A friend of mine posed the following question:
What kind of standup game (i.e. takedowns, offense and defense, in BJJ-- not MMA!) would you advise for someone with some impairments to their peripheral vision?
She says it's hard to watch everything all at once-- hands, arms, legs, core-- and hopes for some suggestions.
My first thought was, assuming you have a non-square stance (one foot kind of back), use your rear hand to get a cross-grip on their lead hand/cuff. That gives you one thing to look for and focus on getting, and by grabbing with your rear hand, you cross them up (preventing them from shooting on you). If you were reaching with your lead hand, you'd either have to get a same side grip (which leaves you both open to being shot on) or you'd be going for her rear hand (which is tough and leaves you open to a lot.) I just recently read something on the blogosphere about this and can't recall where, but would be happy to edit to give credit where it's due!
Oh wise readership-- help my friend out!
3 comments:
I would tell her to focus on the lapels just below the collar bone. Think of drawing a 6 x 6 square centered just above the center of the chest, that is pretty much the gripping target on each lapel.
Gripping strategy varies widely so here is a traditional strategy that works very well. Assuming she is a righty she should have her right foot forward. With this stance the first grip should be her left hand grabbing her opponents right lapel. Second grip is the right hand grabbing her opponents left lapel. Result is a standard double lapel grip but the order you grip the lapels in is important. Gripping in the reverse order leaves you open to big turning throws from right handed opponents. I also like this grip because it can be used to slow down the double leg giving you a better chance to really defend the double with a good sprawl.
Defensive Strategy – This is probably where she is at the biggest disadvantage because her peripheral vision does not pick up the foot and hip movement while she is looking at the person chest. My advice would be attack attack attack and use offense as the best defense. If she isn’t attacking she should probably just try to keep moving her opponent around so the opponent can’t settle into a good attack pattern.
Attack Strategy – I am not sure if a lack of peripheral vision would really hamper attacks, but one I like from the double lapel grip I suggested is drop O’ Uchi Gari.
I would think about developing a good sitting guard game, look to grab a collar, put a foot in the hip and then sit full or half guard.
thanks guys!!
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