Distance Creation

Distance Creation is a medium complexity BJJ principle applicable at the Fundamental level. Develop over Beginner to Advanced.

Principle ID: Application Level: Fundamental Complexity: Medium Development Timeline: Beginner to Advanced

What is Distance Creation?

Distance Creation represents the fundamental strategic principle of generating and maintaining spatial separation between vulnerable body parts and opponent’s attacking tools or controlling positions. Unlike specific escape techniques, distance creation is an overarching conceptual framework that encompasses the why, when, and how of creating space in defensive situations. This concept integrates the recognition of spatial objectives with the technical tools for achieving those objectives, the timing considerations for initiating distance creation, and the tactical decisions about how much distance is necessary for various defensive purposes. Distance creation serves as both an immediate survival mechanism that prevents submissions and crushing pressure, and a prerequisite for executing escape techniques that require movement space. The ability to create appropriate distance often determines whether a practitioner can successfully defend and escape inferior positions or becomes trapped under close-range control, making it one of the most foundational conceptual elements in defensive BJJ.

Core Components

• Recognize spatial requirements for defensive objectives before initiating distance creation
• Create distance progressively through coordinated frame and hip movement rather than single explosive efforts
• Establish frames first to prevent opponent from following and closing distance immediately
• Generate distance at optimal moments when opponent’s pressure creates temporary windows
• Preserve created distance through continued frame maintenance and positional awareness
• Adapt distance creation strategy based on immediate defensive need (submission defense vs. position improvement)
• Coordinate distance creation with escape execution to utilize created space effectively
• Recover distance immediately when opponent closes gaps through re-framing and repositioning
• Balance distance creation with maintaining connection points necessary for technical control

Component Skills

Frame Establishment: The ability to create structural barriers using arms, legs, and body positioning that prevent opponent from closing distance. Frames must be placed on opponent’s skeletal structure (hips, shoulders, head) rather than muscular areas to maximize mechanical advantage and energy efficiency.

Hip Escape Mechanics: Technical execution of shrimping movements that generate lateral and rotational distance from opponent’s control. Proper hip escape involves posting, bridging slightly to create space underneath, then scooting hips away while maintaining frame pressure to prevent opponent from following.

Bridge and Elevation: Using explosive hip extension to create vertical distance and disrupt opponent’s base. Bridging generates momentary space that can be converted to lateral distance through coordinated shrimping, or maintained through frame insertion to prevent opponent from settling back down.

Timing Recognition: Identifying optimal moments to initiate distance creation based on opponent’s weight shifts, pressure changes, and positional adjustments. Understanding when opponent is light allows for more efficient distance generation with less energy expenditure.

Progressive Distance Building: Creating distance incrementally through multiple small movements rather than attempting single large escapes. Each shrimp or frame adjustment creates a few inches of space that accumulates into sufficient distance for escape execution.

Distance Preservation: Maintaining created space through active frame maintenance, hip positioning, and defensive posture. Once distance is generated, preventing opponent from immediately reclosing requires constant pressure through frames and readiness to re-escape if distance is lost.

Selective Distance Application: Understanding which body parts need distance in specific defensive scenarios. Submission defense may require creating distance at one specific joint while maintaining proximity elsewhere, whereas positional escapes require larger gross movement space.

Energy-Efficient Movement: Utilizing mechanical advantage through proper frame angles and hip positioning to create maximum distance with minimum energy expenditure. Efficient distance creation allows for sustained defensive effort without exhaustion that leaves practitioner vulnerable.

Related Principles

• Frame Creation (Prerequisite): Effective frames must be established before distance creation can occur, as frames prevent opponent from immediately following and closing any generated space
• Hip Escape Mechanics (Complementary): Hip movement techniques provide the mechanical means to convert frame establishment into actual spatial separation from opponent’s control
• Escape Fundamentals (Extension): Distance creation serves as the foundational principle underlying all escape techniques, which require generated space for execution
• Defensive Strategy (Complementary): Distance management forms a core component of overall defensive strategy, determining when to create space versus when to maintain connection for offensive opportunities
• Energy Management System (Complementary): Efficient distance creation minimizes energy expenditure in defensive positions, preserving resources for extended defensive sequences and eventual escape execution
• Pressure Reduction (Alternative): While distance creation generates space through movement, pressure reduction focuses on diminishing opponent’s weight application through angle changes and frame positioning without necessarily creating distance
• Bridge and Shrimp (Complementary): Bridging and shrimping movements are the fundamental mechanical techniques that enable distance creation through coordinated hip elevation and lateral movement
• Space Management (Extension): Distance creation is a specific application of broader space management principles, focusing on generating separation rather than just managing existing spatial relationships
• Guard Recovery (Extension): Guard recovery techniques rely on distance creation principles to generate the space necessary for reinserting legs and recovering defensive position

