The White Belt Checklist For the First Tournament Experience

By
BJJ World
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White Belt tournament

So, you’ve decided that you’re ready to compete at your first ever tournament. You’ve been training for a while now, you’ve got a stripe or two, you’re ready to go. You’re going to destroy everyone in the competition. Although that is a great attitude, it will likely lead to a brutal reality check in a competitive environment. When you’re a white belt who is looking to compete for the first time, the smart approach is to take it easy.

People stay at white belt for an average of a year and a half to two years. During that time a few stages take place. The first couple of months are life-changing, mind-moulding, ego-removing torture that everyone goes through. Afterwards, as you ease into BJJ it’s time to find a way to survive. After a couple more months of pure survival, your own game will start to develop slowly. So, in those terms, make sure you’re at least at this third stage or above before you consider conquering your weight division at white belt.

Realistic Expectations For A White Belt

First and foremost, before considering anything else, you must make sure you’re ready to compete. If you’re in your second month of BJJ, without any martial arts background, but are feeling strong and confident, talk to your instructor. You’ll more likely than not, be advised to give it a few more months. Primarily, this is for your own benefit. Remember the first few training sessions? Well, multiply that by a 100. Nothing is going to kill your confidence and desire to train faster than a premature tournament. So, stay patient for a little more while. When you start achieving some success in training through proper technique, you can start thinking about competing.

In terms of expectations, try to stay as real as you can. Even if you’re having moderate success in training, a tournament experience, especially a first one, is a whole different thing. There’s no need to put unnecessary pressure on yourself by setting a goal to beat everyone by submission. Make sure you set a realistic and achievable goal, like winning technically, or at least pulling off a move you’ve been working on. The BJJ journey is a long one and your victories will come.

Also, don’t make the Europeans or Worlds your first tournament. No matter how hard you trained, you won’t be ready for the white belt division there. Go to a few local tournaments first to get the feel of it all. Start small and, as you gain experience, look for bigger tournaments with tougher competition.

Tournament Gameplan

So, you got two stripes on your belt, almost a year of experience and you’ve rarely missed a class. Your instructor agrees that you’re ready for your first tournament. Now what? do you just keep doing what you’re doing and just jump in hoping for the best? Well, you could do this, but there is a better way to go about tournament preparation.

To start with, leave yourself enough time. Choose a tournament that is at least 6 weeks away, preferably 8, so that you have sufficient time to prepare. During this time you need to stay focused only on what you need for the tournament.

From a technical standpoint, drilling and situational sparring are crucial. Remember that you are still a white belt, which means that sticking to the basics is your best choice. Even then, go for a few chosen moves that your instructor agrees are your best. Make sure you have at least one takedown, one pass, one sweep and submission or two in your arsenal. Look for those moves in rolling and keep drilling them every class.

At white belt, there is no real use of an elaborate conditioning plan. However, you need to be in decent shape in order to avoid gassing out. You won’t get much stronger in a short time, so conditioning is a better fit. Keeping in mind that it is your first tournament, rest and recovery should be your main focus. If you’re too tired in BJJ class you should dial your conditioning down. Stick to basics like bodyweight exercises and aerobic work and you’ll do just fine.

White Belt Tournament Plan

Weight Classes101

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a weight class sport. You have to take this into account when you’re looking to compete. Usually, people try to be as big as possible, meaning they cut a certain amount of weight. Although people can’t get much bigger due to same day weigh-ins, you should look to choose the correct weight class.

Traditionally, there are 9 weight divisions, from Rooster Weight to Ultra Heavy Weight, plus the Absolute Division. That allows for plenty of options without risking your health. It is not advisable for anyone to cut more than a few pounds before a competition. At white belt level, this is even more important. Try to cut the least amount of weight possible, if any, before your first tournament.

This does not mean that you should be overweight and get into a division too big for you. A division up usually means both taller and heavier opponents, so try and stay within a range that suits your body type.

Rules And Regulations

On a different note, get acquainted with the tournament format. Make sure you’re aware of all the rules since different organizations tend to have different rules. As a white belt, you are going to be severely limited in a technical aspect. There are plenty of techniques that are illegal at white belt across most of the organizations out there. Another important factor is to know if it is a Gi or No-Gi tournament. Some organizations, like the IBJJF, do not allow white belts to compete in No-Gi. Get to know the Gi requirements as well, since you can get DQed if your Gi does not fulfill certain standards.

Age is also an important factor. In BJJ, people usually go from kids and juvenile categories, through the adult category towards the masters’ categories. A juvenile white belt will have even more restrictive rules, due to safety concerns, than an adult one. A 35-year-old white belt is better suited for the Masters’ categories than the adult ones.

Despite the usual practice being same day weigh-ins, there are exceptions. Make sure you know when the weigh-ins are because it does make a huge difference.

White Belt Competition Victory

The White Belt Mindset

As a white belt, just focus on having a positive experience from your first tournament, regardless of the outcome. Get into it knowing that only one thing is certain – you’re going to have at least one match. Think about getting through it and skip focusing on medals. The more technical you are, the sooner medals are going to start coming your way.

Likewise, do not be scared by the brackets. Better, yet, skip looking at them all together. It doesn’t matter who your opponent is, what matters is what you can do in the match. At white belt, sound technique and a calm mind are going to beat brute force 99 % of the time. Stay calm, try to relax and remember to keep breathing. Go through this checklist before registering and don’t forget to enjoy your first competitive experience!

