ConceptJiu-jitsu

🌀 Knee Cut to Head & Arm Choke Warm-Up

Professor Brian demonstrates a smooth warm-up flow that starts with a knee cut pass and finishes with a head and arm choke.

This is a great drill for practicing continuous passing movement and transitioning directly into a finishing sequence.

How the drill works:
1️⃣ Start by doing a knee cut pass.
2️⃣ Continue passing all the way around your partner’s head.
3️⃣ Secure head and arm control as you move into mount.
4️⃣ Turn your partner onto their side to make the head and arm choke tight.
5️⃣ Exit mount and finish the head and arm choke.

💡 The key to this drill is staying connected and moving continuously as you pass. Don’t pause between the pass and the finish — keep the pressure and momentum going all the way to the submission.

🦵 Knee Tap to Back Take Warm-Up

Professor Brian demonstrates a smooth warm-up flow for transitioning from cross side control into a back take using a knee tap and duck under.

This is a great drill for working on angle creation, timing, and using your underhook effectively to set up the back take.

How the drill works:
1️⃣ Start in cross side control with an underhook.
2️⃣ Make a flanking side/back step to get perpendicular to your partner.
3️⃣ Thrust the underhook forward while blocking their far-side knee as you step forward.
4️⃣ Use the space created to duck under and take the back.
5️⃣ Reset and repeat.

💡 The key to this drill is the timing between driving the underhook and blocking the knee. When done correctly, it creates a clear opening for the duck under without forcing the movement.

🔄 Uchimata to Duck Under Back Take Warm-Up

Professor Brian demonstrates a smooth warm-up flow that combines a light uchimata with a duck under to take the back.

This is a great drill for working on timing, level changes, and transitioning into back control from the feet.
How the drill works:
1️⃣ Start with an underhook and a collar tie, wrist tie, or bicep tie.
2️⃣ Perform a light uchimata (nothing too strong or committed).
3️⃣ As your partner reacts, immediately duck under their arm.
4️⃣ Circle behind them and take the back.
5️⃣ Reset and repeat with the same or different grip.

💡 The uchimata doesn’t need to be powerful here. It’s mainly used as a setup to create the reaction needed for a clean duck under and back take.

🧠 Body Lock Pass Problem Solving Drill

Professor Brian demonstrates a great positional problem-solving drill focused on passing from a body lock when your opponent has a knee across your waist.

This drill helps develop better pressure, knee pinning, and timing when passing knee shield / half guard positions.

How the drill works:
1️⃣ Start in a tight body lock with your partner’s knee across your waist.
2️⃣ Your goal is to pin their knee to the ground and step over into side control.
3️⃣ If you successfully get to side control, reset and start again.
4️⃣ Your partner’s job is to stop you from passing — they win the round if they recover a solid closed guard or half guard.
5️⃣ Reset and repeat.

💡 The focus here is on problem solving under resistance. Work on using your body weight and hip positioning to pin the knee rather than muscling through.

🦵 Leg-Only Back Control Problem Solving Drill

Professor Brian demonstrates a great positional drill to help you learn how to maintain back control using only your legs.

This drill forces you to develop better knee squeeze, hip connection, and body positioning instead of relying on your hands.

How the drill works:
1️⃣ Start on your partner’s back with both hooks in.
2️⃣ Squeeze your knees together and stay tight with your legs.
3️⃣ Do not use your hands to hold on.
4️⃣ Your partner can use their hands to try and escape or create space.
5️⃣ Work for 2 minutes on top, then switch roles for 2 minutes on bottom.

💡 The goal is to build stronger leg control and connection. When you can hold the back without your hands, your hand fighting and finishing ability improves significantly.