Don’t Build Your BJJ Game on White Belt Techniques. (Stephan kesting)

BJJ_Rage

Gold Belt
@Gold
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
20,365
Reaction score
404
Good article, I just dont agree on the calf slicer issue, they do work at all levels.

http://www.grapplearts.com/dont-build-your-bjj-game-on-white-belt-techniques/

Certain BJJ techniques are ‘white belt’ moves. Which means they might be effective against white belts (and sometimes blue belts) but then stop working once you move up to opponents of a higher skill level.

Basically you can pull off just about anything on a newbie. They make rookie mistakes because they’re, well, rookies. Whitebelts don’t instinctively know how to move to prevent, defend or submissions, so you can catch them in the cheesiest techniques. But that soon stops working once they get a little bit more mat time.

There are lots of examples of these white belt techniques that I’ll get to in a second, but the first unrealistic technique comes from way back in my Kung Fu days…

In the eighties I spent years training in a few different classical Kung Fu systems. 90% of the training was solo forms (katas): hopping around fighting imaginary opponents while pretending to be a zoo-ful of different animals: I practised tiger claws, leopard paws, monkey fists, and crane’s beaks thousands of times with sincerity and conviction. And the rest of the training wasn’t much more realistic.

It’s true that the students at the Kung Fu school were serious and trained hard. We sweated, strained and got in shape. We practised techniques over and over and over.

This exertion was probably good for fitness and character-building, but when it came to actual fighting that Kung Fu training was giant pile of steaming horses**t.

For example, one technique was the double punch. This is where you simultaneously punch your opponent high and low at the same time.


Reverting back to my king fu days #dressupandmakebelieve

A photo posted by Stephan Kesting (@stephan_kesting) on Feb 9, 2016 at 9:51pm PST



The received wisdom was that since blocking a single punch was hard, then stopping two simultaneous punches was downright impossible.

But of course the sad truth is that the biomechanics of the double punch are terrible.

To throw a powerful punch you need to twist your body, either to the left or to the right. That’s why boxers have figured out it’s MUCH more powerful to throw two punches in quick succession (a jab and a cross, a cross and a hook) than two punches at the same time.

Now it’s true that maybe the double punch might have work if I walked up to my unsuspecting 12 year old son while he was drinking a glass of milk by the fridge and – BOOM – blindsided him with it.

If I did that then I would probably hurt him and maybe even knock him over. But only because I outweigh him by 100 lbs.

However we aren’t looking for striking techniques that’ll only work when you sucker punch smaller, weaker opponents opponents…

Or self defense moves that work only on drunks…

Or – to bring this back to a BJJ context – sweeps and submissions that work only on completely untrained white belt newbies…

What we want are solid techniques that are a serious threat to any opponent, no matter how skilled he is.

So what are some examples of techniques that mostly work only at low levels of BJJ?

This could be controversial, but one example is the Americana armlock. You need to know this technique to be a complete grappler of course… And it’s true that every day a lot of white belts get tapped out by the Americana from sidemount…

But how often do you see the Americana from sidemount work in the black belt division of the Mundials? Or in ADCC? Or EBI? The sad fact is that unless there’s a large weight difference it hardly ever works at the high level.

Another submission that works in class but hardly ever in competition is the calf slicer leglock. In competition, with adrenaline flowing and bragging rights on the line, most intermediate and advanced competitors caught in this lock just suck it up, eat the pain, and simply refuse to tap.

The corollary is that you might not want to build your entire game around the Americana or the calf slicer, even if it served you well when you were first starting out.

Does that mean you shouldn’t learn these two submissions? Of course not! You’ve got to learn these techniques because someone may try to use it on you. But to make it your bread and butter attacks and your go-to submissions is limiting because one day it will stop working!

So what’s the answer?

It’s smart to base the bulk of your game around the stuff that’s working at the highest level. Take a look at what the world champions are doing, deconstruct their games, figure out if their techniques will work for your body type, and make that the main focus of your training.

What submissions do the black belts use in the Mundials and the other most tournaments? The heavy hitters are the armbar, triangle choke, Kimura, RNC, bow and arrow choke, kneebar, and the heel hook (in no gi). (Click here to see one analysis of the top submissions of 2015).

Sure, you might initially have some success with the Americana, especially if you’re mostly fighting smaller white belts and blue belts. But you’re going to get better, and as that happens your training partners are also going to get better (not to mention your tournament opponents if you compete). And when you to face tougher and tougher opponents that Americana will stop working for you.