The Best DVD and Digital Instructionals For BJJ White Belts

The White Belt Manifesto – A Guide For Surviving BJJ

BJJ Fundamentals Every White Belt Have to Know

10 Obvious Reasons Why You’re still a White Belt

How to Get The Most Out Of a BJJ Open Mat With These Strategies

By
BJJ World
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BJJ Open Mat

Sparring in BJJ, or rolling as it is referred to, is the most fun part of training. Apart from tournaments, MMA or a self-defense scenario, this is where people get to try out the stuff they’ve learned. The nature of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu allows for both the mind and body to be engaged during rolling. Especially at the advanced levels, BJJ rolls often turn into elaborate chess matches. Not even the smallest move is without potential dire consequence for one of the two people engaged. In fact, rolling is so fun, that most academies in the world have a dedicated day for it. It is the BJJ open mat. But was it originally intended to be a couple of hours long sparring session?

A BJJ open mat is the one day of the week where there is no structured class. By that, I mean literally no structure. Students get to warm up themselves and there’s no demonstration of techniques. In some schools, there aren’t even rounds on the timer. An open mat day is all about rolling, period. Well, no, as this is not the original intention. The basic concept of open mat did include rolling, but not as the sole focus of the class. Let’s take a look at the idea behind the BJJ open mat day before we explore different approaches for students of different skill levels.

The Point Of The BJJ Open Mat Day

In essence, the point of the BJJ open mat is to expand your game. Then again, most people perceive rolling as the only way to do so. Nevertheless, this approach is not the correct one. The time during open mat should be used wisely, with progress as the main objective. Despite what most people think, rolling is not directly proportional to progress. In fact, it often leads to erroneous habits that get exposed in tournaments.

First and foremost, the open mat is a place for improving your game. A big part of that is talking to your instructors. Whether it is asking questions, developing competetive strategies or a general game plan, an open mat is the place for Q&A. Instructors, on the other hand, need to be at students’ disposal during open mats, in cases of questions regarding technique.

Another huge benefit that is often overlooked is the time to drill. Most open mat sessions last at least a couple of hours, often more. This offers plentiful time that can be put towards drilling favorite moves, new stuff or polishing up things you’re not good at. We already covered the importance of drilling before.  Regular classes can only dedicate a small part of class towards drilling. Open mat is where you get to put the reps in.

Competition preparation is one more aspect that can be addressed at a BJJ open mat. It is a great opportunity to discuss strategy with your instructors. A student can also discover areas of the game that need improvement and focus on those. Ask your instructor for an opinion, devise a strategy and get drilling. There’ll still be enough time to roll.

You could even do some extra conditioning at open mat, but who wants to do pushups when they can roll, right?

BJJ Open Mat

Open Mat Strategies For Beginners

From a skill level standpoint, not everyone should approach open mat in the same manner. Beginners have a lot of fundamental things to learn. They cannot grasp most of the fundamentals while rolling at full speed. In turn, there is a need for a much more structured approach.

Seeing as movement is one of the top goals for a beginner, it should also be a huge part of open mat sessions. It is advisable for new students to utilize solo drills based on movement, if not separately than as part of their warm-up. The body needs to adapt to patterns like shrimping, bridging and tumbling.

More advanced beginners that have a grasp on movement can engage in partner drills. The closed guard is a top priority for white and blue belts. So are a few passes from different situations and a takedown or two. Instructor supervision is advisable, but not necessary. Just make sure you get as many reps as possible.

The Q&A we mentioned before is arguably way more important for new students, as opposed to more advanced ones. The problem is that they’ll ask about everything, from basic sweeps to flying Gogoplatas. It is the instructor’s task to primarily point their questions in the right direction, before providing them with appropriate answers.

Of course, white belts are still going to want to roll. Despite their burning desire to get smashed, it is a good idea to do a few position sparring rounds first. Ideally, they’d be in line with the drills done earlier. That way, students can test the level of their newly acquired skill in a controlled resistance environment. And yes, they do get to roll at the end.

BJJ Open Mat

Open Mat For The Advanced student

As with the beginners, the advanced students (yup, even black belts) should partake in drilling during BJJ open mat. Of course, with a much different approach to that of white belts. Higher resistance partner drills or longer scenarios should be the focus of the session. It’ll allow students to perfect finer technical aspects like angles, positioning, and pressure. A lot of takedown drills are mandatory and, despite current practice, should not be skipped.

For competitors, an open mat is a time to re-discuss strategy over and over again. A good rule of thumb is to go over it at the start of every open mat. That way, you’ll know what to drill, how intensely, and what you should improve. again, the strategy has to encompass everything, from standing tactics to counterfeiting on the ground.

During rolling, higher belts need to aim to roll with every belt level on the mats. Even so, all rolls shouldn’t be approached the same. Whenever a higher belt rolls with a lower belt, the point is not to destroy the less skilled student. When a purple belt rolls with a white one, they should look to practice new things that are not a part of their game. All experimentation should begin against lower-ranked opposition, before testing it out against your peers. This is a great way to develop aspects of the game that you’re not proficient at.

When a student rolls with equal or higher-skilled partners, goals should adjust accordingly. Namely, same-level partners offer a great insight into how effective a competition strategy is. Higher-ranked partners are great for practicing defense and counter-fighting concepts.

Finally, flow rolling is a good way to get loose, practice transitioning and work up a sweat before all-out rolling.

9 Reasons Why You Are Annoying to Roll With

https://bjj-world.com/blue-belt-requirements/

Do not Disrespect Women When Rolling With Them

How Pulling Guard In Jiu-Jitsu Improves Your Takedowns

By
BJJ World
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The guard has always been a source of fascination for people outside of BJJ. Successfully fighting off your back was considered impossible before BJJ came along. Royce Gracie turned the spotlight towards the power of the guard at the UCF. Before and after, there were many Gracie challenges in which members of the founding family used the guard with pinpoint precision. Only after the guard burst on the martial arts scene did people consider using it offensively. However, another aspect arose, now that the guard was popular – how to get there offensively. Consequently, different ways pulling guard started to develop.

