BJJ Gi Sale May 2021 – The Ultimate Guide And Reviews!

Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a rashguard and shorts is undoubtedly a lot of fun. No-Gi training tends to be faster-paced, more explosive, and dynamic compared to Gi Jiu-Jitsu. However, if you truly want to train Jiu-Jitsu, you have to include some gi training. Training “traditionally” is a must for everyone truly immersed in the Gentle Art. The Gi offers a completely new dimension to grappling with a lot more opportunities, both offensive and defensive. Even if you train mostly No-Gi, you’ll need at least one Gi for occasional use. If you train with the Gi, then you always need a new Gi. Since Gis do not come cheap, we have the ultimate opportunity for you – a BJJ Gi Sale featuring some incredibly high-quality kimonos!

I’m a person who enjoys No-Gi grappling a lot, even more than Gi I daresay. Still, I train with the Gi regularly and I have that Gi-buying bug. However, that bug doesn’t get a lot of food, given Gi prices. Well, at least the prices of those Gis that are worth having, anyway. So, I keep my eyes peeled for any kind of Gi sale that’ll offer some high-end kimonos for a fraction of the price. Doing that for years made me quite the aficionado at spotting a BJJ Gi sale. To that extent, I put together the ultimate BJJ Gi sale that’s on right now! So don’t overthink it, choose your favorite option, and treat yourself to a brand new Jiu-Jitsu BJJ Gi!

The Jiu-Jitsu Uniform

Back in feudal Japan, the Samurai wore the Gi as a uniform underneath their armor. As war waging unarmed combat morphed into the sport, the armor got discarded and the Gi came into focus. White Gis for everyone promoted equality, upheld the old tradition of training in a uniform, and even had a practical use. Judo’s Dr. Jigoro Kano defined today’s Gi structure, with the purpose of using sleeves, lapels, and collars to your advantage. As belts got introduced, people also got a rank that was easily distinguishable on white Gis.

Modern Gis come not only Optimized for training, but also in countless design varieties. The basic colors nowadays are white, blue, and black, but there are plenty of other options, both plain and multicolored. Moreover, Gis nowadays are covered in patches, some generic and others down to the individual grappler. This allows you to customize a Gi much more than you can a rashguard, at least in terms of style.

Structurally speaking, Gis are usually made of cotton (jackets) and a polyester/cotton blend (pants). There are different weave patterns that produce Gis of different quality. Generally, the more complex the weave, the more durable, but heavier, the Gi is going to be. The colors allowed in the competition are black, blue and white. Most high-quality Gis is perfectly safe to wash In a machine, but with some, you should expect some shrinkage. Sizes come in a very wide range for both adult and children’s Gis.

Check out our ultimate Gi guide for more information on weaves, Gi weight, washing, and shrinkage rate. Now, let’s move on to the BJJ Gi Sale 2021 guide.

The Ultimate BJJ Gi Sale Guide 2021

Getting a high-quality BJJ Gi on a cheap is not something you can do easily. Unless you’re willing to wait a year until the next Black Friday, you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled. If you have a specific Gi in mind, you’ll have to wait for it to go on sale, which may not even happen. The alternative is to check out all the Gis that are currently on sale, now all featuring in our high-class BJJ Gi Sale. We made sure we included only Gis that are going to last, are allowed in competition, and are a great fit for daily training. Moreover, we made sure to include everyone, so we also have women’s and kids’ Gis on our list.

Basically, the selection criteria were down to price, weave type, durability, comfort levels, and style. All the options below tick each and every one of these boxes. Getting any of the Gi’s that are currently on sale is going to set you up for a long time. Whether you get one to improve your connection or go for multiple, you won’t go wrong. Beginner or advanced, No-Gi die-hard or a “Gi for life” grappler, here you’ll find something that’ll fit your needs.

Ronin Plain BJJ Gi

First up in our BJJ Gi Sale Of September 2021 is the plain Ronin Jiu-Jitsu kimono. Whether you’re looking for attaining Gi, or a competition Gi, the Ronin is one of your top choices. This premium minimalistic Gi is one of the best on the market and has a price tag that definitely doesn’t match its quality. It’s a limited-time offer, though, so hurry!

The Ronin Gi is a lightweight pearl weave Gi. It is one of the most comfortable Gis to wear, with a perfect fit for anyone as a result of its integrated flexibility. The jacket has thick EVA foam incorporated in the collars to ensure quick and easy drying. The jacket is pure cotton, coming in 100 % pre-shrunk and ready to go. Pants are twill cotton, reinforced at the knees and crotch, extremely soft, and weigh only 11 oz. ,5 sizes, from A1 to A5 are available, and the Gi comes in all three IBJJF/UAEJJF approved colors (blue, black, and white). The cut is unisex, so anybody can wear this Gi and still get a perfect fit. Durability is a big quality of the Ronin Gi, thanks to the specialized stitching and reinforcements.

Fuji Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Kimono

Fuji’s Gis have been around probably as long as BJJ. Most people that have been training for a while owned a Fuji Gi at one point or another. Well, Fuji is still going strong, and this time, one of their top products is available at an amazing deal! The Fuji “BJJ Uniform” is one of the best Gis of all time and is now affordable for anyone!

Fuji’s Gi comes in a larger variety of colors than most regular Gis. Of course, you have your basic competition-approved colors. However, Fuji also offers navy and pink options for those looking to be original on the mats. This gi is one of Fuji’s best sellers and is actually an award-winning kimono! The Gi is medium weight, 100 % custom cotton blend, and reinforced all over in multiple layers. The collar of this Gi is quite thick, allowing fast drying and presenting a real problem for opponents looking to get a grip. This Fuji Gi is one of the most durable Gis you’ll ever get. You can wear and wash it daily and it will still outlast most other Gi brands. The Gi fits both men and women and is designed with comfort in mind. Available in a wide range of both male and female adult sizes.

Your Jiu-Jitsu “Premium” Gi

If minimalism and ultimate performance are your goals then this is the Gi to get. Not to mention the price tag, which is by far the lowest in our BJJ Gi Sale guide today. This Gi is made by BJJ people for BJJ people and is one of the rare Gis that come completely clean – no patches whatsoever.

The best part about this Gi is that you have two versions to choose from, with the main difference being in weight. The 350 gsm one is lighter and features custom fiber that gives it maximum mobility while guaranteeing durability. The 450 gsm version is made of premium fabric that’s near indestructible. The Gi coming in blank means you’re free to either go like that or add any patch of your own. For professional grapplers, this is one of the best options to include sponsors on. Colors include blue, black, white, navy, and grey. Sizes range from A1 to A5, in both the lightweight and middleweight version. Perfect fit guaranteed whether you’re a male or female grappler!

