Alignment?

In the context of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), “alignment” is a crucial concept that refers to the proper positioning of your body to maintain control, efficiency, and effectiveness in grappling. It encompasses three key elements:

  1. Posture: This is the alignment of your spine. Maintaining a strong and upright posture helps in both offensive and defensive maneuvers by enabling you to generate and absorb force effectively.

  2. Structure: This pertains to the alignment of the rest of your skeleton. Proper structure ensures that your limbs are positioned correctly to maximize leverage and minimize vulnerability.

  3. Base: This is the platform from which you can generate and receive force. A strong base allows you to stay balanced and mobile, facilitating both attacks and defenses.

In BJJ, maintaining your alignment and disrupting your opponent’s alignment is a primary focus to gain positional and tactical advantages. Proper alignment makes your techniques more effective and energy-efficient while taking away the options available to your opponent.

This concept is emphasized throughout the first episode of the BJJ Mental Models podcast, titled “Ep. 1: Alignment,” hosted by Steve Kwan and Matt Kwan.