There is one technique that almost every smaller skilled jiu jitsu practitioner uses when rolling with or competing against a larger, stronger practitioner: the arm drag.  This move is so powerful that it has determined the outcome of major championship matches worldwide.  Why is this technique so powerful?  What mechanism makes it so effective? Unlike […]

For us no gi grapplers, one of the things that we need are solid, great quality pair of no gi shorts. Shorts are important for no gi, just as a good gi is important for BJJ practitioners. With so many different no gi shorts on the market, it can seem like a daunting task on […]

When buying a gi, you will see many different terms thrown around. The most common term that is important to know is the term weave. It is important to know the difference between these weaves because both are functionally different. There is single weave and double weave gi’s. Then there are different weaves such as […]

There is one takedown in the grappling world that is considered the most dangerous. It is banned completely in Judo. In most BJJ tournaments it is banned as well, perhaps with the exception for some tournaments in the black belt division. That takedown is the flying scissor. The flying scissor became popular from the Russian […]

Twister side control is a dynamic way of holding the side control position, made popular by Eddie Bravo and his 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu system. Both twister side control and normal side control are great for controlling an opponent, and offer some great submissions. But with twister side control, there is a twist (pun intended). […]

Butterfly guard is a tricky guard to pass for a competitor that knows how to use it well. It offers a healthy variety of attacks, and allows the user to adapt. But, not everyone is a butterfly guard specialist when they go to the position. Many times people make mistakes of keeping their knees down, […]

The guard is a dynamic position. It is dynamic because of the all the things you can do from it. You can break posture, control an opponent, go for submissions or you can sweep. While there are plenty of good sweeps, the first sweep from guard that you should know is the flower sweep (also […]

The toe hold. It is a classic foot lock attack, but oft forgotten about. It is prominent in the Catch Wrestling style and is also present in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The toe hold is a gray area of grappling. In IBJJF tournaments, people tend to favor the straight foot lock, while in the submission only […]

While foot locks are to be respected, you do not have to fear them. While you need to be cautious and aware, a foot lock does not mean that your goose is cooked. Far from it. If you know the proper defense, then a foot lock will be no different than any other submission. The […]

There are very few moves in jiu jitsu that provide competent practitioners a true edge or advantage in competition.  The kimura, sometimes referred to as a double wrist lock, is one such move.  The kimura can be a method of doing jiu jitsu, but what makes it so special?  Why is this move such an […]

The De La Riva guard can be such a fantastic guard if you know how to work it. The bread and butter techniques of De La Riva guard are the sweeps. It is a guard where if you know how to control your opponent with it, that you’ll be easily able to complete any of […]

It blows my mind that people who have more than six months of training still do not know how to escape one of Jiu Jitsu’s most fundamental techniques…the armbar. While the armbar is a solid technique, there are some equally solid ways to escape the lock. The big reason people get submitted with it, is […]

The knee tap takedown is one of the easiest takedowns for people that don’t consider themselves proficient with takedowns. It does not take much to succeed with this takedown, and it can lead you to some good spots to work your ground game. The knee tap was a popular takedown with former UFC welterweight champion, […]

At the No Gi Worlds last weekend, BJJ extraordinaire, Luiz Panza won his championship match with a calf slicer. Calf slicers, also known as calf crushers are seen more rarely in competition, but are absolutely effective submissions. Calf slicers can cause an extreme amount of pain that is felt almost instantly.  The pain sounds exactly […]

This past weekend was a big one for professional Jiu Jitsu fans. Besides the No Gi Worlds happening in California, the Eddie Bravo Invitational was also holding its ninth event in Los Angeles. The ninth edition of Eddie Bravo’s fast paced, submission only tournament did not disappoint. As of normal, there were fantastic finishes and […]