An Inspirational BJJ Story: Interview With Liam Porter

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Do you know of an inspirational BJJ story? I know of one, and I’m going to tell you all about it. Actually, I won’t. I’ll let the person who the story is all about, tell you about his journey. As you read through the incredible BJJ story of Liam Porter, remember that his is just the last one in a long line of incredible instances where Jiu-Jitsu has literally changed the life of someone involved in it. So, read on, then pick your Gi up and head right onto the mats to write your very own incredible BJJ story. It is all about the journey!

“Jiu-Jitsu changed my life” is far more than just a catch phrase. Most people use it very freely in describing the pleasure that training grappling brings them. For some, though, it is a real beacon of hope, something that gives life meaning. For some, the unique combination of the mental and physical BJJ offers, along with the addictiveness and community it brings are precisely the qualities they’ve been looking for. The BJJ story of Liam Porter that we’re conveying today is one of transformation. it is all about the biggest battle you’ll win in your lifetime – the one over yourself. It is about dedicating to something that’ll make you a better version of yourself. Moreover, it is about doing what you love and achieving results in a way that makes you happy.

An Exclusive Liam Porter Interview

Liam Porter is an Australian grappler who has an inspirational story to share. He grew up in foster care, had a brush with addiction and even tried to commit suicide. When he discovered Jiu-Jitsu he weighed nearly 300 lbs. He managed to come down to 172 only to go back up to 250. That’s when Liam decided to take Jiu-Jitsu seriously and turned his life around with the help of the Gentle Art!

Below, Liam is going to tell you everything about himself, his BJJ journey, what it means to him. He also shares his plans for the future, touches on his conditioning routine and shares his nutrition system.

Take it away, Liam!

BJJW: Could you please let the readers of BJJ World who you are and where you’re coming from?

My name is Liam Charles Porter and I’m currently living in beautiful Melbourne Australia.

BJJW: Before sharing your amazing story, could you tell us about your Jiu-Jitsu journey so far (how you started, time training, academy, rank, competitive efforts)?

I started Jiu-Jitsu initially to defend myself as I got into fights a lot. 5 years later I received my Blue Belt from Professor Thiago Stefanutti at Absolute MMA in Melbourne.

I only started taking competitions seriously last year. I was scared to put myself out there for a long time, but thanks to my coaches and supportive team I competed 9 times in 2018.

BJJW: Your BJJ story is as impressive as it gets. How did BJJ impact your life in such a significant way?

BJJ showed me that I can be an athlete, showed me I have worth as an individual. I’m able to express myself in a positive manner, stay sober and out of trouble.

BJJW: How often do you train BJJ during the week? Do you do any supplemental training, or is it just grappling all day long?

I average BJJ 5-6 days a week on top of 3-4 5km runs and Powerlifting routine. Recently started taking swimming seriously, certainly helps with recovery and mobility.

BJJW: What are the main lessons you’ve learned from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

BJJ instilled honor, discipline, respect, humility, and patience. I have a sense of purpose on the mats and am part of a strong community. Jiu-Jitsu has changed my way of thinking and will of intent. It became a lifestyle.

BJJW: Tell us more about your Jiu-Jitsu training. What are some of your favorite positions/moves? How does a regular training session look at your Academy?

I like to play a top-heavy pressure game that minimizes movement and forces the opponent to fall into traps. Recently experimenting with aggressive attacks from bottom side control and guard.

A regular session starts with warmups and movement drills, followed by the technique of the day, then 5-7 minute rounds of rolling for 30 minutes. We often have all levels of skill and place an emphasis on growing together as a team.

BJJW: Could you outline your basic dieting principles?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is you can’t out-train a bad diet. Calories in, calories out and the correct ratio of macronutrients (protein, fats, carbs) plus regular exercise have helped me tremendously.

I track what I eat and keep regular photos of the progress. Being adequately hydrated is equally important.

I’m proud to say I’ve never missed weight for competition!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs_7KtngXMj/

BJJW: Your BJJ story is not just amazing, but also inspirational to a lot of people. Sharing it turns you into a role model for others that need the motivation to start or go back to training. Do you enjoy being such an important positive influence on one people?

Thank you, I’m overwhelmed by the support I’ve received. If someone is inspired by my progress, that motivates me to continue to push my limits further and show that anyone is capable of positive change in their lives.

BJJW: What comes next for Liam, both training and competition-wise?

This year I’m training for several competitions, a marathon, and my first amateur MMA fight. I’m excited to test myself and start a new chapter in my journey.

BJJW: Anything you’d like to share with the BJJ community and people in general that are reading this?

I strongly believe that Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone. My mission is to raise awareness for Mental health in the sport, support underprivileged individuals and those with disabilities to a safe and fun training environment.

In Summary

First of all, a huge thanks to Liam Porter for agreeing to share his story with us. He was nothing but forthcoming in our communication and is a true inspiration to all. For everyone out there not sure about starting BJJ, or worse, thinking about leaving it, read Liam’S BJJ story. You can learn a lot from it, and it may just prove to be the deciding factor for that massive change you’re aiming for!

Transition Mastery DVD by Bernardo Faria – Complete Review

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BJJ World

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Bernardo Faria Transition Mastery DVD REVIEW

Oh, s*$t! This is exactly what it thought when I found out there’s a transitions BJJ DVD out there! Learning that it is brand new and that it is by Bernardo Faria only heaped more excitement! naturally, I had to get it and go through it at the earliest opportunity! I’m at that point in my Brazilian Jiu-Transition when the hidden nuances of the sport are my main focus! The devil is in the details, and in Jiu-JItsu, he’s hiding in the invisible ones! Transitions are bang in the middle of this category, as mastering them, means you’ll master a huge part of Jiu-Jitsu! It is hard though, and Bernardo Faria’s Transition Mastery DVD set certainly lends a helping hand!

ON SALE HERE:
Bernardo Faria – Transition Mastery (DVD/DIGITAL)
We all know by now how good Bernardo Faria is. And I’m not only talking about his 3 European and 5 World titles (including a Worlds double). Lately, we’ve come to know Bernardo as a magnificent coach as well, particularly through his ever-growing BJJ instructionals collection. The legendary Alliance super-heavyweights is now taking his teaching a whole level up. Do you think the Omoplata and kneebar are the only moves responsible for his 95 competition wins? Think again. The deepest secrets of Bernardo’s grappling style begin to get revealed in the Transition Mastery DVD set!

Transitions – The World Of Invisible BJJ

Speaking of transitions, why are they so important, you might ask. As a white, and somewhat into the blue belt, you’ll mostly look at BJJ in a black and white manner. You see a situation, you use a move for it, it leads to another situation and another move, etc. This is exactly as it should be in the beginning. However, as you mature as a grappler, you’ll find out that most of the successful setups in Jiu-Jitsu happen outside of well-established positions. This is when transition awareness enters the frame.

I once heard the phrase that “there are no scrambles in Jiu-JItsu”. As time passed by, this notion seemed to confirm itself. Every time a “scramble” comes up, what high-level grapplers see are opportunities. Attacking during transitions is one of the hardest aspects of Jiu-Jitsu to understand and master. Why? Well, first up, you need to really know what you’re going after, i.e. specific techniques. Next, you need to understand the transitions and how they work in different situations. Once you put those two together, your overall game is going to improve in leaps and bounds!

