Art of War applied to BJJ
kirks...@yourclothesoperamail.com
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141792
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Remove "your clothes" to email me
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GDS
<kirks...@YOURCLOTHESoperamail.com> wrote in message
news:40f5c32b...@news.global.net.au...
> Thought some of you deep thinkers might like this one -
>
> http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141792
This is weird. I've just started re-reading Art of War and was hoping to
post something similar.
Glad I didn't ;).....Mirada has written one of the best ma articles I've
ever read on a public forum.
Thanks for the heads-up!
GDS
Frank Benn
I did a seminar a couple months ago on top control, linking all positions together in 5 stages, and ended up quoting Lao Tzu and Clausewitz (On War) about a dozen and a half times.
I've done the seminar at the academy about once every 6 months for the past 5 years or so. Knowing the *transitions* between positions as well as the reasons why you would do one or the other, and then applying solid strategy, has made a huge difference in students' performance.
A number of them who compete have come out of it with less than a year of training, gone into tournaments and applied the *exact* things we covered, and taken their division.
There's no denying that strategy is important. Grappling is a thinking man's game.
Frank Benn
IFA Academy
Austin, Texas
Fraser Johnston
<kirks...@YOURCLOTHESoperamail.com> wrote in message
news:40f5c32b...@news.global.net.au...
>
> http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141792
Here it is in it's entirety so we can google it forever.
Fraser
All warfare is based on deception.
This is basic advice, but as I mentioned before it bears repeating. When
you're grappling, the success of your moves most commonly relies on the
ignorance of your opponent. If he knows you're going for a triangle, he'll
counter it. This is why "all warfare is based on deception". In BJJ and
other forms of grappling, for anything to work it often has to be a
surprise. Of course this is a nul factor in situations where one grappler is
completely superior to the other.
Therefor, when capable; feign incapacity, when active; feign inactivity.
Again pretty simple. The first section, feigning incapacity refers to the
old rope-a-dope manuver, if you seem tired, slow and unskilled, your
opponent is more likely to do something more risky than usual and present
you with opportunities to strike. The second half refers more to disguising
your movements, ideally your opponent will have no idea that you're working
for a sub, and even if he does he won't know what.
Offer the enemy a bait to lure him; feign disorder and strike him.
More deception. Sakuraba's kimura is an excellent example of this. He
"accidently" lets his opponents take his back, and then as soon as they try
to secure their newfound position he unleashes a kimura or kneebar. A
perfect example of why Sakuraba dominated for so long even though his
physical attributes are below average for MMA. He was using The Art of War.
When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him.
This is a key element of The Art of War and also BJJ. When you are grappling
with someone you should always try to avoid their strengths and fight only
when the situation suits you. If your opponent has a nasty guard and he
keeps pulling it all night, stand up and walk away, make the ref restart him
and either try for a takedown or pull guard yourself. Don't play his games.
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance
More rope-a-dope. If your opponent underestimates you, you're halfway to
victory.
Keep him under a strain and wear him down
If you have a dominant position (guard, any non-guard top position, the
back) you should always be attacking somewhere. You musn't leave any time
for your opponent to rest or collect his thoughts. Go for submission after
submission untill he falls behind and gets caught.
Attack where he is unprepared; sally out when he does not expect you
Again, take your strongest point and use it to attack his weakest. This also
applies to set-ups. If you go for triangle after triangle after triangle,
odds are he won't be thinking about heel hooks. So after 3 or 4 feinted
triangles you've got a good chance to slap on that footlock.
To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of
skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
This is the first of many times Sun Tzu says that you should always try to
defeat your opponent before you fight. Ever wonder about Silva's staredown?
He does that for a reason. Also it applies to grappling more directly, in
that you should put your oppnent in a severe position from which there is no
escape before starting the real battle of going for a submission. We'll be
coming back to this alot.
Anciently the skilful warriors first made themselves invincible, and awaited
the enemy's moment of vulnerability.
Here we are again at the old addage "Position before submission." Make sure
your position is secure before you start to attack, always know your escape
route and contingency plans and make sure you have a solid base before
attacking.
Troops thrown against the enemy as a grindstone against an egg is an example
of a solid acting upon a void.
Ts'ao Ts'ao: Use the most solid against the most empty.
This principle is the core of Jiujitsu. It all boils down to attacking his
weakest point (an isolated joint) with your strongest point (your core
muscles.) It also applies to general strategy, if he plays a mean footlock
game, but doesn't have much gi experience, go for those gi chokes. You might
normally prefer armlocks, but you must adapt yourself to his weakness and
avoid his strengths. Strike with your best weapons in the worst areas of his
defense.
