One of the most frustrating parts of training Jiu Jitsu is when something happens that forces you to take time off.  There are only a few things that truly “force” you to take time off, while some people use other things as...

When we start training we want to make sure we are doing everything by the book.  Learning all of the right techniques and executing them with flawless detail (white belt level flawless, let’s not be too critical).  It’s important to build a foundation...

Ashi garami, aka single leg X, is a position that has gotten very popular over the last few years due to its effectiveness in sweeping and acquiring submissions from, especially leg locks.  Before its use as a position to attack the legs with,...

There are only a few submissions used by grapplers that are considered impossible to defend. Sure, every submission can be defended, but comparing the difficulty of defending an armbar from closed guard with a fully locked rear naked choke proves that there is...

Whether you have been training for a long time, just started or are currently thinking about taking up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it is likely you experienced a bit of “sticker shock” when you first researched how much a monthly membership at a local...

The guard is easily one of the most important positions in Jiu-Jitsu. The name implies defense, but anyone that has become crafty off of their back know how offensive it can be. So why train your guard? One way or the other if...

Neil Melanson and Ricky Lundell discuss Why BJJ Practitioners Should Consider Adding Wrestling to their Training using the Principles in the Snap Guard DVD. Ricky Lundell: Neil, Why did you add wrestling to your BJJ training? Neil Melanson: I gravitated to wrestling because...

  The D’arce choke is a big player in the no gi realm. A close relative of many other forms of strangulation, the D’arce is applied just a bit differently, with the choking arm entering at the armpit instead of the neck area. ...

  Live rolling is one of those elements that make Jiu Jitsu unique among the martial arts.  It gives us an opportunity to put our skills to work in a setting that is more realistic than when we simply drill. But what do...

One of the weirdest positions that grappler can use in Jiu Jitsu is the butterfly guard. This position is often weird for both the guard player and guard passer. Although the butterfly guard has been around for a long time, not many of...

Reverse de la riva is a common guard use in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, especially in the no-gi format, where open guards are not as effective as they would be in the gi. The name reverse de la riva comes from the fact that...

Yeah, another article about the berimbolo. Instead of talking about whether the berimbolo works or not, I want to discuss an option you can use from open guard that is related to the berimbolo that any grappler of any size or skill level...

An element of Jiu Jitsu that keeps most students attending day after day is the development and practice of new techniques. If you watch high level Jiu Jitsu matches from the nineties and early two thousand, you will see a lot of closed...

New students approach Jiu Jitsu in many different ways. Some students quickly become obsessed with Jiu Jitsu and attend every class possible and try to roll with everyone. Other students are more inhibited and even fearful and need motivation and support from existing...

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of being stuck in a good lockdown, you know it can be an arduous task to dismantle the position and get free. What’s worse, is someone who’s actually well versed in the systems of the lockdown. There...