A such, transitions in BJJ take place in every aspect of the game. You can use them offensively, counter-offensively or defensively. You can transition from to top to top, bottom to bottom positions, or in between. Furthermore, you can also transition from standing to the bottom and vice versa. This last part is extremely important to know. It also happens, that this is the area which Faria’s Transition Mastery DVD set focuses on!

Transition Mastery DVD

Bernardo Faria’s Transition Mastery DVD is going to take you, step by step through the intricacies of transition in the stand-up domain. Bernardo is a real master of Jiu-Jitsu in every area, but his take on how to transition between different planes and levels is mesmerizing! The Transition Mastery DVD set is an instructional like no other before it! It is not only the information that’s in it but also the way the DVD is set up!

In this BJJ instructional, you do not get the usual technique specific chapters. Instead, you get four volumes filled with flows that focus on how to transition between positions, rather than the positions themselves. Moreover, it includes a lot of work based off of the opponent’s reactions, which is huge and never before seen! Bernardo covers the subject of guard pulling from both an offensive and counter-offensive perspective, along with some unbelievable double leg takedown sorcery! Here’s what you can expect from this crazy DVD!

Pulling Half Guard(s)

We all know how much Bernardo likes the half guard. Once again, he strives s towards his favorite position., However, in this DVD, you don’t get as much half guard details as in previous releases. Instead, you learn how to get in and out effectively, quickly and elegantly. No more scrambling in and out of position. Instead, the Transition Mastery DVD is going to guide you through every detail of every single exchange that involves pulling half guard(s).

After the mandatory introduction, Bernardo starts by demonstrating the first flow. It is a half guard pull that actually takes you into a single leg sweep. Basically, you learn how to pull guard and still end up on top! In the worst possible scenario, you’ll end up in half guard which Bernardo covers in earlier releases. And it is only the first flow!

Further along, you get to learn Fria’s secrets of success – pulling guard right into sweeps, passes and even submissions! The chapters build on each other, so form the pull to single leg sweep you get a folding pass to mount to an armbar. then, you get the same but his time with Faria’s signature over-under pass.

The best part is that there’s also a version where the whole flow begins from the knees. This time, Bernardo goes into deep half and uses the Faria sweep to switch positions. Of course, the over under pass follows, along with a nasty scarf choke variation!

Pulling Half Guard(s) – Countering Sprawls

The sprawl is a very useful defensive movement, not only against double legs but also against certain guard pulls. Whenever pulling guard goes wrong, or the opponent has lightning-quick reflexes, you need to transition straight into attack mode. Bernardo’s route takes us towards the deep half guard once again. This time, there’s a single leg thrown in there for good measure, leading into a Turkish get-up. Once again, you’ve ended up on top!

Now you’re in a similar position to before. You can either use the stuff Berardo demonstrated in the first volume or switch it up a bit. One option includes hitting the over-under pass and going into a triangle trap. This move is wicked effective and works from side control, so not many people will be expecting it. Once again, there’s a version of the flow starting from the knees.

Double Leg Takedown Flows

The third part of the Transition Mastery DVD set takes a turn. Instead of pulling guard, now you’ll be looking to take the opponent down and get top position straight away! Bernardo’s method of choice is the double leg takedown which means you do not need to learn fancy new takedown moves.

The flow begins with an opponent sprawling in response to your double leg attempt. Instead of bailing, you use a smooth transition to once again establish the single leg sweep. However, here you get to pass a bit differently, with the over-under brother pass the preferred option. The different dynamics of this pass mean you end up in a different attacking position. This time, you get an easy transition into a very tight kneebar.

Another pathway off the single leg sweep takes you into north-south and straight into an armlock if you like to keep things short and sweet.

The final flow is once again from the knees and goes double leg, sprawl, single leg sweep to over-under brother pass vs spider guard, to a north-south armbar. Crazy stuff!

Dealing With Guard Pullers

The final portion of the Bernardo Faria Transition Mastery DVD takes you through some flows to help you deal with guard pullers. Instead of allowing your opponents to establish guard, you use the pull to transition into a pass. You guessed it, it is the over-under pass!

Once again the flow begins step by step, leading you to the over-under first, and then a back take. Of course, from there you finish, and the submission of choice is the bow and arrow choke. Simple, straightforward and easy, as long as you know when and how to transition.

As the final volume goes on, Faria takes us into some unique craziness. The Spread Chicken from the back is one example. Sounds funny but you’ll love it! But that’s not the final step! Faria also has a last-minute transition into the mount to keep you on the attack at all costs! Of course, you also get a simplified version and one starting from the knees as well!

Final Verdict

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Attacking submissions during transitions is how black belts seem to know what you’ll do before you do it. They focus on attacking you along the way, instead of starting once you’re at the endpoint of your movement. The Transition Mastery DVD is the only resource of its kind available now! It is a whole different kind of Jiu-Jitsu instructional, one which will undoubtedly pave the way for many others. Until then, though, you have the unbelievable chance of learning invisible black belt secrets from one of the most competitive World CHampions ever! Do not waste it!

ON SALE HERE:
Bernardo Faria – Transition Mastery (DVD/DIGITAL)

Olympics To Allow Transgenders to Compete! Are We Becoming Too Politically Correct?

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BJJ World

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Are We Becoming Too Politically Correct In Sports ?

Political correctness is definitely the movement of the 21st century. Lobbying for everyone’s equal rights is something that everyone with a sound mind supports. It seems redundant to have to fight for the right not to be judged based on prejudice in the 21st century. Yet, unfortunately, there are people that still have “antiquated” ways of thinking. However, there’s can also “too much of a good thing”. At this moment in time, we’re so overboard on political correctness, that this article even might be considered to be politically incorrect. Talk about first world problems! Regardless, the question arises are we becoming too politically correct for our own good, particularly in the domain of sports?

Yes, people of all races, genders, political and religious views, and other personal belief should all have eth chance to train and compete in sports. Whether it is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, other martial arts, basketball or ice skating, the same holds true. However, people also need to understand that sports have categories for a reason – keeping things fair. In that sense, the situation with gender change seems to be a real problem. This is especially true in the case of combat sports like grappling or MMA. The issue is not transgender people competing. The issue is in finding out how to place them in a category that’s challenging for them and fair for their opponents? The International Olympic Committee seems to have a solution, albeit far from a sensible or logical one.

The Olympic Committees Stance On Transgender Athletes

What’s the deal with the Olympic committee and transgender people? Well, it seems that they might have become too politically correct in their quest to be fair to all. The IOC holds the view that people do not actually need a sex change in order to compete in a gender division different than that of their birth.

Namely, the International Olympic Committee has an “interesting” stance on the subject. They consider female athletes that have transitioned into a male to be eligible for competition in male divisions. With a complete sex change, this makes a lot of sense. However, in the opposite situation, things get murky. As per the IOCs Consensus Meeting on Sex Reassignment and Hyperandrogenism dating back to November 2015, male to female athletes do not actually need a complete sex change to compete.

In this case, the IOC uses testosterone levels as an indicator of whether they allow an athlete to compete as a female. As of 2016, if an athlete has lower testosterone serum level than 10mmol/L and they declare as a female, they can compete as one. An additional requirement is to be able to prove that the athlete has not gone over this limit in the 12 months leading up to a competition. Basically, as long as you declare yourself a woman, and have low testosterone, you can freely compete in any female division of any Olympic sport. Huh?!?

This IOC decision makes them really politically correct, in fact maybe even too politically correct. But does it keep the competition safe and fair?

Too Politically Correct For Our Own Sake?

