scrimmaging up from bottom position: So often when we practice Jiu jitsu we carry in our heads a strange “gentleman's agreement” that if you are the bottom player, you will remain in bottom position until you get a submission or a conventional Jiu jitsu sweep. This blinds us to myriad attacking opportunities that arise whenever space develops between you and the top player. This space can very often be used to come up off your back and into reversals based upon wrestling type movements normally associated with standing grappling. These score every bit as effectively as the more conventional sweeps of Jiu jitsu and form an ideal compliment to a traditional Jiu jitsu guard game, particularly when playing without a gi. You don't have to be the best wrestler in the room to get them to work well for you. Often it is easier to get them to work because your opponent is distracted or caught out of stance due to the submission threat or an initial sweep attempt that breaks his balance. You will often surprise yourself by successfully using reversals from guard on opponents that you really struggle to take down in standing position. Look that sweep/submission/takedown interface in your guard game – the results may impress you!
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