Team Combat USA :: Bogota, Columbia

Test your jiu-jitsu IQ

1. What is jiu-jitsu?

A. A recreational grappling sport where competitors attempt to gain a positional advantage so that they could potentially choke the opponent or injury one of their joints. Striking is not allowed.

B. A mixed martial art which includes the elements of sports jiu-jitsu discussed in (A) and strikes using the hands, elbows, knees, shins, and feet are permitted.

C. A hand-to-hand self-defense system that includes the elements of (A) and (B) and includes more damaging techniques not allowed in either sports jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts competitions such as biting, eye gouging, fish hooking, ear clapping, or breaking fingers/toes.

D. A combat system which includes, in addition to (A), (B), and (C),E. weapons removal/retention.

E. All of the above.

2. Why are positions so important?

A. Positions are the beginning, the conceptual foundational building block.

B. Jiu-jitsu cliches are position-centric (e.g., "Position before submission." and "90% of the fights end up on the ground but 100% start standing.")

C. Transitions are position-centric. They are movement from one specific position to another.

D. Chokes are position-centric. A sleeve choke is effective from the Mount position, but less effective in a Neutral position.

E. Strikes are position-centric. Kicking is effective in neutral, but in the Mount position it would generally be preferable to use your feet to control your opponent.

F. Self Defense (e.g., biting, eye gouging) is position-centric. One might resort to these punishing actions as a last resort when one's life hangs in the balance, but even here it is important to realize you may empower the opposition by giving them alternatives they had previously not considered.

G. All of the above.

3. What is the hierarchy of positions?

A. This is a exercise in government control. Resist. Ignore this meaningless dribble.

B. There are 21 basic jiu-jitsu positions. These include, from worst to best position: top rear mount, bottom rear mount, mount, side mount, knee-on-belly, side control, north/south, turtle, half guard, neutral, Guard, Half Guard, Turtle, North/South, Side Control, Knee-on-Belly, Side Mount, Mount, Bottom Rear Mount, Top Rear Mount.

C. (top rear mount, Top Rear Mount) form a conjugate pair. They are related. This combination defines both the most and least desirable positions. It is possible to assign a numerical value to each position and then compute a relative difference. So if you are in the worst position, top rear mount (i.e., face down with an opponent on your back), this difference is Top Rear Mount - top rear mount = (+100) - (-100) = 100 + 100 = 200. This is as bad as it gets. In the Neutral position, this difference is zero. For the obsessive, you might consider a (Neutral, neutral) conjugate pair where one person has better grips. Only our Stuggart brothers/sisters can think with this level of precision.

Positions Hierarchy (Position Index - PI)

Top Rear Mount (+100)

Bottom Rear Mount (+90)

Mount (+80)

Side Mount (+70)

Knee-on-Belly (+60)

Side Control (+50)

North/South (+40)

Turtle (+30)

Half Guard (+20)

Guard (+10)

Neutral (0)

guard (-10)

half guard (-20)

turtle (-30)

north/south (-40)

side control (-50)

knee-on-belly (-60)

side mount (-70)

mount (-80)

bottom rear mount (-90)

top rear mount (-100)

D. (B) and (C) are both plausible.

4. Can you lay this out in a matrix to provide the "Big Picture"?

A. This discussion is beyond the scope of the audience.

B. Corresponding to each position, there are transitions, chokes, locks, strikes, hand-to-hand self-defense moves, and weapon-related actions. Each student is encouraged to make a inventory of their offensive and defensive strengths and weaknesses in order to optimize their short- and long-term curriculum selections. Below is a sample profile for a new student. Examining each row provides insight into the student's level of experience at a particular position. A review of each column is suggestive of the student's interest, be that recreational practioner, mixed martial artist, or combat warrior.

Positions Hierarchy (PI) Transitions Chokes Locks Strikes Self-Defense Weapons