The IOC definitely made a step in the right direction to allow transgender people to compete. However, they still seem to be in uncharted waters when it comes to practical application. We all are, to be honest. I mean, we can’t even figure out how to mark toilets correctly anymore, let alone figure out organizing fair world-class level competitions! That’s what’s being too politically correct can do.

No wonder, the athletic world, with females athletes in the lead, has rioted against this decision. Huge stars like tennis great Martina Navratilova, swimmer Sharron Davies, marathoner Paula Radcliffe are just a few to rais their opinion. Their stance is that the subject should further be debated and explored, in order to reach a logical and acceptable solution.

Transgender is different and I understand Navratilova’s point. If you are born and grow up male you cannot be allowed to compete in female sports simply because you ‘identify’ as female. It makes a mockery of the definitions of male and female sports categories.

— Paula Radcliffe (@paulajradcliffe) February 20, 2019

In terms of testosterone, we know that what actually matters is testosterone during growth. In puberty, testosterone has a defining effect on our bodies,s resulting in differences between the sexes. these are characteristics that can’t be taken away with hormonal manipulation in adulthood. It seems that political correctness in sports needs to be something that’s carefully introduced. At least until a point at which we have a good understanding of what we’re doing.

What Could It Mean For Grappling?

Imagine if you’re a featherweight grappler and you have a 230 lbs grappler competing in your division. Not fun, is it? After all, the absolute division exists to offer people the chance to test themselves against bigger/smaller opponents. But only if they wish to do so. Using grappling as an example, the same holds true for age and rank as well. Why would sex be treated any differently?

We all know the much-debated example of MMA fighter Fallon Fox. As a transgender with a complete sex change, her advantage over other females in the sport is more than obvious. Body composition, bone density, biomechanics, and a bunch of other factors come into play here. Given how dangerous the consequences of professional MMA can be, this really defines “unfair advantage” as far as I am concerned.

The IOC’s too politically correct stance has the potential of spilling over into most sports, Olympic or not. Every Olympic sport out there has to abide by the rule of the IOC. Most other sports copy the IOC’s decisions, mostly because they want to become Olympic sports themselves. Even if they don’t, they usually tend to look up to the IOC as a professional governing body.

Final Thoughts

Can politics wreak havoc on sports? Yes. Can political correctness do the same? Absolutely yes. We can’t allow ourselves to compromise the very essence of sports and competition just for the sake of being politically correct. Currently, it is the transgender issue we can’t find a working solution for. Perhaps, maybe a transgender division? Or a completely transgender Olympics? Who knows. What I know for now is that being too politically correct on the subject of male to female athletes competing in female divisions is akin to allowing cheating to go unsanctioned. What happened to fair play in sports?

Fallon Fox, Transgender MMA Fighter Who Broke The Skull of Her Opponent

Undefeated Transgender Wins a Girls’ State Wrestling Championship 2nd in a Row – Crowd Boos

Joe Rogan on Female Transgender Athletes who Compete: It’s Bizzare and Ridicolous

Transgender’s Letter to BJJ Community – I’m not a Male, I Want to Compete Without Stigma

Grandma Chokes Woman Unconscious in a Street Fight

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BJJ World

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It’s hard to tell what exactly happened here because there’s no information about it but what we can see is that pretty old lady choked out another woman without hesitation.

Watch the video below and see how modern family street fights should be resolved 🙂

Jiu Jitsu Guy With No Takedown Skills in a Street Fight – FAIL

Man Chokes Out Female Pub Manager with Ezekiel Choke

Gas Station Clerk Knocks and Chokes Out a Robber With A Guillotine Choke

Harry Grech – Kimura Logic DVD/Digital Instructional Review

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So it is one more Kimura DVD in a long line of video instructionals that aim to bring something new o a subject that has been beaten to death. These were my exact thoughts when I picked up the Kimura Logic DVD for a review. Suffice to say, I had to swallow every word. The reason I’m opening like this is that most of you out there are probably going to think the same. However, just like me, you’ll find yourself surprised with this one. Harry Grech definitely has different Kimura logic compared to the rest of the grappling world. And, with everyone thinking they know all about the Kimura, this DVD is the perfect resource to help you develop a new high-precision weapon.

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Harry Grech – Kimura Logic (DVD/DIGITAL)Harry Grach is known to most of the BJJ world as much as the Kimura is known to people that train karate. However, the Judoka and MMA fighter is a grappling mastermind, to say the least. The Kimura Logic DVD proves that in a big way. This DVD really takes a leap in a new direction when Kimuras are in question. Everyone who is a fan of it is going to benefit hugely from this amazing instructional. Moreover, it works against everyone. Of course, given the Kimuras mechanics, everything in the instructional has value for both Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.

Who Is Harry Grech?

Harry Grech is a 29-year-old Australian grappler from Sydney. The MMA fighter has a rich background in grappling, though, coming from a mixture of high-level Judo and catch wrestling. With Judo his main focus for the better part of a decade, he came by BJJ in quite an interesting manner. namely, a 2011 foot injury made him start Jiu-Jitsu because groundwork spared his foot. ti is safe to say that he got hooked.

The Melbourne Grappling Industries winner is quite familiar with the big stage of grappling competitions. He has plenty of medals in international Judo tournaments and is only at the start of a promising BJJ career. Although he favors No-Gi much more than Gi, he does like to train in both. COmpetition wise, he is all No Gi, though. Harry currently teaches grappling at Igor MMA in Sydney.

The Kimura logic DVD is actually a representation of what Grech likes to do more than anything in grappling – Kimuras. so much so, in fact, that his nickname is “Kimura”. IT is a move Grech liked even as a Judoka and has now gone to new heights with it in No-Gi Grappling. After all, Sakuraba is his main idol, and we all know how much he likes his Kimuras!

Kimura Logic DVD: What’s Inside?

if you’re looking for some elaborate system to teach you how to catch Kimuras with your legs, or using only one arm, this is not the instructional for you. this instructional is all about the simplest ways of using a grappling classic – the Kimura. The logic behind the Kimura Logic DVD is that you can build a complete grappling game around one move only. And that includes both a bottom and a top game.

The Kimura Logic DVD has 15 chapters and each is a step on the ladder to devising a complete and scary effective Kimura game. After the mandatory introduction, Grech takes us through the theory behind the Kimura grips. He talks a lot about how to grip, why you should grip in that particular manner, and even how to grip fight so that you set the Kimura up form the very beginning. in short, everything you need to know about setting up a Kimura position and staying there. He then uses the top side control Kimura to go over all the fine mechanical details. Grech also covers two more immensely important concepts – dealing with strong and/or with flexible opponents. Both are going to improve your Kimura game multifold!

The best part of this DVD, for me, was the way Harry likes to regain control of the wrist whenever he loses it. He then moves on to specific attacks from literally everywhere. Since you already have the Kimura in place, you learn how to finish from the closed guard, butterfly guard, Kesa Gatame and even the wrestling cradle. Each chapter comes with plenty of details and variations. Since the Kimura is what connects them all, retaining it means you can use all attack as a threat at all times. The most impressive thing – it is painfully simple.

How тo Use The DVD

The Kimura logic DVD has another huge quality, apart from awesome contents. Namely, it is an instructional that literally, everyone can use. On top of it, catch wrestlers, MMA fighters and even Judokas can all benefit a lot as well. By everyone, I, mean people of all ranks and experience levels in BJJ. The information inside means everyone can find something they need to improve their Kimuras. But the Kimura is not the only thing you’ll improve.