At that point you’ll have no choice but to rejigger your submission strategies and develop new attacks.

Instead you should future proof your game. How much better will you be if you concentrated on the high-percentage stuff right from the beginning?

I’ve seen a lot of experienced grapplers come to the conclusion that their game mostly consists of sneaky moves that only work against white and blue belts. They’ve gone down a rabbit hole: unlearning their current game and developing new techniques is hard and takes a long time. What a waste of time and energy.

Try to split your training 80-20. Spend 80% of your time training the high-percentage techniques that are working right now at the high levels – this will ensure that you’re building a solid, effective game that’ll serve you well when the chips are down.

And then spend 20% of your time and effort on the stuff from outer space: techniques you think might be the next big thing, cool moves you saw on Youtube, and so on. Who knows, you might just discover a new way to apply that previously ineffective Americana against world champions, and then armlock your way to a gold medal at the Mundials!!
 
When someone knows their shit with calf slicers, they will blow up your knee, and it'ts nothing to mess with. Other than that, I agree, even though the Americana is a pretty good submission as a setup for something else.
 
Now it’s true that maybe the double punch might have work if I walked up to my unsuspecting 12 year old son while he was drinking a glass of milk by the fridge and – BOOM – blindsided him with it.

Ha ha ha ha... BAM! "Take that, ya milk-drinking little fecker!!!"
 
Did Gabi win world titles with americanas from top half guard?
 
Did Gabi win world titles with americanas from top half guard?


sure she did, which is why the comparison with "punching my 12 year old son in the face whom I outweigh by 100lbs" fits Gabi perfectly
 
I don't get it. He's says not to build a game based on "white belt techniques" then says that black belts at Mundials commonly win via techniques taught at the white belt level.

Edit: and LOL at him basing his whole "article" around one submission being, in his opinion, not applicable at higher levels.
 
Last edited:
I appreciate this point of view. And I think it's especially important for those looking to compete at the highest level. I get it- don't waste your time with the americana, focus on berimbolo and leglocks.

However, I feel like some of the best BJJ practitioners are really effective at the basics. Look at Roger Gracie. He would routinely pull off "white belt moves" and sweeps on the highest levels. Same thing for Marcelo. Some would call the guillotine a "white belt move" but he really took it to another level. Same thing with the arm drag- pretty basic and he made it into a science.

So I think there is really something to be said for mastering the basics. They can be very effective at the highest level, especially when you adapt them a bit to your own style. I also think the basics are the gateway for a lot of the "advanced" moves.

Focusing on and mastering the basics is especially true for those of us who are not looking to be world champions. The basics are often a bit simpler, safer, lower risk and higher reward. Play with the fun, "advanced" stuff. Weave that stuff into your game. The basics are the foundation and I think critically important to an effective, well-rounded game.
 
I appreciate this point of view. And I think it's especially important for those looking to compete at the highest level. I get it- don't waste your time with the americana, focus on berimbolo and leglocks.

However, I feel like some of the best BJJ practitioners are really effective at the basics. Look at Roger Gracie. He would routinely pull off "white belt moves" and sweeps on the highest levels. Same thing for Marcelo. Some would call the guillotine a "white belt move" but he really took it to another level. Same thing with the arm drag- pretty basic and he made it into a science.

So I think there is really something to be said for mastering the basics. They can be very effective at the highest level, especially when you adapt them a bit to your own style. I also think the basics are the gateway for a lot of the "advanced" moves.

Focusing on and mastering the basics is especially true for those of us who are not looking to be world champions. The basics are often a bit simpler, safer, lower risk and higher reward. Play with the fun, "advanced" stuff. Weave that stuff into your game. The basics are the foundation and I think critically important to an effective, well-rounded game.
Doesn't Roger use a lot of collar chokes? Am I thinking of the right guy?
 
you guys are confusing basic technique with low level % techniques. Amricana happenes to be one of the first subs everyone learns, and it works on white belts, specilly if you are bigger stronger than the other person, but it is a very low % technique on good people. RNC is as basic as it gets, yet no gi is very high % technique.
 
