Best BJJ Competitors To Keep An Eye On In 2020

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Best BJJ Competitors To Keep An Eye On In 2020

People that train Jiu-Jitsu like to watch others grapple. Unlike other sports, you get to learn a lot just from watching people fight. Moreover, with the rise of the professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene, we get to see people who are extremely dedicated demonstrate their craft. That said, another hugely unique aspect of BJJ is that, if you persevere and compete a lot, you’re almost guaranteed to meet your idols as your opponents. That’s something not many sports can offer. For most of us,m achieving this is not realistic, fro a myriad of reasons. However, for the next generation of the best BJJ competitors out there, this is a fact of life. So much so, in fact, that they often end up victorious.

The best part about the BJJ competition scene is that it never stops evolving. As more and more people take up Jiu-Jitsu, more and more competitors flood the mats. Not all of them are going to make it to the big stages, but some seem determined to do so from the get-go. Whether they are children of some of the big-name stars of grappling, or just crazy talents that have gotten together with even grater coaches, the best BJJ competitors of the future are coming strong. While it is hard to see them at work, certain tournaments do give us the chance of a sneak-peek into BJJ’s future. And it has never been brighter, from the looks of it!

Best BJJ Competitors Are Not All Black Belts

In the past, a lower belt submitting, or beating a black belt in a tournament was almost inconceivable. It did happen here and there, but outside of the ADCC people didn’t really get a chance to test themselves against black belts in competition. Even nowadays, the experience of black belts is oftentimes the deciding factor. However, as of late, we are seeing more and more colored belts coming off with amazing victories against legends of the sports. Moreover, it is not just the belt but also age that is not really a factor anymore.

At the moment, the boundaries in the sport that were set by belts or the age of competitors are completely blurred. The latest edition of the ADCC was the latest testament to this. WE saw some great young grapplers beat much older and higher-ranked ones. We also so blue belts that destroyed black belts, sending them flying through the air. As such, we have a new generation of up and comers in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and they’re scary, to say the very least. And this is a positive thing when it comes to the sport’s development.

Don’t get me wrong, I take nothing form black belts. They’re still at the very top and are the core of the competitive BJJ scene. However, let’s be brutally honest here – lower belts beating black belts is no longer a fluke. Victories nowadays are as legitimate as possible and the best BJJ competitors of tomorrow are some seriously skilled grapplers. The best part about it is that w do not have to wait until they reach back the belt level to enjoy their performances. We’ve seen many prospects “blow out” until they reach a black belt and turn into flops. Somehow, I think that this approach is going to build much better grapplers that are only going to get better. Time will tell.

The 2019 Best Up-And-Comers Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Where exactly do we start with the best BJJ competitors among the up-and-comers? I have an idea, and it involves my personal preference or better-said fascination. I’m going to refer a lot to the ADCC, although there are other ultra high-level tournaments, ranging from the Mundials to submission-only events that have provided a great insight into what the future of BJJ looks like. WE did get a lot of surprises sat the ADCC, but that’s only because all eyes were on that tournament.

Keep in mind that there are other grappling organizations, Gi and No-GI as well as MMA promotions where people shine. MMA fighters often go for pro grappling events nowadays to get another payday, so high level grappling from there is spilling out into the grappling only scene. Once again, this is all for the better. Let’s look at some of the Best BJJ Competitors that are going to light up the grappling world.

Nicky Rodriguez

If you think Gordon Ryan is scary, wait till Nicky gets his black belt. He is first on the list simply because his performances amazed me the most. And it wasn’t just at the ADCC. In fact, it was the ADCC trials where he first caught my attention, winning the West Coast Trials with apparent ease. However, that wasn’t what really stood out. At that moment, Rodriguez had less than a year of BJJ training under his belt, which was white at the time. That, however, is not the full extent of his grappling experience.

Although he might just be a purple belt in BJJ at the time, Rodriguez is a highly accomplished wrestler, both at high school and collegiate level. Moreover, he trains in the blue basement with Danaher and the squad full time. As far as grappling pedigrees go, it doesn’t get much better than that. At the ADCC, Rodriguez got silver, losing only in the finals to Duarte. Along the way, he beat people like Orlando Sanchez, Mahamad Aly, and Roberto Cyborg. Nicky got his purple belt after his ADCC accolades, is currently 23 years old and he is only getting started.

Tye Ruotolo (and Kade Ruotolo)

Tye Ruotolo is another name that we kind of knew before the ADCC, but weren’t sure about. Granted, at the age of only 16 and a rank of blue belt, nobody really expected much out of him. apart forme being the youngest ever competitor at the ADCC he was also ono f the lightest in weight. Although he is the one that got a shot at the ADCC, his twin brother Kade is no less impressive. Both train at the highly acknowledged grappling champion factory that its Galvao’s Atos Academy. He almost got bronze in the ADCC, which only evaded him as a result of Miyao’s freakishly submission resistant legs. And yeah, he lost with the smallest of margins to the experience of Miyao in the bronze medal match, even though he had one of the deepest kneebars ever that only probably Miyao could resist.

Just as a teaser, after the ADCC the met up with Vagner Rocha at Fight 2 WI. He emerged as the victor. Definitely one of the Best BJJ competitors of today.

Kennedy Maciel

The sone of the legendary Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”, Maciel is actually a black belt, although a “fresh” one at that. Still, he is young and he is certainly an up-and-comer. The legacy of Cobrinha as one of the all-time best BJJ competitors is not an easy one to follow, but Maciel is certainly making all the right moves. At The ADCC, Maciel got silver, at his debut on that particular grappling stage. That’s something not many people can claim.

Moreover, he did not come looking for his first-ever world-class accomplishment. Probably the most decorated in our best BJ Competitors of tomorrow list, Maciel ahs a No-Gi world title, an American Nationals title, and ACBJJ world Title. All of them at a black belt. As a purple and brown belt, he won pretty much everything there is. And, at the age of just 22 and with Cobrinha in his corner, he is certainly one to make waves!

Nicky Ryan

There’s really not much to say about Nicky Ryan that you do not know already. However, this list would be incomplete without him, given that he is “only” a brown belt. The younger brother of Gordon Ryan, Nicky is probably the Danaher’ Death Squad’s scariest member. So far he has beaten the who is who of BJJ, from Geo Martinez to the legendary Masakazu Imanari. At 18 years of Age, Nicky still has to mature as a grappler, and it is scary to think what he’ll morph into given how much he has accomplished so far. He didn’t get a spot on the podium in his second try at the ADCC, but somehow, I have a feeling he’ll beat even Gordon’s performances in years to come.

Larissa Paes

Larissa is a BJJ black belt under Paulo Avolio representing the Gordo Jiu-Jitsu Association. At the age of 23, she is one of the top female black belt prospects in the world. A black belt since 2018. She still has a lot to accomplish at the t level. However, if her performances so far are anything to judge by, expectations are right to be very high. As a purple and brown belt, she won pretty much everything and is willing to take on any opponent. An armbar aficionado, Larissa is hands down one of the best BJJ competitors of our time, particularly when it comes to grappling with the Gi. Moreover, she comes from a BJJ family, with both her parents back belt school owners.

Michael Galvao

Here’s one that’s really, really young, and really, really talented! The 16-year old son of Melqui Galvao has not lost a match in over two years now. In that time, he has won 106 matches 103 of them by submission! As a juvenile, he has the highest possible rank of a blue belt at the moment. Even though he is able to go toe to toe with any adult, he still has to wait for his chance. In the meantime, he has achieved the IBJJF double grand slam (winning weight and absolute at the Pans, Worlds, Euros and Brasilian Nationals).

Moreover, he has only lost six points in 33 matches in the IBJJF this year, winning all but 2 of the matches via submission. The reason we didn’t see him at the ADCC was down to south American ADCC trials age limitations. A shame if you ask me, but I’m certainly looking forward to the 2021 edition of the event!

Haisam Rida

Representing the mysterious Carpe Diem team from Toky, Haisam is a black belt under Yuki Ishikawa he is one of the best BJJ competitors of today, just making his way to the big scene. At the age of 25, the Ghanaian has everything going for him so far. He won the 2015 Sao Paolo IBJJF open at heavyweight as a purple belt, which put him on the map. From there on he won lots, ranging from UAEJJF Grand Slams to the All-Japan Open tournament. Most notably, though, Haisam performed perfectly at Quintet. Representing Haleo Dream Team, he submitted three people in a row, eliminating Tema Tiger Muay Thai. although he still has stuff to polish out he is certainly one of the best BJJ competitors of the next generation. Keep your eyes open for this one!

Mayassa Bastos

Mayassa Bastos is a name you might know, and you should! A Julio Caesar Pereira black belt, Mayassa is A GFTeam representative and has one of the richest competitive pedigrees for someone with just over a year’s experience s a black belt. At 22 years of age, the Brazilian has titles at the Worlds, Pans Brazilian Nationals, Euros, Abu Dhabi Pro and a bunch of others. Moreover, she wins both Gi and No-Gi titles with ease and also has the strawweight EBI title to boast. Her nickname “Pequena Notável” translates to “Remarkable Little One” which says it all, really. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing any of her matches in the future.

Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Michell just two days ago puled only the second ever Twister submission in the UFC. Apart from that, he is an amazing submission grappler, that, miraculously enough, has no official BJJ background. At least none that I could dig up online. Feel free to correct me in terms of his BJJ rank, but his ground game is most definitely versatile, to say the least. He has unstoppable takedowns, crazy amounts of pressure and has 9 submissions in MMA to his name so far. And that includes a Twister submission victory over Matt Styles, The most impressive thing about “Thug Nasty” is that he claimes to have learned the Twister on Youtube. If that’s true then we’re set for a lot more form the young prodigy, particularly in a grappling sense.

In Conclusion

Moreover, if blue belts are grappling like black belts now, how are they going to look when they actually reach the black belt level? That’s an answer I’m really looking forward to getting. In the years to come, we’ll certainly see the landscape of BJ Jchange over and over again. So far, what I know for sure is that the next crop of best BJ competitors is an exciting one to watch! Great times!

Rolling With A Brand New Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo

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BJJ World

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So, you’re thinking about getting a Jiu-Jitsu tattoo? We’ll talk more about your choices later on. For now, if it is your first tattoo, make sure you know all the implications that come from it. And I’m not talking about the social aspects of getting a tattoo. I think we’re all way past that nonsense. What I mean is the health aspect of trying to roll with a brand new Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo. You can see straight away how that is one of the worst ideas you can get. However, people often try to get back to training with fresh ink, and not just mess up their new art, but also end up getting in trouble healthwise.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu folks are usually extremely laid back. Moreover, they like to have fun, and they like to clearly display how much they love Jiu-Jitsu. IN that sense, anything, from badges and patches to Jiu-Jitsu tattoos is used to achieve this goal. In that sense, tattoos seem to be a more common choice among grapplers compare to piercings or other body modifications. I guess this is understandable, as removing a ton of metal before you train and having to get I tall back in at the end is not something you’d want to do every day. I know I wouldn’t. A tattoo, on the other hand, or a bunch of them requires no effort whatsoever. Apart from when they’re fresh. That’s when you need to be really careful.