Harry Grech’s Kimura system is a blend of grappling styles. It has elements of BJJ, Judo, catch wrestling and modern No-Gi grappling. The position Grech thrives in just so happens to be the Kimura. So, now it becomes position zero. Whether you’re standing or on the ground, once you get it, it’s game over. it may happen right there or a few steps down the road. the beauty is that you learn a complete BJJ game through one simple position.

To all you black belts out there that know everything about the Kimura, a word of advice. Do not skip this particular volume, as it will open your eyes to things you do not know. I don’t doubt that many people know a lot about Kimura. However, nobody knows it in the way that Grech does. Now, you can use his secrets to improve as well!

ON SALE HERE:
Harry Grech – Kimura Logic (DVD/DIGITAL)

Jay Wadsworth DVD: “Precision De La Riva Attacks” REVIEW

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BJJ World

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If you’re getting smashed regularly by stronger and more experienced grapplers, remember this day! This is the day you discovered the cure for all your smash passing troubles. It comes in the form of a Jay Wadsworth DVD that has the perfect silver bullet guard for you! It is a new take on an open guard classic in the De la Riva Guard. Prepare to discover never before seen secrets of the De La Riva to stop anyone in their tracks! No bull, just precise and simple instructions!

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Jay Wadsworth – Precision De La Riva Attacks (DVD/DIGITAL)
Listening to experienced competitive grapplers when it comes to specific subjects like preventing smash passing is always a good idea. Whenever that experienced grappler is also a law enforcement officer, your car rest assured what you get is the real deal. Jay Wadsworth is both of those things, and this Jay Wadsworth DVD is the instructional that unmasks the De La Riva guard once and for all. Precision attacks and a systematic game is what you’ll learn after just a few short weeks of putting the techniques to practice! Suffice to say, this is the BJJ DVD to take your open guard game to the very next level!

Why You Should Listen To Jay Wadsworth

Jay Wadsworth his a Brazilan Jiu-Jitsu black belt that has one of the most efficient grappling styles in the game! He is also a formidable competitor, often catching attention with his unique ways of winning. He is also crazy efficient off his back and has no problems dealing with people twice his size. Oh, and he’s also a police officer, so you can trust that his favorite moves really work in any circumstances.

Jay Wadsworth is one of the smart ones. he uses his Jiu-Jitsu to improve the way he does his day job – law enforcement. However, he also uses his police experience to make his Jiu-Jitsu notoriously effective! Jay is a black belt under professor Julio Fernandez. he is also a teacher, teaching Jiu-Jitsu at Kinetix Combat Sports And Fitness. He is also a certified Combatives teacher for SWAT teams and patrol officers. Oh, and he also has a dozen MMA fights under his belt.

The “Precision De La Riva Attacks” Jay Wadsworth DVD is the sum of Jay’s year’s long experience in martial arts and law enforcement. Here, he focuses on making you an attacking machine of the back using only one simple guard – the De La Riva. It is a DVD you’ll fall in love with straight away!

De La Riva Guard Essentials

The De La Riva guard is an open guard variation that is not getting as much attention nowadays as it did not so long ago. When the Berimbolo and similar moves became the next big thing, the De La Riva guard was the most common guard position in Gi Jiu-Jitsu. It was the launching pad for so many attractive and efficient attacks that everyone was trying to do it! As the game changed a bit and other guard variations emerged, most people moved on to the next big thing. However, the De La Riva stays just as effective, if not more, as it was before!

Created by professor Ricardo De La Riva, this open guard has a very specific and distinct structure. he actually modified an old Judo position to fit his needs, and came up with one of the best guards ever! The De La Riva guard works by having one leg around one of the opponent’s legs. The foot of your leg has the task of hooking behind the opponent’s knee. At the same time, you’re looking to control the heel of that leg with your same side arm. The far leg is usually in the hip or hooked behind the other knee. The free arm can grip in numerous places, allowing you to manipulate your opponent.

Originally, the De La Riva Guard was a shortcut to getting the back. In this Jay Wadsworth DVD, you’ll use it as such a shortcut a lot, since it is simple and effective. Moreover, the De La Riva guard offers a lot of ways to unbalance your opponent and break their posture. Both of these aspects make up a huge part of Wadsworth’s precision system. Time to bring the De La Riva guard back!

Review: “Precise De La Riva Attacks” Jay Wadsworth DVD

The “Precision De La Riva Attacks” Jay Wadsworth DVD is a two-part video instructional. In each volume, Jay goes over the moves and concepts he likes to use when grappling. Basically, he offers the blueprint to unlocking the full power and potential of the De La Riva.

The first disc is all about getting to the De La Riva guard. It includes standing entries as well as entering from the bottom. jay also takes you in the opposite direction. Namely, he uses De La Riva to get back to his feet and execute powerful takedowns. There’s also a complete breakdown of the guard and Jay’s De La Riva philosophy.

The second volume is all about high precision attacks. You won’t find a lot of Berimobolo style spins and inversions, though. What you’ll learn are basic, easy and virtually undefendable ways of getting a tap. Whether it is from the guard itself, back control or after sweeping, each chapter in this Jay Wadsworth DVD finishes in a submission!

DVD 1 – Understanding The De La Riva

To begin with, we need to get a grasp of what Wadsworth’s De la Riva is all about. This complete volume is going to focus on how, why and when to play the De la Riva. First up, Jay goes over the best grip placement for entering the De la Riva guard. What’s really impressive is how Wadsworth pulls a De la Riva from standing. If you like to pull guard you might as well pull De la Riva guard and go on the offensive right away. Good examples of direct attacks after pulling guard would be Jay’s balloon sweep variations.

Pulling DLR, and then getting back into a single leg might not be something you consider at the moment. However, Jay makes a compelling argument as to why you should be multidirectional with your De la Riva guard. Plus, the single leg setup is sick!

Form a precise technical perspective, Wadsworth really goes deep when covering the angles. A bad angle can really cripple even the best set De La Riva. A simple principle here is going to remove all your doubts once and for all. After angles, it is all about grip combinations, and Jay offers three of them. The volume ends with an overview of the deep hook and how it affects your DLR options.

DVD 2 – Attacking And Finishing With The De La Riva

The second portion of this Jay Wadsworth DVD is attacking after attack from the DLR. After a very short introduction, outlining an attacking mindset, Jay gets straight to business. First up are chokes from the back, which is extremely easy to obtain from the DLR. The Hangman finish is a new one, followed by a cool bow and arrow setup. Jay certainly likes to finish his opponents so an Ezekiel choke failsafe is right there in case the bow and arrow choke fails.

After all the choke options, Jay demonstrates how to use the De LA Riva to obtain not just top positions, but the most dominant ones. A great example is a knee on belly position, along with the numerous attacking options from there. There’s also a pathway to the dreaded knee on neck choke which is going to tap literally anyone. And, for all those that thrive on lapel attacks, there’s a great baseball bat choke variation utilizing the tail of the lapel.

Summing It Up

If you’re looking for a fancy way to suffer from the De La Riva guard, then this Jay Wadsworth DVD is not for you. If your goal is to have an unpassable DLR that you can use to submit everyone than this should be your first choice! Jay likes to keep things simple and effective, while not wasting any unnecessary energy. As for competitors, he likes to always take things into the highest percentage (and point reward) positions available in BJJ before going for the kill.

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Jay Wadsworth – Precision De La Riva Attacks (DVD/DIGITAL)

Williams Guard – Never Get Passed Again!

