Keep An Open Mind

I have trained at so many places that I have heard it all (in a sense). A lot of instructors like to use absolutes, the most common one that people hear is "never cross your legs when doing an armbar." Statements like these are not only wrong but inhibit growth among students. I rarely tell my students that they should never do something. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is extremely open ended, people are constantly finding new ways to do things that shatter the old ideas. I encourage my students to continue to do techniques that they have success with (unless it could be detrimental to their development). Here is a list of techniques your instructor has probably told you to never or always do which you can actually go against the grain:

1. (stated earlier) Never cross your legs when doing an armbar - I found out it's almost always better to cross your legs doing an armbar.
2. Never try to sub your opponent from inside their closed guard - I was submitted from inside my closed guard when I was a purple belt by a black belt of my own size.
3. Never cross your ankles when you have somebody's back - It should be never cross your ankles low enough to get footlocked when you have somebody's back. I've been crossing my ankles a lot these days with a great amount of success.
4. Never have 1 arm in/1 arm out inside your opponent's guard - It can be seen as playing with fire, but if you have a lot of posture and really explode one of those legs over your body you can get away with that pass.
5. Always fight for the underhook when in half-guard for both top and bottom - There are quite a few ways to pass without the underhook that are highly successful, and there are also a lot of great sweeps you can do without the underhook, hell even with an overhook there are a lot of options.
6. Always break your opponent down when they are in your guard - I believe one of the most overlooked portions of a guard game is pushing your opponent away to off-balance them, to get back to your feet, or to even sweep.
7. Never fall to the side where the arm is over your shoulder when your opponent has taken your back - Not true, a lot of great competitors escape from that position. I know of one that is excellent and somewhat sneaky.


These are just a few to think about. Restricting your game just because somebody says so may not always be the best thing. Don't be afraid to be creative.