Technique, Timing, and Tempo

The stronger your position, the less you need to rush. Let your pressure speak. Take your time—let the weight of control chip away at your opponent’s will. In dominant positions, patience is power. Time becomes an asset. Let it do the work for you.

But when things turn, when the position starts to slip or you’re caught mid-transition, urgency becomes essential. That’s when speed matters—when decisive movement is the difference between survival and submission.

When you’re ahead in the exchange, slowing down not only secures control, it reveals opportunities. Openings emerge for those who know how to wait.

Take side control, for example. You’ve passed the guard. Your opponent is flat, breathing hard. Now is not the time to chase a rushed submission. Settle in. Adjust your hips. Layer on pressure. Let them feel the weight of your presence. Feel the subtle shifts in their energy. When you slow the moment down, they feel stuck in it—and in that stillness, doors open.

Now switch positions. You’re on the bottom, your frame is collapsing, the crossface tightening. This is not a moment to hesitate. You move with urgency. Shrimp hard, reframe, create space. Speed becomes your lifeline.

So next time you’re on top, in control, resist the urge to push too fast. Breathe. Settle. Let the position ripen. When the moment is right, the finish will present itself—not because you forced it, but because you gave it space to arrive.

The higher the ground you hold, the less you need to rush. Stillness becomes strength.

But when you’re caught in the storm, be ready to explode. Save your stillness for better times.