Pinning – get stable first, create pressure second, and work for submissions third: The essential goal in classical Jiu jitsu is to get opponents into the two types of mounted positions – front and rear – and from there, finish them. This is a time tested and true tactic that works well at all levels and should be heavily emphasized in your early training. When working in the mounted position on top of opponents, take your development in stages. Your first goal is just to gain stability. Even that can be tough when you begin since opponents will be bucking and bridging and twisting to get out from under you. Once you feel you hold people for extended periods of time, the next challenge is to put them under PRESSURE and duress. This is usually done by pressure on the jaw via cross face grips and keeping your chest on their face to hamper breathing. Understand that the more duress you can put opponents under, the easier submissions will become as they react to the uncomfortable pressure of your pin. Only then do we work on the final goal of submitting people. Start with STABILITY and PRESSURE – the better you are in these two skills, the easier the final goal of submission will be.
