It seems like Dean Lister always has the ultimate way on how to handle difficult positions in BJJ.
If you want to learn more from Dean Lister you should definitely check his best Instructionals on THIS LINK
Dean Lister on How to Handle Rear Naked Chokes
Solo BJJ Drills And Partner BJJ Drills Essential For Success
Just recently, Ben Askren tore into Jiu Jitsu on Rogan’s podcast. After the initial shock of someone second-guessing the “holy” art, I got the point. Askren was referring to BJJ’s lack of repetitive drills compared to wrestling. Come to think of it, he might’ve been right. BJJ drills are as enjoyable for students as much as warm-ups, and we all know what the most despised part of a BJJ class is. However, one look at world champions like the Miyao brothers (who are big proponents of drilling) and you start to wonder. Maybe all those BJJ Partner drills and Solo BJJ Drills the instructors insist upon actually have a role to play.
Almost every sport in the world has some sort of drill based training. The point is to allow practitioners to perfect certain sport-specific movements. Jiu Jitsu drills are no different. Although not everyone agrees or uses drills in the BJJ community, most people seem to utilize them. Albeit reluctantly, drills are used for introducing beginners to competition training. Do they really make such a difference in a student’s overall game? Let’s see why they’re considered to be irreplaceable and how to make them more fun!
The Importance Of BJJ Drills
So, how do these notorious drills fit in a BJJ class? Imagine that you’re learning a new guard pass in class. It’s a guard pass that is very effective, but you haven’t encountered it before. Now, do you think that you can go straight into using the pass in rolling or competition environments? Granted, you could attempt it, but unless you’re mega talented it won’t work straight away. Ultimately, you’ve got two choices going forward – trying it all the time in every roll, or dedicating a certain amount of time to adequate BJJ drills. Interestingly, drilling the move is going to result in much faster mastery of the move.
BJJ drills should be approached diligently in order to maximize their effectiveness. The point of drills is to familiarize the nervous system with certain patterns. What’s known as “muscle memory” is actually nervous system adaptation to a specific demand. Mastering drilling patterns mean that the body gets used to executing them much quicker compared to unfamiliar ones. Drills make the moves you apply more efficient, sparing your energy during rolling and competition.
When drilling a student should focus on executing every aspect of the technique as perfectly as possible. Drills should be performed slowly and precisely, always taking a move to the very end of the technique. The focus should be on details and correct execution. In the case of partner drills, appropriate resistance should be applied during drills. However, that doesn’t mean preventing the partner from executing the technique. Drilling is not position sparring unless specified.
Finally, Jiu Jitsu drills come in all shapes and sizes. Just like the art, drill patterns are subject to experimentation and development, removing boredom from the equation. Different level students can do different kinds of drills to maximize their understanding of the art.
Solo BJJ Drills For Beginners
Do new students of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu need to drill? The answer is yes, but appropriately. As mentioned in a previous article, white belts should focus on mastering the moves associated with their level. Namely, a beginner’s focus should be solely on perfecting body movement. Since lots of new students are not in BJJ shape, they also need to adapt their body’s abilities to the demands of the art. Both these aspects have a huge role in beginners’ drilling practices. In this category, solo drills are the only way to go.
BJJ Movement Drills
From white, all the way to black belt, hip escapes, bridges, technical stand-ups and similar movements do not change. The pattern of movement remains the same, only the context of their use during rolling is different. Apart from learning new techniques, beginners have to become as familiar as possible with the basic movement patterns of Jiu-Jitsu.
Solo drills can be done both at the gym and at home and can even be included in strength and conditioning programs. The above-mentioned trio of multidirectional hip escapes, different bridging variations and the technical stand up can be done everywhere, at any time. Break falls and movements like Granby rolls are a bit more supervision and are best done during class. They do provide a perfect warm-up opportunity. Check out some ideas on what you can do solo:
BJJ Mobility Drills
In terms of getting the body ready for BJJ, t is important to possess a certain level of mobility. While you don’t have to be Eddie Bravo flexible, stiffness does interfere with BJJ practice. A great way to get new students “into the groove” is to implement specific mobility drills. An added bonus of performing such drills is additional conditioning.
