"Vegas" and "vegan" mean two entirely different things, but they're only separated by a single letter. This is the divide between doing a technique almost right and exactly right. A small adjustment can mean the difference between victory or defeat. Or in the real world, between life and death.
The guillotine choke. It's a very popular submission, and many people seem to know it. But if you look closely, many people just perform a front head lock, sit back into guard, and yank. Numerous opponents have lost to this crude method, but it doesn't make it a properly performed technique. I won't go into all of the details, but if you lean slightly in the direction of your choking arm, you will have applied a lot more efficient pressure. Arm strength will be far less necessary.
The rear choke. Here's another good example. How many times have I seen a student in class loop his arm around his training partner's neck and just squeeze? Then I show them proper positioning, how to close off both carotid sheaths, how to roll the shoulders, press with the chest, and inhale all at the same time. They're amazed at how much faster and easier their choke is. There's other details to the rear choke of course, but that should give you an idea.
Jiu-jitsu is all about efficiency. A good way to know if you're doing a technique right or not is the amount of muscular effort you use. If you're using strength, find a way to use less of it. The less strength you use, the closer you're getting to the ideal. Take for example the armbar. If you're much stronger than your opponent, you might get the armbar through sheer force. But what if you fight someone stronger than you? When rolling with people in class who are lighter, weaker, or less skilled, always spar them as if they have the weight, strength, and skills. This way you'll always focus on technique, rather than athleticism. If going for that armbar you're grasping his arm wrong, you'll need strength to finish it. But if you're grabbing in all the right places, and have put everything where it needs to be, the armbar shouldn't require much effort.
Details. Jiu-jitsu is a very technical art. There's no way around that. That's why jiu-jitsu can be practiced for an entire lifetime without becoming a bore. MMA tends to be far less technical (though I think that's slowly changing). But jiu-jitsu is all about efficiency, and in order to achieve that ideal you have to do things right, not NEARLY right. Again, it's like the difference between "laughter" and "daughter." Pay attention to the details.
