Fonkisifou

Le nucléaire russe, l’autre dépendance énergétique européenne | Perrine Mouterde et Marjorie Cessac
▻https://www.worldnuclearreport.org/Le-nucleaire-russe-l-autre-dependance-energetique-europeenne.htm

A propos de la rémunération des médecins libéraux | Nicolas Da Silva
▻https://www.alternatives-economiques.fr/nicolas-da-silva/a-propos-de-remuneration-medecins-liberaux/00105350#105350

Quitte à investir massivement dans la médecine de ville (le passage de 25 euros à 50 euros couterait 7 milliards d’euros par an à l’assurance maladie), ne faut-il pas que cela permette aux médecins qui le veulent de réformer certains fondamentaux de la médecine libérale ? En remettant en cause le paiement à l’acte, en créant des postes salariés en centre de santé pour faire face aux aspirations des nouvelles générations, en remettant en cause la liberté d’installation, etc. N’est-il pas justifié d’attendre des contreparties à ces niveaux de rémunération ? Source : Alternatives économiques

Urgences : au moins vingt décès en décembre à cause d’une trop longue attente, selon un syndicat du Samu
▻https://www.lejdd.fr/Societe/urgences-au-moins-vingt-deces-en-decembre-a-cause-dune-trop-longue-attente-sel

Terreur d’extrême-droite et déni politique raciste : trois ans d’attentats “anecdotiques”. - Lignes de crêtes
▻https://www.lignes-de-cretes.org/terreur-dextreme-droite-et-deni-politique-raciste-trois-ans-datten

https://www.lignes-de-cretes.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/les_yeux_sans_visage_5-e1672239435491.png

Un tueur d’extrême-droite a donc finalement frappé en plein Paris et assassiné trois personnes de sang-froid. Emine Kara, Mir Perwer, Abdulrahman Kirzi ont été tués dans un centre culturel kurde du 10ème arrondissement .

Ce qui doit arriver finit toujours par arriver. Surtout quand un pays est dirigé par un gouvernement qui non content d’être dans le déni du danger raciste et fasciste, passe son temps à flatter l’extrême-droite et à lui donner confiance en reprenant ses principes politiques.

L’homme qui a assassiné froidement des inconnus parce qu’ils étaient à ses yeux des “étrangers” , des “immigrés”, l’incarnation déshumanisée du Grand Remplacement a pu agir parce qu’il n’a pas été empêché. Parce que le déni devant la terreur armée de l’extrême-droite est porté par le plus haut niveau de l’état et par une grande partie de la société.
En effet, cet individu avait déjà commis ce que pour d’autres victimes, on appellerait un attentat . Une attaque au sabre dans un camp de migrants, contre des personnes qui siurvivaient dans des tentes. Des exilés donc, c’est à dire tout sauf des victimes dans l’imaginaire politique dominant de ce pays, où tout Ministre de l’Intérieur qui se respecte vote au moins un loi tous les deux ans pour durcir encore le statut des immigrés dans le pays. A l’époque de cette attaque, un rassemblement de solidarité improvisé avait été interdit et nassé par la police et les manifestants avaient pour certains écopé d’amendes. Evidemment aucun débat politique d’ampleur n’avait eu lieu sur cet acte atroce. Et ce bien que les attaques à l’arme blanche soient associées immédiatement à une barbarie absolue insupportable en France et considérées comme totalement étrangères à notre culture…sauf si elles sont commises par des français racistes.
Le traitement policier et judiciaire de cette affaire a donc été à l’avenant. Il ne s’agit pas ici de défendre l’application de la législation anti-terroriste. Elle ne respecte les droits humains notamment le droit à la défense pour personne. Mais de constater qu’un activiste politique d’extrême-droite armé a été libéré et a tué juste après. Le risque a été pris, voilà tout. Il ne l’aurait jamais été s’il avait été musulman.

#toctoc

Je crois que c’est assez clair : si on finit tous par mourir du Covid, ce ne sera pas à cause de l’unanimité de notre classe politique en faveur de l’eugénisme, c’est parce que les Chinois prennent l’avion.

Le gouvernement espagnol supprime la TVA sur les denrées de première nécessité
▻https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2022/12/27/le-gouvernement-espagnol-supprime-la-tva-sur-les-denrees-de-premiere-necessi

L’autre mesure-choc adoptée mardi matin lors du dernier conseil des ministres de l’année porte sur la mise en place d’une « aide de 200 euros » pour les familles dont les revenus sont inférieurs ou égaux à 27 000 euros par an.

#gauche (...)

Les éditions Dargaud hackées par des activistes antinucléaires :

La bande dessinée « le Monde sans fin », de Jancovici, victime d’un faux erratum anti-nucléaire – Libération
▻https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/la-bande-dessinee-le-monde-sans-fin-de-jancovici-victime-dun-faux-erratum

La méthode est audacieuse. Des personnes se faisant passer pour des représentants de l’éditeur Dargaud se sont rendues dans plusieurs librairies sur le territoire pour insérer un faux erratum de deux pages dans la bande dessinée le Monde sans fin (cosignée par Christophe Blain et Jean-Marc Jancovici), selon un article du site Actualitté paru le 22 décembre. Un courriel reprenant le faux erratum a également été diffusé ce jeudi à de nombreux libraires.

Le faux erratum en intégralité :

ERRATUM / LE MONDE SANS FIN – Jancovici-BlainChères lectrices, chers lecteurs,Les incendies de cet été ont créé un regain d’inquiétude dans l’équipe de notre maison d’édition et nous ont poussés à requestionner la ligne de nos publications. Le livre Un monde sans fin, de Jean-Marc Jancovici et Christophe Blain, édité en 2021, est un grand succès en librairie et en bibliothèque, et nous vous en remercions. Nous sommes cependant au regret de devoir publier un erratum et d’attirer votre attention sur certains points importants. Jean-Marc Jancovici a maintes fois démontré son formidable talent de vulgarisateur scientifique. Nous devons néanmoins re-connaître son manque de compétences flagrant en sciences humaines. Cette lacune lui fait réduire toute lecture sociale et économique à son point de vue d’ingénieur, alors que le développement technologique ne fait pas tout. Par exemple, à plusieurs reprises, les évolutions du prix du pétrole ou les avancées démocratiques ne sont hélas présentées que comme de pures variables mathématiques, et l’influence des luttes sociales et des dynamiques géopolitiques est tout bonnement mise aux oubliettes. Cela revient à un appauvrissement certain de l’Histoire qui peut entraver la bonne compréhension des ressorts complexes qui nous ont conduit aux enjeux écologiques actuels... Cela nous met dans l’embarras et nous semble assez problématique pour devoir vous en informer. L’orientation générale du livre, malgré son apparente critique de la croissance, est de tendance libérale et plutôt autoritaire, comme vous l’aurez sûrement relevé. Il n’y a pas à s’étonner outre mesure de cette position, étant donné que le think tank The Shift Project, dirigé par notre auteur, est financé par des entreprises influentes comme EDF, Bouygues, Vinci, Michelin... Mais par souci de transparence, nous nous devions de souligner cette information auprès de celles et ceux d’entre vous qui peut-être l’ignoraient.
C’est à ce titre et donc tout à fait logiquement que ce livre défend la cause du nucléaire, incarnation de l’alliance entre la technique, la science et l’industrie. Pourtant cela ne justifie pas à nos yeux que Jean-Marc Jancovici use d’approximations, d’intox et de procédés rhétoriques qui ne permettent pas aux lecteurs de se faire une opinion juste et fondée sur les faits. Cela commence dès les premières pages du livre, mais nous vous demandons d’être particulièrement vigilants à partir de la page 128. Nous ne pouvons relever ici tous les points de la BD qu’il s’agirait de corriger et discuter. Pour n’en citer qu’un sur lequel nous ne pouvons nous résoudre à fermer les yeux : la vision des accidents de Tchernobyl et de Fukushima ainsi que sur le nombre de morts et de personnes contaminées par le nucléaire cité page 138 représentent un révisionnisme et un négationnisme parmi les plus grossiers du livre. Bref, vous l’aurez compris, bien que doté d’un esprit de syn-thèse impressionnant et porté par les dessins efficaces de Blain, Jean-Marc Jancovici peut avoir le malheur de simplifier à outrance des problèmes de société, et exprime de simples opinions poli-tiques avec l’assurance de la vérité scientifique. Ce biais intellectuel empêche de penser les problématiques autrement qu’en solutions technologiques, à une époque où le mouvement écologiste saisit la nécessité de prendre conscience des différents systèmes d’exploitation auxquels il fait face (capitalisme, colonialisme, indus-trialisme...). Nous ne pouvons le cautionner, ni en tant qu’éditeurs, ni en tant que personnes sensibles et douées de raison. Pour autant, nous ne retirerons pas la bande dessinée de la vente car nous croyons malgré tout en sa qualité : cette oeuvre pousse, à sa façon, son lectorat à l’esprit critique, voire à l’indignation. Alors à vous de jouer, chers lectrices et lecteurs ! Saurez-vous déceler les erreurs et faux qui jonchent le texte ? Nous nous en remettons à vous ! N’hésitez pas à nous envoyer vos courriers de correction, que nous pourrons peut-être intégrer lors d’une ré-édition.
La commission Environnement de Dargaud
contact@dargaud.fr

Source : ▻https://actualitte.com/article/109276/edition/erratum-pour-le-monde-sans-fin-dargaud-piege-par-des-activistes

La #catastrophe #écologique couvait déjà il y a 50 ans

▻https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/nature-environnement/la-catastrophe-ecologique-couvait-deja-il-y-a-50-ans_168334

https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/assets/img/2022/12/21/cover-r4x3w1200-639ae92b6ac49-049-f0371657.jpg

En 2022, deux limites planétaires ont été dépassées. Au total, six de ces seuils fatidiques qui déterminent l’habitabilité de la Terre sont désormais dans le rouge. Une surprise ? Pas vraiment. Car il y a cinquante ans, un rapport scientifique démontrait déjà que poursuivre une croissance illimitée dans un monde aux ressources finies provoquerait une déstabilisation des équilibres planétaires, faisant courir de graves risques à l’humanité.

Publié en 1972, traduit en 36 langues et vendu à plus de dix millions d’exemplaires, l’ouvrage intitulé « Les Limites à la #croissance » provoqua une onde de choc au sein de la communauté internationale. Il fut rédigé par quatre chercheurs du Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, États-Unis) - Dennis et Donella Meadows, Jorgen Randers et William Behrens - spécialistes de la dynamique des systèmes, une technique de modélisation mathématique qui permet d’analyser des problèmes complexes.

Le rapport présente les travaux de recherche réalisés sous la direction de Dennis #Meadows par 17 scientifiques de six pays (États-Unis, Norvège, Allemagne, Inde, Iran et Turquie). Il fut commandé par le Club de Rome, un groupe de réflexion rassemblant des hommes d’affaires, des scientifiques et des économistes, dans un contexte où naissent les premières ONG environnementales comme Greenpeace et le WWF, et où l’opinion publique s’inquiète des dégradations écologiques en cours.
Une conclusion sans appel

Pendant deux ans, l’équipe Meadows met au point un modèle mathématique permettant de prévoir l’évolution de plusieurs grandes variables : la démographie, l’activité industrielle, la production agricole, la pollution, les ressources naturelles… La conclusion est sans appel : même en misant sur des progrès technologiques ambitieux, la poursuite de la croissance aboutit inévitablement à un #effondrement du système d’ici à la fin du siècle. Autrement dit, une diminution brutale des ressources disponibles, s’accompagnant d’une dégradation des conditions de vie et d’une chute de la population mondiale.

Selon les scénarios, cet effondrement est causé soit par une #pénurie de #ressources non #renouvelables comme le pétrole, dont le coût d’extraction devient trop important ; soit par l’érosion des terres agricoles et un niveau de #pollution si élevé qu’il affecte gravement la production alimentaire. Parmi la dizaine de scénarios étudiés, un seul permettait d’éviter le crash : celui d’une stabilisation de la démographie et d’un arrêt de la croissance économique.

« La plupart des économistes ont jeté ce rapport à la poubelle, raconte l’économiste Gaël Giraud. En effet, l’écrasante majorité d’entre eux ne prend pas en compte, ou très peu, la question des ressources naturelles. Or, le rapport Meadows nous rappelle que le monde réel existe et que si nous ne nous en occupons pas, le retour de bâton sera sévère. » Après de nouvelles éditions publiées en 1992 et en 2004, des études ont confirmé que jusqu’ici, les prévisions du rapport se sont révélées justes (lire l’encadré ci-dessous). « Il est compliqué d’imaginer qu’on puisse pérenniser la croissance économique pendant des décennies et résoudre en même temps les problèmes environnementaux. Car 2 % de croissance par an pendant un siècle revient par exemple à multiplier par six ou sept notre production et notre consommation », explique Aurélien Boutaud, chercheur CNRS associé au laboratoire Environnement, ville, société, à Lyon, et coauteur du livre « Les Limites planétaires » (éd. La Découverte).

Un scénario d’effondrement qui se confirme.

Jusqu’ici, les prévisions du rapport Meadows se sont révélées justes. Elles ont été confirmées par plusieurs chercheurs, dont l’Australien Graham Turner en 2012 (tendance observée ci-dessous). L’évolution des différentes variables (nourriture, pollution, production industrielle…) correspond au scénario menant à un effondrement du système.

