JIUJITSU PRINCIPLES
FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ART
Art, passion and the search for the why
Why the book?
I have been training for 10 years and have been teaching at LOOP Martial Arts for about 5. I have always wanted to make sense of the art of Brazilian Jiujitsu (BJJ) or more simply Jiujitsu and wanted to understand the WHY of such technique or such guard. The book is a way of spreading and sharing my vision and my understanding of jiujitsu. It is designed as a learning aid, something to go back to after training.
The book is like jiujitsu: it is simple. 18 principles explained with examples and photos (2 per principle) to better understand what is going on.
The book is like jiujitsu: it is simple. 18 principles explained with examples and photos (2 per principle) to better understand what is going on.
My framework
Keeping Jiujitsu Simple
It has evolved over the years and it will keep evolving. I have tried to keep it as clear, precise and simple as possible. It is heavily inspired by greg souders from standard jiujitsu, Chris Haueter from combat base, Francesco Fonte from Sport schule, Kit Dale, Nicholas Gregoriades and other coaches whom I either met in person or shared thoughts with on the internet.
STANDING SITUATIONS: Connect to your opponent by having more hands on your opponent than they have on you. Once this happens, maintain this condition to manage distance and off balance your opponent to get close to them. You can then focus your intention on connecting your hands around your partner’s leg(s) or waist. Alternatively, you can use your feet or hips to throw your opponent to the ground. If you end up with a take down, proceed to the GUARD TOP SITUATIONS section. If you pull guard, however, focus on having more connections on your opponent than they have on you (4 points of contact) and proceed to the GUARD BOTTOM SITUATIONS section.
GUARD TOP SITUATIONS: Your priority is to remain the top player and not allow your hips on the mats. Focus on putting your chest on your opponent’s chest or your chest on your opponent’s back. Proceed by clearing the “dirty” feet (don’t allow them on you) then move to the knee line with either one of your legs in between their legs or both your legs on the outside of their legs. Once that happens, keep it for as long as you can and move to the PIN section.
GUARD BOTTOM SITUATIONS: Make and maintain your connections to manage distance and destabilize your opponent. Bring their knees/hips/hand(s)/shoulder/head to the mats and get your hips higher than theirs (sweep). Proceed to the GUARD TOP SITUATIONS section or to the SUBMISSION SITUATIONS section.
PIN SITUATIONS: Focus your intention and attention on covering both your opponent’s hips and shoulders, preventing them from rotating, posting, framing, pushing and pulling their limbs. Use whatever bodypart and/or fabric you need to do so for the hips and a crossface/underhook or double underhook combination for the shoulders. Your sole purpose is to IMMOBILISE your opponent by occupying their “hugging space”.
SUBMISSION SITUATIONS: This is the ISOLATION process of the limb you want to break or the neck you want to compress. If you’re going for a joint lock, control the joint that is “above” it making sure it cannot move: in an armbar situation (straight or twisted), anchor your hips to the shoulder and bring the elbow beyond its natural range of motion.
STANDING SITUATIONS: Connect to your opponent by having more hands on your opponent than they have on you. Once this happens, maintain this condition to manage distance and off balance your opponent to get close to them. You can then focus your intention on connecting your hands around your partner’s leg(s) or waist. Alternatively, you can use your feet or hips to throw your opponent to the ground. If you end up with a take down, proceed to the GUARD TOP SITUATIONS section. If you pull guard, however, focus on having more connections on your opponent than they have on you (4 points of contact) and proceed to the GUARD BOTTOM SITUATIONS section.
GUARD TOP SITUATIONS: Your priority is to remain the top player and not allow your hips on the mats. Focus on putting your chest on your opponent’s chest or your chest on your opponent’s back. Proceed by clearing the “dirty” feet (don’t allow them on you) then move to the knee line with either one of your legs in between their legs or both your legs on the outside of their legs. Once that happens, keep it for as long as you can and move to the PIN section.
GUARD BOTTOM SITUATIONS: Make and maintain your connections to manage distance and destabilize your opponent. Bring their knees/hips/hand(s)/shoulder/head to the mats and get your hips higher than theirs (sweep). Proceed to the GUARD TOP SITUATIONS section or to the SUBMISSION SITUATIONS section.
PIN SITUATIONS: Focus your intention and attention on covering both your opponent’s hips and shoulders, preventing them from rotating, posting, framing, pushing and pulling their limbs. Use whatever bodypart and/or fabric you need to do so for the hips and a crossface/underhook or double underhook combination for the shoulders. Your sole purpose is to IMMOBILISE your opponent by occupying their “hugging space”.
