"Control is the foundation of Jiu-Jitsu. It's about understanding leverage, timing, and positioning to dictate the outcome of a fight."
- Ryron Gracie
I sat on the soft green mats of the great Judo Hall at Asue Arena waiting for the instruction to begin. I stared at the large Japanese flag hanging on the wall and remembered a photo I had seen in front of this same flag. Six years earlier Ryron Gracie stood here as well conducting a seminar. I was not a part of the dojo at that time, but the photos of him in this hall left an impression on me.
In front of us stood the visiting instructor, a black belt. He too was here to conduct a seminar. He smiled, surveying all of us in attendance. Our sensei stood nearby translating his words from English into Japanese as most of those in attendance did not speak English.
Our dojo had invited this instructor from our headquarters in the US to come teach a two day seminar on DECS - Defend, Escape, Control, Submit. He maintained a thoughtful teaching style, knew how to engage the audience and enjoyed asking questions, encouraging the students to think deeper about what he was teaching.
The instructor began the session by asking a simple question: what is Jiu-Jitsu about?
I answered that it was about reacting to indicators. Others said it was about leverage or efficiency of energy. While answers varied, no one in attendance had the exact response that reached into the core of what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu actually is.
The answer: At its core, Jiu-Jitsu is all about control.
Control is at the Core of DECS
Control is the linchpin of the Gracie framework for Defend, Escape, Control, Submit or DECS, for short. At each stage of this system, you must maintain control of your opponent. And you must maintain control of yourself as well. This methodical approach emphasizes the use of control for defensive awareness, functional escapes, positional dominance and effective submission techniques.
Strength helps. Patience helps. Indicators help. But what you need to effectively execute the techniques within Jiu-Jitsu is control.
"Jiu-Jitsu is about control. If you control the situation, you control the fight." - Rickson Gracie
Defend
The first stage of this framework is to defend your position. It is the foundation of an effective defense. Prevent your opponent from establishing a more dominant position. Maintain proper posture, protect vulnerable areas and preemptively neutralize potential threats from your opponent. By exerting control over your own movements, you will be able to better withstand attacks from your opponent. In defending your position, you lay the groundwork for the next stage. As Rener Gracie says, ”Control is not just about physical dominance; it's about maintaining a calm and focused mindset under pressure." This mindset is crucial during the Defense stage.
Escape
To escape from a hold or submission attempt, gain control of your opponent’s grips, posture and leverage by breaking grips, creating space or disrupting your opponents balance or timing. After effectively escaping from a threatening position, maneuver to a safer position where you can exert more control over your opponent than they can over you. Reset the fight by establishing a more dominant position through your escape.
Control
Before applying a submission you need to insure that you can maintain the necessary control to properly execute the a submission. If not, you may lose the advantage that you have just gained from your escape. Secure a dominant position such as mount, back mount or side control so that you can limit and dictate your opponents options and choices.
Submit
Once control has been clearly established secure a submission to force your opponent to concede defeat. Target your opponent’s weaknesses and wait for mistakes to maintain control as you implement a submission. A submission can be attainted through chokes or joint locks.
Mindset and Strategy
Effective control extends beyond techniques to encompass mindset and strategy. Essentially, this is control of yourself and control of your decision-making processes. Control your breathing to control the tempo of the fight as well as your composure and focus.
Relax. Read your opponent. React. What is the directional flow of their body language? Where are they attempting to move you and why? What options are they eliminating? Control the opponent’s moves to limit their options. Control their perceptions by use of misdirection. Maneuver your opponent to move themselves into the positions you want them to be in. Control their options. Control their directions. Control their energy to have them exhaust themselves in reaction to you. When you don’t have the advantage, wait. Wait for your opponent to make a mistake and then seize upon it. Change the direction of the outcome to one that is now in your favor.
"In Jiu-Jitsu, control is not just physical, it's mental and emotional too. Mastering yourself is the ultimate form of control."
- Rickson Gracie
Closing Thoughts
With the seminar finished, we all thanked the instructor and began to clean the mats. Sweeping the mats, I realized that my understanding of Jiu-Jitsu had fundamentally shifted. Control was not just a step in the process; it was the core of every move, every position and every strategy within Jiu-Jitsu.
Applying the principle of control and using the DECS framework for Jiu-Jitsu augments techniques to maintain control for defense, escapes and submissions. Control extends beyond the fight into perceptions and awareness. It is about controlling yourself and all of your movements to control the fight, manage your opponent and more adeptly direct the outcome.
