Learn the language of Jiu Jitsu with the ABCs

We teach Jiu Jitsu like a language at Zenyo — starting with the ABCs — Ankle Lock, Back Choke, Cross Armbar. You will be fluent in no time. 

Much of Jiu Jitsu instruction has become an endless stream of talk, techniques, concepts, and systems. It’s a numbers game to increase views and sales.

At Zenyo, we’ve gone beyond training Jiu Jitsu as a numbers racket. As coach, I organize our Jiu Jitsu with the basic building blocks of Jiu Jitsu — the ABCs.

Ankle Lock 

Back Choke

Cross Armbar

How do you get good at these things and become knowledge-able in Jiu Jitsu? The answer is obvious and simple: practice. 

Practice is organized around creative thinking. The formula we use for knowledge — knowledge = information + thinking — guides how we practice. 

Knowledge is not just information. It’s thinking, too. In Jiu Jitsu, we think with minds and bodies. 

We practice thinking by moving. In different and challenging ways. See how we organize practice for faster learning. 

If someone is new, a partner helps them get a basic understanding of the ankle lock. Then they play a game where each tries to win by ankle lock. They fight from all positions and work all of Jiu Jitsu without it needing to be explained to them. 

If one wins, that person goes easier the next round. 

From there, they go to back choke and then cross armbar. 

Once they’ve done all three separately, they can add them together and fight to win from any one of them. 

Class starts like this at Zenyo. We get right to Jiu Jitsu. 

Everybody can learn and improve through the order that the ABCs provide. What I’ve observed during drilling is that my students are quickly able to link together positions and moves so that their Jiu Jitsu is effective, focused, and beneficial for both partners.

Let’s take a look at some videos to see the ABCs in Jiu Jitsu competition.