Application Contexts

Mount: Creating distance from mount involves establishing frames on hips and head to prevent chest-to-chest contact, then using hip escape mechanics to generate lateral space for inserting knee shield or recovering guard. Distance must be created progressively through multiple small shrimps rather than single large movements.

Side Control: Distance creation from side control requires framing on hip and near shoulder to create initial separation, then coordinating hip escape with frame pressure to generate enough space for inserting knee shield. The concept emphasizes creating distance incrementally while preventing opponent from transitioning to mount or knee on belly.

Back Control: From back control, distance creation focuses on creating space between opponent’s chest and defender’s back through hip movement and hand fighting. Rather than creating maximum distance, the objective is generating enough space to prevent choking grips while maintaining defensive hand positioning.

Knee on Belly: Distance from knee on belly combines bridging to temporarily elevate opponent’s weight with immediate shrimping to create lateral space. The concept requires recognizing that opponent’s pressure creates the window for distance generation, using their weight shift to facilitate movement.

North-South: Creating distance from north-south involves establishing frames on opponent’s hips while using hip movement to rotate body perpendicular to opponent. Distance creation here emphasizes rotational rather than linear space generation to facilitate recovery to defensive position.

Closed Guard: While in bottom closed guard, distance creation manifests as creating space for offensive techniques rather than escape. Breaking opponent’s posture and creating distance for attacks like triangles or armbars requires understanding optimal distance for specific submissions.

Half Guard: Distance in half guard involves creating space from opponent’s crossface and underhook pressure to facilitate recovery to full guard or sweep opportunities. The concept requires selective distance creation that maintains leg entanglement while generating upper body space for frames and underhooks.

Kesa Gatame: Escaping kesa gatame requires creating distance by bridging into opponent to create space underneath, then shrimping hips away while establishing frames. The concept emphasizes that distance must be created before attempting to extract trapped arm, as insufficient space makes arm recovery impossible.

Technical Mount: From technical mount, distance creation focuses on preventing opponent from transitioning to full mount while creating space to recover guard. This requires establishing frames on hips and using the posted leg as additional distance-creating tool through hip escape movements.

Turtle: In turtle, distance creation involves preventing opponent from flattening while maintaining enough space to facilitate return to guard. Rather than creating maximum distance, the concept emphasizes maintaining defensive spacing that prevents back takes while preserving mobility for guard recovery.

Scarf Hold Position: Creating distance from scarf hold requires bridging into opponent’s weight to create momentary space, then immediately shrimping to generate lateral distance for arm extraction. The concept stresses timing distance creation with opponent’s weight shifts for maximum efficiency.

S Mount: From S-mount, distance creation must focus on the immediate submission threat by creating space at the trapped arm while using the free arm to establish frames. Understanding that S-mount distance creation prioritizes submission defense over positional improvement until immediate danger is addressed.

High Mount: Creating distance from high mount requires establishing frames higher on opponent’s body, often on chest and head, while using bridging and hip escape to generate space. The elevated position of opponent’s hips makes lateral shrimping more effective than from standard mount.

Modified Scarf Hold: Distance creation from modified scarf hold involves using the free leg to create pushing leverage against opponent while bridging and shrimping to generate escape space. The partial freedom of one leg provides additional tools for distance generation compared to full scarf hold.

Mounted Triangle: Creating distance from mounted triangle requires understanding that space must be created at the trapped arm while preventing opponent from closing the triangle. This selective distance application focuses on the submission threat rather than general positional escape.

