Brand new Rob Biernacki instructional app: the Core Concepts of BJJ

[Stephan Kesting]

Hey guys, Rob Biernacki and I just released the fourth and final app in the BJJ Formula series and it's called "The Core Concepts of BJJ". And it's half price for the next 7 days ($9.99 USD vs $19.99 USD)

The other three apps (Guard and Bottom Game Formula, Guard Passing and Top Game Formula, Back Attacks Formula) were very well received - it seems like their conceptual approach to BJJ really helped a lot of people who weren't having success with the just-learn-more-techniques approach.

This app - The Core Concepts of BJJ - is a system for hacking BJJ using the underlying concepts and principles that advanced grapplers use intuitively but may not always be able to articulate.

More info about the app here, or check it out in the correct app store for your phone or tablet below:

• Click here for BJJ Core Concepts in the Apple iTunes store for iPhones and iPads
• Click here for BJJ Core Concepts in the Google Play Store for Android phones and tablets
• Click here for BJJ Core Concepts in the Amazon App Store for Kindle devices

Thank you so much

Stephan Kesting

 

[Stephan Kesting]

Here is a quick 30 second preview of what's on the app:



And there are some screenshots from the app here: http://www.grapplearts.com/core-concepts-bjj/

Thanks
Stephan Kesting

 

[Papawash]

Hey Stephan, I'm a big fan and thanks for the app. I'd like to ask how is it different from the other 3? Is this where you and Rob tie everything together with the frames and lever concept? I'm planning to get this one but I just want to be sure of the contents first. Thanks again!

 

[Stephan Kesting]

Hi Papawash - this app focuses on, clarifies, defines and explores the concepts that were alluded to in all the other apps. It's probably best to give you an example: here's a sample of the material on the app that you can watch to decide if it will be useful to you. It covers the first three concepts, but there are a lot more covered too

 

[Stephan Kesting]

Actually, what I'll do is try to cut and paste my latest blog post about these concepts onto Sherdog. Here's the link if you want to read the original article: http://www.grapplearts.com/base-posture-structure-3-important-concepts-bjj/

 

[Stephan Kesting]

The idea that overall body alignment in BJJ can be broken down into 3 components (base, posture and structure) was introduced to me by Rob Biernacki.

And I have found these 3 concepts to have hugely practical applications on the mat.

There is power in definitions and distinctions because it allows you to clarify your thinking and problem solving processes.

So let’s take a look at base, posture and structure one by one…

(If you would prefer to consume this information in video format and get even more examples of how these concepts apply to jiu-jitsu then check out the brand new video preview from the app.)

BASE IN BJJ
Many people think of ‘base’ as stability and being hard to move. That’s partially true, but that there’s a lot more to it than that.

To illustrate this point, suppose you’re spread-eagled on the floor. In that position you’re definitely stable and hard to move, but you’re not posing a danger to anyone and are likely to get tapped out in a hurry.

Instead a more useful definition of base “A platform from which to apply and absorb force.”

Most of the time you’ll be pushing off your opponent to generate base, but sometimes it’ll be a wall, the cage, or your opponent.

If you have good base then it’s hard for your opponent to push or pull you around.

But at the same time if you suddenly decide that you want to move your opponent then you’re in a good position to do so.

To be in good base you need to be up on the balls of your feet when you’re kneeling, and in an athletic stance when you’re standing. From the balls of your feet (live toes) you can drive forward effectively, whereas when you’re resting on the tops of your feet (dead toes) you’re just kind of stuck.

This one little adjustment of your toes – shown on the right side of the picture above – makes a huge difference. And there are many other tweaks and adjustments you can make to improve your base even further.

The bottom line is that good base allows you to generate maximum force with minimum effort.

It allows you to conserve your energy and use less strength to accomplish the same goals, which is ALWAYS a good thing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu!

 

[Stephan Kesting]

POSTURE IN BJJ
Posture refers to having your spine in strong position, from your neck all the way down to your lower back.

If your spine is bent or twisted then you won’t be able to generate a lot of force because your kinetic chain is broken.

To use a weightlifting analogy, imagine trying to do a bench press with your lower body twisted to the side… Or doing a heavy squat with someone bending your neck sideways…

Basically you would be unable to produce force effectively and likely both drop the barbell and set yourself up for catastrophic injury.

