Claudio Calasans is a game competitor and a bad, bad man. Claudio has a high octane game where he constantly looks for the finish. He is aggressive, technical and feared both standing and on the ground. Claudio is a dual black belt, holding black belts in BJJ and Judo. He knows how to play in […]

Wrist locks are definitely the black sheep techniques of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world. They haven’t caught on in popularity yet, but are undeniably effective. One competitor that has developed an awesome wrist lock game is the one and only Travis Stevens. The Danaher black belt, and Judo Olympian has seen the light. And that […]

If you are a fan of the submission only scene, then more then likely you have watched at least one of the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) tournaments. And if you’ve watched those tournaments, then you have seen three competitors from the same team win over and over. Those competitors are Eddie Cummings, Gordon Ryan and […]

Leg attacks are the great neutralizer when it comes to Jiu Jitsu. They can take the wind out of anyone’s sails. For those that don’t bother with them, often regret it later after falling to one. While heel hooks are the hot thing these days, the straight foot lock is the building block for all […]

I love to check out all the instructional videos put out by Travis Stevens. For those of you who do not know who that is, he is a BJJ black belt, Judo black belt and took the silver medal at the Olympics in Judo, using his unique mixture of BJJ and Judo. Travis has a […]

One of the most effective positions in jiu jitsu is the full/closed guard.  The level of control that the guard player is able to exert over their opponent is nearly unparalleled.  It stands to reason then that the arm bar from guard is considered by many one of the most effective submissions. At first glance […]

The truck is one of the most dynamic positions in Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu system. Originally plucked from wrestling, it has found its way into the Jiu Jitsu world, particularly in the no gi world. At the high level of the art, guys like Geo Martinez and Garry Tonon are two that use […]

The dead orchard is one of my favorite positions of the new school of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Created by 10th Planet black belt, Nathan Orchard, the position is a super controlling position that gives the user a lot of submission options. This past weekend, I entered a local submission only tournament and used the dead […]

When it comes to open guards, X Guard is one of the most dynamic. The position made famous by Marcelo Garcia, is a very flexible guard. When you get to it, a variety of sweeps and submissions become available to you. The other awesome aspect of the X Guard is that it can transfer easily […]

Travis Stevens is one of the most badass dudes in modern grappling today. He is a Judo black belt, Judo Olympian with a silver medal, and a BJJ black belt under John Danaher. Travis has also competed in NAGA, Grappler’s Quest and Copa Podio. He has a very well rounded game. Chokes, leg locks, throws […]

One of the new school positions that I am a big fan of is the dead orchard. It was created by Eddie Bravo black belt, Nathan Orchard. If you haven’t seen it, it is quite the tight position to achieve. It essentially is a triangle choke with both of the opponent’s arms in, with one […]

The omoplata can be an awesome technique. Of course, it’s a shoulder cranking submission but it also can be used to get some pretty easy sweeps. Unfortunately there are also easy defenses to the omoplata. Posturing up, rolling over the shoulder, and also stepping over are all ways that people defend the omoplata. But there […]

The flower sweep is one that you will keep coming back to in your Jiu Jitsu journey. It is simple, yet highly effective. The fact that it can be done both gi or no gi just adds to that power that is the flower sweep. When it comes to the closed guard, this is one […]

Ever hear of the Von Flue choke?  This is a choke that has become popular due to its use in MMA fights that is executed on an opponent that stubbornly holds onto a guillotine choke even when they are in bottom side control.  It’s a highly effective and unorthodox technique that many practitioners don’t even […]