Getting Some New Ink

Why would you get a new tattoo? Why not, they’re awesome! Once you get your first one, whether it is a JIu-Jitsu tattoo or not, you’ll be hooked. IN fact, getting tattoos is a lot like training BJJ. It is really addicting and you’ll probably never stop. That said, getting a new tattoo needs to be something you carefully plan when you also train Brazilian Jiu-JItsu.

In terms of what you get, you have all the freedom ou want. That also goes true for where you place a tattoo, or how big of a tattoo you decide to go for. Just know one thing if you’ve never had a tattoo done before – the bigger they are the more time they require. And by time, I mean repeated sessions with your artist once the stuff done at a previous session dries up and peels off. In other words, repeat visits every 7-10 days, with at least as much recovery time afterward. In other words, the bigger your piece of art, the more time away from the mats you need to schedule.

Which brings us to the gist of this article – the dangers of getting a tattoo. I’m not going to be talking about the usual stuff here because keeping a tattoo form turning tin trouble is very easy – listen to the advice you get. In terms of using ointments and what not after getting it, most people are pretty compliant. However, the one thing grapplers are notorious for, si trying to get back on the mats a soon as possible. You won’t believe the trouble you can cause, both to your new Jiu-Jitsu tattoo, and your health by doing so. When you come to think about it, a tattoo is a fresh wound, just one that happens to have color on it. You wouldn’t go train (probably) with an open wound over your entire forearm, would you> Wo why try and rush a comeback after getting a tattoo?

Going Back To Rollin With Your New Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo

After you get a new tattoo, the simplest thing you can do is listen to the advice you get form your artist. Moreover, do not just listen, but follow it blindly. Unwrap when they say, wash as they say, and sue any ointment or another topical agent they recommend. Do this for the allotted period of time and you’ll be back to rolling before you know it.

When should you go back? A tattoo needs to “peel” before it is safe to do stuff you’re usually doing in your day. And that includes BJJ. For most people, it takes anywhere between 7 and 12 days for this to happen. However, when you’re getting back to rolling you need to know that you should take extra care of your new ink, even if it is all peeled and done. To that extent, a very easy and practical option is to wash it thoroughly with any antibacterial soap you might be using anyways as a grappler. Moreover, make sure when you come back, you wear a rashguard, regardless if you’re training Gi or No-Gi. This combination of soap and a layer of protection will ensure you skip over an infection when you come back. Moreover, wash the tattoo thoroughly after training, as well.

In terms of getting back, be smart about it. A wound takes about a month to 6 weeks to heal. So, when you go back, make sure you start off slowly. Drill a lot, do some position sparring or work on your technique more. Progress to flow rolling and getting a feel for things before you get back to full-blown high-intensity sparring. If you feel any pain, stinging or discomfort, it means you’re not healed up yet. Be smart about your new JIu-Jitsu tattoo, or you’ll lose it before you have the chance to show it off.

If you try and get back sooner, you might or might not get an infection to go with your comeback. However, one thing is for certain, you’ll mess up your tattoo if you go rolling with a fresh one.

A Few Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo Ideas

Before we wrap things up, let’s talk about selecting your Jiu-Jitsu tattoo. Fo course, it should be something that’s meaningful to you, and something you’re prepared to have on you for all times. Think about it, because laser removal is not nearly as fun as getting a tattoo in the first place. That said, the one thing to remember is to skip the clichés. Be original about your art, just like you are about the way you play your BJJ game. Give “tap Out” and academy affiliation tattoos a pass, and go for something that’s worth taking extended time off the mats.

To that extent, let us help. Below are some of the best possible Jiu-Jitu tattoos in the world. You do not need to copy them, but you might just get original and unique ideas out of them. Moreover, we made sure to include both top male and female BJJ tattoos. Have your pick!

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You can also check out an immense gallery of BJJ tattoos HERE!

In Summary

Be smart about getting a new Jiu-Jitsu tattoo. Plan ahead, consider how big it is and how many sessions you’ll need. moreover, plan your comeback and make sure you organize training partners that know what you need and will help you stay safe and healthy, and keep your new piece of art intact. It doesn’t take much to do things right, but it takes even less to ruin everything. Oss.

Exit The System Gary Tonon DVD Review

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BJJ World

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Ladies and gentlemen, Gary Tonon has joined the digital BJJ Community! The standout grappler and undefeated MAM fighter have now issued his first-ever BJJ instructional. AS expected ti is a masterpiece and it is not a small one you can go over in a few hours, You’ll need days to just watch all the stuff in there, let alone master them. Speaking of which, this inaugural Gary Tonon DVD has the coolest name so far “Exit the System”. In stark contrast to his teacher Danaher’s “Enter The System” submission hinting series, Tonon offers a set of submission escapes that cover everything you can and cannot think of.

ON SALE HERE:
Gary Tonon – Exit The System (DVD/DIGITAL)

Exit The System Gary Tonon DVD Back Cover — Techniques List

I’ve been itching to get my hands on a Gary Tonon DVD for a while now. After ADCC, I guess he couldn’t ignore the cries of the BJJ community anymore. He did have a great run, winning silver, and producing the most memorable match of the tournament along with Renato Canuto. As a grappler, Tonon is one of the strongest submission artists out there. His submission rate is crazy high, and we haven’t seen him tap on too many occasions. In fact, I only remember one. To that extent, he is a real master of escapes, unrivaled when it comes to slithering out of stuff. Now, “Exit the System” is here and Tonon shares all his neat little escape secrets.

The First Gary Tonon DVD Instructional

Whatever I say about Gry Tonon is probably going to be redundant at the point. He is a black belt under Tom DeBlass and Ricardo Almeida, and one of the original founding members of the Danaher Death Squad. He is the man who, along with Eddie Cummings and a very young and skinny Gordon Ryan changed the landscape of Jiu-Jitsu forever. For those competing at the local scene in New York, the submission success of Tonon and his teammates was nothing new. At the largest stages though, they came in with a bang, mostly in the form of heel hooks. Safe to say, Jiu-Jitsu was never the same again.

While Gordon Ryan has quickly followed in the footsteps of Danaher and went on to release several instructionals., a Gary Tonon DVD remained just a dream. Until now. Given his constant grappling training and seminars, and his pro MMA career, it is crazy that Tonon found the time to produce one. However, as we’ve come to expect from him, the DVD is pure genius, and there’s nothing rushed about it. In fact, in 8 volumes and over 10 hours of playing time, it is safe to say he has covered everything there is about escaping. Plus, naming his DVD (or hopefully, series) “Exit the System” is the perfect way of bringing his trademark style of fun and games into the mix.

The Art Of Escaping

Do you know what the most important trait of a submission hunter is? Not getting submitted. Only when you’re safe, you can go about hunting for submissions of your own. To that extent, training specific escapes are of paramount importance. However, many people either do not train them at all or focus on just a fraction of what they should be training. In those terms, you need both early, middle and late escapes when it comes to submissions. And most people are stuck in the middle.

If you want escapes that works, you need to think about prevention. That’s the perfect way to actually have enough space to go hunting for submissions of our own and how your opponents how things should actually be done. However, sometimes you get stuck, you get caught t or you make a mistake. In those circumstances., you need to know how to get out of even the tightest submission hold there is. There’s always a way to escape in BJJ, even that the latest possible stage of submission. This Gary Tonon DVD is going to revolutionize the way you see submissions, and in particular, escapes. Exit the System has changed my entire approach to the submission game, and I know it’ll change yours.

“Exit The System” Gary Tonon DVD Review

So, how exactly is this Gary Tonon DVD so different from other escape DVDs out there? Well, for one, it ha more information than anyone has dared to put in an instructional before. It is 8 volumes long and features dedicated parts for each submission family. That means you get to learn not only escapes from every possible submission but all of its variations as well. Not to mention that Gary probably has the most charismatic and fun personality out of anyone in the DDS. Techni9cal aspects like sound and camera work are pristine.

In terms of content, everything is arranged in a very logical and easy to follow way. “Exit the System” begins with an introduction and mindset, quickly followed but armbar escapes. Byu armbar, I mean straight armbar only. That’ because part two takes over covering bent armlocks like Kimura an Americana. The guillotine is the star of part number three, while the fourth volume is all about triangles from every conceivable position.

1.Armbars

The very first Exit The System Gary Tonon DVD volume starts off with an introduction that;’s intended to teach you the staples of submission escapes, rather than just techniques. In fact, about a third of the opening volume covers stuff like training methodology, the philosophy of escapes and the stages of escaping. There are four stages by thee away, and they’re all very easy to understand. Also, there’s a portion in there on problem-solving as the basis for escapes.

When it comes to specific stuff, armbars are a great way to kick things off. The straight armbar is available from pretty much anywhere, which is why Tonon starts with prevention tactics from both top and bottom. Early escape tactics come first, but others soon follow. There’s a turning example that covers how to actually do the Hiitschiker escapes that everyone love s but most fail. Moreover, there’s a very different approach to the stack armbar defense, one I personally enjoy doing a lot. Combination escapes, top lock, and half armbar escapes also feature, along with other really cool stuff.

2. Kimuras

If you have shoulders that are completely inflexible (like me) you’re probably having a really hard time getting out of Kimuras. For me, it is the one submission that plagues me the most, and mobility ahs a lot to do with it. Or so I thought.

Once again, the formula is the same. Tonon starts with a short introduction and moves on to prevention tactics first. Once again, both top and bottom positions are covered in detail. As this volume of the Gary Tonon DVD progresses, he goes into some really cool escape options, starting from the full guard Kimura. It is one of the toughest positions to escape or was before Exit the System became available. Following suit are options to block and counter Kimuras from the turtle, side control, half guard (top and bottom), etc. Even featuring ar some of Danaher’s signature Kimuras, like the one arm and the T kimura. Finally, and expectedly, the Kimura trap, mostly from a single leg gets a lot of attention as well as some slick Tonon magic.

