Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to share your thoughts anytime. We love to hear there. We also have a forum if you’re interested.

I like your “local superiority” idea. I use it quite a bit when we use what we call “T-ing” a guy up in a clinch situation. By getting to one side of your partner, you can use all 4 of your limbs while they can only use two. Thus, resulting in a competitive advantage. Good stuff!

Loved your column. Concepts are far more important than individual techniques because concepts reveal the reason WHY, techniques reveal HOW. If you know WHY you do something you can often times adjust a HOW on the fly.

Two other general concepts that I have payed attention to over the years are “Local Superiority” and what I call the “Spiky Ball” principle. You know them. Everyone who trains has run into these things its just whether or not we conceptualize them.

Local Superiority is simply having more of your body working against a smaller portion of his, or cutting his forces down. This is used in positions as well as submissions. The mount and guard both cut an opponents defences in half. In general he does not have his legs and hips to help defend and his movement is limited. The person on mount or using guard has his whole body to use to attack or defend.

Spiky Ball principle is when you are in a disadvantaged position, never letting your opponent be comfortable or stable. If he is constantly trying to maintain his position or remove a “spike” (something uncomfortable for him to base on, i.e. elbow, knee, hip, head etc.) he has far less time to devote to his attack.

Again thanks for the cerebral take of your original concepts. Usually I keep my thoughts to myself but really likes the thread of this blog. Thanks again.

Yeah, thats the stuff I’m talking about, also stuff like T-rexing the arms so you don’t leave openings for your opponent, thats another one, haha.

I think it would be a real cool Idea if you could do a series of these type of fighting principals through video’s and columns, I’d love to see all the stuff you guys would come up with.

Thanks for the plug for my site, nothing is up for sale yet cos i’m working on a couple of things that will hopefully make it huge. I’m not all that interested in just selling t-shirts for the money, I’m working to make it more of a project that will hopefully make the fight world a better place for fighters. It’s nt easy but when I manage to get it to the right level I’ll be sure to let you guys know all about it. Thanks again buddy, and keep up the great work!!!!

When I watch the new guys roll at our gym and they’re getting a little overwhelmed while in someone’s guard I’ll tell them something simple to do like to just make sure that their hands are always on the other guy’s body and never on the mat. This keep’s his hands and arms from being targets and ensures that they are being useful as tools to help control the other guy. It’s one of the smallest little adjustments but they can immediately feel the difference it makes.

Breaking down the opponent’s posting hands is HUGE. There are no small or simple concepts, just small or simple players.

Thanks again naturalbornfighter1 and if any of you guys out there reading this ever want to see some sick @$$ MMA clothing. Make sure you check out: http://www.naturalbornfighter.co.uk

I am totally stoked to read “The Art Of Learning”!!! I don’t think push hands is lame. It’s all sensitivity in the end. Also Waitkins is training BJJ with Marcelo Garcia. That’s a scary combination really. I’ve just got to finish the book I’m on right now “One Man’s Wilderness” great read!

You are excellent and are far beyond ordinary!