This week, Renzo Gracie Online Academy functions as a powerful flashlight against the darkness that afflicts thousands of BJJ practitioners when they are on the bottom, getting squeezed under side control. Frightened, they can’t see safe paths to escape the pressure imposed by their opponents’ side control. But this week marks the end of that.

RGOA students will be learning extremely technical, efficient defenses, increasing their range of blocks, thinking rationally about each defensive mechanic and also about the opportunities for counter-attacks.

Week 4 of the RGOA program is organized thusly:

• Eleven techniques of defense against side control.
• Ouchi gari: the mechanic of taking down, attacking with one’s leg between the opponent’s legs.
• Lifestyle: How to harmonize your life as a BJJ fighter with your life outside the gym and all the responsibilities that come with it.

Day 1: Monday

Lesson 1: Side control escape with a diagonal bridge

Your opponent has passed your guard and reached side control. Renzo Gracie teaches a way for you to escape from this situation by resorting to an extremely simple move — one you must practice whenever possible during warm-up.

Lesson 2: Errors to avoid while defending against side control

Gregor Gracie teaches a basic way to restore guard when your opponent reaches side control and hugs your head, applying pressure. Gregor warns of multiple positioning mistakes you must avoid.

Lesson 3: Defense against side control with a swapped base

Gregor follows a similar dynamic to last video, but this time his opponent’s base is swapped, which requires some different adjustments to make the recovery possible. The logic, however, remains the same: opening up space between the fighters’ torsos and getting a knee in there.

Day 2: Tuesday

Lesson 4: Using the pummel to defend against the side control

Gregor Gracie tries to pummel his opponent with his left arm. This allows him to find space to move laterally and spin his body. Gregor gets out from under his opponent, controls his legs and inverts the position, landing on top.

Lesson 5: Defense against side control moving to the back

In case your opponent defends against the counter-attack shown by Gregor last video, here’s a very efficient variation that ends with you controlling their back.

Day 3: Wednesday

Lesson 6: Defense against side control moving to half-guard

Gregor Gracie again seeks the pummel with his left arm, but this time his opponent hugs him very tight, stopping him from opening up enough space to spin. But there is room to fish his opponent’s leg with the foot in the shape of a hook and close the half-guard.

Lesson 7: A variation on the defense against side control moving to half-guard

You follow the defensive moves shown last video, but, when it’s time to fish your opponent’s leg, they move away and avoid having their leg controlled. Gregor shows a pretty simple way to solve this problem, by capturing the leg with the hand that is free.

Lesson 8: Lifestyle — Seeking balance

How to harmonize your life as a BJJ fighter with your life outside the gym and all the responsibilities that come with it? Black-belt Bruno Fernandes has some good tips.

Day 4: Thursday

Lesson 9: Defense against the north-south moving to the single-leg

Today, Gregor Gracie considers the possibility of your opponent moving from side control to the north-south position. Gregor teaches how you must pre-empt their moves, and how you can counter-attack.

Lesson 10: Defense against the north-south with guard recovery

In case your opponent distributes their weight, blocking the counter-attack taught last video, Gregor shows a simple, safe way to spin your body and restore your guard.

Day 5: Friday

Lesson 11: Defense against side control turning one’s back

In case all options studied here reveal themselves useless in the situation you are facing in combat, Gregor demonstrates a more daring plan — one that sees you swiftly turning your back to your opponent, bending your body (legs over your head). That is how you’re going to find room to restore your guard with a sudden hip escape.

Lesson 12: Variation on the defense against side control turning one’s back

If his opponent distributes his weight effectively and manages to block the move shown last video, Gregor Gracie still succeeds in escaping from side control, pummeling one of his opponent’s arms and moving to the back.

Lesson 13: Ouchi gari

Like the osoto gari, the ouchi gari is an ashi waza technique. But, this time, you will attack with your leg between your opponent’s legs. Pay attention to an important detail that makes the takedown more potent.

Bonus – Documentary “Roger Gracie Legacy”.

Available to all students of the Renzo Gracie Online Academy (RGOA) starting Dec. 10, the documentary “Roger Gracie Legacy” unveils never-before-seen moments of preparation by Roger Gracie and Marcus Buchecha for the “fight of the century.”

Check out episodes of tension backstage at the Gracie Pro event, the concentration work alongside the coaches in the locker room, the refining of strategies, the words of motivation.

Narrated in first person by Roger Gracie, this documentary helps you understand what goes on inside the mind of an elite competitor before, during and after a big BJJ challenge.

And that’s it for week 04.

Keep it up!

