27/07/2017 - BJJ Globetrotter Camp | Leuven 2017 | Defend Everything (Christian Graugart)

Class #862
BJJ Globetrotter Camp (Sportoase Leuven), Christian Graugart, Leuven, Belgium, 27/07/2017

This was another classic Graugart conceputal lesson. He may well have taught it at one of the previous camps I've attended, but either way, loads of good stuff, made simple. Graugart called this 'defending everything', boiling that down to a few memorable phrases.

The first was 'head over butt', by which he means always keeping your head higher than your bum. Sounds simple, but a lot of people start sticking their bum in the air when passing. Indeed, some passes rely on it (like the half guard pressure pass). There aren't many 100% rules, but based on the examples he went through, it's a fairly good rule to keep in mind, particularly when passing.

If you get into a scramble, throw everything else out of the window and just get your hips higher than theirs. Graugart said this is what he goes for with younger, athletic opponents. Getting the hips higher might mean you can get ahead of their attributes, though timing and technique.

When you've almost been swept and are about to get passed, mounted or whatever. It's too late to get your hips higher than theirs. They need both your feet on the same side of your hip. So, you want to get at least one knee or foot behind your hip. If you have a free foot, get it behind you.