earlier this week we were writing about a runner who survived an attack by mountain lion by choking a lion to death. Today, Rener and Ryron made a video on how to fight against a mountain lion using your Jiu-Jitsu skills.
Well, we know now that it’s possible to choke a lion, but how effective Jiu-jitsu really is against big cats?
Runner Kills Mountain Lion With A Rear Naked Choke In Colorado
BJJ world, stand at attention! You’re in for a real treat! You stand before the ultimate opportunity to learn the grappling secrets of the one and only Travis Stevens! The famous Judo Olympian has a bunch of different DVD instructionals out so far. Each of them addresses a specific subject of grappling at a very high level. Choosing which one to get is really a difficult decision. Well, now there’s no need for you to make it. All the best titles of Travis Stevens DVD instructionals have been singled out and organized for you! Want to discover exactly what is in the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection? Read on for a full and comprehensive review of the contents!
The best grapplers out there are quite hard to determine. Grappling is such an individually based sport that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. However, if we attempt to outline a few specific criteria, becoming a black belt in just 18 months is certainly top of the list. Furthermore, we can all agree that people who cross train in different grappling martial arts feature high on the list as well. Judo and BJJ are always a potent combination. Now, if you have a BJJ black belt under Renzo Gracie, who is an Olympic silver medalist, you have the winning combination. That’s exactly what the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection brings to the table.
There’s absolutely no doubt that Travis Stevens is one of the best grapplers of today. He can do Jiu-Jitsu, he can wrestle and he is a true master of Judo. On top of all, he is an all-out kind of guy that absolutely never gives up. Yet, he is a man who truly understands grappling and has a deep knowledge of many arts. This makes him the perfect coach in multiple grappling disciplines and for grapplers of all levels. You’d expect nothing less from a man who has trained under Renzo Gracie, John Danaher and Pedro Sauer. Now, you can learn multiple aspect fo his game thanks to the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection.
Apart from the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection, Stevens is also known for his incredible work rate. Check out his complete strength and conditioning plan for grapplers!
Travis Stevens is truly the best possible combination of grappling experiences and talent. he is like a grappling super-soldier experiment gone right. Getting to the Olympics in any sport is quite a high accomplishment in itself. Making history by being the only American male Judo athlete to get a silver medal is another!
Travis actually got to the Olympics in 2012 for the first time and came painfully close to a medal, only to miss out in the last moment. He did way better next time, getting the silver medal in the 2106 Olympics. The path that led the Olympic medalist to Judo, though is a funny one, to say the least. At age 7, Stevens went to the local youth center to enroll in sports. he managed to check the wrong box and ended up in Judo class by accident! The art got him hooked, however, and he never looked back after. Riddled with injuries at an early age, his path took him towards wrestling, but only for a short time.
His ventures into the world of BJJ were also somewhat by accident. A broken foot and time off Judo training resulted in a visit to the legendary Renzo Gracie Academy in NYC. After three months of fo double daily sessions with John Danaher, Travis’ love for BJJ was born. he got his brown belt from Danaher in little over a month!
Travis also has extensive BJJ competition experience at events like the Copa Podio. He also has notable wins over some of the biggest names in Jiu-Jitsu. Now, you can explore his own blend of grappling and get the best out of both the Judo and BJJ worlds! The Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection is truly a masterpiece bundle worth having!
There are 7 crucial titles to make you a better overall grappler in the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection. It features a whopping 14 DVDs of material! They feature subjects on many aspects of Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Travis makes everything work together in a spectacular fashion, providing you with options. You could either choose to specialize in one of his subjects or use them all for a complete system of combined grappling skills.
All for the titles are spread across multiple DVD volumes. Technically speaking, everything is spotless- sound, camera work, editing, and organization. Travis, on the other hand, has a knack for concepts 9as most of the fastest BJJ black belts) which means his material is really rich with details. While Stevens knows how to convey his knowledge, you must be certain you’re paying close attention to everything he says. There’s next to no irrelevant information across all of his DVDs.
It all starts with the very simply titled “Chokes” DVD set. In it, Travis focuses on Gi chokes that truly bridge the gap between Judo and BJJ. That said, expect a lot of lapel chokes from every position.
The first thing is a triple attack using lapel chokes from the back. In it, Travis explains how to really surprise your opponent by combining three into one (one of which is brand new for BJJ people). Next up are basic choking concepts that are really going to influence your game. You can use concepts in every possible choking scenario, unlike techniques. This means that whenever you apply the concepts, chokes are going to work.
Something I personally liked is the cross choke from butterfly guard instructions. It is a game changer for everyone that likes to work from the butterfly guard. Furthermore, it combines perfectly with the loop choke from the butterfly guard, also featured in this title of the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection.
Finally, there are a few triangle choke variations to get everyone, including all those powerful wrestlers that power through everything.
This one features Travis’ own legendary Judo coach, Jimmy Pedro. It is a three DVD set full of Judo throws. Nothing special, right? WRONG! These Judo throws are both good for classic Judo competition as well as BJJ! Travis covers only those takedowns that truly work in both, as well as a way to combine them all into chain attacks.
The first couple of volumes in this set focus on specific techniques that you can use to get the fight down to the mats. All essentials of Judo are there, from the Osoto Gari to Tomoe Nage and Sumi Gaeshi. Everyone enjoying foot trips is certainly going to enjoy the Tae Otoshi setup Travis offers.
The magic of this DVD instructional is in the third volume. Here, Travis goes deep into concepts of how to approach grappling with different opponents. He offers insight into dealing with wrestlers, extremely strong bodybuilders, guard pullers and all those extremely flexible guys that seem to flow out of everything. Nobody is going to be able to resist your takedowns after mastering this one.
Another collaboration with Jimmy Pedro, this time on a wider Judo-related subject. this title might be better dubbed The Judo Academy For BJJ as it truly offers a useful insight into Judo. Across 4 content-rich volumes, it covers all the bases of Judo.
Kicking things off is the crucial art of grip fighting on the feet. Jimmy and Travis offer very useful and easy to understand concepts of winning the grip fighting. The really cool part is that you can use them just as effectively on the ground as well. A few Ne Waza rolling techniques round off the first volume.
Which brings us to the second, purely Ne Waza DVD. yes, Judo does have a bunch of useful ground-fighting techniques. For example, they cover the over-under pass and Kimura submission in great detail. There’s also the armbar, of course, which is the quintessential Judo submission. For me, the cherry on top of this volume was the front headlock Gi options at the end. Amazing!
The third volume is all about the opposite side takedowns. These include Sumi Gaeshi, Uchi Mata, and a few foot trips in a simple and complete system. The fourth volume picks up with the same side throws, the likes of Ouchi Gari, Ippon Seio Nage and a really nice Belt grip Sumi Gaeshi.
The midway member of the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection is once again, a Jimmy Pedro collaboration. In it, the star of the show is the Jiuji Gatame or Armbar.