3. Guillotines

The way Tonon sis going, BJJ is going to run out of submissions and fast. The third volume covers the guillotines of all shapes and sizes. An overview is first, right before the low elbow guillotine escape system. Here, there’s hardly any prevention to do, apart from not getting caught in a headlock. So, late defenses are where Tonon’s focus is. The late defense to the High elbow guillotine is a godsend, given the popularity of the move nowadays. Plus, there are solutions for the arm-in guillotine and figure four guillotine as well. A few positional tips and tricks regarding arm spinning and the half guard round off yet another volume of this Gary Tonon DVD.

4. Triangles

Marking the halfway point of the “Exit The System: instructional are triangles. In all fairness, the regular triangle has gotten so much attention over the years that escapes are plentiful. However, the approach Gary brings is a brand new one, meaning here’s a lot to add to what we already know. Prevention is huge here and a good portion of this volume is actually dedicated to it. Tonon outlines several stages of prevention, from leg interception to some neat and sneaky shoulder turns. Early and late escapes follow, as usual.

The one thing that’s very different about this volume is that it also covers how to escape triangle variations. The rear triangle has been destroying everyone left and right, as is the inverted triangle. Both of them, along with the side triangle are solved here, and in more ways than one.

5. Arm Triangles & Back

The portion on arm triangles AKA kata Gatame is also a very important one. As someone who specializes in D’arce chokes, I find this volume quite interesting. For one, I don’t want people learning new escapes, but from another point of view, I do get insight into escapes and how they work so I can stop them. In that sense, it is mostly front headlock D’arces, although Tonon shows a few Anaconda escapes as well. A mounted arm triangle escape wraps this portion off.

Before Exit The System continues with something everyone been hoping for, though there are a couple more chapters. here, Tonon addresses the back position. In particular, he shows an awesome way to deal with the figure four body lock, the most notorious of back mount variations.

6. Heel Hooks & Ankle Locks

As I said, this is the portion of this Gary Tonon DVD everyone was hoping for – leglock escapes. Who better to teach you leglocks that one of the pioneers of the particular aspect of the game? Well, Tonon certainly takes this seriously, offering different escapes in different volumes. Part 6 of Exit the System is all about heel hook and ankle lock escapes.

When it comes to heel hooks, Tonon offers ways out of everything, Similarly to leg lock attacks, his escapes follow the hierarchy of Ashi Garami. An Irimi Ashi Garmi is first before the outside Ashi and %0/%0 get some attention. finally, there’s a cool solution for the greatest leg lock riddle of hem all – the Inside Snekaku and the devastating inverted heel hook from there.

Before the volume end, Gary offers a few Achilles loc escapes as well, even though he doesn’t particularly like doing them as attacks. The sit out and rotating escapes make up for most of the tactics in this portion.

7. Toe Holds & Kneebars

As I said, Tonon Took his task of outlining leg lock escapes very seriously. So, after the heel hooks and ankle locks DVD, he keeps going, covering kneebars and toe holds. Once again Danaher’s tactics get a lot of attention, .as they’re the prime leg log attacks at our disposal. So, in terms of toe holds, there are two avenues of escaping – getting out of the single leg and double trouble toe holds.

The same trend continues when it comes to the kneebar escapes in the Exit the System Gary Tonon DVD. Single and double trouble escapes feature, right after an overview of the submission itself, outlining its weak points. The perfect way to approach escaping some of the nasties submissions out there.

8. Omoplata + Bonus Material

In the eighth and final part of his first DVD instructional, Gary Tonon covers the Omoplata in the opening chapters. More precisely, he covers Omoplata escapes, that move progressively from the most logical one to a crazy, very late, rolling escape. Suffice to say, all of them work perfectly at different stages of the attack.

The largest portion of this final Exit The System Gary Tonon DVD, though, offers something different. Tonon here goes live, offering narration in rolls he does from bad spots. Speaking of which, he starts off mounted, then gets himself into all kinds of bad spots. Positions feature front headlock, armbar, 50/50, back, guard and triangles. Of course, the task is to get out, and he does it to perfection against fully resisting partners.

Conclusion

At first, Danaher’s DVDs really changed the way people look at Jiu-Jitsu. Then came Ryan, and changed not only how we see BJJ, but the structure of DVD instructionals as well. Just when you thought there’s nothing more from the DDS to surprise us, Tonon didi it all over again. Both his take on escapes and the way the Exit The System DVD is structured are new and unique ways of providing key information for grapplers. I’m certainly looking forward to more of his stuff coming in in a digital format.

ON SALE HERE:
Gary Tonon – Exit The System (DVD/DIGITAL)

Learn Jiu-Jitsu Faster With These Poker Tricks

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BJJ World

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Poker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In essence, not two things that you often hear about in conjunction. And still, one has so much to teach the other, and vice versa. Poker is probably the only thing as intense as Jiu-Jitsu, that’s safe to do in terms of your health. In fact, there are professional poker players out there that make a living doing nothing but poker. Granted, it lacks the physical aspect of Jiu-Jitsu, but it more than makes up for it with the mental one. And it is not only about math and numbers. There is actually stuff in poker that can help you learn Jiu-Jitsu not only better but the right way if there is such a thing.

One of the biggest draws of Brazilian JIu-Jitsu is that it is endless. People get bored with things, the more addictive they are, the faster they burn out. Well, Jiu-Jitsu is one addiction you can’t really shake off, as it is neverending and changes all the time. Even if you roll with the same partner over and over again, you’ll still do new things with every roll. Poker is not too different, hence the addictive nature. Of course, poker has some serious consequences if you take it too far but then again, what doesn’t? Both these activities complement each other, but today we’ll’ be focusing on what poker can do fro you. Want to learn jiu-jitsu faster? Perhaps you should sign up for a poker game.

How To Learn Jiu-Jitsu With Poker Strategies

Apart from the more than obvious learning curve, there are also stages when you learn Jiu-Jitsu. In the beginning, you learn movement. Later on, you learn techniques and try to amount as much knowledge as you can. As you progress, you turn back to movement, but this time, trying to understand why it works. At brown belt, the same happens with techniques –you get to understand them. At black belt, you are finally free to have as much fun as you want.

There’s one common theme, though, that’s there form the very first time you roll, all the way until you decide to hang your Gi up. That theme is strategy. You quickly learn that without a solid strategy, you won’t get far when rolling. Of course, the same thing transfers to competitions. So, as you develop all the stuff I mentioned above, you also constantly work on strategies. In essence, strategies are just ways of incorporating your technical knowledge into your game. Up until this point, BJJ is actually pretty much alike other grappling martial arts.

Past this point, though, is where Jiu-Jitsu is different and unique. Rolling, for example, is not just an exchange of strategies and techniques. Given that there is a counter to everything, you need to be sneaky when it comes to BJJ. That said, you need to bluff, develop timing and know how to read your opponents to be successful. In that sense, all the chess comparisons fade into the background when you actually pair up poker and Jiu-Jitsu.

Poker Face For BJJ

Of course, I’m going to start off with the poker face. In poker, you have to able to conceal your emotions and your intentions. Given that it is a card game, played around a table, the face is where most of the ‘tells” are. In that sense, the term “poker face” refers to having the ability to you’re your intentions. Sounds familiar? When it comes to BJJ though, you need a lot more than just a poker face. You need to hide all your intentions since we’re using our entire bodies when rolling. If you want to learn Jiu-Jitsu the right way, you need to become unpredictable when you roll. And the best way to do that is to never reveal your intentions. This takes time and effort,t but once you focus on it, you’ll be able to fool even higher belts.

In tournaments, the poker face gets a different dimension. Here, you can’t just rely on hiding what you’re doing, but you’ll have to take it up a notch. In competition, you need to add misdirection to the mi. YOU need to make your opponent believe you’re doing one thing when you’re actually going for something else. And they’ll never believe it unless you can sell it – “poker face” 101.

Making The Best Out Of Things

If you’ve ever played poker, you know that you can’t always be lucky. Unless you’re cheating, you’re going to get dealt a bad hand at a certain point. It is the nature of the game, and it is one of the reasons why it is s exhilarating to play. In Jiu-Jitsu, you find yourself in an identical situation. When you slap and bump. Whether in a roll or match, you have no idea what the other person is going to throw at you. Even then, they just might be better, quicker or downright luckier than you and establish better positioning. as you learn Jiu-Jitsu you understand that there’s no worse “hand” than this one.

What you can learn from poker is thinking on the fly. In poker, there’s, of course, tension and pressure, but it is not physical. In BJJ, you have both mental and physical pressure and it takes time to get comfortable and think in such circumstances. You have to start thinking on the fly because the game just gets progressively faster as you learn Jiu-Jitsu and perfect timing and movement. That’s one poker trait I’d be glad to learn.

Clear Objectives, Innovative Means

Sounds interesting, right? In poker, you have several ways of winning, and guess what? The same is true for BJJ. Moreover, some ways of winning are better than others. That means you have clear cut goals and different ways of achieving them. Even more so, if you can come up with your own way of achieving goals in a more efficient manner, the more useful you will be. Poker or Jiu-Jitsu, the rule is the same – win, and try to do it fairly.

Bluffing

Okay, this one goes to poker, just because It has always s been associated with it. However, when you come to think about it, we also do our fair share of bluffing in grappling too. Earlier I spoke about misdirecting your opponent.s that’s just one way of saying you’re bluffing in order to surprise a partner/opponent. In poker, the bluff works both when you’ve got a winning hand, and you’ve been dealt a bad one. In Jiu-Jitsu, it is the same. When you’re in a great spot, keep your intentions to yourself. Sometimes, opponents have no idea how close they are to taping and unless you show them what you’re doing, they’ll actually finish the job for you. The same holds true for situations when you end to escape or counter and attack. You’d be surprised how many things in BJJ you can bluff yourself out of.

Studying And Reading Opponents

If you want to learn Jiu-Jitsu, you have to focus on reading your opponents. Even better, you need to study them, ideally beforehand. Watching tape, I not just for trying to figure out the technical level of an opponent. You can also sense tells, find out about small stuff they do when they move, etc. In other words, you learn to read their actions, so you can have better reactions or bluff successfully.

When it comes to reading opponents, that’s a skill you’ll have to acquire with time. When you learn Jiu-Jitsu, this is one thing you can’t master quickly. Reding people in grappling means reading their body movements and patterns. This is entirely possible but it’ll take you a long time to get accustomed to it. You can use some poker references to help you read faces, but you’ll have to figure out the body by yourself. I did say they’re similar, not identical!

Final Words

It is always easier to learn things when you can draw parallels. We oftentimes use chess analogies when it comes to BJJ but I have to admit that poker is a much better fit. Using terms, tactics and even experiences to learn Jiu-Jitsu at a faster rate is a great and somewhat unorthodox way of approaching learning. But, as I said, everything is open in BJJ, and you can go about learning any way you want. Just do not fall for poker more than grappling. You have been warned!

