Basic Jiu Jitsu Curriculum – Lesson 13a – The Offensive Pisao Kick

Standing Move Of The Day: The Pisao Kick - Everyone needs to know the standup side of jiu jitsu. Now we are going to learn a tool that has long track record of proven success in fights. It is a technique that has been successfully used in challenge matches by old school jiu jitsu fighters, used with a ton of success by fighters like Rickson Gracie and Royce Gracie, it was Bruce Lee’s favorite move and now it’s still being successfully used in the UFC by people like Jon Jones. In jiu jitsu it is called the pisao kick (“big step”). This technique serves many purposes. You can use this kick to damage your opponent at long range, you can use it to keep the distance through the threat of damage, to distract your opponent, to close the distance to get a clinch and disrupt their punches. It is a great way to reduce the striking threat from an opponent.

Position - Just put your foot on ops knee and put your weight on it, see if he can punch. (He can't! If he cannot put weight on his front knee he cannot punch). Then just lean your weight forward and follow into a clinch. There are two versions of this kick – the offensive pisao and the defensive pisao. The offensive pisao is used to CLOSE the distance, the defensive pisao is used to KEEP the distance.

Pisao Kick Drill 1: Offensive Pisao – Closing The Distance– Hold a target same height as knee and forward with knee. From two arm length distance, Lift, hop, land, stomp and CLINCH: Move the length of one arm’s length so you land 1 arm length away. Front foot light, weight on the back foot, and STOMP HEAVY ON THE KNEE - CHOP HIS KNEE OFF. Disrupt his punching stance AS YOU COME IN. Hands come up to meat helmet once in danger zone. THE OFFENSIVE PISAO KILLS HIS STRIKE POTENTIAL - ALL WEIGHT PRESSES HIS KNEE BACK. Distract as you come in with POWER. If you rush without the kick, he can still be in a good stance to hit.