Back to the back ...

In BJJ - if there is any such thing as an iconic position - it would have to be Back Control.
In my own case, I definitely misunderstood this position for many, many years. Lately, I have been trying to make sure that my own students don't walk the same torturous path that I did in the first decade of my BJJ training.
Back control is such an important position because it affords us such dominant control over our opponent - and provides the opportunity to apply the coup de grace of BJJ - the back-choke.

In bJJ, as most of my readers should know - the first three tenets are: position, position & position. We must get the position, then keep the position - and only then, we squeeze the juice out of the position by applying a finishing move. There are a lot of technical aspects to fighting the hand-fight and applying a good back-choke - but the most important thing by far is simply that you must spend a lot of time getting peoples backs and keeping that position - and then you will eventually work out how to apply a good back-choke.

The more roads we have available to us to arrive on our opponent's back, the more likely we are to arrive at all. Can we get the back from side control, from the mount, from the guard, from head-to-head? But what about the back control itself - what are some of the finer details? here are my two cents on the subject - things I worked out only after I was wearing my black belt ...

- back control is not so much about the 'hooks' as it is about the 'seatbelt grip'.
- the seatbelt grip (one arm over and one under his arm) will keep our chest attached to his back
- we must have a willingness (and the technique to back it up) to follow the opponent as he moves
- once our hooks are in, we must be willing to take them out to re-position at any given moment
- the more we use our feet and hip movement to follow the opponent, the less strain we place on the seatbelt grip system
- learn to go from no hooks to one hook and from one hook to two hooks
- the seatbelt grip should be close to the opponents neck so that we can capitalize quickly with the choke if he lifts his chin

There is a load of technical training and technique that goes along with each of tese points but hopefully some of them will provide you with food for thought.
best of luck with a new improved back-control and back-choke for 2010!
JBW