The battle for space: In Jiu Jitsu the aims/goals of the top athlete are usually diametrically opposed to this of the bottom athlete. The goal of the athlete in top position is typically to close distance, GET TIGHT TO HIS OPPONENT AND RESTRICT SPACE. There is a reason for this. Almost all the bottom moves of Jiu Jitsu require some amount of space between you and your opponent to work – take away that space and you shut the bottom man down into a totally defensive game. The athlete on bottom wants the opposite – he must constantly fight to CREATE AND MAINTAIN SPACE so that he can play effective offense from underneath. The number one weapon for the bottom athlete is this war over space is the use of FRAMES – positioning your limbs as braces to hold an opponent at distance long enough to thwart his attempts to smother and pin you. Understanding and implementing the constant battle between the bottom athletes attempts to use frames and the top athletes attempts to negate them is a big part of your development. Your ability to improvise frames with your hands, forearms, elbows and your ability to combine these with appropriate body movements are the basis of one of the most crucial skills in the sport – GUARD RETENTION. The interplay between you ability to FRAME WITH YOUR ARMS and RECOVER WITH YOUR LEGS will determine your ability to retain guard and an aggressive passer. Here, Craig Jones and Gordon Ryan battle over frames in the blue basement – the outcome of this battle will almost always determine the outcome of the battle overall.
