One of the major facets of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the guard. That also means knowing how to pass the guard is equally as important. There are numerous guard passes, each with its own utility for the given guard you are trying to pass. But having so many tools in your arsenal can also make itContinue reading “A Philosophy for Passing Guard”
Tag Archives: MMA
Training as a Relationship: Partners Aren’t a Food Group.
Training is a relationship. If your interests are not in keeping your training partner safe, healthy, and able to continue to train, then it’s not a positive relationship. Training is about give and take. Ancient gladiators in Rome practiced different skills and with various partners to prepare to fight to the death in the arena.Continue reading “Training as a Relationship: Partners Aren’t a Food Group.”
Moving Mountains: The Meaning of Kuzushi
If you ever spend much time training in Japanese-based martial arts, you might hear the word “Kuzushi.” I recently had a revelation about this interesting term. On a coaches’ forum, longtime Judo coach Richard Riehle posted that one of his favorite kanji in Judo was 崩し or “kuzushi.” He noted that these are the charactersContinue reading “Moving Mountains: The Meaning of Kuzushi”
Survive. Then Thrive.
I had a newer student who tried to submit me any time we rolled. It’s fairly typical behavior when someone comes in with little or no previous training. The name of the game is to submit your opponent, right? In Wrestling, the new kid rushes in like a bull and in Judo, the new guyContinue reading “Survive. Then Thrive.”
Winning: It’s all in his head.
In one of my Judo matches several years ago, I was in an intense struggle for grips, and I was losing the battle. I heard my coach yelling, “You’re not moving him, Josh. He’s moving you.” My coach was right. I was letting my opponent lead the dance. In the famed Japanese swordsman and martialContinue reading “Winning: It’s all in his head.”
Joshua Clements Writes 