Jon Satava DVD Review: “X-Guard And Beyond”

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BJJ World
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Jon Satava DVD Review: "X-Guard And Beyond" BJJ Instructional

What do some of the most prestigious names in grappling have in common? It is not championship titles, by the way. Let me help you. It is a position that each and every one of the top BJJ grapplers in the world knows how to play efficiently. Some, even take it to completely new dimensions. That position is the X-guard, the most effective attacking open guard I the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And one of those men that really do go above and beyond the X-guard is Jon Satava. He features in one of the most incredible BJJ instructionals I’ve ever seen called “X-Guard And Beyond”. And we have the most in-depth Jon Satava DVD review that you can find online!

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We all want to go and pick up key information on specific positions from the grapplers that are legendary for using them. Yeah, it would be great to go and learn about the X-guard and its variations from Marcelo Garcia himself. However, Marcelo is so efficient with it and has been doing it for so long, that whatever he demonstrates will be far beyond what most of us can comprehend. Enter some of the younger grapplers of our generation who have been polishing and adding to the X-guard game. Do your research and you’ll see that Jon Satava is at the very top. So, before we see him compete at the ADCC in a month, let’s take al ook at a Jon Satava DVD first, one named “X-Guard And Beyond”.

Who Is Jonathan Satava?

It is not a coincidence that I mentioned Marcelo Garcia earlier. He is by far the leading figure when it comes to the BJJ X-Guard. Well, Jonathan Satava is a black belt by no other than Mr. Garcia and shares the passion for the X-guard and all of its variations. However, Jon and particularly his “X-Guard And Beyond” DVD represent a filtered and refined version of all that Marcelo has to offer. Marcelo has decades of experience and hardly the time to teach it all. Jon, on the other hand, is a Marcelo Garcia black belt that specializes in the X-guard. In other words, he is the best man for the job as you’ll conclude yourself form this Jon Satava DVD review.

Jon Satava DVD "X-Guard And Beyond"What has Jon done os far in his grappling career? Well, he has a silver medal at hath Mundials, as well as a third-place from the Pns, among other accolades. He is also the winner of the 1st North American trials and has a spot booked for next month’s ADCC. He also has plenty of World and Pans titles before becoming a black belt. Speaking of which, he earned his black belt in early 2015 after 5 years with Marcelo Garcia.

In fact, Jon started training with renowned No-Gi specialist Krishna Mirjahand one of his early training partners was none other than Eddie Cummings. As a blue belt, Satava made the switch to Marcelo’s quickly earning the joking nickname of “Marcelo’s doppelganger”. That’s understandable as he has a very similar build to Marcelo and is just as huge fan of No-Gi as the legendary Brazilian. Currently, Satava is one of the top middleweights in the world and represents Team Alliance.

The “X-Guard And Beyond”  Jon Satava DVD Review

What exactly makes this Jon Satava DVD so much different from all other X-Guard instructionals out there? Well, for one, he really does take things beyond the X-Guard. In that sense, he coves each and every X-guard variation in-depth, along with plenty of possible follow-ups. To be honest, I really loved his approach in this instructional. The ‘X-Guard And Beyond” DVD is a really precise instructional that is going to answer all fo your X-Guiard questions. Running at around 2 hours, it does have plenty of material to cover just about every aspect of the X-guard.

The way this instructional is structured is at a really high level. It represents a mixture of teaching methodologies, all combined into an exceedingly effective one. Namely, Satava likes to use both concepts and techniques as the foundations of his instructions. He builds on top of those by carefully dissecting every part of the guard, from entries, trough retention all the way to attacking. Even attacks are further divided into categories. There’s no sweeping without u8nbalacning for example, which is no something we’re used to seeing in regular BJJ Instructional. Submission-wise, there are some slick toe holds in there that will really help you change your game!

  • Part 1

There are three main parts to this Jon Satava DVD. It all starts with the One Leg X-Guard. Since I failed to mention it before this is a great time to let you know that this is a Gi instructional, and Satava approaches it as such. That means you get both Gi and No-GI gripping options, but the ones relying on the use of the kimono are prevalent.

The first few chapters focus on entering the One Le X-Guard. Gateways include starting form the seated, standing and even shin-to-shin position. Given how popular this guard is nowadays, you’ll be surprised at how much you actually didn’t know about it before picking this DVD up. Attack wise, a basic axis sweep is first, perfect for both Gi and nO-Gi. The following few sweeps are abased around lapels and the technical stand up. Just when you start to think you’ve seen it all a few additional entries pop up, this time form the butterfly and De La Riva guard. These are on the side of advanced moves, so if you’re just picking the X-guard up, stick to the first few options.

  • Part 2

Jon Satava DVD Review "X-Guard And Beyond"The second portion shows you how to actually get form the One Leg X to the full X-Guard. Her, once again the emphasis is on Gi grips. A different take on the technical standup, this time form the full X-guard is the preferred method of sweeping. That said, it is not something that works all thе time, and Stava has the perfect solution. There’s a chapter in there on how to enter and play the X-Guard against aggressive opponents. Suffice to say, it alone is worth getting the ‘X-Guard And Beyond’ instructional.

In the attacking portion of the X-Guard section, the focus is not just on sweeping. Ther are plenty of top position follow-ups, mostly leg drags that offer a complete game. IN fact, Jon likes to set up leg drags, back passes and even a toe hold as part of counters done from the X-Guard. IT is as high level as your guard game can get! A really cool overhead sweep concludes this portion.

  • Part 3

The final part focuses on some shin-to-shin guard work and plenty of X-guard related troubleshooting. The bar trap concept forms the shin-to-shin is revolutionary at least and did wonders from my guard game. Thre’s a slick kneebar from there as well, but you can opt for a back take too if you’re not really keen on leg locks.

The troubleshooting position has to be my favorite part of this Jon Satava DVD. Here, you get lost of concepts that will massively improve your half guard. Anything forms the action-reaction principle, though grip fighting strategies and transitions all the way to direct submission setups is here. The full X toe hold, for example, is as unstoppable as BJJ submissions can get. Moreover, this is not how this instructional ends.

Keeping things interesting to the very end, Satava ends on the highest note possible. He demonstrates a couple of amazing takedown options, in the form of the belt grip hip lock and a crazy mat return suplex. Finally, he shares a couple of X-guard drills as a goodbye gift.

Closing Thoughts

The best part about this instructional is not its technical quality nor its structure. It is the fact that you can get it in both/wither a DVD and/or a digital format. This makes it possible to take the “X-Guard And Beyond” Jon Satava DVD everywhere you go. There’s a lot to learn from this one, so be prepared to have to watch it over and over again! It’s more than worth it though!

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“Game Changer” Paul Schreiner DVD Full Review

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BJJ World
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"Game Changer" Paul Schreiner DVD Full Review

As I get deeper and deeper into the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I seem to be loving the old-school approach more and more. I love people that work with pressure, those share nuances and simple concepts that are literal game-changers. Unfortunately, there are not many of those around and high-quality ones are even scarcer. Luckily there’s one guy out there that fits this description perfectly Ever since late purple/early brown belt, he has been among my favorites. And this instructional I’m about to cover here has to be his best. It is a great pleasure to be able to review the “Game Changer” Paul Schreiner DVD!