À la suite des travaux de l’équipe Meadows, les scientifiques ont tenté de mieux évaluer l’impact de l’humanité sur la planète. Élaborée dans les années 1990, l’empreinte écologique mesure la quantité de surface terrestre nécessaire pour produire les biens et services que nous consommons et absorber les déchets que nous produisons. Elle permet de calculer le jour du dépassement, à partir duquel nous avons pêché plus de poissons, abattu plus d’arbres, cultivé plus de terre que ce que la nature peut nous procurer en une année - et émis plus de gaz à effet de serre que nos océans et nos forêts ne peuvent en absorber.

En 2022, le jour du dépassement a eu lieu le 28 juillet. « Nous sommes face à un fort déficit écologique qui ne peut pas durer », s’alarme Aurélien Boutaud. Pour compléter le tableau, une équipe de recherche du Stockholm Resilience Centre, en Suède, a défini neuf limites planétaires. Parmi elles, le changement climatique, l’érosion de la biodiversité, mais aussi d’autres moins connues comme les cycles de l’azote et du phosphore, ou l’acidification des océans (lire l’encadré ci-dessous).

Six limites planétaires dans le rouge

Les scientifiques ont identifié neuf limites planétaires qui correspondent aux processus naturels conditionnant la vie sur Terre. Pour chacune d’entre elles, est déterminé un seuil au-delà duquel existe un risque de modification et d’emballement. Deux de ces seuils biophysiques ont été dépassés en 2022 : le cycle de l’eau douce, avec un déficit de l’eau verte contenue dans les sols et la biosphère, principalement dû au changement climatique et à la déforestation ; et l’introduction d’entités nouvelles (pollution chimique) qui reflète en particulier une surabondance des déchets plastiques dans l’ensemble des milieux terrestres. La prochaine sur la liste pourrait être l’acidification des océans, une modification chimique due au surplus de CO2 dans l’air qui affecte notamment le plancton, base de toute la chaîne alimentaire marine.

Empreinte écologique et limites planétaires offrent une vision globale de notre impact sur la planète. Une nécessité lorsqu’on sait que les différents paramètres sont étroitement liés. Si bien qu’une solution ne prenant pas en compte l’ensemble de ces facteurs pourrait, au contraire, aggraver la situation.

L’utilisation massive d’agrocarburants pour réduire les émissions de CO2 de nos voitures et de nos avions aurait par exemple un impact majeur sur la déforestation. « Il ne s’agit pas d’avoir sans arrêt recours à des solutions de substitution. Il faut juste consommer moins d’emballages, d’énergie, de produits alimentaires transformés, etc. », explique Sandra Lavorel, écologue, membre de l’Académie des sciences, et coauteure du rapport de l’IPBES (plateforme intergouvernementale scientifique et politique sur la biodiversité et les services écosystémiques).
Énergies fossiles et agriculture intensive pointées du doigt

Le pas à franchir est considérable : diviser par deux notre empreinte écologique au niveau mondial, et par trois en France. « Dire qu’on arrivera à résoudre le problème par des réponses purement technologiques paraît problématique », explique Aurélien Boutaud. Le chercheur souligne l’importance de l’effet rebond : lorsqu’une nouvelle technologie permet de réduire notre impact, cette réduction est compensée par l’augmentation de la consommation. « Il faut avant tout convoquer la sobriété. La meilleure énergie, c’est celle qu’on n’utilise pas, la meilleure ressource est celle qu’on n’a pas eu besoin d’extraire », confirme Philippe Bihouix, ingénieur et auteur de « L’Âge des low tech » (éd. du Seuil).

Deux secteurs en particulier pèsent très lourd dans notre empreinte écologique : les énergies fossiles, fortement émettrices de CO2, mais aussi l’agriculture. « Notre agriculture intensive produit beaucoup, mais détruit aussi beaucoup », souligne l’agronome Marc Dufumier, évoquant le labour qui dégrade l’humus des sols, l’impact des pesticides et des engrais sur la biodiversité et la pollution des eaux. Sans compter qu’à eux seuls, l’agriculture et l’élevage pèsent 30 % des émissions de gaz à effet de serre.

Selon une étude de la FAO (Organisation des Nations unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture), réduire notre consommation de viande et passer à l’agroécologie permettrait de diminuer fortement notre empreinte écologique tout en nourrissant 10 milliards de personnes en 2050. "Vous pouvez réduire de moitié votre impact individuel, mais le reste ne peut être baissé que de manière collective ", insiste Aurélien Boutaud. Un changement des modes de consommation est donc nécessaire, mais pas suffisant.

« Nous n’avons aucune chance de résoudre le problème en gardant le modèle économique et sociétal actuel, confirme Sandra Lavorel. La question n’est pas de savoir s’il faut changer de modèle, mais de déterminer ensemble comment y parvenir. Plus nous attendons, plus les changements seront difficiles. »

« Un nouvel ordre mondial très différent se dessine sous nos yeux » – Alastair Crooke
▻https://www.les-crises.fr/un-nouvel-ordre-mondial-tres-different-se-dessine-sous-nos-yeux-alastair-

La façon dont le monde nous apparaît diffère totalement selon que l’on se place fermement ou non au centre de la roue des évènements, écrit Alastair Crooke. Source : Strategic Culture, Alastair CrookeTraduit par les lecteurs du site Les-Crises La façon dont le monde nous apparaît diffère totalement selon la façon dont votre regard est […]

https://www.les-crises.fr/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/0-745x400.jpeg

Covid-19 : “Nous ne sommes pas du tout sur une fin de pandémie” - Capital.fr
▻https://www.capital.fr/economie-politique/covid-19-nous-ne-sommes-pas-du-tout-sur-une-fin-de-pandemie-1455506

L’épidémiologiste suisse et directeur de l’Institut de santé globale de Genève, Antoine Flahault, analyse pour Capital le pic de la neuvième vague de Covid-19, que la France vient de franchir.

(...)

On n’est clairement pas du tout sur une fin de pandémie, mais plutôt sur une accélération très forte. On ne voit pratiquement plus de répit, ni même d’entre-deux vagues épidémiques comme pendant l’été 2020. On ne voit plus la mortalité rechuter. On est de plus en plus dans un plateau de transmission élevé permanent.

Comment ils disent déjà les jeunes ?... "ah t’en es encore là ?" :-))

Pendant ce temps-là, pendant nos préparatifs de Noël, ceux qui nous gouvernent nous entraînent vers la 3e guerre mondiale : système capitaliste en sa phase sénile, impérialisme occidental à l’offensive, envolée internationale des dépenses militaires, Volodymyr Zelensky à Washington, Poutine à Minsk, missiles Patriot en Ukraine, etc…

France : Générique : 16 réacteurs particulièrement sujets à la corrosion sous contrainte

▻https://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/France-Generique-16-reacteurs-particulierement-sujets-a-la-corros

https://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/IMG/arton58191.jpg?1671646314

Mi décembre 2022, plus d’un an après la découverte du phénomène, EDF annonce que ses 16 réacteurs nucléaires les plus récents sont aussi les plus « sensibles » à la corrosion sous contrainte (CSC). Il en reste six à « traiter » entièrement en 2023 et pour ceux-là (et pour Cattenom 1), EDF change de stratégie : fini les contrôles et les découpes de tronçons présentant des indications, toutes les tuyauteries des circuits d’injection de sécurité (RIS) « dont les soudures pourraient être affectées » seront remplacées.

[...]

cette stratégie de remplacement à l’identique pose questions. Outre les déchets radioactifs qui vont être générés par la mise au rebus de ’ensemble des circuits RIS de 8 réacteurs, la répétition du phénomène paraît fort probable si les circuits de remplacement sont identiques.

Quand je bossais à EDF, pour acheter un truc, tu devais pondre une étude technico-économique.
Quand t’es jeune, tu te défonces, tu laisses rien au hasard et tu ponds le truc et tu le tends tout fier parce que tu sais qu’un choix rationnel tendra forcément vers la solution que tu mets en avant.
La première fois tu comprends pas le choix retenu.
La deuxième non plus. Puis là t’as un ancien qui te conseille de lever le pied et qui te souffle gentiment que c’est le « responsable achat » qui a le dernier mot.
Tu réponds que tu sais mais que justement t’as tout mis dans le document pour lui montrer le meilleur rapport qualité prix par rapport au besoin.
Et là l’ancien te regarde avec tendresse et compassion...et il te dit ce que ta jeunesse ne soupçonnait même pas : il s’en fout de ton document....ils regardent que les prix les responsables achat.

Chaque défaut générique me fait penser qu’il y a un responsable achat qui n’a pas lu le document derrière ces conneries...

À propos de la « dette immunitaire »
▻https://cabrioles.substack.com/p/21-decembre-2022-dette-immunitaire

La “dette immunitaire”, le “Covid long c’est dans la tête”, ne sont pas des hypothèses scientifiques. Ce sont des opérations politiques pour masquer les responsabilités dans le crime sanitaire et enraciner la normalisation de l’eugénisme pandémique. Source : Cabrioles

The Complete #Brazilian #Jiu-Jitsu Beginner’s Guide

▻https://evolve-mma.com/blog/the-complete-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-beginners-guide

https://evolve-mma.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BJJ-beginners-guide.jpg

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (#BJJ) is a grappling-based martial art and a form of self-defense originating from Brazil that emphasizes fighting on all planes of combat once you hit the mats. Also known as “the gentle art”, BJJ has exploded in popularity in recent years and has now become more accessible than ever. The sport is one of the best workouts you can do as it offers a variety of benefits, such as weight loss, improved confidence, problem-solving skills, and discipline.

In this complete beginner’s guide to BJJ, you’ll learn all about how you can easily start to thrive on the BJJ mats – even if you’ve never worn a Gi in your life – and how you can get start enjoying one of the world’s most exciting and effective martial arts disciplines. From the various guards to the submissions found in the sport, allow us to take you on a journey through everything you need to know to get you up and running. 

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Hierarchy of Positions (A Guide to BJJ Positions) 
Chapter 2: Guards (Closed and Open Guard) 
Chapter 3: Half Guard 
Chapter 4: Side Control
Chapter 5: Mount
Chapter 6: Knee Mount
Chapter 7: Back Mount
Chapter 8: Turtle
Chapter 9: Basic Joint Lock Submissions
Chapter 10: Basic Chokes
Chapter 11 Common Mistakes/Concepts For Beginners 
Chapter 12: Rules/Scoring
Chapter 13: Etiquette And Tips For Your First Class
Chapter 14: Choosing A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gym

Chapter 1: Hierarchy of Positions (A Guide to BJJ Positions) 

bjj #grappling escape

Jiu-Jitsu is unique because, unlike other grappling styles, you place equal importance on both top and bottom positions. Most of the time, a sparring session in BJJ starts with one grappler playing their top game while the other plays guard. This article will guide you to the hierarchy of positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The 6 Major Positions In BJJ

The golden rule of grappling is this – be the guy on top. When on top, you must stay on top. When on the bottom, have a guard that the opponent cannot pass. Because of the rewarding nature of the guard, the first rule is often forgotten. While the top position is the ideal position to be in, this does not make the guard any less intriguing. In fact, in sport BJJ, pulling guard is a common tactic grapplers use even at the highest level. 

Passing the guard opens up opportunities to work on pins and back attacks. Pins are a crucial part of grappling as it allows you to restrict movement and stay safe. Taking the back is another premier position and is most preferred by grapplers who like to work on strangles. A successful back take means you can control your opponent and capitalize by attacking their neck.

Here are the six major positions in BJJ.

 1) Back Mount

The back mount is the most dominant position in BJJ. It is a position where you are behind the opponent with both legs wrapped around their body (body triangle) or placed near the hip (hooks) to keep them in place. Your hands are used to control theirs, maintain a chest-to-back connection (seatbelt grip), and apply submissions. This position is the most dominant in grappling because the opponent cannot see your attacks as you are behind them.

2) Full Mount

The mount is one of the most prevalent grappling positions and arguably the strongest when strikes are allowed. It is a position where you lay on top of the opponent and use your legs to limit their torso and hip movement. Your hands control the opponent’s movements should they try to escape.

3) Knee On Belly

The knee on belly is a crushing position usually used by higher belts to pin down spazzy training partners. It is a pin where you drive your knee against the opponent’s torso, generally near the solar plexus or chest area, while your other leg bases on the mat. It offers the same advantages as the mount, albeit a bit unstable, especially against large opponents.

4) Side Control

Bigger and stronger grapplers tend to gravitate to the side control pin, and with good reason – it is a very challenging position to escape from. It is typically the first position you want to achieve after passing the guard. Side control is where you lay perpendicular to your opponent and maintain a chest-to-chest connection. Your legs are used to block their hip to prevent them from escaping. It is the most sought-after position for stability and is extensively utilized before transitioning to other pins.

5) Turtle

rodrigo and thales turtle position

The turtle is a defensive position typically used after a failed takedown. It is also a common position to go to when working your way up from inferior positions like bottom side control. It is called the turtle position because you assume a low and defensive stance, similar to how a turtle reacts when it feels threatened. 

Keep your neck, arms, and head tight to your body to prevent the opponent from applying submissions or turning you over. Combining the turtle with movements like the granby roll and sit-out is essential to keep yourself as dynamic as possible.

