Gritty Grip Fighting Details With Travis Stevens
So Easy A White Belt Could Do It!
Ok, breaking a Travis Stevens grip is going to be easier said than done, BUT that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to effectively break the grip of someone who ISN’T an Olympic silver medalist! Grip fighting is easily one of the most important aspects to being successful on the mat. As much as we’d like to think that we’ll win every exchange and not have to worry about breaking an opponent’s grip, the harsh reality is that eventually you are going to get gripped up!
Thankfully Travis Stevens has compiled his 5 best grip breaks that are effective for both Judo and Jiu-Jitsu! Check out his easy-to-follow grip break strategies in this video from his YouTube channel!
Do your hands hurt yet? It’s important to remember when you are first learning grip breaks that it is unwise to grab as hard as you can. If you and a partner are exchanging grip breaks you are going to fatigue your hands VERY quickly if you grab 100% every time. Focus on proper breaking mechanics and approach the training situation methodically, and be a good partner!
Check out the complete Travis Stevens collection at JudoFanatics! Click Learn More!
Regardless of which grip break Travis uses, he emphasizes using proper mechanics so that you don’t find yourself out of position. Large dramatic movements may in fact break the grip but there is a good chance that you will leave yourself open for further attack. This is why proper practice comes in handy.
Remember that attacking off of a grip break is a winning strategy. As you see throughout the demo Travis continuously finds an advantageous grip off of the grip break. This gives him control over the tempo of the match and allows him to start to set up more attacks. This is only made possible by using proper breaking mechanics not over extending during breaks. Travis even goes into how to make the jacket tighter to make grips easier to defeat!
Stevens has been on a roll, releasing top-tier content on his YouTube and stellar instructionals that provide comprehensive breakdowns of tournament winning techniques. His “Mastering” collection takes aim at classic techniques like Seoi Nage, Sumi Gaeshi, Uchi Mata and MORE!