Connection and body geometry: A critical part of grappling is the ability to create a solid sense of connection of our body to that of our opponent. Separation is the death of effective application of nearly all grappling technique. Most beginners use strength as the primary means of building that tight connection and as a result, quickly fatigue and become ineffective. A much better approach is to consciously SEEK TO FIT THE GEOMETRY OF YOUR BODY INTO THE GEOMETRY OF YOUR OPPONENTS BODY. There must be a precise fit of your body into that of your opponent throughout the relevant areas that are in contact. This immediately creates a connection that can be maintained against strong resistance with minimal strength. The only way this fitting in of your body to his can be achieved is if your body is sufficiently relaxed and supple that you can fill the spaces in the same way liquid can fill the inside of any vessel into which it is poured, regardless of shape. Only when that precise fit-in has been achieved is tension applied and the submission attempted. The feeling here is one of a key precisely fitting into a lock – only then can the doorway to submission be entered. Developing this sense of relaxed fitting-in of your body's geometry into that of your opponent, followed by the isometric tension required for breaking, is a huge part of the development from beginner to expert. Here my student Shy Ace shows fine form as his ashi garami fits precisely into the geometry of his much larger and heavier opponents legs and hips to create a powerful submission win in a recent local tournament
