Neil Melanson has an incredibly rich grappling pedigree so it’s great to have him with us here at BJJ Fanatics teaching his unorthodox and incredibly effective style. Neil has trained UFC athletes at the highest level, including Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Dominick Cruz,...

When it comes to the battleground of competition, most competitors aspire towards the appearance of invulnerability and of a battle-tested warrior in the classical sense. We envision ourselves strutting around the periphery of the competition mats with the nonchalance of George C. Scott’s...

  We are fortunate to live at a time when people are living longer.  But as we are living longer lives, we have to deal with the question of how we're going to spend all of that extra time. After all, what's the...

  One of the most difficult things to grasp about Jiu Jitsu is its origins.  For those of us who study Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we usually trace our academy's lineage back and mark our beginning with a Gracie, usually Helio or his brother...

As the guard game evolves and we search for more ways to add different layers, we come across many different interpretations of it. The days of a closed guard only game are gone. Of course, the closed guard will always have its place...

We all know if someone is good with Lasso guard it can be really challenging to pass their guard. Even at the highest levels of competition Lasso guard can shut down someone’s movement for really long stretches of time.  In this video Bernardo...

The Perfect Pairing With Lachlan Giles. When we begin to consider learning to invert in our BJJ practice, it may seem a bit intimidating. WE have these thoughts of gong upside down, not being able to manage the movement with our flexibility, and...

Rafael Lovato Jr. Has been a force in the BJJ competition scene for many years. As one of the most decorated American BJJ competitors of our time, he’s picked up some impressive accolades over the course of his journey, including multiple world titles,...

  So you’re thinking about starting to train Jiu Jitsu, or maybe you just signed up and you need to buy a Gi.  Before we dive into the how to, in case you are still on the fence about going to a trial...

  Starting Jiu Jitsu after your “prime”.  Should you even try? Is it worth it? Are you too far out of shape?  Should you just accept the dad bod and move be happy? Yes, you should try. Yes, it is worth it. No,...

Even as a brand new student you have something to give back, believe it or not. We talk a lot about all of the incredible things Jiu Jitsu can do for you from a physical perspective, a mental health perspective, meeting goals, changing...

Why do people start training and what should you be looking for in an academy?  I think to start, allow me to tell my story as I imagine some can relate. I came to Jiu Jitsu because at the time, I lived in...

We at BJJ Fanatics are really excited to bring this new course with Rafael Lovato Jr on pressure passing to you soon.  Rafael Lovato Jr, for those who don’t already know, has an amazing career in BJJ with multiple medals at the Worlds...

One of the great distinctions John Danaher makes in his BJJ Fanatics tutorials is the difference between heuristic and algorithmic ways of learning. Those are definitely ten dollar words, so what do they mean? The word “heuristic” comes from the Greek root word...

  Few positions create as much ire for coaches and as much confusion for new students as the bottom Turtle. We go there to feel safe, and it seems really safe, until it is not, and then it can be a death trap....