Surviving on the ground - a quick video tutorial

[Cecil Burch]

I was PM-ing with a member here and he was asking questions about my approach to teaching a self-defense perspective of grappling to people with no background in H2H work. I was typing a bunch when I realized I had some of it already on video. This is a short version of how I teach getting to a good position on the ground when you find yourself there through no intent of your own.

What I have found over the past almost 22 years of BJJ is that if you rush to try to escape without having a safe launchpad, the escape itself becomes literally a crapshoot. And often, the failure of the escape puts you in an even worse position. So I prefer to get into a defensible "safezone" first, and then work the escape. That does not mean I will necessarily spend a bunch of time in that safe zone - I can very well (and preferably do) go from the first to the escape in the blink of an eye.

Hopefully this clip makes sense:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXfGikfDJIQ

[Mr_White]

Good video Cecil, thanks for posting that!

[Totem Polar]

Good video, CB. Makes a whole heck of a lot of sense, IMVHO.

[okie john]

Thanks. Very helpful.


Okie John

[Cheap Shot]

Subbed and thanks

[ssb]

Thank you -- very succinct explanation. The four points of contact line clicked for me.

[BaiHu]

I really like how you put the standing position and grounded position in the same template/matrix. Subbed.

[SLG]

Just got to watch this. Good video, and nice to put a face to the name. Was that Byron as well? A 2fer.

[SouthNarc]

Just got to watch this. Good video, and nice to put a face to the name. Was that Byron as well? A 2fer.

Different Byron.

[runcible]

CB,

Thank you for producing and posting this!

[Cecil Burch]

Different Byron.

Yup, different dude. I have some pics of THE Byron from the last time I taught a seminar in Baltimore, but I don't think I took any vids. Otherwise I would bust them out!

And thanks everyone for the kind words. I have a couple more that adds the next step after the survival position. I will get them put up on this thread if no one minds.

[JodyH]

Awesome introduction and refresher videos.

I bet theres a handsome young fellow with a shaved head in one of your videos. The people want eye candy, give the people what they want!

[Cecil Burch]

Awesome introduction and refresher videos.

I bet theres a handsome young fellow with a shaved head in one of your videos. The people want eye candy, give the people what they want!


I think I do have some video of that guy somewhere. Surprisingly, filming him did not break the lens...........

A good friend has the footage and he is going to produce some clips in a nice professional manner. It may be a bit because he is so swamped in his real job. Hopefully I will have something before the summer.


Here is an older video from when I first started going public. The logo is a bit older (and I am a bit younger!) but the material is the same. The exception is that I refer to this as a hip lift now, rather than the classic BJJ term of Upa:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5X__Q7Gvlo

[GAP]

Excellent, if I may add to this thread.. These techniques shown by Marcelo are my bread and butter for getting back to my guard and off my back while competing in BJJ and MMA. About half way through he shows a single leg escape from side control.


http://youtu.be/980525NL40Y

[Cecil Burch]

Here is one more older clip. This is the second of the two most important (IMO) body movements in BJJ.

The way I teach, as well as how I do it every day on the mat, is that the Survival Position in the launchpad, and then the hip lift and hip escape create the space needed to escape, even against a much bigger opponent.

On the vids are pretty much all the pertinent details. About the only thing left out is the different training drills and progression. Other than that, this is the bulk of what fundamentals I teach to survive on the ground.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOFDafCsUg

[uechibear]

Thanks for posting these videos.

I just signed up for one of your classes.

[BaiHu]

Thanks for posting these videos.

I just signed up for one of your classes.
I'll be hosting Cecil in May (14-15) and will post/announce it soon. Just trying to clear the decks for SouthNarc's EWO that I'm hosting in March (19-20).

This will be a great 1-2 punch this year in NJ of all places [emoji41]

[BaiHu]

Here is one more older clip. This is the second of the two most important (IMO) body movements in BJJ.

The way I teach, as well as how I do it every day on the mat, is that the Survival Position in the launchpad, and then the hip lift and hip escape create the space needed to escape, even against a much bigger opponent.

