tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5496739942189672685.post5869146835646630925..comments2008-08-21T16:55:34.508-05:00Conanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03574148083679060117noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5496739942189672685.post-3542349224654732812008-08-21T16:55:00.000-05:002008-08-21T16:55:00.000-05:00I completely agree that being good at takedowns is an advantage in a tournament or MMA, but we only have so much class and open mat time. <BR/><BR/>We are lucky enough to have a judo class after our class so people that want to improve on throws can stay for both classes. <BR/><BR/>There is so much to learn on the ground alone that someone could spend there entire life training it and still be learning.<BR/><BR/>as for starting on the knees, there are a couple different reasons for that. One simply being space. It takes a lot less space to have everyone on their knees rather than standing up, and people are less likely to bump into eachother that way. Another being time. If two guys almost equal in takedowns face off they might be standing for three or four minutes after each submission. <BR/>if someone is coming up with strategies for facing an opponent on their knees then they aren't looking at the big picture.garretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00207413593587050057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5496739942189672685.post-83833585047222744752008-08-21T09:01:00.000-05:002008-08-21T09:01:00.000-05:00I also appreciate this. One thing that I notice we do in open mat (which is, I believe, unwise) is turn our on-knees beginnings into a battle in and of itself. We look like sumo wrestlers on our knees. If we think about the real implications of this, such really does nothing for our development. In a jiu-jitsu tournament or if we are confronted in a real situation, we're not going to start on our knees. And if we end up in a scrabble and somehow do end up on our knees with our opponent, it is very unwise to stay on our knees. First thing we should do in such a real situation is get back to the feet and bulldoze the opponent.<BR/>I once watched an Eddie Bravo seminar when he gave a speech about this. He said he can't stand when people battle on their knees for dominant position because it is so unrealistic. It seems that way to me. Sometimes we can maul people from the knees. Yet doing so on the feet, well that's a totally different game! My point: I agree with Ray's contention. Jiu-Jitsu practitioners need an effective stand up game, and working from the knees in open mat does not cut it. Such works when beginning our efforts to improve our ground game, but that beginning knee position shouldn't turn into a 2 minute battle in and of itself.Brenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15739774717988426010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5496739942189672685.post-64288426337049710692008-08-21T07:02:00.000-05:002008-08-21T07:02:00.000-05:00Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu! Nice post, Ray. Thank youConanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03574148083679060117noreply@blogger.com