BJJ Belt Progression And Ranks: A Roadmap

By

BJJ World

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Why do you train BJJ? Answer this question before you continue reading the article. It doesn’t matter if you want to admit it to yourself or not, getting a belt, whether it is the next one, or a black belt is somewhere in the back of your mind. It is the same with everyone, and let’s not fool ourselves. The only people not wanting a black belt are the ones that already have one around their waist. It is perfectly normal. Still, probably more than anything, I get asked belt-related questions all the time. So, let’s try and settle things once and for all, and explain everything about grading, rankings, BJJ belt progression, what happens after the black belt, etc.

Earning a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt is a huge milestone in everyone’s journey. It is a measurable way of gauging progress, as it is meant to be. That said, people often times try to rush belts, buy them or use other shortcuts. McDojos that sell belts, as well as belt skipping are entirely out of line and no one in their right mind will endorse such actions. There’s a simple reason for that – BJJ belt progression represents personal progress, and you can’t fake what you know when it comes to grappling. Then again, when all is legit and well, what do belts mean and how exactly does BJJ Belt progression go? After all, if BJ Jis needless, how come there’s an end to belts?

The BJJ Belt System

Let me make things simple. I have an article in the works regarding these same subjects, only for BJJ kids’ belts. Since they have quite a few more than adults, it merits a separate piece. For now, we’ll be looking at the adult belts and the BJJ belt system.

In essence, the BJJ Belt system is by far the least complicated of all martial arts I’ve trained in. There are five belts, they go in a specific order and you need to get through each of them. Getting through means spending enough time so that you reach the next level. That refers to technical and tactical knowledge as well as the mindset that comes with every belt. To that extent, belt promotions in Jiu-Jitsu go by way of merit, rather than tests or belt fees. It is simple – when your time comes for a promotion an instructor will tie a belt around your waist.

That said, the BJJ belt progression has five steps. It starts at white when you walk through the doors. You then progress to a BJJ blue belt, the arguably most coveted belt in the entire sport. Purple and brown follow, otherwise known as the “fun” belts. Finally, it is time to get a black belt and become an expert. However only half of this last sentiment is true. Yes, you become an expert as a black belt. However, there’s nothing final about it.

The BJJ Belt Progression – Colored Belts

I’ve said it times and times again, the most sought after belt in the entire sport is not the black, but rather the blue one. Nobody likes to be a beginner, and even if it was a slightly darker shade of white that was the next belt, people would still do anything to get it. This is precisely why we have one of the biggest conundrums in BJJ at the blue belt – the blue belt blues. Namely, after they get their blue belts, many people end up quitting JIu-Jitsu. The reason behind this is unknown, but I’d bet you that that feeling of achievement of getting a belt and not being a beginner anymore has something to do with it. That, and the fact that it takes time and dedication to reach the blue belt.

The BJJ belt progression is a weird thing. You won’t believe the time it takes to reach blue belt, and then, you have to do it all over again, and more to reach purple. Of course, people are going to drop out. However, the reward that awaits on the other side s well worth it. At purple belt, everything opens up and people start inventing their own stuff. It is also where you should spend most of your time developing as a BJJ grappler.

Given the sheer volume of things to learn in Ju-Jitsu, and no just form a technical perspective, each of these belts takes about 2 years to master. You might get your blue within a year, but you’ll probably make up for it at purple. It boils down to the same time span. Only then, after begin belt whipped in the gauntlet four times, will you earn the highest Jiu-Jitsu honor for mortals – the black belt. Without whipping this time around.

The Legitimacy Of Black Belt

Getting a black belt, though is only half of the equation. Unfortunately, nowadays, there are fake black belts, bought black belts, online black belts… that’s before I even mention those that promote straight from blue to black or those that decide to promote themselves. Before we see what happens with the BJJ Belt progression after you receive a black belt, let’s discuss belt legitimacy for a bit.

In essence, every black belt should have clear linage, one that can be accounted for. That means that all legitimate black belts in the world have a lineage that leads to either the Gracies or some other founding members, like Oswaldo Fadda. To that extent, the person who awarded you your black belt should always be available to confirm it. That’s the easy way. The hard way is to actually get approved and registered with the IBJJF, which means time and money. If you want to compete as a black belt in any IBJJF tournament, you have to go through with this. However, if you’re not interested in it all, the lineage will speak for itself, although what you do on the mats is much more important.

After getting your black belt, though, there is more, much more. For starters, you get to get more stripes. In fact, black belts can get up to six stripes. It takes 3 years between the first three stripes. When you get there, you also earn the rank of Professor, meaning you get a stripe on each side of the red portion of your belt as well. From there on, the next three stripes take 5 years in between to earn. Then you move on to the next belt. Wait, what? Yeah, there’s more…

What Happens After The Black Belt?

After you spend at least 32 years at black belt, with all stripes, of course, and only after the age of 50, you become eligible for the next level- the coral belt. The belt is a red and black belt, and the name is after the coral snake. Prior to 2013, there were two grades of the red and black coral belt, the first with seven and second with 8 stripes. However, the IBJJF deemed it necessary to make a clear distinction between the two. So now, the eight-degree coral bet (eight stripes) is a red and white one, rather than a red and black belt. People with coral belts earn the title of “Master”. It takes 7 years to move from one to the other coral belt.

The final belt (really) in the BJJ Belt progression is the red belt. Achieving this one, or the title of “Grandmaster” is a feat reserved for just a few, although it is not uncommon. It takes 10 years at the rank of a white and red coral belt, plus an age of at least 67 years to reach the red belt. The very final step is the 10th-degree red belt, which requires 15 years at the previous belt level. In other words, if you see a red belt that’s not at least 82 years old, we’re down to the legitimacy issue once again.

Wrapping Up

Going through the BJJ belts is the work of a lifetime, that’s for certain. Every step of the way is lots of fun, even when you’re getting “beaten to a pulp”. There’s really nothing like BJJ, and the BJJ belt progression is a huge part of it. Understanding what awaits ate every level might help you manage your expectations at least until such a time when you really immense in the art, and forget about all the belt stuff.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Belts System Explained

Are You A Member Of A BJJ Cult Or An Academy?

By

BJJ World

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When you first walk through the doors of a BJJ academy, you’ll notice one of two things. Either you walk into one of those laid back academies where everything is fun and games, while still everyone is learning at an ultra-high technical level. The other is one of those academies that follow a more “traditional’ martial arts approach, with bowing, ultra a discipline, structure, etc. Both approaches are effective, at least in my personal experience. And both can come off looking like a BJJ cult, particularly to outsiders. However, if there is one cult you want to be a member of, it is Jiu-Jitsu. In fact, I use the word cult very loosely, as it usually scares people. The fact to the matter is, BJJ can come culty at times, but that is just a part of the charm.

There’s a certain hype around Jiu-JItsu that is pretty much responsible for the BJJ cult feeling. People do get drawn into the art/sport quickly and thoroughly. We could even go as far as calling it addictive. Yet, not everyone that is going to sign up will end up obsessed with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, the hype surrounding certain aspects of BJJ, in certain academies, or organizations certainly have a cult-like vibe to it. No wonder why many other martial artists usually see BJJ people as nutty. And the whole BJJ nerds movement doesn’t really help with that impression.

The Psychology Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Whichever way you look at it, training Jiu-Jitsu will have a positive influence on your life. The physical aspects of it are pretty obvious. However, there are also plenty of mental benefits that people usually do not associate with martial arts. So far there have even been studies that look into the psychological benefits of training JIu-=Jitsu, as there are many. But are psychological traits of cults also present in BJJ?

When you take up training JIu-JItsu you’ll notice a bunch of things change in the way you go about your usual business. Most of the changes are positive, one of which is the desire to keep coming back and becoming a better grappler. That soon spills into everyday life providing you with a way of organizing a hectic lifestyle. Moreover, there are unique aspects of mindfulness that help you connect your body and your mind, that very few other sports can offer. Yoga is one example, but it doesn’t get near the physical and tactical challenges that come with BJJ, which is yet another positive influence on the mind.

The physical contact is another major thing that has a positive psychological effect. IN a world where physical contact is lacking, BJJ provides it in a very primal way – through play fighting. That has countless psychological and physiological benefits across the organism. Plus it introduces the next huge positive effect of BJJ – social benefits. This is exactly the portion that makes people seem like they’re a part of a BJJ cult. At least to outsiders.

The BJ community is an extremely tight-knit and dedicated one. People share the same passion, and if you don’t train then you won’t understand. As far as cult definitions go, this is right up their ally right? Read on.

BJJ Cult Culture

First up let’s explore several different BJ Jcult like behaviors that can easily paint a wrong p[icture about BJJ. Not that it is going to chase people away, but understanding something always makes us appreciate things more.

One aspect that’s probably the definition of a BJJ cult is the approach some academies have. By academies here I mean worldwide organizations that have hundreds of affiliates around the world. I understand that they wan to offer people structure, a common purpose and even creeds to live and train by. However, I found it a bit too much, given the loose and experimental nature of BJJ as an art/sport. Having to wear the same clothes and recite an “oath” before class, or bow to dead people in frames is a bit too much for me. Plus, you can see how it can come off, well, culty.

I’m just briefly going to touch on the worst of the worst, which is the McDojo Cults. This isn’t even within the bounds of a BJJ cult, but rather a regular one that’s taking advantage of Jiu-Jitsu. Know the signs of a McDojo gym and get out before you end up in an actual cult.

Finally, within BJJ itself there are other types of cults, or better said, sub-cults. Lately, you could argue that we have a leg locking cult that worships Danaher, as well as a lapel binding one that has Keenan and Meragali as their main guys. The difference here is the people doing the things that inspire others aren’t doing them to gather followers, but rather to help the sport, and themselves grow. So, while there is a BJJ cult-like culture, Jiu-Jitsu is anything but a clear cut cult, even under the worst of circumstances. In fact, it is the most positive cult of all.

Where BJJ Cultism is Different

In order to really get a feel for things, let’s talk about what a cult actually is. In a cult, there’s a single leader that’s using charisma and everything at their disposal to lure people into doing what he is saying. Usually, this involves false claims that incite belief of some kind, mostly religious in the followers. Often times, the most dedicated fo followers actually become associates fo the leader. The ultimate goal of cults is either getting money and other benefits from members, or leading them into demise, depending on the leader’s state of mind and mental status.

Usually, most cults tend to hook people without giving them an away out. As such, they lead to mental degradation and loss of hope. Jiu-Jitsu offers the exact opposite. In BJJ, what you get is a shift in perspective. That’s as far as a BJJ cult can take you in terms of cult-like stuff. The shift, however, is a positive one, making you get to know yourself better and improve your social interactions. How? After you get choked by people from all walks of life, you tend to look at things differently.