On the vids are pretty much all the pertinent details. About the only thing left out is the different training drills and progression. Other than that, this is the bulk of what fundamentals I teach to survive on the ground.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOFDafCsUg

I really like the distinction you make b/w shrimping and hip escape. It's verbiage like that that brings the mind/body back to balance. Even though I understood 'shrimping' as a movement and how it relates to getting your hips free, hearing the words 'hip escape' make a faster connection for the new and uninitiated such as myself. Can't wait to check the seminar out this coming Saturday in NY and have you in May. Keep the great videos coming, it's much appreciated.

[Cecil Burch]

I really like the distinction you make b/w shrimping and hip escape. It's verbiage like that that brings the mind/body back to balance. Even though I understood 'shrimping' as a movement and how it relates to getting your hips free, hearing the words 'hip escape' make a faster connection for the new and uninitiated such as myself. Can't wait to check the seminar out this coming Saturday in NY and have you in May. Keep the great videos coming, it's much appreciated.


It's funny. I ALWAYS hated the term shrimping, from my earliest days in BJJ. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used that term to describe the action. I had the same problem that Bai Hu mentions above. But I never had an issue with the term "upa" to describe the vertical space creator. It was not until probably 2011 (around the time these last two clips were made) that Craig called me out for the inconsistency and I permanently went with "hip lift". I think the verbiage works much better this way.

[GAP]

It's forever a shrimp!! Hell I do it in bed all of the time! Getting in, out, and tossing around. All the BJJ guys know what I mean lol.

[Cecil Burch]

Here is a newer one (filmed in November), and a short one at that. Just a couple of quick pointers on dealing with a knife on the ground:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkjzpmfTTpA

[Cecil Burch]

Here is another older video I did a while ago. It covers an area that gets short shift in the BJJ world, but I think has a lot of value. I actually just used one of these escapes last night in training while rolling. This is not "cool guy" material, but it works.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8tRnTAYY28

[45dotACP]

Awesome escape Cecil...I hate getting stuck in those headlocks. I've been submitted a few times in just casual rolling by the huger guys just giving me the Kesa Gatame and pretty much just smothering me. I was taught pretty much that last one and the the version where I run my legs the other way and try to hook the head with my calf, but that never quite seemed to work for me because I just never could get that kind of leverage and then it was back to square zero. Can't wait to try out a few of these.

[Cecil Burch]

Awesome escape Cecil...I hate getting stuck in those headlocks. I've been submitted a few times in just casual rolling by the huger guys just giving me the Kesa Gatame and pretty much just smothering me. I was taught pretty much that last one and the the version where I run my legs the other way and try to hook the head with my calf, but that never quite seemed to work for me because I just never could get that kind of leverage and then it was back to square zero. Can't wait to try out a few of these.


Try the spooning, and don't be in a hurry. A lot of times the big guys get used to people panicking and maybe tapping from the pressure. When that does not happen and the guy on bottom looks comfortable, the big guys might try to rush things and move and open up space for you to popcorn out. If that fails, focus on getting the trapped elbow to the mat. Again, don't be in a hurry with it. You are safe, and have plenty of time as long as you are on your side and your hips are close to him.

Let me know how it goes!

[uechibear]

I'll be hosting Cecil in May (14-15) and will post/announce it soon. Just trying to clear the decks for SouthNarc's EWO that I'm hosting in March (19-20).

This will be a great 1-2 punch this year in NJ of all places [emoji41]

That's awesome, BaiHu. You are in for a treat!

I just got some training from both Cecil and Craig, and even though I've been a martial artist for decades it helped me start to fill in some gaps in my "short-range" skills (my characterization, not theirs). It's interesting that the methods they teach dovetail nicely with the stance I learned in Okinawa, so I didn't need to change much, and they are both great guys to hang out with, which made the experience all the more enjoyable.

BTW, I remember meeting you at Todd's Aim Fast, Hit Fast class a few years ago, and I wish I'd been able to go out with you guys after class, but I had other responsibilities at the time. It seems that NJ is the place to be in May (never thought I'd say that)!