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Paul Schreiner Game Changer Instructional
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There is something about a certain type of BJ Instructors (and world champs) out there that is just different from what others have to offer. When they teach, they have a real knack of filtering all the unnecessary stuff. Moreover, they have a way of presenting the key things in an extremely clear and comprehensible way. You know the type, they’re the grapplers that make you slap your forehead in a “Eureka” moment every time they show you something new. At the highest levels of the sport, one of those grapplers is Schreiner. Furthermore, there’s not an instructional out there that has ever been named more appropriately than this “Game Changer” Paul Schreiner DVD!

Overcoming Adversity With Paul Schreiner               

There are plenty o reasons why you need to own at least one Paul Schreiner DVD. So far, he has a couple that I know of, one of which we covered here before. Still, it is not just down to his teaching style that he should be on top of your list of BJJ instructors. Surprisingly, to an extent, it also doesn’t have to do with his competitive results. On the contrary, it is about the man himself, and what he represents that makes his style of BJJ one of the best ones you can learn from. At least if you want to keep on grappling for years and years to come.

"Game Changer" Paul Schreiner DVD ReviewSchreiner is a Claudio Franca black belt and an Alliance team member. The 42-year-old grappler is originally from California and he didn’t start off in martial arts from the get-go. Instead, Paul’\\s early days saw him take up surfing which e kept on doing until senior year when he dabbled a bit with wrestling. Traveling to New Zealand soon put a stop to that, and it wasn’t until he got back, nursing a rugby-sustained knee injury that he discovered Jiu-Jitsu.

In terms of overcoming adversity, Paul didn’t have it easy. He blew his other knee while grappling, having to cut a promising competitive career short. A subsequent life-threatening staph infection only complicated matters more, and many would’ve given up at that point. After many surgeries, though, Schreiner went straight back to Jiu-Jitsu, training with the likes of BJ Penn, Gordo, and Dave Camarillo. He eventually earned his black belt in 2007. As a result of his trouble, he developed one of the most effective and technical well-rounded grappling games in existence. And now, his  “Game Changer” instructional can help you do the same.

The “Game Changer” Paul Schreiner DVD Full Review

What you can expect from the “Game Changer” Pau Schreiner DVD is not easy to explain. In fact, this might be the toughest review I’ve ever done. Musch to it is down to the structure and type of instructional. While the DVD is easily understandable and has a perfect structure, it does tend to make you think rather than just copy. That means that you’ll not only need to watch it over and over again but stop and go back as you do. Particularly if you’re attempting to apply what you’re learning in training at the same time. Moreover, the fact that this is a two-DVD set means you have double the usual amount of material to go through.

What you’ll end up with, though, after conquering this BJJ instructional is well worth the time and effort. Imagine if someone gave you a “secret” formula to help you with every possible position in BJJ. Imagine knowing how and why every position works, and what you need to do and not do in order to be safe, and to beat your opponent. Well, there’s no need to imagine such a thing anymore, as that is precisely what this Paul Schreiner DVD delivers. It is the perfect resource to make you a better competitor, a better student, better instructor and overall, a better grappler.

Disc 1 – The Secrets Of Movement

This is an instructional like no other, we already concluded that. But why is that? Let’s go step by step and figure out how the “Game Changer” DVD set works. In the opening volume, Paul starts by covering mostly movement. By movement, I mean revealing the secrets behind every motion that is specific to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For example, he starts by talking about the hip escape, revealing the importance of body alignment as he does. IT is safe to say that this is a brand new perspective on a move we do countless times during a class. He goes on to further explain how the core fundamentals work, talking about bridges and angles next.

A personal favorite of mine is the chapter on momentum. We very rarely give momentum the attention it deserves in grappling, and it can do so much for our game! Paul dumbs it down completely so that even complete beginners can grasp the concept easily. He also offers perfect examples of how to start live training and how to approach rolling. Moreover, he has some neat hand fighting principles that are going to solve all your grip fighting conundrums. Some concepts of Jiu-Jitsu’s safety and awareness also provide for unusual and highly entertaining new information.

As an introduction to the second volume, this first portion of the Paul Schreiner DVD focuses on some guard work, particularly recovery. However, instead of the usual technical multi-step systems, here you get a deeper kind of instructions. You’ll learn the reason behind what your opponent wants to do, as well as what you need to do. That’ll make guard recovery a real breeze, regardless of which guard you are playing.

Disc 2 – Understanding Control

The second portion of this DVD alone is worth probably more than all the instructionals I own in my collection. In fact, I’d gladly trade it in a heartbeat for more of the stuff that Paul teaches here. Namely, this is the dis where Paul talks about control In relation to how we use it in Jiu-Jitsu.

"Game Changer" Paul Schreiner DVDThe opening chapter starts with head control principles. Both in standing and on the ground APul demonstrates how you can control the head, and what advantages this type of control brings to you. He then moves on to explore control from a different position, beginning in the guard. Before you can attack from the guard, you need to know how to control it. If you don’t you’ll constantly be working on guard recovery rather than attacking. Grip fighting once again gets a lot of attention here, rightfully so.

As you might presume, the next portion of the  “Game Changer” DVD looks at control from top positions. IN fact, ti really cracks on of the major riddles f Jiu-JItsu – obtaining control while passing the guard. From grip breaking through dealing with frames a pummeling, all the way to the mount, Shreiner offers a foolproof system based on principles. Heading in the “old-school” Jiu-Jitsu direction, the proceeds to show an armbar. However, the focus here is on breaking defenses rather than looking at the submission we all know. A final leg control principle for all top positions rounds off this DVD in style.

In Summary

All in all, any Paul Schreiner DVD is well worth having. This one, though is something that’s going to blow your mind, particularly if you’re a purple belt and above. The ‘Game Changer” is a unique resource that’ll help you develop a foolproof JIu-Jitsu game. It is not only about going through the movements, but it is about understanding how they work and what’ the goal of each of them. In essence, this is a real blueprint for understanding BJJ rather than just a demonstration of random moves.

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Learning Valuable Lessons From A Bad Jiu-Jitsu Day?

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BJJ World
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Learning Lessons From A Bad Jiu-Jitsu Day

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we often encounter a very interesting phenomenon. Namely, you could be flowing during roll one day, and then completely suck the day after. From moving like a black belt world champion to having nothing work like it’s your second time rolling. What gives? The more surprising thing is that this tends to happen over and over again, at every belt level. And, there’s no real way of knowing when it is going to happen. A bad Jiu-Jitsu day is something we all go through. That, however, doesn’t make it easier. The very next session might turn out to be your best. But only if you do not allow the bad day to impact you.

The truth is you need to really appreciate those bad JIu-Jitsu days. It is the days when everything goes opposite to your plans that are going to turn you into a better grappler. Who knows, they might just end up making you a world champion. You could argue that there’s no easy day in Jiu-Jitsu, and you’d probably be right. However, you’ll know a bad day when you hit one and you won’t get a happy ending out of it. The trick is to accept that they’ll happen over and over again and try and find the lesson somewhere in there. Otherwise, you just got all worked up for nothing

A Bad Day At the Office

The term “A Bad Day At The Office” is actually on that fits today’s subject perfectly. People often have those days when nothing seems to go right. The scariest thing is that you may wake up feeling like a million bucks, ready to conquer the world. Then, the moment you step out, things start to fall apart. Well, when your escape from the world is grappling, and you have a bad JIu-Jitsu day, things just go from bad to worse.