Finally, there’s one last aspect of BJJ cultism I’d like to address. No matter how much we adore certain characters in the sport, they’re actually not almighty and cannot walk and grapple on water. The cold hard truth is that everyone taps and everyone ends up in bad spots in Jiu-Jitsu. SO just like with your favorite baseball or football team, those are star athletes and not divine creatures that deserve the formation of their very own BJJ cult. They wouldn’t want it anyway.

Summary

So, is a BJJ cult a real thing? I’d say it is up to a point, but a very unorthodox and unusual one at that. It actually helps people, makes them better in all walks of life and doesn’t restrict them in anything. In other words, feel free to walk away at any moment. The only cold hard truth you have to face is that BJJ is not immune to the influence of other, real cults out there. People that represent them are bound to be looking for followers in BJJ circles, given that JIu-Jitsu is everywhere. Keep this in mind, and keep rollin’!

Top 10 Signs of a McDojo Gym

The Rise Of The Assassin BJJ Nerds

By

BJJ World

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BJJ is a beast of its own, even amongst fellow grappling martial arts. It is unique in every possible sense. For example, there is a term in Brazilian Jiu-JItsu that is not usually associated with martial arts or sports in general. In BJJ, people are often referred to as BJJ nerds. Not only is this not derogatory in any way sort or form, but it is a sought after “title”. Some of the very best grapplers in the world proudly display themselves as Jiu-Jitsu nerds. Moreover, there’s a term that’s as unusual as they get, and yet, it makes sense to Jiu-Jitsu folks – Assasin BJJ nerds. Let’s talk about the rise of the nerd in Jiu-Jitsu and why being one is the ultimate sign of grappling success.

In many aspects of modern life, this is the age of the nerds. What exactly is a nerd is tough to pinpoint, but we’ all have the same conception of a skinny person with glasses that’s uber-smart but not very physically coordinated. Given how dependent we are on technology nowadays, the age of the nerds is well and truly on. BJJ nerds, though, despite ticking many of the common nerd boxes, are not your typical nerds. But then again, BJJ is anything but typical anyway.

What’s The Deal With Nerds And Jiu-Jitsu?

To learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu all you need is to show up. There has never been a truer sentiment. However, showing up can only get you so far. The whole point of being on the mats is soaking up knowledge. And there are many ways of doing so. In other martial arts, most of the learning is done in a scenario style. That means “if I do this, you do that” and so on. In Jiu-Jitsu, however, you can do a whole host of different things for any smallest action an opponent does. Moreover, it is endless, and you ever end up in an end all be all position. You know, those are the “inescapable” positions or movers other martial arts are based on.

To actually learn Jiu-Jitsu , you’ll need to turn your brain on. And yes, that means thinking about BJJ stuff even when you’re not on the mats. You need to learn movements, learn techniques, and understand when to apply them. That’s just the first level, You then move on to combining things, thinking ahead and setting up traps. But that’s far from the end of it. Next up is undertaking body mechanics and why techniques work, rather than how. That’s when things start to make sense, even though more and more questions keep coming, you get to a satisfactory answer. In other words, Jiu-Jitsu is endless, and this, for one reason or another, is extremely appealing to nerds.

Actually, let me re-phrase that. In fact, the endless nature is appealing to lots of different types of people, eventually producing assassin BJJ nerds. Jiu-Jitsu takes over people’s lives so much, that all they think about is grappling. If you’re thinking about hat move that failed while driving home, or how a sweep worked while on the toilet, you’re most definitely on your way to becoming a BJJ Nerd. You’ll have to keep working if you want to add the “assassin” part, though.

A Ph.D. In Choking People Out

Do you ever wonder why we call Jiu-Jitsu black belt teachers Professors? Other arts have mystical titles for their instructors, like Sensei, Si-Fu or Grandmaster… In BJJ, the term that’s most commonly in use is Professor. The reason for this is easy – in the time you need to get a black belt, you can easily graduate from University, get a Masters’s degree, and even get a Ph.D. in the process. In other words, it takes a decade, oftentimes more to get that black belt. And that’s just the beginning.

Jiu-Jitsu requires dedication and complete immersion to really become the next level. If you consider things carefully, you’ll see that completely letting something take all your attention is a true characteristic of nerds. Moreover, BJJ nerds are those that really go on to study BJJ, not just train it. Thes are the people that can easily toy with you on the mats while appearing to waste no energy whatsoever. They’re also the people that come up with crazy new stuff that’s completely unexpected. In essence, BJJ nerds are the driving force behind the art, as they’re really taking things to the next level.

So, let’s put things into perspective. You can be A Jiu-Jitsu nerd both as white and a black belt. However, at white belt, you’re a freshman, while at black you’ve got yourself a Ph.D. Both still sit at the nerds’ table, but the range of their understanding of a subject, in this case, BJJ rather than Star Wars (or along with it) is of a different level altogether. Oh, and yeah, usual nerd stuff and BJJ go hand in hand, so apart from being able to kill you, BJ nerds are still, well, nerds. Just way cooler.

The Curious Case Of Assassin BJJ Nerds

So, what about the assassin part? Let me put it like this. If you see Nicky Ryan, or Paulo Miyao for that matter, out on the streets, without a Gi, you’ll probably think something along the lines of “Oh look at that cute little nerd”. Well, that “cute” little nerd can tear you limb from limb, put you to sleep and leave you on the ground in a pile. The thing is, they’re not of the fighting kind and those “experiences” only take place on the mats. Not that you really see them leave the mats that much anyway.

The nerd part comes from studying Jiu-Jitsu so much, that they know the inner workings of things. Conversely, getting “Jedi Mind tricked” is often a favorite of BJJ nerds, for reasons that are more than obvious. That said, all that gathered knowledge makes BJJ nerds insanely heavy when they’re on top. It is all about understanding things, but in order to get to that Ph.D. level, you need to put in your shift.

Thre’s also another aspect of the guard. The BJJ guard game wouldn’t be nearly as versatile without the BJJ nerds. It is also why they earned the “assassin” title. The guards that end up evolving as a result of people immersing in BJJ are crazy, to say the least. Moreover, they’re highly efficient and extremely dangerous in terms of submissions. There are traps hidden everywhere, and some of those nerdy-looking grapplers can actually submit you while sweeping you, regardless fo their belt or experience level. Or yours.

Final thoughts

BJJ nerds are great for the sport, assassin BJJ nerds are even better. If you aim to become a nerd in at least one aspect of life, let it be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Being a grappling nerd can help you be better in Jiu-Jitsu, in life, and, as surprising as it sound, in your social life. Not really the nerd you thought about, but definitely the nerd you want to be. After all this is the age of nerds, isn’t it?

Jiu-Jitsu Beginners Help Desk: What’s Going On Here?

By

BJJ World

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Deciding to take up Jiu-Jitsu is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. It is also going to prove to be one of the best ones. Whether Jiu-Jitsu is going to change your life, influence it or just contribute to it, the return is going to be positive for certain. That said, it’ll take some time to get a feel for it. Moreover, it’ll take some time to get used to everything that’s happening on the mats. BJ Jis far from your traditional martial art, and as such, works in different and slightly mysterious ways. When it comes to Jiu-Jitsu beginners, it is not just about techniques, but understanding exactly what is going on on the mats?

People that start BJJ usually look lost. That’s because they are. Depending on the size of the academy, integrating into a BJJ gym can be quite difficult. The bigger the academy, the more difficult it is to understand what exactly people are on about at certain times. Moreover, all the technical stuff going on that makes no sense and requires every bit of mental and physical energy. That does not leave much focus to figure out why people are standing on the edge of the mats and not allowed to participate. It will take some time, but I’ll try to explain some of the nuances of BJJ life here in order to make jiu-jitsu beginners understand as much as possible. Up to a point.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training 101

There a concept that I talked not too long ago that has people undergo an intro class when they sign up. This is, in essence, a private class, just not one where the student decides the subject of the lesson. It is rather a great way to introduce the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to people who want to train, but have absolutely no idea what it is. That said, even with a class like that, I have people coming to class looking like they’re ina different country whose language they can’t speak or understand. It is fun for me to see them like that. However, I can’t imagine they’re having the time of their life just yet.

Jiu-Jitsu becomes extremely easy to understand once you’re deeper into it. What we aim to do is solve puzzles under pressure, with the end goal of controlling someone so much that they have to give in. That was the easy part. The hard part, for everyone, is learning different ways of achieving this. In other words, learning BJJ techniques and concepts. In terms of Jiu-Jitsu beginners, this is easy – there’s a curriculum for white belts they need to follow. That’s how they learn techniques and specific movements that are the foundation.

Still, when people step on the mats, intro class or not, they run into much more than just techniques with weird names that they can’t figure out. Apart from the well established social interactions between people that have been there for years, there are also situations that make absolutely no sense. Speaking of which, the ones I’ll focus on today are situations that you should avoid, regardless of belt or experience, and the reasons why.

Jiu-Jitsu Beginners Orientation: Explaining A Few Common Mat Situations

Techniques aside, we’ll be looking at common mat situations and what they mean. When it comes to beginners, everything is new, confusing and strange. The trouble is that it may be so confusing, that it prompts people to leave. Instead of that happening, let’s make everything more user-friendly for jiu-jitsu beginners and put some things into perspective. Like a beginner, you do not need to know any of these, but it will make your life easier if you’re aware of why things are happening the way that they are on those BJJ mats.

Late For Class

There’s n need to say that you should always be on time. To be honest, I’ve never had an issue with beginners being late to class without a good reason for it. It is the older students that develop habits like this. In some academies, this goes unnoticed and people seem to be coming and going to and from class at times. In other academies (mine included) those that are late will have to wait their turn. Why?

First of all, they need to wait until they’re summoned in order not to disrupt the class. Secondly, they need to warm up, even if skipping the warm-up is the reason they’re late. So, when an instructor asks you to stand on the edge of the mat and warm up until they summon you, there’s a clear reason behind it. You’ll join in a class at a time where you can jump in without having to interrupt the flow.

Belts And Gis

At the beginning of class, people line up according to their belt color. That much is apparent. However, what’s with all the different colored Gis? DO they influence where people stand? The short answer is no. In the line, people that have a full Gi and a belt go to the front and line up according to belts. People that have just a Gi jacket, just Gi pants on or do not wear a belt, line up at the end. It may be at the tail end of the GI line, or at the very end, even behind the new folks. When it comes to Jiu-Jitsu beginners, this can be quite the conundrum. The solution is easy – do not thin too much of it. Line up next to the people dressed similarly to you, and let the instructors worry about those that come ill-prepared for class.