The great thing about this title is its organization. First, you get a very detailed explanation of how straight armlocks work. There are different positions setups as well as a number of variations on the classic armbar. Furthermore, Pedro and Stevens go over really important armbar counters. They vary from basic to advanced and are also available from multiple positions.
A very useful insight into becoming an armbar machine comes at the very end. The DVD series concludes with a lot of drill of armbar finishes. As opposed to the “traditional” approach of drilling entries, here, the focus is on finishing. It is a new way of drilling and one that really yields results quick!
This is arguably the most sought-after DVD instructional by Travis Stevens. It is two DVDs full fo tips and tricks on the sneakiest submission in grappling. Wristlocks are as underused as leg locks were until a short while ago. This makes them the perfect weapon to catch anyone off guard and Travis is a master of them.
The first DVD is all about basics. It kicks off with wristlocks options that involve a lot of lapel and Gi work. My personal favorite? The Americana wrist lock. It is quick, painful, easy to get and nobody expects it from the position of another submission hold. There are a bunch of others here, form the 2-on-1 all the way to the Gift Wrap mount, which as a whole story on its own.
In DVD two, things get really interesting. There are wristlocks from positions that nobody expects them from. Lasso guard straight wristlocks, spiderweb wristlocks and all kinds of wristlocks you can and can’t imagine!
Speaking of the Lasso guard, Travis has another DVD focusing on it and it’s the best friend, the Spider guard. Both are lapel/Gi based guards that are notoriously difficult to pass. Travis demonstrates the easiest ways of, most importantly, breaking the guards, and subsequently passing them.
You get a few guard breaks and a few passes to follow them up for each of the two guards. Personally, I never had much trouble with the spider guard. However, passing the leg lasso can be a real hustle. Travis’ concepts are truly effective an simple to integrate.
Talk about a strong finish to the Travis Stevens DVD Digital Instructionals Collection! The turtle position is one that people struggle with both defensively and offensively. Travis has the solution for both sides of this problem.
One DVD is dedicated solely to attacking and opening up the turtle position. Who better to teach you fighting turtled up opponents than a Judo Olympian, right? Of course, the clock choke features very heavily in this volume, with plenty of never before seen details! There are also great variations on the Peruvian necktie, this time done with the Gi. As the DVD progresses, the chokes become more and more insane. Take the Soccer Kick Senakku Choke for example. You’ve never seen anything like that before, and it’s going to work on everyone!
The second volume is all about staying safe when you’re the one turtling up! There are some basic defenses from the turtle as well as a few advanced ones. Once again, nobody is going to expect most of them and that’s exactly a reason why they will work perfectly.
As Travis Stevens is a world-renowned judoka his passes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have to be perfect. The reason is simple. He will 99% throw anyone in BJJ on any given day and that’s where his passing comes in. Travis was working on his passes for a long time as that was something he was dependant on. He couldn’t just let someone sweep him and make him play a guard. With a great base that he has his passes really look like magic and this DVD is purely his way of passing guards.
The main thing I like about this “Magic Guard Passing” DVD by Travis Stevens is their simplicity. There is no a lot of moves in a single technique. There are no unnecessary details that you can’t follow or do either in the gym or in competition. Travis really doesn’t care for the beautifulness of the techniques as he only cares how effective his techniques are. He really tries to show you a simple, easily doable and applicable Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques that will work on anyone.
As I mentioned earlier this instructional is not about flashy moves or something that works half of the time. NO, this is an instructional where he will lead you through a lot of moves around the techniques that he shows. Travis will show you a lot of details, counters and he will explain why he’s doing what he’s doing. He’ll teach you to connect moves in every possible situation you can encounter when you try to pass someone’s guard. He’ll teach you how to recognize fake attacks from real attacks and a lot more.
I can freely say that if you follow this instructional there’s no way you’ll find yourself lost in any situation. You’ll be hard to find yourself unprepared in the middle of guard passing. Every single move in this instructional will give you an advantage as Travis isn’t losing a single second on some “fake” moves.
This DVD is a great value for money as it costs almost 50% less than most instructionals around.
Ah, the triangle. One of the core submissions of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a true mark of the art. the triangle choke is a powerful, fairly simple and extremely effective submission. It is a blood choke, cutting off the brain’ supply of blood and can render someone unconscious in seconds. It is such a huge part of the sport of Jiu-Jitsu that many schools have it as their logo. think about it, how many schools around the globe have a triangle shaped academy logo? There’s a reason the triangle features so much in grappling – it works. And it doesn’t just work from the guard, traditional style. There are plenty of triangle chokes to go round, some more difficult than the others. What’s certain, is that it works.
Since the earliest days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the triangle has been one of the most potent weapons to submit an opponent. As Jiu-Jitsu grew, so did the use of triangle chokes. Across all competition formats, whether it is Gi BJJ, No-Gi grappling or MMA, triangles work like a charm once you slap them on. Furthermore, they work equally as effective at white, as they do at the black belt level, which is not often the case in BJJ. The triangle choke is one of the highest percentage, most reliable techniques you can do.
For quite some time, people with a stockier build had trouble synching up the triangle. It is not that the move doesn’t work, but getting there proved to be a real nuisance for some grapplers. Thankfully, Jiu-Jitsu’s constant evolution provided the answer to this problem. Nowadays, there are several triangles chokes to choose from. Work from all positions in grappling and can finish even the most experienced of opponents.
The basic principle behind triangle chokes is simply. They are all blood chokes that involve placing pressure on both sides of the neck. The result is constriction of the carotid arteries and subsequent loss of consciousness due to lack of oxygen in the brain. In order to exert the pressure on the arteries, Jiu-Jitsu relies on a triangle-like structure to make sure there’s no way out. The shape of the triangle ensures that there’s no pulling away from the pressure on the neck.
For your basic triangle, you need to be on your back, preferably in closed guard. The goal is to push one of the opponent’s arms behind them, while you wrap your legs around their neck. You want to keep on of their arms trapped inside though. Although your legs can make up the triangle shape on their own, there; some unneeded space left. Trapping the opponent’s arm in that space takes any space away, providing tight pressure on the neck.
Actually, it is the opponent’s own shoulder that makes this choke work. On the other side, it is the thigh of your leg. The shin of that same leg goes across the back of the opponent’s neck. Finally, your other leg locks both your leg and the trapped arm in place. This is the basic structure of a triangle choke.
In order for it to work, though, you need a way to apply pressure. Form the aforementioned position of guard, once you have the triangle you need to make sure you prevent your opponent from posturing up. To do that, simply use both of your hands to pull their head towards you. In order to choke from the basic triangle remember to focus on squeezing your knees close instead of looking to put downward pressure.