Bad Jiu-Jitsu Day LessonsHaving an overall bad day is enough to make you want to crawl under a blanket and disappear until the next sunrise. However, a bad Jiu-Jitsu day may actually send you in a rage if you let it. When the task at hand is grappling with people, and you can’t do it, the resulting frustration can be debilitating. Whatever you seem to do, your body and mind just refuse to cooperate. All of your timing, even on your best moves is gone. Moreover, training partner that you usually dominate with ease now escapes every attack you attempt. Furthermore, they gain momentum and try to launch attacks of their own, which often catch you unprepared. Then, it’s time for the next roll and that one is even worse. If you’ve been training for a while, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Every now and again, you’ll have a bad day on the mats. For us grapplers, that’s just like a bad day at the office. However, in the rare times that a bad day at the actual office coincides with a bad day on the mats, you’ll want to go Hulk out on everyone. There’s actually a lot you can learn from a bad Jiu-Jitsu day, you just need to look at ait a bit differently.

Getting Through A Tough Jiu-Jitsu Day

Getting through a bad JIu-Jitsu day is not actually the toughest part. Yeah, it sounds surprising but you can even get through it on your own. Tough it out and, as frustrated as you might be,  you’ll still get through a class. However, it is very likely that you’ll like the experience with you, and it’ll reflect on your next class, etc, etc, creating a snowball effect. Instead, we’ll offer you a few ways that’ll help you get through a bad day, and leave it behind you.

The first thing you should know is that you can’t perform 100% every day. IF you could, you’d be a world champion by now. There’s a reason why people use the phrase “peak performance”. And you need to enjoy it while you’re there because there’s also “bottom performance” as well.

The first thing to consider is recovery. Is your body, and more importantly, your mind rested enough to get you through BJJ class? IF not, then skip the next class and give yourself some much-needed rest. You won’t get an easier fix than this one. Along the same lines, you might just be hitting a bit of a plateau because you’re training too often. Give yourself a week off, gain a fresh perspective on things and then come back.

Maybe, you’re just trusting your own moves too much. Try mixing things up a little bit, introducing new moves and positions to freshen up your game. OR maybe, just maybe, your mind is not completely focused on Jiu-Jitsu on a given day, even though you think it is. Whatever it is, you just need to remember to slap a big smile on your face. Why? Cause you can’t be tense while smiling, which mean you won’t risk injuries, at the very least.

The More – The Better

The way a bad Jiu-Jitsu day can manifest is during rolling, during regular class practice or during both. Regardless of what happens, you need to actually appreciate a bad day on the mats. Why? Because it will teach you a lot about yourself. A bad day is an invaluable tool that helps you conquer your ego. And that is the one hardest thing you’ll learn as a grappler.

nerves before a BJJ MatchTo make things clear, the first couple of months in BJJ do not really constitute as bad days. That’s just an “adjustment period” of sorts. However, many of the same lessons you learn during those times, apply to bad training days. First and foremost, it doesn’t mean that your game is bad or not effective. On the contrary, a bad jiu-jitsu day shouldn’t have you reconsidering your entire game plan. However, it will teach you a highly valuable lesson – facing adversity. The fact of the matter is, sometimes even you’re a game on your best day is not going to be enough. Sometimes you just need to fight on and find a way to end up on top, literally and figuratively.

Also, you need to remember that being slightly off at BJJ doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of your day is going to be bad. It may just be a combination of circumstances that have your grappling abilities diminished of the day. If so, you can call it a day and head home early, or stay and try to get a lesson out of it. However, make sure your mind is in the right place if you do. It is better to tap a few times and figure out what might just happen even on a great day than try and muscle through and injure yourself, or your training partners.

In Conclusion

Getting through a bad day at the office might be as simple as minimizing contact and riding it out. A bad JIu-Jitsu day, on the other hand, might actually have consequences. That said, you need to consider what spurred it, and make sure it doesn’t repeat itself the next time you’re on the mats. Moreover, you need to appreciate the lessons a day like this can teach you. They can be just as valuable as an entire month of training!

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Dealing With Nerves Before a BJJ Match (Tips By A World Champion)

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BJJ World
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Dealing with Jitters before a BJJ Match

Fighting is a very tricky and scary prospect even under the best of circumstances. Having to fight at a martial arts competition is downright terrifying. I’ve been doing it for most of my life, and it never gets easier, particularly before that all-important first fight. Feeling nerves is actually something everyone goes through. If you think the opponent, or anyone in the venue for that matter, isn’t feeling them, you’re wrong. The real trick is in dealing with nerves before your BJJ match, not in avoiding them hoping they’ll go away.

Different people have different ways of coping with stress. To be honest, most people try and avoid causing themselves added stress, which is exactly what all grapplers do when they compete. It is not just the physical and mental stress of the BJ Jmatch itself. Emotional stress is also a huge factor, even to the point of determining how well you perform regardless fo your preparation. So how do all these girls and guys pull it off over and over again at a world-class level? There are plenty of strategies of dealing with nerves, and we’ll share a BJJ World HCampion’s recipe here today.

 Competition Nerves

Before we proceed, let’s talk about competition nerves a little bit. What exactly are competition nerves? You know, the butterflies in the stomach, feeling dizzy and sick, tingling sensation and every other form people exhibit? Although the manifestations might vary from individual to individual, the underlying reasons are pretty much the same. And it all comes to that pesky fight or flight system. Or, as Joe Rogan likes to say, Fight, flight or freeze system.

Dealing with Jitters before a BJJ MatchThere’s actually a lot going on b fore the fight or flight mechanism. Ti usually kicks in as a response to sudden stress, which Jiu-JItsu tournaments usually aren’t. In fact, you get amped up long before you step in the venue. For some people, nerves and anxiety start even a couple of days before, robbing them of much-needed sleep. What you should know about competition nerves is that there are two main aspects to it – a somatic and a cognitive one.

In layman’s terms, the somatic part of a nervous response is all about the physical limitations that occur due to anxiety. The cognitive portion is what’s at the real core of it, though. All those worrying thoughts, trying to figure out possibilities, looking for control, etc. That is where the real reason for pre BJJ match nerves is. It is important to know that pre-competition jitters are actually a very complex state that can completely change the outcome of a BJJ match. To that extent, dealing with nerves should be just a big part of your training camp as physical and tactical training is. If not more.

Keenan Cornelius DVD review -The Lapel EncyclopediaDo not leave anything to chance and prepare completely for any BJJ competition with “The Lapel Encyclopedia” 9 DVD set by Keenan Cornelius! Never before seen secrets of all his lapel guard systems inside! 

Everyone Is Afraid

The universal rule when it comes to any type of sports competition is that everyone feels nerves. Even football players and others involved in team sports are anxious before a game. When it comes to individual sports, anxiety is usually much bigger. And the cherry on the top are combat sports, where you actually need to fight in order to win. As much as some people enjoy fighting, they’re all lying if they say they feel at ease about it.

While listening to a podcast just a few days ago, I heard 3 x World Champion Claudia Do Val speak about nerves. Her latest World title came in 2019 and she is among the grapplers that compete the most often. In fact, she might have had the largest number of IBJJF tournaments last season. And, still, according to her, every time she walks in at a tournament she likes to run back home. Regardless of vast experience an doing it almost every weekend, even a multiple times world champion has anxiety before a BJJ match. And ti’s perfectly normal, which is the first step do dealing with it.

There’s not a soul alive that down’s aks themselves all the same questions you do. We’ve all been there at some point. Wondering whether you’re as prepared as possible, thinking about how good the opponents might be, being cautious of injuries, etc. These are all common questions and the real answer is that you won’t find a good answer to them. Ever. Instead, you need to find a way to accept your nerves and be aware that you’ll have unanswered questions as you slap and bump at any BJJ tournament.

