Just curious to see how many people are really utilizing wrist control (gi and no gi) to both neutralize and gain the offensive advantage from the guard or when inside the guard? I've read that Marcelo Garcia really makes wrist control (one-on-one and two-on-one) a big staple of his game.
I definitely try to establish wrist control to push their hand to their navel to get the triangle. It's not part of my no-gi guard passing style though.
It's good. Do it.
In a seminar with Marcelo I was wrestling him and as he passed my guard he said "No. Control the hands, they pass with their hands."
This has made the biggest change in my game since starting BJJ. I started watching Marcelo's matches looking for that. He hand fights from everywhere.
Now, standing or on my knees, I always hand fight. It sets up arm drags, X guard, take downs, etc.
When I posted about this on another forum one of the guys who started doing it said that it allows him to play an agressive game without using a lot of energy. And aggressiveness was what he needed most. I think this is a perfect way to describe it.
While they are fighting to free a wrist you attack. Playing seated guard it still makes you the agressor because he can't just try to control your knees or your pants or your ankles. He has to free his hands first.
Sometimes I will sit in butterfly or seated guard and do nothing but control the guy's wrists and just watch his reaction.
On his dvd series (three i think) he shows a sweet standing pass where he controls one of his opponents arms behind their own back.
Without the gi its one of my go-to passes.
ttt
Thanks Leo for the post. That's the information I was looking for!
Wrist control is HUGE. Like Nike says, "Just do it."
adam or leo,
can you give some examples of how you use wrist control? what are some of your favorite grips/controls (either gi or no-gi)?
I try to control the wrists even with gi. If I grab the gi sleeve it often becomes a grip control game with me grabbing the gi sleeve and then him doing the same thing. That isn't what I want. I want him to react to my grip by pulling back so I can attack. I find that grabbing the wrist instead of the gi works better for that. He might at first grab my sleeve, then he usually releases it to pull his wrist away.
I suggest you watch some clips of Marcelo to see what he does with his hands from both standing and seated guard.
In one of his instructionals, when standing he explains that he doesn't like to tie up with them. Head and arm control, neck etc. I know that good Greco guys or clinch players might not agree, but this has really helped me since I started doing that. If he doesn't let them control his arms or neck he can either shoot or arm drag. He might not be able to do that once they tie up.
Elbows stay in, hands are up looking for his hands.
From seated I try to keep my weight over my feet so he can't grab my ankles or gi pants, hands up, looking for his wrists at all times. Once I get control it often depends on what the guys does: If he pulls back you might be able to arm drag him (often his other arm) or just follow him up to take top. If he posts a leg you might be able to undehook the leg and go into X guard.
excellent, thanks Leo.
Leo, very interesting posts. Thanks.
incredible info. thanks Leo!
lol that video rocks
I've watched Marcelo's fights many times, and have never noticed this. Time to watch them once more.