Lex Fridman, world renowned robot A.I. turned popular podcaster, recently trained with MMA hall of famer Georges St-Pierre.

He recored them grappling a bit and also conducted a short intrview on the mats as well.

“Here’s a video of @GeorgesStPierre and I training & discussing jiu jitsu and MMA, including @TeamKhabib and the fight between @elonmusk and Zuck. This was fun!” (Link to post)

Lex asked GSP if he had any advice to give him about his technique. GSP had some valuable insight that I thought would aslo be good for me too.

Here is a transcript I took of GSP giving Lex some advice.

LEX: “Any advice?”

GSP: “Well, it’s actually pretty good. Standing position I think sometime you reach a little bit too much…”

GSP: “So if you reach out to me, (Lex reaches out) it’s easy for me to take a good position…”

GSP: “…or, reach out to me (Lex reaches out again), I can probably climb back on you.

GSP: “So what I would suggest is don’t reach and get closer with your feet before you seek contact with me. So don’t go here (GSP is leaning in and puts his hands on Lex’s shoulders)

GSP: “Go closer.”

They then both start doing close up hand fighting and grapple for a few minutes. Then GSP catches Lex with a head and arm choke (aka arm triangle).

I replayed back the sequence a few times because I thought it was a good critique and technique. While I was in the kitchen, I tried it on my wife because I found it so fascinating of a concept. Don’t reach. I remember hearing that back in the day for wrestling, not to reach while taking a shot for a single or double leg. But the ‘not reaching’ concept for stand-up hand fighting makes sense.

It also reminds me of how Greco Roman wrestlers approach each other when grappling stand-up. Their arms and elbows are tucked in,

I’ll be sure to give this a try at the next No Gi class I attend and see if it works.

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