Defensively speaking, the BJJ guard is a great option against a successful takedown. In BJJ, despite a slight loss of points, it allows for a very offensive game from a highly controllable position. In MMA, it provides a great option to tie up an opponent, effectively neutralizing all striking attempts while opening up attacks. Logically, pulling guard would be a counterproductive move in MMA, but in grappling, it opens up a whole new dimension.

The Essentials of Pulling Guard

Pulling guard has gotten a bad rep over the years. Despite the guard’s clear effectiveness, somehow it is considered a cowardly move. The premise is that pulling guard is a shortcut to the ground, avoiding a takedown battle on the feet. Actually, It is quite similar to the leg-locking conundrum. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guard is a highly offensive position and presents a real challenge for the top opponent to deal with. As such, pulling guard should be considered as an offensive move, a takedown of sorts.

There are plenty of technical nuances to a full guard pull. A good guard pull starts with properly placed grips. It is imperative that there’s one grip on the opponent’s sleeve, right above the elbow. This grip has the task of controlling the arm, preventing it from grabbing the leg that goes up. The other grip can hold many spots on the collar, with collar-bone height the preference for most.

The idea behind a guard pull is to control the distance while attaining the position. In order to achieve this, one leg has to go in the hip fold of the opponent. This, essentially, leaves the guard puller standing on one leg, but this is a very temporary position. From there, it’s all about going down while using the leg placed on the hip to maintain distance and pivot to the side. The final touch is getting to the full guard position by crossing the feet behind the opponent’s back.

A very dangerous, yet admittedly effective version of guard pulling is to jump to closed guard. There’s no distance or foot placement here, as one jumps straight to guard after getting the grips. This variation is the source of plenty of career ending injuries and should only be attempted at more advanced levels.

Pulling Half Guard

If the half guard is more your forte then you can skip going to the full guard altogether. Although you can transition into half guard after pulling guard, it’s generally safer to go straight for a half guard pull. The BJJ half guard position is a highly effective one, leading to sweeps, transitions or submissions.

Technically speaking, the grip positioning stays the same, while the pull is somewhat different. This time, the opposite side leg is the first to engage. However, instead of going on the hip it goes between the opponent’s legs, hooking the behind of his near side knee. In order to be successful, this hooking motion has to happen simultaneously with you dropping to your side. From there, the crucial point in order to gain control is turning the sleeve grip into an underhook. Afterwards, you just lock the legs and you’re there.

Need a top JIu-Jitsu half guard resource? Check out Bernardo Faria’s latest DVD release and you’ll master pulling the half guard in no time.

Fake Closed Guard Pull

A pure BJJ player would have a hard time on the feet against wrestlers and Judo players. It is completely understandable why BJJ has developed a unique way to cope with this dominance. As such, let’s look at a few very offensive options available from a guard pull attempt.

First and foremost, a guard pull can easily be turned into a takedown. An ankle picks takedown off of a fake guard pull is a favorite move of some of the best BJJ players to ever compete. Think of it as an elaborate fail-safe. First, you fake going for a guard pull, only to switch it to an ankle pick halfway. Provided that it works, you end up in the top position. In the case of failure, you always have the full guard to fall back to. Neat, isn’t it?

Furthermore, if you really like to confuse an opponent, you could always go for a sacrifice throw off the guard pull. Actually, this combination requires all the mechanics of pulling guard up to the point of closing the legs. Instead of pursuing full guard, you position your fall so that you end up slightly more underneath your opponent. From there, it’s takeoff time for them, and instant mount for you.

Pulling guard can also lead you straight to a sweep or quick finish. The tripod sweep, for example, is readily available straight off the pull. Quick armbars, Omoplata setups, triangle attacks are all up for the taking. So are plenty of flying submissions that can be connected to guard pulls. Attempt them at your own risk.

As you can see, you don’t even have to close the guard in order to have an effective game, You do, however, need to know how to pull guard in order to get there.

 Keep Rollin’

Pulling guard

BJJ practitioner pulled guard on “ready to fight” security guard

WARNING: The Worst Leg Break in Jiu Jitsu Ever

The Best Open Guard Retention Concept video you will ever Watch!

Yuri Simoes Collar Drag vs Travis Stevens – Breakdown

By
BJJ World
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ADCC champion Yuri Simoes dis a takedown on Judo Olympic silver medalist, Travis Stevens in BJJ super fight at Fight 2 Win Pro. Yuri was also able to win against Travis Stevens by Split Decision.

Taking down Judo Olympic medalist is probably one of the hardest takedowns to achieve in any grappling martial art. Especially, grappling martial art that uses GI like in this case.

He used a collar drag which is a common and very effective takedown in BJJ. It’s also very effective in all grappling martial arts with GI.

It’s usually done so that you can get a cross-collar grip and the opponent has no grips. Then you immediately go for collar drag. You have to block their far leg with your closer leg to your opponent and come up quickly for a single takedown. If you fail to do it, you can pull open or half guard, as u usually, you have a good angle to continue attacks.

The difference between effective of Collar Drag takedowns grappling martial arts with gi and Judo is that leg grabs in Judo are illegal. And that’s maybe something that Travis Stevens didn’t get used to as much as he did with all other collar takedowns.

Check the breakdown of Yuri Simoes’ Collar Drag takedown!

Very Effective Takedowns for People Who Suck at Takedowns

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

Most Effective Types Of Grappling Martial Arts

By
BJJ World
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Grappling martial Arts

In the world of martial arts, there are two dominant categories created by the area in which a match takes place. The two areas are on the feet and on the ground. In order to make this distinction even easier, the manner of fighting decides the category of an art. In those terms, there can be striking martial arts and grappling martial arts. Of course, with MMA we see a very successful blend of the aforementioned. However, if we focus precisely on one of these categories, could we determine the most dominant art of the bunch?

In fact, let’s give the striking arts a recognition before we shelf them in anticipation of their own article. Every art that consists of punching and kicking while at a distance can be considered a striking martial art. Karate, Boxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Savate etc, are among the top representatives of the category.