The Top Position

The top position is where a grappler stays on top of their opponent. In passing situations, the top player is the one looking to advance by passing the guard. Inside the guard, the top player is the one trapped inside the opponent’s leg configuration. After passing the guard, the next objective of the top player is to move to pins like side control, and advance from there.

From the stand up, grapplers may achieve the top position if they take the opponent down successfully. After the takedown, the next initiative of the top player is to secure a dominant position. A successful takedown will typically surprise the opponent. This gives you a few seconds to quickly pass their guard and go directly to a pin.

When you are the top player, the typical goal is to first go to side control and pressure the opponent from there. It is the first dominant position you should look for if you have successfully passed the guard before transitioning to other pins like the knee on belly, mount, or back mount (if the opponent turns to their back). 

Your goal in side control is to pin the opponent’s upper body as you block their hips. Doing so prevents them from framing or shrimping, as they can use it to create space and escape. After securing the position, the most common submissions you can apply are the kimura, Americana, armbar, and different collar chokes in the gi.

The mount is the next pin grapplers usually transition to from side control. In mount, your goal is to isolate the opponent’s head and arm so you can apply different submissions like the mounted and arm triangle, armbar, Americana, kimura, and variations of collar chokes. 

To achieve this, you must move up the opponent’s hip line to prevent them from reversing the position. Slowly work your way up the opponent’s torso up until you go to high mount, and be ready to post your hands on the mat should the opponent explosively does an upa or bridge escape. 

The knee on belly offers almost the same advantages as the mount, though it is less stable. In gi Jiu-Jitsu, pulling the opponent’s collar as you drive your knee to their torso will make this position tighter. The goal in this position is to apply pressure, which drains the opponent’s stamina. Common submissions from knee on belly include the cross-collar choke, armbar, and baseball choke.

The Bottom Position

rodrigo and thales knee on belly

There are only two ways to achieve bottom position – either you choose to play guard, or your opponent pins you down using positions like the mount, side control, or knee on belly. Let’s talk about the guard first. The guard is where a grappler is below the opponent, freely utilizing both their arms and legs. The most common guards you’ll learn are the closed, half, and open guards.

Each type of guard offers different limb isolation. This gives the bottom (guard) player the advantage of using more limbs at their disposal. There are different ways to utilize the bottom position. The main goal of this position is to close the distance and prevent the top player from passing or controlling you, so you can apply submissions, sweeps, or escape if you feel stuck.

The guard is very rewarding and can be addictive. Using the closed guard as an example, the most common submissions you can do are the omoplata, armbar, and triangle. These submissions complement each other well and are best used in combination. Other submissions from the closed guard include the guillotine, kimura, and cross choke.

Aside from submissions, you can also sweep the opponent from the closed guard using techniques like the scissor, lumberjack, hip bump, and flower sweep. 

If you are pinned and can’t reverse the opponent, remember to learn different escapes like the upa to escape the mount, framing and shrimping to create space and escape side control, and shoulder rolls to escape from the turtle position. 

Chapter 2: Guards (Closed and Open Guard)

Collar sleeve guard

The mastery of the guard is what separates BJJ athletes from grapplers of other fighting styles. Through the years, the evolution of the guard has become a sophisticated science of leverage and technique, using both hands and feet in unique ways. Although some are sport specific, the fundamental guards have proven themselves useful in the highest level of competition, even in environments where strikes are allowed. Today we will explore Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most important contribution to combat sports – the guard.

What Is The Guard In BJJ?

In BJJ, a guard is a position where a grappler has their back facing the ground, defending against an opponent looking to pass. The guard helps the bottom player control the opponent by using their arms and legs to slow down the pacing of the fight. 

Some guards are more effective in a sport BJJ setting, while others are better utilized for self-defense or when strikes are allowed. The guard is mainly used as a defensive position but can also be used as a hub for submissions, sweeps, and back attacks. The closed and open guard are two of BJJ’s most highly used variants.

The Closed Guard (Full Guard)

The closed guard or also known as the Full Guard is likely the first type of guard a beginner will learn in BJJ. It manifests the very essence of Jiu-Jitsu: being able to fight off your back while staying relatively safe. It is performed by wrapping your legs around the opponent’s waist to form a barrier. With the help of your arms to control their limbs and break their posture, you can control the distance and prevent the opponent from standing up or moving away.

The closed guard is proven to be very practical when used in the competition scene, particularly in submission grappling and MMA. Commonly used as a defense to neutralize an aggressive opponent, it can also be used for offense. You can apply different sweeps from closed guard to gain top position, as well as submissions to finish the opponent. We cover some of the most applied sweeps and submissions from the closed guard later in the article.

The Open Guard

Generally speaking, an open guard is any type of guard where your feet are not wrapped around the opponent. There are many types of open guards in BJJ. It is performed by initiating contact with the opponent’s foot, ankle, legs, hips, arms, lapel, or sleeves to establish control. This control will help you unbalance the opponent (kuzushi), leading to sweeps or submissions.

Open guards can be done seated or supinated (lying on your back). By combining any of the initial contacts mentioned above, you can establish an effective open guard. Like the closed guard, open guards are used to sweep or for entries to submissions. The exciting thing when playing the open guard is that they can be chained with one another, creating different outcomes. Below are some of the most commonly used open guards in grappling.

1) Butterfly Guard

The butterfly guard is one of the strongest open guards as it can be used to effortlessly lift bigger and heavier opponents. This guard primarily relies on using hooks to elevate and unbalance; it is also an excellent entry to other open guards. Your hands are used to apply grips that will control the opponent’s upper body to pull them closer to you. This is the recommended guard for those who love to play an attacking style of BJJ.

2) Single Leg X Guard

The single leg X guard is one of the open guards you can transition to from the butterfly guard. It is mainly used to sweep and is also a great entry for leg locks. In this open guard, the guard player goes underneath the opponent’s center of gravity, placing one foot on the hip while the other is placed under the glutes as you pinch your legs near the opponent’s knee. This guard applies intense pressure on the opponent’s knee line and leg.

3) De La Riva Guard

The de la Riva guard is one of the more dynamic open guards in Jiu-Jitsu. Originally a gi-specific guard, it has now evolved to the point where competitors also use it in no-gi competitions. It is performed by hooking the opponent’s outside leg while your hand on the same side grabs the ankle. Your other foot is used to push the opponent’s opposite hip as you grab the sleeve. It is commonly used to sweep the opponent and take their back.

Chapter 3: Half Guard

bjj half guard

Learning how to play off your back is one of the main focal points when learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ is a martial art that emphasizes ground fighting, meaning that both top and bottom positions are explored once you hit the ground. To stay effective while on your back means that you have the ability to not only protect yourself from incoming attacks but to have offensive options from there as well. 

One of the most fundamental guards you must learn is the half guard. The half guard is a position that is considered an in-between of the closed and open guard. Many champions of yesterday and today use the half guard as part of their overall guard game. Here we’ll study the basics of the half guard and how you can integrate it into your Jiu-Jitsu.

The Half Guard

The half guard, as previously mentioned, is where you are almost in the open guard but not quite. It is generally defined as a position with one foot blocking against the opponent’s leg and one placed outside. The use of frames is a major tool in the half guard as you need to stop the upper body from advancing and the lower body from backing out. This means that your arms should work in harmony with your legs, making sure you block any space that the opponent can capitalize.

Half Guard Variants

Think of the half guard not as a specific guard but as a general position with variations in between. There are many types of half guards, and the differences basically depend on your body positioning (and grips) in relation to your opponent’s. It is an intelligent approach to learn at least two of these guards so that you can stay unpredictable as much as possible. Here are some of the common ones you should consider studying.

Standard Half Guard

This is the vanilla version of the half guard and is most likely the one you’ll learn first. The main characteristic of the standard half guard is that you stay on a hip while you block the opponent’s same side leg with your own as you frame against their shoulder and far side arm. 

The main goal of the standard half guard is to block the opponent’s forward movement and look for opportunities where you can gain inside position using the underhook. Alternatively, you can target the far arm to initiate submissions and sweeps.

Once your closed guard is opened, your body position naturally gives you an easy entry to the half guard. The half guard was initially a position used to stall and was considered a last-ditch effort to prevent the guard pass. Over time, as with all things in BJJ, the half guard evolved in is now a highly dangerous guard that anyone can use.

In this video, John Danaher expertly explains the half guard and its inherent strengths and weaknesses. Distance management and utilizing the proper grips are critical to a successful half guard attack.

Knee Shield And Z Guard

The knee shield and Z guard variants look almost the same as the standard half guard but with the addition of a leg frame. What differentiates the knee shield from the Z guard is the placement of the shield – if you place it near the shoulder, it is typically referred to as the knee shield half guard. If the knee is set against the opponent’s hip, it is called the Z guard. Both are great options and are simple enough to do. 

This video by BJJ black belt Gustavo Gasperin breaks down the knee shield and Z guard in their simplest form. Remember to be as dynamic as you can when using these guards. You can, of course, transition between the two positions as they are very similar to each other in structure.

Deep Half Guard

The deep half is a unique case as it looks very different from the other half guards. Instead of blocking an opponent’s leg using your own, you shoot your body directly underneath the opponent’s center of gravity. Going beneath your opponent gives you many sweeping opportunities, as you can manipulate their base easily. 

Watch the video above for an in-depth introduction of the deep half guard by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champions Teco Shinzato from the Evolve Fight Team. Using this technique, along with proper body positioning, will keep you safe from submissions, backtakes, and even strikes. 

Lockdown Half Guard

The lockdown is a half guard variant made famous by 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu founder Eddie Bravo. The lockdown is a great technique as it is unorthodox but packs a lot of firepower. Eddie used the lockdown to great effect when he competed against the legendary Royler Gracie in Metamoris 3.

In this video, 10th Planet black belt Brandon Mccaghren teaches the basics of the lockdown. You may notice that it is absolutely fine to be flat on your back as you enter the position.

The half guard is one of those positions that will stay with you up to the black belt level. It is a powerful, battle-tested guard that leverages your body position to initiate sweeps, backtakes, and submissions. As it doesn’t require unique attributes to be effective, it is a great guard for grapplers who prefer a straightforward and uncompromising style.

Practitioners of all ages have come to appreciate the half guard for decades. We highly recommend exploring the half guard and see how it can significantly enhance your game.

Chapter 4: Side Control

Side control is likely the first dominant position a beginner learns in BJJ. After passing the guard, the next goal is to pin the opponent. You can go to side control and maintain the pin to do this. From there, you can transition to other dominant positions or even apply submissions. The sequence of guard passing, moving, and maintaining dominant positions are some of the key concepts in a solid top game. Here, we will talk about the basics of side control.

What Is Side Control?

Side control, also known as the side mount, is a dominant position in grappling where you lay perpendicular on top of the opponent with the intent of pinning their upper body on the mat. It is a relatively basic (but highly effective) pin because the top player pins the opponent while their lower body can freely move around. 

The grappler on top denies the opponent’s ability to use their legs to escape. This allows them to transition to other dominant positions like the knee on belly or mount or apply a submission. This is why side control is a preferred position of bigger and stronger practitioners.

Maintaining chest-to-chest connection while your leg sprawls or kneels on the mat is essential. Sprawling allows you to drop your weight and keep a heavy hip, whereas kneeling allows you to block the opponent’s shoulder and hips. Both are practical ways of utilizing your lower body when using this position. In side control, your arms have three purposes: to pin the opponent’s hip on the mat, apply an underhook, or apply a cross face.

Pinning the opponent’s hip on the mat blocks their hip and prevents it from turning towards you, creating space. An underhook on the opponent’s far arm likewise prevents them from creating space and keeps you tight in the position. 

Applying a cross face allows you to put shoulder pressure on the opponent’s chin, making the situation uncomfortable and preventing them from framing. When maintaining side control, keep the opponent’s shoulder and back flat on the mat, use your body weight to pin them down, and use your knee to block their hip and shoulder.

Kesa Gatame

Another way to do side control is by applying a kesa gatame or scarf hold. Unlike the traditional side control, kesa gatame is focused on controlling the opponent’s head and arm while lying on your side. It is done by wrapping your arm around the opponent’s head, controlling their near arm’s tricep, and widely splaying your legs using your near knee to block the opponent’s shoulder. The end position should look like you are isolating the opponent’s head and arm from the rest of their body. 

A similar technique called the modified scarf hold is equally valuable. This is where you shoot for an underhook instead of wrapping around the opponent’s head. Some of the submissions you can do in this position are the armbar, arm triangle, Americana, kimura, and chest compression.

Reverse Kesa Gatame

The reverse kesa gatame is another variation of the standard side control. It is where the top player’s upper body faces the opponent’s lower body. Like the kesa gatame, the top player’s legs are splayed while one side of their hip is on the ground. The top player controls the opponent’s movements by holding the far arm as their weight is directly on top of their chest. The reverse kesa gatame is widely used as a pit stop to transition to the full mount. Different submissions can be applied as well. Examples include the wristlock, straight armbar, and kimura.

Submissions From Side Control

After securing the position, there are different ways to attack from side control. As previously said, you can transition to the mount, knee on belly, or north-south. Alternatively, you can apply submissions. Below are some common submissions you can apply from side control.

1) Kimura

Assuming that you are on the right side, after stabilizing side control, use your left arm (the arm that’s applying the cross face) to grab their left arm. Extend your left arm below their elbow and grab your own collar. Post your right hand on the mat near the opponent’s right hip and move to north-south. While in north-south, drop your weight on their hip and your forehead on the floor.

