Negation: A huge part of winning in Jiu Jitsu is the negative game of SHUTTING DOWN YOUR OPPONENTS ABILITY TO MOVE. Our primary emphasis is not so much about how to move ourselves as it is a game of preventing the other guy from moving himself. Think about a foot race. There are always two ways to win. You can win by making yourself faster than the other fellow; or you can win without making any effort to make yourself faster by making the other fellow slower than you, say for example, by breaking his legs shortly before the race. Both methods will be very effective in bringing you victory (though of course the second would be highly illegal in most foot races). Interestingly, it is the second approach that is more prevalent in the sport of Jiu Jitsu. Our main concern is to UNDERMINE THE OPPONENTS ATHLETIC POTENTIAL MORE THAN IT IS TO ENHANCE OUR OWN. If you can tie up, immobilize, restrain or otherwise impede your opponents movement potential you have a huge advantage that can be used to take you to victory. Look at how Nicky Ryan focuses first upon shackling Garry Tonon's feet together as a means of undermining his athletic potential prior to attempting a heel hook attack. Any time two legs are shackled together, athletic potential is severely compromised – that's why I made it a centerpiece of our leg lock system. You must make a deep study of immobilizing and restraining people in your Jiu Jitsu journey. I tell you in all honesty – FOR EVERY TIME YOUR OWN SUPERIORITY IN MOVEMENT SECURES YOU VICTORY IN A MATCH, YOUR ABILITY TO ROB YOUR OPPONENT OF HIS ABILITY TO MOVE WILL WIN YOU TEN VICTORIES.