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BJJ World

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What is your best-closed guard strategy? Do you like to retain guard and bait, openly attack or tire out opponents with grip fighting? How much effort do each (or all) of these strategies require? What if I told you that there’s a somewhat unusual closed guard variation out there that can revolutionize your closed guard? here’s the sales pitch – you get to just lay there, completely safe and more than halfway through a bunch of submissions. What’s even better is that everyone’s susceptible and nobody will be able to get out. Interested? Then let’s talk about the Williams Guard.

The simplest solution to success with the closed guard is thinking outside the box. Eddie Bravo proved that years ago with his Rubber Guard system. Still, this is not a guard that everyone can play, due to flexibility issues. Shawn Williams realized this and brought about the best possible solution – a new hybrid closed guard. his guard system ended up being so effective that it now bears his name. The Williams Guard is the simplest advanced guard variation you’ll ever see, and most likely the only one you’ll revert to using. After all, it is always great when the guard is half a submission, right?

Brandon McCaghren is an Eddie Bravo black belt that has a unique take on the Rubber guard. His 4 part DVD set “Rubber Guard – The Meathook” sheds some much-needed light on a very interesting BJJ guard. Moreover, there are some unique and original concepts that might turn you into a fan of the Rubber Guard!

The Ultimate Closed Guard Hybrid

The solution to the most common closed guard problems was always going to be in a hybrid. The closed guard, as effective as it’s basic version is, has a few limitations. Namely, it has you lying on your back, effectively keeping you at quite a distance from your opponent. While this does mean you can’t get hit, it is still not the best spot. Whether it is sport or self-defense, shortening the distance is always the preferred option. And the best way to shorten the distance is to bring the opponent towards you.

While bringing the opponent to you might not seem like such a problem from the closed guard, keeping them there is. How long can you keep someone’s posture broken form the basic closed guard? This is exactly why the Rubber guard ended up being a huge success. Bravo figured out how to get people down and keeping them there with the rubber guard. However, his method worked for him and only a handful of flexible others. What it accomplished though, is to open the door for hybrids of the closed guard.

Shawn Williams’ take on it was to once again use the legs to keep the opponent’s posture broken. However, unlike the rubber guard, Shawn likes to employ angles rather than flexibility. This makes the Williams guard just as useful for the 50-year-old with knee issues as it is for the ultra-flexible 22-year-old featherweight. It seems Shawn found the ultimately closed guard hybrid for both BJ Jand MMA purposes.

Williams Guard – The Solution To All Your Closed Guard Trouble

What makes the Willimas Guard so different than both the closed guard and the rubber guard, respectively? Well, ti bets the full guard in it’s positioning and the availability of direct threats. It trumps the rubber guard in simplicity, and more importantly, the lack of crazy flexibility requirements.

The best way to obtain the Willimas Guard is from the most basic closed guard. Gi or No-Gi, what you want is to get your opponent close. Only pulling with your arms is not going to get you far so you must use the legs as well. Once the posture is broken, you can look for the entry. All it takes is a collar tie and a hip escape. The collar tie ensures they can’t rais their head. the hip escape gets you in position to place one knee over their back.

The Williams guard is all set when you wrap your free arm around the knee that’s on their back. Slap a palm to palm grip on and you’re in the Williams guard. The one key moment to the Willimas Guard is in maintaining the frame you have with your hands. As long as your bottom forearm has their head looking away, you can do whatever you want. There’s no pass available, no way to regain posture, and you have the option of finishing at will.

A Few Easy Attacks

If you’ve been training for more than a few months, there’s no way you’re not seeing the submissions from the Willimas Guard. Take another look. You’re seeing that Omoplata that’s halfway in, right? Right? As obvious as the Omoplata is, you also have a lot of other options as well. Let’s look at some.

Options here are going to work based on the opponent’s initial reactions. Opponent’s that struggle to regain posture are the ones that’ll open a lot of additional attacks. One simple solution for such an occasion is the far side armbar. Whenever an opponent tries to push back into you trying to put you on your back, they expose their arm. All you need to do is allow the opponent to get you to your back and swing a leg over. That’s it.

The triangle from the Willimas guard works in a similar fashion. The only difference is the position of the opponent’s free ram. If they keep it off your body when pushing in, you’ll be looking for a triangle instead of the armbar. As you get to your back, use the heel of the leg that’s on their back to press on their far side shoulder. This simple move is going to immobilize your opponent so that you can hit an effortless triangle.

BONUS MOVE: Let go of the grip and slide your bottom arm under their neck. Get your shin up and grab your ankle with the arm you just placed under he neck. Now, reach with the top arm for a figure four grip. Extend the leg for one of the sneakiest chokes in Jiu-Jitsu!

Shawn Williams

Shawn Willimas is one of Renzo Gracie’s most distinct black belt. Actually, he got his black belt together with John Danaher, somewhere around the early 2000s. Actually, he is the fifth American that got a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The charismatic lightweight is the man behind a lot of Jiu-Jitsu innovation, most notably his Williams Guard system. He started training as early as 1996, after being impressed by Renzo’s fighting efforts. The Willimas guard actually has roots that date back to 1999 when Shawn first came up with the early version of it. The guard got the stamp of approval by both Danaher and Renzo, and Shawn continued to experiment. After successfully using it in tournaments like ADCC, Shawn, and the rest of the grappling world knew for certain that this guard is legit.

Today, Shawn has his own academy in L.A. where he teaches on a regular basis. He is also a regular in the Renzo Gracie headquarters in NYC whenever he is in town.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, the Willimas Guard is my go-to guard when I’m not playing open guards. It is a great spot to get to from both the closed and the half guard. Since I’m now 34 and boasting an impressive injury list, this guard makes playing closed guard a real enjoyment once again. Not that it’ll take you a while to get used to having your arm under your leg and using the frame. Once you get that down, though, there’ll be no stopping you from the bottom!

The BJJ Z-Guard and Why Is It So Popular?

Half Guard Sweeps: Lockdown Masterclass

Choose Your Jiu-Jitsu Game: Pass Or Play Guard?

Priit Mihkelson – Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System DVD Review

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BJJ World

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The Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System. It sounds as far out there as some of Eddie Bravo’s craziest stuff! However, we’re not talking about 10th Planet content here. The Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System is actually a Priit Mihkelson DVD. Who is that? Well, if you have to ask that, you really have no idea who Pritt is. The thing with him is that once you hear of him, or meet him, you’ll never forget him! His Jiu-Jitsu is much the same, as you can see from the name of his guard retention system. I’ve been waiting for a full Priit Mihkelson DVD for a while now and I’m stoked about making the Grilled Chicken Guard a part of my game!

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Priit Mihkelson – Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System
Priit Mihkelson is one of the most entertaining and knowledgeable people in BJJ! He is a part of the BJJ Globetrotters community, which is how I got to know him. He is also one of the best coaches in the world without a doubt! The reason you might not have heard of him is that he lives and works in Europe, as he is originally from Estonia. Priit is now into his forties and is notorious for his efficiency in grappling. Rolling with him is a real ego check, as you’ll be able to do nothing to a man that’s apparently just sitting/lying there relaxed. Oh, and when he decides to do something, you’ll be powerless to escape him, Now, the unique “Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System Priit Mihkelson DVD allows us a glimpse into his diverse and crazy effective grappling system!

The Estonian BJJ Maniac

Priit Mihkelson is an Estonian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Matt Thronton from SBG. The last 18 years of Priit’s life have been all about martial arts. During the last decade, his main focus is Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, and MMA in particular. Currently, Priit is the head coach at 3D Training, the biggest Estonian martial arts school.