By variations of the triangle chokes, I do not mean finishing the regular triangle choke from different positions. For the sake of this article, we’re going to put all those modifications in the “basic” triangle category. Namely, you can easily hunt for a triangle choke from mount, side control, half guard etc., creating numerous opportunities along the way. The mechanics of the choke stay the same, though, meaning if you struggle with it from guard, you’ll struggle with it form the mount.
To truly become a nasty triangle machine, you need to learn from one of the best in the game. Before he became known for leg locks, Craig Jones was a crafty triangle choke submission artist. Now, all his secrets are there for the taking, courtesy of his “Triangle Machine” DVD set. Learn the deepest secrets of the triangle choke directly from Jones himself!
Luckily, there is a great triangle chokes to help you improve your finishing rate. While most people have modifications of variations of their own, their area few that work just as well, if not better than the basic. Thos are the reverse triangle, the inverted triangle, the rear triangle, and the no-arm triangle chokes.
The inverted triangle choke is one popularized by the prolific Estima brothers. Braulio and Victor Estima have the reputation of destroying top-level opponents with this variation. As far as triangle chokes go, the mechanics of the inverted one are fairly simple to grasp. You just place everything in reverse. Well, kind of.
Let’s start from the bottom of side control. First, you need to make sure you throw your far side leg over the opponent’s head. In case you’re wondering which leg this is, it’s the only one that can get there with ease. Once you have it there, you just use your opposite side leg to lock everything up. The positioning is simple. The finishing details are what makes it count.
In order to exert choking pressure on your opponent, you have to scoot your butt towards the opponent’s hips, tilting them forward. this will get them that much deeper into the choke and give you more space to tighten and adjust. For a finish, pull their trapped arm’s triceps towards yourself.
The reverse triangle is as close to the basic triangle choke as possible. For this variation, you need to be in the top turtle position. When an opponent is stubbornly defending back attacks, you can think about switching things up. What you should look for is to thread the nearside leg under the opponent’s head and all the way around. The aim is to secure your ankle on the top with your opposite side arm.
The trick here is knowing which parts of the triangle structure are the choking parts. The leg you have under the opponent is going to create choking pressure with the shin and the thigh of the same leg. The locking leg doubles as a lock and as the wedge to keep the head in place. As far as modified triangle chokes go, this one is really tight and doesn’t require any particular limb length. Give it a try!
Out of all triangle chokes I know, this one is by far my favorite. it is a very cool way of dealing with an ultra-defensive opponent’s when you have back control. Sometimes you just can’t finish a choke, or you’re up against a top-class hand fighting expert. This is when you’re going to hit a rear triangle.
From a basic seatbelt configuration, you’ll want to be on the choking side. From there, extend both arms so that you have enough space to angle out, towards the “under” side. Just like when you’re attacking an armbar from the back. instead of an armbar or Kimura, though, you’re going to place your bottom leg across the opponent’s neck. Once you have it all the way through, you’ll just lock up with the other leg. It is a brutal triangle that’ll leave you in complete control.
Finally, a triangle that goes a bit against the rules of triangle chokes. It’s a very useful one for situations in which your opponent gets their arm out of a regular triangle. As we discussed earlier, once the arm is out there’s space inside the triangle structure that scuppers the choke.
When you find yourself in a triangle without an arm trapped, there’s an easy little fix. Just keep the structure in place and use on arm to keep the wedge leg in place. Then, thread in your other arm under the opponent’s neck and grab your first arm. then, you can close up the triangle and squeeze. An easy tap that nobody can escape from.
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It’s that time of year when Master competitors are starting to wake up from their slumber. The European Masters Championship is just a few months away, followed closely by the World Masters Championship. Not to mention the master’s divisions in every IBJJF/UAEJJF event held across the globe. Contrary to popular belief, masters divisions are not the “easy” divisions. Try rolling with older grapplers and you’ll see what I mean. With the gi, masters that know how to be efficient are just as dangerous as adult competitors. Without the GI, however, they tend to all short. No-Gi is much more fast-paced and “scrambly”, which doesn’t suit older grapplers. “The No-Gi Road Map For Masters Competitors” is Fabiano Scherner DVD that is going to make masters grapple better than adults even without the Gi.
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Fabiano Scherner: No-Gi Road Map For Masters
Whenever any of the older grapplers issues a video instructional, people often mistake it for being intended for masters only. That’s not the case with most of them, and especially not this Fabiano Scherner DVD. Fabiano is one of the highest-level black belts around and an incredible No-Gi grappler. The 47-year-old is as dangerous as any 24-year-old, especially when he gets top position. In his DVD he offers masters grapplers a real “fountain of youth”. Well, at least when it comes to grappling. His “The No-Gi Road Map For Masters Competitors” DVD set is just the formula you need to dominate everyone in your masters’ division. Who knows, you might even find it so good, that you give the adult divisions a try again.
Mr. Scherner is one of those old-school BJJ guys that scares the living daylight out of people. At over 220 lbs, it’s hard not to. He is big, strong, extremely technical and incredibly efficient. On top of it all, he enjoys pressure positions and playing a top game. Oh, and he does like kneebars and other painful submissions a lot. As if that’s not enough, he is also a 10 x Masters World Champion. Giving the new Fabiano Scherner DVD another thought now?
Fabiano was born in Brazil, in 1972. He lived in the Rio Grande do Sul, where he started training Taekwondo. Very soon, he became interested in MMA, which naturally, led him straight into a BJJ Academy. However, BJJ seemed to be much more captivating to Scherner than MMA, and he stuck with it. He actually got to his purple belt in less than two years, which is a statement in itself. A year and 9 months later, he got his black belt from Murilo Bustamante and Luis Roberto Duarte. As a black belt, he also got to compete in MMA, including the UFC.
Today, Fabiano “Pega Leve” Scherner is one of the Gracie Barra standouts and a third-degree black belt. Funny enough, his nickname translates to “taking it easy” which is contrary to how rolling with him feels. He got the name because his coach always sent the students looking for a “light roll” to spar with Scherner. He loves attacking from the top and has one of the most pressure-heavy games in the whole of grappling.
The first thing to know about “The No-Gi Road Map For Masters Competitors” is Fabiano Scherner DVD is that it is not a resource only intended for masters. While everything in it is going to benefit every masters’ grappler immensely, it also has great information for younger athletes. Picking this instructional up early and applying the principles you learn to your game is going to turn you into a seasoned grappler fast. Not to mention getting you ready for inevitably competing in the masters’ divisions.
The DVD set contains a total of four volumes, each addressing specific top game areas. Why the top game? Well, it is the best place to be in, particularly in No-Gi when you’re on the wrong side of 30. Fabiano’s rich teaching and competition experience also make him an incredible teacher. He knows how to deliver what’s important in a cohesive manner and make people focus on what’s important. All in all, a key video instructional for anyone that like to train and compete in No-Gi.
First up, Scherner offers his take on how grapplers should approach grappling. In particular, he offers competition tips, which include mindset and preparation. From a technical standpoint, he offers his reasoning behind the insistence on staying on top. It all makes a lot of sense, drawing you to watch further.
