10 Great Things About 10th Planet
Developed by Abu Dhabi standout and Jean Jacques Machado Black Belt Eddie Bravo, 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu is an incredibly effective system of strategies, positions and techniques. It may well known by name, but without hands-on experience with it, it may be unclear why it’s so powerful. There are very specific reasons for the system’s high level of effectiveness. Without getting too deeply into any specifics, here are ten:
1. It’s Positioning based
Positioning is the source of BJJ’s power. It’s what sets BJJ apart and ultimately what enables a smaller person to overcome a bigger person in physical combat. 10th Planet is not a collection of techniques, but a plan for attaining very specific, very powerful positions. 10th Planet is FULL of submissions, but that’s partly because it’s so successful at controlling position. These positions include
Half Guard
Butterfly Guard
RubberGuard
Twister Side
The Truck
The Twister
The Back
Spider Web
Front Headlock
Mount
2. It’s A Cohesive System
The 10th Planet Curriculum offers incredible control because it’s a sophisticated yet simple BJJ SYSTEM. BJJ systems are sequences of positions or techniques designed to prepare for the most common forms of resistance an opponent might give. They’re like are like a maze where every route leads to the opponent’s defeat. What makes BJJ unique among martial arts is that it teaches how to truly adapt to and control your opponent from start to finish. Nearly every position in 10th
Planet is connected by a relatively small set of offensive techniques, making it a maze of positions which all lead to submissions. When based on positioning, BJJ systems offer an incredible amount of control, and 10th Planet is a great example of that. Michael Jen is another good example of an instructor who studies and teaches systems.
3. Offensive Momentum Control
There is no perfect technique. Every move, idea, strategy, technique, system and method “fail” at some point, as will all of the 10th Planet curriculum, as will all the rest of BJJ and any other martial art. But when almost any part of your 10th Planet gameplan begins to work, there is a very good chance you will submit, pass, sweep or mount your opponent. It’s a extremely offensive gameplan, highly focused on control and submission, rather than defence or prevention. Of course these are necessary elements of a complete Jiu-Jitsu game, but because 10th Planet is so offensive, it enables you to maintain control by maintaining momentum – the opponent cannot attack because they’re always forced to try to escape your control or defend your attack.
4. It Offers DOMINATING Control
BJJ allows you to control opponents in many ways. There’s controlling by staying a step ahead, there’s controlling by being soft and difficult to control and there’s controlling by dominating. Many positions in BJJ allow you to control the opponent, but leave some basic options open. While there are, of course, counters to and escapes from each 10th Planet position and technique, almost every one of them offers such a high degree of control over the opponent that they have few, if any, options. This is dominating control. Once an opponent is in a good lockdown, RubberGuard, Twister Side or Spider Web on, it can be extremely difficult to escape (without being forced into a worse position). At every point, 10th Planet positions leave opponents few options.
5. It’s Unorthodox
Basic Jiu-Jitsu is fundamental and crucial, but when fighting someone who knows BJJ, it is important to use their knowledge against them. 10th Planet assumes that the opponent is a skilled Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, having the orthodox “BJJ response” almost every time. If the opponent does know traditional BJJ, they are unlikely to be as familiar with these positions as they are with basic or traditional BJJ. This offers the element of surprise, which is indescribably powerful. According to Sun Tzu, the best way to overcome an opponent is to spoil their plans. Confusing them with unfamiliar territory prevents them from forming a plan.
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6. It’s Evolving
The unorthodox becomes the orthodox in time. If 10th Planet were simply what was written in a book or DVD, its effectiveness would be limited. But the 10th Planet curriculum is constantly being tested at 10th Planet schools, where students have daily opportunities to figure out and test defences, and likewise, counter-defences. Because 10th Planet schools are all teaching students the same overall strategy, they have become environments where it can continue to evolve. Using what works and discarding what doesn’t work is a fundamental aspect of BJJ’s own evolution and an essential element in the development of 10th Planet.
7. It’s Easy To Learn And Deeply Mapped Out
One of the benefits of the high degree of control 10th Planet offers is that it means a very limited range of options for our opponent. With the opponent so controlled, we need to master relatively few techniques. As 10th Planet is a controlling, position-based, offensive, and inter-connected system, learning it is simple if you begin by learning The Basic Pathways (coming soon). With any effective BJJ gameplan you will have success early on, before you run into trouble. One great thing about learning the 10th Planet system is that it’s deeply mapped out in both book and DVD. The work of figuring out how to deal with a wide variety of resistances has been done for us so that we can continually improve to overcome better and better forms of resistance.
8. It Translates Well To MMA
MMA is an integral part of BJJ and vice versa. 10th Planet is highly effective in sport BJJ, but it was DESIGNED for MMA. It’s not uncommon to see traditional BJJ fail in MMA when the opponent has a similar (or even basic) level of skill. The positional dominance 10th Planet employs prevents the opponent from being able to strike effectively, while we move towards submissions. The guard is an integral part of BJJ, particularly in MMA. The RubberGuard, 10th Planet’s primary guard strategy is incomparably effective at reducing damage from the bottom, making it – if nothing else – worth considering for any MMA fighter.
9. It’s Humble
Humility is the foundation of positioning and, ultimately, BJJ. If we didn’t assume our opponent is tough, skilled and knowledgeable, we wouldn’t need to seek the immense control positioning offers. Part of the reason 10th Planet is so focused on controlling the opponent is that it respects them. If they weren’t skilled, we could use orthodox BJJ and we wouldn’t need a system of options to control them. By not underestimating our opponent, we avoid danger. Though quite aggressive, 10th Planet, like BJJ is humble at the root.
10. It Works!
Little means as much as personal experience. My own personal experience has been that 10th Planet has worked with remarkably little training in it. I’ve felt it in myself as well as seen (and felt!) it in my students. Once you’ve initiated a 10th Planet strategy, the opponent is hard pressed to regain control or prevent your attack. In fact, you often see opponents shift focus from furthering their own game to stopping or even simply stalling yours. Of course it doesn’t work every time, but nothing does. The first nine factors on this list are the foundation of the 10th. Any humble, position-based, inter-connected, evolving and unorthodox system which is deeply mapped out and translates well into MMA will inevitably be powerful. 10th Planet is just one of very few examples of this kind of approach.
Elliott Bayev is a BJJ competitor and head instructor at OpenMat Brazilian BJJ & MMA/10th Planet Toronto (www.10thPlanetToronto.com), kimonogirl Women’s BJJ (www.kimonogirl.ca) and WomensSelfDefence.ca.
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