Concepts for applying techniques against a resisting opponent

A fully resisting opponent will not simply "give you" the technique. Against a resisting opponent, the process of applying a technique can become sloppy and languishing, and the window for hitting a clean, "textbook" execution generally grows smaller with better competition. Some techniques lend themselves to a certain way better than others.


Apply the technique incrementally. Maybe you start off from some "approximation", and then incrementally improve on it until you reach the "optimal" output of your technique; or, you deliberately execute some steps of the technique slower/faster than the other steps.

• When judokas hit an ouchi gari, uchi mata, or an osoto gari, they very rarely get it "clean" on the first execution. Instead, they hook the foot from afar, and "hop" into a better position, eventually bringing the opponent down. 
• Those guard passes associated with being "heavy" or "pressure-based" are often not executed smoothly with an even tempo throughout, because...
• You do not want to jump the gun on moving into side control/mount/etc while your opponent is still squirming
• While the pass may be indeed unstoppable once the pass is established, the pass can often be completely thwarted if you deny the passer from establishing the pass in the first place 
• Take the side smash pass as an example: while there truly is no way out once the side smash is established, the guarder actually has some room to get up and scoot back before the shoulders get flattened.
• The knee cut is not often associated with being "heavy", but is also an example of a pass often done slowly and incrementally. When the knee-cut pass is applied, very rarely is it one smooth "slide" from Headquarters to side control. Most often, the characteristic "cut" is applied quickly, and then after getting the "cut", the passer often spends an extended amount of time to establish positional dominance- making sure that the guarder cannot stick in the knee shield, keeping the guarder's both shoulders stapled to the mat, etc.
• This style of guard passing is not for the impatient; slowly but surely bulldozing a fully resisting opponent takes time.
• When it comes to inverted attacks, such as berimbolo or kiss of the dragon, there is often a noticeable pause between getting into the inverted position and actually maneuvering to the back.
• When applying submissions from guard or against an opponent in guard, you need to put in more effort from your end to break down the opponent's posture or structure. You bet that a fully resisting opponent will not be broken down in one fell swoop.
• Very rarely can you lock up the triangle choke from bottom and settle into the optimal angle all at once. Often, you first lock up your legs in the characteristic triangle shape, hold position as your opponent tries to struggle out of it, then you scoot into a better angle, which in itself may take a few wiggles, and only after that can you actually deliver the final squeeze.   
• When an omo-plata is attempted, a considerable amount of time is spent on securing the arm and keeping the opponent still (i.e. making sure the opponent cannot roll out or frame up and hip switch into you) before the shoulder is actually cranked.
• Ditto for such chokes as guillotine from guard, clock choke (turtle is not quite a "guard" but still), even D'Arce choke.
• An exception could be made for something like the toe hold against DLR or RDLR; those are pretty sneaky.
• With increasing levels in skill, it becomes that much harder to submit the opponent without establishing a dominant position first.
• Most guard sweeps are not a clean-and-jerk affair because opponents will be struggling not to get swept every step of the way.

Work with an approximation or a variant. This is subtly different from "apply the technique incrementally". The same technique can often be done with slightly different grips, mechanisms, etc. Just because you don't have your most preferred setup, it should not mean that it is the end of the world for you.

• Can't quite get the angle you need on the triangle? Yes, you are going to neck crank territory a bit, but pull down on their head.
• The butterfly sweep can be done with many different grips and forms.
• Ditto for most takedowns/throws, and takedown/throw defences.
• This is a major pitfall if you want to cross-train judo: the training/practice versions, intended for isolating and drilling certain mechanisms, are not the actual battle-effective versions of the technique.
• The single-leg, for example, presents 3 different scenarios depending on whether the opponent's leg is in front of you, between your legs, and behind you; furthermore, depending on how your opponent is responding, you get a couple different scenarios off of that alone: stuck under a sprawl, opponent kneels with you and gets a whizzer, opponent tries funk roll, etc. You need to know how to handle all of such scenarios for a complete single leg game.
• Ditto for something like the "triangle armbar". It is an armbar variant intended for chaining with the triangle choke if you cannot quite get the tap for whatever reason.

Cease the window. Maybe you can jump on the split-second weakness that your opponent is showing in order to catch them. Often, you will have "set up" your technique in some way, amounting to creating the window yourself in the first place; if you can pounce on a good opponent and catch them out of nowhere, maybe you are World Champ material, eh? To cease the window effectively, you need such practice with the technique that you never pause to "recall" a step, or hesitate in any way.

• Unlike launching submissions from guard or against an opponent in guard, when launching submissions from a dominant position, exerting effort to break down the opponent becomes less of a factor, and speed does.
• Because the submission grips can be established so quickly and easily, you can "set up" a submission by feinting a different submission.
• If striking is permitted, ground-and-pound also works wonders to distract your opponent from thinking about grappling threats, period. Marinate with some punches or elbows, preoccupy their thoughts with immediate striking threats, and grab that armbar!
• Ditto for chokes from rear mount. While the defender's two hands can certainly be tied up, it will not be for long since the offender also only has two hands to work with. When the attacker goes for the choke, the attacker has one hand to fight the defender's two hands. Even if the defender's hands were crossed in front in an "X" position, there is an inherent strength disadvantage in favour of the defender, so the attacker must cease the (rather) little window of opportunity to sink in the choke.
• Apart from foot sweeps and trips, most takedowns or throws are like this. You simply cannot "inch" your way in; if you think you can nail the technique within the next few split seconds, you GO GO GO.
• In particular, moves where you end up on your knee (arm throw while kneeling, fireman's carry, single leg/high crotch/double leg without snatching) have some pretty elaborate counter and counter-counter scenarios (sprawling does not even begin to cover it), and in spite of how "easy" the move itself may be to pull off, you need a lot of study before you can use such moves in a match.
• Unless a guard sweep lands you directly into a dominant position, you will need to fight to get on top. While your opponent is stunned from the impact for that split second, cease the occasion.
• The best opportunity to escape from a dominant position or a submission is when your opponent has not quite fully stabilized the position. While everything is still a little loose, hit the eject button.
• Escaping from a fully locked-on dominant position or a submission becomes increasingly impossible against higher and higher level competition. Furthermore, higher level fighters can cease the window AND nail the technique within miliseconds.