At 41, Priit uses all of his vast experience in martial arts, particularly grappling, to make sure he is just as effective as the young guns. He likes to describe his grappling style as “functionalistic minimalism” which is a great way of explaining it. Priit’s grappling style is very unique and can be described as the most offensive defense-based grappling style in existence. With Priit it is all about bare-bones fundamentals like posture and movement and a whole host of crazy names to go with his concepts. This makes it as easy for him to teach as it is to dismantle world-class black belts with ease.

A huge platform that allows Mihkelson to share his unique system is the BJJ Globetrotters community, which organizes huge training camps across the globe. Now, however, the Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System is actually a Priit Mihkelson DVD means that we have unrestricted access to Priit’s systems, at least in terms of the bottom game. Just a few days ago, Priit got a second stripe on his black belt by none other than Chris Haueter, one of the BJJ Dirty Dozen.

Grilled Chicken Guard Priit Mihkelson DVD

This DVD is good for everyone, literally. But it is particularly good for people that are in the Masters’ categories, especially those over 40. That said this is not just another “over 40” DVD. It is an instructional offering a solution for one area of Jiu-jitsu which gets progressively more difficult with age. That is guard retention. When you do not have athleticism, flexibility, explosiveness, and strength to lean back on, you’re not left with much. If you’re aiming to be effective from your guard you can’t let people pass it. And if you lack any of the above qualities, this Priit Mihkelson DVD is your one best hope.

If you want to be smart about grappling, you’ll pick this the Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System DVD set even as a young and “all-powerful” grappler. In fact, it is much better if you learn all about Priit’s way of doing guard early, so that you’re ready when things start to give way. Priit is one of the most difficult guys to hold down and/or submit. He has such good defensive positioning and so many different slick escapes that he seems to just slide out of things.

The Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System is based on this type of strategy. Surprisingly enough, the main goal is not to retain guard. The main goal is to actually position safely so that you do not need to even worry about guard passing attempts. And, when you throw in an attack or two in the system you get one of the best guard systems in existence!

#1. The Grilled Chicken Guard

DVD 1 is where you get to learn what the Grilled Chicken Guard is. Priit explains the system, the idea behind it, and the “specific” name. You’ll also understand why Priit likes to name his moves the way that he does.

Much of the first volume is dedicated to maintaining the position. make a note that guard maintenance and guard recovery are not the same things. Priit explains how the grilled Chicken guard works, and how to stay there for extended periods of time. It is a complete philosophy that incorporates a few easy-to-understand concepts. Actually, much of the first volume of the Priit Mihkelson DVD, after the introduction, is all about staying inside the guard.

The final chapter goes over an immensely important concept – how to deal with opponents that are pushing forward.

#2. Defense And Recovery

Part two is where things start to get more dynamic. However, the dynamic in Priit’s system is a change of angle, and perhaps maybe a hip escape motion. Do not expect crazy lapel traps or complex movements. Functionalistic minimalism, remember? The concepts Priit goes over in this volume include lifting the opponent and depending on common directions of attack. The methodology includes what, how, why, and when. Brutally simple.

In terms of the direction of movement, Priit likes to focus on dealing with side-to-side movement, and pressure passing. he also offers the best way of killing the leg drag pass even before it takes place. That one has been a lifesaver for me, literally. If you like to play outside Ashi Garami, this one is going to help you forget all about smash passing.

Wrapping up are some inverted concepts and the grapevine guard recovery principle.

#3. The Concept Of Symmetry

In the third volume of the Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System Priit Mihkelson DVD, you get to learn some advanced tips and tricks. Now that the guard and main avenues of movement are clear, you can focus on some Priit “specials”.

Here’ Priit covers some of the core concepts of his Grilled Chicken Guard – aiming and symmetry. It has to do with spinning as effectively as possible, without having to bear the weight of the opponent. Priit teaches you how to spin, what to aim for and how to kill the symmetry, which is going to take any guard pass offline immediately. The volume ends with an awesome double-under guard pass defense.

#4. Concepts And Practical Application

Some highly specific stuff here. Priit takes the foot off the brake and goes deep into the guard’s essentials. Make sure you go over the previous three volumes though, as you need the underlying principles before you start using this volume. All the intricacies of the Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System are explained here. From the broad concepts to the finest details.

Examples of concepts covered in the final volume of this Priit Mihkelson DVD are knee cut defenses, leg lock escapes, and the concept of reaching. This last one is one of the main takeaways from the instructional. You’ll learn when it is safe to reach when in open guard and not give away a submission or pass.

Final Thoughts

This PrPriit Mihkelson DVD is the one guard DVD that the BJJ world has sorely missed. Now that it’s here, I’m not sure if there are enough copies to satisfy the demand that’s certain to follow. Luckily, I knew all about Priit and got mine as soon as it came out. Get the Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System and build an open guard game for decades to come!

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Priit Mihkelson – Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System

Samir Chantre – The Lasso Guard DVD Review

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BJJ World

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Here we are at a subject that is the clear face of dualism in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You either absolutely love this guard variation, or you hate it down to your bones. One thing you can be certain of is that everyone has an opinion on the Lasso guard. It is one of the hardest guards to pass in all of grappling. Well, in all of Gi grappling, anyway. On the other hand, it is extremely easy for the bottom person to control and attack with the Lasso. These are just a few of the reasons high-level black belts use it in competition regularly. But there’s more, so much more to the Lasso guard. One great way of uncovering some of its best-kept secrets is Samir Chantre’s Lasso Guard DVD set.

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Samir Chantre – The Lasso Guard
Make no mistake, the lass guard can win you tournaments, and perhaps even world titles! Samir Chantre should know something about it, as not many people have used the Lasso guard better than him. The lasso guard is one of the most effective open guards, particularly due to the ability to combine it with other guards. Every time some BJJ position or move works outside the frame, it has the potential of being a game changer. The “Lasso Guard” DVD is one of these game changers, allowing you access to insider knowledge about one of the best Jiu-Jitsu guards ever!

A Sneaky Guard Player

Samir Chantre is an Alan Moraes black belt out of the Carlson Gracie lineage. One of his longtime mentors and training partners is also multiple world champion Caio Terra. Chantre is an amazing competitor at both Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and a World And European champion of his own. He is also one of the sneakiest, most effective guard players in the history of BJJ!

Why should you listen to anything Samir has to say about guard? Well, first of all, he is a 141 lbs competitor, meaning he is a real master of technique. Small guys have to have great guards in order to avoid pressure and smashing. Moreover, an astonishing 106 competition wins on Samir’s record can also testify to his abilities. The Rio de Janeiro born grappler discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 9. Although the 30-year-old had a short period of his life where eh dedicated completely to soccer, Jiu-Jitsu ended up being his true calling.

It was Caio terra that brought a, then brown belt Chanter to the US. He got his black belt in 2009 and opened his own academy in California the following year. Back then, his academy was a part of the Caio Terra association which he left in 2015 to open Samir Chantre BJJ before co-founding Ares BJJ where he still is today. Oh, and as of 2019, he’s got a brand new instructional out – The “Lasso Guard” DVD!

Samir Chanter’s “Lasso Guard” DVD Review

The reason the Lasso guard is so popular and effective is due to the fact that it completely immobilizes one of your opponent’s arm. As you might imagine, this doesn’t translate well to BJJ, particularly for guard passers. The Lasso guard has one of your legs wrapped around the opponent’s arm, from the outside in, with your foot under their armpit. During the whole time, you need to be holding the same side sleeve grip with your arm. It is that simple to set up.