Decision Framework

1. Assess immediate defensive priority: Determine whether immediate threat is submission (requiring targeted distance at specific joint) or positional pressure (requiring gross movement space). Submission threats demand immediate local distance creation, while positional escapes allow for progressive distance building.
2. Identify optimal frame placement points: Locate skeletal structures (hips, shoulders, head, knees) on opponent’s body where frames can be established with maximum mechanical advantage. Avoid placing frames on muscular areas or joints that allow opponent to easily collapse frames.
3. Establish initial frames before movement: Create structural barriers that will prevent opponent from immediately following when distance is generated. Frames must be set with proper angle and extension before initiating hip movement to ensure created space is preserved.
4. Wait for optimal timing window: Recognize moments when opponent’s weight shifts or pressure decreases, creating opportunities for energy-efficient distance creation. Attempting distance generation against full pressure wastes energy and often fails to create sufficient space.
5. Execute progressive distance generation: Create distance through coordinated frame pressure and hip escape movements, building space incrementally through multiple small adjustments. Each movement should create 2-4 inches of space that accumulates into sufficient distance for next defensive objective.
6. Preserve created distance through active maintenance: Maintain constant frame pressure and defensive positioning to prevent opponent from immediately reclosing generated space. Distance preservation requires as much technical attention as distance creation itself.
7. Convert distance into defensive improvement: Utilize created space to execute specific escape technique, insert defensive barriers (knee shield, frames), or improve position. Distance creation without conversion wastes the generated space and energy expended to create it.
8. Prepare for distance recovery if lost: Remain ready to immediately re-establish frames and regenerate distance if opponent successfully closes space. Distance creation in defensive positions is rarely single-execution but rather continuous battle requiring constant readjustment.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Attempting to create distance without first establishing frames
  • Consequence: Opponent immediately follows hip movement and closes any generated space, wasting energy and failing to improve defensive position
  • Correction: Always establish structural frames on opponent’s skeletal landmarks before initiating hip escape movements. Frames create the barrier preventing opponent from following as distance is generated.
• Mistake: Creating distance against full pressure instead of waiting for weight shifts
  • Consequence: Massive energy expenditure with minimal distance generation, leading to exhaustion and eventual submission or positional consolidation by opponent
  • Correction: Develop patience to recognize when opponent is light or shifting weight, creating windows for efficient distance generation. Small movements during optimal timing create more distance than explosive efforts against full pressure.
• Mistake: Attempting single large explosive escape instead of progressive distance building
  • Consequence: Telegraphed movements allow opponent to anticipate and counter, while all-or-nothing approach leaves no backup options if initial escape fails
  • Correction: Build distance incrementally through multiple small hip escapes and frame adjustments. Progressive approach is harder to counter, conserves energy, and provides multiple opportunities to adjust if opponent defends.
• Mistake: Creating maximum distance instead of functional distance for specific defensive need
  • Consequence: Wasted energy creating more space than necessary, or creating distance in wrong areas while leaving vulnerable areas under close control
  • Correction: Understand how much distance is required for specific defensive objective. Submission defense may require only inches of space at threatened joint, while guard recovery requires larger gross movement distance.
• Mistake: Failing to maintain distance after creation
  • Consequence: Opponent immediately recloses space, negating all energy and effort spent creating distance and often resulting in worse position than before escape attempt
  • Correction: Distance preservation requires constant frame pressure and defensive awareness. After generating space, immediately insert defensive barriers (frames, knee shield) to prevent opponent from closing distance.
• Mistake: Placing frames on muscular areas or unstable points
  • Consequence: Frames collapse under pressure or opponent easily moves around ineffective frame placement, failing to prevent space closure
  • Correction: Frame against opponent’s skeletal structure (hip bones, shoulders, head) where mechanical advantage is maximized and opponent cannot easily collapse or circumvent frame pressure.
• Mistake: Creating distance without converting to defensive improvement
  • Consequence: Generated space is wasted as opponent simply maintains position at new distance without defender gaining any actual defensive advantage
  • Correction: Distance creation must be immediately followed by insertion of defensive tools (knee shield, guard recovery, submission defense) that convert space into actual positional improvement.

Training Methods

Progressive Resistance Distance Drills (Focus: Developing efficient distance creation mechanics under progressively realistic pressure levels while maintaining proper frame placement and hip escape technique) Partner provides increasing levels of pressure while practitioner focuses on creating distance through proper frame and hip mechanics. Begin with compliant pressure and gradually increase resistance as mechanics improve.