Wrestler sit outs, different crawl variations, some jumps as well as certain stretches can be organized as fun and efficient routines. Just take a look at Ginastica Natural:
Advanced Partner BJJ Drills
Once a student achieves blue a belt level, they might look at changing things up. Keep in mind, though, that solo drilling shouldn’t stop just because of a belt promotion. Think in terms of adding instead of subtracting. Solo BJJ drills can be done at home, during warm-up or during conditioning sessions.
Technical BJJ Drills
When people think about Jiu Jitsu drills, technical drilling is often the first thing that comes to mind. What is technical drilling? Technical drilling is the continuous repetitive practice of mostly singular moves, for time or reps. The partner’s resistance during technical drilling varies according to the students’ level and drilling goals. Learning drills tend to be slower but more detail oriented. Competition drills, on the other hand, often employ greater intensity, but lack of detail. Everything from the top and bottom movement to submit entries can be included in technical drills.
In order to successfully master a move, students must spend a certain amount of time doing drills. Going over a move a couple of times is far from enough. Drilling sessions have to be structured such that they result in maximal defectiveness. Instructor supervision is a must during technical drilling.
Advanced Flow Scenarios
For more advanced students, especially competitors, there are more complex drill structures. Instead of repeating one move over and over, students can focus on drilling scenarios. This way, both students actively interchange between attacking and defending from a multitude of positions. In recent years, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu developed an intricate system of flow drills that they use as warm-ups.
Also, check out 1 hour of Solo drills by a female Black Belt 4 times World Champion Rikako Yuasa.
10 Strength and Condition Bodyweight Exercises for Jiu Jitsu – Tutorial
How to Roll With Women Without Being an A$$hole
So, if you’re a man how do you roll with a woman? How do you do that? There are many cases where someone is being inappropriate with women in the gym. You can read about an inappropriate instructor who was hitting on his student in THIS ARTICLE
Chewy from Chewyjitsu has being asked questions from both women and men about this problem and here is what he said:
How do you roll with women? I’m asking this question because I’ve gotten questions from both ends. From the men, how do you roll with women, what’s the best way to go about it. And then from a lot of women recently I received some pretty crappy stops. I’ll share a couple stories with you guys.
One was a woman who was training at the gym and she had a great time and she was put into a choke which is no big deal. Just a choke, no big deal. But the man choking her was whispering in her ear sexual stuff which obviously upset her and made her feel really irritated. She spoke to the coach and the coach did not reprimand the man and he didn’t even go to ask them both. He didn’t say let’s step out of the mat and we’ll figure this all out. Instead, he shamed her and he sent her home. She was really upset, wondering is this normal for you? What should I do? It’s not normal. Go to another gym. Just check some other gyms out.
There was another situation where this woman, who was a blue belt. She was at the gym and she was training and her biggest problem was she couldn’t get the rolling partner. All the upper belt guys didn’t want to roll with her. So, she eventually gets one of the guys but some upper belt came and steals her partner.
She was so frustrated she is like, “I want to quit this gym and leave”. She was asking her self why won’t anybody train with me. She was saying that people don’t like to train with her because they think it’s the waste of time.
First off, how do you roll with women? Well, you just take it down a little bit. Although there are exceptions to this rule. I had some women coming to the gym that were rowdy. They leave guys with broken and busted noses and stuff like that. So, you have some really tough gritty guys and you got very soft men. And you got pretty tough, gritty, strong women and you got some softer, more feminine woman. It’s just the way it is. There’s always a spectrum. But, in most cases, you find that when you roll with a woman you take it down a little bit. As a man who’s like 200+ pounds, I don’t put my full pressure woman. I don’t use my full strength. A lot of times when I try to do is see if I can engage in a smooth roll and exchange as much technique as possible. Just pure fluid technique.
Now, some you guys out there think, I’m not gonna waste my time cause i’m not getting a really hard roll. You’re mistaken because if you train like this it’s really beneficial because you’re basically doing the technique in a fluid motion. Then, when you with the guys where you have to use more strength, you got that muscle behind the technique and it’s so much more crisp of the technique.
There are many women in this gym that if I bring new guys off the street and they roll with them women is gonna beat them. But, what I’m talking about is mainly where you’re even with the woman who may be of equal skill level or maybe your little bit better and you’re just much bigger, sometimes, you just need to take it down a little bit.
I’m saying this because it’s really important for us as a man in a male-dominated sport to bring women in and give them a safe comfortable environment to train. Because, this stuff can be incredibly empowering for men, but also for women. There are all the stories of women who used Jiu-Jitsu to stand up for themselves and defend themselves in really bad situations. That’s awesome, that’s so fantastic. But they can’t do that if they don’t get welcomed into the group and if they’re not able to train in a safe environment.