It all starts on the feet, with a very cool way to take someone down – the dump throw. Straight off the bat, it’s clear that this Fabiano Scherner DVD is going to be full of unexpected moves. Some more established moves, the likes of double leg takedowns are next, with key details and modifications.
Once, down, the most annoying position to be in against a masters grappler in No-Gi is the closed guard. Scherner offers the remedy, in the form of a few really efficient guard openings. Of course, they all include lots of pressure and massive amounts of pain for your opponent. After opening the guard, Fabiano’s favorite way of passing is via the double scoop / double-under pass. He goes over both in very fine detail.
The second volume keeps going, offering a lot of variety on the subject of guard passing. One thing about Fabiano is that he has an ultra simple game based on fundamentals. So, it’s no wonder that he takes basic principles and uses them to pass any guard. The chair pass is one of those passes that I never figured out because it is so obvious. You know what I mean.
The quintessential leg drag moves things into the direction of open guard passing. Once again, you’ll figure out the key and often overlooked details. One is the direction of dragging the leg, as well as the optimal spots to grip. Further along in the DVD, Fabiano goes over some pain-inducing passes like the “backbreaker” and the knee bar pass. This latter is pretty much self-explanatory and acts as an introduction to the next volume.
This DVD is going to revolutionize the way you see leg locks, and in particular, kneebars. After a couple more passes (single underhook and quick slide) Fabiano offers his take on some knee based submissions. Kneebars apart, he also uses something he calls “the knee exploder” I doubt you can find this stuff anywhere except in this Fabiano Scherner DVD. Form a basic kneebar standpoint, he offers incredible finishing detail. Also, there are some setups that’ll have you looking like the hottest prospect form the adult divisions. The step over kneebar setup and the inverted knee exploder are the perfect moves to get you fast and painful victories.
The final volume of “The No-Gi Road Map For Masters Competitors” DVD is all about using your top position to submit. Moreover, Fabiano offers direct submission routes off of guard passing. No messing around here, as the old school concept of always having a threat is the main theme. Most submission options here come in combinations of two or even three moves that’ll easily beat even the best of opponents.
The knee bar and Fabiano’s knee exploder feature heavily again. However, this time he throws in some other moves into the mix as well. His spinning toe hold from top half guard was actually the first chapter I played from this DVD set. And there’s also a wristlock in there that’s devastating as any other BJJ submission you can think of.
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Fabiano Scherner: No-Gi Road Map For Masters
When it comes to innovation in Jiu-Jitsu, people take certain moves for granted. For example, moves like the armbar, Kimura or rear naked choke work so good, that people rarely try to improve them. Yet, there are certain instances where even this highest percentage moves can get better. Thankfully, some people specialize in certain moves so much, that they have to further develop them in order to fit their needs. One such example is the Mau Mau Kimura, a high-level variation on a BJJ classic. The name is down to its founder’s Robson Lima nickname. Lima got so famous for his Kimura exploits, that his take on this move now bears his name. His Mau Mau Kimura DVD is the absolute best resource to discover the secrets of the Kimura lock and all its possible variations.
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ROBSON “MAU-MAU” LIMA – Kimuras As A Way Of Doing BJJ (DVD/DIGITAL)
When you experiment with proven Jiu-Jitsu moves or positions, you have two directions to move in. The first is to go really old school and try and figure out every invisible detail. This is how people like Roger Gracie get so good with moves everyone knows they’re going to do. Another option is to go to a new, innovative direction and try to build on what you already know. A great example here is Danaher’s leg lock system. Finally, you can opt to do both, as Mau Mau did. Whatever the method of choice, if you work long enough, you’ll get a breakthrough. Mau Mau’s Kimura has the best of both worlds – amazing details and positioning from the old school and innovative gripping and finishing concepts. The Mau Mau Kimura DVD is just as valuable for those that thrive doing Kimuras as it is for those just discovering it.
Have you heard of Robson “Mau Mau” Lima? Chances are, you know the name. If not for his Kimura exploits directly, then you know him as a high-level competitor and coach. In fact, he is the #1 ranked Masters competitor in the world. And a large portion of his tournament success comes down to his obsession with the Kimura.
Mau Mau was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He got involved in BJJ as a 12-year-old kid and went through all the ranks of the Gentle Art. Even from an early age, he showed a great desire for competition and real grappling talent. Unsurprisingly, he rose through the ranks fast, capturing championships left and right. Some of his accolades include winning the IBJJF Worlds, IBJJF Pans, the South Americans and plenty more.
Mau Mau is relentless as a competitor and continues to battle hard to this day. Fighting in both his weight class (medium heavy) and the absolute, he wants to stay #1 in the world as long as possible. As with all high-level champions that have their own contribution to BJJ, Robson has the Mau Mau Kimura DVD to give back to the grappling community.
He currently lives in Boston and teaches regularly at “Mau Mau BJJ Academy” as part of GFT.
As a submission, we learn the Kimura lock fairly early in BJJ. In the same context, we continue discovering how we can get it from a different position. The usual Kimura evolution ends with the Kimura trap system, that turns a powerful submission into an inescapable position. Sadly, for most people, the Kimura exploits end here and they never progress past this level of the move.
From an old-school standpoint, the Kimura works so well from multiple positions because it allows you to shift your body weight. this concept is old as the Kimura itself. Namely, your control over an opponent’s shoulder, arm and partially the cervical spine, is so good, that you can move your body around while holding on to it without the risk of failing. If you’re on the bottom, you can move freely to get on top or finish directly. From the top, you can improve position, finish directly, or go into other systems, like back attacks. There’s also the standing power of the Kimura, as a means of preventing double and single leg takedown attempts. Not to mention, it’s heavy use in self-defense.
Form an innovative perspective, you can combine the old Kimura principles, with some modern innovation, like the Kimura trap. Now you have a comprehensive system that’s bound to work. here, you have the control, the submission threat and a bit of trickery to allow you to dominate. And, if you become a true Kimura aficionado, you’ll sprinkle a few your own experiences in there. Now you have something original. Robson’s Mau Mau Kimura DVD has all of the above, neatly organized in a specific and easy to use system.
What you get with the Mau Mau Kimura DVD is the Mau Mau Kimura. As funny as this might sound it is true and a real refreshment. With plenty of the new BJJ video instructionals, we often get a whole bunch of unrelated information. This DVD has absolutely no clutter at all. It is to the point, understandable and extremely specific. You’ll learn the Mau Mau Kimura system, and you’ll have to figure out everything else. Which is exactly what a highly-specific instructional DVD should deliver.
As a coach, Mau Mau is hands down one of the very best. The fact that he is talking about his life’s work, makes everything he teaches that more captivating. After all, this DVD is named ” Kimuras As A Way Of Doing BJJ”. Actually, this is exactly what you get – you’ll be able to do “only” Kimuras from everywhere, and you’ll beat everyone with them.
