Even greater than the sport vs self defense BJJ debate is the question of what is more realistic for self defense training, gi or no gi. Both styles of training have their own merits and depending on the context one may be more...

Being a teenager is tough, especially in this day and age. Your body is going through mental,  physical, and emotional changes. You are trying to figure out who/what you are going to be as an adult. You are trying to make friends, and...

Some days are harder than others to 'get it'. Did you ever leave the mats and think…Well I’m not sure I did much of anything right tonight?  That was my night to a tee. The technique we were working  didn’t seem very difficult...

What is your learning style? We hear this all the time. BJJ is for everyone. Have you every stopped and asked the question why that is? There are a plethora of answers for this question, but for me the best answer lies in...

Do you think of the omoplata as more of a transitional position, or do you often acquire the submission? In my experience, getting to the omoplata position is not incredibly difficult, but he finish can be very illusive if you don’t have some...

How will you celebrate BJJ founder's birthday? Today marks the birth of Helio Gracie, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 95.  Helio Gracie was born on October 1st, 1913. Helio, along with his brother Carlos and many sons, daughters and...

Motivation is fickle. Relying only on motivation is like fueling your body on candy. Sugar is a quick and easy source of calories that spike your energy levels only to leave you depleted shortly after. Where motivation fails, discipline takes over. Discipline would...

Having a good takedown game can mean the difference between a win and a loss in a jiu jitsu tournament.  Takedowns are commonly one of the most under-trained aspects of grappling across the board for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost is...

BJJ Fanatics has just released the latest installment of the John Danaher Enter the System series available in both online and DVD formats.  Following up on the game-changing Leg Locks and Back Attacks segments, this new series focuses on the front head lock...

Team Approach Looks to Change BJJ Competition Professional jiu-jitsu has seen an uptick in popularity and availability in the recent years. The introduction of the Eddie Bravo Invitational in 2014 has lead to a lot spinoff types of tournaments, from Kasai, Sapateiro, and...

MMA and grappling coach Neil Melanson is well known for his unique blend of catch wrestling technique along with jiu jitsu and other styles of grappling.  These combinations typically show themselves in unorthodox, but brutal positions and submissions that will have your opponents...

Time investment training BJJ Can Be Well Worth It Most people, when they start jiu-jitsu, they do not really know what is going to happen with it down the road. You go and try and intro class, see if you like it, and...

The physical impact of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu comes to no surprise for long term grapplers. Grappling is a strenuous sport whose impact on our physical well being is severely underappreciated. Jiujiteros also tend to overlook injuries and fail to adjust their training regimens...

When we have a chance to learn from legends, our ears perk up. OG BJJ practitioners have a way of taking seemingly simple themes and explaining them in a manner that can make you feel like you’ve been lost in the dark for...

It's all in the hips with this powerful pass Recalling my first experiences with the stack pass, I seem to remember a lot of reckless shoving of the legs to the side to complete the technique. You might get away with this kind...