One of the most effective passes when facing a strong half guard and knee shield is the leg weave pass.  By driving their near side arm under the knee shield leg down to the bottom leg which is hooking the thigh, they can...

Bernardo Faria is one of the most successful BJJ competitors in history.  Much of his success on the competition mats was due to his creative use of half guard.  He has been referred to as the Michael Jordan of half guard because of...

There are no days off for Tom DeBlass.  Even on a short vacation with friends in Costa Rica, he took time to film a half guard technique and this short video addressing the age old question he has heard people say for almost...

It's no secret that Tom Deblass' favorite position is the half guard.  It's a position he has been using since he was a blue belt nearly 15 years ago. Since then he has been refining the position on the mats and in the...

The kimura is a powerful submission that causes extreme pressure and discomfort in the shoulder joint by maintaining a double wrist grip on the opponent and essentially forcing the hand and elbow to rotate outside of normal range of motion forcing the submission. ...

Tom DeBlass is easily one of the most sought after BJJ and grappling instructors on the planet.  With a seminar schedule that has him booked around the world for the next few years, a home academy, Ocean County BJJ, which is quickly approaching...

Let's face it, half guard is one of the most effective guard systems for BJJ players of all levels to use if they want to keep those opponents at a safe distance and prevent their guard passes.  Once you've got the fundamental concepts...

Half guard is an extremely effective guard style that grew out of the basic need to prevent someone from completing a guard pass.  What was once the last ditch use of one's legs to hook one leg of the opponent's body tightly to...

Perennial jiu jitsu competition fan favorite and social media powerhouse,Tom DeBlass executed a flawless performance at Fight To Win Pro 72 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recently.  His use of half guard to set up a devastating outside heel hook was a virtual clinic.  He...

One of the most important keys to success in BJJ is having a solid, well-developed guard pass arsenal.  Being able to effectively nullify an opponent's most powerful weapons (their legs and hips) is key to putting yourself in the best possible position to...

There's an old tradition called Spring Cleaning that you may have heard of where one spends time at the first sign of warm weather cleaning and organizing their home and lives.  It's a great opportunity to take a look at any clutter or...

We talk alot about half guard here at BJJ Fanatics. And this is for good reason.  Half guard works against BJJ athletes of all skill levels and most importantly can be implemented by practitioners of all levels.  With a stable of athletes like...

Everywhere you look people are using half guard.  You can barely swing your belt around the mats without hitting someone who is working half guard from the bottom or top.  Bottom players are utilizing their hooks to keep their opponents from passing the...

Half guard is easily one of the most popular styles of guard and games being played today.  What was once seen as simply a desperate attempt to not have one's guard passed, has over the years developed into an extremely effective position ripe...

Do you even pull guard?  Do you even pull guard from the knees?  Well, if you don’t, you should.  In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu we constantly see people who pull guard when they start standing, but if it is on the knees, we typically...