When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of
timing.
Tu Yu: Strike the enemy as swiftly as a falcon strikes its target. It sure
breaks the back of its prey for the reason that it awaits the right moment
to strike. Its movement is regulated.
Two things are to be learned from this: The first is patience. Prepare your
assault and then wait for the opportune moment to strike with all your
force. Wait til he leans forward a little bit to go for that elevator, don't
go for the kimura while his head is blocking you, instead find a way to make
him move it. Perhaps by attempting a choke, then when he moves his head you
strike with your kimura!
Second is economy of movement, "Its movement is regulated" take that to
heart. Only move when it is absolutely necisary, anything else is a waste of
energy and worse, it gives your opponent opportunities he would not
otherwise have.
Those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating a situation to
which he must conform; they entice him with something he is certain to take,
and with lures of ostensible profit they await him in strength.
Again, the fake out. Sakuraba comes to mind once more, he offers such a
valuble prize (the back position) that his opponent cannot possibly give it
up, even if they know it is a trap they must take it. This is how he
manuvres them into his position, with a clever bait. Another example is the
man who straightens his arm while in an opponent's guard, only to pass the
guard as soon as his foe goes for the armbar. I do this often, you must be
cautious, but it is the easiest way to pass the guard.
When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him. When well fed to starve
him. When at rest to make him move.
Always keep control of the situation. If your opponent slows down or stops
moving at all, that's your cue to start working, especially if your in a bad
position. Don't wait for him to secure his base and take control of the
position, move immediately and don't stop untill you are free or he changes
strategies. Conversely if you have a dominant position, don't let him sit
still and rest. Always pester him with submissions and, if you're mean, pain
moves (the saucer, elbow grind, pressure points etc.)
Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not
expect you.
This is another way to manipulate your opponent into going where you want.
Say he's passing your halfguard, and passing it well. You know your
halfguard is fucked so instead of concentrating on delaying the inevitable,
go for that ezekial choke! He HAS to stop and deal with that, or he'll get
choked out mount or no mount. As soon as his moves his hands up to block
your choke, push his leg and go back to guard!
That you may march a thousand li* without wearying yourself is because you
travel where there is no enemy.
Ts'ao Ts'ao: Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends, hit
him where he does not expect you.
Pretty self explanitory. If he is defending his neck, don't bother to attack
it, work the arms or legs. When he goes to defend the arms or legs go for
the neck. Always attack what he's not defending.
*three li is about one mile.
To be certain to take what you attack is to attack a place the enemy does
not protect. To be certain to hold what you defend is to defend a place the
enemy does not attack.
As above, if you attack where he isn't defending you stand a much better
chance of achieving your goals quickly and easily.
Therefore, against those skilled in attack, an enemy does not know where to
defend; against the experts in defense, the enemy does not know where to
attack.
Always keep your opponent guessing, don't fall into too much of a pattern.
This is a long one, so bear with me. It contains a valuble lesson.
When I wish to avoid battle I may defend myself simply by drawing a line on
the ground; the enemy will be unable to attack me because I divert him from
going where he wishes.
Tu Mu: Chuku Liang camped at Yang Ping and ordered Wei Yen and various
generals to combine forces and go down to the east. Chuko Liang left only
ten thousand men to defend the city while he waited for reports. Ssuma I
said: "Chuko Liang is in the city; his troops are few; he is not strong. His
generals and officers have lost heart." At this time Chuko Liang's spirits
were high as usual. He ordered his troops to lay down their banners and
silence their drums, and did not allow his men to go out. He opened the four
gats and swept and sprinkled the streets. Ssuma I suspected an ambush and
led his amry in haste to the northern mountains. Chuko Liang remarked to his
Chief of Staff: "Ssuma I thought I had prepared an ambush and fled along the
mountain ranges." Ssuma I later learned of this and was overcome with
regrets.
Aside from being a cool story (if you like this sort of thing, check out
www.threekingdoms.com where you can read about Chuko Liang and Ssuma I's
battles in their epic entirety) this relates a simple fact. Often the threat
of defense is worth more than the defense itself. If you can convince your
opponent that going for a triangle on you means certain death for him, you
won't have to worry about the move after that. Obviously you wouldn't want
to put yourself in triangles, but your opponent will be loathe to attempt
them.
If I am able to determine the enemy's dispositions while at the same time I
conceal my own then I can concentrate and he must divide. And if I can
concentrate while he divides, I can use my entire strength to attack a
fraction of his. There, I will be numerically superior. Then, if I am able
to use many to strike at few at the selected point, those I deal with will
be in dire straits.