The way these DVD works is in chapters. No elaborate multi-volume combinations with moves scattered across different discs. Plain and simple, you get absolutely everything you need to know in one highly-specific and immensely organized DVD. Conversely, the Mau Mau Kimura DVD starts with a Kimura lock from the first second.
The first few sections address using the Kimura in a counter-attacking fashion. This is precisely how the Kimura trap was born. However, Mau Mau’s take on the Kimura brings innovation to something we already do. It works great against a double or single leg takedown. Speaking of counter-attacks, Mau Mau also has a cure for beating sweeps from the half guard with the Kimura. Includes options against the inverted half guard, as well as the regular one. Details on Mau Mau’s specific gripping and shoulder control feature in each and every chapter, so that the basics get instilled into you.
Since Mau Mau is a fierce competitor with plenty of titles to his name, he knows how to play a high-level game. In those terms, he adopted his Kimura system to work against everyone, regardless of rules and presence/lack of Gi. When people know you’re coming in with a specific move, you need to make sure you double or triple your threats.
Starting from the bottom, Mau Mau goes over a Kimura setup that’ll eventually get you one of two things. You’ll either sweep, or you’ll finish the Kimura. The finish might come from top or bottom since Mau Mau has everything covered. Once again, Mau Mau prefers the half guard, as it is way easier and tighter to get to a Kimura position as opposed to the closed guard. MUltiple sweeps and submission options feature in this part of the Mau Mau Kimura DVD.
The top position is one of the best spots to hit a Kimura from. The shoulder lock works from almost every position, apart from the mount. Or so we thought. As it turns out, Mau Mau knows how to get you one of his signatures Kimura finishes even from the mount. However, before he shares it with you the first go over the basics. Those basics include attacks from side control, top half guard and even some Kimura trap combinations.
In this part of the Mau Mau Kimura DVD, the focus is solely on finishing. Different positions mean Mau Mau covers different ways of positioning your body and different gripping sequences. All of his methods for finishing are high percentage and have been proven to work against the best.
Finally, a real gem in this Mau Mau Kimura DVD. Through his vast competitive experience, Robson developed a very reliable system to use in IBJJF competitions. In it, he takes you from the half guard Kimura all the way to finish from.
It all starts from the half guard, with a Kimura on. A sweep to top half guard earns you 2 points and gets you in position to finish if you want to. If you like to gather more points, you get to knee on belly, while keeping the Kimura on at all times. Two more points. The next step is the full mount, where you need to stay for three seconds to get 4 points. At all times, you keep holding the Kimura grip. Once you have mount points, using the Kimura trap system you transition to the back, for a further 4 points. Now you have 15 points and great submission options. Finish with either a rear naked choke or, if you do not want to release the grip, a straight armbar.
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The BJJ spider guard is nothing new. it is a well established Gi guard, that works amazingly. It is considered to be an advanced guard and works better if you’re more experienced in Jiu-Jitsu. Still, the spider guard is so full of nuances that it takes a lot of time and hard work to master it. If there’s someone that knows all about hard work, it’s Romulo Barral. After all, the whole “everyday porrada” modern BJJ movement is down to him. Now, Romulo blends two of the things he has as his legacy- the spider guard and his everyday porrada approach. The end result is the “Everyday Porrada Spider Guard” Romulo Barral DVD.
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Romulo Barral – Everyday Porrada Spider Guard (DVD/DIGITAL)
In the world of leg locks and lapel guards that have as crazy names as they do setups, going over some other BJJ basics is often forgotten. The spider guard is not something we see regularly in competition now, although it was unmistakable just a few years ago. The evolution of BJJ brings about new exciting moves and that’s perfectly ok, but we can’t forget about the basics. Especially not about the highest percentage moves and positions. The spider guard is as high-percentage as it gets, once you get the hang of it. And there’s a literal hanging involved, along with a lot of finger joint pain until you master it. The way to mastery is in the latest Romulo Barral DVD. I’ll spare you the pain and cut the time you need to implement it in half.
What is #Everyday Porrada”? Read THIS article to learn everything about the latest BJJ movement.
Romulo is one of the toughest competitors to ever step on the Jiu-jitsu mats. He is a Vinicius Magalhaes black belt that competes at medium heavy. His spider guard and triangle are nothing short of notorious! In fact, Romulo is such an accomplished competitor that, despite numerous world and championships at both master and adult, he was also awarded the title of best BJJ grappler (Graciemag, 2007).
Barral’s impressive Jiu-jitsu journey began in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, at the age of 8. Similarly to many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standouts of his time, he started training taekwondo. Unlike many other Brazilians that transferred into BJJ, though, Romulo stuck with it for over a decade, achieving a black belt. At 15, he also started to train at Gracie Barra with Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes. he got his black belt in 2005 and has since established himself as one of the top black belts in the world, at both his weight and absolute.
In terms of style, Romulo is a big proponent of Gi Jiu-Jitsu. Spider guard prowess. His choice of favorite weapons the spider guard and triangle) outlines this as well. To be honest, the 7x World Champion can beat people with pretty much anything. One of those titles comes in No=Gi as well, showing how versatile Romulo is. Yet, the subject of the “Everyday Porrada Spider Guard” Romulo Barral DVD is all about his go-to position that has never failed him in a match.
What makes the spider guard so special? Well, for one, it is extremely hard to break the grips. As we know, breaking grips is one of the key prerequisites of passing any guard in Jiu-Jitsu. Secondly, the spider guard actually works best if the opponent’s stepping forward into it, contrary to all other guard variations. Finally, it provides immense control over the shoulders and arms, Allowing for complete domination of posture.
The spider guard is quite simple, at least in terms of body position. What you need is to control both sleeves of the opponent with your grips. You then place both feet on the opponent’s biceps muscles, as close to the elbow joint as possible. In order to really play the guard, you also need a good angle which you can achieve with hip movement. From there on, your hips an extension and/or flexion of your legs dictate what’s going to happen. As long as you have the grips and feet on the biceps, your opponent has no passing options whatsoever.
The options the spider guard offers are pretty much endless. Sweeps are easy to come y in every direction and there are a bunch of submissions available. Moreover, transitions int other open guard or hybrid guards like the De La Spider etc are also there. Now, with the Romulo Barral DVD, the lid is completely lifted off the spider guard. Everything of the above plus so much more is now explained and demonstrated in detail!
The “Everyday Porrada SPider guard” Romulo Barral DVD set is divided into four volumes. Starting off slowly, Romulo goes deeper and deeper into the spider guard as volumes progress. While the spider guard is an advanced guard, some aspects of it are easy to grasp even for beginners. The first, and perhaps second volumes are literally for everyone. Volumes 3 and 4 are for experienced blue belts/early purple belts and above. This does not mean you should not get and watch the entire set. Just focus your efforts on what’s appropriate for your level, and you’ll do great.