SUBMISSION SITUATIONS: This is the ISOLATION process of the limb you want to break or the neck you want to compress. If you’re going for a joint lock, control the joint that is “above” it making sure it cannot move: in an armbar situation (straight or twisted), anchor your hips to the shoulder and bring the elbow beyond its natural range of motion.
Ecological and Constraints-Led Approach Applied to Grappling
Coming soon! If you're interested in hosting me at your gym, email me: info@jaumainjiujitsu.com
Based on my framework or anything you have been working on at your gym, you will learn how to simplify and maximise your training, and implement an effective training design. From stand up to passing, pinning and submitting, we will go through the whole “game” of jiujitsu without showing specific techniques or moves: we will discover what is behind them.
The workshop is for both coaches and students, beginners to advanced players, gi and nogi. It will be both practical and theoritical so be ready to get your sweat on. Pictures, videos and note taking are allowed and recommended.
This approach has been successfully used in many different sports ranging from football, volley-ball, baseball to wrestling and more recently to the grappling arts.
I have been teaching jiujitsu both gi and nogi this way for over a year with my private students and with the classes of intermediate and advanced students at Loop Martial Arts. I have always been an advocate of principles and self discovery since I started teaching jiujitsu back in 2020.
Secure your spot by emailing me directly at info@jaumainjiujitsu.com
The workshop is for both coaches and students, beginners to advanced players, gi and nogi. It will be both practical and theoritical so be ready to get your sweat on. Pictures, videos and note taking are allowed and recommended.
This approach has been successfully used in many different sports ranging from football, volley-ball, baseball to wrestling and more recently to the grappling arts.
I have been teaching jiujitsu both gi and nogi this way for over a year with my private students and with the classes of intermediate and advanced students at Loop Martial Arts. I have always been an advocate of principles and self discovery since I started teaching jiujitsu back in 2020.
Secure your spot by emailing me directly at info@jaumainjiujitsu.com
Trying to learn the art of jiujitsu by just practising and mastering every possible technique will be overwhelming to just about anybody. That is why I love to think of the art in principles: the why over the how.
When I think about jiujitsu, I think in patterns. Re-occuring patterns throughout the art. I believe this is the reason why jiujitsu is unlimited: create your own using principles and body movements, make it endless, make it yours.
You're welcome.
When I think about jiujitsu, I think in patterns. Re-occuring patterns throughout the art. I believe this is the reason why jiujitsu is unlimited: create your own using principles and body movements, make it endless, make it yours.
You're welcome.
Why principles?
In essence, jiujitsu is a combination of principles and body movements.
Antti Mannila
Owner & Head Coach @ Loop Martial arts
BJJ Second degree Black Belt
BJJ Second degree Black Belt
"Understanding concepts is often assumed to be a skill for more experienced practitioners (let's be clear that by experienced I mean brown/black belts), but from years of teaching beginner courses, as well as more experienced practitioners, I have come to the conclusion that it is not so black and white.
Even beginners can understand concepts if they are taught in a way that is easy to understand and internalize. Especially if they can be repeated and studied outside of class. This is why I am very happy that Johan wrote this book."
Even beginners can understand concepts if they are taught in a way that is easy to understand and internalize. Especially if they can be repeated and studied outside of class. This is why I am very happy that Johan wrote this book."
Rotation beats extension
"In a torreando pass scenario: your legs are getting extended and your opponent rotates around them."
Sign up for your Juijitsu private lessons
Based on my framework, I will specifically design our training sessions to improve your jiujitsu at a faster rate than you usually would. These private sessions are the fruit of my constant learning and teaching, following a problem solving and principle based approach to jiujitsu. I will give you the tools to build your own jiujitsu - your skills - whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned competitor.
The Systematized Private Sessions include:
Guarded situations, Pinning Situations, Standing Situations and Submission Situations.
The privates lessons are designed to fit your belt level, jiujitsu goals and availability, sign up below to find out more. Lessons are held at Loop Martial Arts.
The Systematized Private Sessions include:
Guarded situations, Pinning Situations, Standing Situations and Submission Situations.
The privates lessons are designed to fit your belt level, jiujitsu goals and availability, sign up below to find out more. Lessons are held at Loop Martial Arts.
Your information will only be used to contact you about the private lessons.
What do they say about me?
Johan Jaumain
Writer, teacher and practitioner of the art
Johan is a jiujitsu Black Belt under Antti Mannila and trains out of LOOP Martial arts in Helsinki, Finland.
In addition to training and teaching to both intermediate and advanced practitioners at LOOP Martial Arts, he works as a sports massage therapist and Etiopath helping people get out of pain at KelpoKeho.
In addition to training and teaching to both intermediate and advanced practitioners at LOOP Martial Arts, he works as a sports massage therapist and Etiopath helping people get out of pain at KelpoKeho.