A World Champion’s Tips To Relax Before A BJJ Match

There are countless books, audiobooks, video guides, etc out there that allegedly help competitors deal with anxiety. I’m saying allegedly because some of that material is done by people that have never competed, particularly in grappling. While the methodology might be universally helpful, it is doubtful that it’ll completely resolve the issue. The first-hand experience, though, is a great way to learn about the different ways you can cope with competition nerves.

Dealing with Jitters and nerves before a BJJ MatchDominyka Obelenyte is a Marcelo Garcia black belt with 6 World titles to her name, two of which at black belt. If someone has competition experience at the highest levels, it is her. What is her recipe for dealing with competition nerves? Stop overthinking, yeah, that’s right. Keep in mind, though, this is way harder than it sounds. All those usually negative thoughts and questions we talked about need to be kept at bay. And the trick is, to stop thinking about them altogether as tournament time comes nearer. What Domiyka recommends, is finding activities outside of BJJ that will occupy your mind, allowing you to detox from nervous thoughts and questions.

When you arrive at the tournament though, it’s a whole different ball game. According to Obelenyte, watching other competitors is not the best idea to calm your nerves. Oh, and do avoid talking to people you’re about to fight. All the friendly chatter can take place after your BJJ match. Instead, make sure you’re in the best mood possible. Go get a spot of your own, or your “base” if you like. Pop some headphones on, warm-up and break a sweat. At all times, focus on the music, or any other aspect of what you’re doing apart from the thoughts danging through your mind.

Conclusion

Ther’es no easy way to deal with competition nerves. The more you go at tournaments, the more you’ll be able to recognize how you personally express anxiety. However, experience alone is not going to help you solve it. You can search for a solution on your own, or take tips from people that have been through the wringer. Whatever you decide, it’ll take time to find a way, but you will. Once you do, nerves won’t go away though – they’ll just become bearable and allow you to enter your first BJJ match with a calmer(er) head.

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How to Make Every Jiu-Jitsu Takedown Work For You

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BJJ World
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How to Make Every Jiu-Jitsu Takedown Work For You

The one source of arguably the most BJJ memes out there is definitely takedowns. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu folks, particularly those that love the modern game, are in dire need of some good old takedown training. Pulling guard is fun and effective and might even be considered a takedown. However, it is only one aspect of getting the fight to the ground. Yes, learning takedowns is hard and not all people can do all of them. Or so you think. There is a simple formula out there that’ll allow you to learn and master literally any Jiu-Jitsu takedown you choose. It is not a shortcut, though and it will require lots of training. However, it will allow you to constantly add to your standing game and become a well-rounded grappler. 

I have to confess, even though I have a solid Judo background, I’m amongst the people who don’t particularly enjoy training takedowns. Well, at least I was, until la short while ago. Completely by chance, I came about an old wrestling methodology of training takedowns that completely changed my take on takedown training. Apply it to any Jiu-Jitsu takedown there is, and you’ll see that the method is foolproof. The secret is in the simplicity of the method. What you’ll learn today is how to spend the most time training the most important part of a takedown, rather than focusing on the most useless one.

Getting To The Ground

The point of training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is to engage in very elaborate ground fighting. That’s what makes it fun and addictive for the most part. However, once you have to start standing, in training or competition, people usually seem like they just wandered through the door. The issue is not helped at all by the fact that guard pulling is Jiu-Jitsu’s only original takedown.

The fact of the matter is that BJJ people either suck at takedowns or are good at only one or two of them. OF course, there are exceptions to the rule, but this still holds true for the vast majority. That said, this is not a bad strategy. It will definitely get you thought blue and most likely, purple belt. However, once you hit advanced levels, the combination of pulling guard and your one “go-to“ takedown is not enough. And, learning a new takedown from scratch at this level can be a real hassle.

Let’s face it, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a lazy sport at its core. It is one of the reasons so many people like it. First of all, you’re training in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly faces. Next, you spend the majority of the time on the ground. Finally, you can choose to go as hard or as easy as you like. All of this makes BJJ Grapplers pretty complacent compared to wrestlers or Judokas, for example. Still instead of figuring out that you actually need takedowns after years of training (like I did) why not focus on actually learning a bunch of them early on? It is not about which Jiu-jitsu takedown you’ll use. It’s about understanding how to train and have as many of them at your disposal at all times.

The Five Phases Of A Jiu-Jitsu Takedown

The method we’ll use to decipher any Jiu-Jitsu takedown you choose is simple. First, we will use phases to explain every stage that takes place during a takedown. Next, we’ll talk about each phase and what it brings to the table. Finally, we’ll look at the best training methodology to connect all the phases together and let you master any Jiu-Jitsu takedown.

When it comes to the phases of a takedown, there are essentially 5 main ones. If you go through each and every one of them, you’ll end up with a perfect takedown every time. Conversely, if you rush any of them, or skip any of them, your takedown attempt is certain to fall apart. It is as easy as following a five-step process. The only catch is that you need to spend a lot of time training each and every phase of a takedown in order to really polish it. But that’s no different than training any other BJJ technique, is it? Moreover, the same principle of phases, and more importantly, hope to train them, is applicable to just about every other aspect of BJJ.

Phase 1 – Stance

The first thing that is a condition for any Jiu-Jitsu takedown to work is a stance. You need to understand how you need to stand in order to maximize your chances of executing all the subsequent phases. This is also the easiest portion of a takedown, as stance work is simple and requires little time to master. Just make sure you factor in same and opposite side stances and head and arm position.

Phase 2 – Motion

Here is where things get specific. You never see two grapplers standstill opposite one another at a competition, do you?  No, people are always circling each other, getting closer or further, and trying to open up angles for their takedowns. This is all called motion. And, if you take a look at wrestlers and Judokas you’ll notice that all of their motion is highly specific. Namely, different motion patterns elicit different reactions, opening different takedowns. That means if you know how to stand and move in a specific stance, you’re maximizing your chances of getting a specific throw or takedown.

Phase 3 – Level Change

This is another aspect of takedown training that’s not particularly complicated. However, it is also one that many people miss in the heat of battle. Tell someone to train a double leg takedown, and they’ll carry out each step perfectly. Have them do it in position sparing and the one thing that’ll obviously be missing is any sort of level change. In essence, it is really simple If you do not get low, you won’t be able to get to the legs.

Phase 4 – Penetration

This is one of the most technical aspects of training takedowns. Once you get in a good position and at the correct level, you need to actually get to the legs. It doesn’t matter which Jiu-Jitsu takedowns you go for, you have to get close to the opponent in order to set it up. This is where penetration comes to the mix. I could even go as far as claiming that this is the most important phase of any takedown. It is all about distance and connection here nod you need to spend a lot of time training this phase.

Phase 5 – Finish

Finally, the cherry on the cake. In this case, it is how you finish a takedown. Let’s stick to our double leg example. Once you penetrate, you should end up in a prime position to finish. If you’re highly technical, explosiveness and inertia won’t really factor into how successful you are with your takedown. Contrary to popular belief, this is actually the phase that requires the most attention because this is where you’ll run into the most resistance. To make things simple, your finishing should be absolutely perfect if you hope to develop killer takedowns. And you’ll really need to put in time drilling this.

Learning Backwards

Now that the phases are out of the way, let’s take a look at how people usually learn takedowns. Regardless if they know the phases or not, the standard way of learning usually has you starting with the stance (phase 1) and going through all the way to phase 5. If you take time to use this method and spend time in every phase, building on the previous one, you’ll see a clear flaw.

