What Makes A Technique Advanced?

What Makes a Technique “Advanced” in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there’s a tendency to separate techniques into “beginner” and “advanced” categories. Many people assume that advanced techniques are simply the opposite of fundamental ones. I think this is a mistake. The two ideas—advanced and fundamental—aren’t mutually exclusive.

So what makes a technique “advanced”? Is it its complexity? Its timing? Its specificity? Let’s break this down.

What Beginners Think of as “Fundamentals”

When most people think about beginner techniques, they picture classical 1990s Jiu-Jitsu. From the guard, this often means closed-guard sweeps and submissions:

• Sweeps: Hip bump sweep, scissor sweep, flower (pendulum) sweep, and double ankle grab sweep.

• Submissions: Basic armbar, kimura, triangle choke, guillotine, and rear-naked choke.

This “classical game” is important, and it’s often treated as synonymous with fundamentals. However, I’ve previously discussed that I view fundamentals a bit differently. A technique’s simplicity, efficiency, and applicability across a wide range of situations and rule sets are what make it truly fundamental.

With that clarified, let’s discuss what pushes a technique into “advanced” territory.

1. Complexity

In general, beginner techniques are simpler. They have fewer steps and fewer nuances to worry about. More complicated techniques—like X guard and single leg X guard—often require a greater understanding of positioning and control. These positions, for example, might seem advanced due to their foot placement and coordination demands.

But here’s the kicker: just because something is complicated doesn’t mean it’s inappropriate for beginners. I believe X guard and single leg X have proven themselves to be valuable, even for new students. They might take slightly longer to learn, but they’re fundamental to modern Jiu-Jitsu and worth the investment.

2. Specificity

A fundamental technique, like an armbar from closed guard, applies broadly and directly. It’s often one of the first submissions taught to beginners.

However, advanced techniques tend to be more specific. They occur further along the decision tree—a chain of actions and reactions. Here’s an example:

1. You attempt an armbar from guard (fundamental).

2. Your opponent begins to escape the armbar (slightly more advanced).

3. You counter their escape to transition into a new attack (even more advanced).

The deeper you go into the chain of events, the more specific and advanced the techniques become.

3. Timing

The biggest factor that separates beginner techniques from advanced ones, in my opinion, is timing.

A well-timed technique can feel almost effortless. But timing isn’t something you can teach quickly; it requires hours of practice, countless repetitions, and live sparring to develop. For this reason, I focus on techniques in my fundamentals classes that don’t rely heavily on precise timing.

Techniques that require perfect timing—like a slick counter or a dynamic transition—are often reserved for students who have spent more time on the mats. The more experience a student has, the faster they’ll pick up the nuances of timing.

Advice for Beginners

If you’re just starting your Jiu-Jitsu journey, here’s what you should focus on:

• Simplicity: Stick with techniques that have fewer steps.

• Breadth: Learn techniques that apply to broad situations (e.g., closed-guard sweeps and basic submissions).

• Low Timing Dependency: Choose techniques that don’t rely on split-second timing.

As a beginner, mastering the basics will provide the strongest foundation for your growth.

Advice for Advanced Students

If you’re further along in your Jiu-Jitsu journey, you can (and should) explore more advanced techniques. These might involve deeper chains of events, higher levels of timing, or very specific situations.

But here’s something I’ve seen time and time again: many purple belts hit a plateau because they focus too much on collecting advanced techniques. When these students come to me, the fastest way I’ve seen them improve is by revisiting and tightening up their fundamentals.

Advanced techniques are great, but don’t overlook the basics. The fundamentals are often where you’ll find the biggest return on your time and effort.

Final Thoughts

“Advanced” doesn’t mean the opposite of fundamental. Instead, advanced techniques are often:

• More complex.

• More specific to certain situations.

• More timing-dependent.

For beginners, stick to techniques that are simple, broad, and easier to apply. For advanced students, feel free to explore—but never abandon the fundamentals. After all, the fundamentals are what make the advanced techniques possible.

Take care,

Mike