If you’ve been training BJJ for a while, then you may have heard of the term, ‘Invisible Jiu Jitsu’. However, what actually is invisible Jiu Jitsu – and is it a genuine thing or is it just a promotional tool? The origins stem from Rickson Gracie. Obviously, he knows a thing or two when it comes to BJJ. However, what is it exactly?
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What is Invisible Jiu Jitsu?
To begin with the story starts with Henry Akins, who was training with Rickson Gracie at the time. It should be noted that Akins was very high level albeit he was still a blue belt at this point. Rickson was a black belt and far more experienced, but wasn’t as strong or as heavy as Akins.
During a sparring session, Rickson made Akins tap without applying submissions. In other words, his pressure was simply too much for Akins who was forced to tap. For the record, Akins wasn’t exactly ‘soft’ either, in fact he’s known for being tough. So, the reason he tapped was that the pressure was brutal.
What does this mean for Jiu Jitsu?
When sparring, usually black belts have a distinct ‘feel’ of BJJ that separates them from the rest. They can move differently and have a subconscious sense of what’s going on. A good example of this is shoulder pressure from side control. As a white belt, you may be taught to use shoulder pressure to make opponent’s uncomfortable. The reason may not be to submit them, but more to stop them from escaping.
However, some black belts can quite easily submit people with shoulder pressure from side control. We’re not talking about 300lbs guys either, but instead regular sized guys that can make their weight count. This is invisible Jiu Jitsu. Hopefully, this has explained what is meant by the concept. It’s not a magic trick or some kind of pseudo-science. Instead, it’s a concept that is used to explain subtle tweaks to your body whilst sparring. These tweaks can make a massive difference in your game and do wonders for pressure passing.
Is Invisible Jiu Jitsu more than pressure?
In short, yes it is. According to Akins – the concept also applies for bottom positions as well. For example, whilst stuck in a pinned position such as side control or mount – you can also use invisible Jiu Jitsu. The idea whilst on the bottom is to start framing away and change your body weight. In other words, by creating frames, you start using your skeletal frame instead of muscles to escape.
This will make you feel much stronger, conserve energy and lessen the chance of muscular injury. In short, the benefits are massive and it’s a technique in itself. A good way to understand the idea is that it’s about weight distribution. On top, this means putting pressure on the opponent, whilst on the bottom you use your distribution to help you escape or feel less pressure.
How do you make pressure?
This is something that is asked by many students. In short, this can be the difference between soul-crushing passing and something that’s easy to defend. On one level, it’s difficult to put pressure into words, on the other hand there is something that quite simply explains it.
The best way to make pressure is by using angles. Let’s imagine trying to choke someone out with shoulder pressure. This would be incredibly difficult if you pinned them on a perpendicular angle. Even if you tried to force your shoulder down into their carotid artery, it probably wouldn’t work.
However, if you did the same move with a slight angle adjustment then it may make the pressure far greater. Imagine trying to pass a football with your toes. This technique would lack finesse and precision. But, if you passed a football with the side of your foot – it could provide a far more accurate, precise pass. This is what angles do with pressure in BJJ. Returning to the side control angle, you could also tripod onto your toes to add gravity into your attack. Sadly, too often teachers don’t go over this aspect of pressure and instead describe it as a very broad term without technique.
So, why is it called Invisible Jiu Jitsu?
A lot of BJJ is still taught in the form of basic blocks. For instance, you may learn an armbar from guard. This isn’t particularly bad but it is also taking BJJ at face value. Invisible Jiu Jitsu is more conceptual and is based on techniques that you can’t see in the naked eye. In other words, you have to feel Invisible Jiu Jitsu to really experience it.
An example of this would be looking at someone getting crushed in side control. To an eye witness you may not be able to tell if the side control is horrible or not. However, if you’re stuck underneath it, you could eventually tap and would really feel the pressure.
Arguably, this is why most black belts are good at invisible Jiu Jitsu. It’s something that has been practiced on for years and perfected. Like an armbar from guard, there are levels to it and you can’t expect results overnight.
Can Invisible Jiu Jitsu be taught?
Overall, yes it can. However, it may be more difficult to lean when compared to more mainstream BJJ lessons. As mentioned previously, a lot of BJJ is taught by visuals. For instance, you can see an armbar from guard. However, as seen with the side control pressure example – it’s not really something that you can physically see.
Having said this, you can still learn invisible Jiu Jitsu. The best way to do this is to roll with black belts. By doing this, you will feel their pressure and framing. Then, you should ask them how they do it in a drilling environment. The result will be a gain in knowledge that you can try and apply to your own game. One issue with this is that it can take years to settle in. Sadly, physical learning is far harder to learn compared to physical and visual learning.
With this said, this is still not an excuse to avoid learning it. In brief, it’s better to try and understand something rather than ignore it; one day things may click, or you may just slowly sink it into your game.
It’s not just Rickson Gracie who speaks about Invisible Jiu Jitsu either…
If you thought that Invisible Jiu Jitsu was just an idea used by Rickson Gracie, then you’re wrong. Similarly, BJJ legend Braulio Estima is also a fan of the concept. Years back, Braulio even released an instructional DVD set which was named ‘Invisible Jiu Jitsu.
Here, Braulio claimed these moves were part of the ‘unseen part of Jiu Jitsu’ that involved principles and theories, rather than just plain moves. Below is a video of Braulio submitted another black belt with sheer shoulder pressure. In a competition environment this is incredibly difficult and shows his Invisible Jiu Jitsu in action.
Is it essential to learn Invisible Jiu Jitsu?
If the idea sounds too flowery for you and too academic, then that is also fine. Whilst some BJJ practitioners love learning intricate details and studying the art, others simply don’t. The important thing in BJJ is to enjoy your learning. So, if Invisible Jiu Jitsu sounds too serious and pretentious then it’s fine to focus on your own stuff. As stated, it certainly doesn’t hurt to think about it though but it’s up to you.
