This title may appear to be a contradiction of terms. Isn’t Gracie Jiu-Jitsu an integral part of MMA training? Of course
it is, but the door doesn’t swing both ways. If your main focus is being a
complete Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner then supplementing MMA classes can
actually slow down your learning progress and even veer you down the wrong path
entirely. Twenty years ago, this was not the case; but so much has changed in
MMA in order to accommodate the desires of the fans. What MMA started out as,
is but a distant and faded memory. So with the weight classes, time limits,
rules, scoring systems and pressures on the fighters to provide a high level of
entertainment for the fans the strategy required to win an MMA fight is
dramatically different (if not directly opposed) to the strategy behind Gracie
Jiu-Jitsu. This argument must make one major assumption; the Jiu-Jitsu being
discussed is Helio Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense, not sport BJJ which
comprises of totally different variables that would nullify this argument. There
are three major differences that can have a direct effect on your personal
progress: strategies, effective techniques and even the utilization of energy
systems. In this blog, I will provide a
very brief explanation of each of these differences and provide just a few
examples for each in order to help paint a bigger picture.
In future blogs, I will go into more depth on each individual topic.
Strategies: The strategies used for success in GJJ and MMA
are polar opposites. One focuses on energy conservation while the other focuses
on energy exertion. Due to the fact that in GJJ we always assume we are weaker and
smaller than our opponent; we cannot rely on our physical attributes to defeat
our assailant. Therefore, energy conservation is important because we must
first survive our opponent’s barrage of attacks by negating the effectiveness
of their strikes and exhausting them in the process. It’s not until our
opponent begins to reach the point of exhaustion that we are able to turn the
fight to our advantage. Depending upon the physicality of our opponent, this
could take 30 seconds or it could take hours. We must prepare ourselves for the
latter. On the other hand, the time limit of an MMA event is finite and is something
that competitors train for specifically. The well-conditioned athletes do not
exhaust in 3 or 5 minute rounds. Nor do either of the competitors expect
themselves to be weaker or smaller than their opponents, at least not
significantly so. They train with the goal of being just as fast and strong in
the 3rd round as they are in the 1st. Therefore, their strategy is not to weather
the storm, it is quite the contrary, they attempt to bring the storm.
Effective Techniques: Today MMA mostly consists of collegiate
level wresting and B-class boxing; there is relatively very little GJJ that
takes place anymore. This is ironic
given the origin of the UFC but if we look at the current statistics it’s very
easy to see why. In 2013 only 70 of the
386 fights that took place ended in submissions (18.1%), whereas 128 were TKO’s
(33.1%) and 181 went to decision (46.9%). Therefore, nearly 82% of all the
fights ended in a manner other than submission. So, if one wants to be
successful in MMA it is wise to play the numbers game as many do. Judges
determine the winner of the rounds by effective striking first (hence the focus
on boxing), then effective grappling. The definition of effective grappling is successful
takedowns combined with reversals, advancement of position and control (hence
the wrestling). So, if someone wants to win a fight by decision (the #1 method
a fight gets finished in the UFC) then boxing and wrestling should be their
main focus. It goes without saying that boxing and kickboxing is the next major
focus if someone wants to win a fight by TKO (the #2 method a fight gets finished
in the UFC). It is not to say that learning GJJ isn’t important for MMA, it’s
just not on the top of the priority list. On the other hand it is the ultimate
goal in GJJ to finish a fight by submission.
Of course, GJJ practitioners strike but they utilize the strikes in
order to close distances, advance position, or to set up submissions since it
is unreasonable to think a weaker, smaller individual will generate enough
force to knock out their opponent. GJJ
practitioners must also practice negating the effectiveness of strikes from
their opponent and while doing so, exhausting their opponents energy. One example
of this is utilizing ranges from the guard position (something Royce Gracie did
incredibly well back in the origins of the UFC). Today in the UFC most fights
are stood back up when a fighter is negating the other fighters’ strikes from
the guard due to a lack of action; once again this creates a Catch 22 situation
for GJJ fighters since following their strategy in an MMA setting makes them
have to start all over and go through the hard work yet again of regaining the
clinch and getting back to the ground.
Energy Systems: GJJ is a marathon and MMA is a sprint(ish).
There are three major energy systems that we use: the alactic anaerobic (ATP),
lactic anaerobic, and the aerobic energy systems. Of course, we feed from all
three of these systems when we are training for either GJJ or MMA but we draw
from them differently. With GJJ the major energy source we must draw from is
the aerobic system because it is imperative that we have the energy stores if a
fight lasts 5, 30, or 120 minutes. The other energy source we must utilize is alactic
anaerobic. Since this is what we use during very short (under 10 seconds)
bursts of energy, we will use these stores when we are both escaping and/or
attempting a submission. MMA on the other hand, requires a more careful balance
of all three systems. Even though many
athletes underestimate the importance of the aerobic system, it is still the
most important system to develop. Yet, it must be more carefully balanced with
both anaerobic systems so they can generate the power they need for bursts of
up to 90 seconds. Therefore, a well-conditioned GJJ practitioner must have an
incredible aerobic capacity, that of marathon runners (enough to last hours),
but also have a well developed alactic anaerobic system they can draw upon
whenever it is needed in order to survive or finish a fight. Well-conditioned
MMA athletes must have an excellent aerobic capacity, enough to last 15-25
minutes, but balanced with their ATP and lactic anaerobic systems, so they can
generate large amounts of power for semi extended periods of time (60-90
seconds).
With all this being said, it is easy to see how GJJ and MMA
are no longer synergistic, not like they were 20 years ago when MMA was no
holds barred fighting. One simply cannot expect to master GJJ if they are
putting just as much effort into a sport such as MMA since they have such a
dichotomous relationship. This of course is not the case with everyone and there
are always rare exceptions. I am not
addressing the professional athlete whom has 8 hours a day to train; I am
addressing the average individual. The husband and father, whom if lucky, is
able to get to their local academy 3 days a week. When our time is limited we
must prioritize accordingly. If becoming great at Helio Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu is
up there on our list, then it may not be the wisest choice to split our
precious time between the two. Food for thought.
www.nmjiujitsu.com
www.nmjiujitsu.com
