Grip with four appendages – not two: When people ask me about gripping skills in Jiu jitsu they almost invariably want to talk about grip STRENGTH. Even when they talk about this they invariably refer to strength of the HANDS. Never forget that from guard position you must learn to grip with both hands AND feet. It is crucial that you develop dexterity in your feet so that they can grip and pull and push just like your hands do. The great advantage of guard position is that it UNWEIGHTS YOUR FEET so that they can be used as two extra gripping limbs. You get to fight an opponent with four of your limbs – he only gets to fight with two. Look how uber talented Australian grappler Craig Jones expertly uses all four limbs simultaneously to grip up his opponent as he closes distance. Your hands are only half the story of gripping in Jiu jitsu – only when you use all four appendages in concert will you maximize your gripping potential