Esta semana a Renzo Gracie Online Academy funciona como uma poderosa lanterna contra a escuridão que aflige milhares de praticantes de Jiu-Jitsu quando estão por baixo numa luta, sofrendo o amasso do cem-quilos do oponente. Apavorados, não conseguem enxergar caminhos seguros para escapar da pressão imposta pelo domínio lateral do adversário. A partir desta semana, no entanto, todo esse sofrimento vai passar. Os alunos vão aprender defesas extremamente técnicas e eficientes, ampliando o leque de bloqueios, raciocinando a respeito de cada mecânica defensiva e também sobre o oportunismo para aplicar contra-golpes.

A semana 4 do programa RGOA está organizada da seguinte forma:

• Onze técnicas de defesa contra o domínio lateral.
• Ouchi gari: a mecânica de derrubar, atacando com a perna por entre as pernas do oponente.
• Qualidade de vida: Como harmonizar a sua vida de lutador de Jiu-Jitsu com a vida fora da academia, cheia de cobranças profissionais, pessoais e familiares?

Dia 1: Segunda-feira

Aula 1: Saída do cem-quilos com ponte diagonal

O adversário passou a sua guarda e chegou ao domínio lateral? O Mestre Renzo Gracie ensina uma forma para você escapar do sufoco, recorrendo a uma movimentação extremamente simples, a qual você deve praticar sempre que puder, no aquecimento das aulas na academia.

Aula 2: Erros a serem evitados durante a defesa do cem-quilos

Gregor Gracie ensina uma forma básica de repor a guarda quando o adversário alcança o domínio lateral e abraça a sua cabeça impondo pressão. Gregor alerta para diversos equívocos de posicionamento que você deve evitar.

Aula 3: Defesa para o cem-quilos com base trocada

Gregor segue uma dinâmica semelhante à do vídeo anterior, porém, desta vez, o adversário está de base trocada, o que requer alguns ajustes diferentes para viabilizar a reposição de guarda. A lógica no entanto continua a mesma: abrir espaço entre o tronco dos lutadores e infiltrar um joelho por entre esse espaço.

Dia 2: Terça-feira

Aula 4: O uso da esgrima para defender o cem-quilos

Gregor Gracie tenta esgrimar o adversário com o braço esquerdo. Isso possibilita que ele encontre espaço para se movimentar lateralmente e girar o corpo. Gregor sai de baixo do oponente, domina suas pernas e inverte o posicionamento caindo por cima.

Aula 5: Defesa do cem-quilos com ida para as costas

Caso o adversário se defenda do contra-ataque, veja uma variação muito eficiente, a qual leva ao domínio das costas do oponente.

Dia 3: Quarta-feira

Aula 6: Defesa do cem-quilos com ida para meia-guarda

Quando você busca a esgrima com o braço esquerdo, porém, o adversário o abraça com muito força e não permite que abra espaço para girar o corpo. Veja como você conseguirá espaço para “pescar” a perna do oponente com o pé em forma de gancho e fechar a meia-guarda.

Aula 7:  Variação para a defesa do cem-quilos com ida para a meia-guarda

Você segue a movimentação defensiva ensinada no vídeo anterior, porém, na hora de “pescar” a perna do adversário, ele se afasta e evita o domínio da perna. Gregor mostra uma maneira bastante simples de resolver esse problema, capturando a perna com a mão que está livre.

Aula 8: Lifestyle – Em busca de equilíbrio

Como harmonizar a sua vida de lutador de Jiu-Jitsu com a vida fora da academia, cheia de cobranças profissionais, pessoais e familiares? O faixa-preta Bruno Fernandes tem ótimas dicas. Confira!   

Dia 4: Quinta-feira

Aula 9: Defesa da norte-sul indo para o single-leg

Hoje o professor Gregor Gracie considera a possibilidade de o adversário progredir do cem-quilos para a posição norte-sul. Gregor ensina como você deve se antecipar à movimentação do oponente e, na sequência, como você pode contra-atacar.

Aula 10:  Defesa da norte-sul com reposição de guarda

Se o adversário esparramar o peso, bloqueando o contra-ataque ensinado no vídeo anterior, Gregor demonstra uma maneira simples e segura de girar o corpo e repor a guarda.

Dia 5: Sexta-feira

Aula 11: Defesa do cem-quilos virando de costas

Caso todas as alternativas estudadas até aqui se revelem inviáveis para a situação que você está vivendo no combate, Gregor Gracie demonstra um plano mais ousado, o qual induz você a se virar rapidamente de costas para o adversário, chegando a ficar com o corpo dobrado (pernas por sobre a cabeça). É assim que você vai encontrar espaço para, com uma brusca fuga dos quadris, repor a guarda.

Aula 12: Variação para a defesa do cem-quilos virando de costas

Se o adversário distribuir bem o peso e conseguir bloquear a movimentação demonstrada no vídeo anterior, Gregor Gracie ainda escapa do domínio lateral, esgrimando um dos braços do oponente e progredindo para as suas costas.

