It certainly was 3 years ago!
While we’re necro-ing stuff, I’ve heard that in things like kesa you want to get your opponents head off the floor to make it harder to bridge, but Yrkoon said pin their head to the floor. Que pasa?
Either way, you want to take his head/neck out of the equation. It depends on the position as to whether you should lift/cradle it (kesa) or pin it down (north/south, half-guard from top, etc.).
Re-read the thread. My 3 were simply general principles. They are not for every position, every technique, and every transition.
I said keep thier head pinned to the ground in a general sense. Whenever possible pin that head down. Pin it. So it doesn’t move. Because where the head moves the body generally follows. For example - in North/South I smash thier face down so hard I don’t want them to breath. If they get some space they begin to have some hope. And I cannot have that. Or in side control. I pin it in a lot of ways. Maybe I am using my armpit and lat as I move into that weird reverse-kesa position facing them right before I mount. Or I have my shoulder driving into thier head from regular side control so they cant start to move around and put me back into guard, etc.
The general rule is keep control of thier head. And one of the best ways to do that is to keep that thing pinned to the ground. In addition, when you see my perspective of adding STRIKES to the grappling…well… you see why you want that head pinned and stationary. It makes an easier target.
The two pieces of general advice I’ve found the most useful in various forms of grappling I learned from a senior on the wrestling team when I was a freshman in high school:
Where the head goes, the body follows; where the head stays, so does the body
I would speculate he meant don’t let them get their body across yours (i.e. at 90 degrees to you). If they’re trying to pass, push their head down/sideways so they can’t get their body across you and it will make it much easier to re-guard.
Don’t leave your arms dangling or else you’ll get grabbed and possibly be put into a submission (armbar, etc.). Don’t reach out unless it has a purpose or else they’ll get grabbed again.