Let’s say you spend a certain amount of time or reps training your stance. You then do the same with phase 2 – motion. However, as we said, you build each phase on the previous one., that means you’ve now done double the work on the stance. Going forward, you ultimately end up with just one set of time or reps on the last phase, which is the most important one, and 5 sets on the first one, which is the least important one. You see the problem here, right?

Let’s now think in reverse. Imagine starting takedown training from phase 5. Now, all you need to do is get your training partner to the ground. Next, you start from phase 4 – penetration. Now you’re training penetration in addition to finishing. Then you start to level change, penetrate and then finish. As you get to training stance and motion, you already have a ton of reps in the most important area – actually finishing a Jiu-Jitsu takedown.

Final Words

Whatever your preferences are in terms of takedowns, the fact is you have to work on them. And, just like in any other area of BJJ, having only one great Jiu-Jitsu takedowns is a recipe for disaster. The method I outlined above is a foolproof way of succeeding in learning any takedown or throw you choose. It is guaranteed to help you raise your standing game very quickly and efficiently. Give it a try!

Adam Wheeler DVD Review- Upper Body Takedowns

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Chael Sonnen Wrestling Fundamentals DVD REVIEW

Travis Stevens DVD Review – “Fundamentals And Concepts”

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BJJ World
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Travis Stevens DVD Review - Fundamentals And Concepts Instructional

The biggest problem with learning BJJ nowadays is that there are too many people teaching it. Having so much knowledge being spread is not a bad thing, do not get me wrong. However, it makes it tough to actually develop a style of your own. Instead, most people try and copy techniques or learn concepts form certain instructors. While this is going to bring you success it is not a long term solution. Enter Travis Stevens and his “Fundamentals And Concepts” instructional. By the end of this Travis Stevens DVD review, you’ll discover what I did – there’s a different approach to BJJ. And it works!

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Techniques List

The best part about doing a Travis Stevens DVD review is that I get to learn something really unique every time I do one. Travis is a one-of-a-kind hybrid grappler that likes to keep his teaching extremely versatile. When he teaches Judo, he incorporates BJJ principles to make it more effective. Conversely, when he is demonstrating BJJ moves, he uses all his grappling knowledge to make them extremely effective. Plus, he always seems to be able to pinpoint the perfect subject fro his instructionals. Today’s is the much needed one of “Fundamentals And Concepts”.

The Best Travis Stevens DVD So Far

Travis Stevens is an American grappler that is both a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. He is also an Olympic silver medalist in Judo. Travis is also in a great position to be teaching a highly effective blend of grappling given his mentors. In terms of Judo, he got his 5th-degree black belt from the legendary Pedro Sauer. Moreover, his BJJ black belt comes via the even more infamous John Danaher of the Renzo Gracie Academy. Oh, and he also has 27 years of experience in grappling martial arts. Virtually a lifetime.

Travis Stevens DVD Review - Fundamentals And Concepts InstructionalSo far, we’ve seen quite the Travis Stevens DVD collection. He has a bunch of titles out, some highly specific to the standing aspect and others addressing specifically BJJ. Out of the bunch, I particularly enjoyed his grip fighting instructional as well as the one on guard passing. However, I have to admit, after doing this Travis Stevens DVD review, I have a brand new favorite – “Fundamentals And COncepts”

The reason I find this to be Travis’ best work so far is the subject. Don’t be fooled by the title, this is a DVD for all belt levels. What makes it stand out from the crowd is the fact that Travis will actually teach you how to learn BJJ. Yeah, it may sound strange, but bear with me. By the time this Travis Stevens DVD review is done, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.

Fundamentals And Concepts Travis Stevens DVD Review

This instructional is intended to help people understand how the most common BJJ positions work. The best part about is that you’re not getting a purely conceptual instructional, nor are you getting a bunch of techniques. It is a unique kind of a blend of both, which is due to Travis’ background. IN the “Fundamentals And Concepts” instructional, Travis goes over every aspect of Jiu-Jitsu, covering both offense and defense. during the time he’ll use and teach techniques in order to explain core concepts of JIu-Jitsu. That means you get both a concept and a fundamental technique that goes with it. Form there on, you can use that knowledge to actually build a game of your own, rather than try and copy Stevens’.

The DVD has four volumes, each covering different subjects. The organization is really easy, with DVD #1 starting with the closed guard. As I said previously, you get both offensive and defensive options. Volume two covers most of the top positions we use in BJJ from the half guard all the way to the mount. The third one focuses on the back and the turtle position and is one that contains lots of new information. The final volume goes over a few core submissions and how you can get the most out of them. Just for good measure, you also get to learn a few takedown concepts as well. AN in-depth chapter-by-chapter Travis Stevens DVD review follows below.

  • DVD 1 – Closed Guard Top And Bottom

Kicking things off is the staple position of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – the closed guard. While most like to start from the bottom, Travis looks to open and pass the guard at first. To do that he covers some great concepts that will allow you to break open any closed guard. When it comes to the passing part, Travis opts for the Sao Paolo system as an example of highly efficient passing.

Travis Stevens DVD Review - Fundamentals And Concepts InstructionalThe attacking portion was going to have you working from the closed guard. Once again an overview of positional concepts serves as an introduction. When it comes to attacking, Travis uses two staple submissions to further explain his concepts. IN this volume, the triangle and cross collar choke is the techniques that’ll really force you to see the closed guard differently.

A couple of passing options against the half guard concludes this volume. These include a weave pass and knee cut along with some fundamental concepts. IN fact, they serve as an introduction to the next volume.

  • DVD 2 – Positional Control

The second portion of the ‘Fundamentals and Concepts” Travis Stevens DVD covers the different ways in which you can control an opponent. Conversely, he goes over different positions in order to explain how grappling control works. Picking up where he left off, the bottom position of the half guard. The underhook is the example here, but it’ll open so many options form the half guard you won’t know where to start.

Side control concepts follow suite and are particularly useful. Travis’ Judo background is immense here as he manages to explain pressure and weight distribution better than anyone I’ve ever heard before.  A Kimura submission works as a practical example here. Al lI can see is that all this stuff makes a lot of sense. Oh, and escaping side control and recovering guard is also included in this portion.

The final part of this DVD is all about the mount. Suffice to say it follows the same pattern. You saw in this Travis Stevens DVD review. It ll starts with concepts of the position, followed by a cross collar choke is a fundamental example. The same holds true for escaping the mount, with the focus on actually staying out once you escape.

  • DVD 3 – Back And Turtle

Learning how to attack them back, and particularly the turtle from a Judoka is just about the best thing you can do. The only thing better would be learning how to defend both those positions as Judokas do. And we all know how impenetrable their defenses can be.

The back control position starts with a collar choke, that serves as the foundation for explaining core concepts. Once again, this strategy proves extremely fruitful. It also serves as a base for exploring ways in which you can defend back attacks when you’re stuck in the position. Travis demonstrates a really cool step over escape that’ll revolutionize your back escapes.

The second portion of the third volume covers the turtle position. Apart from being highly utilized in BJJ, this is also one of the best defensive positions in Judo. Following the same pattern, Travis begins with attacking concepts first, teaching you how to open up turtled opponents and even finish with a choke. The defense part, though, is what makes this DVD more than worth its price. The concepts Travis provides go much further from the usual “squeeze everything and stand still” Judo tactic. IN fact, Travis offers actual escapes and reversals, to get out quickly and cleanly.

