The most important thing you will ever learn in Jiu-Jitsu is the elbow escape. As a white belt learning to perform an elbow escape is what allows you to begin working on your own offense. Before you learn the elbow Jiu-Jitsu you are simply getting held down and submitted(unless you wrestled and are really good at rolling to your knees, but this gives up your back).
There is a time when you first begin learning to use this technique in live sparring where you are able to get on your side but before you can move your hip you are flattened out. In order to elbow escape you must be able to get on your side and hold that position by adjusting the angle of your body to the ground, while maintaining good position with your arms and properly placing your feet on the mat. The second factor in staying on your side is the position you and your Jiu-Jitsu training partner are in when you begin to escape. If you do not properly pre-position yourself before you come up on your side maintaining the position is almost impossible. Once you are able to hold this position on your side finishing the escape becomes almost effortless.
Next time your in class ask me how to position your body, arms and legs to Not get flattened out, and if your not a student yet don’t worry we’ll get you up to speed! There’s is never a wrong time to start learning, if your not in shape, we will help get you there, if you don’t think you have the time Crossroads BJJ offers classes morning, noon and night. Located right off I-95 in Waterford, CT just minutes from Mitchell College, the University of Connecticut, and the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Come down, try a class and See what Jiu-Jitsu is all about.