Once you have the lasso in, you’re all set to go. Opponent;’s have no way of passing your guard until they reclaim their arm. however, breaking the lasso guard grip is notoriously difficult. The best part is that you have multiple attacking options in every direction. Some, as you’ll see in the Samir Chantri Lasso Guard DVD, can end a match right then and there, with minimal effort.

The DVD set has two discs filled with incredible information regarding the Lasso Guard. There are 32 chapters in total, all arranged in a progressive fashion. Samir’s instructions are very clean, precise and to the point. Virtually every aspect of the Lasso guard gets its spot in this DVD, along with all the juicy details on how to bring everything together! Chapters are grouped into different sections, each going over a specific area of the guard.

Lasso Only

This section goes over the very basics of the Lasso guard as an individual guard position. And yes, simply having your leg in the lasso position constitutes as a guard. So much so, in fact, that the first subject Samir covers after a short introduction is a fast and deadly wrist lock submission. From there on, Samir progressively goes over all the attacking options you have.

Some of the sweeps that Chantre explains in the first portion of his Lasso guard DVD include a basic sweep to the side, sweeping standing opponents and even sweeping straight into a kneebar. Direct submission options are an inverted armbar, spinning triangle choke, Omoplata, and a killer biceps slicer.

Spider Lasso

The spider lasso is probably the most notorious lasso guard hybrid and the most difficult one to pass. This is essentially a spider guard where one leg is in the Lasso guard, and the other on the biceps, in classic spider guard fashion.

Options here are virtually endless. Since you have complete control over the opponent’s posture, you can sweep in all directions. Moreover, they can’t back off from you because of the lasso position. As Samir demonstrates, you can choose to the triangle, Omoplata or sweep an opponent at will. There are numerous Reverse De La Lasso sweeps available, along with some shin in submission options.

Leg Lasso And Hand On Lapel

This variation is one of those simple things that most people never think about. For me, this portion of the “Lasso Guard’ DVD was the most useful. Once in Lasso guard, apparently all you need to do is grab the opponent’s lapel. You end up with crazy control and a direct pathway into slick submission holds. The ever-present triangle choke and omoplata are here again, along wit ha climbing Kimura and the star of the show, the tri-shoulder lock.

Leg Lasso De La Riva

This is a very common Lasso guard hybrid that people enjoy playing. Of course, Chantre is a real expert at it, able to send you flying with ease. One thing that people find difficult from a regular De la Riva is sweeping overhead. the lasso control is going to provide you with the opportunity to sweep opponents over your head, as well as forward. Another great thing is that it acts as an anchor for fast Berimbolo entry.

Leg Lasso And The Half Guard

Getting a leg lasso from the half guard is something I picked up only in the “Lasso Guard” DVD so far. Once again, a painfully obvious and simple setup, yet one most people tend to skip. try sweeping from the half guard with a leg lasso on, and you’ll see what I mean. You can even do it just by holding on to the sleeve grip only.

Leg Lasso X-Guard

Finally, before wrapping things up with an outro, Samir goes over the Lasso X-Guard. These two guards have a really close relationship. While you can’t be in a hybrid between the two, you can most certainly transition with ease from the Lasso to the X and even vice versa. This gives your game a whole different dimension, given that people usually enter the X easily, but have a hard time abandoning it if they need to. The “Lasso Guard” DVD offers sweeping options via technical stand up, forward and back, along with a leg drag transition to solidify the top position.

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Samir Chantre – The Lasso Guard

Ben Askren – Ultimate Askren Wrestling DVD Review

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BJJ World

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Who is the best grappler in MMA? Given the many different grappling martial arts that are involved in MMA, you’ll most likely get a few contenders. However, the one name that’s always going to be there, is that of Ben Askren. He is the ultimate wrestling machine in both MMA and grappling. And he’s not just another life long wrestler. he has wrestling down to a science and has even created his very own style. Now, the UFC fighter’s complete wrestling gameplan is available as a Ben Askren DVD dubbed “Ultimate Wrestling”. And it is mind-blowing!

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Ben Askren – Ultimate Askren Wrestling Set (DVD/DIGITAL)
The Ultimate Wrestling Ben Askren DVD set is the only wrestling resource you’ll ever need. Outside of regularly training wrestling, this DVD is your best chance of high-level wrestling coaching. It is a complete guide, that starts from the very basics of wrestling and keeps going all the way to Ben’s own brand of grappling. Moreover, this is not just a wrestling DVD that’s intended for wrestlers. It is a grappling DVD that is based on wrestling for MMA. In that sense, its use for BJJ is beyond question. The Ultimate Wrestling set is going to make a better overall grappler out of you in the little time you need to go over all 8 parts of it!

The Best Grappler In MMA

Ben “Funky” Askren is a 34-year-old American grappler and mixed martial artist. Currently, he is fighting under the UFC banner, after reigning as the ONE Fighting Championship for a long time. Before that, he was the Bellator welterweight world champion. It won’t be long before he gets a UFC belt around his waist as well.

Askren was born in Wisconsin and was an athletic kid all his life. he never really liked to compete in team sports, though and ended up training wrestling at Arrowhead High School when he was 14. His exploits led to him getting awarded a scholarship to the University of Missouri. After a shaky start, he managed to win the NCAA Division 1 title two years in a row. In his final year, he went through the entire division undefeated. He also holds the record for most NCAA pins in a single season to this day. Ben was recognizable for his unorthodox “funky” style of wrestling, that earned him the nickname “Funk”. The Ultimate Wrestling Ben Askren DVD actually has a whole volume dedicated to the Funk wrestling concept.

In 2008 Askren qualified for the Olympics but lost sooner than he expected and never got a shot at a medal. After his Olympic endeavor, Askren switched to MMA. he dominated Bellator and One and shortly retired from MMA last year before signing for the UFC. He is set to debut against Robbie Lawler on March 2 at UFC 325. Askren also took part in the 2008 ADCC, losing to Pablo Popovitch in the second round.

Funk Wrestling For BJJ

Wrestling is an integral and important part of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, whether you like it or not. In most cases, people tend to use it to aid their takedown efforts. Double and Single leg takedowns are BJJ mainstays at this point. However, takedowns are just a small part of what wrestling brings to BJJ.

One great advantage a guy with a wrestling background has over a BJJ guy with the same experience Jiu-Jitsu is top position. Wrestlers are taught never to expose their back or let it touch the mats. That teaches them how to have an incredible base and unbelievable top pressure. Also, anytime wrestlers get a pin, it means they have to keep the person on the ground, both shoulders touching the mats. Just like in BJJ, if you want points from side control or mount. Well, there’s hardly a better grappling martial art to teach you pinning and lightning quick transitions than wrestling.

Another aspect of wrestling, catch wrestling, brings a different thing to the table – submissions. Although the Ultimate Wrestling Ben Askren DVD does not go into catch wrestling, it does cover some slick submissions. What you get from wrestling for BJJ is takedowns, pins, a great base, submissions, and incredible transitions. What you get from funk wrestling is a whole new way of incorporating wrestling based grappling into your Jiu-Jitsu.

