Started from the bottom, now we're here: Too often jiu jitsu players work with an odd “gentlemen's agreement” that one will be the top player passing and the other will be the bottom player working for conventional Jiu jitsu sweeps and submissions. This means that they miss out on myriad opportunities to come up from bottom positions into takedowns based on common wrestling movements and which are extremely effective in no gi grappling. Interestingly, because the entire set up process is very different from standing wrestling you can sometimes even takedown/sweep opponents coming up from bottom that you ordinarily cannot take down in neutral standing position. It requires a sense of distance and a mindset that just because you STARTED in bottom position, you don't have to STAY in bottom position – that if the opportunity is there, you can change from conventional SEATED or SUPINE positions into KNEELING positions that allow quick shots into the opponents legs. This is a relatively easy mindset and skill to adopt and can get great results in a short time. Here, Georges St Pierre and Nicky Ryan and myself work on getting to the hips out of guard position and multidirectional finishes from there
