Reflections of a Jiu Jitsu Master: A Compilation of the Wisdom of John Danaher

IF we get him into a well-locked breaking or strangulation position, OUR MECHANICS OUGHT TO BE SO WELL TRAINED AND REHEARSED that, like the sniper, we do not see failure as a possibility.

Only when your real intent is masked behind fakery and deception will you pass through the defenses of an astute opponent.

Developing this sense of relaxed fitting-in of your body’s geometry into that of your opponent, followed by the isometric tension required for breaking, is a huge part of the development from beginner to expert.

The only way this fitting of your body into his can be achieved is if your body is sufficiently relaxed and supple, allowing you to fill the spaces in the same way liquid fills the inside of any vessel into which it is poured, regardless of shape.

Most beginners use strength as the primary means of building that tight connection, and as a result, they quickly fatigue and become ineffective. A much better approach is to consciously SEEK TO FIT THE GEOMETRY OF YOUR BODY INTO THE GEOMETRY OF YOUR OPPONENT'S BODY.

Our approach to jiu-jitsu centers around the idea of CONTROL THAT LEADS TO SUBMISSION.

WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES OF SUBMISSION? and FOCUS ON ATTAINING THOSE.

CHASE THE PRECONDITIONS THAT MAKE SUBMISSIONS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR. Once those preconditions are attained—THE SUBMISSIONS WILL COME.

When it comes to submissions, we have three main choices: strangles, upper-body joint locks, and lower-body joint locks (there are a few others, but they are of much less importance).