Taking the first step in training is hard.  It’s arguably the hardest step in the entire Jiu Jitsu journey.  Sure, getting your black belt is going to be a challenge, heck, getting to blue belt will likely force you to overcome challenges and...

When it comes to submissions, I have always seemed to prefer a strangle or choke submission over a joint lock submission.  I think from a self defense perspective it makes sense to lean this direction because an opponent with a broken arm can...

If you have been training for some time you probably have come across the name Kurt Osiander. Between his Youtube Channel and larger than life personality Kurt is a unique representation of Jiu-Jitsu. His teaching style is a no nonsense approach that focuses...

Tom DeBlass has one of the most effective half guard games in the history of BJJ. DeBlass has molded his half guard in to a seemingly impenetrable brick wall, that’s frustrated many of the top tier passers of our time. His understanding of...

  The argument has been ongoing for years now. Sub Only Vs Points.... which is the best and how do they affect your game? The answer is actually a bit more complicated than most people give it credit for. Various rule sets all...

  The Half-Guard has become the most popular guard in modern jiu jitsu. It is a flexible attacking guard that allows for a myriad of sweeps and submissions, and unlike the traditional Closed Guard there is one major advantage: you only need to...

There are many stepping stones in martial arts that show progression in our comfort and dedication to the sport. First, you have to actually show up! Continuously attending classes turns into your first roll; rolling in class on a regular basis with your...

  Back Takes from The Turtle with Lachlan Giles Achieving a solid back take from the turtle position can be an arduous task. Cracking that shell and securing everything we need to transition to a clean back mount position can be very difficult...

  The side control. In many cases, it’s the first dominant position we become comfortable in. This was the case for me, and I still enjoy it, more so than the back or the mount. I feel more in control, and I really...

Guard retention. Its quite possibly the most important skill in BJJ. Whether you’re speaking in terms of self defense or sport, failing to properly retain the guard can have disastrous consequences. In a self-defense situation, your guard retention is your first line of...

It is extremely easy to get lost in the ocean of techniques when we start looking and exploring all of our options from a particular position.  What’s great about this is it enables us to develop our own unique style or game and...

One of the most dominate positions you can have in Jiu Jitsu is having control of someone’s back, otherwise known as back mount.  There is a reason why this position rakes in the high point values in points based tournaments, typically tied with...

  The Kimura has been called one of the strongest moves in fighting. For Good reason too! Once you have the grip locked on and the appropriate pressure applied the fight is basically over. So how do  we avoid this devastating lock and...

As we come up through the ranks in Jiu Jitsu our game is greatly influenced by what we have seen, sought out, and studied.  Depending on the academy, you may or may not have exposure to the level of detail provided by some...

  The Baseball Bat Choke is a very versatile attack. It can come from a dominating position like knee on belly or it can be slipped on as someone passes the guard. The versatility of the attack has lead to many variations and...