Key Takeaways
- A No-Gi BJJ DVD that provides a turtle system that is anything but defensive.
- Covers fundamental positioning that blocks back attacks and pins, and delivers plenty of counterattacks.
- Features sweeps, submissions, takedowns, wrestle-ups, turnover,s and much more.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.
THE NAKED TURTLE EDUARDO TELLES DVD – GET IT HERE
It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen an Eduardo Telles Turtle DVD. In fact, I think the last one I saw before his Octopus Guard DVD was originally a VHS tape, later digitized for easier distribution.
This just serves as proof that Telles has been around the block more than a few times. He understands grappling to a point where he can do weird stuff, and they work against high-level grapplers. The best part is that these are not things that only he can do — they’re out there for grabs!
The Highly Annoying Turtle Position
Have you ever grappled against a very good turtle player? If you haven’t (and aren’t one), then there’s no point in explaining how annoying they can be, because you can’t even imagine it.
When it comes to defensive positions, the hub for all defense and escapes is the turtle position — provided you know how to set it up and play it, of course. It’s not just really difficult to break down against a skilled grappler, but also very dangerous to attack.
Even though it may not seem so, turtle players have plenty of attacking options at their disposal. Most of them are counterattacks, but they also have direct threats, as well as access to multiple levels (guard, top positions, standing) to throw at the attacker.
Honestly, the top person is more like a fly getting caught in a spider web than someone on the offense. For older, smaller, weaker, or injured grapplers, the turtle is the silver bullet, and The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD is your arms dealer.
Eduardo Telles: The Original Turtle Master
Back in the day, when the only person going against the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu grain was Eddie Bravo (he was really just doing his own thing), there weren’t many free thinkers in BJJ. So, the thought prevailed that if you get your back taken, you’re done for — you’ll get choked.
However, in addition to Bravo’s 10th Planet revolution, there were others working, albeit a bit more quietly, to improve upon some of the dumber absolute statements floating around in Jiu-Jitsu. In terms of the turtle position, nobody had more breakthroughs than a certain Eduardo Telles.
The Brazilian-born grappler, a black belt under Romero Cavalcanti, was the first person who ended up having their grappling game dubbed “weird.” His brand of Esquijitsu, translating to “weird Jitsu,” ended up with breakthroughs such as the Octopus Guard and an offensive turtle system, sometimes called the Turtle Guard.
Telles was not an easy guy to handle on the mats, as is confirmed by his No-Gi Worlds, Pans, and Brazilian Nationals titles, among other big competition accomplishments, including pro MMA victories.
Eduardo is also a top-tier coach, with over 20 years of teaching experience. The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD is just the latest in his turtle exploits, bringing all the experience from the old-school days and merging it with modern turtle applications.
The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD Review
If there is one major flaw with The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD, it’s that it is way too short. Telles does deliver everything that matters, but these days, we’re kind of used to instructionals that last more than 30 minutes and have several volumes.
Section 1 – Back Defense
The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD begins with the “standard” application of the turtle in grappling defense. Over the course of the first few chapters, Telles provides instructions on how to set up a turtle that is impervious to back attacks, eventually creating a path to a top position, such as passes and pins.
Section 2 – Turtle Sweeps
As the inventor of the Turtle Guard, Telles took a purely defensive position and upgraded it with guard attacks. That means you can use it to sweep, which is exactly what a good chunk of the Eduardo Telles Turtle DVD shows you how to do.
Here, we get to understand the difference between a fake and a real sweep from the turtle, and what their aims are. Next, Telles demonstrates how to sweep using different motions, such as rolling, sliding, levers, and sit-outs.
Section 3 – Turtle Takedowns
Probably the weirdest part of The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD, but one very effective nonetheless. If you can sweep from a position, then you can wrestle up, and if you can do that, you can take someone down. It’s just a sweep done using the longest route possible.
What I really loved was the fanny pack counter to the double leg, something I guarantee nobody except Telles (and people with this DVD) will be aware of. The ankle pick is another super-sneaky option that I enjoyed watching very much.
Section 4 – The Turtle Trap
Finally, almost half of the instructional is all about the innovative Turtle Trap system. It basically allows you to defend and counterattack with submissions from the bottom, provided your defensive positioning covers all the basics presented earlier in The Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD.
Leg traps, Kimuras, underhooks, the brand new shoulder lock — Turtleplata, armbars, and more all feature here. You even get to learn how to escape the mount by attacking a Kimura from the bottom — how crazy is that?
Figuring Out the Turtle Guard
The Turtle Guard is a sneaky position that will transform your grappling game, but you won’t be able to just slap, bump, and use it straight away. First, you’ll have to master the defensive side of the turtle before you can use it to counterattack.
The good news is that you’re going to have to figure out how to use the turtle anyway, so you might as well dedicate some time to the Turtle Guard. It’ll just add another valuable tool to your collection of positions.
The Eduardo Telles Naked Turtle DVD can help you take care of both the turtle position as a defensive hub and its applications as a guard. Then, you can become that annoying person in the gym who taps everyone out while having their back exposed most of the time. It’s a small goal, but a very enjoyable one to fulfill.
DOWNLOAD HERE: NAKED TURTLE EDUARDO TELLES DVD
Take Back Control!
Yup, the pun is very much intended. With the turtle you won’t have your back taken anymore, or at least it’s going to be extremely difficult. When you pair the defensive power of the turtle with the counter-attacking system of the Naked Turtle Eduardo Telles DVD, though, you end up with a complete strategy to dominate. It just looks weird when you pull Turtle Guard.