  • DVD 4 – Submissions And Throws

As our Travis Stevens DVD review comes to a close, it’s time to look at the fourth and final volume. IN ti, Travis offers his take on how best to submit people. As expected he sticks to fundamental moves but goes deeper than anyone else. What you get here is uber simple – armbars and chokes. However, the knowledge you learn applies to every chokehold and just about every arm lock variation in existence.

Finally a few moves from the standing round this incredible instructional off. However, instead of covering throws and takedowns, he actually goes over guard pulls. This portion offers ways of getting to both the closed and half guard when starting from the feet. With that, the ‘Fundamentals And Concepts” instructional draws to an end.

In Summary

Picking up any and all Travis Stevens instructional is a safe bet that you’ll get better at grappling. However, if you really want to understand BJJ, ‘Fundamentals And Concepts” is the absolute best option for you. Whether you want to gain a better overall perspective, or you like to clear up a position or two, this is instructional to get. Time to give all fo this new information a go to the gym!

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Travis Stevens – Fundamentals And Concepts (DVD/DIGITAL)

Travis Stevens DVD Review - Fundamentals And Concepts Instructional
Techniques List

What BJJ Lesson Did You Learn From Your Last Defeat?

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BJJ World
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What The BJJ lesson did you learn From Defeat

Defeats hurt in any walk of life, regardless if it is sports or some other aspect. To that extent, every competitor has to deal with defeat at a certain point. However, defeat in martial arts is a particularly heavy burden to bear.  It is not just that you lost, but you lost a fight, which makes defeat taste twice more bitter than in regular sports. Still, in grappling, we pride ourselves at saying that in every defeat, there’s a BJJ lesson to be learned. This is true, but are you really learning from your defeats, or just use the phrase as an excuse?

There’s n getting around the fact that if you compete, you’re going to lose. There are several things though, that can make defeats feel much heavier than they actually are. In fact, any defeat, whether in BJJ poor in life is nothing serious when you come to think about it. IN terms of grappling, you’re going to have to face defeat at all times. The only question is, whether you’re on the giving or the receiving end of it. And, in case of the latter, can you get a BJJ lesson out of the experience or is it all for nothing?

“You Either Win Or You Learn”

Do you know who the man behind the “You Either Win Or You Learn” quote is? It is Nelson Mandela, Depending on how you look at it, he was either extremely wise and ego-free or came up with the most utilized excuse for athletes that’s ever existed. Granted, Mandela’s battle was a much bigger one than a BJJ match, but for competitors, a match is just as important as a revolution when they’re on the mats.

When it comes to actually learn a BJJ lesson from a loss at a tournament, this quote makes sense. The hardest thing, though, is actually taking something positive out of a defeat. IF you can do that, especially after losing a fight, then you’re a state of mind is perfect for grappling. In fact, everyone’s goals should be to really embrace this quote. However, let’s be realistic. Not many people actually learn from loses. Instead, they use the quote as a crutch to lean on when things don’t go their way.

The BJJ lesson From DefeatHow many times have you heard someone state “You Either Win Or You Learn” after a match? It has to be in the thousands, depending on how frequently you visit  BJJ tournaments. Now, tell me, how many times has winner uttered those words, or wrote them on social media? Yeah, that’s right. I doubt this is the way Mandela intended to come across. However, there’s still a lot of value in this sentence. If you can leave your ego aside for just a few minutes, and analyze your performance you’ll find not just one BJJ lesson there, but whole years worth. And yeah, when you get to learn a key lesson, suddenly the defeat is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it stops feeling like a loss altogether.

What Exactly Is The BJJ Lesson In Defeat?

The tap in Jiu-Jitsu is the ultimate way of surrendering. Many times, people use the analogy that a tap means you’re giving up faced with certain death. In some cases, this is true., Knowing that someone could actually take your life is humbling. However, trying to get to a position where you’re going to do the same to a person in a perfectly safe manner is what makes us love Jiu-Jitsu.

Still, the facto f the matter is one person will be on the losing side. This is really important in competition, but also in training. And don’t let anyone fool you., everyone has an ego. Yeah, even those black belts that seem like they’re alien, they have egos too, and they too don’t like tapping. The first BJJ lesson you can get out of a defeat (and perhaps the most important one) is dealing with your ego. It’s not about leaving your ego at the door, because you can’t. However, finding a way to deal with it and not let it disturb you afterward is one of the greatest lessons you’ll ever learn in life!

Apart from this BJJ lesson which we all universally have to learn, there are also others. Most of the other lessons you can learn from defeat are actually highly individual. They pertain to your technical game, tactical preparation, and even your conditioning. A cardio tap is a clear lesson that you need to focus more on conditioning and switch your tactics. One of the greatest BJJ lessons I ever learned was in a match I led 6-0 and lost the match. Before I lost it, though, I lost the mount position, fell behind on points and ultimately gave up a choke. It is one of the best mount lessons of my entire life!

You Will Lose!

What The BJJ lesson did you learn From your latest loss?Do not even think about competing if you are not ready to lose. In fact, if you have a similar state of mind, you won’t even find training to be fun. Sport competitions are inherently set up so that someone has to lose. That is exactly what’s fun about them. The goal is to prove that you can better someone who is also experienced in your field. When it comes to BJJ, a loss for one out of two people is a certainty. Now, if it happens to be you on the losing end, you can make excuses and sulk, or take something away from it.

The thing with winning too much in BJJ is that you forget how to lose and, when you inevitably do lose, the defeat feels crushing. In fact, there’s a lesson somewhere in there too. Getting used to beating everyone is a great way of ending up confused after a defeat comes your way. The people that can actually learn from such a moment, turn into the best grapplers in the world. Those that think they can get away with it and make excuses are likely to actually go on a losing streak and spiral.

Tom DeBlass DVD Review: The Road To Black Belt And BeyondCheck out the latest Tom DeBalss instructional that will really help you with your mindset. This unique bundle has two DVDs and an E-book to help you on “The Road To Black Belt And Beyond“. Pick it up and learn how to approach both training and competition! 

In Summary

Every Jiu-Jitsu match, every roll you do in training has a BJJ lesson to teach you. What that lesson is going to be is entirely up to you. Moreover, you have the choice of accepting or ignoring the lessons defeats teach you. If you chose to ignore them, and opt for an excuse, you’ll have much slower progress in BJJ. If, on the other hand, you really learn your lessons, very soon you’ll start running out of defeats. That is when you start teaching lessons of your own!

BJJ Competition Training: How To Prepare Like The Best

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Jiu-Jitsu Techniques For A Complete Competition Gameplan

BJJ Side Control Essentials For Beginners

By
BJJ World
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BJJ Side Control Essentials For Beginners

If there’s one thing I would have liked to know as a white belt it would be how to maintain side control. BJJ side control is the one position most people actually struggle with at the beginning. To be honest, side control is anything but an easy position. In fact, it is much easier to work form the top half guard or mount, then it is from BJJ side control. Still, it is one of the best position to set up attacks and it offers a lot of variety. Plus, you do not need any particular physical attributes to be successful with It. All you need is to follow three basic principles and you’ll master it in no time.

When we talk about the common issues that beginners face in terms of side control there are two usual culprits. People either struggle with maintaining side control or attacking from the position. The tricky nature of side control makes it impossible for you to both pin an opponent and successfully attack at the same time. OR so it seems. One of the best tips I can offer beginners is to change their either-or approach to this issue by implementing the three basic principles of BJJ side control mastery we’ll discuss below.

