The goal in Jiu-Jitsu is to bring the fight to the ground as soon as possible and get into the mount position. Once you get the mount the next step is to control it until a submission opportunity arises.
The punch block series looks at four stages of what to do if you get thrown out of mount, which can happen if your opponent is bigger and stronger than you.
Your first move after getting thrown out of mount is to get your opponent in your guard right away. In guard you’re on the ground but you keep control of your opponent with your legs locked around their back. It’s a position you don’t see very much in other martial arts but it’s what Rener Gracie refers to as “the secret weapon of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.”
He explains, “It allows me to be on the bottom of the fight, control my opponent with my legs, neutralize punches, and finally submit my opponent.”
There is a lot you can do from guard but neutralizing punches is what this lesson is about.
The first stage of the punch block series is the closest range. “What makes the punch block series work is not the amount of energy you put into the control,” Rener explains. “It’s the positioning of your body.”
You want to hold your opponent in as tight as possible and maintain control of their arms and head, giving them no room to land an effective punch.
Punch block 1 is meant only as a defence for when your opponent is trying to punch your head. If they try to get a shot on your ribs, you need to quickly readjust to punch block 2.
When your opponent tries to take a bigger swing to get a body shot or possibly a stronger shot to your face, they create space – briefly – between you and their arm that’s about to hit you. You need to fill that space by bringing your knee up and blocking their arm, then control it by grabbing the triceps just above the elbow, but keep your knee pressing into their biceps.
If you’re the bad guy in this scenario it is not a comfortable position to be in.
Punch block 3 happens when your opponent sits up to put some real distance between the two of you. More distance is good for them but bad for you because it means a stronger attack.
The basic idea remains the same – when your opponent sits up, you need to fill that distance to stop their attacks. If they sit far enough back that you can’t reach them, simply put your knees up to their chest so they can’t get close to you.
If they stand all the way up, you just need to extend your legs and stop them with your feet in their chest. This is punch block 4 – it isn’t a kick, it’s just about maintaining control by keeping contact.
The punch block series is broken down into four stages but in a real fight the key is to always be fluid with your movements. Try to anticipate what your opponent is doing and flow between the different stages easily.
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