http://www.graciemag.com/2012/07/10-big-mistakes-you-must-avoid-in-jiu-jitsu/#.UAeE9bkyWfw.facebook
Anyone read this before? I have some questions:
2. "Also remember to keep the toes bent and stuck in the dojo, not just with the instep lying on the floor. This prevents you from being pushed easily.: - does that mean sitting on your toe's knuckles?
7. "Crossing your ankles for an armbar" - Last night we were taught an armbar setup from mount. Instructor made a really good point that the leg nearestthe head should be the bottom foot when you cross it to avoid the armbar escape.
My question is: When do you cross and when do you not cross the feet?
thanks in advance.
TTT 
- toes alive and active, like in a sprinters start position.
7.Ok to cross when his other arm is trapped also, so you in essence have both his arms trapped.
Pardon my ignorance, i can't picture what a sprinters start position is. Do you tuck your toes and stay on the knuckles then? This is what I've been doing for quite some time.
Don't necessarily agree with that. You should never, ever cross your ankles with an armbar. Crossing just your toes is one thing, but when crossing your ankles, body mechanics dictate your knees are pulled laterally. With toes crossed they are pulled toward the mildline.
My rule of thumb, if you can't hold an armbar with just your legs (letting go of your hands completely), your doing it wrong. 
On the balls of your feet.
Bjjudo, i agree with you.
Used to do it with the balls of my feet but somehow, the toes ge in the way and I've sprained/injured it several times already.
Siciliano - 7. "Crossing your ankles for an armbar" - Last night we were taught an armbar setup from mount. Instructor made a really good point that the leg nearestthe head should be the bottom foot when you cross it to avoid the armbar escape.
My question is: When do you cross and when do you not cross the feet?
thanks in advance.
I've been taught that it's ok to cross your legs for arm bar from top (mount), but NEVER cross legs when arm barring from bottom (guard). This is to help keep your opponent's posture broken down when arm barring from bottom (you have more downward torque with your legs uncrossed.
Ah! Makes perfect sense Morgz.
BJJjudo - that's a good point.
You can cross your feet when armbarring from top if your feet can go underneath the far shoulder. That way both arms are trapped and you've locked in the opp's upper body. Leao Teixeira teaches that there's 3 lines of control in the body - the knees, the hips, and the shoulders. In this case, you're dominating the line of the shoulders.
James
[I edited my FRAT]
Certain leg positions naturally prevent some of your opponent's counters better, while other leg positions naturally defend against other counters better.
For example:
ANKLES CROSSED = Hard for opponent to push your leg over his head, but easier for opponent to stack you --That is, unless you spread your knees WIDE to control the opponent's head with the outside of your thigh/knee--. But, if you spread your knees wide to control the head, there is a little more "wiggle" room for the opponent's elbow.
Also, say the opponent is great and sitting up and stacking. Then strong "attachment" the ankles crossed position provides can be used against you.
TOES CROSSED = stronger "thigh clamp" on the opponent's arm, good head control, but a little weaker overall "attachment" to the opponent's upper body than with the ankles crossed. So if your opponent is big and has his arms locked and is a powerful thrasher, you might feel more vulnerable to him escaping by pushing your leg off his head.
etc, etc, etc.
Thanks so much. Things are much clearer.
Can you guys help me out re my question when you're in someone's closed guard? Do you stay on the balls of your feet or on your feet's knuckles? I'll be asking my instructors this question tom but I appreciate all your inputs.
GRacias.
I'd like to know the answer to this too. I always try to bring one knee up in the middle and sit on my other foot -- I rarely find myself standing in someone's closed guard unless I'm trying a standing guard break. In that case it's very brief, and right back to knee up in the middle (assuming I break the close guard that is).
Man your s/n makes me crave pizza
What I meant was when you're kneeling with both knees on the floor.
Siciliano - Thanks so much. Things are much clearer.
Can you guys help me out re my question when you're in someone's closed guard? Do you stay on the balls of your feet or on your feet's knuckles? I'll be asking my instructors this question tom but I appreciate all your inputs.
GRacias.
Traven teaches on the balls of your feet. I've noticed that it generally puts you in a better position as far as posture goes. Obviously, if you get broken down or something else its going on its not always possible.
I'm sure there are differing opinions. It was the first I had heard it (or heard it and retained it) and I had trained 5-6 years before training there.
Siciliano - Thanks so much. Things are much clearer.
Can you guys help me out re my question when you're in someone's closed guard? Do you stay on the balls of your feet or on your feet's knuckles? I'll be asking my instructors this question tom but I appreciate all your inputs.
GRacias.
When sitting in someone's guard, if your INSTEP is on the ground, your center of gravity is lower and more balanced and less "forward" than if sitting with the ball of the foot, BUT some people can't do it due to flexibility.
Some people develop the truly strange habit of being on the knuckles of their curled-up toes and not the flat of their instep or on the balls of their feet.
Literally, on Wed there was a Brown Belt in class who I just noticed did this. I gave him crap about it but he told me doesn't feel comfortable the other way. So do what works for you.
Smaller guys who like to "pop up" to both feet when in the guard will often have the balls of their feet on the ground when they are kneeling. This makes it possible to pop-up more quickly than if you sit with the instep flat on the ground, BUT it also raises your center of gravity and tilts your upper body forward making you -theoretically- more unstable.
Every time I go toe knuckles to the mat I end up with wHicked mAt bUrN!
shen -Siciliano - Thanks so much. Things are much clearer.
Can you guys help me out re my question when you're in someone's closed guard? Do you stay on the balls of your feet or on your feet's knuckles? I'll be asking my instructors this question tom but I appreciate all your inputs.
GRacias.
When sitting in someone's guard, if your INSTEP is on the ground, your center of gravity is lower and more balanced and less "forward" than if sitting with the ball of the foot, BUT some people can't do it due to flexibility.
Some people develop the truly strange habit of being on the knuckles of their curled-up toes and not the flat of their instep or on the balls of their feet.
Literally, on Wed there was a Brown Belt in class who I just noticed did this. I gave him crap about it but he told me doesn't feel comfortable the other way. So do what works for you.
Smaller guys who like to "pop up" to both feet when in the guard will often have the balls of their feet on the ground when they are kneeling. This makes it possible to pop-up more quickly than if you sit with the instep flat on the ground, BUT it also raises your center of gravity and tilts your upper body forward making you -theoretically- more unstable.
Good advice here.. smaller guys like myself are light, so I like to keep my butt as low as possible. Just an inch too high and I'm going for a ride. I don't quickly pop up unless I've already opened their guard.
Ronda Rousey disagrees with every1 who says never to cross the ankles:)