On the other hand, we have a huge selection of grappling martial arts,  based on the principles of control and leverage. Let’s focus solely on this category for now, in an attempt to see which one (if any) has the upper hand over the others.

Grappling Martial Arts – A Review

First and foremost, it is important to clearly define the term grappling. A good definition of grappling is that it represents a style of martial arts comprised of close quarters, control and grabbing based combat. Furthermore, grappling’s main focus is domination via leverage and angling both on the feet and on the ground. In both scenarios, the lack of striking is notable. The close proximity of fighters engaged in grappling, as well as the manner in which they utilize their limbs, makes striking redundant. Or, at the very least, effective striking.

With grappling art, the emphasis is on controlling an opponent as thoroughly as possible. The ground is the best area to do so, providing an immovable platform upon which pressure can be applied. In order to achieve ground control, one has to take the fight there in the first place. By the same token, in order to get the fight to the ground, one has to achieve a certain amount of control while standing. This demonstrates that grappling arts are focused on attaining control standing, getting the fight to the ground and domination when grounded.

As close as one art comes to encompassing all these defining traits of grappling, there’s no single art that does so to great effect. Grappling martial arts are numerous and almost impossible to account for in entirety. Instead, we’re going to present the most prevalent and effective ones, in their respective areas of grappling. Afterward, feel free to make your choice (or multiple ones).

Grappling Martial Arts, BJJ

Jiu-Jitsu

Arguably the oldest of the martial arts, Jiu-Jitsu has been subject to evolution since it’s conception. Attributed to the Buddhist Indian monks, the art was refined in Japan. For centuries, it was the samurai’s choice of unarmed combat. Given the fact that striking was largely unsuccessful against armor, grappling became the prominent fighting style amongst the famed Japanese warriors. Later on, the art gave birth to Judo, which is going to be covered in more detail further along.

Probably the most important evolution, and arguably the most complete grappling style ever, originates from Jiu-Jitsu. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was developed in Brazil by the Gracie family by modifying Judo to suit their smaller frames. Today, it is the most widespread grappling style in the world, still subject to evolution.

Jiu-Jitsu, since it’s samurai days, was based around throws, joint locks and strangles. Only when BJJ entered the scene did the submission aspect of the art develop immensely. namely, BJJ is unrivaled in the department of ground fighting. Countless positions, transitions, and pins have been developed to the tiniest detail. Moreover, joint locks and strangles were perfected so far that they became unstoppable by any other art. There’s no greater witness to this than the early UFCs.

This specialization of BJJ towards the ground took away from the arts prowess in the standing departments. BJJ is notoriously poor in original options for throws and takedowns. So much so, that they borrow most of their best stuff from other grappling martial arts. Also, rulesets have crippled art in terms of submission opportunities. BJJ remains focused on upper body submissions resulting in an imbalanced art.

Judo

Judo is the primary child of the original Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Dr. Jigoro Kano perfected the art in the 1880’s. Kano brought the concept of free-sparring to the practice of techniques, resulting in modern Judo. Such is the popularity of the art, that it is still a staple of military and police training in Japan.

As a grappling martial art, Judo’s focus is on the feet. In stark contrast to BJJ, Judo specializes in throws and certain pins, with a submission or two sprinkled along. The art is based heavily on upper body manipulation via grips on the sleeves and/or collar of the traditional Gi. Judo’s use of throw is very elaborate in every department, from gripping, through angles to brutally explosive finishes.

Similarly to BJJ, Judo is another art castrated by rules. Very effective takedowns have been removed from the sports version deemed as too dangerous. The result is an art amazing at throws but, crippled in every other aspect of grappling.

Grappling Martial Arts, Judo

Wrestling

Most people associate wrestling with the Olympics. Despite becoming popular during the games in ancient Greece, it is a much older art. The correct origins are unknown.

Wrestling is a very popular art in American and Eastern European culture. Top wrestlers usually come from the USA, Russia or Bulgaria. Due to its complex origins, wrestling has plenty of styles, all characteristic of the culture they come from. Bokh is the Mongolian version, Korea has Ssireum, Brazil has Luta Livre and China has Shuai Jiao. There’s also Turkish oil wrestling.

Basically, wrestling is the art of getting someone down and holding them there via a pin. Takedowns include both upper and lower body manipulation and are vicious and explosive by nature. Most wrestling takes place in shorts or minimal clothing, thus requiring different control points to those of Judo. On the ground, wrestling is undisputed in terms of pinning someone on the ground by way of weight distribution or limb manipulation.

Catch wrestling is a British style of wrestling that adds submissions to the mix. Another candidate for a complete grappling martial art it does not focus on specific ground control as much as BJJ. On a plus side, it does utilize all of wrestling’s takedown supremacy.

Sambo

Literally meaning “Self-Defence Without Weapons” Sambo is a Russian art belonging to the grappling martial arts category. It was developed during the 1920’s for military purposes. It integrated parts of other grappling martial arts like Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and wrestling. Vasili Oshchepkov and Viktor Spiridonov are the main culprits behind this grappling art.

Sambo’s uniform consists of a Gi on top and shorts on the bottom, including wrestling shoes. Technically, Sambo is the king of leg locking submissions. Armlock is another big focus of Sambo at the expense of chokes and strangles. While most of the takedowns come from other arts, there is some effective innovation in the department. It is rumored that the Gracies turned to Sambo in order to acquire knowledge about leg locks. Strangely, despite adding them to the art, BJJ practitioners chose to austercize them going forward.

Grappling martial Arts, Sambo

Sumo

Despite requiring a very specific lifestyle, Sumo is definitely wort ha mention among grappling martial arts. This unique Japanese art focuses on pushing or pulling an opponent out of a circular ring or making them touch the ground. As entertaining as Sumo wrestling is, it requires practitioners to be notoriously heavy, making it impractical for most. However, it is a captivating art worth admiring!

