{"id":20463,"date":"2023-10-11T13:29:52","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T18:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rollingaroundbjj.com\/?p=20463"},"modified":"2023-10-11T13:29:54","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T18:29:54","slug":"bjj-stance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rollingaroundbjj.com\/bjj-stance\/","title":{"rendered":"BJJ Stance Basics For Fighting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Oftentimes, a martial art can be instantly recognized through a still image because of the fighting stance used. The way the body is positioned when standing reflects what the offensive and defensive purposes are. The stance is usually the first thing you learn in martial arts, but not in jiu-jitsu, where the ground positions are more important. But is there a BJJ stance, and what does it look like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The typical BJJ stance is a hybrid between the judo and wrestling stances. In jiu-jitsu, the stance is relatively low, on staggered feet, with the back straight, elbows tucked, and hands in front.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stand-up grappling is not a priority for many jiu-jitsu players and is often neglected in many schools, which is why not everyone spends time perfecting their stance. But every BJJ match starts standing, so learning a solid stance on the feet will benefit every practitioner regardless of their preferred fighting style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>What Is The BJJ Stance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A fighting stance is the way you stand and distribute your weight on the ground while on your feet. The height of the stance and the position of the head, back, and arms are all parts of the fighting stance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every BJJ match starts on the feet, and you need to assume some stance to engage with the opponent. The BJJ stance is a hybrid between the judo and wrestling stances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a fighting stance is only a standing position, in BJJ there is a possibility for one player to be on the mat while the other is standing, which creates the necessity for a distinct stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each martial art has a specific fighting stance corresponding to the goals of the practitioner. Striking stances are more varied and more important than grappling ones because the entire fight is on the feet and spent in an upright stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stance in grappling sports is also important because it influences the success of attacking and defending, meaning taking the opponent down or preventing him from doing it to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But whereas in wrestling and judo, the takedown is the most important part of the game, in BJJ it\u2019s not as significant, and many players even willingly choose the bottom by pulling guard<\/a> and bringing the opponent on top of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why the upright stance in jiu-jitsu is considered merely a transition to the important domain\u2014the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same cannot be said to the same extent for submission grappling because rulesets like the ADCC penalize guard pulling, and takedowns are more important, so the stance has more significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of what your style is, you will need to spend some time wrestling on the feet and have at least some fundamental knowledge of what the different stances offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also important to understand fighting stances are always fluid. They can and should change almost constantly (at least slightly) according to the actions of the opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judo Stance vs Wrestling Stance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"bjj<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The stance in wrestling is crucial. Wrestlers need to protect their legs and the inside of their bodies from the opponent in order to prevent takedowns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, they need to be able to quickly engage and attack the same areas of the opponent. This is why there are two types of stances in wrestling: offensive and defensive, and the difference is in the width of the feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The defensive stance is square, with both feet in line, providing more stability and easier sprawls, while the offensive stance is staggered, with one foot in front of the other, allowing faster movement forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most wrestlers usually have one foot slightly in front of the other and rarely go into a squared stance. But as i explained above, the stance is not static and it changes all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining details are the same regardless of foot position:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • The center of gravity is very low and the knees are bent<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The head is up straight and the eyes look forward<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The elbows are close to the body and the hands are<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The judo stance is quite different, especially after the leg-grab ban in the sport. Judokas stand completely upright because they are not allowed to attack below the waist, and their entire focus is on the upper body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By standing upright, judokas have a strong posture, which makes them harder to throw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The elbows remain close to the body, but the hands are halfway outstretched forward, ready to grab lapels and sleeves and prevent the opponent from gripping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As I said, stances are dynamic and change during a match. The judo stance is very upright in general, but this doesn\u2019t mean judokas don\u2019t change levels and never assume a lower stance. In the video, you can see a good demonstration of how the two stances compare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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