The Essentials Of BJJ Side Contol

The first thing you need to get out of your head as a beginner is the notion of side control as a control position. Actually, let me rephrase that. Side control is not a position that’s as comfortable as the mount or back mount. From BJJ side control, you actually need to stay mobile WHILE you stay heavy. That is actually at the core of the first two principles of a successful side control game. Furthermore, you need to know precisely what kind of attacks you can get with a high degree of success. Remember that in order to finish some high-percentage submissions, you’ll actually need to either switch position or abandon side control altogether.

The tricks to having an easy time in side control are not complicated. All you need to do is remain heavy, be willing to switch between side control variations (there are plenty) and know how to attack. IN fact, you should actually mix attacks as well, as you’ll see later on. If you can get the hang of these three principles, side control is going to turn into one of your best weapons. Give them a try and shave months and years of frustration of your side control mastery.

Be Heavy

If there’s one thing in BJJ that makes all the difference, it is pressure. While the concept is easy, learning how to apply it is actually really hard. Moreover, explaining someone how to put pressure on an op[ponent is equally as challenging. In all honesty, this will take years as you can only develop a pressure game trough experience. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be heavy.

BJJ Side Control EssentialsThe distinction here is that you do not need the pressure to stay heavy. BJJ side control is atop position, meaning all you need to do is let gravity work for you. Conversely, the heavier you are, the harder it’ll be for an opponent to move. Remember that pinning someone doesn’t just mean you need to get into wrestlers side control and hold them down. It will work, undoubtedly, but it’ll require all your limbs. In other words, if you hold someone down like a wrestler you won’t be able to transition or attack.

Instead of trying to pin your opponent’s down. Just do one simple thing – relax. AS you get side control, relax all your body weight on top of your opponents. I know, it is counterintuitive and it’ll take a few weeks until you get a feel for it. However, it is worth the effort as it’ll allow you to both pins the bottom person down, and be able to look for attacks.

Know All BJJ Side Control Variations

Another cardinal rule of BJJ is that tacks work best when they’re done form the correct position. IN regard to BJJ side control, this is particularly important. The best part about side control is actually the fact that there are a bunch of variations of the position. Basically, anything between the half guard and the mount is a version of side control. In fact, there are 5 positions you absolutely have to know if you want to have success with BJJ side control attacks.

First up, you have what everyone sees as side control as beginners, the wrestler’s side control. This is great to stabilize the position and get points but not to attack. This is where the 100 kilos variation comes into place, or a kind of a sprawls fro mBJJ side control. This makes you heave while allowing you to start setting up attacks. Depending on your preferences and the opponent’s reactions you can go in three more directions.

BJJ Side ControlThe Kesa Gatame or scarf hold is the first. This is another position you’re all too familiar with but most likely do not consider to be a side control variation. Well, both the scarf hold and the twister side control (reverse scarf hold) are. Moreover, the fifth (but by no means last) variation is North-South. This is one more position people do not really think of as being a side control variation. The more you can transition between all of these, the harder it will be to escaper. Furthermore, each variation brings about unique attacking opportunities as well. In other words, more positions = more attacks in your arsenal.

Be Versatile In Attack

Finally, let’s talk a bit about attacks. Once again we have duality here. Attacking from side control can either mean getting a better position (back mount or mount) or getting a submission. In terms of attacking you need to be able to use everything that;’s at your disposal. For example, when you’re attacking with the Gi, you can get better control, and even submissions by using the lapels. However, if that doesn’t work, you can switch to No-Gi attacks like the North-South choke and surprise your opponents!

Another great way to get what you want is to use threats. You can threaten your opponent with a transition to mount, for example, and make them give up a submission (think D’arce or lapel Brabo choke). Or you can go for a submission (say an Americana) in order to get a transition to the mount or back mount. There’s no real limit here as long as you remember to be heavy and work with all side control variations when you attack.

A Bernardo Faria DVD Review Side Control Submissions instructionalIn fact, one of the best things you can do to master BJJ side control is to pick up Bernardo Faria’s latest instructional. In it, he covers pretty much every way of dominating from side control. Across 4 volumes, “Side Control Submissions” is going to teach you how to finish anyone that ends up in your side control!

Conclusion

All it takes to master BJJ side control is to understand how attacks work. It is as simple as being heavy, switching between side control variations, and having multiple threats ready. If you keep doing that over and over again your opponents will be left guessing what comes next. And, the more they’re in the dark, the easier it will be for you to get a tap. God, I wish someone told me all of this back when I was a white belt!

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A Few Very Nasty Submissions From Side Control

Mendes Bros World Super-Camp: Heaven For Competitors

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BJJ World
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Mendes Bros World Super-Camp For BJJ Competitors

Training with the Mendes brothers? Yes, please. How about training with them twice a day, every day for 5 days straight? Sound like a dream, right? I can assure you that it is a reality, and the opportunity is up for grabs! In a couple of months, an event the likes of which we’ve never seen in BJJ before is set to take place. The Mendes Bros World Super-Camp is a unique opportunity for you to learn from a couple of the best BJJ competitors to ever live! And the best part is, registration is still open to grapplers of all levels! 

There’s no way that there’s someone out there who trains Jiu-Jitsu and has never heard of the Mendes bros. The two tiny dynamos are among the greatest grapplers of our generation without a doubt! In fact, they’re still very active competitors to this day, which means most of their time is spent training for tournaments. When they’re not doing that, they have their own Art Of Jiu-JItsu academy to run. This all means that their time is very valuable and getting to train with them is not an easy task. Well, if you like to have their full attention and take your competition game to a whole new level, there’s another way. The Mendes Bros World Super-Camp in September of 2019 is the perfect opportunity to get high-quality time with a couple of world champions!

Open For Everyone 

The first thing I have to state about the upcoming Mendes Bros World Super-Camp is that it is an open camp. That means that you can register whether you’re a white belt with a month’s worth of experience or a seasoned black belt. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if you’re a competitor, instructor or just training for fun. The camp is open to everyone, as long as there are spots available. Speaking of spots, the Mendes Bros World Super-Camp has a limited capacity so make sure you get your spot before they run out!

Mendes Bros World Super-Camp HighlightsBefore we get into the competitive accomplishments of the Mendes brothers, let’s see how this camp can benefit you. Let’s say you’re a 40-year-old grappler looking to improve your game. Training with the Mendes brothers means you get a couple of small guys with incredible amounts of technical knowledge. When it comes to training for longevity, spending five days with Rafa and Gui Mendes is going to change your whole approach to Jiu-Jitsu.

It is not just that, though. With every admission, you also get a month of free cess to the Art Of Jiu-Jitsu online library. That means, that you’ll be able to further build on the lessons you learn in camp. Even if you’re not a competitor this will benefit you massively. It can help you set up classes, find solutions to common problems you have and even develop a long term high-level game fro yourself.

Why BJJ Competitors Can’t Miss The Mendes Bros World Super-Camp 

Which brings us to BJJ competitors. If there was ever a training camp designed to take competitors to a whole new level, it has to be the Mendes Bros World Super-Camp! The  Mendes brothers share a whopping 10 world titles between them. Rafa has 6 of those, plus one more in No-Gi, while Gui has 4. The brothers are both very well versed in Gi and No-Gi and have the gift of teaching as well.

The reason BJJ competitors need to flock to this camp is easy – you get to learn from the best. There’s no doubt that at featherweight, there have never been better grapplers than the Mendes bros. The unique thing about them is that they keep on evolving along with Jiu-Jitsu. Rafa and Gui train constantly at Atos, which has one of the best competition teams in existence. The academy is not only known for great competitors but also as a den of innovation. It is down to the Mendes brothers that positions like the Berimbolo and 50/50 guard are at the level they are today. And you get to learn directly from the source!