So, now that you know the pros and cons of every art, what would you choose? Would you go in the direction of specialization or give cross training a try? Maybe you like to eat and will choose Sumo as your art. Whatever your choice, make sure you know what works before you jump on board!

Maybe you will find it interesting…

Grappling vs Striking or How to Fight As a Grappler in a Street Fight

Aikido vs Grappling – Fantasy vs Reality – Wrestler vs Aikidoka

What’s The Most Effective Grappling Martial Art? Is it BJJ?

Inside 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Grappling Concepts That Work

By
BJJ World
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10th Planet Jiu Jitsu

Where there’s innovation, there’s always controversy. People, in general, are unwilling to accept change and innovation straight away. Controversy usually stems from this resistance to change. In those terms, Jiu-Jitsu is no different than any other aspect of life. Despite being a result of the evolution and adaptation of earlier art, BJJ can be very defiant in the face of change. This often comes at a cost, as demonstrated by the case of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu.

10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu is a worldwide BJJ organization that focuses on a very distinctive style of Jiu-Jitsu. Namely, they are the original advocates of pure No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu and are in part responsible for the “colorful” rashguard designs associated with modern BJJ. 10th Planet’s eccentric founder Eddie Bravo is definitely a brilliant Jiu-Jitsu character, albeit an eccentric one. But that is part of the charm that lies behind 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. The organization does present a bottomless pit of BJJ innovation, that often gets unfairly criticized before it gets recognized.

The Eddie Bravo Story

Eddie Bravo is a Jean Jacques black belt, based out of LA. He spends most of his time teaching at 10th Planet HQ. So far, the organization has 40 plus schools subscribing to its system spread around the world.

Eddie Bravo, or Edgar Cano as is his original name, used to train wrestling before discovering The Gentle Art. He joined Machado’s academy in 1994. Even since his earliest days, he’s been an innovator, a feat encouraged by the unique Jean Jacques. In fact, JJ Machado was forced to innovate along his own Jiu-Jitsu journey, being born with Amniotic Band Syndrome. The renowned coral belt was born without fingers on his left hand, which led to him discovering alternate grips during training. Unable to grip the Gi in a traditional sense, Jean Jacques used hooking motions to great success in order to compensate for his disability.

During his early days, Eddie Bravo managed to pull off a rare wrestling submission he later dubbed “the Twister”. His most notable competitive success to date, though, is his ADCC 2003 victory over Royler Grace. Bravo managed to catch the famed Brazilian in a triangle choke, tapping out a Gracie which was considered near impossible at the time. Even more impressive was the fact that Bravo was a brown belt at the time.

Check out the video of Eddie Bravo vs Royler Gracie at the ADCC 2003.

Encouraged by his teacher Bravo went on to build a style of his own, mostly based on his extraordinary flexibility and open-minded approach. Not every move of his is efficient, but it’s refreshing that he is the first to admit it and work towards improvements. Now, controversy is never far from Bravo who is a die-hard conspiracy theorist. For example, he named his gym “10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu” while claiming the Earth is flat.

10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Breakthrough Concepts

10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu has been the subject of condemnation from a large portion of the Gracie family since its inception. Whether because of Bravo’s ADCC victory or the fact that he chose to go exclusively No-Gi, his gym never got truly recognized by the founding family. In turn, much of the BJJ community harbored reservations towards the system in the early days.

Despite a certain “lack of popularity, Bravo managed to push through and build a truly impressive system. He kept going in his desired direction, developing a Jiu-Jitsu style that might not be suited for everyone. Or at least it seems so to the uninitiated. Unorthodox as some of the 10th planet positions might be, they are by no means ineffective. Let’s look at some of the concepts that are applicable to every grappler’s game.

The Rubber Guard

The Rubber Guard is Bravo’s main Jiu-Jitsu lovechild. It is a complex guard system based on Bravo’s remarkable flexibility. Since the early days, the guard system has progressed toward a more general-population-friendly version. Originally, the rubber guard was developed as the ultimate MMA guard. It revolves around having the opponent’s posture broken at all times while exploring one of many attacking options.

The Lockdown

The Lockdown is a less demanding position in terms of mobility requirements. It is a half-guard variation that offers enormous control from the bottom. A myriad of sweeps and transitions into unique submissions are available from the lockdown. The ‘Electric Chair” is probably the most famous one. Most recently, Bravo called upon it to Battle Royler Gracie for the second time.

The Twister

The Twister is not a move invented by Bravo, but he put a lot of time into perfecting it for BJJ purposes. Historically known as “The Wrestler’s Guillotine” Bravo utilizes it as both a spine-twisting submission and a controlling position. Transitions to other positions specific to the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system are also available.

The Truck

One more in the innovative 10th Planet toolbox, the truck is a lower-body control position. It can be used to access the Twister, the back, or a few submission options involving the legs. A brutal calf slicer is available from the position as demonstrated in MMA matches. The entry is also possible from a whole host of top positions, making it a great halfway stop between top positions and back control.

Now, these are not 10th Planet’s only concepts, but they are the most effective ones. Keep in mind that Eddie Bravo is an artist (a musician) and has the mindset of one. If you are looking for a more cerebral, methodical approach, John Danaher is a better fit for you. If you don’t mind experimentation and the inevitable failures it brings on the road to success then check out 10th Planet.

The 10th Planet Warmup Series

Another huge step in BJJ innovation is the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Warmup series. In particular, it is a system of drills that go beyond one-step repetitions of techniques. The reasoning behind the system is that BJJ lacks a comprehensive drilling system like standup arts. For example, boxers and kickboxers can practice shadow boxing in order to fine-tune their technique.

The inherent need for a partner in BJJ makes this kind of drilling impossible. However, Bravo’s logic states that working on predetermined scenarios can greatly increase muscle memory in grapplers. Following this train of thought, he developed a system of flow-based scenarios where both partners get to work. He utilizes the system mainly as a warm-up before class, evolving the flows with time.

