“In the case of a standing arm bar there is no stationary point to use as a fulcrum, so you need to apply two separate forces to make it work (pull up on the wrist, and push down just above the elbow). When it comes to the juji gatame, there are at least three distinct applied forces at play: pulling back on the arm at the wrist, pushing your opponent’s shoulders down on the mat by extending your legs, and extending your hips upward to raise the fulcrum at the same time. In order to keep all this straight in our heads with so much going on, we need to break it down into pieces. Every point of contact you have with your opponent has a purpose. When you are training a technique that uses leverage in one form or another, go through each point of contact with your opponent and ask yourself if this is meant to be a firm (possibly moving) fulcrum, an applied force, or a preventive measure against an escape or counterattack. Even the most complicated techniques boil down to basic components.”