The instructional opens up with an introduction into the spider guard by Romulo. he outlines what the spider guard is, and what’s his way of playing it. he also shares what’s about to come in the other volumes.
The first aspects of spider guard Romulo cover after going over the initial positioning are retention and recovery. The ability to hold the spider guard is essential, so you first get to learn all about retaining the regular and lasso spider guard. Subjects include grip recovery and stiff arm spider guard retention.
On the subject of recovery, there are plenty of ways to recover from a very common threat – the double-under guard pass. In fact, there are 5 different ways to do it, out of which, the shoulder roll is the one that did the trick for me. All in all, the retention and recovery methods in this Romulo Barral DVD are going to ensure your spider guard stays in place until you see fit to release it.
Sweeping from the spider guard is extremely easy under one condition – the correct angle. When you get your opponent in the correct spot, sweeping is as easy as shifting your hip, or just extending a leg. In order to make sure you get your opponent off-balance, Romulo shares his secrets on maintaining biceps pressure. he is extremely thorough about it, offering tips about pressure in each of the four main directions. At the end of the section on biceps pressure, he puts all of them together in a working system.
Romulo then moves on to talk about his off-balancing principle that works 100%. Normally, it flows right into sweeps, the first one from the basic spider guard position. Other sweeps include shin to shin hybrid guards as well as sweeping straight into submissions .unsurprisingly, Barral’s favorite triangle choke is the submissions of choice.
The second half of the “Everyday Porrada Spider guard” Romulo Barral DVD moves on to more advanced concepts from the spider guard. Here. Barral starts off with the reverse De La Riva guard hybrid. After a sweep and armbar finish, he moves on to explore some common spider guard transitions. Romulo’s “X hooks” are amazing and offer great attacking options, like the Omoplata.
Speaking of submissions, the spider guard is a real gateway to any submission category you like. If you master the spider guard, all your favorite submissions are going to be easy to access. Romulo demonstrates as many different ones as he can, including toe holds, armbars, and chokes. A bunch of more spider guard sweeps (this time with pants grips) rounds off volume 3.
The final volume is all about Romulo’s favorite strategies and spider guard sequences. here, you’ll discover winning combinations of spider guard attacks and counter-attacks.
The first thing Romulo shows is an omoplata, from a modified collar sleeve spider guard. Advanced, but as high percentage as any of the more fundamental things. The around the world sweep Romulo is known for also features here, with an in-depth analysis. Not only that, but there’s a road straight into back mount using this sweep.
Other impressive attacks include kneebar off the collar sleeve variation, a spider guard -> X-guard -> calf slicer combo and even more back takes. Sweeps make u a large portion of this final volume of the Romulo Barral DVD too. Most of them start from the collar and sleeve spider guard, but some feature transitions into the X guard as well. Barral wraps it up with a short outro and leaves no questions unanswered.
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Romulo Barral – Everyday Porrada Spider Guard (DVD/DIGITAL)
Great judo throws are usually not only great in the Judo context. Most of them translate perfectly to Gi Jiu-Jitsu as well. On rare occasions, you get the moves that work in Judo, Gi BJJ and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu. This is as good as it gets when you’re looking to get the fight to the ground. Not many moves fit into that category. One of the few that does is the Fireman’s Carry or Kata Guruma. The Fireman’s Carry Frenzy is a Matt D’aquino DVD set that completely explains the move and all its variation. Time to re-introduce the Kata Guruma to your BJJ takedown arsenal.
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Matt D’Aquino Fireman’s Carry Frenzy (DVD/DIGITAL)
A Judo Olympian with a great understanding and experience in BJJ, teaching move from the one art to use in the other is always a winning combination. We’ve seen it before with high-level wrestlers, or even sambo guys. Since we’re in the art that likes to use everything that works, we’re getting the benefit from it all. The Fireman’s Carry is one of those throws that look hard and complicated but is actually really easy to learn. This Matt D’aquino DVD is all you need to give your standing game a whole new dimension. Oh, and you won’t have to rely only on the basic Judo version – there are a bunch of awesome variations in there!
Why is Matt D’Aquino the man to teach you this particular move? Well, first of all, he is a high-level 4th-degree Judo black belt, That gives him more than the right to teach people ways to get somebody to the ground. The 33-year-old Australian was an active Olympic competitor until 2012 when he retired from a very rich career in Judo. As he did so, his focus shifted to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. the end result is a grappling style that’s a unique blend of the two arts. And the main reason for it is that Matt knows what Judo moves work in BJJ and vice versa.
In fact, Matt had tremendous success with the Fireman’s Carry in particular. During his Judo day, she not only used it to score the all-important Judo ippon but also to transition when on the ground. The movie itself might be nothing new to Judokas, but for some reason, it is not something we see in high-level Jiu-Jitsu often. This is exactly why you can use the Matt D’Aquino DVD to make the kata Guruma your secret weapon.
The Kata Guruma is one of the 40 throws that Jigoro Kano himself created. It is one of the first moves Kano developed, back when he was a young Judo practitioner. The throw is the result of Kano’s quest to beat a large and very talented student and training partner. The goal of the move is simple. Get your partner on your shoulder, like a log, and drop them to the ground. While it may sound like this takes a lot of strength it is actually quite the opposite. The Kata Guruma is a very technical move that doesn’t ‘t always require you to have your opponent as high up as you may think.
The Fireman’s Carry Frenzy System is a Matt D’Aquino DVD set that consists of three different volumes. In them, Matt goes over 21 ways of using the Kata Guruma to throw an opponent. Subjects include the original variation, as well as a host of modifications to make it a lot more efficient for BJJ. Actually, the instructional is the final result of years of hard work. Matt has a whole Fireman’s Carry system that he spent years developing. It works like a charm though, and he is now sharing all the juicy details with you.
One of the major reasons why I liked this DVD from the get-go is that Matt offers No-Gi options as well. He makes the Fireman’s Cextremelyemely simple and likes to use similar grips for every setup. This reduces unnecessary clutter and makes the system easy to follow and learn. After a couple of weeks of drilling, you’ll be able to use this move in sparring and even in competition.
The DVD’s quality is great, with no audio or video glitches or drawbacks. There’s a clear progression throughout the volumes and it is very easy to understand the system. Matt brings you the opportunity to choose to specialize in one variation or use the complete system.
The first volume of the Matt D’Aquino DVD starts with a very important subject. Well, ok, the very first chapter is an introduction to Matt and the Kata Guruma, but when is it not. The thing I’m talking about is chapter two, where Matt goes over the possible counters your opponent has and how to avoid them. An obvious threat when going for a Fireman’s Carry is the crucifix. D’Aquino has a great way of eliminating this threat from the beginning.
