You train jiu jitsu like an animal. You pay attention in class. You go hard during live training. But for some reason your guard gets passed like a hot knife through butter, and your submissions just don’t lock in. Frustrating, isn’t it?

I have the answer: you have to move your hips!

Maximizing your success in the sport of jiu jitsu is predicated on getting good hip action. Moving your hips is critical for almost everything you do in jiu jitsu - getting under your opponent to destabilize him, establishing distance when your guard is being passed, reaching up to lock in an arm bar or triangle. If your hips don’t move, all of these options just go away.

Moving your hips correctly takes a lot of practice, but it’s something you should think of every day you train. The hips are critical to getting you out of trouble via a defensive move, as well as to your finishing out a match with a lethal hold. Just remember the importance of active hips! Sometimes your active hips may cause you to make a mistake, but don’t worry about it. Learning how to employ your hips correctly requires constant repetition in training.

A great way to get used to the feeling of using your hips is to do solo jiu jitsu drills and a great one is shrimping. Practice hip escapes/shrimps around your living room, around the school before or after class, and otherwise go crazy with it. Be sure to get all the way onto your side and move those hips as far out as you can. When it comes time for live training, just remember your practice time and apply it.

Some people are able to learn the correct hip action immediately, but others must work at it- so don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile. If you put the effort in, eventually you will master it!

Draculino is a fourth degree jiu jitsu black belt, multiple time champion, and trainer of MMA, BJJ, and grappling champs. To learn more visit his BJJ training site or stop in the free jiu jitsu forum.