Despite what your opinions or beliefs are in the Jiu Jitsu community, leg locks are here to stay. While they have  not made a huge impact in the world of gi competition and with the IBJJF, they have made a clear statement in the world of no gi. Especially with the submission only scene becoming […]

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 Uchimata is one of the most recognizable and crowd favorite throws in all of Judo. It is a fast and furious throw that can cause your opponent some true bodily harm and almost always give you a dominant position afterwards. There are some different variations of the throw, that come from different competitors from […]

So while I am a person who usually preaches about fundamentals and basics, there is some fun to be had in Jiu Jitsu. Depending how quick you pick certain things up, there is some flashy techniques that can be added your game. One of those techniques is the cartwheel pass. Let me stress that before […]

The triangle choke is one of the most reliable and high percentage submissions there is in all of Jiu Jitsu. While the choke is a strong one, there are a few different escapes we can go to, to escape it and not be finished by it. One of my preferred escapes to the triangle choke […]

Jose Luis Varella is a GF Fight Team black belt with a love of foot locks. But because Varella is primarily an IBJJF competitor, he has had to modify his foot lock game to fit those rules. Everyone knows how strict the IBJJF is when it comes to techniques, especially leg attack techniques. Jose has […]

The world renowned Jimmy Pedro is a master of everything Judo. The 6th degree black belt and two time Olympic bronze medalist has one of the most comprehensive and complete throwing games of any American Judoka. He also is the Judo coach that has worked extensively with BJJ and Judo star, Travis Stevens. Though he […]

With the recent prevalence of the heel hook in competition grappling, there is one submission that has in some regards fallen by the wayside: the ankle lock.  Many grapplers do not realize the efficiency and devastating power of the ankle lock, because of its legality in lower divisions, and because if done incorrectly it is […]

The first escape that anyone learning mount escapes should be is the shrimp escape. While the bridge escape and  hydraulic escape are both important and need to be learn, the shrimp has to be the number one priority. The shrimp will help you get your hips moving in the correct manner for Jiu Jitsu, and […]

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 grappling arts, modern Brazilian jiu jitsu arguably reigns supreme once a match hits the ground, but it is far from perfect as a stand alone art.  Many of the best jiu jitsu based grapplers in the world pair their BJJ with Judo or wrestling for the purposes of being able to […]

Just about a month ago at the annual BJJ Pro LA tournament, Luiz Panza took home yet another championship win, adding another title to his collection. In his path to the title, he won his division by finishing all of his opponents. But in the finals, his match with Manny Diaz was especially impressive. While […]

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 […]

Rashguards to a no gi grappler is similar to how a superhero wears his costume. They are an integral part of our training. There are a plethora of options when it comes to them as well. Different companies, different designs, and of course, the different sleeve lengths. Sleeve lengths might seem trivial, but it is […]