Just like having good base allows for maximum force production and maximum efficiency, good posture also enables you to use your body effectively and efficiently.

If you allow your spine to get bent, twisted or misaligned while doing a technique then it’s much less likely to succeed. And, even worse, you’re much more likely to get injured when you’re straining away in bad posture.

It can take some time to figure out what optimal posture is in the BJJ context, but it’s totally worth the effort. Start by watching at least the technical standup portion of the video I posted above (from 6:20 onward).

 

[Stephan Kesting]

STRUCTURE IN BJJ
Structure is defined as “The most efficient way to use your limbs.”

Imagine you had to hold a pushup position for as long as possible…

It would be totally inefficient to hold that pushup with your arms bent. Your muscles would fatigue much faster than they would if your arms were straight.

In a straight armed pushup position you’re using bones to support weight rather than muscle. In this scenario a straight arm is the most efficient use of your limbs, and that is the definition of good structure.

Another example of efficient structure can be found in a blog post I did a little while ago on guard retention. As I discussed in that article, one of the most important techniques you can use to prevent people from passing your guard is the frame and hip escape movement.

If you read that article and/or watched the videos for the frame and hip escape, did you notice how often the framing motion is often done with an entirely straight arm?

When there isn’t enough room to extend your arm fully straight then you can also do the frame and hip escape by placing your elbow or lower forearm on your opponent. This means that your humerus (the bone in your upper arm) is between you and your opponent, in line with the force vector.

In both applications you’re using the strength of your skeleton rather than the strength of your muscles. Triceps tire out a lot faster than humeruses (or is that ‘humeri’, I’m not quite sure…)

Does that mean that you should have your arms straight in every situation? Not at all; after all, every beginner learns that straight arms on the chest from the bottom of mount give your opponent an instant armbar.

But whenever you can use your bones instead of your muscles do so!

Jiu-jitsu is hard enough without having to muscle everything. Use ‘structure’ properly and let your skeleton do its share of the work.

 

[Stephan Kesting]

ALIGNMENT
If you put base, posture and structure together then you get overall ‘alignment’, and it’s good alignment or bad alignment that really makes the difference in BJJ.

If you find yourself struggling with a technique then chances are that there’s a problem with your alignment. Somewhere, somehow you’re sabotaging yourself with poor base, posture or structure.

Not only do you want to put yourself into good alignment, but you also want to put your opponent into bad alignment.

If you opponent is in great alignment then it’s going to be really hard to get any technique to work. But if he’s in sufficiently bad alignment then you can probably pull off any technique you feel like doing.

So the real battle is to disrupt his alignment first, and then attack second.

This talk of base, posture, structure and alignment isn’t theoretical handwaving; it’s directly applicable to your jiu-jitsu and tapping out more people! Two concrete examples of BJJ alignment are shown in the video below.

First, at 6:20 Rob takes the technical standup movement and breaks it down in detail for you.

Secondly, at 10:30 in the video Rob shows how applying these concepts transformed his deep half guard entry.



End of article!

Thanks
Stephan Kesting

 

[Papawash]

Nice breakdown Stephan, all clear now. Thanks man!

 

[GKY]

Bought the app. I enjoyed it but I'm a Bernacki fan in general. Just a side note, the "no such thing as a scramble" and "no such thing as a counter" sections were mislabeled.

 

[Stephan Kesting]

Bought the app. I enjoyed it but I'm a Bernacki fan in general. Just a side note, the "no such thing as a scramble" and "no such thing as a counter" sections were mislabeled.

Thank you. I think that in general this app will most appeal to people who have already become familiar with Rob through his other apps (BJJ Back Attacks Formula, Guard and Bottom Game Formula, Top and Guard Passing Formula) but you never know - we might make a few converts to conceptual jiu-jitsu from people who stumble upon this app by accident.

And regarding the mislabelling - yeah, I just confirmed it on my own device. It's only an issue on Android, it doesn't interfere with the information itself, and we will be fixing it in a future free update (although that probably won't be out before the 50% off initial launch sale price is over)

 

[Stephan Kesting]

Here's one more preview from the app. This one is all about making your chokes as tight as possible, regardless of whether it's an RNC, bow and arrow, or triangle choke.

Also the BJJ Core Concepts App is only going to be half price for another couple of days, so if it looks like something you'd be interested in then please grab it now http://www.grapplearts.com/bjjconcepts