There are two ways to answer many questions (in Jiu-Jitsu)

The first is about time.

How long does it take?

We often overcomplicate our answers. There’s a saying: ‘tell the time, don’t build the clock’. In Jiu-Jitsu, many of us are clock builders. We explain every grip, every option, every possible reaction—when only a few details actually matter.

Good Jiu-Jitsu communication is about restraint. If you’re teaching or sharing an idea, identify what is essential and put it first. Lead with the bottom line; you can get into the weeds later. Whether it’s a guard pass, an escape, or a concept, say only what needs to be said. Extra words don’t add clarity; they usually dilute it.

The second is to consider what’s relevant.

A technique doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It has to matter to the person hearing it.

For example, a beginner asks, “How do I escape side control?”

You could explain frames, hip angles, underhooks, transitions to half guard, guard recovery, and follow-ups. That’s building the clock.

Or you can tell the time.

You start with the bottom line: your first job is to survive and make space.

Everything else comes later.

So you give them two priorities:

1. Protect your neck and keep your elbows in.

2. Use your frames to create just enough space to move your hips.

Now the details have context. The student isn’t memorizing a sequence—they’re solving a problem they recognize. They’ve been stuck there, flattened, breathing hard. The message connects because it speaks directly to their experience.

As they improve, you can add layers. You can talk about timing, transitions, and counters. But early on, clarity beats completeness.

Jiu-Jitsu at its best is efficient, honest, and precise.

Say less. Say what matters.

And make sure it speaks to the moment on the mat.