The EBI Revolution

Finally, the latest !0th Planet Jiu-Jitsu revolution came in one of the most popular tournament formats of today. The Eddie Bravo Invitational or EBI is a professional submission only, No-Gi tournament featuring top-level grapplers. Despite being a platform for advertising his style of Jiu-Jitsu, it offers a great opportunity for grapplers to earn some money competing.

The rules of the tournament are another innovation of Bravo’s, offering original overtime rounds in order to produce a clear winner. There are no draws under the EBI rules. There are no forbidden submissions during an initial 10 minute round. Unless someone taps or naps, overtime rounds take place. In overtime, competitors take turns in position-sparring-like situations, consisting of an armbar position (spiderweb) and back control. The way to win is by submission or the fastest escape time.

EBI’s popularity is constantly growing and the tournament is streamed on UFC Fight Pass. A huge positive is a ruleset that has been accepted by competitions worldwide as one of the top tournament platforms. Much like BJJ itself, 10th Planet keeps evolving and changing for the better as time passes by.

Eddie Bravo Submitting Bigger Opponents

Gogoplata Details That Will Change Your Game Forever

Fake BJJ Purple Belt and Cop Exposed at McGuin Jiu Jitsu Academy

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BJJ World
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Fake BJJ Purple Belt and and Cop Exposed at McGuin Jiu Jitsu Academy

*Fake Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and fake cop gets exposed at McGuin Jiu-Jitsu Academy* -a guy walks in and claims he’s a purple belt and a cop.

What happens next is pure gold. He was a good sport and I made sure no one got hurt. Fake BJJ Purple Belt admitted he was training some kind of grappling martial arts or Jiu Kitsu but he didn’t know how to explain what grappling martial arts he was training actually.

Jay Queiroz – Fake BJJ Black Belt – The Latest Update

BREAKING: Renzo Gracie vs Sakuraba – REMATCH Announced

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BJJ World
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Renzo Gracie vs Sakuraba rematch

Nearly 18 years after the first fight in Pride FC of Renzo Gracie and “the Gracie Hunter” Sakuraba they will do a rematch.

Renzo Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba happened in August of 2000 in PRIDE FC 10 event. That fight ended when Renzo refused to tap to Sakuraba’s kimura 11 seconds before the end. Renzo suffered a broken arm in that fight.

It was one of the fights that really made history in Japan. Even before the fight between Sakuraba And Renzo Gracie Sakuraba was able to dominate every Gracie he fought with. That’s why he got a nickname “the Gracie Hunter”

Now, 18 years after, Renzo and Sakuraba will do a rematch in ONE Championship Organization. It’s still unknown if this bout will be a fight with MMA or grappling rules as their previous grappling match happened in 2014 at Metamoris 5. Also, Sakuraba had a second match against Ken Shamrock in October 2017 at RIZIN event with grappling rules. To be honest it was nothing worth watching as nothing actually happened in that grappling match.

The reason why this will probably be a grappling match lies in a fact that Renzo Gracie is 50 yr old and Sakuraba is 48 yr old. It’s really hard to believe that we could see something very interesting in a real MMA between those two rivals. But, you never know what’s going to happen in Japan, so everything is possible.

Check out how Sakuraba Broke Renzo’s arm in Pride FC 10 in 2000.

Renzo Gracie B**chslapped a guy who blew an air horn in His Ear

10 years of Kung Fu vs 10 years of BJJ in Renzo’s Gym

REVIEW: Battle Tested Half Guard – Bernardo Faria DVD

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BJJ World
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Bernardo Faria DVD

Looking to improve your half guard game? Well, a world champion’s instructional is always a good place to start. Even better, a World champion who is a half guard specialist. Granted, there are many variations of the half guard and there’s no one expert on them all. If you’re really into the half guard game you should start collecting. A great starting point would be Tom DeBlass’ Half Domination DVD. If you’re looking to invert than Roberto Cyborg’s stuff would be your best bet. If it’s more of a high-level half guard and deep half guard game you’re looking for, your search is over. You just need to grab a Bernardo Faria DVD and you’re all set. And not just any of his DVD’s, but “Battle-tested half Guard”.

ON SALE HERE:
Bernardo Faria DVD – Battle Tested Half Guard

Bernardo Faria DVD
Techniques List

Why Bernardo Faria?

As mentioned there are dozens of half guard experts out there. Why go with a Bernardo Faria DVD, you might ask? Well, first of all, he’s a World champion who has beat everyone with a half guard based game. His deep half guard is the stuff nightmares are made of. And the guy really spares no details.

In short, Faria is a World and European champion grappling under the Alliance banner. He’s a super-heavyweight who got his black belt from Ricardo Marques. The 30-year-old has dominated the IBJJF scene, haunting opponents with his half guard game. He did record a previous DVD focused on the deep half guard. It was an awesome instructional, very high level and packed with crucial details. So when I saw that he has a new DVD on the half guard subject, it didn’t take long for me to get it. Here’s what I think about it.

Battle Tested Half Guard – A Bernardo Faria DVD

Anyone who’s ever seen a Bernardo Faria DVD knows what to expect. He’s not shy on details and has the ability to focus on those that actually matter. Namely, Faria doesn’t dwell much on stuff that’s not helpful in regard to the techniques he’s demonstrating. Not everyone has the ability to make such a clear distinction between the crucial and less important while keeping things short and precise.

There isn’t one aspect of the half guard that isn’t covered in this DVD set. Interestingly, Faria’s focus is more towards the “traditional half guard rather than his trademark deep half. However, the DVD does not lack in innovation at all.