Keep your intentions hidden so that he does not know exactly where to
defend, then you can direct your entire energy suddenly to one assault and
catch him while his defences there are still weak. Also applies to the
general principle of jiujitsu, as I mentioned before. The strongest part of
your body attacking the weakest part of his.
For if he prepares to the front his rear will be weak, and if to the rear
his front will be fragile. If he prepares to the left his right will be
vulnerable, and if to the right, there will be few on his left. And when he
prepares everywhere, he will be weak everywhere.
Use this for setups, attack lightly a few times in one place, and then with
all your might in another.
Agitate him an ascertain the pattern of his movement.
This is crucial in all fighting, and you see it in every fight. I'll relate
a personal experiance briefly, I was rolling with a guy who usually beats
the shit out of me, anyway we were standing and I noticed that whenever he
moved sideways, he stood up straight. As many of you know, when someone
stands up straight their sprawl is pretty much fucked. So I moved sideways a
bit and when he moved to follow me and stood up, I shot my first successfull
takedown on this dude in a looooong time. (It was a double with a leg trip
for those interested.)
The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape.
Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans
against you.
In other words, don't let your enemy "ascertain the pattern of your
movement." This is probably the reason for Genki Sudo's crazy breakdancing,
and it is a major factor in the success of Sakuraba. He used insane things
like flying punches and stomps, mongolian chops and even cartwheels to keep
his opponents constantly in a state of shock, and unable to lay coherant
plans. Again the IQ wrestler is victorious not because of his physical
abilities or even his amazing skill (though it was doubtless essential)
instead he attains victory through his mental manipulation. A truly
fascinating fighter, and I have no doubt he is quite familar with the quote
above.
Now an army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the
heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes
weakness.
Ever wonder where Bruce Lee got his famous water speech? As a point of
interest, The Art of War was written over 2000 years before Bruce's birth.
As for the insight behind this quote, it should be pretty clear by now. Skip
what he's defending and attack viciously where he least expects.
And as water shapes it's flow in accordance with the ground, so an army
manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy.
Always be ready to adapt to a new plan if need be. You might have a footlock
game all planned out, only to discover the guy you're fighting has legs like
Cro-Cop. You need to be ready to switch it up at all times.
And as water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.
Don't rely on anything to work all the time. Always have a backup plan.
And therefore those skilled in war avoid the enemy when his spirit is keen
and attack him when it is sluggish and his soldiers homesick. This is
control of the moral factor.
Don't attack when your opponent is at full strength, he'll be able to power
out of moves that would otherwise defeat him, and you'll waste energy trying
to keep him in place. Instead work positions and make him try escapes untill
he tires out, then go for the finishing touch.
Do not gobble proferred baits.
Mei Yao-chen: The fish which covets bait is caught; troops who covet bait
are defeated.
If Sakuraba ever gives you his back, don't take it!
To a surrounded enemy you must leave a way of escape.
Tu Mu: Show him there is a road to safety, and so create in his mind that
there is an alternitive to death. Then strike.
If you simply close off a position completely, your opponent will turtle and
it will become a long and ardous process to loosen him up enough for a
submission. Instead lead a route of escape that happens to put him right in
place for your submission of choice.
He wearies them by keeping them constantly occupied, and makes them rush
about by offering them ostensible advantages.
Use feints to tire out your opponent. Show him a footlock and he'll go for
it, without realizing it's a trick untill it's too late. Give him half a
triangle and let him waste energy trying to finish it. This is risky but
it's a good way to tire your opponent.
It is sufficient to estimate the enemy situation correctly and to
concentrate your strength to capture him. There is no more to it than this.
He who lakcs foresight and underestimates his enemy will surely be captured
by him.
Here Sun Tzu gives us the key to victory in a nutshell. Also, always
remember that you're not the only one who has read The Art of War.
And finally, the last bit of Sun Tzu's wisdom for tonight, which really sums
everything up.
Therefor at first by as shy as a maiden. When the enemy gives you an
openeing be swift as a hare and he will be unable to withstand you.
Bide your time, play mind games, and when the opportunity presents itself,
strike with everything you have.
Earl Camembert
wrote:
>kirks...@YOURCLOTHESoperamail.com wrote:
>
>> Thought some of you deep thinkers might like this one -
>>
>> http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141792
>>
>> *****************************************
>> Remove "your clothes" to email me
>> *****************************************
>
>Interesting that someone's doing that.
