In every BJJ match, the standup comes first, followed by closing the gap. When we grapple, the first thing we do with our opponent is get our hold on them. Grapplers can get ahead of the game by having strong grips, which helps them win. Today, we are going to talk about the nine most popular hand grips used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
BJJ Gripping
Grapplers initiate contact with their opponents through gripping. If you use grips correctly, you can plan your moves and set up your strategy from the very first meeting. If you are the first one to apply the grips, you have the advantage. Being first puts you in a position where you can make enough contact with the opponent to launch your preferred attacks.
When grapplers train, they must also work on their hand-fighting skills. Being the first to use these skills gives you a good start and puts you ahead of the other players. In Jiu-Jitsu, these are the top nine hand grips you should know.
1. Gable Grip
Named after the famous wrestler Dan Gable, the Gable grip is one of the strongest in grappling and is probably the most used grip in No-Gi BJJ. It is used for many controls, such as body lock passes, back control, open guard, and finishing submissions like the short choke and arm triangle. With this grip, you can bring your knees together for a tighter squeeze. To do it, lock your hands together, keeping your thumbs out to the side.
2. Butterfly Grip
The Butterfly grip is one of the most common grips used in wrestling and BJJ. In BJJ, it is used to hold an opponent from behind while in open guard and trying to sweep or take them down. This grip brings the opponent closer to your ribs, just like the seatbelt grip. This gives you more control over them. To perform the Butterfly grip, grip your forearms with your hands.
3. Seatbelt Grip
In wrestling and MMA, the back mount is the most powerful position, and the seatbelt grip is the best way to control it. The seatbelt grip is used to keep your opponent pinned and to keep your chest-to-back link. The next step is hand fighting to take control of the other person’s hands and apply a choke or takedown. To do this, hold your opponent from behind with the palm of your hand on top.
4. Scoop Grip
A lot of people use the Scoop grip in No-Gi BJJ, both on the ground and while standing up. It’s done by controlling the opponent’s head or arms with the cupping position. By dragging the opponent’s head down and controlling their arms and legs, this grip breaks their posture and alignment and sets them up for moves like takedowns, guard passes, and submissions. When you scoop your opponent’s head in the standup for a collar tie, make sure you go all the way to their other ear.
5. Pistol Grip
In Gi Jiu-Jitsu, the pistol grip is a popular way to hold on to something. The pistol grip is used to control the opponent’s lapel and wrist. It lets you set up different sweeps and finishes from the open guard because it lets you control the opponent and stop them from moving while you do technical moves. To do this, you hold your opponent’s lapel like a gun.
6. S Grip
Like the gable grip, the S grip is best used to take control of the opponent, whether you’re passing the guard, being in back control, being taken down, or opening the guard. The S grip is strong and stable, especially when clinching up with an opponent in standup to prepare for takedowns like the double leg and throws. It can be used on the ground for chokes and locks like the north-south choke and the Peruvian necktie. This grip version depends on strong fingers more than others, but it helps keep control without taking your hands off the grip.
7. C Grip
People use the C grip to control their opponent’s wrist or limbs. It can also throw them off balance, leading to takedowns and sweeps in standup or on the ground. This grip is usually used with a stiff arm to keep the distance when on the ground. It also lets you quickly switch from attack to defense. With the right amount of control, the C grip can set the pace of a match.
8. Kimura Grip
Most of the time, the kimura defeat is done with the kimura grip. It’s a flexible grip that works well in Gi and No-Gi BJJ. Even though this grip is most often used as a submission hold, it can also be used to control someone, especially when passing the guard, sweeping them, taking them down, or just putting them on the mat.
9. Collar Grip
Using your hand on your opponent’s collar, is all the collar grip means. This grip is one of the strongest in Gi Jiu-Jitsu, although it looks easy to use. It lets you be more active and get into open guards like the collar sleeve guard. The collar grip is strong and can break your opponent’s stance by dragging them down. It also makes submissions like the loop choke easier to do and is an excellent place to start for wrestle-ups. With the collar grip, you can also do sweeps, back takes, and frames to defend against speed passes.
Final Thoughts
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has a lot of different grips that can be used for attacks and changing your defense position. Because technique and positional dominance are so important in BJJ, knowing when to use the different grips we discussed will make it easy to switch from one technique to another, paving the way for your success. Lastly, work out your wrists and hands to make your grip stronger. You’ll need it in competitions and sparring.