Occam’s Razor and Jiu-Jitsu

The pursuit of simplicity is not merely aesthetic; it is functional. The principle of Occam’s Razor, often cited in the realms of science and logic, offers a valuable framework for your Jiu-Jitsu: when multiple techniques or strategies seem viable, the one that requires the fewest assumptions, the simplest one, is often best.

This is not an argument for oversimplification. Complexity has its place. The human body, the psychology of combat, and the dynamism of live resistance are not always reducible to a clean, elegant solution. But when a technique is needlessly elaborate, when it stacks assumption upon assumption, “They will react like this, then I’ll do that”, and it becomes a house of cards. Under pressure, such complexity rarely survives.

Instead, we aim to build systems of control and submission that rely on minimal steps, minimal timing dependencies, and maximal mechanical advantage. A simple armbar applied with precision, from a position of true control, outperforms a flashy inversion that depends on chaos. The simplicity lies not in the move itself, but in its conceptual clarity and structural reliability.

Occam’s Razor reminds us to discard ornamentation when it does not serve the goal. It asks us to investigate: Is this grip necessary? Does this transition reduce uncertainty, or add to it? Can I achieve the same outcome with fewer movements or less exposure?

But here’s the paradox: true simplicity is earned, not assumed. It is the result of stripping away the unnecessary after deep exploration. At first, the fundamentals may appear plain. Later, through adversity and refinement, they emerge as profound. This is the invisible complexity of mastery: not the accumulation of more, but the distillation into less.

In Jiu-Jitsu, as in thought, we must be wary of both extremes. A model too simple ignores the chaotic truths of reality. One too complex collapses in the scramble. Our task is to walk the line, to seek techniques and principles that are as simple as they can be, but no simpler.

In this search, clarity becomes our advantage. And clarity, more often than not, is born from simplicity.