What is positional hierarchy and why does it matter?
Unarmed combat between two persons reduces to three phases: free-movement phase, standing clinch, and ground combat (Gracie 2007). Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as popularized by the Gracies, emphasizes ground combat. Their primary strategy consisted of taking opponents to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and then striking them and/or submitting them (depending on the rules). Specializing in realistic groundfighting, they developed a Theory of Position Hierarchy (or Dominance) based on the following criteria: • Protection from getting hit by an opponent • Ability to hit opponent effectively and efficiently • Ability to submit opponent effectively and efficientlyBased on these criteria, ground positions can be ranked (from best to worse): • You have taken your opponent’s back (it’s better to have the back from the top than the bottom) • You are mounted on your opponent • You have side control • You are on top in your opponent’s half-guard • You are in your opponent’s guard • Opponent is