Structurally, the material is divided into 4 DVDs. Faria did not pull any punches recording this, as everything is covered. Stand-up, positional philosophies, sweeping, entries, submissions, even specialized grip fighting., everything is covered in depth. There’s also a system for every DVD and the subject presented in it. Check it out:

DVD 1

First of all, there’s the basic introductory part. Without too much babbling, he immediately arises interest by declaring that the DVDs contain his latest stuff from the past couple of years.

It all starts standing, with a few entries to the half guard by way of pulling guard. What I really liked is that he presents options from both standings and from the knees. This is where he first mentions the single-leg half guard, which, for me, was an entirely new concept. It is definitely an original position, one that he covers in-depth later on.

Sweeps are next on the menu on DVD 1. As a matter of fact, it kicks off with single-leg half sweeps which I found very interesting (and effective). There are a few counters to expected pass attempts and escapes, which are not too mouth-watering. The finishing options for an opponent trying to counter one of the sweeps, on the other hand, are a true highlight of the disc.

DVD 2

Furthermore, the second one is more of a classic Bernardo Faria DVD. You guessed it, it’s deep half guard time. Be that as it may, he does start off with the reverse half guard, another subject that hasn’t been really covered in instructionals. A couple of sweep options as well as prevention concepts for any serious half guard player out there.

I’m going to skip right over the deep half stuff, seeing as there’s no doubt on the subject’s quality given the guy demonstrating the moves. What I really liked was the grip fighting concept he presents near the end. My deep half sweep percentage has significantly improved, although my deep half-game is nothing to brag about. Well, for now, anyway.

DVD 3

The third section got me excited from the get-go. It begins with a move that encompasses the deep half guard, the single-leg half and a lapel sweep. ‘The Turkish Get Up” as he calls it, is based on the same movement pattern as the famed kettlebell exercise, not unknown to grapplers.

From there, though, the material takes a turn toward the defensive aspects of the game. First, a few really cool defense options against Kimuras, Guillotines and other chokes. Then, another trademark of Faria, an Omoplata setup from the half guard that works like a charm. Well, for me, at least. All you sweep enthusiast don’t worry, there are more half guard sweeps sprinkled in an around a few interesting guard recovery options.

DVD 4

Finally, we arrive at the final DVD. And it is nothing short of a big, fat, juicy, sweet cherry on top of this half guard cake. There are no techniques or moves shown in the final chapter. In a very original turn of events, Faria ends the DVD with 4 rolling sessions. However, they’re not regular rolling session, but ones with him playing half guard all the time. Moreover, all the rolls are precisely narrated by the man himself. He shares his mindset during the rolls, demonstrating all the stuff previously shown in the first three DVDs at a very high level. It’s simply a must-watch for all grapplers out there.

Conclusion

All in all, you get three 40 minutes long DVDs full of high-level instructions, topped off with another 50 minutes of narrated sparring. For such a reasonably priced set, it is a real bargain, containing 3 hours of top-class, innovative material. A half guard game changer without a doubt. this Bernardo Faria DVD is going straight into my favorites collection. Give it a try and it’ll end up on top of your list as well. Guaranteed!

ON SALE HERE:
Bernardo Faria DVD – Battle Tested Half Guard

Bernardo Faria DVD
Techniques List

REVIEW: Submission Escapes by Tom DeBlass DVD

REVIEW: Omoplata Everyone – Bernardo Faria

10 Obvious Reasons Why You’re still a White Belt

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BJJ World
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10 reasons why you're still a white belt

When will I get my Blue belt? Why Am I still a white belt? How come I didn’t get my Blue Belt on the last promotion? What am I doing wrong? Does my instructor hate me? These are all the questions white belts tend to ask themselves and their instructor. Well, there are more reasons why you’re still a white belt and it’s up to YOU to fix them.

1. Not Enough Roll Time

We all know that guy. For whatever reason, he never sticks around for live rolling. Or he always got some injury that persuades him to go live after class. It’s not enough for your coach to see that you come to class on a consistent basis. Your coach wants to see that you clearly understand the concepts he has taught and that you can demonstrate them effectively in a live situation. The first milestone of Jiu-Jitsu blue belt requirements requires one thing above any other, the demonstration. If you haven’t demonstrated your ability to execute the techniques in sparring effectively in front of your coach, don’t expect your belt to change colors anytime soon. Because that’s exactly what a “belt test” consists of. It’s demonstrating techniques you’ve learned in the class.

2. Not Enough Class Time

Now, on the opposite side of that coin, some people tend to show up to class late for whatever reasons and only make it in time to roll. Sure, these people might have a nice armbar or some other submission, but that’s 1% of jiu-jitsu. Constantly being late to class and only showing up for rolling is like missing all week of school and only showing up for the test. Sure, there might be some freaks of nature who can do all this and succeed anyway, but if you’re an average Joe you’re going to fail. The only way you are going to be able to earn your professor’s trust and convince him of your knowledge is if you give him the opportunity to pass his knowledge to you! That means showing up to class on time and letting him teach you his or the school’s curriculum. Even if it’s a technique you already know you should pay attention to! Maybe you missed some detail or a concept that could make your technique better and more efficient. Maybe your professor discovered a detail that will improve the technique.

3. You Don’t Compete

Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art, it’s a sport. It’s a sport with no off-season. BJJ tournament is running all year and a lot of coaches take pride in seeing their students at all belt levels test their skills against other academies. Either you win or lose your coach wants to see you support your academy by testing your skills in a BJJ tournament. Wearing the patch and not competing is like having a sword and shield and not following your brothers and into battle. You want to show the ability to subdue an unknown opponent after rolling with the guys from your academy and represent them. Your coach wants to see you wear the patch into battle and be an ambassador of your school while demonstrating your understanding of Jiu-Jitsu.

