Attack or Self Defence & Counter Attack via Master Pedro Sauer

When you're on the bottom in a precarious situation, it's important you know how to move from being a Doer to being a receiver instead. As a receiver you are tuned in to what your opponent is doing, and your focus is to find Safety!
This is what it means to do jiu jitsu for self defence. Sure they're techniques but it's also a philosophy of combat.
Rather than trying to attack and dictate the situation from the bottom and getting counter attacked, let your partner make the move first, so that you're the one in the position for the counter attack.
When you trick your partner into moving first, it's like you're in Vegas at the poker table, and all the players are showing you their hand, and it's your choice to pick and choose which one you'd like to play against.
This is the mentality needed for a smaller, weaker person to stay safe, and eventually overcome a bigger, stronger person, and this is the essence of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

[@mattmarkey7949]

I've learned so much from Pedro over the years. This is super valuable information if you actually take to to heart and use it! If someone has me in a super solid mount I don't try to escape the mount, I escape in the middle of their armbar. I already know in advance that they will try to armbar because I push on their chest to make it irresistible. Combined with good breathing/calmness, this premeditated counter attacking style is the pinnacle of jiu jitsu.