Let’s talk about the importance of good hygiene in the jiu jitsu world.  Let’s start with, what all constitutes good hygiene? First and foremost, clean training gear is a must.  Let’s just start with the basics; wash your Gi and belt after every...

Don’t be a grappling purist. It will only limit the scope of what you can learn. Neil Melanson is a perfect example of this. Some people will hear catch wrestling and immediately start arguing about how this style is the best or that...

  When you have been practicing jiu jitsu for a few years, one term begins to resonate over time with you: high percentage. Eventually, your instructor or a killer competitor teaching a seminar will mention that a particular submission is a high percentage...

When it comes to finishing the armbar, we can go pretty deep. There are many different layers of how to properly obtain, secure and finish an armbar. The methods may vary, but there are some principles that can’t be ignored if you hope...

How many times have you fallen down in your life? Now take those times and divide them into two categories- before martial arts training, and after. Is there a difference in the percentage of those falls that resulted in injury? Whether you’re slipping...

If you’ve spent any time in martial arts, I can almost guarantee that you’ve been trapped in someone else's guard before. We all know those people that seem to have arms and legs coming from every direction, and the pathway to get where...

There are a few common hand-to-hand grips in Jiu Jitsu that mostly originate from wrestling grips. The gable grip might be the most frequently seen. This grip is achieved by locking the palms of your hands together, like you would catch a firefly...

We have a tendency to view things in an all-or-nothing fashion—especially when we’re dealing with something new.   Either it’s all good or all bad. There is no in-between. A good example of this is the current craze over CBD. It’s new; it’s...

This week in California, at AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian High School, Edwin Najmi made an appearance for his alma mater as a guest speaker. Edwin spoke to the students about perseverance and following their passions, how to push through failure to achieve success and the...

One of the most exciting parts of training BJJ is finally getting to roll. Maybe your academy allowed you to roll from day one. If so, that’s cool, but some BJJ schools require that you put in a certain amount of time on...

You’ve heard the term “hitchhiker” escape. This is an incredibly effective way to free yourself from the clutches of an armbar. Unlike more preemptive escapes, the hitchhiker is pretty much a last-ditch effort to exit the armbar just before the tap or the...

The triangle has many faces. As a fundamental submission, comprehension of the triangle is a must for any BJJ toolbox. We most often learn the triangle early on, as it is normally part of any beginner curriculum at homebase BJJ academy. For me,...

Are you Old School or New School? For a beginner or an older player, these are important questions to ask, as they will inevitably form the foundation of his or her practice. But what do these terms really mean and how might your...

So you’ve finally decided to pull the trigger and start competing.   For most people there’s going to be some nerves involved. But with a little bit of extra knowledge and preparation, you’ll be able to eliminate many of the issues that come...

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) have an incredibly difficult job, that’s a given. From routine traffic stops to high-stakes confrontations, the boys and girls in blue face the possibility of injury or death constantly. This leaves me with one basic question: what can we...