Note: To better understand the concepts in this article, please read the following concept articles:

The Spectrum of Control – Part 1

Z-Axis: Power Flows Where the Eyes Go

‘Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1: Warfighting’ instructs you to ask yourself “Which factors are critical to the enemy? Which can the enemy not do without? Which, if eliminated, will bend them most quickly to our will?“

If you can answer this question, you found Centers of Gravity. (CoGs)

I know some people are probably scratching their head based on the jargon used, so let me ask this a different way…

What parts of the body, it successfully attacked, will make your opponent submit to your will?

Somebody probably said to their screen “isn’t that any submission?”.

No.

Keep in mind, our purpose is to break our opponents will to continue and subdue – not win a round. If you break a meth monster’s shoulder, they may keep fighting. We need to be sure that what we identify as a Centers of Gravity are universal to all opponents so that our preparation and training situates us best to survive.

So, if not all submissions are CoGs, what are the CoGs?

The body has two CoGs from the perspective of unarmed fighting and grappling.

1. The Respiratory System (the bodies currency)
2. The Carotid Arteries (the supply line)

The Respiratory System

If you control your opponent’s ability to breathe unrestricted, you have taken their ability to do anything. As breathing is reduced, or controlled by another, panic sets in, plans go out the window, and they will immediately seek to find a way to regain control over their breathing. This is why pressuring an opponent is so vital in wearing someone out – pressure makes them wear themselves out! There are countless examples of fights being decided on cardio because when you are out of breath, your will breaks.

Breath is the bodies currency. Nothing in the body works for free! (if you hear me yell “take them to the bank!”, you now know why).

Examples of how to do it: 

• Pressure from dominant positions into their chest.
• Smothering (who doesn’t move a good Mothers Milk or Muffle?).
• Make them carry your weight everywhere you can.

The final CoG control is one that every submission grappler knows – the arteries in the neck. I think this requires the least amount of explaining, so I’ll keep it brief…

If blood cannot go to the head – you are quickly going to be dead. 

I refer to this one as the ‘Supply Line’, because that’s exactly what it is for your head(quarters). No one can do without this supply of blood to the head, and if they keep fighting while you control this they will pass out or die. This is also why I refer to the choke as ‘the king’ of all submissions (Read: ‘Meth Only Knows One Submission’ if you want to hear more).

In Mathematical Jiu-Jitsu, we incorporate conceptual understanding into our techniques and approaches. We believe that helping students understand the conceptual framework with doctrinal understanding helps them develop and refine their technique and martial ability more holistically, allowing them to have greater development.