Jiu Jitsu is a dynamic art. You’re continually adjusting position and transitioning between different techniques. Your ability to connect techniques together can have a big impact on your performance.

The difference between skill levels is not the number techniques you know. Instead, it’s how well you know those techniques and your ability to recognise what’s happening and respond accordingly.

This is the reason a blue belt can submit a black belt. The blue belt may not know as much Jiu Jitsu, but if they are better in a particular transition they will catch the black belt.

And it’s pretty easy to develop this technical proficiency and transitional speed. You just need to practice transitioning into your game a lot.

In recent months, I’ve been using a simple concept to help my students develop their transitional speed and their Jiu Jitsu. I’m calling it Free Flow Drilling. It’s based on the Flow Drilling I talked about in Performance Drilling.

In case you’ve forgotten, Flow Drilling is simply connecting a sequence of techniques to create a continuous flow of technique. The difference in Free Flow Drilling is I don’t dictate the sequence. The students complete the technique they’re working, then add the next logical step based on their game.

For example, let’s say I’m teaching a sweep. I’ll demonstrate the technique, then have my students drill it but adding on whatever pass and submission they like to use.

This means they learn to transition instantly from a sweep to guard pass to submission and they get to practice their game. To give you a better idea of how Free Flow Drilling works watch the below.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.