Learn to Invert for BJJ: 15-Min Flow Class

Look now, we're gonna do a 180 with the legs. So we go elbow shoulder, don't lift the hips, just lift your legs instead and then come over to the other side. Look what happened there. I'm facing 180 degrees the other direction.

So look, elbow shoulder lift the legs, elbow shoulder elbow come up. Do this from side to side and learn when to move the legs that you generate momentum. So you can't do it with floppy passive legs. The legs have to kind of help you as well as the self framing on the legs.

Look how I'm framing on the leg. I'm using elbow shoulder and then my arms are actually pushing my leg off the mat like this. So this self framing really helps when we're gonna invert later. Go a couple of times and maybe you wanna do the full 360.

Here, just continuing to do the full 180 to the full 360. It's fun. There. Nice.

Okay, now let's do this with the hip lift. So we're going down shoulder elbow lift the hips and then we kind of kick off to roll. So exact same thing, but now we also lift the hips to complete the 360, the 180, sorry. So elbow shoulder lift the hips and then like a piney forward roll.

So it's like we're here and we're just doing a little forward roll to invert. And now when you're starting to get the hang of this, this is actually how to invert. And so if someone is passing my guard here, you can continue to do it. When someone is passing my guard, this is guard retention 101.

Elbow shoulder self frame, lift the hips and do a 180. That's all there is to it. And if you get more flexible and when you get more comfortable, you can do it fancier, but this is more than enough. Okay, now we're gonna do something different.

We're gonna roll back. Instead of rolling sideways, we're gonna roll back over our shoulder and touch one foot to the mat like this. Look how I'm self framing still. The hand is supporting the leg.

Both legs are not touching, only one leg. So I'm rolling up into the forward fold, fixing my hamstring and back flexibility every time I do that. Rolling back into the same position we just did with the hips lifted and the leg frame rolling up. Your turn.

Roll back, touch one foot self frame. And the other leg, depending on where it is, it's gonna help us balance or help us fall down. So when you get proficient in this, you're gonna be able to balance on top of your shoulder, toes and elbow. Keep going.

One more on each side. Nice. And then let's come up everybody to turtle position or all fours. And then stretch the right arm out like you're gonna shake a hand and left leg out.

Do a couple of crunches and lift as high as you can. And then to counter all that inversion, grab the foot, grab the ankle and lift up behind the foot. Grab the ankle and lift up behind you like this, just for a moment. And now kick the left foot out so we're in half straddle, like a knee down and the straddle.

So the left foot is out, the right arm comes up and then right arm threads under like a needle. Thread the needle, this one is called. And from here, just relax for a moment. And then come on up.

This time, frame your leg, elbow shoulder down, come into this position that we've been several times before, the inverted position with a cell frame. And then come on up, let's do the second side. So left leg out, left, sorry, left arm forward, right leg out, crunch and stretch and lift. Left leg out, crunch and stretch and lift.

Crunch, stretch and lift. Crunch, stretch and lift. And grab your ankle behind your knee and lift the leg. If you can't grab it, just hold as close as possible.

And then kick the leg out for half straddle, left arm up, right foot is out. Go under, thread the needle and relax a little bit. And then come on up, same thing again, but catch your thigh, shoulder, elbow down, lift the hips into inversion. And from here, you can start playing, coming back to turtle switching sides.

So now you're not rolling into the inversion, now you're coming into it from your knees. So you can invert both from guard and from turtle. So I'm rolling on my head, inverting, rolling on my head, inverting. All right.

This requires balance and coordination, static strength, flexibility, mobility, and all of them are improving. Even as you're just attempting this, it's actually the workout that you need to get it. So you can just continue and fail and that will build everything you need in order to succeed. All right, everybody come on up now, integrate this.

Start with the inversions and then come into the stuff that you normally do, okay? Let's go. Sorry, man, what did you say? I'm detecting the last one.

You don't know, do you? I'm so sick of you. It's a cat. It's on your belt.

Oh man, sorry. Getting all the guard work, the back bends, the twists. The inversions, the hip openers. Get it all in there.

Do about 50 to 70% of the stuff that you enjoy and love and save 20, 30% for the stuff that you hate but that you know is good for you. And avoid anything that produces sharp stinging pain. So you can just keep going. You can just keep going.

You can just keep going. You can just keep going. You can just keep going. You can just keep going.

This is sharp stinging pain. Just move the rest of the body and avoid the problematic areas. One more minute. Go.

One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. And then find your way towards seated position,as either the ankles crossed.

ground moving your lower back and your neck. Try to sit completely relaxed and still tall. Breathe with your nose and as you inhale you feel your belly expanding. So you're not lifting up into the top of the lungs.

You're trying to feel the bottom of the lungs by relaxing your belly. So it's some effort on the inhale and relax on the exhale. A few more. Nice.

Open your eyes. I hope you guys enjoyed this. It looked like your bodies were getting used to some of the new movements, which is great. We want to feel clumsy in order to feel great later.

Alright, let's go. One, two.