Craig Jones Riding Control System

Control System Intermediate difficulty

What is Craig Jones Riding Control System?

The Craig Jones Riding Control System is a BJJGraph study guide for developing top control through connected rides and pins, with Power Ride as its instructional companion.

Craig Jones teaches a riding approach in Power Ride: A New Philosophy on Pinning. Its published syllabus connects lower-body control, upper-body tools, turtle work and submission entries. It is a specific fit for the problem of passing guard and then losing the opponent during their next movement.

The sequence below is BJJGraph’s suggested practice plan, not a transcript of the course or an official Craig Jones curriculum. Choose a familiar position, investigate where control is lost, and test one adjustment with a partner. Learning to retain top position can be useful even when no submission appears. A coach can help select controls appropriate to the pair and connect the material to their existing game.

Study this system with BJJ Fanatics

Explore a relevant instructional alongside this guide. Check the syllabus and sample on BJJ Fanatics to decide whether it suits your training.

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Power Ride: A New Philosophy on Pinning

with Craig Jones

Who it suits: No-gi players who pass guard but struggle to keep a mobile opponent down; this is a control course, not a complete passing curriculum.

Connects leg rides, upper-body controls and turtle breakdowns to submission opportunities.

View course & syllabus on BJJ Fanatics →

Core Principles

• Give each practice round a concrete control objective that both partners understand.
• Notice which connection is lost before adding another grip or changing position.
• Treat a recovered guard or successful stand-up as feedback about the preceding transition.
• Keep a stable base while testing a new control; more pressure cannot replace balance.
• Add submission entries only after partners can practise the underlying position reliably.
• Distinguish holding someone down from meeting the scoring requirements of a particular match.

Key Components

Starting-position selection (Create a repeatable problem instead of testing every possible ride at once.) Choose one familiar top position and record how the bottom partner usually begins to escape.

Connection audit (Explain a control in terms that can be checked during slow practice.) Identify the contact that prevents a comfortable turn and the contact that can be released without immediately losing balance.

Movement-response practice (Develop recognition of changing movement without prescribing a fixed sequence.) Let the bottom partner change direction within an agreed range while the top partner attempts to remain connected.

Recovery decision (Avoid interpreting every lost grip as a reason to chase a submission.) When the original pin fails, choose between a familiar adjacent position and a clean reset.

Attack readiness (Evaluate the tradeoff between control and an attacking opportunity.) Check that a chosen submission entry does not immediately surrender the position established in the previous phase.

Implementation Sequence

1. Pick one starting point: Begin from side control or another position both partners already understand. Agree the bottom partner’s escape goal and a reset condition.

2. Describe the escape: Use a cooperative round to identify when the bottom partner first gains room to turn or recover guard. Stop and name that moment.

3. Study one adjustment: Select one relevant lesson with a coach. Practise the adjustment slowly and confirm both partners understand its purpose.

4. Test a second direction: Allow a different escape direction. Check whether the adjustment transfers or whether another familiar position is a better choice.

5. Connect to an attack: Introduce one agreed submission entry only after the control task is repeatable. Release immediately on any tap or request to stop.

6. Review the tradeoff: Write down whether the attempted attack improved the situation, preserved control, or allowed an escape. Choose the next round from that result.

Where to begin in the instructional

Begin with the movement principles, then compare one leg-control lesson with an upper-body tool.

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Explore the course contents on BJJ Fanatics: Power Ride: A New Philosophy on Pinning →

What Challenges Will You Face?

• The drill turns into an unrestricted scramble.: Narrow the starting position and reset when either partner reaches the agreed endpoint.
• The top player squeezes harder as balance deteriorates.: Pause before the turnover and identify where base was lost; return to cooperative practice.
• A successful attack hides repeated positional losses.: Record control losses separately from taps so the drill still measures the intended skill.
• The bottom player gives the same reaction every repetition.: Introduce another agreed direction only after the first response is comfortable.
• The practitioner treats a study guide as full technical instruction.: Use the linked course or a coach for detailed demonstrations and use this page to organise practice.

How to Measure Your Progress

Problem recognition: Can the practitioner identify the first meaningful loss of control? Proficiency indicators:

• Names a specific lost connection
• Locates the moment before the escape completes
• Chooses a relevant adjustment to test

Control continuity: Assess whether changing grips or direction preserves a workable top position. Proficiency indicators:

• Maintains balance in cooperative practice
• Recognises when the original pin is gone
• Can select a familiar recovery position

Partner response coverage: Record which agreed escape directions have been tested. Proficiency indicators:

• Explores more than one direction
• Adjusts the drill when a new reaction appears
• Can explain the limits of the current solution

Attack decision quality: Review whether an attack was supported by the position. Proficiency indicators:

• Can delay an attack when control is weak
• Can stop safely on any partner signal
• Records escapes caused by premature attacks

How to Train This System Effectively

Drilling Approach

These are BJJGraph practice suggestions rather than course assignments. Start with cooperative movement from one familiar pin. Give the bottom partner a clear escape objective and keep the top player focused on control. Increase resistance only when both partners can stop comfortably and explain what changed. Ask a coach to review uncertain controls before adding submission attempts.

Progression Path

Identify (Focus: Describe one recurring escape and the contact lost before it.) Rehearse (Focus: Practise one selected control with cooperative movement.) Compare (Focus: Test another escape direction under the same starting conditions.) Integrate (Focus: Add one agreed attack and track whether top control survives.)

Common Mistakes

• Changing several controls at once and losing track of what helped.
• Using a tap count as the only measure of a control drill.
• Continuing through discomfort instead of resetting and asking for feedback.

Which Positions, Transitions, and Principles Connect to This System?

• Side Control (Position) - A familiar starting point for top-control practice.
• Mount (Position) - Another pin from which to investigate escape reactions.
• Turtle (Position) - A movement context relevant to maintaining contact as an opponent turns.
• Back Control (Position) - A possible control objective after a positional change.
• Body Lock (Position) - A connection to compare with other top-control choices.
• Cross Body Ride (Position) - A graph reference for exploring riding positions.
• Gift Wrap (Position) - An upper-body control reference for study.
• Base (Principle) - Balance remains necessary while changing controls.
• Connection Principles (Principle) - Provides a vocabulary for describing contact.
• Control Maintenance (Principle) - Frames the central practice objective.
• Position-Over-Submission Approach (Principle) - Helps evaluate when to delay an attack.
• Back Attack System (System) - Further study when back control becomes a consistent destination.

Take one idea into your next session

BJJGraph suggestion: start in an agreed top position and score a controlled recovery after your partner changes direction. Use no submissions initially.

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Check the sample and current price on BJJ Fanatics: Power Ride: A New Philosophy on Pinning →