Position-Specific Distance Cycles (Focus: Understanding how much distance is required for different defensive objectives and developing ability to generate precise amounts of space rather than random escape attempts) From consolidated inferior position (mount, side control, knee on belly), practitioner works to create specific amounts of distance (2 inches, 6 inches, full guard recovery) while partner actively works to maintain close control.

Timing Recognition Flow Rolling (Focus: Developing sensitivity to pressure changes and weight distribution that indicate optimal timing for energy-efficient distance generation) Flow rolling where practitioner focuses exclusively on recognizing optimal windows for distance creation based on partner’s weight shifts and pressure changes, verbally calling out opportunities before executing.

Distance Maintenance Challenge (Focus: Building understanding that distance preservation is equally important as distance creation, requiring constant frame pressure and defensive awareness) After creating specified amount of distance from inferior position, practitioner must maintain that space for set time period while partner works to reclose. Emphasis on frame maintenance and defensive positioning rather than additional escape.

Incremental Distance Building (Focus: Developing progressive approach to distance creation rather than explosive all-or-nothing attempts, building patience and incremental improvement mentality) From fully consolidated inferior position, practitioner must create distance through ten separate small movements rather than attempting immediate escape. Each movement creates 1-2 inches, building to full escape distance.

Submission Defense Distance Work (Focus: Understanding selective distance application where specific body parts need space while others maintain connection or proximity for positional reasons) Partner establishes submission setups (armbar, triangle, kimura) and practitioner focuses on creating minimal necessary distance to prevent finish while maintaining overall position. Emphasis on targeted distance rather than gross escape.

Mastery Indicators

Beginner Level:

• Recognizes need for distance when under heavy pressure but struggles with timing and execution mechanics
• Creates distance through explosive, inefficient movements that waste energy and telegraph intentions to opponent
• Establishes frames inconsistently and often on muscular areas rather than skeletal structures, leading to frame collapse
• Fails to maintain created distance, allowing opponent to immediately reclose space and negate escape efforts
• Creates random amounts of distance without understanding specific spatial requirements for different defensive objectives

Intermediate Level:

• Consistently establishes frames on proper skeletal landmarks before initiating distance creation movements
• Creates distance progressively through multiple small adjustments rather than single explosive attempts
• Recognizes some timing windows based on opponent’s pressure changes but still occasionally forces distance creation against full weight
• Maintains created distance through active frame pressure but may lose space if opponent counters aggressively
• Understands different distance requirements for submission defense versus positional improvement and adjusts approach accordingly
• Converts created distance into defensive improvements (knee shield insertion, guard recovery) with moderate consistency

Advanced Level:

• Demonstrates precise timing recognition, initiating distance creation during optimal windows when opponent is light or shifting weight
• Builds distance incrementally with high efficiency, creating maximum space with minimal energy expenditure through superior mechanics
• Maintains created distance even against aggressive opponent attempts to reclose, through superior frame maintenance and defensive positioning
• Selectively creates functional distance appropriate for specific defensive objective rather than attempting maximum separation in all scenarios
• Seamlessly converts created distance into specific defensive improvements without wasting generated space
• Immediately recognizes and recovers distance if opponent successfully closes space, demonstrating continuous defensive adjustment

Expert Level:

• Creates distance preemptively before opponent can fully consolidate heavy pressure, demonstrating superior positional awareness
• Manipulates opponent into creating distance-generation windows through subtle defensive adjustments and frame positioning
• Maintains optimal distance in all defensive situations through constant micro-adjustments requiring minimal energy
• Teaches distance creation principles clearly to others, breaking down complex concept into learnable components
• Integrates distance creation seamlessly with all defensive techniques, making spatial management appear effortless
• Demonstrates understanding of distance creation across all positions and against all opponent pressure types with consistent success