I would love to read this article, sadly the giant pop-up to get his free ebook is refusing to close (android phone).
 
thats interesting. the americana is one of my most frequent subs, and i always liked it because it seemed so simple and easy. you made me realize just now its only easy because i hit it primarily on white belts. guess its time to develop my armbars and bow and arrows.

still i feel like if someone put as much work into americanas as ronda put into armbars theyd def hit it against the top guys in the world
 
thats interesting. the americana is one of my most frequent subs, and i always liked it because it seemed so simple and easy. you made me realize just now its only easy because i hit it primarily on white belts. guess its time to develop my armbars and bow and arrows.

still i feel like if someone put as much work into americanas as ronda put into armbars theyd def hit it against the top guys in the world

no they wont, you really have to suck to be caught in one, or be dead tired and not be able to defend anymore, or may be the guy on top of you is just too strong and has too much size and strenght on you and he can muscle you to the position, but under regular circumstances, americanas are really really low% moves.
 
thats interesting. the americana is one of my most frequent subs, and i always liked it because it seemed so simple and easy. you made me realize just now its only easy because i hit it primarily on white belts. guess its time to develop my armbars and bow and arrows.

still i feel like if someone put as much work into americanas as ronda put into armbars theyd def hit it against the top guys in the world


If Ronda had spent the time she did on armbars on rAre kimoras dwl etc. instead, she would have beat Holly Holm.

I'm not even joking
 
I appreciate this point of view. And I think it's especially important for those looking to compete at the highest level. I get it- don't waste your time with the americana, focus on berimbolo and leglocks.

However, I feel like some of the best BJJ practitioners are really effective at the basics. Look at Roger Gracie. He would routinely pull off "white belt moves" and sweeps on the highest levels. Same thing for Marcelo. Some would call the guillotine a "white belt move" but he really took it to another level. Same thing with the arm drag- pretty basic and he made it into a science.

So I think there is really something to be said for mastering the basics. They can be very effective at the highest level, especially when you adapt them a bit to your own style. I also think the basics are the gateway for a lot of the "advanced" moves.

Focusing on and mastering the basics is especially true for those of us who are not looking to be world champions. The basics are often a bit simpler, safer, lower risk and higher reward. Play with the fun, "advanced" stuff. Weave that stuff into your game. The basics are the foundation and I think critically important to an effective, well-rounded game.

If Roger competes again in ADCC he should make it a point to treat the calf slicer like his new cross collar choke from mount, and calf slice every single opponent. Who thinks a focused Roger could do it?
 
no they wont, you really have to suck to be caught in one, or be dead tired and not be able to defend anymore, or may be the guy on top of you is just too strong and has too much size and strenght on you and he can muscle you to the position, but under regular circumstances, americanas are really really low% moves.

I remember, though, someone on here talking about Rickson working with him on Americanas and really taking it up to the next level. If you're really, really good at setting up and holding positions for Americanas, an elbow is an elbow, and it ought to work.
 
you guys are confusing basic technique with low level % techniques. Amricana happenes to be one of the first subs everyone learns, and it works on white belts, specilly if you are bigger stronger than the other person, but it is a very low % technique on good people. RNC is as basic as it gets, yet no gi is very high % technique.
This...it's also how you look the the techniques too..for example, a basic half Nelson and wrist in wrestling and a basic Kimura finish are both basic/white belt moves..that you rarely see in high level competition..now they're not "bad" technique..just hate to get on elite guys

But when you look at a half Nelson or kimura as a "position" and a type of control to set up other things. With A Kimura- armbars, back takes, arm triangles eyc. Half- Nelson- crab ride, legs, bar and half etc...

"Muscle moves" like Americanas, not nearly as versitile or usable after white belt
 
SImple BJJ = good. Low % BJJ = bad. Tricks don't win you shit in the long run. Bread and butter does.
 
you guys are confusing basic technique with low level % techniques. Amricana happenes to be one of the first subs everyone learns, and it works on white belts, specilly if you are bigger stronger than the other person, but it is a very low % technique on good people. RNC is as basic as it gets, yet no gi is very high % technique.
What would be some more examples other than the Americana? The author says he'll discuss them but doesn't.
 
EQJCBmU.png


too bad you can't americana someone from this position...
 
Not sure I entirely agree with Kesting here. On either the Americana or the Calf Slicer. True, defending the Americana is simple, but how many people try to develop their Americana abilities to the point of mastery? Nobody that I know of.

And, the Calf Slicer is fucking brutal. Just watch Youtube Sean Roberts doing calf slicers and see how many people he catches with it.
 
Back
Top