Hygiene 101

This is really something that concerns everyone. As a beginner, trying to train a sport where people are in extremely close proximity to you and try to smother you all the time is hard enough without hem having smelly garments on. Gi hygiene is huge, and in most cases, closely monitored by instructors. If this is not the case, feel free to talk to an instructor, rather than enduring a smelly adventure with a training partner.

The same holds true for nails or body odors. Contact sport, everyone! That means keeping your nails trimmed at all times, as well as showering regularly, preferably before class. Smelly feet can be just as bad (if not worse) than a stinky Gi, so let’s keep things civil. Once again, feel free to react to an instructor in such situations. And no, they’re not common and definitely not endorsed.

Finally, what I always state as rule number one is no shoes on the mats, no walking barefoot off them. That’s easy to understand. If you need to anywhere outside the mat area, wear flip flops or shoes. Back on the mats? Take them off. We put our faces on those mats for hours, and someone is taking care to keep the mats clean. If there’s anything to remember for Jiu-Jitsu beginners, this has to be it. Everything else is negotiable to a point.

Who Exactly Is The Instructor?

This is a question I’ve gotten several times. Okay, maybe not in this form, but still. The part that confuses beginners is that lots of people try to coach them. The answer is easy – whoever is doing the demonstrations, regardless if they’re a blue or a black belt is the coach/instructor. Full stop. Everyone else, and especially fellow white belts, regardless of how many stripes they have, should not teach. In fact, everyone should keep their mouth shut, apart from addressing instructors with specific questions about techniques. The same holds true for rolling, and no, people shouldn’t coach you during rolling. Not even instructors.

What Is a Spaz… Ouch, Never Mind!

You’ve been training for a while now, and you’ve heard the term Spaz. But wait, what exactly is it? Ell, the short answer is, you’ll know one when you see one. A Spaz is someone who goes full strength, all-out, with next to no techniques and tries to manhandle everyone in rolling. Sometimes even during technique demonstrations. The thing to remember here its that they do not have to be white belts, but can also be blue or even purple. In BJJ, you’ll run into the Spaz from time to time, so you might as well gain that experience early on. However, just like in the case of hygiene, feel free to talk to an instructor, and ask to be partnered with someone else. Even more importantly, that’s exactly how you do not want to behave, so make sure you’re not turning into one yourself.

Oh My God, Did I Injury Him/Her?

This is a huge one and I’ve seen it scare people away. It is not getting injured that deters beginners, but rather injuring someone else. Particularly when it comes to injuring a higher belt. The thing is, you’ll very rarely be able to injure a higher belt intentionally. In most cases, it is ego preventing them from tapping or acknowledging that they mese up or you did everything right. The moral of the story is that it is not your fault. As long as you adhere to the rules, ti is others that injure themselves while rolling with you. In fact, the responsibility during a roll is always with the higher belt, so if they end up limping you’re definitely not to blame. When it comes to Jiu-Jitsu beginners, the rules are simple: tap often, and try not to be a spaz, as discussed before.

Conclusion

When it comes to starting BJJ, there’s a lot to learn. However, rarely anyone tells you about the stuff that happens all the time and that confuses newbies completely. Jiu-Jitsu beginners have a difficult enough time without having to figure out unwritten rules and social interactions. That said, focus on the tasks at hand, and if anything seems out of place, you know what to do – talk to the instructor.

Jiu-Jitsu For Beginners: The First Month Of Training

Rules Of BJJ: A Competition Guide For Beginners

BJJ White Belt Survival Kit: 5 Essential Tips For Beginners

BJJ Cyber Monday: Best BJJ Deals For DVD Instructionals!

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BJJ World

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While the rest of the world is going to bed early to be the first when convenience stores open, Grapplers are in front of their computers, trying to figure out how to make the most out of the BJJ Black Friday Sale. Well, the answer is obvious and very easy – get BJJ DVDs. The more, the better. This is the one day of the year when you can actually buy multiple DVD sets without paying too much attention to the price. It is all very affordable and we decided to sift through everything and put together a list of the Best BJJ Deals for digital instructionals for a BJJ Cyber Monday! So, instead of pushing through masses of people in malls, stay in front of the screen and click your way to some cool new Jiu-Jitsu instructionals!

There’s nothing like starting off the week strong, and this Monday offers a perfect opportunity to do so! If you’ve been wondering about any BJJ DVD out there, it is time to see what all the fuss is about. Now, everything is readily available, as there’s a BJJ Cyber Monday sale of DVD instructionals. When it comes to awesome BJJ deals, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one than this. However, both supplies and time are limited, you’d better get a move on it!

Best BJJ Cyber Monday DVD Collection – Now Or Never!

We’ve talked previously about ways in which you can learn BJJ. A sport that is so open and constantly changing is not a sport you can only learn in the gym. Talking, to people, reading, watching stuff online are all viable ways of adding to your grappling knowledge. However, there’s a modern learning tool that has changed how we approach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – DVD instructionals. Nowadays, hardly anyone, bar a few complete beginners doesn’t own at least one BJJ DVD. And, there’s no denying that they’re awesome.

The thing with BJJ DVDs is that just like with Jiu-Jitsu, you can’t get enough of them. Plus, people are producing and issuing them on a daily basis. it seems every high-profile coach and competitor is into it. On the positive side of things, this does offer a lot of knowledge that previously, only a few had access to. On the downside, instructionals are too many to gather. In fact, the best thing you can do is think in terms of collections, and gather different DVDs that cover the same or similar subject. BJJ Deals

However, acquiring a bunch of DVDs is no easy feat. In today’s popular format, each DVD has four parts, meaning you get entire sets ANd they do not come cheap at all. Luckily, there’s BJJ Cyber Monday, and the one day in the year when everything is at half price! Now, you can get all of the best DVDs of the year and build yourself a collection that’ll hold you until this time next year. It is a proven way of getting the best BJJ Deals ever when it comes to DVD Instructionals.

The 2020 BJJ Cyber Monday Best BJJ Deals

How can you know what the best DVD instructionals are? There are two answers to this question. The first one is, look at the people teaching in each. If they’re world-class coaches/competitors, you’re bound to get a lot out of the instructional. The second answer is to look into what is best for you. If you’re on a submission chasing quest at the moment, you need to be looking at submission DVDs. If you’re more into playing guard than bottom game DVDs should be on top of your list. You get my point.

Since it is BJJ Cyber Monday, it is prudent to say that tall these DVD instructionals do not come just in DVD format. Instead of waiting around for the mailman, you can get each and every one of them in digital format as well. That means downloading them straight away and be able to carry them around with ease. As I said, the goal of this BJJ Cyber Monday was to figure out the best possible BJJ Deals out there. And we have some real treats for you below!

Top No-Gi Instructionals

Let’s kick things off with several No-Gi titles that are the perfect fit for all No-Gi enthusiasts out there. We’ll outline a few, but also, provide you with a link to a complete collection of all the best No-Gi DVDs for 2020.

10th Planet Fundamentals- JM Holland

First up I’ll kick things off with a fairly new one. JM Holland and Zach Maslany are Eddie Bravo black belts standouts within the 10th PLanet Jiu-Jitsu community. They both teamed up to bring us one of the top No-Gi DVDs of 2020- “10th Planet Fundamentals”. This is a DVD unlike any other because these guys are not demonstrating techniques or concepts. Instead, they’re going over all the famous 10th Planet warmups, explaining each and every step and the idea behind them. In essence, this is the perfect drilling DVD, but it’s still a huge one with four volumes and lots of info. Strongly recommended!

Battle-Tested Down Under Leglocks – Craig Jones

Next up is a submission clinic by none other than Craig Jones. A couple of years ago, Craig issued his first leg lock instructional “Down Under Leg Attacks”. Now, he has a second piece of the puzzle in his brand new “Battle-tested Down Under Leglocks:”. In this issue, the Aussie prodigy goes over all the stuff he has pulled off in competition, and how and why they work. Once again, top-level instructions across four volumes by one fo the best grapplers in the world. BJJ Deals do not get any sweeter than this.

Butterfly Half Guard – Tom DeBlass

Finally, let’s take a look at a positional No-Gi DVD that has done wonders for me, personally. Tom DeBlass needs no introduction, and his instructional are legendary. However, this best work is hand down the “Butterfly Half Guard” DVD. In this masterpiece of a DVD, Tom goes over a host of things that explain this hybrid guard down to the tiniest details. In other words, it is time to change your half guard game forever. Plus, Tom himself is heavy on leglocks, making this DV D the perfect companion to Craig Jones’ one we discussed above. That’s how you build a collection on BJJ Cyber Monday.

Closed Guard Instructionals

The closed guard certainly had a good year. In 2020, the closed guard was the one position that made the strongest possible Jiu-Jitsu comeback. As a result, instructional started popping up left and right. Let’s see some other best, and how you can tie them together for an unbelievable game.

The Closed Guard – Bernardo Faria

First up a real treat. Bernardo Faria and his take on the closed guard. When a 5 times World BJJ Champion speaks, you listen. It is as easy as that. This four-part instructional offers a real new dimension when it comes to playing the closed guard. Apart from being a real wizard with the Omoplata, Berranrd also knows every corner of the closed guard inside out. In this DVD he spares absolutely nothing. BJJ Deals

The Ground Marshall Guard – Neil Melanson

In complete contrast to Bernardo, you have Neil Melanson. Everyone’s favorite catch-wrestler-BJJ-Grappler is back at it with a brand new take on the Closed Guard. In this case, it is the Ground Marshall Guard, a No-Gi variation fo the closed guard that’s brilliant, to say the least. Melanson is known for triangles, so everyone really interested in improving bot their triangle offense and closed guard for No-Gi should look into this. Oh, and it works perfectly with the Gi as well. Tried and tested!

The Impassable Guard Formula – Bruno Fraztto

Finally, a formula for all those that are having trouble with keeping people inside their guard. Bruno Frazatto is a small guy and that;’s exactly who you like teaching you the secrets of the guard. His instructional is named “The Impassable Guard Formula” And it is just that. He outlines the perfect plan when it comes to guard retention, covering both closed and open guard.s PLus, there are a bunch of highly useful drills inside that’ll improve your guard extremely fast.

Top Masters Instructionals

Let’s offer something for the OGs as well on this BJJ Cyber Monday. Below are the best BJJ Deals for those that are over thirty and still looking to compete actively.