Vector Flamma Series BJJ Gi

This is one of the very best competition Gis in our BJJ Gi Sale guide for the spring of 2021. Vector’s ultra-strong Flamma series Gi is a pearl weave Gi that’s tailor-made for competitors. As a bonus, there’s a free white belt with every purchase.

The Gi jacket is a 550 gsm double pearl weave and made from 100% cotton. The pants are full ripstop, only 10 oz heavy and completely reinforced all over. The Gi is so competition-focused, that there are no patches on it. Instead, there’s embroidery on the chest and back that’s impossible to peel off. Vector’s Gi is never going to shrink, nor tear or give way. There’s an inner lining that strategically placed on the inside to provide rash protection and comfort. The stitching is quadruple at the borders and the Gi has antiallergenic properties. Comes in a tapered athletic cut.

Hawk Ladies BJJ Gi

This one is for all the BJ Jladies out there. Hawk’s make a specialized Gi intended for all the female grapplers out there. Perfect for both everyday training and competition, this Gi features not only a specific cut but also a great design Not to mention the price!

Once again, a free white belt accompanies every purchased Gi. The gi itself is available in blue and white colors, although there’s a black version too. The Gi has an embroidered logo on the front and is 100 % IBJJF approved. This lightweight Gi is made from pearl weave fabric, with triple reinforced stress points. There’s an EVA rubber collar that’s tick and covered with ripstop fabric. Pants are 8 oz ripstop with multiple waist loops. The Gi comes with a one-year warranty and completely pre-shrunk. Sizes range from F1 to F5.

Gold Jiu Jitsu Gi

This one is going to be the priciest option on our list, but it is well worth it. Given that this is a BJJ Gi Sale price you’re actually in for a treat! The Gold Jiu-Jitsu Gi is an ultra-strong gold weave Gi that you buy now and you get to use for life! Gold might not be a global Gi brand but does offer some of the highest quality products ever made! They also offer a 1-year full money back or replacement guarantee on each and every purchase!

The Gold BJJ Gi is a premium gold weave Gi whose main quality is incredible durability. It is a medium-weight Gi that has a unique feel to it due to the weave. It provides extreme comfort and a perfect fit, all the while offering maximum performance capabilities. The jacket features a rashguard neck lining, guaranteed to extend your Gi’s life. Moreover, there are top-level sublimated graphics on the rashguard featuring some breath-catching art! Collars contain EVA rubber that makes them ultra-stiff and strong, impossible to hold on to. The pants are 100% ripstop, lightweight, and more breathable than others. Blue, black and white colors are on offer for this BJJ Gi Sale, available in all regular sizes. A free belt comes with every purchase.

Kids Elite BJJ Gi

Elite sports Gis are awesome, whether they’re for adults or kids. However, their kids’ line now has the added benefit of being on sale. The perfect combination! This Gi is one of the very best in the business, and the only issue you’ll have with this one is your kid growing out of it.

Available in black, blue, white, military green, pink, navy, and gray giving the little champions a chance to choose their look. Keep in mind though, that only three colors are approved for the official IBJJF competition. Sizes range from C00 to C3, which are pretty much all the kid’s sizes. They cover kids from the age of 5 all the way to 15. The material is 100 % pre-shrunk cotton, with a tapered fit and custom reinforced stitching. The material disperses sweat and protects against common germs, including bacteria and fungus. The Gi also has anti-odor properties. Comes with a free white belt with a striped bar.

The Financial Side Of BJJ

Financially speaking, BJJ can really put a strain on your budget. Some of the expenses that you and expect on a monthly basis include your academy’s fee and transportation money, perhaps even some supplements. Other expenses will require you to get a Gi, and if you train more than a couple of times a week, you’ll need more than one. A solid rashguard to wear under the Gi is also a must, extending the life of your Gi and offering you the option to also train No-Gi. Speaking of No-Gi, a pair or two of grappling shorts are also going to wiggle themselves into your budget. Throw in the cost of entry fee, travel and accommodation during competitions, and you really have a lot of math to do.

Financially speaking, an option to save money opens up other opportunities. For example, saving while getting a Gi, might give you more finances to compete, or pursue things outside of BJJ. The kimonos that we feature in the Ultimate BJJ Gi Sale of 2021 are all high-quality products that will not only give you quality but also provide you with future stability. Getting a Gi you can wear for years means you won’t need to worry about that particular expense for a very long time!

Final Words

Getting stuff on sale is always a smart move, regardless if it BJJ Gis or socks that we’re talking about. However, given the prices of BJJ kimonos, getting one on the cheap is a real bonus. Still, getting the highest quality Gis at a fraction of their original price is only available during a BJJ Gi Sale. Check out this spring’s best BJJ Gi Sale and roll right into 2021 all geared up!

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Erberth Santos Brawl With Felipe Pena: DQs, Bans & Chaos

BJJ World

Erberth Santos Brawl BJJ Stars, Felipe Pena

Who said BJJ GI matches were boring to watch? A meeting between Erberth Santos and Felipe Pena was never going to be dull, but what happened is something nobody expected. In short, Santos seemed to emulate Khabib Nurmagomedov quite well in jumping off the mat and attacking his opponent’s corner. the only difference here, Santos didn’t do it after winning the match. But he also hadn’t lost it up to that point. The unwanted spectacle that then followed was all-out chaos at the BJJ Stars event In Sao Paolo, Brazil. The Erberth Santos brawl ended up spilling into the crowd and derailed a great event, blemishing the name of BJ Jas a sport in the process.

While we all want excitement from black belt BJJ matches, nobody likes to see a brawl take place on the mats. Thankfully, these types of incidents do not happen often in our sport, compared to others. Still, they do happen, and the arguably worst one took place last Saturday. A much anticipated high-level Gi encounter between two esteemed heavyweights in Erberth Santos and Felipe “Preguiça” Pena. The outcome didn’t exactly turn out as expected with the match going Pena’s way by DQ. However, the thing that led to the DQ in the first place was an Erberth Santos brawl that somehow focused on Pena’s corner rather than Pena himself. Here’s what happened:

What Happened?

We were all expecting a 10 minute fast paced action match under BJJ Stars rules. Multiple time IBJJF champion Santos and IBJJF and ADCC Champion Felipe Pena were a dream matchup for BJJ fans across the globe. This means that the whole community’s eyes were on the action in Sao Paolo as it happened. What ended up happening was not what most people tuned in for.

The match began quickly, with Santos going for a foot sweep that ended up in Pena slipping. Pena then went for a guard pull, ending up in closed guard. The referee moved the action to the middle of the mat, which is when Santos stood up forcing Pena into a De La Riva, and ultimately, a single leg x guard. When Pena scored a sweep from the position Santos complained of a knee injury. The referee stopped the bout to get the doctor on the mats. This is when things took a turn.