Pin their right arm with your right knee and put pressure on their elbow until the opponent faces the opposite side (right side). Use your right hand, which is posted on the mat, to grab the opponent’s left wrist. Grab your right hand’s wrist (wrist to wrist) with your left hand to do a figure-four. Pass the opponent’s hand to their back, extend your right leg, and change your base to put more pressure.

2) Arm Triangle

Arm triangle is a submission you can apply when the opponent frames with their elbow in side control. If you are on the left side, and the opponent frames on your head with their left elbow, push it and trap their left arm and head by placing your head beside their left shoulder as you lock your hands. Move your body to the right by moving over the mount.

3) Far Side Armbar

Starting from right side control, get an underhook on the opponent’s left arm and cup their shoulder. Keep your knees a bit further from their body to create space. Post your left hand on the floor and pull the opponent towards you using your right hand. Lunge step your right foot over their head and place it behind their back while keeping the grip on their left arm. From there, fall back and finish the armbar.

It is vital to have an understanding of all the dominant positions in BJJ. This will allow you to intelligently decide when to attack or stay on the defensive. Side control is one of the many must-know techniques you need to know in your grappling journey. 

Chapter 5: Mount

One of the most important aspects of BJJ is the ability to control a fully resisting opponent using a variety of pins. Positional dominance is crucial because it is highly unlikely that you’ll submit someone who is still fully mobile and can still fight with their hands. With the help of gravity and proper positioning, you can effectively approach your opponent with the intent of controlling movement, leading to better chances of submission. Today we’ll explore the king of pins, the full mount. 

Pins Defined

A pin is a position that uses your body configuration to immobilize a person’s ability to escape. It is always applied from the top, as you can leverage gravity to your advantage. Pins are an integral part of combat situations and are super useful even without the use of strikes, so much so that it has slowly been accepted in organizations like the police force. 

In the context of Jiu-Jitsu, using pins is an intelligent strategy for winning matches. You can gain positional points and wear out your opponent the longer you stay on top. Many champions over the years have used this approach to win high-profile competitions like the IBJJF Worlds and ADCC.

Position Before Submission

You’ve probably heard the saying that position before submission is ideal in grappling. In most cases, this is absolutely true, especially in the early stages of one’s BJJ journey.

Pinning someone down can mitigate the risk of reversals and counterattacks. Getting to a position like the mount can totally change the complexion of a match, as the bottom player is undoubtedly losing. Add the threat of submissions (or strikes in MMA), and you have a great recipe for winning many matches.

Transitions To Mount

As discussed in previous blogs, once you pass the guard, your initial goal is to establish side control. Once there, you have two basic options: keep the position or transition to more dominant pins like the mount. Since our focus now is all about the mount, let’s discuss a couple of basic ways to get there.

1) Mount Transition From Side Control

In this video, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Teco Shinzato demonstrates a simple transition to get the mount position. Starting from side control, ensure that you have good control over your opponent by using the cross-face. It is always wise to keep your current position as tight as possible before moving to another. 

From here, lift your far leg and base out as you go to a low knee on belly position. Use your arm to separate the opponent’s far arm from their torso as you move to mount. Doing this makes it harder for your opponent to resist and defend the transition. Lastly, complete the transition and maintain a stable base once on top.

2) Mount Transition From Reverse Kesa Gatame

Another way of getting to the mount is by using reverse kesa gatame or reverse scarf hold.

Nick Albin shares a simple trick to get the mount by threatening the kimura. He says he likes to go to reverse kesa gatame once he establishes side control. You can threaten the kimura by establishing a figure-4 grip. Alternatively, you can transition to the mount if the opponent stays defensive. This little 1-2 combination is a cool sequence and a must-have if you like to play this type of game.

Keeping The Mount

Learning how to maintain the mount is another critical step to maximizing the position. In this video, the legendary Roger Gracie breaks down his approach to his world-class mount. He mentions that most people will likely try only two types of escapes: the upa or bridge escape and pushing the leg to get back to guard. 

He expertly gives his tactics on how to not only keep yourself safe but to also keep the bottom player on the defensive the whole time. Roger likes to employ a more suffocating approach to his top game, and with good reason – it is simple, effective, and versatile enough to perform regardless of the ruleset. 

Maintaining the mount is a practical strategy in situations where strikes are allowed. Striking from the top position (ground and pound) often leads to technical knockouts and is not very risky, positionally speaking. Always remember that in mixed martial arts, you can finish your opponent by strikes or submissions. You don’t have to compromise your position if you are more comfortable staying on top. We suggest you keep the mount and rain down strikes if you are not confident in your bottom game.

Submissions From Mount

Now that we’ve learned how to keep the mount, let’s talk about common attacks you can perform from the position.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Alex Silva from the Evolve Fight Team demonstrates five submissions from the mount, namely wristlock and variations of the nearside and farside armbar. Notice that the submissions are all coming from the cross grip. This is a terrific attacking sequence because you don’t have to move that much to transition from one submission to the next. 

Learning submission chains like the one above can elevate your understanding of using combinations. This will help you systematize your sequences, thus making your movements more efficient. The secret to rapid improvement is to master how to get to your desired position and use attacking chains that are easy to do relative to your skill level. 

The mount is one of the main building blocks of Jiu-Jitsu. Focusing on top positions like the mount and side control is a viable way to build a strong game. It has been used by countless greats in submission grappling and mixed martial arts, as it is an ideal position to mount and offense from. 

If you are a beginner, we recommend focusing on the first three videos we shared above, as they focus on concepts, entries, and general maintenance. The submission video can be treated as an add-on and is best learned once you understand the underlying principles of the mount.

Chapter 6: Knee Mount

The knee mount or commonly known as the knee on belly is one of the most dominant positions in BJJ. It is mainly used for controlling unruly training partners and is probably among the most underutilized and underrated positions you can do. Considered by many grapplers as a demoralizing position to be in, the knee mount is powerful enough that holding the position alone can force an opponent to tap. Let’s discuss the basics of the knee mount.

What Is The Knee Mount/Knee On Belly?

The knee mount, also known as the knee on belly or knee ride, is a dominant controlling pin in BJJ. It is like side control where you stay on one side, but you drive your knee on their belly instead of going chest-to-chest. It is a crushing position, especially when applied by heavier and stronger grapplers, as they can use their weight to drive on the opponent’s solar plexus while pulling on their collar, sleeve, or lapel.

As mentioned earlier, the pressure of the knee ride alone is enough to tap an opponent, especially when they’re already tired in the later stages of a match. Holding the position long enough drains the opponent, forcing them to commit mistakes such as sticking their arms out, which attracts submissions like the d’Arce and armbar. It is versatile as it can be used to transition to the mount, north-south, or back to side control. However, note that this position is unstable compared to other dominant pins, especially side control.

The knee mount is a dominance-asserting position. Higher belts usually force this position to pin down spazzy beginners while wearing them out. Although it is a strong technique that anyone can apply, remember that some consider this technique demoralizing, so be careful when using it on absolute newbies. Please watch the video below to learn how to dominate with the knee mount.

How To Dominate With The Knee Mount

Understanding proper weight distribution is essential when going for the knee mount. It is always advantageous to use this pin as it can be used to take the opponent’s back when they turn away or into you. It takes practice to become efficient with the knee mount because it requires positional awareness and balance.

To get to the knee mount from left side control, use your right forearm to block the lower part of the opponent’s hip so you can place your hand to cup their hip. Replace your forearm with your right shin and left leg to base on the mat. Keep your right foot tight on the opponent’s left hip as your shin and knee drive to their belly. In this position, your weight is on your toes and the balls of your feet.

The more weight you give the opponent on the mounted knee, the more they can control your weight. This compromises your balance and stability, allowing them to escape. As the opponent decides to move by shrimping out, this is the time you add more weight on the knee mount and float with their movements while using your right hand to block their hip. As soon as they stop and face you, your feet will still be planted on the mat.

Submissions From Knee Mount

1) Shotgun Armbar

Starting from the left side knee mount, use your left arm to create discomfort by crawling your hand behind their head. Doing this puts stress on the spine and makes it harder for the opponent to move and turn into you, limiting their motion and power. If the opponent pushes your knee with their right hand, you can go for the spinning armbar. If the opponent pushes your right hip, this is the time you apply the shotgun armbar grip.

As the opponent pushes your hip, use your left arm to apply a C grip on their tricep. Pull their left arm up, catch their wrist under your armpit, and tightly pinch your elbow against your rib. The pinching and the C grip immobilizes the opponent’s arm, preventing them from freeing it from the armbar. Shift your knee mount and place your right foot behind their armpit to create a hook. This means that you are moving away from the knee mount by bringing your hips as close to their shoulder as possible while sitting your weight on their chest. 

Use your right arm to post on the mat so you can lean towards their leg. Step your left leg over their head and place your foot near their neck. Keep the C grip and your elbow tight to your body. In this position, the armbar should be tight enough to break the arm. Leaning back and driving your hip to their elbow adds more power to the armbar, and falling back to the mat might even snap the arm.

2) Baseball Bat Choke

From the right side knee mount, grab the opponent’s collar using your right hand with a four-finger grip with fingers outside. Use your left hand to grab with the same four-finger grip, but your fingers should be deep inside their left collar to block their carotid artery. Make sure your forearms are kept close beside their neck. To finish, move to north-south to tighten the noose and drop your head to the ground beside their right hip.

3) Americana

From the right side knee mount, use your left arm to grab a cross collar grip. As the opponent touches your left elbow with their right arm, drive your right hand under their tricep and reach for your own arm to finish the Americana. You can make this tighter by dropping your head beside their neck and posting on the mat as you transition to the mount.

The knee mount is an excellent position you can include on your list of go-to positions. It is a great pin in and of itself; it is also handy for transitioning to other positions. Remember that balance is critical in maintaining this position. Drill countless times to familiarize yourself with the proper weight distribution. 

Chapter 7: Back Mount

Having someone on your back in grappling is like being prey being hunted by a predator. It is one of the most vulnerable positions to be in, if not the most, especially when you are face down, flattened on the ground. You can’t see the opponent; therefore, it will be hard for you to anticipate their attacks and defend. This article will discuss the most dominant position in grappling: the back mount. 

What Is The Back Mount?

The back mount is considered the most dominant position in grappling. It is a position where you are behind the opponent with chest-to-back connection, using your arms and legs to control the opponent’s upper body and hip. As you attack from this position, controlling the opponent’s hands helps hinder their ability to defend. It can be done in different ways. One approach is to use your legs to trap one of their arms, allowing you to use both hands to apply a choke.

Let’s talk about a couple of technical nuances. When a grappler is behind the opponent with both hooks in (or a body triangle with a seatbelt grip), it is generally considered the back mount. Back control is when a grappler restrains the opponent, maintaining control over the hip and, eventually, the back. 

It can be from a position like the turtle, where you have substantial back control over the opponent but with no hooks. A grappler can have back control but NOT be in the back mount – but if you are in the back mount position, you inherently have back control.

Path To The Back Mount

There are many ways to get to the back. Some of the most common ones are from the de la Riva guard and mount. Aiming for these positions will give you many opportunities to take the back. Remember that getting there is only half the work; back maintenance is equally crucial.

Enter the de la Riva (DLR) guard with your right hand gripping the opponent’s sleeve while your left holds their ankle. Straighten your right leg to widen their base. Use your left leg to apply the DLR hook all the way to their hip. Switch your left-hand grip from the opponent’s ankle to the other leg. Grab the bottom of their pants to control their leg.

Position your body directly behind the opponent and center yourself as you place both knees behind theirs. From here, grab the opponent’s belt with both hands. Pull the opponent as you use your feet to kick forward. Get both hooks in, sit up, and get the seatbelt grip to secure the back mount.

Submissions From the Back Mount

1) Collar Choke

From the turtle position, secure back control by applying a kimura grip. Roll over your far shoulder, placing your head in the direction of your left arm. Pull the opponent and insert your first hook. Let go of your kimura grip and apply the seatbelt with your overhand below. Insert your second hook (top leg) to secure the back mount. Get a cross collar grip while your other hand (underhook) grabs the other side of the opponent’s collar. Pull and place your forearm on the floor to finish the choke.

2) Triangle Armbar

Starting from the back mount, the opponent will likely fall to the side (your underhook side) so that their shoulder is free to escape. Readjust your hooks and bring your feet together on top of their hip to maintain pressure. Attack the opponent’s neck with your top hand (overhand) to get them to react. As they defend, grab their bottom wrist using your top hand while your bottom hand grabs the wrist of their top hand. Roll your top leg near their top arm to restrict movement.

Bring and turn the opponent to the opposite side and grab your shin with your underhooking hand. Remove your top hook and perform a hip escape. Lock in the triangle and lie down on your right side. Push and crank the opponent’s arm towards your leg to finish the triangle armbar.

Back Retention Drill

Maintaining the back mount requires dominant control over the opponent. One way to do this is to use transitional movements to keep your body glued to your opponent’s back. One such transition is called the chair sit and is a fantastic way to maintain back control. Let’s look at this chair sit drill from ADCC Champion Giancarlo Bodoni.

The drill starts from the back mount with a seatbelt grip. Once the opponent gets their hips out from the overhand side of the seatbelt, you begin to lose your hook on your bottom leg. When this happens, be attentive to their upper body by bringing your head forward beside theirs (ear to ear). Focus on bringing your elbows in as tight as possible to maintain the upper body connection with your chest.