>
>I did a seminar a couple months ago on top control, linking all
>positions together in 5 stages, and ended up quoting Lao Tzu and
>Clausewitz (On War) about a dozen and a half times.
>
I ass/u/me you mean Sun Tzu, Lao Tzu wrote "Tao Te Ching" the bible of
Taoism.
Frank Benn
> >
> I ass/u/me you mean Sun Tzu, Lao Tzu wrote "Tao Te Ching" the bible of
> Taoism.
Correct. Intended to type sun tzu.
Good eye.
Frank Benn
> Correct. Intended to type sun tzu.
>
> Good eye.
Here's an example:
You have side control, and you're setting up an Americana. He reaches
across with his near arm to save the far arm, you loop *that* arm and either
Christmas wrap it or figure 4 it, and go for the cross armlock.
Straight out of chapter 6:
To be assured of taking what you attack, attack what the enemy does not
defend.
Lots of useful strategy in the Art of War. Clausewitz too.
kirks...@yourclothesoperamail.com
<greendistan...@bigpond.com> wrote:
>This is weird. I've just started re-reading Art of War and was hoping to
>post something similar.
Been meaning to re-read Art of War myself. I love it's terse style
>Glad I didn't ;).....Mirada has written one of the best ma articles I've
>ever read on a public forum.
Damn skippy.
>Thanks for the heads-up!
We aim to please sir, we aim to please ;-)
(I only just clicked into Sherdog recently. Bet there's lots of good
stuff to find yet)
Badger North
wrote:
>>I did a seminar a couple months ago on top control, linking all
>>positions together in 5 stages, and ended up quoting Lao Tzu and
>>Clausewitz (On War) about a dozen and a half times.
>>
>I ass/u/me you mean Sun Tzu, Lao Tzu wrote "Tao Te Ching" the bible of
>Taoism.
Although I bet many among us could extract strategy from chapter 11 of
the Tao Te Ching.
Badger Jones
www.youngforest.ca
Robert Low
Badger North <young_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Although I bet many among us could extract strategy from chapter 11 of
>the Tao Te Ching.
Given the group's proclivities, extracting strategy from chapter
11 of "What Katy Did Next" wouldn't be beyond most of us. The
rest would 'accidentaly' have got hold of the porn version, "Who
Katy Did Next" and be too busy to worry about strategy.
kirks...@yourclothesoperamail.com
(Robert Low) wrote:
>Given the group's proclivities, extracting strategy from chapter
>11 of "What Katy Did Next" wouldn't be beyond most of us. The
>rest would 'accidentaly' have got hold of the porn version, "Who
>Katy Did Next" and be too busy to worry about strategy.
/off screen/
/ "So I say -snork- and THEN give him points, Mr Lawson?/
*Snork*
2 points
Don Wagner
>Although I bet many among us could extract strategy from chapter 11 of
>the Tao Te Ching.
I could extract strategy from "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day".
--Don--
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
phauna
"Don Wagner" <dawa...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:40f6e9e3....@news-server.optonline.net...
Too late, someone else already has.
Don Wagner
>Too late, someone else already has.
>
>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140067477/qid=1089937667/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-1379031-3311025?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
Thats just life-lesson stuff for whimps.
I have Tao and The Te of Piglet too. Someone gave them to me as a
present. Tao was good, Te sucked.
Fraser Johnston
I could extract it from poo.
Fraser
Badger North
wrote:
>I have Tao and The Te of Piglet too. Someone gave them to me as a
>present. Tao was good, Te sucked.
My opinion exactly.
Badger Jones
www.youngforest.ca
sunt...@yahoo.com
kirks...@YOURCLOTHESoperamail.com wrote in message news:<40f5c32b...@news.global.net.au>...
Kirk Lawson
> On 15 Jul 2004 14:33:37 GMT, mtx...@linux.services.coventry.ac.uk
> (Robert Low) wrote:
>
>
> >Given the group's proclivities, extracting strategy from chapter
> >11 of "What Katy Did Next" wouldn't be beyond most of us. The
> >rest would 'accidentaly' have got hold of the porn version, "Who
> >Katy Did Next" and be too busy to worry about strategy.
>
> /off screen/
> / "So I say -snork- and THEN give him points, Mr Lawson?/
>
> *Snork*
>
> 2 points
Yup. Good call.
:-)
Peace favor your sword
Wayne Dobson
news:40f5c32b...@news.global.net.au...
> Thought some of you deep thinkers might like this one -
>
> http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141792
Very good stuff.
--
Wayne
"Aka Dobbie the House Elf."