Key Takeaways
- A No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu DVD that presents the head and arm position as more than just a strangling technique.
- Offers head and arm basics, as well as setups and transitions from the top and bottom when attacking or defending.
- Features all chokes you’d expect, like the Darce and Anaconda, and some you never thought of before, like the Schultz and Makhachev finishes.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
HEAD AND ARM MASTERY LUKE MARTIN DVD GET HERE
It’s been a while since the last time I was paying lots of attention to head and arm chokes. I was quite happy to look deeper into the Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD, as it brought back great memories of me strangling people with Darces and Anacondas.
As it turns out, this DVD goes beyond just this sadistic application of the Kata Gatame. Don’t get me wrong—chokes feature heavily—but Luke Martin manages to show the true potential and power of the head and arm position in grappling. An excellent choice for any No-Gi grappler out there.
More Than Just a Choke
Yeah, you can choke someone from a Darce position. After all, the move we call Darce is a choke, right? Yes, but it is not just a choke. From there, you can hit a guillotine, a Mizzou choke, a bunch of neckties (Japanese and Peruvian spring to mind), or you can go all the way to the other side into Anacondas.
As you can see, the Darce is part of a complex system of attacks that transcends the strangle submission category. It is a gateway to using a bunch of different strangling attacks that easily double as strong pinning positions as well.
There is also another side to head and arm chokes—they can help you achieve plenty of transitions. They work from the front, but they also work great from most top positions, some guards, as escapes, and even as takedowns. Most of these applications are covered in the Luke Martin Head and Arm DVD.
No-Gi Specialist Luke Martin
There is something about Australia and top-level grapplers. It seems that several things really thrive Down Under—poisonous creatures, great surfing waves, and game-changing grappling minds. Luke Martin is yet another representative of this last category.
The Sydney-born black belt decided that No-Gi is the way forward and transitioned his entire academy, Sydney West Martial Arts, to grappling without the Gi. Understandably, folks like Lachlan and Danaher greatly affected his decision, but it definitely turned out to be the right one.
Luke is also known for making online private lessons work—something not many people have been able to pull off in the BJJ world. Heavily influenced by John Danaher, Luke teaches in a way that definitely holds more apparent enthusiasm than the grappling mastermind we all struggle to listen to for longer than 30 minutes.
The Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD is a great instructional on a specific subject that won’t bore you to death and will still deliver super high-quality information. It’s a huge step in the right direction for anyone grappling exclusively in No-Gi.
Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD Review
The Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD is a No-Gi instructional that covers many different applications of the position that go beyond just chokes. It has four volumes that contain around two and a half hours of material.
Part 1 – Top Position Head & Arm Chokes
The Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD starts off with Danaher-like systematization (no surprise there) as Luke covers some crucial positional mechanics and goals. His focus in the opening salvo of the instructional is on top positions, allowing you to figure things out from the most dominant position available.
Before talking about finishing mechanics in greater detail, he talks about beating common defenses from top positions such as mount and Twister side control. He covers passing the elbows, beating thumb posts, and how to prevent turnovers and turnouts.
Choke-wise, he covers what you’d expect—the arm triangle, the Anaconda, and the Darce—but does so with much more context than other, detail-stuffed instructionals.
Part 2 – Kata Gatame from Guards
Those who like the Brabo guard are used to head and arm chokes from the bottom, but in No-Gi, these kinds of attacks are rare. Well, they were rare, as the Luke Martin Head and Arm DVD now offers viable evidence to change this perception.
Some interesting variations, such as the Reverse Darce, the Makhachev finish, and the pinch headlock, seem to work well from the bottom—particularly open guards like the butterfly or everyone’s favorite: the half guard.
This volume also offers more side control options, top and bottom, featuring mostly Darces in different scenarios. Wrestle-ups, turn-ins, and underhooks all provide opportunities to set up a head and arm choke.
Part 3 – Front Headlock
A staple position for strangling from the front, which is often underutilized in the sense of head and arm chokes. The third part of the Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD addresses some incredible chokes that originate in wrestling and are rarely used in BJJ.
One of my favorites—the Schultz choke—gets a lot of attention, with the Anaconda and the Olympic roll not far behind. This part became my favorite from the very first chapter.
Martin talks a lot about countering common front headlock escapes with Kata Gatame chokes, going through turnbacks, elbow slips, forward bridges, etc. Some more guard options appear toward the end, albeit this time from a passing-with-headlocks perspective.
Part 4 – Cool Back Mount Finishes
As we reach the end of the Luke Martin Kata Gatame DVD, he signs off with a very unusual position for setting up head and arm chokes—the back mount. This 10-minute-long volume mostly looks into setting up reverse Darces and Anacondas against common back escapes.
Unleashing the Power of Kata Gatame
Trap systems are some of the best positional systems in BJJ. They beat traditional dominant positioning like mount and back simply because of the fact that they are closer to a submission finish than any of those positions.
The Kimura trap and Ashi Garami are two of the most common examples of trap systems that can take you through almost any position in BJJ while still allowing you to keep a very threatening attachment to your opponent. Well, there’s more.
While most people perceive the head and arm position simply as a choking mechanic, it is actually crucial in controlling most of those dominant, scoring positions we have in BJJ. Just think about what you’re doing from the mount, back, and closed guard as your first step, and you’ll see what I mean.
Or, better yet, pick up the Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD and start using head and arm chokes intentionally and with great effect.
DOWNLOAD HERE: HEAD AND ARM MASTERY LUKE MARTIN DVD
Master Control From Everywhere!
No more lost positions—whenever you have no idea what to do, go for a head and arm. I’ve actually shouted this more than anything as a cornerman for countless combat athletes during scramble situations in matches. The Head and Arm Mastery Luke Martin DVD has no shouting, but the contents are no less important.
