BJJ Technique Mastery: 7 Fundamental Moves Every Grappler Must Know
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often called a game of human chess, but every chess player needs to know how the pieces move before they can think three steps ahead. The same is true on the mats. Before you can chain together intricate sweeps, transitions, and submissions, you need to drill the foundational BJJ technique set that has stood the test of time — from Helio Gracie’s original system to the high-level competition footage you see on FloGrappling today.
Whether you’re a fresh white belt at your first Taipei academy or a blue belt looking to plug holes in your game, this guide breaks down the seven core techniques that show up in nearly every successful BJJ practitioner’s arsenal. Master these, and you’ll have the framework to learn everything else the art has to offer.
Why Fundamentals Matter More Than Flashy Moves
It’s tempting to spend hours on YouTube watching berimbolos, lapel guards, and worm guard setups. But ask any black belt — including coral belts like Roger Gracie — and they’ll tell you the same thing: championships are won with fundamentals executed at a high level, not with low-percentage flash.
Roger Gracie famously won multiple ADCC and IBJJF World titles with mount and back attacks. John Danaher’s competitors dominate with leg locks, but every member of the squad has rock-solid guard retention and basic positional control. The flashy moves only work when the foundation underneath them is unbreakable.
The seven techniques below form that foundation. Drill them. Roll with them. Make them reflexes.
1. The Closed Guard
The closed guard is the first position most students learn, and for good reason — it’s the great equalizer. From your back, with your legs locked around your opponent’s waist, you control distance, posture, and tempo. A skilled guard player can attack submissions, sweeps, and back takes from this position indefinitely.
Key Details
- Break their posture down by pulling on the collar and head while crunching your hips upward.
- Control the wrists to neutralize their ability to grip and posture.
- Angle your hips off-center — never stay square. The angle creates submission opportunities.
The closed guard is also one of the most effective BJJ positions in MMA. Anderson Silva famously triangled Chael Sonnen from this position at UFC 117, reminding the world that fundamental jiu-jitsu still wins fights at the highest level.
2. The Hip Escape (Shrimping)
If there’s one BJJ technique you should drill every single class, it’s the hip escape — also known as shrimping. This movement is the engine behind guard retention, escapes from side control and mount, and your overall ability to create space when someone heavier is trying to flatten you out.
How to Drill It
- Lie on your back with feet planted, knees bent.
- Bridge slightly to one hip, then push off the floor with the same-side foot.
- Shoot your hips backward and away, creating space between you and an imaginary opponent.
- Reset and repeat down the mat.
Five minutes of shrimping a day will improve your jiu-jitsu more than any fancy submission tutorial. The pros do it. So should you.
3. The Knee Cut Pass
Once you can play guard, you need to know how to pass it. The knee cut (or knee slice) is one of the highest-percentage guard passes in modern BJJ. It works in gi and no-gi, in competition, and in MMA — Khabib Nurmagomedov used a knee-cut variation against Conor McGregor before transitioning to mount.
Mechanics
- Establish a strong cross-collar grip and same-side sleeve grip (gi) or underhook plus head control (no-gi).
- Cut your top knee across your opponent’s near thigh, slicing toward their far hip.
- Drive your shoulder into their jaw to flatten them as you finish in side control.
Common mistake: students try to muscle the pass without first kuzushi-ing (off-balancing) their opponent. Always set up grips and weight distribution before initiating the cut.
4. The Rear Naked Choke
The rear naked choke (RNC) is the most finished submission in MMA history and one of the highest-percentage chokes in BJJ. It requires no gi, no special grips, and works on opponents of any size when applied correctly.
The Setup
The RNC begins with back control, which means you need both hooks (your feet inside their hips) and a seatbelt grip (one arm over the shoulder, one under the armpit, hands clasped). From there:
- Slide your top arm under the chin, biceps against one side of the neck.
- Grip your opposite biceps with the choking hand.
- Place your free hand behind their head, palm forward.
- Squeeze your elbows together while expanding your chest.
The choke attacks both carotid arteries simultaneously. Done correctly, your training partner will tap within three to seven seconds. Done sloppily, you’ll cut off their windpipe — uncomfortable, but not the goal. Always aim for the blood choke.
5. The Armbar from Closed Guard
The armbar is the definitive BJJ submission. Ronda Rousey built an entire UFC and Olympic legacy on it. Every grappler needs a reliable armbar from at least one position, and the closed guard armbar is the place to start.
Step-by-Step
- From closed guard, control one wrist and pull it across your centerline.
- Plant your same-side foot on the hip and pivot — your hips angle 90 degrees so you’re chest-to-shoulder with their trapped arm.
- Swing your free leg up and over their head.
- Squeeze your knees together, pinch their thumb up, and bridge your hips slowly into the elbow joint.
The slow, controlled finish is what separates safe training partners from the people no one wants to roll with. Tap your partner — don’t break their arm.
6. The Triangle Choke
The triangle choke is the most iconic submission in jiu-jitsu — and one of the most technical. It uses your opponent’s own shoulder against their carotid artery, creating a blood choke from the bottom that can finish opponents 50 pounds heavier.
Common Entry from Closed Guard
- Open your guard and feed one of your opponent’s arms across your body.
- Place your foot on their hip on the side of the trapped arm.
- Throw your opposite leg over their shoulder and neck.
- Lock your ankle behind your knee in a figure-four.
- Pull their head down and squeeze your knees while pulling on the trapped arm.
Adjust your angle if the choke isn’t tight — most failed triangles are about angle, not strength. As mentioned earlier, Anderson Silva’s triangle on Chael Sonnen is the textbook example of how this submission can rescue a fight from the brink of defeat.
7. Bridge and Roll Mount Escape
Eventually, someone is going to mount you. The bridge and roll (sometimes called the upa) is the foundational mount escape that every BJJ practitioner learns in their first month — and continues using forever.
Execution
- Trap one of their arms by pinning their wrist to your chest.
- Trap their same-side foot with your foot.
- Bridge explosively up and over the trapped side.
- Land in their closed guard, ready to attack from the bottom.
The escape works because you’ve removed both posts (their hand and foot) on one side. They have no choice but to roll with you.
How to Drill These Techniques Effectively
Knowing the technique and being able to apply it under resistance are two completely different things. Here’s how to bridge that gap:
- Positional sparring — Start in a specific position (closed guard, mount, side control) and roll until someone escapes or submits. Reset and go again.
- Specific reps — Pick one technique per week and hit it 50+ times in drilling.
- Film yourself — Watch your rolls. You’ll spot mistakes you can’t feel in the moment.
- Compete — Even local in-house tournaments accelerate your learning more than months of casual rolling.
Watch the Fundamentals in Action
If you want to see these techniques broken down by world-class instructors, this video covers the same core movements we’ve discussed:
Building Your Personal BJJ Technique Game
The seven techniques above are universal, but how you chain them together becomes uniquely yours. Some practitioners are guard players who live for triangles and armbars. Others are pressure passers who hunt back takes and rear naked chokes. There’s no wrong path — only the path you commit to drilling.
If you’re training in Taipei, you’re lucky to have a thriving BJJ community with academies catering to every level. Show up consistently, drill these fundamentals, and within a year you’ll have the kind of base that makes advanced techniques actually work.
Remember: the difference between a white belt and a black belt isn’t that the black belt knows more techniques. It’s that the black belt has done these same seven movements 100,000 times. Keep showing up. The mat doesn’t lie.
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