What I also like a lot is that Matt goes over all the variations in the beginning, so that you have an overall understanding of the system before learning the details. from there it is all about getting the “traditional” version of the Kata Guruma, which involves you standing upright with the opponent on your shoulders. You’ll learn setups with the lapels, combinations with other throws and ever re-counters to common defenses. As far as fundamentals go, you do not need anything more than this first volume.
The second volume goes into a dimension of the Kata Guruma that I personally think is the best for BJJ. It is the Drop Fireman’s Carry, where you get to go to the ground and use it more as a takedown than a throw per se. It all starts with grip fighting, or grip breaking, to be more precise. Grips are the key details that make or break the drop Kata Guruma, so pay close attention to Matt’s instructions here. The first few chapters are all about getting the correct grips to attack.
As a former Judoka I never really gave the “retreating Frieman’s Carry” much thought. It is actually an amazing variation and something that Matt has down to perfection. After four dedicated chapters, you’ll also be able to execute this move and a couple of variations like you’ve been doing it your whole life.
Wrapping things up here are a few interesting combinations. A great example is the “wrong leg firmans” which, as it turns out, is not so wrong after all. A few extremely efficient fakes (tested in the gym) conclude the second volume of this Matt D’Aquino DVD.
Finally, it’s time to take the Gi off and keep hitting Fireman’s Carries like it doesn’t matter. Similar to disc 1, matt first covers the dangers of exposing your back, and how to avoid them. After that, its real Fireman’s Carry Frenzy! Form the basics, through using the irreplaceable 2 on 1 grip all the way to hitting the Kata Guruma from the front headlock.
In a No-Gi setting, Matt likes to combine other takedowns to set up the Kata Gguruma. Given the lack of grips, this makes a lot of sense. Here, you’ll learn how to use the double leg, snap-down, inside tie and a bunch of other wrestling staples to get the Fireman’s Carry. Both the standing and drop versions are also available in No-Gi.
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As a smaller grappler, I love being as technical as possible. OKay, it is something I had to learn to love, as it was the only avenue of grappling success for me. This means I like to do everything as neat as possible and usually like to cook people before inevitably tapping them. However, every once in a while I also enjoy hitting one of those sneaky, surprise, “one-ff” moves to catch people off their guard. Since strength isn’t really on my side, I have to go sneaky. And hitting a submission on someone from a position they think they control completely is as sneaky as it gets. Especially when that position is the dreaded lockdown half guard. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the Indian Death Lock.
Once again, this move is nothing new to old school grapplers. It is one of those “crazy” wrestling moves that people think won’t ever work in a real grappling setting. Well, news flash, it does. And it can work against high-level opponents too, as long as you know how, and more importantly, when, to go for it. The Indian Death Lock is essentially a leg lock, or a combination of two, to be more precise. It is a calf slicer-ankle lock combination that’ll have even the toughest opponent tap. The best thing about it is that you can do it freely against everyone, as it doesn’t fall under the “illegal category”. It is more of an ankle lock against crossed legs from back control type of situation.
The lockdown position is a half guard variation that is a staple of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. It is highly effective, makes guard passing next to impossible and opens up a plethora of attacking options. It is a position that works against everyone, as Eddie Bravo proved in his second match against Royler Gracie. That said, every grappling move is beatable if you know what to do, and more importantly, what not to do. The Indian Death Lock is the only way to submit straight from the position, though.
The lockdown position has the opponent’s legs tangled in figure four around one of your leg. The outside leg of the opponent goes over your calf and locks under the inside leg, which is hooked on your ankle. This gives the opponent full control over both your knee and ankle. The battle here is for your hip, and if the opponent gets control of it. You’ll go flying no questions about it. So, in order to make sure you get out of the lockdown you need to make sure your hips stay low.
Once you make sure you won’t go flying straight away, you’re up against the main lockdown problem – unlocking it. Putting forward pressure from a tripod position might work against unskilled opponents, but if they know what they’re doing you’re doomed. So, since the hips are safe when they’re low, why not take them back all the way? This is a logical direction to take, if not for one problem – upper body ties. Most likely, when in the lockdown, your opponent will have an underhook on at least one side. Well, guess what? When you go for the Indian Death Lock, an udnerhook actually helps you.
The Indian death lock is one of those moves that is going to catch everyone at first. As you go for I, later on, people are going to scramble out of position in order to avoid it, giving you the option to get a better position or another submission. And if you really dial it in, it’ll catch everyone most of the time.
In a modern grappling context, you’ve seen this move on TV, but not in a BJJ context. If you like to watch the WWE (which I highly doubt), you’ve seen this moves a hundred times. What you haven’t seen is the lockdown, along with any sense that it’s a legit move. However, when you’re up against the lockdown, the Indian Death Lock will soon become your best friend. remember the tripod passing position we talked about. Well, it is safe enough if you’re not going forward, so it’ll be your starting point. What you want to do is simply place your shoulders on their belly. Aiming for just below the diaphragm is the best.
The main difference here is that you won’t be going forward. Instead, you want to head back. How much back? Until you’re standing on your feet. Here, you have both of the opponent’s feet trapped as a result of figure four. In order to get the lock, the first thing you want is to start kneeling down. AS you do, place your arms on the inside of their knees and press downward. make sure you don’t do it forcefully or you’ll injure your opponent quite seriously. The lock places immense pressure on both the ankle and calf of the outside leg and
Some key points to remember when you’re going for the Indian Death Lock. First of all, when you’re training the lock at first, try to go completely up. The further back you are, the safer you are from the lockdown. You could also go in a combat base type position, with the lockdown leg on your foot. Keep in mind that going low form the start might injure your training partner or opponent really quickly.
Also, if you do not want to end up back in the lockdown, or worse, make sure your head never gets past your opponent’s knee line. This means keeping an upright posture at all times, with your butt under your head.
Finally, remember that people will often let go of the move if you give them too much space. It will result with you out of the lockdown, but you won’t get a tap. Make sure that you do not go upright until you’ve placed a lot of pressure on figure four. For this, going as far back while keeping tripod pressure is key.
There are a bunch of moves in BJJ that people avoid for fear of being too brutal. However, every Jiu-Jitsu move can be really brutal if you’re doing it without control. Any controlled movement no matter how scary looking is just an effective way of successfully concluding a fight. The knee on neck choke is one of those chokes that people either fall in love with forever or disregard them forever. Well, it may be time to rethink the approach some people have towards this choke. After all, it might end up doing much more than winning you a match, like saving your life for example.
Roberto Cyborg Abreu is the man we have to thank for this particularly brutal BJJ submission. This choke works like I charm, so much that Cyborg has used it against black belt opponents with great success. For me, personally it was something I really loved doing a while ago, and still, revert to from time to time. It is easy to catch, opens up plenty of opportunities and is not at all hard to learn. And, as you’ll see further on, it may actually come in really handy one day, in a life or death situation. It is effective and reliable.