Old School Efficient BJJ- Chris Haueter

Chris Haueter is as OG as they get. He is one of the original BJJ dirty dozen, meaning he is one of the first 12 Americans to get a BJJ black belt. He has a wealth of experience which he shares in his “Old School Efficient BJJ” instructional. Once again, four parts cover everything, from closed guard, to guard passing and top position attacks. This isaGi DVD and one that’s appropriate for every level of a grappler. Plus, it offers insights into preparing a complete BJJ game for MMA fighters too.

The Masters Guard – Daniel Beleza

A black belt for 20 years, Daniel Beleza knows a thing or two about competing in the Master’s divisions. Conversely, he has a DVD out named “The Masters Guard” It is not hard to figure out what you get in this three-part BJJ instructional. There’s a complete guard game there that’s full of traps and surprises, requiring little to no athleticism or strength. The perfect instructional for both older grapplers and those that like to play a lazier game.

DVD Instructionals For White Belts

So, you’re a beginner looking to make the most out of BJJ Cyber Monday? Of course, you have no idea where to start with all these DVD instructionals available out there. Let’s us help point you to some of the best BJJ Deals for DVDs you can get today.

Pure Jiu-Jitsu- Luis Heredia

Luis Heredia is a student of Helio Gracie, which on itself is enough to give him more credibility than most. However, his approach to Jiu-Jitsu is what really sets him apart from others. he has a DVD set out named “Pure Jiu-Jitsu” In it, he teaches key concepts, ranging from basic techniques and movements, to the ins and outs of weight distribution and pinning. A perfect DVD to kick off your Jiu-Jitsu journey.

Mastering The Mount – Matt Thornton

Something else that is a must-have is Matt Thornton’s “Mastering The Mount”. This oen si so good, I’ve been using it regularly to set up mount classes in my academy, for both fundamentals and advanced groups. The mount is one of the most important positions in BJJ and beginners absolutely need it more than anyone else. Matt has the real formula on how to get to, hold, and attack from all variations of the mount. Once again, you get to learn all his secrets from four volumes.

Solo And Partner Grappling Drills – Tom DeBlass

Finally, a way to learn drills for beginners. DVDs like this are pretty scarce, so thank to Tom DeBlass for putting this one out. His “Solo And Partner Grappling Drills” is a DVD that’ll help you improve in BJJ fast. As such, it is a key piece of the puzzle for all white belts, teaching a lot of sport-specific movement and motion. A four-part DVD set that’s a must-have for everyone, not just beginners.

Half Guard Instructionals BJJ Deals

The closed guard might have made a comeback, but the half guard never even left the stage. As such, there are more half guard DVDs out there than there are instructionals for any other subject of Jiu-Jitsu. As such, we made a selection of a few of the best. A usual, a link to an entire collection is also included.

The Bucheca Half Guard – Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida

Thre’s no way we can talk about the half guard and not mention Buchecha. He is one of the pioneers of the position and still one of the greatest grapplers of all time. As such, he has an unusual take on the half guard, known as the ‘Bucheca Half Guard”. In a DVD with the same name, he shares all his secrets, from playing the guard defensively to hitting submissions like kneebars out of nowhere. Not much to think about, this is a half guard DVD everyone needs! BJJ Cyber Monday

Half Gaurd Anthology – Lachlan Giles

The real masterpiece when it comes to half guard DVD’s, though, has to be that of Lachlan Giles. He has the “Half Gaurd Anthology” DVD which is just that. This is not a regular four-part instructional but an eight-part anthology looking at every variation of the half guard in depth. Lachlan has a really original take on DVD formatting so you can expect a lot of added stuff like narrated rolls and Q&A. Simply awesome.

Coyote Half Guard – Lucas Leite

Finally one of the best possible half guard instructionals of all times. while you might know the “Coyote Half Guard” from earlier on, you certainly do not know much about the No-_gI version of the position. In fact, this is Lucas Leite’s latest DVD, revisiting his signature position fro ma No-Gi Perspective. As such, I’d have to say that having both the Gi and No-Gi Coyote Hlafg Guard DVDs is a foolproof way fo learning the complete system.

DVDs For Submission Hunters

This has to be my favorite category when it comes to BJJ DVDs. You can’t learn submissions very easily, but they’re certainly very learnable. The following few DVDs are your best source of information on the subject. And BJJ Cyber Monday brings you the best possible BJJ Deals to get your hands on them.

Omoplata Everyone – Bernardo Faria

Bernardo Faria makes ana appearance once again, this time offering his insights on the Omoplata. This crazy submission si one of the BJJ staples and works in both Gi and No-Gi. However, learning this shoulder lock properly requires specific instructions. What is more specific than four volumes filled with Omoplata instructions by a man who has beaten world champion black belts with it? No question about this one, it should be your first BJJ Cyber Monday click.

Position To Submission – Matheus Diniz

Matheus Diniz is another high profile grappler that has a lot to share. He is a Marcelo Garcia black belt that emulates Marcelo’s game perfectly, so it is safe to say he knows submissions. His “Position To Submission” DVD is exactly what people need to improve their finishing rate. Once again, it is a four-volume DVD covering just about anything, from guard attacks to crucifix finishes. Be p[raperd to spend a long time on this one though, as ti ahs lots and lots of information inside.

High Percentage IBJJF Legal Footlocks – Mikey Musumeci

Let’s wrap it up here with another leg lock DVD, but this time, from a different perspective. Mikey Musumeci knows everything there is about computing with the Gi, including leg locks. His take on leglocks is a legal pone, at least when the IBJJF is concerned. In his “High Percentage IBJJF Legal Footlocks” you’ll learn all the ankle locks, toe holds, calf slicers and kneebars you’ll lever need.

BJJ Escapes Instructionals

A really important part of BJJ that hardly anyone trains before brown belt. However, dedicating some time to learning escapes, and how and why they work is something you can do at every belt level.

Worry-Free Escapes – Dean Lister

Dean Lister has a very cool DVD set out that’s tackling the issue of escapes. His “Worry-Free Escapes” Instructional is a real road map to escaping any difficult situation in Jiu-Jitsu. To be honest, this oen is heavy on leg lock escapes and counters, but it also features other common submission escapes, as well as positional ones

Submission Escapes – Tom DeBlass

Another one who has a great escape blueprint is Tom DeBlass. His “Submission Esaceps” system is as neat as it gets. In it he has three volumes of incredible information on how to get out of even the tightest submission holds in Jiu-Jitsu. Despite this being a No-Gi instructional, it is more than applicable in the Gi as well.

The Sitting Turtle – Priit Mihkelson

Finally, what is more than well worth checking out is any of the stuff Priit Mihkelson has. To that extent, hardly anything beats his “Sitting Turtle” DVD. Priti is a maverick at escaping, and making people like they do not know Jiu-Jitsu. Trust me, I’ve rolled with him. That said, there’s no back attack system better than this, both in being original, weird and unexpected, and being ultra-efficient. I strongly recommend you get this DVD first this BJJ Cyber Monday! BJJ Deals

Leg Lock BJJ DVDs

It wouldn’t be a real guide to BJJ DVDs if we didn’t include BJJ deals for leg lock instructionals. While some claim the best days of leg locks have passed, I tend to disagree. There’s s much more to learn in that area which was neglected for so long. In that sense, here are some great options:

Leglock Anthology: 50/50 – Lachlan Giles

The number one DVD to get nowadays is, of course, that of Lachaln Giles. After heel-hooking three giants to get the bronze at the 2019 ADCC in the absolute division, Lachlan became a legend. Just days after, he released an entire DVD set on the subject of 50/50 hellholes dubbed “Leglock Anthology: 50/50”. It has 8 volumes, like before, and covers just about everything there is about heel hooking from the50/50. In fact, Lachlan even outlines how he went about beating everyone in the ADCC using the system.

IBJJF Legal Leglocks – Luiza Monteiro

Luzia Monterio is one of the top Gi competitors in the world and certainly one of the most knowledgeable when it comes to leg locks. Similar to Musumeci, she has an “IBJJF Legal Leglocks” DVD out. However, she cores different topics than Mikey, offering another way of looking at legal foot locks. In it, the focus is on X guard and 50/50 from the bottom, but there’s also volume son attacking the legs from the top position. And yes, there are plenty of great legal options that work at the highest levels.

Leg Attacks And Grappling Hacks – Dean Lister

Of course, there’s no way we could talk about leg locks and not mention the man behind them all, Dean Lister. his “Leg Attacks And Grappling Hacks” DVD instructional is incredible, to say the least. Dean has done it all when it comes to leg locks, and he shares both incredible attacking and defensive concepts in his four-part instructional.

Guard Passing DVD Isnturctionals BJJ Deals

As we’re nearing to the end of our BJJ Cyber Monday guide to the best BJJ Deals for DVD instructionals, let’s talk about guard passing. So far we’ve covered every other aspect of Jiu-Jitsu. Now, it is time to figure out how to get past the crazy amount of guards that exist in the sport. Several options stand out in that regard.

The Pressure Passing Manual – Marco Barbosa

The first of those options is Marco Barbosa and his take on pressure passing. In short, the man has seen just about everything, being a black belt for the better part of his life. Having a Judo black belt only helps his case when it comes to pressure. The instructional is only two DVDs long because that’s all it takes of Braborsa to teach you an eye-popping pressure game that includes many different ways of passing. BJJ Cyber Monday

How To Pass Guards Quickly And Easily – Craig Jones

Craig Jones makes an appearance here again, with one of the top DVDs on the subject of playing the top position. His take is the most modern one of all, as he likes to use leg locks to set up guard passes. In “How To Pass Guards Quickly And Easily” Craig offers a great way to use the threat of leg attacks to get past the legs. Highly effective and unique in terms of the approach. Also, a No-Gi DVD.

Float Passing System – Vagner Rocha

And, if pressure passing isn’t really your strong suit, then you can consider a different route. Vagner Rocha’s “Float Passing System” is one of the best passing instructionals I’ve seen in my life. It did wonders for me and I’ve been using it since it came out. This is a fairly new DVD, so make sure you make the most of it by getting it before others figure out how good it is.

Bonus Instructionals

Before we wrap BJJ Cyber Monday up, let’s look at a couple more DVDs that are so great, you can’t afford to miss out on them.

Yoga For BJJ & Yoga For Rocks- Sebastian Broche

First up is a DVD that anyone training Jiu-Jitsu is going to find very useful. “Yoga For BJJ & Yoga For Rocks” is a set by Sebastian Broche, who is the best BJJ yoga guy around. He covers everything here. From Vinyasa Yoga basics, all the way to ways of turning brittle grapplers into Eddie Bravo-like contortionists. Highly recommended, even if you’re not looking to play rubber guard any time soon. BJJ Cyber Monday

Nutrition And Weight Management System – George Lockhart

The very final piece of the Best BJJ Deals puzzle has to do with nutrition. Learning how to eat healthily and having a foolproof weight-cutting system is something along the lines of the Holy Grail in BJJ. Well, rest assured you’ve found it, in George Lockhart’s Nutrition And Weight Management System. The world’s best combat nutritionist will teach you how to shop, prepare meals, get the most out of your food, and shed the pounds effortlessly before tournaments. The perfect blueprint you can follow for the rest of your life!