As the doctor worked on Santos, the IBJJF champion was arguing with someone off the mats. Seconds later, Santos jumped to his feet and off stage, storming into the crowd that was matside. The Erberth Santos brawl happened only 2 minutes and 26 seconds into the match.

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Felipe Pena & Erberth Santos Brawl After Match

What we saw happening, without many contexts, was Santos rushing someone off the mats. Other people quickly followed and there was a “standstill”. At this point, it became clear that Erberth attacked a member of Pena’s corner. The members of Pena’s team were surprised as well, and people intervened to pull Santos from the man he went after. However, Erberth had more on his mind, rushing across the mats and engaging another Pena team member on the mats. They both went tumbling of the mat and the brawl took a turn for the worse.

At this point, a large commotion followed where people from what appeared to be both teams joined in. The brawl went on for several moments, with some people receiving kicks while on the ground. At this point, Pena also joined the commotion. When the dust settled, a few people were escorted down the tunnel. Some of them were from Pena’s team, and Santos was nowhere to be seen, presumably escorted out.

We learned later that Santos initially reacted to provocations from Fernando Pena, Felipe Pena’s brother. According to reports, Fernando taunted Santos about faking the injury because it ended up in a sweep for Pena. After the short standstill, the second subject of Erberth’s rage was another Pena student in Servio Junqueira. This is where things got out of control. People surged in, throwing kicks at both Santos and Junqueira who were on the ground. The Erberth Santos brawl included a host of people at this point, including a visibly angry Felipe Pena.

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As people went down the tunnel, BJJ Stars promoter Fernando Lopes took to the stage to calm things down. The match ended up with Pena as the winner via DQ.

The Fallout

Things are still fresh and reactions are coming in from both the community and officials. As per Fernando Lopes, Santos is never going to compete under the BJJ Stars banner ever again. “I’m a black belt for 21 years, and an athlete has to be a black belt on and off the mat to deserve a black belt on my team. I wouldn’t give a blue belt to an irresponsible man who fights in the street”, Lopez told MMAFighting.com. On social media, BJJ stars also issued a statement reading: “First of all, we would like to apologize to all those who witnessed the end of the event that took place on February 23rd. We do not cope with any kind of physical aggression, jiu-jitsu is, above all”.

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Felipe Pena himself reacted on social media, claiming: ”It’s a shame what happened, despite the victory I’m sad with today. I got ready and I dedicated a lot to give a show for you and unfortunately ended unexpectedly! Sport is not that.”

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

The now infamous Erberth Santos brawl pulled attention from what was a really entertaining grappling card. The stacked card including names like Buchecha, Lo, Megaton, and Marco Barbosa among others. Matches that took place before the Santos vs. Pena debacle were actually really good, with a lot of unexpected outcomes. These are the main card results:

BJJ Stars Main Card Results:

– Ricardo Rocha def. Carlos Eduardo by armbar
– Bianca Basílio def. Michelle Nicolini 9:2
– Gabriel Rollo def. Celso Venicius by 1 advantage
– Delson Heleno def. Fernando Tererê via choke
– Patrick Gaudio def. Tim Spriggs 14:2
– Isaque Bahiense def. DJ Jackson by decision
– Marco Barbosa def. Wellington ‘Megaton” Dias 2:0
– Roberto Godoi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral 2:0
– Nicholas Meregali def. Leandro Lo 4:0
– João Gabriel Rocha def. Marcus Almeida by advantages (3)
– Felipe Pena def. Erberth Santos by DQ

We will keep this article updated with anything interesting related to this BJJ Stars event.

UPDATE 1:

Gordon Ryan posted a comment on his Instagram profile about Erbherth Santos. As Gordon sees it Erberth is faking injuries and doing something to get himself out of match every time he’s losing. True or…?

“So let’s get this straight. You literally quit every match that doesn’t go your way. You tap to mount, tap to fake leg locks, tap to sweeps. You’re the softest “gangster” I’ve ever seen. How are you gonna say your knee is “hurt” then proceed to spring to your feet and launch into a full sprint off the stage to fight someone to get yourself out of yet another match you had no chance of winning. I know soccer is big in Brazil but you must have forgotten this is a combat sport. You cant fall over crying every time someone touches you. This is the softest most unprofessional shit I’ve ever seen bahahaha. Stick to chasing chickens back on the farm my child and never come @ me again because you’re not even worth my time.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuQKy99BB_W/

UPDATE: Erberth Santos’ statement

Erberth Santos Released a Statement after the violent attack on BJJ Stars Event

“Talk to people, Today I came to talk a little of what really happened this last Sunday. As soon as I arrived at the event, I started the offenses, I left and I continued entering the gym, I arrived with my students, we talked and then went down the stands to be next to my teacher (Guigo), we were watching the fights right there. We both went up in the food court to take pictures with the fans, to talk to the crowd, the moment I was taking a picture with the guys I got a punch from behind the rib, it was too full I could not see who it was. I went down to the fighting area to concentrate, but every time I passed members of other teams offending me and making gestures towards me, this was happening until the beginning of the fight. We started the fight, and after a few minutes I injured myself and asked to stop the fight to see what had happened, called the doctors, until then blz … At that very moment they started calling me “monkey”; “offended”, “marginal”, very prejudiced offenses, the offenses not only remained with me, they cursed my mother who was not even in that moment until my teacher was offended, after that I ran up to the boy who was cursing everyone, when I got close to him, he apologized and I stopped, I was good, out of nowhere an opponent team face punched me in the face and ran out, behind him on the mat, falls on the other side, all my opponent’s students hit me with punches and tiptoes, until my OPPONENT came down from the mat to kick me, he hit a kick in my face and one in my belly, after that my team pulled me out. I know my attitude was totally wrong, but in the heat of the moment, I could not resist. At that moment a person I do not even know was cursing people that I LOVE on my side, it was not through the internet or social networks, it all happened less than a meter and a half, no one would take it. This text was just a preview of my statement, I’m going to make a video talking about everything that happened, how I felt at that moment and how I am today. -wrote Erberth Santos on his INSTAGRAM Profile“

Pressure Guard Passing With The BJJ Body Lock

BJJ World

Whenever the body lock is mentioned, grapplers tend to assume the standing body lock takedown position is in question. To be honest, in most cases, it usually is. However, there’s a use of the body lock structure in Jiu-Jitsu that has a very different use. It is a great way to pass some guards that are notoriously difficult to get past. Guard Passing with the BJJ Body Lock was not something you saw every day in BJJ. However, lately, it has become a highly useful way to pass the guard, particularly in No-Gi. Whether it is the supremacy of pressure passing or simply the fact that it is unexpected, the BJJ body lock pass works! Here is what it is all about:

The one thing that can get more annoying than anything in BJJ is being stuck in the guard. From the basic closed guard all the way to modern lapel and inverted guards, not being able to pass is a real pain. Luckily, there is pressure passing to help even the playing field a little bit. Still, people tend to find ways to retain guard even against most forms of pressure passing. The main reason here is a real fundamental of guard passing – space. Space is the enemy of the guard passer. Yet, we tend to focus so much on the legs during guard passing, that we leave the upper body free to move. Hence, we get frustrated by proficient guard players. Well, the BJJ body lock is a simple solution to a complicated problem.

