PASSING LIKE A TIDAL WAVE 🌊 #bjj #bjjkids #guardpassing #constraintsledapproach #jiujitsucoach

One of the biggest problems I see with young grapplers is being afraid to engage the guard. Here's a game we've been using this week to solve it...

This clip comes from our 9-13 year old class and was filmed by one of our parents, @penbren.

I call this game "Sinking Ship." The bottom player is a ship that has sprung a leak and must continually patch the holes in their guard using frames. The top player is a tidal wave, constantly looking for openings to rush in and make a chest-to-chest connection.

The game is simple:
• Bottom player can only use frames to manage distance.
• Bottom player cannot establish any connections.
• Top player wins by securing a chest connection.

Originally, I designed this game to develop guard retention through framing. What I didn't expect was how effective it would be at developing passing skills as well.

One of the most common challenges I see with young athletes is hesitation when engaging the guard. This game creates an environment where the top player can safely explore pressure, segmenting, and pinning while the bottom player gets exposure to creating and maintaining effective frames.

The kids loved it, and it was awesome to watch both sides develop in real time.

Inspired by the work of @tjweniger, @thearteofcoaching, and @gdsouders.