SPARRING
Live/Specific training is an integral part of BJJ and is a big reason why Jiu Jitsu is as effective of an art as it is. Many martial arts don’t implement live training against a resistant, unwilling opponent and because of this students don’t get a good sense of utilising their techniques in a live, real situation.
BJJ prides itself on live training being an absolutely integral part of its martial art identity. Live training (Sparring) can usually be broken down into to main categories:
Live Training (Sparring, Free Rolling):
This sort of training is unrestrictive where students are free to spar until the end of a designated timeframe. Students are not restricted to specific positions and spar until submission.
Specific Training (Positional Sparring):
Students will spar under certain restrictions placed upon them, this could include but not limited to:
- Being restricted to a certain position i.e. closed guard.
- Being resitricted to certain techniques i.e. only being allowed to submit utilising triangle chokes.
- First person to score points.
- Takedown specifc sparring.
Open Guard Game
Starting Position
The coach can decide to start the students in a variety of different open guard configurations such as a neutral position where nether student has grips or in a specific open guard position such as Spider Guard, Lasso Guard, Single Leg X (Ashi Garami), X-Guard, Collar and Sleeve, etc.
Winning Conditions
Guard Player:
- Sweep
- Submission
- Backtake
Top Player:
- Pass the guard
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play guard. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the guard player goes and rests on the wall while the top player goes on their back and plays guard.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing guard resumes guard play and they start the position again. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Closed Guard Game
Starting Position
Students begin in the closed guard position with neutral grips.
Winning Conditions
Guard Player:
- Sweep
- Submission
- Backtake
Top Player:
- Pass the guard
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play guard. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the guard player goes and rests on the wall while the top player goes on their back and plays guard.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing guard resumes guard play and they start the position again. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Half Guard Game
Starting Position
Students start in half guard position. students can begin either in a neutral position where there are no upperbody grip i.e. Cross Face, Underhooks, etc.
Winning Conditions
Guard Player:
- Sweep
- Submission
- Backtake
Top Player:
- Pass the guard
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play guard. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the guard player goes and rests on the wall while the top player goes on their back and plays guard.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing guard resumes guard play and they start the position again. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Mount Game
Starting Position
Students begin in a Mount position.
Winning Conditions
Bottom Player:
- Recover a guard position (Half Guard Minimum)
- Reverse the position
Top Player:
- Backtake
- Submission
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play from the bottom trying to escape. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the bottom player goes and rests on the wall while the top player goes on their back and plays bottom.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing bottom resumes a bottom position and they start the position again. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Side Control Game
Starting Position
Students begin in a side control position, coach can either decide or decision can be left to student.
Winning Conditions
Bottom Player:
- Recover a guard position (Half Guard Minimum)
- Reverse the position
Top Player:
- Mount
- Backtake
- Submission
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play from the bottom trying to escape. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the bottom player goes and rests on the wall while the top player goes on their back and plays bottom.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing bottom resumes a bottom position and they start the position again. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Back Control Game
Starting Position
Students begin in back control with a seatbelt grip while the defensive player has defensive grips on the opponents seatbelt.
Winning Conditions
Offensive Player:
- Submission
Defensive Player:
- Escape the position
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to attack the back. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the offensive player goes and rests on the wall while the defensive player goes on and plays offense.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing offense resumes to attack the back. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Turtle Game
Starting Position
Students begin in the turtle postion with one person assuming a defensive position and the other on top either front one or to the side.
Winning Conditions
Offensive Player:
- Take the back
- Turn the turtle over
- Submission
Defensive Player:
- Reverse the position
- Recover to a guard
Format
King of the Mat: Winner stays on and continues to play Turtle. Potentially rotate student out after 3 wins.
Rotational: Regardless of result the defensive player goes and rests on the wall while the offensive player goes on and plays defense.
2 Minute Rotations: Regarless of winner or loser the person playing offense resumes to attack the turtle. At the end of 2 minutes both students swap top and bottom position and repeat for another round.
Live Training (Free Rolling)
This sort of training is unrestrictive where students are free to spar until the end of a designated timeframe. Students are not restricted to specific positions and spar until submission.