when you know next to nothing.
Just as its name implies, the closed guard is a “guarded” position, in which there are very few attacks your opponents can execute from inside the guard. In order to do anything, they must first break the guard and move to more advantageous positions. However, for the person on bottom, there are a multitude of attacks he or she can employ.
As much as each of us would like to spend all day, every day on the mat, most of us don’t have that luxury. Even those who do, would quickly find that they don’t want to.
No, the fact is, we can only handle so much time on the mat. Physically, but also mentally, too much time on the mat is counter-productive to actually learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu efficiently and effectively. That’s great news for those who have other obligations – work, family, other interests and hobbies – that limit their time in the jiu-jitsu academy. Those who spend most of their waking hours on the mat actually don’t have as much of an advantage over those who don’t. There is a little benefit, not going to lie, but it’s not as large or unattainable as one might think.
What does make a difference, is the amount of time spent studying the gentle art. The act of studying can take place both on the mat and off, and there is an optimal balance between the two that is unique to every person. However, there are a few things that contribute to whether that time spent studying is going to be produce real benefits to your jiu-jitsu game.
The IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships are often considered a sneak-peek into one of the most-anticipated events in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: the IBJJF World Championships.
At the Pans, not only do you get to see which jiu-jitsu stars are top contenders for the coveted world championship title, but you also get to see some of their emergent - or long-standing - rivalries, which athletes are still in the running for a Grand Slam win, and some of the latest techniques and tactical strategies that may be that extra edge to propel them to the top of the podium.
This Pans event, we were not disappointed. Even better? An astounding 14 of our athletes showed up, showed out, and came away with the gold... or two!
Check out which of our awesome Kingz athletes hit the top of the podium, and what led them to victory...
There are levels to competition. While every competitive-minded athlete dreams of competing at the highest levels of his or her sport, the reality is that not everyone will have the opportunity.
For some, that might be due to limitations of age or physical abilities, for others it might be family and career obligations. The time, energy and investment it takes to reach the highest levels of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is comparable to a full-time job, at the very least. It demands sacrifices that many cannot, or are not willing to, make.
That is not to say that the rest of us can’t achieve excellence in our own right. We can use the same strategic training the best in the world employ, in order to reach the top of the podium at our own levels of jiu-jitsu competition.
For some, it’s love at first roll.
The thrill of that first awkward fumbling of faux-combat, as you scoot around on your knees with your hands clutching air like a toddler. The first time you tap to a woman half your size with a sadistic gleam in her eyes, or to a pimple-faced teenager that smells like hot pockets. The first morning you wake up full-body sore, but already looking into how to change your last name to Gracie.
For others, it takes some time.
“Do I really, actually love this? Is this my thing?” you might ask yourself. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Here are four symptoms that show that you have, indeed, fallen in love with Brazilian jiu-jitsu...
