Ep. 281: Safe Stacking, feat. Mike "Dr. Kickass" Piekarski
Apr 22, 2024
auto_awesome
BJJ black belt and Doctor of Physical Therapy, Mike Piekarski, shares tips on safely applying the stack pass in BJJ to reduce injury risks. Topics include economy of motion, static vs. dynamic control, body tethering, and return on investment. The episode discusses ways to optimize training techniques for safety and injury prevention, emphasizing stability, proper body positioning, and avoiding micro traumas.
Prioritizing slow and controlled pressure in the stack pass reduces injury risks.
Engaging glutes and strategic leg positioning can prevent being controlled in a stack pass.
Defensive strategies in Jiu Jitsu focus on maintaining safety and posture to counter attacks effectively.
Deep dives
Safe Execution of the Stack Pass
To ensure safe execution of the stack pass, it is essential to prioritize slow and controlled pressure over speed and explosiveness. Holding the stack position until the opponent decides to give up rather than forcing the pass can prevent injuries while still being effective. By maintaining a straight spine and using a part of the body as a wedge to resist being folded up, both the stacker and the stacked individual can mitigate the risks associated with the technique.
Preventing Injuries in the Stack Pass
In order to prevent injuries in the stack pass, individuals can engage their glutes to make their legs heavier and create a strong deterrent for the stacker. Additionally, avoiding being a tether ball by anticipating guard positions that could lead to stacking and ensuring that the legs are positioned strategically can help in avoiding getting controlled by the opponent in a compromising manner.
Countermeasures and Defensive Strategies
Countermeasures against the stack pass and similar techniques involve straightening the spine, utilizing forearm wedges, and actively preventing being stacked. Defensive strategies also include maintaining leg position control to prevent being lifted and emphasizing posture to counter attacks effectively, such as adjusting triangle setups for increased safety against stacking.
Importance of Prioritizing Safety in Jiu Jitsu
In Jiu Jitsu, the emphasis lies on maintaining safety as the primary focus, especially when starting from the guard position. The speaker highlights that the guard position should prioritize defensive aspects over offensive strategies, aiming to prevent the guard from being passed before initiating attacks. They caution against overreliance on the guard, suggesting that submitting from the guard should be a last resort due to the potential risks involved, such as ending up in a disadvantageous position like bottom side control.
Preventing Injuries and Ensuring Longevity in Jiu Jitsu
The conversation delves into preventing injuries in Jiu Jitsu to ensure long-term participation in the sport. The importance of addressing injuries early on and avoiding unnecessary risk-taking during training, particularly at the white belt stage, is emphasized. The podcast underscores the significance of managing injuries promptly to maintain joint health and overall physical well-being for sustainable engagement in Jiu Jitsu over time.
This week we're joined again by Dr. Mike Piekarski! Better known as "Doctor Kickass" on Instagram, Mike is a BJJ black belt under Henry Akins and is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. In this episode, we discuss ways to safely apply the stack pass and reduce your risk of injury while defending it.
Don't forget to check out BJJ Mental Models Premium!
If you love the podcast, you'll definitely love our premium membership offerings. The podcast is truly just the tip of the iceberg – the next steps on your journey are joining our community, downloading our strategy courseware, and working with us to optimize your game. We do all this through memberships that come in at a fraction of the cost of a single private.