Pressure Passing

The reason we all love to hate pressure passing is twofold. First, you stay fairly mobile when going for a pressure pass. The second is that you’re placing your opponent under so much pressure that they won’t be thinking about the pass. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Well if you execute it perfectly it is going to work like a charm. But if you miss just a tiny detail, there will be space. And, wherever there is space, there’s a way to alleviate pressure.

That said, pressure passing comes in many different forms. One version is to use your shoulders to place pressure on the chest/neck fo your opponent as you’re clearing the legs. Another is to stay lower and use the shoulders to control the hips. The over/under guard pass is a great example of this. The reason none of them can compare to the BJJ body lock is that they all leave either the hip or the torso free to move. The body lock is actually as close to a pin as possible, while also allowing you to effectively get past the legs.

Certain people have built entire careers around pressure passing. Bernardo Faria is probably the most famous and effective one. The outgoing Brazilian World Champion has since decided to share ALL his guard passing secrets with the BJJ community. He is behind not only the “Battle Tested Pressure Passing” 4 DVD set, but also responsible for the “No-Gi Pressure Passing” instructional. Both are some of the best instructionals to teach you about guard passing with incredible pressure!

Guard Passing With The BJJ Body Lock

The reason the BJJ body lock is going to bring you tremendous success with guard passing is because of control. This passing methodology actually takes into account two very important concepts of the top game – the strength of the legs, and upper body connection. The first one is easy – there’s no way to beat an opponent’s legs with your arms. The arms are always going to be weaker than the legs. Instead of spending them on futile efforts, you’re better off using them in a smart way. Which is where upper body connection enters the frame.

The first thing you actually need to do when passing is not to get past the legs. That’s the ultimate goal, not the first thing you need to do. Instead, acquiring some form of upper body control should be on top of your list. Of course, using your arms here is going to bring you much more success compared to fighting the legs. Out of all methods, the BJJ body lock is the safest and tightest way to make sure the torso is taken out of commission early in the exchange.

A couple of things to remember when passing with the BJ JBody lock is to stay low towards the hips. Your hand, wrist and arm positioning is going to take care of upper body mobility. If you go too high, you leave space for the legs to snake in. The second thing to keep in mind is balance. If you truly want to pressure your opponent, you’ll need to keep your butt up. However, you can’t just tripod, or you’ll encounter the problem we just described. What you need to stay in a sprawl like position, with one leg bent to your side and the other extended.

Hand Position

The main difference between guard passing with the BJJ body lock and other pressure passing methods is in the hand positioning. The body lock is the only one that has your hands tied together for the duration of the pass. Actually, the one rule to always remember is to never let go of the grip while you’re executing a body lock pass. In fact, it is wise to keep a hold of it eve after passing, as you’ll see later on.

In terms of grip options, you could go for an S-grip (weaker), or a palm to palm grip (stronger). The goal is to have both your arms around the opponent’s torso, hands clasped together on the other end. A key moment is to keep the grip to the side of the opponent’s spine. If you get your hands stuck directly unred their back, you’ll most likely fail. Keep the grip to the side, so that you get more pressure and better mobility.

The elbows also play a crucial role. Staying low with the shoulders means you can use the elbows to control the hips of the opponent. This takes their legs out of commission. In most cases, you’ll have one shoulder lower and the other higher up the torso. This allows the elbows to literally control each end of the opponent’s torso.

In terms of wrapping the arms around the opponent, you have two main options. One is to wrap both arms under their arms (double underhooks). Another great option is over/under gripping when you trap one arm within your connected arms.

Half Guard Passing

It is actually this over/under position of the arms that is perfect for passing the half guard. The initial use of the BJJ body lock was to deal with the half guard, especially the lockdown. However, now it also opens up opportunities to pass other guards as well. Still, the body lock is one of the best guard passing tools to use against the half guard to this day.

The pass starts with you obtaining an underhook on the near side. The one thing you need to remember is to keep the wrist of your underhook arm facing toward the opponent’s back. As you grip, make sure your other arm wraps around the far side arm. Both palms should be under the scapula on the overhook side. This is also the side to which you want to pass. The reason is that whenever you have an overhook, the opponent has an underhook they can use. if you smash it, you’ll eliminate that threat.

Finally, remember that once your’ all set with the boy lock, you’ve essentially passed the guard. Going to a tripod position (both feet down and your head on the mat) is going to allow you to pass at will. Even better, you can choose whether to end up in side control or go directly to mount.

BJJ Body Lock Vs. Butterfly Guard

The butterfly guard is where the power of the BJJ body lock truly shines. If there was ever an era of the butterfly guard, it has to be now. With the leg locking game at its peak, butterfly guard is position zero for most grapplers, particularly in No-GI. And passing it is a real hassle.

Now imagine that you’re in butterfly guard and the opponent has an overhook. Well, that just means you’re halfway to a body lock. With the butterfly guard, however, you want to go for double underhooks when you wrap the body lock. Also, remember to stay particularly low on the hips in order to avoid the opponent returning to closed guard. A great tip to eliminate this problem is using your own knee to stop their knee from ever coming in between. Consider this an important checkpoint.

There are two main directions you can take with this pass. One is to slowly climb up your opponent and pressure them towards half guard, where you eventually pass similar to before. The other is to go straight to a tripod and use circular leg movement to pass the legs. Whichever you choose to depend on your preferences, the opponent, and the situation you’re in. Personally, I like to climb up slowly because it offers more pressure throughout. If you choose this method, remember that to keep the pressure on at all times, you can only move hip movement to advance.

Final Words

To sum things up, guard passing with the BJJ body lock is a real hack for modern grappling. It works in the Gi, in No-Gi, and across all levels. It can also work against a lot of guards as it is principle based rather than technique based. All in all, the body lock is the safest and most powerful way to utilize pressure passing. Add it to your game and you’ll soon see why top-level grapplers swear by it!

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Seth Daniels DVD – A Look At “The Fight 2 Win System”

BJJ World

This is not just a great BJJ video instructional but also one of the best deals of 2019 so far! After all, anytime a BJJ DVD comes with a customary gift, you’re going to consider it over similar products. And, to make things clear from the start, the gift is not there to help sell the DVD. It is actually there because the guy who demonstrates the moves in the DVD is a really cool character. Actually, he is one of the leading names in the grappling competition events scene. We’ve all heard of Fight to Win Promotions, right? Well, the CEO is not only a promoter but also a very legit BJJ black belt. The “Fight 2 Win System” instructional is a Seth Daniels DVD that’s going to blow your mind!

