One key to making such moves work is being more
efficient than your opponent when it comes to energy
usage. Machado went so far as to say that this may be
the most important element of jiu-jitsu. His advice:
Search out ways you can expend less energy than your
adversary. When in the top position, put as much of your
weight as possible on your opponent, which forces him
to carry your mass and thereby expend energy. When
on the bottom, even against an opponent who’s trying to
strike you, don’t panic or let yourself get claustrophobic
because that can disrupt your breathing and cause you to
burn excess energy.
“In jiu-jitsu, you survive, then you equalize, then you cap-
italize,” he said. “After you survive, you can create space,
rotate, escape — but surviving comes first, and breathing is
No. 1. Stay calm and don’t waste your energy.”All in the Family
Machado has dedicated his life to imparting lessons
like that to his students, many of whom have gone on to
become prominent competitors. One of them is Brazil-
ian jiu-jitsu world champion Rafael Lovato Jr., a black
belt under Machado. Another is UFC fighter Stephenbecause a sweaty opponent might be able to slip out of
your grasp. This is one reason he likes to employ the
double-underhook clinch from the butterfly guard — it
allows for good control even without a gi.
Survivor
Once you’ve established the butterfly guard and the dou-
ble underhooks, Machado said, you can attempt to sweep
— but you also can go for a submission, with the key to
both being to first break the opponent’s balance. He calls
it “picking the low-hanging fruit.” If you’re presented
with an easy submission, take it, he advised. Otherwise,
you might want to opt for a sweep. The key to sweeping
from this position, he said, is head control.
“If I want to sweep a guy and I have his head and
arm trapped, first I’ll usually pull him in the direction
opposite from where I want to take him,” Machado said.
“When he resists, I’ll move to the direction I really want
to take him, rotating his head in that direction. When his
head rolls, the rest of his body will follow.
“If you grab the ring in a bull’s nose, it will go where
you want it to. It’s the same when you control your oppo-
nent’s head. Wherever you rotate it, he will go.”
7KHRSSRQHQW ULJKW NQHHOVZKLOH&DUORV0DFKDGRDVVXPHVWKHEXWWHUÁ\JXDUG(1). Machado underhooks his arms (2) and leans
backward (3). The BJJ master then clasps his hands (4-5)VRKHFDQXVHKLVDUPVWRDSSO\SUHVVXUHWRWKHPDQ·VVKRXOGHUDQGQHFN
(6) to roll him over (7). Once he gets the mount (8-9)0DFKDGRVLWVXSULJKWDQGVHFXUHVKLVKROGRQWKHPDQ·VULJKWDUP(10). Next, he
maneuvers his left leg (11) into position for the armbar (12). To complete the technique, he lies back and extends the trapped limb (13).
15810372691112442 BLACKBELTMAG.COM OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019