Ther’s also something else. It is not just the success of the Mendes brothers that should have you packing for the Mendes Bros World Super-Camp right away. They also have a whole stable of students that are insanely good competitors. In fact, their own competition team has killers at every belt level, both male and female! This means that regardless fo your level, you’ll e able to learn new skills and become a better competitor. plus, you get to spend 5 full days with the Mendes bros and talk strategies, mindset, weight cuts and more!

Hurry Up!

The Mendes Bros World Super-Camp will take place between the 16th and 20th of September, 2019. The location is Singapore, more precisely the EVOLVE Far East Square gym. Moreover, if you’re an EVOLVE member, you get to enjoy a sizable discount in the admission fee.

Mendes Bros World Super-CampThe days in which the camp is set to take place are Monday – Friday. Training sessions are scheduled twice a day, with two hours in the morning and tow in the afternoon. The precise times for training are  9-11 am and 2-4 pm. In the meantime, you get unlimited access to the EVOLVE facilities which host some of the worlds leading MMA and BJJ fighters, as well as world-class coaches. You also get a complementary rash guard, as well as a group trip to the iconic Marina Bay Sands Skypark.

In terms of accommodation, you’re free to find your own. Alternatively, EVOLVE offers discounted prices if you book at one of their accommodation partners. As I said before, you also get free unlimited access to the AOJ online library for a month. As far as leisure activities go, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix week coincides with the Mendes Bros World Super-Camp.

Suffice to say, this is once in a lifetime opportunity at an incredible price! Spots are quickly running out so make sure you book yours immediately!

Final Thoughts

Training with any world champion is a life-changing experience. Having two of the greatest of all ties coach you for over 20 hours is almost unbelievable. Ther’s not a person alive that would reject the chance to train and learn from the Mendes brothers. This The Mendes Bros World Super-Camp is a unique opportunity for everyone to get a glimpse of what training with the best looks like. Do not miss it!

Being A BJJ Mom – The Toughest Job In the World!

By
BJJ World
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BJJ Mom - the Toughest Job In the World

In Jiu-Jitsu, we like to think that we do not discriminate people on any basis. In most cases, this notion is actually true. Just about anyone can walk through the doors of a BJJ academy and change their life. As long as someone is ready to abide by the basic rules of BJJ etiquette, they’re more than welcome to grappler and learn. Still, among all the categories of people, we see in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on a regular basis, the most impressive person on the mats has to be the BJJ mom. Begin able to train one of the toughest sports in existence and take care of a child? Today we pay tribute to all the Jiu-Jitsu moms out there.

Let’s not kid ourselves, training BJJ, at least as much as most people would like to, is pretty similar to a full-time job. You need to keep up with classes, put in work on drills, live roll, stretch, etc. Then, there’s the homework, lifting weights, running, swimming and the likes. Not to mention looking out for what you eat and keeping an eye on weight. And this is all without even mentioning competition. However, compared to being a mom, whether it is one child or a bunch of them is unthinkably more difficult. Talk about a full-time, 24/7 job! Now imagine a person that is able to do both these jobs at once, and excel at them! Such a person does exist and it is the BJJ mom! The best part about it is that we’re seeing more and more of them around, and we love it!

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Jiu-Jitsu For Everyone

One of the fundamental concepts o Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the notion that Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone. From the earliest days of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academies, they wanted to create a system that’ll allow both the professional fighter and stay-at-home mom to train in the same gym at the same time. Suffice to say, BJJ has certainly lived up to such expectations.

The Challenges Of A BJJ MomWalk into any BJJ academy in the world and you’ll see all kinds of people in there. Very often, you see the young competitor who lives the life of an athlete paired up with your regular Joe that’s in love with the sport for entirely different reasons. Mind you, you might even see that old Joe cause all sorts of trouble for the young athlete. And that is why we all love BJJ so much. It allows us to train with plenty of different people while being able to chase our own goals at the same time, no matter own different they might be.

As an instructor, I really see all kinds of people walking through the door. Of course, some find that Jiu-Jitsu is actually not for them, but that’s only a small number. To be honest, I love the variety BJJ provides when it comes to people training the art. And out of all the people inside an academy, there’s nobody more impressive for me than the BJJ mom. These ladies can not only grapple but are a real force to be reckoned with! Not to mention that they also tend to enroll their kids in class as well, getting them in the sport as early as possible! Jiu-Jitsu is really for everyone, as it seems.

The BJJ Mom – Stongest Among The Strong

What’s so different about being a BJJ mom and just a regular person training Jiu-Jitsu? There’s a lot actually. First of all, a BJJ mom has a much different perspective on things that anyone else training alongside her. Motherhood and grappling actually do share certain similarities. Moreover, they complement each other in a way that makes BJJ moms better at both. One important aspect of motherhood is perspective. The moment a woman gives birth, the priorities change, and children become their whole world. Moreover, the kids look up to their parents, so training is just one aspect of setting a great example.

Then, there’s what BJJ can do for motherhood. Something you might hear a BJJ mom say is that BJJ has made her calmer and more in control of emotions. Furthermore, there’s literally no challenged or obstacle you can’t overcome if you’re used to grappling on a regular basis. And, just like in BJJ, you actually get better at motherhood as time goes by. This is just a small portion of what these two aspects of life share.

So how do you become a BJJ mom? As far as I’ve seen, there are two main ways. One is that women train before they get pregnant and give birth. For this type of women, it is simply a return to BJJ. What usually follows, though, is getting their kids in the academy, watching mommy at first and then giving it a try for themselves! Another way is the actually opposite – moms start training after enrolling their kids. I’ve seen both of these instances and the end result is the same – the women say BJJ really helps them with their parenting!

The Hardest Balancing Act

BJJ Mom - Training PregnantBefore we go into some of the challenges ladies face when they become a BJJ Mom, a word of caution. So far, BJJ has been proven to really help women have a safe and healthy pregnancy. However, always talk to an OBGyn and be sure do dial training way back, with safety being the priority here. That said, ladies have trained pregnant all the way up to delivery without any negative effects!

So, what happens after giving birth? According to the moms I’ve talked with, BJJ really helped them get back in shape quick. But it is not all about the physical. Post-partum anxiety and or depression are very common, and Jiu-Jitsu is a great way of resolving them without too much trouble.

When it comes to the challenges the life of a BJJ mom brings, there are plenty. Balancing everyday life and regular training is already a hassle. Having to care for children is the priority of every mom out there, so that means BJJ will have to take the back seat from time to time. Dedicating the same amount of time to training is simply not an option for most moms. And it is perfectly all right. There’s no need to overstrain, and possibly injure yourself, which may have a negative impact on your parenting. Instead, use BJJ to your advantage, and do not see it as a chore. That is what most of the highly efficient and successful BJJ moms do. Or so they’ve told me.

Trailing should provide a mental break from everyday life, and yeah, that includes children. It is one of the hidden benefits of BJJ. Another is training along with your kid, which is something not every parent can do. Jiu-Jitsu for everyone, right?

Final Thoughts

As far as every BJJ mom that manages to take care of a family and train goes, they have my utmost respect. When it comes to those that can actually do a regular job as well, they’re something else! Whatever the case, BJJ is the perfect activity to complement motherhood. Whether you’ll train to get back in shape, use BJJ as your “me-time” or go all out competing every chance you get, it will only make you a better mother. Just like being a mother is going to make you a much better Jiu-Jitsu problem solver!

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