ON SALE HERE:
Seth Daniels – A Look At “The Fight 2 Win System” (DVD/DIGITAL)
Apart from EBI founder Eddie Bravo, and perhaps the Gracies with Metamoris early on, we do not usually see event promoters get involved in BJJ directly. Fight To Win’s CEO Seth Daniels is a man that actually does it all. He organizes events, competes, teaches Jiu-Jitsu and even records BJJ video instructionals. He is one of a kind, as is the Seth Daniels DVD I’m going to write about today. Overall, Seth is a real badass and one of the best characters in Jiu-Jitsu. As such, he delivers one hell of an instructional that covers his own system and style. There is a lot of useful stuff in this one, mark my words.

Fight To Win Promotions

Before we get into the Seth Daniels DVD let’s talk about Fight to Win Promotions. Today, grappling promotions are popping up all over the place. It seems that Metamoris created the door but EBI came kicking through it, opening the way for plenty of others. the thing is, most of these promotions come with rules of their own. Unfortunately, the rules and formats don’t always make a lot of sense or offer entertaining matches. Well, Fight to Win is different. it is different in the fact that not only is it original in every way, but it also never fails to deliver, whether you are a competitor or a spectator.

The “Fight 2 Win” format is certainly a unique one. It is a blend of things that we’ve seen in other promotions, with added elements of originality. The walkout of athletes along with songs and light shows reminds a lot of the early Pride days. The way the stage is set up is a lot like Metamoris, with grapplers competing on the podium. The promotion usually features a few super fights along with a tournament. Competitors get to compete either in the Gi or without it, and events have mixed Gi and No-gi fights.

In this format, tournaments are single elimination and are usually open style. Superfights and dedicated pro events include professional grapplers only. This allows for entertaining matches in each event, regardless of participants. The rules are pretty much IBJJF rules, with the exception that it is a submission only tournament. And, given Seth Daniels’ open-minded approach, Fight to Win is about to start with Pro Judo tournaments as well, featuring the old-school Judo rules.

Seth Daniels DVD

The “Fight 2 Win System” Seth Daniels DVD is something of an old-school style instructional. At least in the way it is organized. In the world of highly subject-specific BJJ instructionals, it is refreshing to get one that has a broader focus. Moreover, you get some grappling techniques here that might not be common to BJJ. However, they more than work, and are a part of Seth’s immense grappling toolbox. Basically, you get a slightly unorthodox grappling system that’s going to make you much more effective in both gi and No-Gi.

The instructional has two main parts, each coming with a dedicated DVD. Each volume is really long, covering up to two dozen chapters. While there are many different subjects and techniques, most of them do get a few chapters. This means you get variations as well as ways to incorporate them into a complete game. Of course, everything ties together very neatly. Sound and video are impeccable and Seth is one hell of a teacher.

On the subject of the gift I mentioned, with every purchase, you get a really cool T-shirt as a gift. the T-shirts are from Gameness and have the Fight 2 Win logo on the front, and the Gameness logo on the back. They come in a grey color and sizes ranging from small to extra-large.

Part 1

A few introductory words are quickly followed by some standing techniques in the “Fight 2 Win System” Seth Daniels DVD. Foot sweeps to open the floodgates for a wave of cool grappling moves. Did I mention that things also have really cool and sometimes weirdly funny names? For example, some foot sweeps carry names like the Gravitron 3000 and Rick James.

A good portion of the first volume goes over variations of the front headlock position. While you might run into some of the usual fundamentals here, there are some things that’ll have you scratching your head. For example, there’s a wrestling staple that people in BJJ do not use for some weird reason. The cement mixer is one of the best ways to do dismantle a defensive turtle position. Other useful front headlock moves include, but are not limited to, neck cranks, 3/4 Nelsons, D’arces, and guillotines.

Further, in the first volume of this Seth Daniels DVD, you get exposed to some extremely effective escapes. Subjects include getting out of an anaconda choke, countering single leg takedowns and many more. The disc wraps up with a cruel submission series that’s based on variations of the Twister.

Part 2

The second volume is somewhat shorter form the first chapter-wise, but at least as much entertaining. You could probably guess what Seth likes to do a lot, given that the better part of this volume involves the Kimura. In those terms, it is Kimura bonanza. There are setups from the top and bottom half guard, closed guard, 50/50 etc. The Kimura from turtle is one that is going to make you a real threat form one of the most defensive positions in grappling.

Of course, there had to be a portion dedicated to leg locks in such a versatile BJJ instructional. There are some Ashi Garami variations culminating in one of the best calf slicers you’ll ever see! Seth also goes over a couple of slams, one from the closed guard an another from the triangle choke. While both may be illegal under most rulesets, they are effective, especially in MMA. The rock bottom position along with an arm-in rear naked choke completes this one of a kind BJJ DVD.

Seth Daniels

A few words on the man behind the “Fight 2 Win System” Seth Daniels DVD. Seth is a lifelong grappler, with extensive experience in wrestling, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Today, he is the man who gives countless BJJ pros the chance to compete and earn money for their exploits. The fact that he pays the athletes as they step off the mats after a match clearly shows how serious he takes things. He goes so far he has also stepped in as a competitor in at the 11th hour. Actually, he once did so less than 48 hours after his truck got robbed, leaving him without equipment worth thousands of dollars.

Seth Daniels is one of those people that single-handedly push the professional BJJ community forward. Now he also has a hand in educating new generations. His DVD is not only a window into his system but also a great blueprint for any aspiring competitors. The blend of grappling martial arts that form Seth’s style is unique, meaning that if you can incorporate it into your game, you’ll become next to unstoppable!

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Seth Daniels – A Look At “The Fight 2 Win System” (DVD/DIGITAL)

Flowing Leg Lock BJJ Drills That Will Change Your Life!

BJJ World

Leg locks are now as much a part of BJJ as saying “Oss” without any apparent reason is. While this means that BJJ has clearly evolved, it also brings about a new problem. That problem is sloppiness. The effectiveness of leg locks for the early pioneers of the Danaher Death Squad is now legendary, however, if you watch any grappling event that allows heel hooks and the like, you’ll notice that grapplers that do manage to execute leg locks are few and far in between. So why don’t the same positions that made the DDS notorious work just as good for everyone? After all, their secrets are now out via numerous instructionals by all of the members. The secret is drilling like a maniac, Still, you can’t just drill leg locks like you do guard passes. This is where flowing leg lock BJJ drills enter the frame.

We all know that we love to hate on BJJ drills. Everything that has a strict and repetitive structure, tends to drive most people away. Jiu-Jitsu drills fit that description perfectly. Yet, the age-old BJJ cliche “drill to win” is even more important in today’s modern grappling game. There are so many techniques, concepts, principles, systems, and whatnot, that without constant repetition, there’s no success or progress. With leg locks, which are quite new to most, drilling becomes even more important. The good news is that you don’t need to go for countless reps of any particular leg lock in order to get better. All you need to do is flow.

