
BJJ Mental Models
Mini Ep. 40: Placeholders
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Quick takeaways
- Practitioners must always secure a new point of control before releasing the previous one to maintain positional advantage.
- Advancing positions too quickly can lead to mistakes, underscoring the importance of deliberate transitions in guard passing.
Deep dives
The Concept of Placeholders in Jiu-Jitsu
Advancing position in jiu-jitsu relies heavily on the concept of placeholders, which ensures that practitioners maintain control over their opponent while transitioning between grips. This principle highlights the necessity of keeping one point of control secured until it is replaced with another, mirroring the process of climbing a ladder where one hand must always hold onto a rung. For example, when initiating a knee cut pass, it is vital to establish upper body control, such as underhooking the far arm, before releasing any leg control; otherwise, the opponent could easily escape. This strategy reinforces that each movement in jiu-jitsu must be deliberate, emphasizing the need to transition smoothly between grips to avoid losing positional advantage.