The Best DVD and Digital Instructionals For BJJ White Belts

4. You Don’t Support Your Academy

Jiu-jitsu academies, in my opinion, are unlike any martial arts associations in the entire world, in the sense that they are truly a family. Jiu-jitsu academies often have a clear lineage and close associations to other academies across the country and across the world who are under the same banner. Your coach wants to see you support the association. This means that when Mr. Gracie, Mr. Ribeiro, Mr. Medeiros, i.e. the head of your association comes to give a seminar at your school- you be there. If that means skipping a night of drinking to save money for the seminar then do it. If that means staying home Friday night so you can wake up early Saturday and go to the seminar, then do it. Also, a lot of associated academies like to do cross-training in order to prepare for tournaments and get students rolling with people with different tools and weapons. It’s important that you show up to things like this to support your academy and your coach, and most importantly your association.

5. You Care Too Much About the Color of Your Belt

“What’s on the blue belt test?”, “Is this going to be on the blue belt test?”, “When will I be good enough for my blue belt?” It’s okay to ask these questions a few times, and I’m sure your coach does want you to know. But once it becomes clear to your instructor that your main intention is getting promoted that will raise a red flag. Some wise man once said, “The belt will change colors on its own”. It’s quite ironic how the more you care about the belt, the slower it seems to come. Slow down, enjoy the experience. The white belt is like the freshmen year of high school. It sucks, but one day you will miss it because it only comes once, and for most people, a black belt is the LAST belt you’re ever gonna have and not to mention the toughest competition you’re ever gonna face, so why be in such a hurry? Take you’re time and enjoy the journey and you won’t regret it.

6. You Use too Much Strength instead of Technique

The whole concept behind Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that larger stronger and opponents have no advantage over smaller weaker ones. So if you’re constantly doing well in your academy by using brute strength and muscle to overcome your training partners, this is a clear sign you are not ready to start receiving a rank. Jiu-Jitsu is not about strength in any sense of the word. Strength will come into play at some point in time but that bench pressing and arm wrestling will NOT be part of your blue belt exam or any other belt exam in your BJJ career. Slow down, catch your breath, wipe the sweat off your head and focus on technique rather than strength. Play your guard against bigger opponents. Force yourself to work outside of your comfort zone. Use leverage and technique and you will start to see an improvement in your submission game and your belt color.

BJJ Fundamentals Every White Belt Have to Know

7. You Can’t Stay in one Academy

“Well, I would be a blue belt by now if I would have stayed at XYZ academy.” We all know that guy who cannot seem to stay at one academy for some time. A strong piece of advice for any white belt walking into a new academy, the professor does not care who you trained with before or how long you trained with them. A lot of black belts pride themselves on having homegrown champions and a homegrown curriculum for each belt level. It doesn’t matter if you were black belt level from XYZ guy because you’re still gonna have to reach blue belt level for your instructor. You don’t study plumbing for an electronics exam, so don’t expect to get your blue from Carlson with the jiu-jitsu you learned from Rickson. Your coach doesn’t want to just know your Jiu-jitsu, they want to know YOU. Try to stay at ONE academy if you can. If you can’t seem to find what you’re looking for at 2 or 3 or more academies then maybe the problem isn’t the instructors. Maybe BJJ just isn’t your thing and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s Simple, If you don’t stick around at one academy for at LEAST a year don’t plan on getting your blue belt.

8. You’re Too Predictable

If your coach has shown you 500 techniques and you can still only execute one when rolling then maybe you’re not ready for your Blue Belt. Show your coach that you’re paying attention to what he’s teaching and that you understand. And if you don’t understand, ask questions. If your instructor showed spider guard that day, play spider guard after class.  It’s not only important for your improvement but your instructor really wants you to absorb the information for your own personal gain. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu knowledge is power, and knowledge of a blue belt has to be better than white. Not just by one or two techniques but the full array of techniques.

9. You Don’t Correct Your Obvious Mistakes

The first time your coach tells you to fix some technique it’s OK. The second time, that’s OK too. But, the third and fourth time is still OK but you should fix it till then. But on the 9th, 10th, and 11th, no matter how supportive your instructor sounds, he wants to take the black belt off his waist and hang you with it. Listen to your coach even if sometimes what your coach tells you to do may be uncomfortable and unnatural. Maybe you feel like if you did what he says you will expose yourself to a submission or a bad position, but listen to him as he’s right in 99.999% of situations. If your Instructor keeps telling you to do something that feels unnatural it’s because you’ve created a bad habit and he desperately wants you to abandon it. Going from white to a blue belt isn’t just about learning new techniques but breaking bad habits. Stop giving up your back. Stop resting in bad positions. Stop holding onto the guillotine that is not working in that position. You might think that your coach doesn’t mistakes you continue to make, but it’s more likely that he sees everything. And if you don’t listen to your instructor you might end up being a 10-year white belt. And you won’t be the first one, there’s a lot of them.

10. You’re a No-GI guy

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and it should not be confused with MMA, no-gi grappling, Sambo, Judo, Catch Wrestling, or any other grappling sport. You have to learn the chokes, locks, guards, positions, and everything in BJJ in a GI. So, no amount of training in other NO GI grappling sports will make you a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You can progress faster, you can be better at rolling than many new students but for BJJ you’re a white belt. So, stop thinking about how you can strangle some blue belt or even purple belt because BJJ is more than just a roll. You have to show that you know all the techniques required for the blue belt and you have to make sure you know how to do BJJ-specific chokes and other submissions in the GI.

Conclusion

YOU ARE NOT AN INSTRUCTOR. Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructors dedicate large amounts of hours of their lives, to learn BJJ. They don’t just wake up in the morning and decide to be an instructor. Although there are many fakes around it takes hours and hours of vigorous training and learning. So don’t ever think for a second that anyone knows if you’re ready for a promotion more than your Instructor does. Put in the mat time, put in the class time, try to compete, support your instructor and your association, learn from your mistakes, show up to the class consistently, maintain the attitude of a student and continue to learn. The belt will change colors on its own!

Inspired by Garcia Mixed Martial Arts

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