The Secret To Grappling Success

While the secret to becoming a high-level grappler everyone fears is in BJJ drills, leg lock superiority is in very SPECIFIC Jiu-Jitsu drills. Yes, you may approach leg locks by drilling the usual way, but that means taking a much longer path.

Usual BJJ drills include you working with a partner for reps or time. The partner usually stays still or provides very little resistance. The goal here is to fine-tune technique so much that it becomes second nature. This is a proven method that all martial arts employ. In grappling terms, drilling like this does have its benefits. Whenever you need to work on specific movements or transitions, there’s no better way to do it. A good example area passes sweeps or guard-to-guard transitions. It may be boring, but it is effective and certainly necessary.

Leg locks, on the other hand, are a bit more difficult to perfect that way. Correct positioning makes or breaks any leg lock attempts. Furthermore, due to the positioning, your legs may end up in danger much more easily compared to other submission holds. So drilling with reps is not going to cut it. Instead, you need to drill with scenarios. These include you entering a leg lock position, stabilizing it, blocking defense attempts by your partner, and ultimately finishing. Another possible outcome is to transition into another position and keep going until you finish. Adding escapes in these flowing leg lock BJJ drills is mandatory as well, both for knowing how to get out and how to prevent someone from escaping. Plus, they’re fun as hell!

Flowing Leg Lock BJJ Drill #1

We start with a very simple example. This drill is somewhat stationary compared to the others we’ll cover today. the goal here is to perfect your braking mechanics first and foremost. Next, you get to practice submission prevention. Finally, there’s a way out that leads into a leg lock attack of your own. This drill acts as a “loop flow”, meaning you can do it infinitely without ever leaving the positions. Simple sub and escape drill.

The flow drill begins with you in an Outside Ashi Garami position, with an outside heel hook grip. The first thing you do is to carefully finish the submission, looking to dial in your braking mechanics. Right after the partner taps, they go into action. they use their free leg to place a bloc inside your elbow and stop you from executing the submission. They then move to pull your top leg on top of them and transition into an Outside Ashi Garami of their own. Now they get to finish the heel hook, you tap and go for the counter, and so on. This is a great core drill for perfecting both the Outside Ashi, the heel hook, submission prevention, and counter-attacking transitions.

Mr. Leg Locker himself Craig Jones likes to use a lot of flowing leg attacks when he fights. All of his leg lock flow scenarios as well as essential drills are explained in his video instructional. The “Down Under Leg Attacks” DVD set might be the most practical leg lock BJJ DVD you’ll ever get for yourself!

Flowing Leg Lock BJJ Drill #2

This drill is an entry drill, taking you into the best leg locking position you can be in – the Honeyhole, or 411. Once there you get to practice quite a lot of available submissions. The drill has you entering from the bottom which makes it that much more valuable for practical application in rolling and/or competition.

You start in a butterfly guard. Your first action is to attempt a basic butterfly sweep. As your opponent shifts their weight, you use their motion to actually reverse the sweep direction and set up the 411. Once there, you get control over both legs and start submitting. Options include a straight ankle lock, the Texas Cloverleaf, an inside heel hook (optional), and a kneebar. Right after you finish you could stay on the bottom and go again, or do a technical stand up and your partner will be ready to go. If there’s one flowing leg lock BJJ drill you need to be doing, it’s probably this one.

Flowing Leg Lock BJJ Drill #3

For those of you that feel advanced enough to go deep into the world of leg locks, this is the flow to try. his leg lock BJJ flow has immense transitional value as it covers pretty much all the leg locking positions and submissions. Well, all high percentage ones, anyway.

With this one, you can either start in the kneebar position or enter a kneebar as you wish. You get a couple of taps from different kneebar variations and proceed immediately to transition into the 411. Here you go for the most devastating leg lock of them all – the 411 inside heel hook. After the tap, you open up your entanglement to get a tripod ankle lock that’s going to lead you into a rear Ashi position. Instead of hitting a kneebar, you now go for a toe hold first and ultimately let your opponent escape just as far as you can sink in a brutal calf slicer.

If you ask me, mastering this particular leg lock flow is going to make you incredible at finishing from just about any leg locking opportunity you find yourself into.

Flowing Leg Lock BJJ Drill #4

Our final flow leg lock BJJ drill example focuses on the art of escaping Ashi Garami. This drill is an entry and escapes flow that has one person training an entry, and the other an early escape. Note that contrary to the first flow we went over, this time you escape the position rather than defend the leg lock itself.

The drill is fairly simple, with both of you starting in the half guard. The top person gets to break grips and spin around immediately to hit a kneebar on the top leg. However, the bottom person will allow the transition, but not the submission itself. As you spin, the partner is going to cross their legs in a triangle and use the momentum from your spin to come on top. Here they pass the guard and allow you to establish half guard. Now it’s their turn.

The above drills are just some examples of how you can organize your flowing leg lock BJJ drills. The sky is the limit here, as you want to make sure you cover all positions that you intend to use. Furthermore, make sure you cover as many submissions as an escape from every position as you can too. Finally, do a careful selection of the entries, as they’re arguably the most important part of this type of drill.

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BJJ Knee Injuries: Recovering From An LCL Tear

BJJ World

Nursing a BJJ injury is an everyday occurrence for most grapplers. While it may be scary the frit time you get it, after your hundredth twist and/or snap you’re not paying any more attention. It takes something serious for you to even consider taping it. This is the absolute worst strategy to have. Still, we all know it and yet, we still choose to do it. However, when it comes to certain injuries, no amount of tape can help unless we do the unthinkable – go to a doctor and take some time off. BJJ knee injuries qualify very high on that list, and when it comes to serious ligament damage, the only way to really heal is to play nice. And that means to do things by the book. Otherwise, you can wave goodbye to BJJ and many other things that require healthy knees.

BJJ knee injuries are, unfortunately, among the highest-percentage injuries in our sport. The complexity of the knee means there’s a lot of potential for damage. However, not every knee injury is a potentially crippling one. Apart from breaking your joint clean, which is rare even in Jiu-Jitsu, the most serious problems are ligament and cartilage injuries. The cartilages of the knee are known as the menisci, and they do get their fair share of trauma. Still, our sport also has one injury that is a lot more common than other knee issues – damage to the lateral collateral ligament, or LCL. So, what do you do when your LCL gets sprained or torn?

BJJ Knee Injuries

Just like soccer is the sport most associated with cruciate knee ligament damage, grappling is related to collateral ligament damage. To be fair, unless you’re standing, it is pretty hard to twist the knee in a fashion that’ll trouble the cruciate ligaments which lie deep inside the joint. However, the outside ligaments are not so safe, particularly when trying to train leg locks without supervision.