For more information on Roberto Cyborg’s moves, including the knee on neck choke, check out his video instructional. The name of the DVD set is “Flow: The Top Game” and it consists of 4 discs filled with black belt secrets by one of the best in the sport.
IF there’s one position that can help you understand the pain that the knee on neck choke brings, it is knee on belly. If you’ve ever been caught in a perfectly set up knee on belly you know what I mean. Even though it seems you can send your opponent flying, you can’t move an inch. all the while, you have to endure immense crushing pressure on your belly or chest. Well, now imagine that everything stays the same, but the knee is on your neck. or, to be more precise, on your carotid artery on one side. Talk about pain!
The knee on belly comparison isn’t here just out of the blue. It is actually one of the best positions you can hunt for this choke from. Actually, all side control variations work great, including North-South, and even some guard pass (mostly stack passes). The way these chokes works is by putting immense pressure on your carotid artery. The reason it is so painful is that the knee acts as a focal point for the pressure of your entire body. It is so efficient that you can get it without pressuring the carotid on the opposite side. That is if you don’t want to since there are a bunch of ways to include it in the strangle.
One main reason why people give up on this choke is a balance. Until you get comfortable with a knee on belly, you should probably look at this choke as more of a position opener than a submission. once you get the balance down, it’ll turn into a sub on its own. Below you’ll find several ways of executing the choke, both in Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.
The Orignal credit for this choke, as far as I know, goes to Cyborg. His take on it is extremely easy and basic. Just as a high-level submission should be. Cyborg’s take on the knee on neck choke starts from side control. The first thing to do is establish a grip on the back of your opponent’s collar, thumb in. The other arm should control the far hip.
Once grips are in place, you ‘ll need to transfer to the knee on belly position. The reason for this is that it gives you a better angle and more mobility to get your choking leg into position. Plus, it is painful and uncomfortable for the opponent. Remember to never let go of the collar grip you have, as it is essential to the choke. This choke won’t work if your opponent is simply lying on the ground, However, this is rarely the case, given the knee on belly pressure. When the opponent decides to turn into you and push on your knee, that’s when you pounce.
First, you open up the elbow on the collar gripping hand lightly to make space. You then place the knee through that space and directly on their neck. Aim to get your patella right on the carotid artery. For the choke, extend your arm and extend the knee on belly leg so that the knee on the neck is the focal point for all the pressure. A quick and painful tap.
The move has several variations, each fo them just as effective as the basics. What you basically get with all these variations is the option to tighten the choke even further. In order to include the opposite side carotid in the choke, you’ll need to use the lapel.
The lapel version of the knee on neck choke also begins in top side control. here you can either use your own lapel or theirs. if you go for yours, choose the one that’s near their head. if you go with the opponent’s lapel, you need the one closer to you, In both cases, the end goal is to wrap it up around the neck and behind their head. That’s where you get a grip on it, similar to Cyborg’s collar grip. Finishing is the same, knee on belly first and then knee on the neck. As a bonus tip, you might want to try and trap the near side arm with your free leg for an added pin.
This is a variation of the lapel choke that is going to render your opponent completely powerless. for this one, though you do not have the luxury of choosing which lapel to use. You’ll have to settle for the far side lapel of your opponent’s Gi. From side control, you just undo it and pass the end over their far side forearm and towards their neck. Aim to get all the slack out of it as you grip. You’ll need the extra cloth to get a better choking grip.
From that position, the far side arm of the opponent is completely trapped. From there, you simply grip the end of the lapel from behind their head, the same as in the previous two versions. Extend your arm and place the knee on the neck. You now have one of the tightest knees on neck choke variations and your opponent has nothing to defend it with.
Finally, a knee on neck choke option for those that do not like to use the Gi. As with most No-Gi techniques, this one works perfectly both with and without a kimono. Starting from side control again, here you need to adjust the position a bit. First of all, you need to get your far side arm around their head, like for a guillotine. The other arm goes under their armpit, similar toa paper cutter choke setup. When your arms meet you’ll establish a grip, preferably a palm to palm.
Instead of attacking from the knee on belly position, here you’ll be in the 100 kilos position. This means that you basically need to be sprawled with your legs angled towards the opponent’s head. Once you have the grips, get the knee inside your elbow and go for the strangle. Straightening the arms are going to multiply the pressure and get you a certain tap!
The reason this choke gets to be called the real Mata Leao is a recent impressive story. namely, when a Colorado jogger encountered a mountain lion it was the knee on neck cheek that ultimately saved him. You can read all about how 31-year-old Travis Kauffman survived a mountain lion attack thanks to the knee on neck choke. It seems this one works on wild cats as well as it does on people.
How To Torture Everyone With Crushing Knee On Belly Pressure
Let me ask you a question. When you promise a kid to take him to the zoo, what is he more interested in, the vehicle you’re going to use to get to the zoo or actually getting to the zoo and seeing the elephants?
It’s the elephants, right? That’s what he wants. He could care less about the vehicle.
Now, how is this relevant to your business and to your Jiu-Jitsu academy getting more students?
First, we have to differentiate between people like you and I, brown and black belts, from the majority of students. We have a unique and obsessive love for the art that made us stick through all the injuries, endless laundry and so on. For us, Jiu Jitsu is the elephant. We’re obsessed with it. We think about it all the time, we plan vacations around it and we basically ruin our girlfriends’ lives because of it…
However, the vast majority of your students, aka the white and blue belts who pay your bills, are very different. They simply use Jiu-Jitsu as a vehicle to get to their elephants. Jiu-Jitsu is nothing more than a way for them to get what they truly want. Their actual elephants might be self-defense, getting back in shape or joining a fun community. Again, they’re only using BJJ as a vehicle to get to their elephants.
If this bums you out a bit, it shouldn’t. You should be viewing this as an amazing opportunity for your business because you now understand something very powerful. You now have a new superpower. You now know exactly what to say whenever you’re talking to a potential new student. Just focus on their elephants.
When you’re talking to a potential student for the first time trying to figure out what they’re really hoping to get out of training with you. Ask them what their elephants are. If their elephant is self-defense then you can talk about how effective BJJ is and how it will enable them to protect whoever they need to. If it’s getting back in shape, explain to them how fun and effective of a workout Jiu Jitsu is and show them some transformation pictures from your students. If they just want to get out of the house and find a nice social activity then show them photos from the last team BBQ you had.
If you really want someone to join your academy instead of blurting out what YOU think is the best part about it, aim to understand what they’re looking for. Once you understand what they’re really looking for, you can easily explain to them why your Jiu Jitsu academy is the vehicle that will get them to their elephant.
So again, whenever you’re talking to potential new students remember to ALWAYS focus on asking them about their elephants. Then simply proceed to tell them “If you’re looking for elephants, we have awesome, awesome elephants in our community.” It’s just a super easy and fun way to remember what to focus when dealing with potential students.
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Your Jiu Jitsu Marketing guy,
Itamar
