Not all grips are equal: grip is the foundation of all grappling sports. If you can't get an effective grip on someone, none of the moves are possible. Any time you can grip an opponent – he will be able to grip you too – it's important therefore, to know how to impose a better upon him than he has upon you. Some grips confer a greater degree of control than others. Even from identical grips, there are subtle positional tricks that can confer advantages to you. Your goal is to attain a grip that offers you greater control over your opponent than he has over you. Whether you have attained this goal will be immediately apparent when you try to move and control each other. If you are roughly same size and skill level but your grip makes it easier to move and control your opponent, then it's likely you've got a better grip than him. Don't be satisfied with any grip – work hard to get a dominant grip whenever possible. Remember – in a world where everything begins with grip, your job overall gets significantly easier when you start every engagement with a better grip than the other guy