Your other leg can maintain the hook or stay across their body. The key is to focus on upper body control with the seatbelt grip to prevent their back from sliding down. Use your bottom leg’s toes to drive on the mat forward and drive your bottom leg high, right to your overhand’s elbow, while tucking your foot behind their back. Your other leg steps over across their upper body. Fall to a hip and bring the opponent all the way to the opposite side (underhooking side) to finish the back mount.

Continue the drill on the other side. This time, you might notice that the hand placement is slightly different. Your hand is now underneath their arm, and your head is underneath theirs. Keep your head tight beside their head. Use your forearm to move their head up and drive your leg on the mat. Bring your bottom leg’s knee to the floor to get up and tuck it behind the back. Bring your top leg across their body and pull the opponent to the opposite side, bringing them to the starting position.

The back mount is by far the most dominant position in grappling. We recommend that you start incorporating back attacks to make you a more dangerous and complete grappler.

Back to Table of Contents

Chapter 8: Turtle

The turtle is a position where you curl up with your head tight to your body and on the mat while keeping your arms inside your body with elbows in with knees and feet on the ground. It is called the turtle because you curl your body to a defensive position, like a turtle protecting its body. Most of the time, this position can be seen in Judo and wrestling. Likewise, in Jiu-Jitsu, it is also used to recover from a failed takedown with the attempt to recover back to some form of guard.

There are a couple of differences between playing the turtle in wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. In wrestling, the offensive player’s goal is to expose the opponent’s back to the floor to flatten them out and get the pin. The opponent’s goal is to not get turned over and to try to stand up and reset.

In Jiu-Jitsu, the top player’s goal is to expose the opponent’s back, which is already achieved when the opponent turtles. Unlike wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu favors taking the back as it is a prime spot to start your offense from. Since the goal of BJJ is to either dominate positionally or finish with a submission, taking the back is a logical approach, as you can get both. Once you take someone’s back, it is just a matter of time before you get a submission.

In wrestling, you cannot finish the opponent and apply strangles from any position. Therefore the turtle is used to defend with the intent to stand up. Many high-level BJJ athletes say that while learning wrestling is always a good idea, it should be slightly modified to accommodate the threat of submissions. As with other sports, your approach should be in accordance with how the game is played rule-wise.

In Jiu-Jitsu, a common scenario is that the opponent places their elbows on the floor and uses their hands to block incoming strangles. If you are the one attacking the turtle position, your goal is to either penetrate their protected neck and arms and attack with submissions. You can also break them down and take the back for more control, leading to submissions.

The turtle is generally used in two ways: open turtle and closed turtle. Closed turtle is when your elbows and knees are locked close. Open turtle is when your elbows and knees are based out wide. It is easier to insert your hooks and a seatbelt grip when the opponent plays an open turtle where their knees are separated, and hands are wide. Although, in the open turtle, it will be difficult for you to unbalance the opponent down to the hip.

In a closed turtle, inserting your seatbelt grip and hooks will be difficult; unbalancing them to one hip is easier. The closed turtle is widely used in BJJ as it prevents the opponent from putting their grips and hooks in to score points. When the opponent does this, your aim is to knock them down to a disadvantageous position to easily anticipate their reactions.

If the opponent falls on their shoulder and tries to face you, you move to pin them on top (side control, mount, or north-south). If they stay on their elbow posting on the mat, you can lock the seatbelt grip and top hook, pull them over (both belly up), and take their back. 

When the opponent tries to keep their right knee to their chest and get up in the opposite direction, put your weight on their hip. By doing so, you are forcing them to scissor their legs as they go back to turtle. This gives you the ability to insert your first hook. 

Your goal in closed turtle is to knock the opponent down to disadvantageous positions to insert your hook and the seatbelt grip. From there, continue until you apply both hooks and attack.

In an open turtle, your goal is a little different. You can’t knock the opponent down initially to one hip, but you can insert your hands and apply the seatbelt grip to control their upper body, pull them to an disadvantagous position, and start attacking from there.

The main difference between the turtle in wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu should be clear. A wrestler’s approach is to expose the opponent’s back to the floor while the opponent’s goal is to stand up and get away, to not get turned over and pinned on the mat. 

In Jiu-Jitsu, your focus is to keep the opponent’s back exposed as you go in and threaten for submissions without having the penalties from exposing your back to the floor. The opponent’s goal is to either stand up and get away or roll to recover the guard. Remember that putting your hands wide on the mat as you look to stand up from the turtle position allows the opponent to apply submissions, unlike in wrestling.

Understanding the reason why you use certain techniques is imperative to improvement. The way you approach the turtle position should be in a way that enhances your chances of survival. Learning the turtle position might look simple enough, but it is actually far from the truth. The turtle is filled with nuance and should be treated as a technical position because it is. 

Drill the turtle position from both sides and focus on safety in the first months of your learning. After this, develop a system to help you recover and move to better positions like the guard or even stand back up.

Chapter 9: Basic Joint Lock Submissions

rodrigo and thales crosschoke armbar

Earlier, we’ve broken down the basic positional hierarchy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. These positions build the foundation from which a grappler initiates their approach to engage an opponent. As one becomes more adept in transitioning from one position to the next, it is time to build a repertoire of submissions to finish the match quickly.

There are hundreds of submissions in BJJ. This means you can build a unique game perfect for your build, athleticism, and disposition. Think of this as your footprint that evolves as the years go by.

Joint locks are a subset of the major submissions you typically see in a BJJ match. These are attacks that target the joints by bending the limbs in compromising ways. Today we’ll share our most recommended joint locks for Jiu-Jitsu.

A Deeper Look At Joint Locks

Joint locks are submissions meant to hyperextend a person’s limbs. A key benefit of learning joint locks is that they are highly versatile and can be used regardless of the ruleset. All forms of grappling (that allow submissions) have some form of joint locks, as attacking an exposed arm is a logical means to dominate an opponent.

You can use joint locks in a variety of ways. Take the kimura for example. The kimura is perhaps one of the most popular joint locks in all of submission grappling. It is a technique that is meant to submit an opponent in an instant. Alternatively, you can use it as a general position from which you can initiate sweeps, backtakes, and transitions. As you become more experienced in Jiu-Jitsu, you’ll notice that most submissions can be used as hubs for other attacks. 

Now that we understand the basic definition of joint locks, here are a couple of our top recommendations you should add to your repertoire.

1) Armbar

In this video, John Danaher explains the basics of the armbar from the guard. The armbar is a straight joint lock that hyperextends the joint of the elbow. You can apply the armbar from many positions, one of which is from the closed guard. 

He mentions that the key to a successful armbar is to control the head as you move the arm near the centerline. Typically, you can catch beginners with an armbar by just forcing the arm near your torso, but it gets harder and harder as you roll with stronger training partners. Pulling the head down as you move the arm near the hip will make it easier to execute the armbar regardless of how good your opponent is.

John suggests using a top lock to add another layer of control before the break. Using your legs and wrapping near the shoulder restricts movement of the arm, thereby increasing the chances of a successful submission.

2) Kimura

The next joint lock that we’ll discuss is the kimura. The kimura is a variation of a bent joint lock and is highly useful to control and finish fights. 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Teco Shinzato demonstrates the kimura from side control. He reveals this tactics to keep the opponent smashed on bottom side control, using the lapel and using active toes on top. 

From here, wrap your arm around the opponent’s near arm. Depending on where the opponent’s arm faces (your left or right side), your can transition to the Americana or force their body sideways for the kimura or armbar. Another option is to move to north-south as you get the kimura grip. This opens up attacking options like the kimura and armbar as well.

3) Americana

The last technique we’ll talk about is the basic Americana from the top position. The Americana is another fundamental submission used by grapplers of all levels. It is similar to the kimura, but the arm is bent in the opposite direction, forming an L shape. 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Teco Shinzato demonstrates the basics of the move in the video above. He starts by first choosing the arm he wants to attack. Assuming you want to attack the opponent’s left arm, use your left to grab the opponent’s wrist and force it to the mat using your weight. Place your elbow next to the opponent’s neck as you slip your other arm under the opponent’s bent arm. Grab your own wrist and move the arm towards their hip as you raise for the finish. 

The secret to a successful Americana attack is to always keep the opponent’s arm bent. Once you force it to the mat, ensure that you get a tight grip on the wrist and don’t allow lateral movement as much as possible. The straighter the arm, the lesser the torque on the shoulder, making the submission unsuccessful.

Drill With A Purpose In Mind

These submissions, while simple, are effective once you take the time to master them. Remember that these are just a sample of joint locks you can execute in Jiu-Jitsu. There are still many submissions available, and we will discuss them in future entries. For now, it is best to focus on these variations and work up as you improve. 

Drill with the purpose of understanding these submissions because they can serve as the very foundation of your submission game. Start by doing the techniques with little to no resistance and slowly add common counters once you become more confident. It is also a smart idea to learn how to defend against these submissions so that you avoid falling for them in your sparring sessions. 

Joint locks are some of the most valuable techniques you can build a game upon. Regardless of your age, size, and level of athleticism, these submissions will serve you well up until the black belt level. We encourage you to try our recommended submissions the next time you train. They are easy enough to do and guaranteed to elevate your grappling to new heights!

Chapter 10: Basic Chokes

Chokes are the most effective submissions you can perform in Jiu-Jitsu. As Helio Gracie said, with chokes, there are no tough guys. While very useful, other submissions such as armlocks are sometimes not enough to stop a violent confrontation. The good thing about chokes is that you can use them to put people to sleep if necessary. 

Chokes can be applied in a variety of ways. You can use your limbs, your gi, and even the opponent’s gi/jacket to force them to submit. Here, we will discuss some of BJJ’s most fundamental chokes.

Choke Vs. Strangle

Before we get into some basic chokes, let’s talk about the difference between a choke and a strangle. Many grapplers (especially those trained under John Danaher) use the term strangle to define submissions previously known as chokes. Here’s the technical description of the terms.

From a medical standpoint, choking is when something blocks the airflow in the pharynx or trachea. Strangulation is the outside compression of the neck to disrupt the blood flow to the neck’s carotid arteries. Basically, it all boils down to where the blockage is coming from. Both terms are acceptable to use and should not be a big deal, all things considered.

For purposes of simplicity, we opted to use ‘chokes’ for all submissions listed below.

Five Basic Chokes In Grappling

Chokes can be applied from both dominant and inferior positions. Before attempting a submission, it is best to secure and stabilize the situation using pins like the mount and side control. Below are the basic chokes you can apply with and without the gi.

1) Cross-Collar Choke/Cross Choke

As the name suggests, the cross-collar choke uses the opponent’s gi collar to choke the opponent. It can be applied from the top and bottom positions, making it a highly versatile submission. This technique is perhaps the first gi choke you will learn when training in the gi.

Starting from the top mount, open the opponent’s collar, and get a deep palm-up grip. After establishing your initial grip, place your left hand on the mat as a base while you walk it above their head to the opposite collar. This will prevent the opponent from reversing you over if they bridge. Grab their opposite collar palm-down and drop your head as you tighten to finish the choke.

2) Rear Naked Choke

The rear naked choke is widely used in grappling and MMA. It is easy to perform and has one of the highest finishing rates in the sport. The key with the rear naked choke is the proper use of grip tactics to bypass the opponent’s defending hands. But once the RNC is deep, it is almost impossible to stop.

Starting from the back mount, control the opponent with the seatbelt grip. Slide your top arm to the opponent’s neck with your thumb pointing up to lift their chin. Once your arm is under their neck, grab their shoulder. Press your head beside the opponent’s face. Release your bottom arm and put your elbow beside their shoulder. Initiate the RNC grip by looping your arms against the neck. Use your bottom hand to grab your top arm’s shoulder to squeeze and finish the choke.

3) Guillotine Choke

The guillotine choke can be used offensively and defensively and is useful from almost all positions, provided that you can get a good grip on the head. From the standup, a typical setup is by snapping the opponent’s head down so you can access their head. Once on the ground, this choke is commonly applied from the closed or butterfly guard.

Starting from the collar tie, snap the opponent’s head down. Wrap your left arm around the opponent’s neck. Move your right hand below the opponent’s arm, place your left wrist firmly, and squeeze your elbow. Pull the opponent down and bring them to the ground. Close your guard, bring your elbow towards your hip, and squeeze to finish the choke.

4) Triangle Choke

The triangle choke is a versatile submission that can be applied from all positions. A leg triangle has different uses in grappling. Aside from the choke, a leg triangle can be applied to maintain back control (body triangle), trap an opponent’s leg (commonly known as the 411, inside sankaku, or honeyhole), or trap both legs (leg clamp), a passing/pinning technique Khabib Nurmagomedov is famous for.

A common triangle choke setup is from the standing hip bump sweep. Starting from closed guard, grab the opponent’s sleeve and hide your other arm behind your head. If they stand up to pass your guard, hug the opponent’s leg using the arm behind your head. Bridge over your shoulder and bump your hip against the opponent’s knee to sweep them down. After they fall, your opponent might post their free hand on the ground. When this happens, swing your leg over the opponent’s shoulder. Grab your shin and lock in the choke, and squeeze.

Once you’ve mastered the triangle from the closed guard, you can move on by applying it from different positions. Keep in mind that the flying triangle should only be drilled and executed with supervision.

