Asking friends and family to watch you compete can be quite the endeavor. Some people out right avoid it. Maybe the concern is how you perform, but most people know the situation when it comes to BJJ competition. We’ve all been there before....

by Todd M. Shaffer, September 25, 2018   One of the leading young gun black belt competitors out there today is Matheus Gonzaga.  At just 23 years old, he is fast making moves on the competition scene and is definitely an up and...

Training in the gi is an important part of everyone’s BJJ voyage. The gi teaches us about control, positioning, how to apply pressure, as well as a whole host of other concepts. I spent a lot of years training exclusively in the gi...

You're never too old to start again. Being a 56 year old woman and writing about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is something I never envisioned myself doing when I was younger. Yet here I am doing that exact thing. I’ve always been interested in...

Danaher Transcends Mere Techniques in Instructional Material What differentiates John Danaher as an instructor from rest? This question has fascinated me in recent years due to the huge success of his students. Although there are limited videos of Danaher’s unique instructional ability, the...

Hamstrings, they are easy to injure if you are new to athletics, older and getting back into training, or even a young kid still growing. The hamstring injury, whether it is a strain or a tear, can affect all of us at some...

Mistakes are healthy.  Not trying again is not. Have you ever walked on a tight rope? If you stay in one place and worry about every facet of your balance, chances are you are going to fall. If you step right on and...

Advice for Big Boned BJJ Just starting out in Brazilian jiu jitsu can be hard for anyone. Putting your body under a new form of stress, getting to know new people, remembering techniques, and maybe even just walking through the door!  It can...

Guard Passing Has Become A BJJ Rarity The natural evolution of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu appears to favor guard advancement more so than passing. This may be attributed to, in part, by recent innovations in the leg-lock territory which has drastically expanded the potential...

ADCC Vet Shares Aggressive Closed Guard This past week, Tom DeBlass was in the BJJ Fanatics studio filming his upcoming release which is going to change the way you look at the No Gi closed guard.  Best known for his half guard and...

10X World Champ Is Coming to BJJ Fanatics! Bruno Malfacine is one of the most decorated jiu-jitsu competitors of all time. He’ s a 10-time world champion. Yes, 10 times. With all titles being won in the same weight category, Bruno has been...

Olympic Gold Medalist to Share Wrestling with Fanatics Henry Cejudo recently defeated Demetrious Johnson at UFC 227. The fight was definitely not a one-sided affair, with both combatants showing tremendous heart and skill, but Cejudo came away with the hard-fought win. This was...

The King Shares ADCC Prep Plan Gordon Ryan is undeniably one of the greatest no gi grappling competitors of all time. His unwavering work ethic is second to none, and it’s well documented through all of the social media outlets. It seems, like...

Transitioning to Jiu Jitsu Can be Life Changing You have been training in another system (most likely a striking art that focuses on forms and point sparring), but you had a chance to try BJJ. Immediately you felt like a fish out of...

Are You Standing In Your Own Way? A few months back, I was rolling with a much lower ranked teammate.  Starting in my guard, he easily went to my side.  Before I knew it, he had my back and I found myself defending...