Ben Askren DVD Review: Ultimate Wrestling

This DVD is about as odd as a grappling instructional can get. First of all, you get a complete system spread across 8 DVD volumes. That means there’s a ton of material in there that is going to cover every aspect of grappling. Well, every wrestling based aspect anyway. This Ben Askren DVD is one of the titles I come back to all the time, and I’ve probably popped it in the DVD player more than any other one in my collection. The reason for this is that you don’t just learn about the moves, you also learn how and when to use them.

Most importantly, Ben has a unique take on how to learn everything that he provides in his instructional. As you might know, Askren is very big on drills as the best possible tool for rapid grappling improvement. As such he teaches you not only how to incorporate them in your training, but also how to actually drill. Moreover, every volume contains ways of drilling specific to the subject matter it covers. And, the best part of it, even the drills have their progressions. The usual method here is drilling the move positionally, then throwing in movement as well, and finally, going for very specific positional sparring matches.

The DVD is a masterpiece in every possible sense of the word. Hours upon hours of material take care of any technical aspects. From a production standpoint, you get crystal clear video and great audio. Askren himself is a recognized teacher, as is his brother who is assisting him throughout this DVD series.

Part 1 – Hand Fighting & Single Leg

Disc one begins right at the beginning of any grappling exchange – hand fighting. There’s no grappling without engagement, and that means getting your hands on your opponent. Ben goes over the very basics of gripping and hand fighting here. From Underhooks to two-on-one grips, Askren goes over all kinds of upper body ties. He shows you how to get to them, maintain them and ultimately use them to dominate.

Highly specific hand fighting drills wrap this first volume of the Ben Askren DVD up. They include so really cool mini-matches, in which you go full out but only with hand fighting. Whoever wins the exchange, wins the mini-match.

A single leg takedown masterclass wraps this disc up. The first portion of the DVD goes over using hand fighting and grips to set the single leg up. From there on, Askren offers some amazing advice on keeping the position for as long as you like. Of course, finishing is a big part of this volume, including both orthodox and funk options.

Part 2 – High Crotch And Double Leg Takedowns

Part two addresses a couple of wrestling staples. The double leg is a major move in BJJ anyhow, while the high crotch is a bit more specific to MMA grappling. Both are integral though, and both can work in any setting.

Just like with the single leg, Ben starts from common upper body grips or ties. From there on, he follows a similar pattern of covering entries, the position itself, and multiple finishing options. He also explains the if you want to avoid opponent’s escaping with scrambles than double leg takedowns should be your first choice! Oh, and he has a unique way of penetrating for the double leg that you’ll love!

The high crotch takedown is something you can do off a single or a double, or as a takedown of its own. With the high crotch, the key is to make it simple and easy and know which direction to move on. Askren also covers common counters and how to avoid them when shooting. Some awesome funk ways of making sure the opponent stays down bring volume 2 to a close.

Part 3 – Basic Headlock & Defense Concepts

The headlock is a great position to attack from and is one of the main positions of modern BJJ. Here. Askren doesn’t just go over the intricacies of holding it but also entering from defensive positions.

In this part of the Ben Askren DVD, the defense is all about stopping takedown attempts. Of course, wrestling takedowns take the lead, with doubles, singles and high crotches the majority of moves. Defenses are varied and stretch far beyond just sprawling.

As a natural continuation to most wrestling defenses, Askren uses the headlock to immediately counter. His take on it is from a grappling perspective, so you get a lot of submissions and positional transitions here. There are some great tips on dealing with the turtle by employing the use of the front headlock.

Part 4 – Position Sealing Quad Pod

This part covers some basic bottom positions, particularly getting out of bad spots. The philosophy here is using a great base to shut down your opponent’s attacking options and finally escaping into attacks of your own. The Quad Pod is basically an “all fours” position which is a variation on wrestling’s referee’s position. The DVD also switches things up here, getting Ben Askren’s brother in a coaching role.

The best part about this DVD from a BJJ perspective is that it’s going to make your turtle positon unbreakable. You won’t only learn how to establish ha crazy base, but also how to keep your opponent’s arms away from your neck. Escape options include getting back to your feet or turning the tables on your opponent. The best part is that the opponents won’t be able to do anything as they watch you slip out. All in all, you get 40 minutes of ultra high-quality instructions on becoming Houdini.

Part 5 – Elevator Leg Crab Defense

Ben Askren is back in the coaching seat for this one, showing you how to extend your turtle defense. In cases where your basic Quad Pod defenses won’t work or you’re late, you get options on dealing with pretty much everything opponents throw at you. This includes all kinds of way s of breaking the turtle down to get the back. In wrestling, these are usually crab ride variations. As such, you’ll learn how to prevent them and counter them when they happen. in terms of BJJ, this translates to the ability to never allow a seatbelt grip or hooks when you end up in turtle.

The second portion of this volume of the “Ultimate Wrestling” Ben Askren DVD is about first move stoppers. Ben’s brother is back as a coach with Ben the assistant. This part of the DVD is all about attacking the turtle. You know how explosive wrestlers can be with their defense. This allows you to stop them before they even get their first move in. Conversely, you get some slick back taking options that’ll turn you into a real wizard!

Part 6 – Cradles, Hammerlocks, Tilts, And Crossface

This is where things get really interesting. As a huge fan of cradles, this is my favorite part of the Ben Askren DVD. What cradles, hammerlocks and the crossface are in wrestling, are pinning combinations to keep everyone on the ground.

With cradles, you get an intro to attacking from everywhere. It includes standing setups, turtle setups, scramble setups and much more. Askren is a master of the cradle, known as a real menace with them in collegiate wrestling. Instructions include far and near side cradles. The hammerlock is a natural continuation of the cradle when opponent’s do everything they can to stop you from opening them up. It is not a move often used in BJJ, but it does offer a different way of getting arm control from the back.

The volume ends with a Ben Askren special in the form of the “Assasin”. This move is something of a hybrid between a guillotine and an arm triangle. For Askren, ti was a way to pin people when they’re stubbornly defending. Fo BJJ purposes, you can use it as a pin, a sweep or even as a submission. Ben calls it “the perfect staller killer”.

Part 7 – Leg Crab Ride

This DVD offers an offensive option on crab and leg rides. They cover ways of using the control you have over a leg and the waist to ride into pins or even submissions. The DVD starts standing, with options from a rear body lock.

Crab rides are basically wrestling ways of controlling the back. They are an unusual way of controlling the opponent and preventing all their escape attempts. You’ll never lose both hooks or the seatbelt ever again if you follow the advice in this Ben Askren DVD! A great benefit of crab rides is that they can take you to the back, to the Turck or the Twister position, depending on your goals.

Part 8 – Funky Fresh

The finale of the Ultimate Wrestling Ben Askren DVD is all about Ben’s Funk way of wrestling. Basically, it is the ultimate guide to scrambles that you never had! And yes, Ben found a way to bring order to scrambles, and with the order, he also devised a great system.

Askren starts with the methodology of Funk scrambling and how to learn it. The funk scrambles start from bad positions and teach you how to scramble with the purpose of denying your opponent the win. This DVD is the holy grail of grappling escapes. There are standing escapes, turtle escapes, and even bottom positional escapes. Moreover, they’re all based on Ben’s own philosophy and are completely unorthodox and unexpected!

Conclusion

This DVD is the ultimate resource on wrestling for any kind of grappling martial art. If you want to do wrestling you need it, if you want to do BJJ you need it even more. And, if you’re into MMA, you simply can’t go forward without it. quality instructionals like this are really hard to come by and this one is available at an amazing price too!

ON SALE HERE:
Ben Askren – Ultimate Askren Wrestling Set (DVD/DIGITAL)