Make BJJ Part of Your Life Going Forward Many times a new kid walks through the door of the BJJ gym I call home. When I say kid I mean kid…11-14 years old! Oh how amazing it would have been to start BJJ...

Let this up and coming black belt change your game! We tend to not hear quite as much about some of the highest level up and coming competitors until they reach black belt. This is unfortunate because there is some serious talent among...

Guard sweeps and their interconnected submissions as well as guard passes were the foundation of my jiu-jitsu.  The importance of the collar grip from guard was drilled into my mind for every rep I would do, since day one.  When passing the guard,...

Face your take down fears and gain the benefits One of the most common fears of the first-time competitor is the take down game. Unless you were previously exposed to wrestling or some other form of take down art, the prospect of having...

It’s that time again. Class is over, the mat is open, and we’re scanning for partners to continue our training with. The live training portion of our BJJ session is always something we look forward to. It may give us a little anxiety...

Get the edge with the lateral revolution! The addition of takedowns to your BJJ training can be one of the most beneficial things you can incorporate.  For the most part, unless your opponents have a wrestling, judo, or perhaps sambo background, chances are...

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...