What Are You Waiting For?

There’s really nothing more to add apart from start taking advantage of the BJJ Deals that BJJ Cyber Monday offers! Forget about looking at other stuff and focus on building a BJJ DVD collection that’ll last you a lifetime. Moreover, make sure you get enough stuff to keep you occupied until this time next year, as most of them are usually quite expensive to get in such a large number. BJJ Deals

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basics: How To Win Every Time You Roll Or Fight

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BJJ World

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I’ve mentioned the clear progression of the technical focus in every belt in BJJ before. Still, I’ll take this opportunity to go over them all again. At white belt, you’re the walking dead, trying to scrape anything you can in order to justify coming back. As a blue belt, you become the master of defense, before you finally open up and start experimenting like crazy at purple belt. Brown is the time of reflection when you start looking back at fundamentals, this time around actually understanding them. Finally, at a black belt, you get to pull off stuff that seems impossible to pull off. However, at every belt level, for every grappler alive, the same rules apply – You need to understand the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics.

The thing with Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu basics is that most people misunderstand them. The fundamental techniques of Jiu-Jitsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics are not the same things. Fundamentals refer to moves that make up most of Jiu-Jitsu like submissions, sweeps, or guard passes. Basics refer to how things work and understanding why everything that is happening is happening during rolling. If you manage to get that down. you’ll be able to win every match, and even every roll, if there is such a thing.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basics For The Win

Most of the black belts out there often preach the importance of fundamentals and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics. In contrast, most other belts, listen and nod and then go do their own thing over and over again. I guess this is how the natural progression of BJJ goes. Still, if you actually take the time to listen, you’ll see that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basic can actually help you win at everything, form matches to your progress throughout the art. Moreover, focusing on basics can significantly shorten the time you spent at every belt, meaning you’ll be one of those that get to the black belt in a very short time.

Let’s look at some examples of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics. Once again, I’ll try to throw in fundamentals into each example, just so you can see the difference between the two. For starters, Roger Gracie’s success with the cross-collar choke. The choke itself, as a technique is fundamental. However, Roger’s approach to it, from the mount position as the launchpad to the way he thinks about it is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics. Why? Because he understands how the choke works, meaning there’ no defense, or body type that can stand up to it.

The choke is a very precise example of the basics at the highest possible levels of the game. In rolling, and in other belt levels, we need a broader understanding of BJJ basics. For example, understanding what a guard is, and how to get past it. Knowing that you can’t actually pass a guard, but rather the legs is what will get you past any guard. Moreover, knowing that the free leg in an open guard is the one you need to beat, means you already have an upper hand. Once a guard is broken, you can freely pass using any fundamental, from the Torreando to the knee slice. There are countless examples of this in every aspect of Jiu-Jitsu.

The Four Rules Of Competition

When it comes to competition, things are extremely simple. Yet, if you look at people competing, you’ll see everyone complicating things much more than they need. Of course, you’re free to experiment and try out fancy stuff, but if you’re in it for the win. You need to follow a few simple Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics. Four of them, to be precise. And, before I go on, I have to credit Chris Haueter with these steps, because that’s who I learned them from.

Rule #1

The first rule is one that people that come for a wrestling or Judo background have installed in them – be on top. It means always aiming to be the grappler on top in every exchange. Why? The answer is simple – points. Name one bottom position that will give you points in a BJJ match. No? That’s because there isn’t one. All the positions that bring points are top positions. Moreover, it is much easier to stay in top positions for longer, as opposed to fighting off the bottom. But there’s more. There’s also a big rules-related hack regarding the top position, but I’ll talk about that one in the second rule.

Rule #2

Stay on top. It couldn’t be more straightforward than this. Once you’re the one that has the top position, never ever relinquish it. Staying on top means the opponent has to battle both against your position and your attacks. Plus, that points hack I mentioned. When you get to mount or back mount, you do not have to worry about inactivity. Since you’re already at the top of the mountain, you can’t receive penalties for stalling. It is the bottom person’s job to get out, so you can just ride it out, enjoying a massive points advantage. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics 101.

Rule #3

This is where we switch gears. This rule is about playing guard and it says “You Shall Not Pass”! Let’s be honest, at a certain point in time, you’ll be in a guard position in Jiu-Jitsu. And that’s perfectly ok. What you need to make sure is that you choose a guard, any guard, that you are very confident of. It should be the one guard that your opponents have immense difficulty in passing. The goal here is to keep them at bay until such time that you can reclaim top position, or get a submission. However, the single most important thing here is not to let anyone past your legs.

Rule #4

Finally the simplest rule of them all, but perhaps the most important one. Especially in the case of blue/purple belt competitors. the last rule here is to remember rule number 1. Why? Because playing guard is fun. There are so many guards you can easily get lost. Granted it is very cool to transition from half guard to butterfly guard, to X guard and inverted de la spider worm guard. However, that doesn’t mean you’re effectively fighting, which is the main point in a BJJ match. So, when you’re playing guard, always play it with the intention of not letting people pass, and returning to the top as soon as possible.

Three Rules For Rolling

Now that you’re a machine at competition let’s see how you can actually build on your game and improve by utilizing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics. When it comes to rolling, there’s no way to actually win. However, you can manage to achieve personal milestones and projects if you know what you’re doing. Even more importantly, if you know what the other person is doing. To that extent, there are there main things that will pretty much guarantee you end up in a favorable position, even if you find yourself in a mad scramble. Big thanks to Christian Graugart for pointing the following Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics out.

Inside position

If yоu’ve seen any Danaher DVD or Youtube clip for that matter, you’ve heard this one over and over again. Well, newsflash – inside position is not just a leg lock ting. In fact, it is a concept that has been a huge part of BJJ for a long time. Think about the butterfly guard – that’s inside position on the legs. Now think about holding someone in a closed guard with a collar and sleeve grip – that’s inside position on the torso.

I could go on and on. The basic idea here is that you always want to get your limbs to the inside of the partners’ limbs. That’s it. In terms of the upper body, that means controlling the shoulders or any part of the torso with your arms or legs. In terms of the lower body, it means having inside hooks anywhere along the legs (butterfly guard, X guard, etc.). This one is huge and will do wonders for your defensive positioning and counterattacking.

Spine Alignment (Posture)

The reason I say spinal alignment is because it will be easier to explain. Posture is a simple concept, yet people seem to forget about it all the time. Posture doesn’t just work forward and backward. It also works sideways, as well as in a twisting motion. To that extent, you always want to have a solid posture of your own and break your partner’s posture.

Achieving the first is simple – make sure your butt and your head are constantly in the same line. That’s about it. Whether you’re in a seated guard or doing an over-under pass, adhere to this rule, and there’;’s nothing that can stop you in your tracks. In terms of braking posture, do the opposite – try and get your partner’s head and but out of alignment. That’s when you can pass, sweep, submit, transition, or do whatever it is you’re doing.

Open Elbow

Finally, you have the open elbow, something quite popularized by Ryan Hall. Once again, the idea is simple – place your partner’s elbow as far away from their body as possible, and that arm will be defenseless. In fact, if the elbow is at shoulder height you’re doing great. However, if you manage to get it above shoulder height, you can pretty much do anything you want your partner. Now pair this up with the two previous examples of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics and you’ll deal with everything your partners throw at you.

Use these three and you’ll understand everything that’s happening in every roll, even if your partner is playing things you’ve never seen before. These are universal and they work against everyone. It might take some time for you to start recognizing them, but once you do, Jiu-JItsu is going to become simple. And that’s when you really start enjoying BJJ.

Wrapping Up

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu basics I shared with you today are universally effective. They’re also very easy to understand and apply. The key is, once again in simplicity. Be on top, stay on top, have an unpassable guard, and don’t’ get stuck on the bottom and you’ll be a nuisance for anyone in tournaments. When you’re rolling, focus on opening the elbows, having spinal alignment, and conquering inside position and there’s nothing anyone can do to surprise you. Plus, in both cases, everything you want to do is going to be extremely easy to pull off. Now go and have fun!

Best BJJ Competitors Are Not All Black Belts

The 2019 Best Up-And-Comers Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Nicky Rodriguez

Tye Ruotolo (and Kade Ruotolo)

Kennedy Maciel

Nicky Ryan

Larissa Paes

Michael Galvao

Haisam Rida

Mayassa Bastos

Bryce Mitchell

In Conclusion

Getting Some New Ink

Going Back To Rollin With Your New Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo

A Few Jiu-Jitsu Tattoo Ideas

In Summary

The First Gary Tonon DVD Instructional

The Art Of Escaping

“Exit The System” Gary Tonon DVD Review

1.Armbars

2. Kimuras

3. Guillotines

4. Triangles

5. Arm Triangles & Back

6. Heel Hooks & Ankle Locks

7. Toe Holds & Kneebars

8. Omoplata + Bonus Material

Conclusion

How To Learn Jiu-Jitsu With Poker Strategies

Poker Face For BJJ

Making The Best Out Of Things

Clear Objectives, Innovative Means

Bluffing

Studying And Reading Opponents

Final Words

The BJJ Belt System

The BJJ Belt Progression – Colored Belts

The Legitimacy Of Black Belt

What Happens After The Black Belt?

Wrapping Up

The Psychology Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

BJJ Cult Culture

Where BJJ Cultism is Different

Summary

What’s The Deal With Nerds And Jiu-Jitsu?

A Ph.D. In Choking People Out

The Curious Case Of Assassin BJJ Nerds

Final thoughts

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training 101

Jiu-Jitsu Beginners Orientation: Explaining A Few Common Mat Situations

Late For Class

Belts And Gis

Hygiene 101

Who Exactly Is The Instructor?

What Is a Spaz… Ouch, Never Mind!

Oh My God, Did I Injury Him/Her?

Conclusion

Best BJJ Cyber Monday DVD Collection – Now Or Never!

The 2020 BJJ Cyber Monday Best BJJ Deals

Half Guard Instructionals BJJ Deals

Guard Passing DVD Isnturctionals BJJ Deals

Nutrition And Weight Management System – George Lockhart

What Are You Waiting For?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basics For The Win

The Four Rules Of Competition

Rule #1

Rule #2

Rule #3

Rule #4

Three Rules For Rolling

Inside position

Spine Alignment (Posture)

Open Elbow

Wrapping Up