5) Arm Triangle

The arm triangle choke can be applied from the mount or side control. Recently used in the UFC by MMA fighter Islam Makhachev to win the lightweight title, the arm triangle has three basic variations, namely: front arm triangle (kata gatame), d’Arce choke, and the anaconda choke. Each variation has its own strengths and weaknesses.

To perform the arm triangle from left side control, push the opponent’s left elbow across your face using your right arm, and make sure your left arm is grabbing the opponent’s left shoulder. Apply pressure to the opponent’s upper body by leaning forward diagonally with your head near the mat. Slide your knee to the opposite side of the opponent’s body while pressing your head down on their arm. Place your left knee close to the opponent’s hip to prevent them from passing the guard while your right leg stretches out to create a base. Push your chest against the opponent’s left arm while sliding your right arm under your left hand. Sprawl and walk your legs to the right to finish the submission.

Chapter 11: Common Mistakes/Concepts For Beginners

BJJ students rolling

As a beginner, it is critical that you learn the fundamentals as early as possible so you won’t carry bad habits as you progress in your journey. In this article, we will discuss the common mistakes/concepts beginners should work on.

1) Grip Fighting

Grip fighting is critical in grappling. As John Danaher said, don’t tolerate or ignore grips that prevent you from holding a stance or moving as you want. Never allow the opponent to apply their preferred grips on you. By allowing this, you are letting them control you, which they can use to manage your movements or to set up and impose their game upon you.

2) Sticking Your Arms Out

Always keep your elbows close to your body. The farther your elbow is from your body, the less strength you can use, making it easier for the opponent to control your arms. If the opponent can isolate your arms and keep them away from your body, it will be easier for them to do a takedown in the standup and apply a submission once on the ground. 

3) Posture

Posturing up allows you to keep your balance and base strong. It prevents the opponent from quickly dragging and taking you down, as a broken posture will make you vulnerable to takedowns, sweeps, and submissions. An excellent upright posture will make you tight and powerful as soon as you shoot for the takedown. While having a good posture is vital on the mats, also practice doing it outside the mats to boost your confidence and to become aware of your surroundings.

4) Crossing The Feet In Back Mount

More often than not, this is likely one of the first few pieces of advice given to beginners when in back mount. Crossing your ankles when you are behind the opponent makes you vulnerable to leg locks. This is because the ankle on the bottom acts as a fulcrum for the ankle on top. Putting enough pressure on the crossed ankles can inflict enough pain to force you to tap or, worse, get an unnecessary injury. Though this rule can be more or less broken once a grappler is experienced enough, it is best to save for later.

5) Breakfalls

Breakfalls are important and can potentially save your life outside the mats. A breakfall (ukemi in Judo) is performed in grappling to prevent injuries upon landing after getting thrown or taken down. This is crucial, especially when training your standup. Likewise, doing it can save your life if you accidentally slip on a sturdy surface.

6) Not Training Takedowns

Knowing how to fight on the ground is only half the battle if you think about it. It is also essential to learn a couple of takedowns to take the fight to the ground. Learn a takedown or two and work on different setups to land it. Being good at takedowns will improve your guard passing and make you better at maintaining the top position. Guard pulling is only suitable for sport BJJ. Master a takedown so you can become a well-rounded grappler.

7) Focus On The Basics

Focus on the basics first before you explore the different variations of techniques. There is so much to learn in grappling, and comprehending it all at once can be overwhelming. Master the basics, as it is proven to work even in the highest levels of competition. Work on passing the closed guard, and once opened, choose an open guard pass that suits you best. If you are a bigger grappler, pressure passing like the over-under pass will complement your game well.

8) Tapping Is Not A Bad Thing

bjj tap out

Training in Jiu-Jitsu (and doing difficult things in general) helps us better know ourselves. If you want to become a competitor, learn how to regulate your ego. Tap when you get caught in a deep submission to prevent injuries, as injuries can prevent you from training. Don’t muscle out of submissions when training; instead, take the opportunity to learn how to escape from submissions using proper technique.

9) Stalling Tn The Collar Tie 

A common mistake in the standup is stalling by using the collar tie. Remember to only use the collar tie when trying to be offensive, as applying it without the intent of attacking will leave your lower body open. When trying to defend it, focus on controlling the opponent’s wrist, blocking their biceps and shoulders to prevent them from pushing forward.

10) Holding Your Breath 

Slow down and try not to muscle out of pins and submissions. Learn proper breathing like Rickson Gracie’s “percussive breathing”. It is performed by inhaling deeply and exhaling sharply 5-6 times to force the air out of the lungs. Doing the opposite by sharply inhaling followed by a long exhale also does the trick. Understand that grappling is a different type of endurance and cardio, and running long marathons doesn’t translate well.

11) Be Careful Of Squeezing/Cranking Submissions 

Remember to be careful when finishing submissions like the arm bar or joint locks, especially if you are bigger and stronger than your training partner. In training, be mindful of your training partners. Switching to another submission or maintaining the dominant position is always a good idea if they are not tapping. Keep the training playful and safe, as we all have different lives outside the mats.

“The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.” ― Confucius

As a beginner, use the opportunity to learn and ask as many questions as possible. Doing so will help you assimilate concepts quicker and limit bad habits from occurring. Take note that you are in the gym to learn about the art and, most of all, to become a better person than you were yesterday. 

Chapter 12: Rules/Scoring

buchecha at ibjjf worlds
While BJJ is amazing in and of itself, its ruleset adds a layer of freedom (and sometimes complexity) that makes it stand out from the rest. The very heart of Jiu-Jitsu you see today focuses on takedowns, control, and submission tactics to restrain and eventually defeat an opponent. 

These techniques are practical in combat and can help end fights quickly. The ruleset of most BJJ competitions also follows the same philosophy and gives points to positions where you gain a tactical advantage in a match.

There are two ways to win in a BJJ match: winning by points or by submission. Points are awarded once you execute a technique that leads to a dominant position. You can also gain “advantages” for almost locked-in moves. Conversely, you can also get disqualified once you use techniques that are not allowed in a particular ruleset. 

Many grappling rulesets are available depending on where you are in the world. For today, let’s talk about the rules and scoring system of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), the world’s most recognized grappling organization.

Takedown – 2 points

ibjjf single leg takedown

A takedown is a technique that aims to take the opponent down, forcing them to land on their back, seated, or sideways. Under the IBJJF ruleset, the attacker should maintain a dominant position for 3 seconds to get points. 

Knee On Belly (Knee Ride) – 2 points

The knee on belly is another technique that gives the attacker 2 points. The key to getting the points is to hold the sleeve and belt as you pin the opponent down. You are awarded an advantage if you cannot maintain the position and grip. 

Sweep – 2 points

Sweeping is where you reverse an opponent, placing you in a more favorable position. Remember that you only gain points if you initially start from some form of guard. No points are given if you reverse an opponent from a position that’s not recognized as a guard. 

Guard Pass – 3 points

A successful guard pass is when the attacker gets past the defender’s legs and moves to pins like side control and north-south. Ensure that you maintain the pin for 3 seconds to earn the points.

Mount And Back Mount – 4 points

The mount and back mount get 4 points each, as they are super dominant pins. The mount is where you sit on top of the opponent’s torso, with your heads in the same direction. To earn points, the one playing the mount should have two knees on the mat (or at least one knee and one foot placed on the mat). The back mount is similar to the mount, but both face the floor. Like with the other pins, you must keep the position for 3 seconds to score. 

Back Control – 4 points

The last position where you can get points is back control. Back control is where you trap the opponent’s legs using your own (hooks) while keeping their arms secured. Note that using body triangles does not constitute back control; thus, no points are given. 

Technique Restrictions In IBJJF Competitions

There are several banned techniques depending on the rank and competitions you enter. Some examples include slams, twisting locks, bending the fingers backward, and variations of leg attacks. 

As of January 2021, brown and black belt adult competitors can now use heel hooks and other reaping techniques in no-gi competitions. Competitors in the masters divisions and lower belts (purple, blue, white) are still prohibited from using these techniques.

Building A Game Around The Ruleset

Understanding how to leverage the rules is a clever way to maximize your success in competition. You might have noticed that many world champions over the years have games that rely on positional strategy, and with good reason. You’ll surely win many matches if you can find ways to score (and not get scored on) on all your best positions. 

Notice that scoring a takedown only gives you two points and that the rest of the positions you can score from are all ground-based techniques. With this in mind, we suggest you build a game that can put you in situations where you can score easily. 

If you have a good guard game, you can use entries that will give you openings to get to your favorite guards and, from there, work on sweeps and submission attempts. If you have a solid top game, focusing on a high-percentage takedown is critical as you’ll increase the chances of forcing your opponent to play off their back. 

From here, you can then work on pressuring them to play bad positions as you get to dominant pins like side control, north-south, and mount. These are just a couple of basic strategies you can use to have a leg up on your competition.

Mindfulness Is Key

Memorize the rules and scoring system as best as you can. Your understanding of these should be ingrained into you so that you can apply them in stressful situations like competitions. You don’t have to always keep score every time you roll with your training partners, but you should at least be mindful if you are getting dominated positionally. Mindfulness is key to building intelligent game plans and is the secret ingredient of championship-level athletes and coaches. 

The rules dictate how you play the game. It is not enough to be a good grappler to be successful; you must also study how to use the rules to your advantage.

Chapter 13: Etiquette And Tips For Your First Class

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms can be intimidating for newcomers, but you will find they are welcoming places if you conduct yourself the right way.

The way you conduct yourself comes down to one thing – respect. All martial arts are built on this value that has run through them for thousands of years. Despite the long history, this is a simple concept. As long as you recognize the rules and appreciate everyone in your class, you can’t go wrong.

In this chapter, we’ve come up with some tips on what to look out for while training at the BJJ gym. Sticking to these guidelines will show the appropriate respect to your coaches and training partners, and will help you fit right in wherever you train.

Turn Up On Time

Make sure you arrive at the gym in time for the start of the class, ready to train.

It would be considered rude or disrespectful for you to turn up late to a job or social engagement, so why should martial arts practice be any different?

Whether you’re training to compete or you’re just a hobbyist, you owe it to your coach, your teammates, and yourself to be punctual.

If you run onto the mats five minutes after the start of class, you’ll disrupt the lesson and will waste everyone’s time while they wait for you to catch up on what you’ve missed.

You’re also likely to miss valuable warm-up time, which could lead to injury.

Some instructors may not even let you join a class if you miss the start. Others might allow you to join in, but not before you pay the price for your lack of punctuality. Want to avoid 50+ burpees? Arrive when you’re supposed to.

The best practice is to turn up a little early, giving you an ample amount of time to stretch, wrap your hands, and even catch up with friends before it’s time to get serious.

Listen To Your Coach

It’s just plain rude to not pay attention to your coach. They are the fountain of all your martial arts knowledge, and they demand your respect. 

Most trainers don’t mind having to explain a technique or concept several times – especially if it’s difficult, complex, or unfamiliar – but not if it’s because you didn’t listen to them the first time.

You can chat about what you saw on TV last night after class, not while your instructor tells you what to do or how to do it.

If you’re not focused on what you’re being shown, not only will you make your coach angry, you’ll end up doing something wrong. That could mean you pick up some bad habits that could stay with you for a long time.

You’re forking over your hard-earned cash to learn from your coach, so try to absorb whatever knowledge they share with you.

Treat Your Training Partners How You’d Want To Be Treated

BJJ gyms should create a welcoming environment where anyone can come and learn the gentle art, so help to keep it that way.

In mixed-ability sessions, you might be partnered with someone with less experience, so don’t get frustrated with them if they can’t hold pads for your combinations. 

Everyone was a beginner once, so remember what it was like when you started. Try to guide them through the process. Once they get the hang of things, they’ll become a valuable training partner. 

If you’re a newbie and pair up with someone who’s far more experienced, try to relax and listen to their advice. 

Overall, just be friendly to everyone. It’s not okay to be antisocial or behave inappropriately anywhere. If you do so in the gym and dissuade anyone from coming back, you might be asked to leave too.

 Keep It Clean

If you don’t look after your personal hygiene, no one will want to train with you.

Make sure you air out or wash your gi after every session so it’s clean and bacteria-free when you step back onto the mats.

Keep a towel handy in the gym so you can wipe excess sweat away before you cover all your friends. If you have long hair, keep it tied back and out of the way.

Also, wash your gi before every class. Smell your gi when you it off to find out why!

You should also keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed. They can also scratch, or worse. There are also horror stories about serious injuries being caused by untrimmed talons. 

Finally, if you have any cuts, make sure they’re covered up before you step on the mats, and dress them immediately if they get exposed.

Tips For Your First Class

If you’ve set foot in a BJJ gym as a newcomer and feel intimidated when you step into a new gym for the first time, you’re not alone. However, there’s no need to worry. You’ll be welcomed as a new member of the martial arts family as soon as you step onto the mat.

While you get your feet wet in your new martial arts family, keep these things in mind to help yourself adjust and adapt.

