Kinetic Striking: Integrating Striking into Jiu-Jitsu

Kinetic Striking is a system I developed to seamlessly incorporate effective striking into Jiu-Jitsu, enhancing its versatility while preserving its core focus on grappling. Traditionally, Jiu-Jitsu emphasized ground fighting, with minimal attention to stand-up striking. However, my background in striking arts like kickboxing and boxing revealed the immense value of integrating punches, kicks, and strategic positioning into a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner's skill set. This fusion creates a more complete and adaptable fighter capable of handling diverse combat scenarios.

Initially, I taught kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu as separate disciplines to ensure students developed well-rounded skills. In recent years, I realized that teaching these as distinct systems was unnecessary. Instead, I blended them into a cohesive approach—Kinetic Striking—designed to use strikes strategically to complement Jiu-Jitsu’s grappling foundation.

A key insight from my early training shaped this system. As a right-handed fighter, I found that adopting a southpaw stance (leading with the right hand and foot) allowed me to leverage my dominant side for greater power and coordination. Jabs, hooks, and kicks—such as sidekicks and front kicks—felt more natural and forceful when executed from this stance. Additionally, my boxing experience taught me that orthodox (right-handed) fighters often struggle against southpaws due to the unfamiliar angles and constant battle for positional dominance. This led me to focus on mastering southpaw striking, eventually developing power in my left hand to create a balanced and unpredictable attack.

Kinetic Striking revolves around a core principle: right-handed practitioners should train primarily in a southpaw stance, which I call the Power Stance. This approach accelerates the learning curve for striking, as students use their most coordinated and strongest side (the right hand and leg) to deliver techniques. The southpaw stance also provides a tactical advantage against orthodox opponents, allowing practitioners to exploit angles, control positioning, and disrupt their opponent’s rhythm.

In practice, Kinetic Striking is not about standing toe-to-toe and trading blows like a traditional striker. Instead, strikes are used strategically to manage distance, create openings, and set up Jiu-Jitsu techniques. Whether in mutual combat or self-defense scenarios, the goal is to use the nine body weapons to control the engagement, close the distance, and execute takedowns or throws. Once the fight transitions to the ground, the practitioner’s Jiu-Jitsu skills take over, leveraging submissions and control techniques to dominate the opponent.

By training in the Power Stance, students learn to use both outside and inside angles to deliver precise strikes while maintaining mobility for seamless transitions into grappling. For example, a well-timed jab or low kick can disrupt an opponent’s balance, creating opportunities to close the distance for a clinch or takedowns. This integration ensures that Kinetic Striking enhances Jiu-Jitsu’s effectiveness without compromising its core philosophy of efficiency and control.

Kinetic Striking equips Jiu-Jitsu practitioners with a dynamic skill set, blending the precision of striking with the technical dominance of grappling. It empowers students to dictate the terms of engagement, whether standing or on the ground, making them more versatile and confident in any combat situation.