Sylvain Galibert - Principles and concepts for Martial Arts: Principles of Martial Arts for Judo, BJJ, Wrestling, Sambo and other grappling arts (Knowledge for Martial Arts Book 1)

Its a good question and I guess the answer depends on who you are and what you are looking for. If you have been around grappling for any length of time, you have no doubt encountered many of the principles found in this book, if not all.

I didnt start because I thought I was such an awesome grappler that I had to share my mastery with the world or some such thing. I was making a list of the general principles trying to gain an edge, and somewhere along the way, I realized this ought to be a book for easy reference, one place where most of the key principles would be listed and easily checked as a reminder.

Over the years, I have read a number of grapplers autobiographies, and there seems to be a common trend between all elite grapplers: they THINK and FIND SOLUTIONS. Its not just rote repetition. Here is a great quote from Masahiko Kimura, My Judo:

The final started. Ishikawa 5th dan grabbed my back lapel with his right hand. He then pulled down his right elbow. I cut this grip by force. Next moment, I grabbed his left sleeve with my right hand, dropped my hip and initiated Ippon-seoi. Ishikawa had anticipated this move, and had already bent his right knee. He hopped to my right side and evaded my Ippon-seoi. But I watched how he hopped in this moment. The next attack method flashed in my head. He kept the hold of my back lapel. I attempted Ippon-seoi again, but this time, I stepped in less than last time. He hopped again to evade the Ippon-seoi. However, my right palm had been pressed on his right knee cap at the moment his total body weight got loaded onto his right leg. Using the rightward momentum he generated when he hopped to the right, I rolled him in the forward-rightward direction. I scored Ippon at 42 sec mark.

[ Masahiko Kimura showing his modified technique. Notice the left hand blocking the knee.]

Kimura identified a problem, the opponent jumping over his Seoi Nage, and realized that because his opponent had successfully avoided his first attack in this way, he was likely to attempt the same escape again. This gave him the timing: he had a way to predict exactly how and when his opponent would move, as well as his position. When Kimura attacked again, he was ready for Ishikawas escape and caught him with a modified technique.

A technique he never learned or practiced before, but because he knew the principles of balance, momentum and blocking, he was able to come up with a solution and win decisively.

[Kimura was an undefeated world Judo champion for many years. He is one of the legends of Judo. ]

This doesnt always happen on the fly, as it did for Kimura. Often, you end up going back home thinking, You know, I think I could have done something in X or Y position. Most people forget about it over a couple beers. Champions work it out and use it to their advantage the next time.

Listen to Bas Rutten talk about how he developed his grappling game. He would think about issues for days, and try out different solutions. Hed wake up in the middle of the night with a solution and drill with his girlfriend as he couldnt wait for the next day. Anything that worked against him in one fight would be suicide in the next because by then he would have a solution and you would pay for it.