Get To Know The Gym And Instructors:
On your first day, turn up a little early to get to know the layout of the gym – where to sign in, where to get changed, and where everything is kept. Also, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to your instructors – they won’t bite! If you’re nervous, you can explain that it’s your first time, and you can be sure these experienced experts will help you ease into things.
Don’t Be Scared To Ask Questions:
Don’t understand something? Worried you’re not doing something right? Don’t sweat it. Just ask one of the coaches or even one of the other people in the class to help you out. The atmosphere is always supportive and everyone around you knows what it feels like to start out. Everyone was a beginner once.
Give It Your All:
Whether you’ve taken up BJJ to get fit, train towards competing, or just to try something new, make the most of your time on the mats. If you can’t do something right at first, don’t give up! Practice makes perfect, and a good attitude will go a long way with your instructors.
Relax And Have Fun:
While you should try your best in BJJ class, no one expects you to be as well-conditioned as Alex Silva, or as fast as Mikey Musumeci, or as technical as Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida. While you should try your best, make sure you go at your own pace too. It’s best to take your time and stay loose. That will help with your technique and help you to learn. All that should contribute to a great time.

Chapter 14: Choosing A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gym

As the “Gentle Art” grows in popularity the world over, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms are popping up everywhere.

BJJ practitioners are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking somewhere to train. If you don’t know what to look for, it might be difficult to decide what’s right for you.

Without expert knowledge, you could end up failing to keep up with a group of experts, or struggling to learn ineffective techniques from a con artist at a McDojo.

With our advice you should get everything you need to know about choosing the right place to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – one that’s welcoming, teaches you the skills and values of martial arts, and will help you reach your goals.

Accessibility

Before we even get started with what makes a good gym, ask yourself whether you can fit the gym’s timetable of classes around the rest of your professional and social life. If you’re new to the sport and beginner’s classes clash with your shifts at work, it may not be the place for you.

Likewise, if you have to take three buses or drive more than an hour to get to and from training, are you prepared to make that trip multiple times a week?

If you’re a dedicated grappler, you can work around these issues, but others may want to go somewhere that’s a bit more convenient. 

Even if you are willing to rearrange your schedule or buy that travel pass, make sure you check out the rest of these factors to make sure it’s worth it.

Reputation

Now more than ever, it’s easy to get a good idea about what a gym is like before you even set foot on the mats.

If you see a busy room with a lot of smiling faces, the chances are that you’re onto a winner.

Not convinced? Just ask. A lot of gyms thrive on word of mouth, so talk to people and find out what they think of your prospective training center.

You can also go online to social media or martial arts forums to do some research and discover if your targeted training center is for you.

If its members are known as ‘The Murder Squad’ and have a reputation for taking no prisoners in sparring, you might want to look somewhere else for your introduction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Coaches

It’s important to avoid a charlatan and find an accomplished coach you like and respect.

It’s always worth doing your research to find out if the head instructor is infamous for boasting about fake or dubious credentials. These guys are to be avoided.

Finding a trainer with a record of professional fights and title wins is often a good sign, but you’ll never really know how good they are as a teacher until you experience their methods first-hand.

Your ideal coach is passionate about the sport and their students. They’ll also be patient, attentive, and try to divide their time equally among the people they teach.

If you can find someone who welcomes you to the gym for your first session, and then takes you through some of the basics before you start the class, you could be on to a winner.

Training Partners

A good coach usually cultivates a gym with a welcoming environment and friendly training partners for you to practice with.

However, you need to consider more than just how friendly your teammates are when you commit to joining a gym. 

It would be ideal if you can identify a good mix of skill levels among your new gym’s patrons. 

As a beginner, it’s nice to train alongside others who are also starting out. That means you can share your martial arts journey and help each other out along the way.

At the same time, it’s still good to have some higher-level training partners. Training with people who are better than you will help your evolution as a martial artist because they’ll help you out and put you to the test when you’re ready to spar.

It’s also worth considering the size of your teammates. If you’re slight and hover around five feet tall, a gym populated by giants who measure over six feet and tip the scales at 100kg may not be for you.

While it’s not impossible to train with much bigger or smaller teammates, both you and your training partners will need to make big adjustments for pad work and sparring.

Some women may also prefer all-female classes, but this is not always possible at a lot of smaller gyms.

However, that shouldn’t put anyone off. Women’s participation in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is growing all the time, In fact, these days many have reaped various benefits of joining a BJJ gym, so mixed classes are common, and most of the men are not half as scary as they look.

Your Goals

Finally, does the culture at the gym match up to what you want to get out of it?

By now, you’ll probably have established whether it’s a good place for beginners, but what about your plans beyond your first few weeks of training?

If you want to compete, ask whether that will be possible. If your gym is active in interclub competitions, regularly has fighters competing, or even promotes its own events, you’re in the right place.

You might also want to know if there’s an active social element among members. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms are great places to make friends if you’re new to an area, so ask if there are regular events that everyone gets involved with.

En complément du #muay_thaï ici : ▻https://seenthis.net/messages/948632
Toujours dans un but de mettre à disposition les bases pouvant permettre au « peuple » de se défendre.
Le Jiu-jistu Brésilien est réputé pour sa complémentarité avec le muay thai. Travailler les 2 permet d’avoir une bonne base technique pied/poing (majoritairement debout) et lutte (majoritairement au sol). Cette complémentarité est plébiscitée pour son efficacité dans les compétitions d’arts martiaux ouverte à toutes les disciplines.
Avoir ces bases permet aussi de mieux appréhender/apprécier les autres arts martiaux qui apportent à peu près tous des complémentarités intéressantes (le BJJ manque de techniques pour mettre son adversaire au sol par exemple, hors les autres arts martiaux de lutte se concentrent souvent plus sur cet aspect)

l’histgeobox : Chansons pop et péril atomique dans les années 1980

▻https://lhistgeobox.blogspot.com/2022/12/chansons-pop-et-peril-atomique-dans-les.html
▻https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/ANbyha28LJIgj-q-0EnmwQVP7YgYu159NNujHBECYeP71rLYDdu0TnOHtaFRD

"Quand Sting chante : « Reagan dit, nous vous protégerons », il se réfère au programme d’Initiative de défense stratégique, qui prévoyait la mise en place d’un bouclier anti-missile. Plus loin, il s’interroge : « Comment est-ce que je peux sauver mon petit garçon du jouet mortel d’Oppenheimer ? » Il évoque ici le physicien américain Robert Oppenheimer, directeur du projet « Manhattan », qui permit aux Américains de mettre au point la première bombe A. Le « petit garçon » (Little Boy en anglais) renvoie au surnom donnée à l’engin largué sur Hiroshima en 1945."

Je suis vraiment pas fan de la musique des années 80 mais pourtant dans l’anxiété/peux que me provoque le #nucléaire cette chanson me parle bien :

▻https://invidious.fdn.fr/latest_version?id=wHylQRVN2Qs&itag=22

[Mise à jour] Médias français : qui possède quoi ?
▻https://www.acrimed.org/Medias-francais-qui-possede-quoi#2022

Essais nucléaires en Polynésie : l’Etat se livre à une opération de propagande
▻https://disclose.ngo/fr/article/essais-nucleaires-en-polynesie-letat-se-livre-a-une-operation-de-propagand

https://admin.disclose.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cover_article_pizza-1.png

Le Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA) publie un livre sur les essais nucléaires en Polynésie française. L’ouvrage, qui doit être distribué gratuitement aux habitants et écoliers des îles, est une somme d’approximations et de contre-vérités censées discréditer les révélations de Toxique, l’enquête publiée par Disclose en mars 2021. Lire l’article

https://admin.disclose.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cover_article_pizza-1.png

Une guerre de géants pour quelques nanomètres
▻https://lvsl.fr/une-guerre-de-geants-pour-quelques-nanometres

Une guerre mondiale a été déclarée le 7 octobre dernier. Si aucune chaîne d’information n’a couvert l’événement, nous aurons tous à souffrir de ses conséquences. Ce jour-là, l’administration Biden a lancé une offensive technologique contre la Chine, en imposant des limites plus strictes et des contrôles plus durs sur l’exportation non seulement des micro-processeurs, mais aussi de leurs schémas, des machines utilisées pour graver les circuits sur silicone et des outils que ces machines produisent. Désormais, si une usine chinoise a besoin de n’importe lequel de ces composants pour produire des marchandises, les entreprises doivent demander un permis spécial pour les importer. Pourquoi les USA ont-ils mis en place ces sanctions ? Et pourquoi sont-elles si dures ? Article du journaliste Marco D’Eramo, publié dans la New Left Review et traduit par Marc Lerenard pour LVSL.

On en parlait il y a quelques semaines...

Un Québec pas si fou de ses #enfants | La Presse
▻https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/chroniques/2022-11-30/un-quebec-pas-si-fou-de-ses-enfants.php

Vous vous souvenez, au début de la #pandémie, quand les personnes âgées tombaient comme des mouches ? Vous vous souvenez de ce discours cynique, à l’époque ? « Ah, on sait bien, ce ne sont ‟que” des vieux. Si c’étaient des enfants, dans les salles d’urgence, on serait bien plus alarmés, bien plus solidaires. On ferait bien plus attention… »

#covid-19

Crise de l’eau en Europe : la situation est plus grave que ce que l’on pensait | National Geographic
►https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/environnement/2022/12/crise-de-leau-en-europe-la-situation-est-plus-grave-que-ce-que-lo

Les chercheurs estiment que l’Europe perd en moyenne près de 84 gigatonnes d’eau par an depuis le début du 21e siècle. C’est un taux alarmant, selon Famiglietti. Il correspond approximativement à la quantité d’eau contenue dans le lac Ontario, ou à 5 fois le débit annuel moyen du fleuve Colorado dans le Grand Canyon. Une telle ampleur (1 gigatonne correspond à 1 milliard de tonnes d’eau) nous est presque impossible à appréhender. C’est pourtant bel et bien à cette échelle qu’agit actuellement le changement climatique.

La cause sous-jacente est évidente, explique-t-il. Il y a trop d’eau à certains endroits, et pas assez à d’autres. « L’eau est le messager qui délivre les mauvaises nouvelles du changement climatique » au monde entier. Or ces pertes sont pour beaucoup le résultat de l’extraction excessive des eaux souterraines.

Autodéfense sanitaire
▻https://www.intempestive.net/Autodefense-sanitaire

Cette page vise à lister des informations synthétiques et des ressources plus développées sur l’autodéfense sanitaire face à la pandémie de Covid-19. L’autodéfense sanitaire envisage la santé comme un bien communautaire et met en œuvre une réduction des risques fondée sur la science. Source : l’intempestive

La #dette_immunitaire : argument utile ou réalité scientifique ? | Le Quotidien du Médecin
►https://www.lequotidiendumedecin.fr/specialites/infectiologie/la-dette-immunitaire-argument-utile-ou-realite-scientifique

CONTRIBUTION - La théorie de la « dette immunitaire » est née en 2021, dans un article d’opinion publié dans la revue « Infectious Diseases Now » par une équipe de pédiatres français. Elle a été ensuite reprise sur les plateaux télé et par les politiques, afin de justifier l’ampleur de l’épidémie de bronchiolite de l’automne 2022. L’hypothèse paraît séduisante, mais est-elle réellement fondée et que recouvre-t-elle exactement  ? Un groupe de médecins et de chercheurs remet en cause le concept.

Au cours des deux premiers hivers de la crise #Covid-19, dans l’hémisphère nord, les cas d’infections par la grippe, le virus respiratoire syncytial (VRS) ou d’autres pathogènes respiratoires, ont beaucoup diminué ou leur temporalité a été modifiée, par comparaison aux années pré-pandémiques. C’est un fait, autant la protection conférée par le masque que les mesures de prévention contre les infections respiratoires ont rapidement atténué sa mortalité initiale de 1 % du Covid-19.

La « dette immunitaire » est présentée par ses inventeurs comme la conséquence d’un « défaut de stimulation » du système immunitaire en l’absence d’agents pathogènes. D’être trop « inactif », il s’affaiblirait tel un muscle non sollicité, et la dette deviendrait la conséquence « logique » des mesures sanitaires (masques, distanciation, couvre-feu, etc.). Ses promoteurs affirment donc que le système immunitaire serait comptable d’une dette à l’égard des agents infectieux, se traduisant par d’importantes vagues épidémiques une fois les mesures sanitaires levées, d’où la recrudescence des bronchiolites, infections à streptocoque, etc.

Cette dette concernerait l’immunité adaptative spécifique et l’immunité innée non spécifique. Le premier phénomène, appelé en réalité immunity gap (lacune d’immunité), et connu depuis les années 70, repose sur des mécanismes bien décrits et fait largement consensus. Si une proportion d’individus au sein d’une population est immunitairement naïve vis-à-vis d’un pathogène, cela expose toute la population à l’émergence d’une épidémie avec explosion du nombre de cas de la maladie associée, non pas à cause d’une augmentation de la virulence du pathogène, ni d’un « affaiblissement » du système immunitaire des individus naïfs, mais parce que le pathogène se propage facilement en l’absence de mémoire immunitaire spécifique (aussi en cas de couverture vaccinale insuffisante ou persistance limitée de la mémoire spécifique). Or, la théorie de la dette n’est pas équivalente à l’immunity gap, car ses auteurs postulent, sans le démontrer, un affaiblissement du système immunitaire inné (et non adaptatif) à l’échelle individuelle et non populationnelle.

