It’s called ‘rolling’ for a reason: if you’re doing BJJ then you’re going to be somersaulting all over the place. And there are three types of rolls that you encounter all the time on the mats:
- The forward roll,
- The backwards roll
- The side roll
In the video below BJJ world champion Brandon ‘Wolverine’ Mullins shows how you can use the third movement – the side roll – to defend against a very common and otherwise difficult-to-deal-with style of guard pass.
In this particular application Brandon uses the side roll from Butterfly Guard, which is probably the easiest way to incorporate this technique into sparring after you’ve developed some basic familiarity with the movement as a solo drill.
By using a bit of agility to perform a side roll Brandon avoids having to use brute strength or incredible flexibility to prevent the guard pass. It’s the ultimate example of technique over brawn.
Keep in mind that this exact movement can also be used in a variety of other open guard positions once you’ve got it dialled in with the Butterfly Guard. But for simplicity’s sake start with the Butterfly Guard first.
Check it out:
P.S. This video is a brief excerpt from the first of the four volumes that you get when you order the brand new ‘Non-Stop Jiu-Jitsu’ instructional set. This set is jam-packed with a TON of techniques, tips, tweaks and tactics that you can quickly and easily add to your game to bump it up several levels virtually overnight.
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