When you look at BJJ knee injuries, the reason why most of them include collateral ligament is the plane of motion. While we’re not constantly standing and enduring impacts at high velocities, we are asking a lot of our joints. Remember that even in grappling, one person is always on top, meaning they’re using their legs all the time. The funny thing is, that with LCL and MCL injuries, it is usually the bottom grappler that gets hurt. This is due to accidentals slips, falls or even intentional sprawls or explosive movements by the top guy. However, one key prerequisite here is leg positioning. And in BJJ, there’s no lack of weird and complicated, mostly unintentional, entanglements.

To be completely fair, it’s not all down to leg locks. Actually, they only play a minor role in the frequency of BJJ LCL injuries. Mostly, it is down to people getting stuck and doing rash things that make no sense. The knees are quite delicate, especially when it comes to forcing them medially further than their capacity. And having a grown man/woman placing pressure and weight in undesired directions is a certain recipe for LCL disaster. But what is the LCLs role, actually, and how do we prevent injuring it?

What Is An LCL Injury?

The main role of ligaments in our body is to connect joints. In the case of the LCL, the connection is between the thigh bone and the shin bone. Apart from the connection, it also has another role – stabilization. Your LCL helps stabilize your knee from the outside, as opposed to the MCL, that does the same on the inside. As such, any kind of pressure that bend the knee towards the inside is going to put a lot of strain on the LCL. At a certain point, the ligament is going to give way.

The results of a ligament giving way are usually strains. Ligament strains are graded from 1 to 3, with 1 a mild stretch and 3 a complete tear. Injury to the LCL in Jiu-Jitsu is unfortunately almost always serious, between grades 2 and 3. Put in simpler terms, if it is a 3, you’ll need surgery for sure.

The moment you injure your LCL, you’ll notice a few main things. First, and foremost, there’s a sound, similar to tearing a cloth. That’s when you know something’s wrong. Next up, the knee is going to swell, and become painful, not always in that order. The pain and swelling are localized to the outside of the knee. There’s also a limited range of motion and often, locking of the knee. With grade 3 injuries, you’ll also feel instability.

Gordon Ryan is the last man to fall victim to BJJ knee injuries. In fact, he injured his LCL, the extent of the damage still undisclosed. This took place during his match with Joao Gabriel Rocha under the Kasai banner. Ryan won the match but immediately canceled al upcoming fights in the near future. This should tell you how serious of a thing an LCL injury is.

Getting Back To The Mats

Recovering from BJJ knee injuries that involve the LCL is never easy, regardless of the grade. Even a grade 1 injury can keep you out of them ats for a few weeks. With grade 2, you’re looking at 4-6 weeks out, along with a lot of rest and some physical therapy. Still, it is grade 3 injuries that scare most people, Unfortunately, they’re very common in grappling.

Getting back from a torn LCL is a painful process You’ll need at least a month of nothing but rest post surgery. then you’re looking at probably a couple of months of rehab and strengthening before even thinking about grappling. Not really the time frame to look forward to. On top of it, your new best friend is going to be a heavy-duty knee brace every time you want to train.

The thing most people get wrong is the time frame. Regardless of the grade, you need to give your body time to rest and heal. People that try to get back to training right after an LCL injury will end up with one, or both, of two things. The first is rupture the LCL completely due to inadequate healing time. Now you’re inbound for the OR and about to spend at least 3-4 months out. The other option is injuring other ligaments ora meniscus, most often with the same outcome as above. So, if you tweak or tear your LCL, first get some rest and then see a doctor. Adhere to the timeline and make sure you ease back, only doing techniques for the first few weeks back. Then, use positional sparring to ease into live rolling again. And pick up a knee brace!

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Decoding The BJJ Shaka Sign And Its Origins

Dino Moskatelo

We’re all guilty of throwing the BJJ Shaka sign in at least one picture in our lives. With most of the people that do it, its rarely just that one photo, though, the Shaka hand gesture is now a much a part of BJJ as Gis and belts are. Still, if you ask most people why they do it, they’ll tell you they’re not sure, they’ve only seen higher ranked students and instructors do it. Furthermore, asking people what it means is going to get you even more blank looks and confused mumbles. In my quest to discover the BJJ Shaka’s true meaning and origin, I rarely got a substantial answer from anyone I asked along the way. Today, we’ll make things easier for you than they were for us and lay it all out.

The thing to remember is that the Shaka hand gesture didn’t start out like a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu thing. It is actually older than BJJ,m and has a lot to do with other subcultures. How it came to Jiu-Jitsu is a different story. the most captivating part about it is that it is still here and going strong. generations upon generations of grapplers use it daily (me included) and most have no idea why. For grapplers, it marks their belonging to what is the world of Gentle Art. To bystanders who don’t understand grappling, it is a curious thing people with weird ears do. So, next time someone asks why you doing that “thing” with your hand, this is what you’ll say:

Origins Of The “Hang Loose” Gesture

What we know today as the BJJ Shaka sign, is actually a hand gesture of Hawaiian origins. Mostly, people know it as a gesture that signifies being laid back and relaxed. It is a positive gesture which is often translated as “hang loose” although that is not the literal translation. To be honest, there is no literal translation of “Shaka”. In Hawaii, it is a way to convey the “aloha’ spirit and is often used as a greeting or a way to wave goodbye. In Hawaii, the sign itself is the popular mark of surfers and divers. Whenever they pass each other on or in the water they do the Shaka gesture to acknowledge one another. It is actually so much of a sure thing, that the American Language Association has it down as the hand gesture for surfing.

One Hawaiian legend says that the origins of the Shaka are down to just one man. The now-mythical resident of Laie lost three fingers of his hand while working in a sugar mill. this left him with only the thumb and pinky on one of his hands. After the accident, he went to guard the sugar train, often waving it “clear” with his mutilated hand. Children along the island often saw him do it and adopted the sign.

Another story follows a similar narrative. This time, though, it was a surfer that lost his three middle fingers after an encounter with a shark. There’s even one of a fisherman who lost his fingers when fishing with dynamite. What’s safe to conclude is that there was certainly a man who had an injury that gave birth to a movement.

The BJJ Shaka

Internationally, the Shaka sign has no particular definition. It is actually a worldwide thing, In Brazil, as we know, it is all about Jiu-jitsu. In Hawaii, it is a mark of surfers and divers. In China, it is a way to refer to the number 6. Brazilians, along with Hawaiians are among those that use the sign a lot. Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho further popularized the gesture worldwide.