Non fondée scientifiquement et contreproductive

Le concept « sexy » de dette immunitaire ne fait pas consensus car il ne repose sur aucune preuve épidémiologique ou expérimentale et souffre de nombreuses incohérences : 1) Le système immunitaire est actif en permanence, même en l’absence de pathogènes (immunité constitutive). Les pathogènes lui échappant suscitent en revanche une activation plus importante (inflammation), limitée dans le temps car elle produit des effets délétères. 2) Les systèmes immunitaires inné et adaptatif sont déjà fonctionnels in utero, sans avoir préalablement rencontré de pathogènes. 3) Le système immunitaire inné reconnaît les organismes étrangers par leurs caractéristiques moléculaires conservées, y compris pour l’immense diversité des non-pathogènes du microbiote, qui stimulent donc aussi le système immunitaire. 4) Personne n’a vécu depuis février 2020 dans un environnement aseptique : des micro-organismes partageant les mêmes caractéristiques sont partout (environnement, air, objets manipulés, personnes, sur et dans notre nourriture, etc.). 5) Les centaines de millions d’individus infectés au SARS-CoV-2 depuis 3 ans, dont 28 millions rien qu’en France en 2022, et les réinfections, témoignent de l’impossibilité d’une « non-stimulation » virale généralisée, à moins de supposer que le SARS-CoV-2 ne stimulerait pas le système immunitaire. 6) Les pays dans lesquels les mesures de protection n’ont pas été généralisées ne devraient pas connaître de « dette ». Or, la recrudescence de cas de bronchiolites liés à une infection virale (VRS, SARS-CoV-2, metapneumovirus, adénovirus, etc.) est également enregistrée dans les pays sans aucune politique de santé publique forte en faveur du port du masque chez les enfants (UK, Suède, certains États US).

Recourir au lexique financier de la dette qu’il faut payer un jour ou l’autre est une façon de réinventer un phénomène immunologique connu (immunity gap) afin de lui adjoindre une double dimension, financière et in fine surtout morale, ce qui n’appartient pas au champ scientifique : la faute serait d’avoir eu recours à des mesures de prévention non pharmaceutiques. Or, cette théorie est précisément promue par des opposants de la première heure à ces mesures dans les écoles, les mêmes qui ont initialement été très réticents à la vaccination des enfants, car leur infection massive était supposée favoriser l’immunité de groupe.

La théorie non démontrée de la dette immunitaire paraît donc actuellement surtout ad hoc et opportuniste, susceptible d’éviter de prendre des mesures peu populaires en une période où règnent l’oubli et le déni de l’épidémie.

Des études scientifiques récentes (ici# ou là##) s’intéressent actuellement à la perturbation du système immunitaire suite au Covid-19, hypothèse encore peu évoquée hors du champ scientifique, ce qui pose question et doit tous nous alerter sur la nécessité de nous protéger en promouvant les mesures non pharmaceutiques pragmatiques et simples à mettre en œuvre, telles que le port du masque, l’amélioration de la qualité de l’air en zones à risques, ou l’élargissement des possibilités de travail distanciel en cas de symptômes, afin de protéger la population.

# ▻https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01113-x

##
▻https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034159/full

#Covid-19 : l’#aération mécanique dans les écoles serait efficace

▻https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/sante/covid-19-l-aeration-mecanique-dans-les-ecoles-diviserait-par-trois-

https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/assets/img/2022/12/14/cover-r4x3w1200-639a04d39cecc-080-hl-edervaux-1637558.jpg

Le taux de #ventilation de ces purificateurs d’air (la quantité d’air expulsé par seconde) pouvait aller de 1,4 litre par seconde par étudiant à 14 litres par seconde par étudiant, contre moins de 0,5 litre par seconde par étudiant pour l’aération naturelle (qui consiste à ouvrir les fenêtres et la porte de temps en temps).

Les chercheurs ont ensuite refait leur analyse en séparant les classes ventilées en fonction de ce taux. Ainsi, ils ont mis en évidence que les classes avec un taux élevé (plus de 10 litres par seconde par étudiant) avaient un risque d’infection encore plus bas : 5 fois moins que l’aération naturelle, contre 3 fois moins pour les classes ventilées à un taux plus faible.

[...]

“À notre connaissance, celle-ci est la première et donc la plus large étude rétrospective dans des écoles pour déterminer l’impact de l’aération mécanique sur le risque d’infection par le Covid-19”, affirment les auteurs. “Les résultats démontrent l’efficacité de l’aération mécanique et la possibilité de l’utiliser dans tout autre environnement clos”, poursuivent-ils. En conjonction avec les gestes barrières, le masque et les vaccins, ces appareils pourraient donc aider à sécuriser les lieux clos et ainsi bloquer l’avancée de cette nouvelle vague épidémique.

Un vaccin ARNm contre le cancer prouve son efficacité, une première | Les Echos
►https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/pharmacie-sante/un-vaccin-contre-le-cancer-prouve-son-efficacite-une-premiere-1888774

Les tests de phase 2 du vaccin à ARN messager de Moderna et Merck MSD ont réduit de 44 % le taux de récidive et de mortalité de patients ayant des mélanomes de stades avancés. La phase 3 des essais est prévue l’an prochain.

Risques de pénurie d’électricité : qui est responsable de la crise ?

▻https://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/Risques-de-penurie-d-electricite-qui-est

https://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/IMG/arton58179.jpg?1671018806

Risques de pénurie d’électricité : qui est responsable de la crise ?

Risques de délestages, de coupures ciblées touchant une partie de la population... Cet hiver, la pénurie d’électricité est une réalité. RTE, qui gère le réseau électrique au niveau national, avertit d’une situation très tendue. Face à cette crise, de nombreuses voix incriminent la guerre en Ukraine, un soutien insuffisant au nucléaire, voire la fermeture de Fessenheim. Mais qu’en est-il vraiment ?

Une pénurie liée à la situation du parc nucléaire français

Traditionnellement, l’hiver est une période délicate pour le réseau électrique français : la part importante du chauffage électrique, très énergivore, engendre des pics de consommation qui ne peuvent être affrontés qu’en important massivement du courant depuis d’autres pays européens. Cette année, la situation est rendue encore plus compliquée par un phénomène inédit : un nombre record de réacteurs nucléaires, notamment les plus puissants, sont indisponibles. En 2022, la moitié d’entre eux ont dû être arrêtés. Et si des redémarrages progressifs ont eu lieu, ce phénomène risque de perdurer dans le temps. Au 13 décembre, 15 réacteurs sur 56, soit un tiers de la puissance nucléaire installée, sont toujours à l’arrêt. Parmi eux, 12 ne redémarreront pas avant Noël (source : ▻https://nuclear-monitor.fr)

Pourquoi ces arrêts en cette période cruciale ?

Quelques-uns sont arrêtés dans le cadre de travaux destinés à prolonger leur durée de fonctionnement, d’autres pour réaliser des opérations de maintenance lourde qui auraient dû avoir lieu pendant la première vague du Covid et ont été décalées.

Surtout, une quinzaine sont (effectivement ou potentiellement) concernés par un grave problème de corrosion détecté sur des tuyauteries essentielles pour la sûreté. Ce défaut est très préoccupant car il accroît dangereusement le risque d’une rupture de ces tuyauteries, qui entraînerait un accident nucléaire. À l’heure actuelle, on ne sait pas encore s’il s’agit d’un défaut de conception ou de fabrication. Des examens et travaux de réparation sont toujours en cours. Les réacteurs les plus récents (qui sont aussi les plus puissants) sont les premiers touchés mais l’ensemble du parc doit faire l’objet d’investigations, qui s’étaleront jusqu’en 2025.

Ce ne sont pas les écologistes qui ont saboté le parc nucléaire français pour l’empêcher de fonctionner, mais bien l’industrie nucléaire qui est victime de sa propre vulnérabilité. Depuis des années déjà, l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire avertissait : les centrales ayant été construites en série, si un défaut générique était un jour détecté, il faudrait alors arrêter un très grand nombre de réacteurs d’un coup.

On n’en fait pas un peu trop avec la sûreté et le principe de précaution ?

Tant EDF que les autorités en charge du contrôle de la sûreté prennent ce problème très au sérieux. Relancer coûte que coûte les réacteurs arrêtés, sans prendre le temps d’investigations approfondies, aboutirait à bâcler les examens et les réparations nécessaires et pourrait avoir des conséquences très graves. Non seulement ces arrêts sont absolument impératifs, mais il serait même nécessaire d’augmenter le niveau d’exigence. Suite à une inspection menée dans l’usine italienne où sont fabriquées certaines tuyauteries de remplacement, l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire a souligné que les conditions de surveillance et de traçabilité et la qualité des gestes n’était pas au niveau requis pour un problème de cette importance.
« Si Fessenheim n’avait pas été fermée, on n’en serait pas là ! » Vraiment ?

Fessenheim était la centrale la plus vieille et la moins puissante du parc nucléaire français. À pleine puissance, elle fournissait 1760 MW, soit guère plus de 2% de la production électrique française. C’est une goutte d’eau comparée à la puissance des réacteurs qui font actuellement défaut, soit près de 20 000 MW au 13 décembre.

Quoi qu’en disent certains commentateurs, il n’est plus possible de relancer Fessenheim. Le combustible nucléaire a été évacué et certaines opérations de démantèlement ont déjà commencé.

Par ailleurs, cette fermeture, annoncée en 2012 mais réalisée seulement en 2020, était nécessaire et incontournable du point de vue de la sûreté. Fessenheim avait tout juste dépassé les 40 ans. Elle répondait encore aux normes qui s’appliquent aux réacteurs de plus de 30 ans, mais elle n’aurait certainement pas pu se conformer au référentiel requis pour une prolongation de 10 ans au-delà de 40 ans. En effet, celui-ci exigeait des travaux lourds et très probablement impossibles à réaliser, notamment le renforcement du radier (socle en béton sous la centrale) pour éviter qu’il soit percé en cas d’accident. Particulièrement mince, celui-ci avait fait l’objet d’un petit renforcement en 2012, mais insuffisant pour répondre aux objectifs pour les 40 ans. Ce point n’était pas anodin, la centrale étant construite au-dessus de la plus grande nappe phréatique d’Europe, en zone sismique et en contrebas du Grand Canal d’Alsace. Devant les parlementaires, l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire a reconnu que la centrale n’aurait pas pu continuer à fonctionner au-delà de 2020 sans enfreindre les normes requises en termes de sûreté. (pour plus d’informations, consulter notre dossier)
« La France a besoin de nouvelles centrales nucléaires pour sortir de cette situation ! » Vraiment ?

Même en accélérant au maximum les délais et les procédures pour la construction de nouveaux réacteurs nucléaires (ce qui implique de porter atteinte au droit de l’environnement et de l’urbanisme), de nouveaux réacteurs ne pourraient pas être opérationnels avant 2035-2037, selon un rapport officiel publié en février 2022. En outre, un rapport interne de l’administration, dévoilé par le média Contexte, indiquait que ce délai était très optimiste et que la mise en service d’un premier réacteur, de façon réaliste,ne pourrait pas avoir lieu avant 2040, voire 2043 ou 2045. Autant dire que ces nouveaux réacteurs ne régleraient rien aux problèmes qui se posent cet hiver, ni le suivant ! Et si nous comptons sur ces réacteurs pour l’électricité de demain, nous risquons d’être confronté·es aux mêmes problèmes qu’actuellement à la fin des années 2030.

Chercher à aller plus vite encore ne servirait à rien et entraînerait même des effets pervers. La filière nucléaire française souffre en effet d’un cruel déficit de compétences et de rigueur, au point qu’elle doit faire venir de l’étranger des travailleurs spécialisés pour réparer les réacteurs touchés par la corrosion. Il reste encore des années d’efforts à fournir pour l’ingénierie soit au point pour les projets de nouveaux réacteurs, qui n’existent que sur le papier. Dans ces conditions, pousser pour un démarrage à tout prix et au plus tôt des projets envoie un très mauvais signal, avec le risque que certaines opérations soient bâclées et les problèmes irrésolus mis sous le tapis pour ne pas freiner le calendrier. EDF risquerait donc de voir se répéter les problèmes qu’elle a connus sur le chantier de l’EPR de Flamanville, qui a connu d’innombrables malfaçons et compte actuellement 11 années de retard.

Plusieurs scénarios officiels (RTE, Ademe) et associatifs (négaWatt) le démontrent : nous n’avons pas besoin de nouveaux réacteurs pour atteindre nos objectifs climatiques et énergétiques. Miser sur ce moyen de produire de l’électricité à l’avenir, alors que le 100% renouvelable est possible à terme, représenterait surtout une perte de temps et de ressources qui ne résoudrait pas nos problèmes.
« Les énergies renouvelables ne nous servent à rien ! »

Sans le soutien des énergies renouvelables (hydraulique, mais aussi solaire et éolien), la situation actuelle serait encore plus compliquée, imposant de recourir encore plus aux importations et aux énergies fossiles. Même en une période qui n’est ni très venteuse ni très ensoleillée, leur contribution reste décisive.

La part des énergies renouvelables est encore trop peu élevée en France. Cela ne résulte pas de limites techniques, mais bien de décisions politiques : la France est le seul pays d’Europe à avoir raté ses objectifs de développement des énergies renouvelables.

Alors que de nouveaux réacteurs ne produiraient pas d’électricité avant 15 ou 20 ans au mieux, de nouvelles installations renouvelables pourraient être opérationnelles beaucoup plus tôt. Si nous voulons nous sortir de cette situation, c’est la solution sur laquelle miser à moyen terme, tout en faisant le maximum, à court terme, pour économiser l’énergie

#nucléocratie