Related Content

• Frame Creation (Principle) - Prerequisite skill for preventing opponent from following during distance generation
• Hip Escape Mechanics (Principle) - Core mechanical technique for converting frame establishment into actual spatial separation
• Bridge and Shrimp (Principle) - Fundamental movement patterns that enable distance creation through hip elevation and lateral movement
• Escape Fundamentals (Principle) - Overarching framework where distance creation serves as foundational principle for all escape techniques
• Mount (Position) - Primary inferior position where distance creation is essential for escape execution
• Side Control (Position) - Common control position requiring progressive distance building for successful escape
• Back Control (Position) - Dangerous position where selective distance creation at upper body is critical for submission defense
• Knee on Belly (Position) - Pressure position where timing-based distance creation is highly effective due to opponent’s elevated base
• Hip Escape (Transition) - Primary mechanical technique for generating lateral distance from opponent’s control
• Elbow Escape (Transition) - Specific escape technique from mount that exemplifies progressive distance creation principles
• Shrimp Escape (Transition) - Fundamental movement incorporating distance creation through coordinated frame and hip mechanics
• Energy Management System (Principle) - Efficiency framework where proper distance creation mechanics minimize defensive energy expenditure

Expert Insights

• John Danaher: Distance creation represents the foundational principle underlying all defensive technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What separates effective defensive players from those who get crushed is not superior strength or athleticism, but rather superior understanding of spatial requirements for defensive objectives. I teach what I term ‘spatial hierarchy’ where practitioners must recognize that different defensive objectives require different amounts and types of distance. Submission defense may require only two inches of space at a specific joint to prevent finishing mechanics, while positional escape might require six to twelve inches of gross movement space for hip insertion or guard recovery. The critical error most practitioners make is attempting to create maximum distance in all scenarios, wasting enormous energy creating space they don’t need while failing to create necessary distance where it matters most. Distance creation must be systematized into clear phases: first, establish frames that will prevent opponent from following when distance is generated. Second, recognize optimal timing windows when opponent’s weight shifts or pressure decreases. Third, create initial separation through coordinated frame pressure and hip escape mechanics. Fourth, maintain created distance through active frame maintenance and defensive positioning. Finally, convert generated space into actual defensive improvement through technique execution. Every escape technique in our curriculum begins with creating adequate space for that technique’s execution—attempting techniques without first generating necessary distance is the primary cause of defensive failure.
• Gordon Ryan: In high-level competition, distance management is a continuous battle that separates elite defensive players from those who get dominated in inferior positions. What I’ve learned through thousands of matches is that distance creation must be aggressive and proactive rather than reactive. By the time you feel completely crushed and can’t move, you’ve already lost the distance battle—elite opponents will never give you opportunities to create space once they’ve consolidated heavy pressure. The key is what I call ‘preemptive distancing’ where you’re constantly creating and maintaining space before opponent can settle their full weight and eliminate your movement opportunities. This requires understanding that small distances created early are worth far more than large distances attempted late. When I’m in bottom positions, I’m thinking about distance in every moment—not just when I decide to escape, but continuously maintaining optimal defensive spacing that prevents opponent from consolidating while preserving my energy. The other critical competitive insight is recognizing when to abandon distance creation attempts in one area to focus on more critical areas. If opponent is threatening an armbar, creating distance at my shoulder or hip means nothing—I need distance at my elbow joint. This selective application of distance creation, focusing efforts where they provide actual defensive value rather than creating random space, is what allows me to defend effectively against world-class attacks while conserving energy for eventual escapes and reversals.
• Eddie Bravo: The conventional approach to distance creation emphasizes maximum separation as always optimal, but our system has developed more nuanced understanding of distance management that sometimes challenges this assumption. What we’ve discovered, particularly in positions like lockdown half guard, is that creating too much distance can actually eliminate offensive opportunities while not providing significant additional defensive benefit. I teach ‘functional distance’ where the objective is creating enough space for specific technical applications rather than maximum separation. Sometimes maintaining close-range connection while controlling opponent’s posture and preventing their most dangerous attacks is superior strategy to creating large distance that allows opponent to disengage and reset to more advantageous positions. That said, distance creation remains absolutely fundamental for defensive survival, particularly in traditional inferior positions like mount and side control. Where our approach differs is in the execution mechanics—we emphasize creating distance through unconventional angles and movements that opponents don’t typically expect or defend. The electric chair position, for example, creates distance through a completely different mechanical pathway than traditional hip escapes, using leg entanglement and torso rotation rather than just shrimping movements. This diversity in distance creation methods makes our defensive game less predictable and harder to shut down, as opponents who’ve trained to prevent traditional shrimping distance creation often struggle against alternative spatial management approaches. The key insight is that distance creation is concept, not single technique—understanding the principle allows you to create space through whatever mechanical means are available in specific positions.