The way the BJJ Shaka came to be is also not completely clear. Similar to the stories that revolve around the origins of the Hawaiian Shaka, there are a couple of options here. One version is that the sign was already a big part of surfing culture in Brazil when Jiu-Jitsu emerged. At the time, a lot of the surfers found themselves training BJJ and bought their favorite gesture with them. The “hang loose” mentality, as we know, is right bang in the middle of the BJJ mindset, so it caught on quickly. The main connection here is, according to some, Rolls Gracie, who was just an avid surfer as he was a grappler.

Another version “blames’ Renzo Gracie for the popularization of the BJJ Shaka. When Renzo fought Oleg Taktarov in a bare-knuckle fight, Renzo badly broke his hand. Legend says that, at the time, BJJ guys always used the “thumbs up” gesture. Posing for photos after the fight (which he won via knockout) Renzo attempted a thumbs up that ended up as the Shaka. According to Renzo, the community then picked the gesture up and the rest is history.

As you can see there are plenty of explanations, but choosing one is way better than having no idea why you’re throwing the BJJ shaka left and right.

BTW Enjoy one good song from Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole named Somewhere over the Rainbow. IZ loved the Shaka sign just like a lot of people in Hawaii. R.I.P IZ.

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The Dangers Of Putting People To Sleep With BJJ Strangles

BJJ World

Baseball choke, Rear Naked Choke, the D’arce strangle, a guillotine, a triangle choke… As you can see, the choice of BJJ Strangles is a very rich and diverse one. You could go about choking with your arms, legs, parts of the Gi, or all of the above at once. Regardless of methodology, the goal is always a common one – get the tap. But, what happens when a person doesn’t tap? It may be due to inexperience, not enough time, or pure stubbornness. Regardless of the reason, the outcome is the same – they’ll go to sleep. Nothing special, right? Wrong! Getting people unconscious via strangulation techniques is just as dangerous as knocking them out! There are only a few scenarios in which you should consider going all the way with a choke, and none of them is in the gym!

Let’s be honest, we all love the feeling of choking someone. Sinking in that arm into the figure four from the back is going to bring a proud smile to anybody’s face. Whenever you feel there’s no way out for your opponent from a choke you know you’ve beaten them completely. BJJ strangles are the most powerful, and potentially lethal weapon that’s available to use in the Jiu-Jitsu arsenal. Training chokes also bring about a lot of responsibility and it takes only a bit of recklessness to cause real harm to people.

BJJ Strangles

We all know that BJJ strangles work by putting people to sleep. We also know that there’s nobody that is impervious to a well placed Jiu-Jitsu choke, regardless of their strength. Another hugely important aspect of grappling chokes is their versatility. In BJJ alone there are perhaps hundreds of choke variations. They allow grapplers to pick a favorite weapon according to body type, capabilities, and preferences. They’re also the main tool that made the Gracies and Brazilian Jiu-JItsu so famous in the first place.

Choking someone in BJJ, as we mentioned before, has the primary task of eliciting a tap from our training partner/opponent. With BJJ strangles, there are two main avenues of pressure. The first, and most commonly used is pressure on the arteries of the neck, which is how people go to sleep. Simply put, the pressure block the arteries, blood doesn’t reach the brain and the lack of oxygen results in unconsciousness. The second way is by placing pressure on the trachea, which is more of a “choke” in the literal sense of the word. It often results in a lot of pain as it restricts airflow through the trachea. In the case of these “air” chokes, people usually tap and rarely go to sleep. There’s, of course, a combination of both that’s as bad as it sounds.

BJJ chokes are a highly efficient way of defending your self, especially against stronger assailants. In terms of self-defense, the ability to put people to sleep can mean the difference between life and death. They also host the element of surprise, as many of them work with the help of lapels and/or collars, as well as setups off your back. All in all, there’s nothing more powerful in the world of martial arts than a well-executed choke.

Lachlan Giles knows all about choking people. He also knows how to safely practice chokes. Check out his amazing four-part DVD set named “High Percentage Chokes: No-Gi”. You’ll learn a huge number of chokes from every imaginable position!

What Happens When We Choke Somone To Sleep?

What most of us say whenever BJJ strangles are involved is that we’re putting “someone to sleep”. However, calling it “going to sleep” is probably the best way of describing what’ going on. Rendering people unconscious is not fun, particularly when its done with no reason whatsoever. There is some great danger involved with choking people unconscious.

The main reason people go to sleep is a lack of oxygen to the brain. The two carotid arteries on either side of our neck are the main suppliers of fresh blood to the brain. There are two more arteries that run alongside our spine, but those are smaller. However, without these spinal arteries, most chokes would be much worse experiences for those receiving them. The two smaller arteries make sure the brain still has some oxygen, even though it’s shut down. The pressure we apply on the carotids means that our brains become deprived of oxygen. The longer we hold on, the worse the oxygen deprivation, even though not complete, gets. But that’s not all.

For the person receiving the choke, the experience is anything but pleasant. The pressure on the neck is painful, and there’s a feeling of complete powerlessness after as little as the first couple of seconds in a strangle. Very often this is the reason a person can’t tap after being caught. Then there’s the notorious “tunnel” where vision narrows into a central white spot before it all goes black. Headaches and dizziness, along with ringing in the ears usually accompany waking up from a choke. Snoring and some convulsions while asleep are also quite common.

The Real And Present Dangers

In order to cause brain damage to people with BJJ strangles, you’ll need to be holding them in a choke for a few minutes. Unless you’re intentionally trying to kill someone, this is unlikely to happen. healthy individuals have no problem after waking up from a 10-20 second choke, apart from some discomfort. However, the emphasis here is on healthy.

There are a lot of people out there that are not aware of certain underlying conditions. Or they just don’t want to talk about them. In any case, choking someone unconscious could easily trigger trouble that wouldn’t normally occur. One thing that’s really dangerous is that after releasing the pressure, blood comes rushing into the brain. In cases of potential aneurysms due to various reasons, this could lead to a blood vessel bursting and a stroke.

Another big problem is the carotid sinus. This is basically a point where a very important nerve (the vagus) runs alongside the carotid artery on one side. Compressing it decreases the work rate of our heart as well as blood pressure. No need to mention that to anyone with vascular trouble this could be very bad, leading to arrhythmias heart trouble. There’s also the fact that the convulsions that accompany getting choked are the same when seen on an EEG as those of a small epileptical seizure. Again, not something you’d like to induce in your training partners.

People usually recover by themselves shortly after you release a choke. Letting them wake up is the best course of action, but you can also help by turning them to the side, so they do not swallow their tongue or suffocate on saliva.

Conclusion

Just TAP if someone is choking you because there’s nothing good in being put to sleep. It’s not even an experience as you don’t actually feel anything except maybe some weird “dream” or something like that. Also if you’re in your gym and someone is refusing to tap to your choke just let him/her go. One tap won’t make you better in Jiu-Jitsu. It won’t help you achieve anything but it will make you feel like you did a right thing. Trust me!

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