If you can get an opponents feet off the mat you own him: Everything we do in grappling presupposes contact with the mat. Imagine trying to grapple in zero gravity – you couldn't perform moves effectively because you have nothing to base upon or push off from. When you leave the mat you have to wait until you you land before you can be effective again. It doesn't matter how athletic you are – if you can't push off the ground it's very difficult to express that athleticism. Whenever you can – lift your opponent off the mat. The most energy efficient ways to do this is always with the legs. Work hard upon the skill of getting opponents up off the mat for brief periods of time and use that time to press your attacks – unless he's truly a superb athlete capable of back flips or aerial cartwheels there's not much he can do to stop you until he's grounded again – and by then it's usually too late.