Aula 13: Ouchi gari

Assim como o osoto gari, o ouchi gari também é uma técnica de ashi waza. Porém, desta vez, você vai atacar com a perna por entre as pernas do oponente. Preste atenção num detalhe importante para amplificar a potência da queda.

Veja o trabalho de concentração junto aos técnicos no vestiário da arena, o refino das estratégias e as palavras de incentivo motivacional.

Bônus: Documentário da última luta entre Roger Gracie e Marcus Buchecha

Disponível a todos os alunos da Renzo Gracie Online Academy (RGOA) a partir de 10 de dezembro, o documentário “Roger Gracie Legacy” revela momentos inéditos da preparação de Roger Gracie e Marcus Buchecha para “a luta do século”.

Confira lances de tensão nos bastidores do evento Gracie Pro, o trabalho de concentração junto aos técnicos no vestiário da arena, o refino das estratégias, as palavras de incentivo motivacional.

Narrado em primeira pessoa por Roger Gracie, o curta-metragem ajuda você a entender o que se passa na cabeça de um competidor de elite, antes, durante e depois de um grande desafio de Jiu-Jitsu.

E a semana 04 se encerra por aqui.

Bons treinos!

Luis Limão in Hawaii, where he teaches / Personal archive photo

A Rickson Gracie black belt and Pan American Jiu-Jitsu champion, Luis “Limão” Heredia is one of our oldest and most decorated GMAs. In Haiku, Honolulu, where he lives, he shares his gentle-art techniques and livens up the locals with his stories.

Today on GRACIEMAG.com, Heredia teaches you how to be fully in control from side control, not to mention how to get out of it when you’re the one in the bind. Give it a view and try it out in training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhtlyiy5yOI

Robert Drysdale atop Bráulio Estima as brown belts at the 2003 World Championship / Photo: Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG.com

When you let a Jiu-Jitsu fighter make it to side-control,it’s an indication that he’s heading in the right direction—and that you’ve got problems on your hands. He has passed your guard, amounting to three points on the scoreboard, and now he’s all set to mount and/or finish you. Both at tournaments and in training, the chest-on-chest position causes discomfort, and if the guy on top drops his hips the pressure becomes all the greater.

To review the position, start by studying the attack, as our GMA in Texas João Crus did, teaching two attacks from side-control and even a trick to thwarting an attempt at a reversal.

Now, GRACIEMAG.com lays out 5 important lessons for you to get out from between a chest and a hard place, provided by some stars of gi-clad combat.

1. DON’T CLUTCH YOUR OPPONENT TO YOU

As pointed out by João Paulo Marques, a black belt from Mossoró Combat and training partner to the UFC’s Gleison Tibau, “Ideally you wouldn’t let your opponent get to that position. But once he’s there, never clutch him to you. Try hiding your neck and arms, and try to get him away from you so you can replace guard.” Should your opponent clutch your neck, João Paulo suggests you pummel your arm under for an underhook and slide to his back. “It’s a clever and really efficient escape.”

2. DON’T JUST SIT THERE, GET MOVING

“Always keep moving so as not to let your opponent be at ease,” recommends Rodrigo Comprido. “Shrimp out your hips to open up the room needed for escape,” says the two-time absolute world champion, one of the main draws of the 2012 Pan and inaugural World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.

3. ELBOWS NEAR YOUR KNEES

“The most important thing to do to not get trapped in side-control is to use your elbows and knees as protection,” asserts Renato Tavares of ATT Vero Beach. “Always keep your elbows near your knees, not leaving room for your opponent to exert control, and making room for you to escape or sweep.”

4. STRING TOGETHER SEVERAL ESCAPES

“In side-control, the best hint I can give is for you to not stop moving when your opponent is passing,” says Jonatas Novaes, winner of the absolute division at the Chicago Winter Open. “Don’t let him settle in just because he’s got your side. At that moment that he’s arriving there he’s still not firm in the position, so it’s easier for you to get out. Now if he’s already passed and scored the points, you’d best take a breath and wait for the right moment to explode out of there. Try combining several escapes, making him defend a lot and open up room for you to replace guard or half-guard. Don’t forget to protect your neck and arms to keep from getting tapped out.”

5. WATCH HOW TO PRESS FOR GUARD REPLACEMENT

Professor Marcos Schubert of Gracie Barra Curitiba has posted a number of techniques on YouTube.com, and in the video below he shows how to wriggle out of side-control. Schubert highlights the importance of placing one hand on the shoulder and the other on the hip, pressing away to open up room with which to shrimp out your hip and replace guard.

What do you think, gentle reader, what’s the best escape route for this predicament? Share with us in the comments section below.