Self-Defence Sparring

Rener and Ryron Gracie teach strictly self-defence in all of their beginner programs. It seems to be what people are looking for. There is no free-rolling at all, until the student completes this program and moves on to the advanced class.

Once they are part of the advanced class, students learn both self-defence and sportive technique. To help maintain a sense of reality in training, one sparring session per week is dedicated to self-defence, or street, simulation.

One partner typically puts on padded gloves, and attacks the other person without using any Jiu-Jitsu technique. They swing punches, and the person playing the “good guy” has to deal with this.

The “good guy” can use whatever they like from their Jiu-Jitsu arsenal, but interestingly, very few things really work well. Any student who had been through the self-defence beginner program is quite comfortable. The 35 techniques they learned there are all directly applicable.

What is harder, is figuring out what can be used from the advanced curriculum. I have a few such things worked out, but not many. I could just stick to the basics, but doing so week-after-week is very repetitive, and dull. An example of something I normally use is a more advanced rear take-down. The one taught in the beginner class is fine, and easy, but has a flaw or two. What I use instead is a hooking behind the opponent's knee as I pull them to the ground. Better but harder. I do it often.

What a typical encounter looks like, is the person wearing gloves comes forward punching. Sometimes they play wild-man, and sometimes a more skilled striker. The “good guy” tries to stay out of range until they can blitz in past the strikes to gain a clinch, or a double-leg take-down.

They rapidly put their opponent on the ground, and from there control him, and then get a submission. The attacker doesn't try and grapple. If they end up on top, they use ground-and-pound, and if they are on the bottom they try and get away and stand up.

Once the opponent taps, both stand up, and start again. Every time the drill is run, the attacker tries to change what he is doing somewhat. After five minutes or so, they switch roles.

Sometimes the attacker goes further outside of the box, and attempts a tackle, or throws a few kicks.

It doesn't really matter. Things almost always go the same way.

One strangeness is that people don't give the attacker the same kind of leeway they allow a partner in free-rolling. They will often let a friend get something, say a triangle, just to see if they can escape it. In the self-defence sparring, they rarely allow the puncher any advantages if they can help it.

Sometimes I do, unlike with a real attacker. The punches are annoying, but not full strength. It can be good idea sometimes to find yourself on the bottom of such an assault just to see if you can get out.

That is part of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu philosophy. Make yourself comfortable in uncomfortable situations.