after my limited grappling experience...

do you guys remember a post a while back regarding "tips for grappling newbies"?

someone had posted that, as well as a "tips for working while under your opponent"

tips included stuff like :
-always be shrimping\
-something regarding a beach ball reference, like be a ball.
-don't lie flat on your back
etc.

recently joined a bjj school, and i noticed that one of the tips, the one being "don't like flat on your back" is actually only very partially true.

if i work hard to not keep both by shoulders on the ground, the opponent almost always get his arm around by neck for headlock, chokes, cranks...

too bad i couldn't locate the old post, any thoughts on this?

perhaps in a non submission rule, keeping my neck off the ground makes the opponent work harder to keep me pinned, but that particular "tip" lead to many tapping in bjj... me being submitted.

It's more don't stay flat on your back for a long time. Especially when striking is allowed, being at an angle allows you to move with the blows and even avoid them. Not being flat also allows you to pull them into you and off balance them towards their head, which is great for reversals. If you are flat on your back, you should make sure you have a high guard and are pushing their head into one of your thighs so you have an easier time getting an angle.