I’ve never met a person that felt ready or deserving of a stripe or belt promotion at the time it was given; Often times they seem to come on the nights we feel off and sluggish. If your professor, whether your current or...

Chances are, if you are reading this, you are enthusiastic about BJJ.   Perhaps you are a new white belt who just found BJJ and is eager to dive in to your new obsession?  Maybe you are nearing a promotion, and the lure of...

  Every beginning wrestler should learn how to finish the single leg takedown. Its versatility in the match is unparalleled, leaving you with a plethora of endings based on your opponent’s movement. However, one of the most common traits for new wrestlers when...

What are you doing on August 17th? If your answer isn’t “watching Kasai Pro 6”, then you should change your answer! Soon, some of the worlds best grapplers will be arriving in Atlantic City, New Jersey to participate in the 6th edition of...

  In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu few things are less sexy than the principles of guard retention. Like flossing your teeth, retaining your guard is absolutely necessary, but a boring hassle that always gets left until it is almost too late. I had a...

When we think of the kimura, we typically assume that it’s an upper body venture.  We use our arms to isolate and attack one of our opponent’s arms. But thinking this way robs us of resources that we could use when we’re having...

  When you receive your blue belt, the number one fear that often follows you like a spectre is the realization that you do not "have a guard". Many masters of the art express the sentiment that the blue belt is the time...

  In Jiu Jitsu, it’s never a good thing if a teammate has your back.  Fortunately, Jake Mackenzie is back to show us how to get our teammates to back off.  (Should I back off of the back puns?) Okay, let’s get back...

  With ADCC next month in California, I find myself rewatching the highlights of the 2017 battles. I’ve probably watching Gordon Ryan choke Keenan Cornelius five times now. I would love to be takedown and choke the competition so flawlessly.  Let’s have “The...

In the video below, Marcelo Garcia Black Belt and modern day butterfly guard master, Jon Satava helps you to understand the mechanics of playing the butterfly guard.  The butterfly guard is one of the most difficult guards to learn because you have to...

There are few things in Jiu Jitsu more frustrating than fighting to get into mount only to get swept again. To beat this exhausting process, you can use techniques derived from Matt Thornton’s program that explains how to distribute your weight correctly and...

  Half guard in judo is a frustrating position to get stuck in. If an opponent catches one leg suddenly you go from winning by pin to nothing, with very little time to progress before being stood back up. Often times judoka end...

It’s no secret or surprise to anyone that back control is one of the most dominate positions you can have in a Jiu Jitsu match.  In many point based competitions back control will earn you more points than almost anything else, typically tied...

Xande Ribeiro hasn’t had his guard passed since 2005. Yes, 2005. This is an incredibly impressive feat, especially given how active Ribeiro has been in the competitive circuit over the years. He’s had hundreds of matches, including wars with some of the best...

Securing an armbar from the bottom guard can be a difficult task. We run in to several problems when trying to acquire the submission, including posture, adequate control of the limb, and so forth. While the arm bar can be performed very technically,...