You got a bunch of knuckleheads who try to slam women and drag her forearm to the neck. These guys are 200+ pounds over the 120-pound woman and that’s not safe and that woman will not stick around and that sucks. That sucks because that woman might need that Jiu Jitsu to stand up for herself or defend herself in a situation down the road.
We’ve been doing women only class and you get to see women in their own little setting, and then you really realize it’s super important for them to feel safe and in the safe environment.
But anyway, I wanted to do this video just because I got questions from both sides and I wanted to share this. If your guy does your best exchange technique with them. You don’t have to win every time. Exchange technique with them and have a good with them. Make them feel safe, make them feel comfortable, have a good technique exchange with them. This way they can get the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu just like you can get the benefits.
You have to understand that women are never that close to someone. Never that close to someone except in situations of intimacy. So, it’s a weird thing for most women to get over. You need to make sure that you welcome them and help them get the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu.
Source: Chewjitsu YouTube
Ben Askren, Self Promoted BJJ Black Belt: “BJJ Schools Are Doing it WRONG!”
If you didn’t know there’s a story about Ben Askren about his self-promotion to a BJJ Black BELT. You can check it here:
Sonnen’s assertion is true – Ben Askren Declared himself as a Black Belt and “wrecks” Demian Maia
But now Ben Askren is going even further saying all BJJ Schools are doing it wrong. Check what he said in a video below:
https://youtu.be/ijAMRqBZgo8
Ben Askren: If You Want Your Son To Be a Man, make him a Wrestler not a Soccer Player
Throws And Takedowns For BJJ That Really Work
One of the reasons why Jiu Jitsu remains the dominant grappling art is the tendency to evolve. BJJ doesn’t stop at some imaginary border, claiming it is a complete art. It has developed significantly since it’s conception, encouraging experimentation along the way. Moreover, Jiu-Jitsu turns to other arts in departments where it lacks in original techniques. One very important aspect where this approach has paid off immensely is the top game. Takedowns for BJJ have been modified over the years, but in essence, they originate from other arts.
Despite its unparalleled ground fighting prowess, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu never got too creative on the feet. Essentially, this is in part due to the fact that there are martial arts specializing in such positions. So, borrowing and modifying from them is a logical and understandable step. Furthermore, this “borrowing” approach results in a careful selection of those techniques that actually work best. Many martial arts tend to get caught up the tradition, staying loyal to a curriculum that contains very ineffective moves. In the department of throws and takedowns for BJJ, thankfully, these techniques are few and far apart.
Wrestling Takedowns for BJJ
When talking about dominance in the standing engagements, wrestling is a clear top contender. Wrestling’s expertise in clinch fighting and takedown setups is by far superior to every other grappling art. However, since many aspects of wrestling as a sport differ from BJJ, not every move is applicable. Here, we bring you a selection of the highest percentage wrestling takedowns for BJJ.
The Double Leg Takedown
The double leg takedown is the king of takedowns. Effective in wrestling, MMA, BJJ and every grappling situation available. It is a staple of the sport of wrestling and is tailor-made for BJJ.
Initially, the double leg takedown requires a level change and specific shooting movement with the legs. Next, proper positioning has to be acquired before continuing with the move. Head on the outside, straight back and arms placed around the knees and driving shoulder pressure in the opponent’s abdomen are the cornerstones of the position. To finish, a grappler should drive forward while turning slightly to obtain a dominant angle. It usually leads to top side control or the opponent’s guard.
The Single Leg Takedown
The Single leg is closely related to the double leg and can be interchanged with it. For this takedown, it is crucial to keep the head on the inside while controlling their leg between yours. “Running the pipe”, or stepping back in a circular fashion completes the technique. The outcome is generally top half guard.
The Ankle Pick
This is a personal favorite of mine, playing directly into a BJJ game. While utilizing a lapel grip on one side, the goal is to create an angle to place a second grip on the opponent’s front leg ankle. Finishing the moves can be done both forward and backward, most often ending up in top side control or a leg drag position. The best bet is to pair it with a fake guard pull.
Upper Body Tie-Ups
The clinch game in wrestling is a very rich one and only certain aspects of it are very effective in BJJ. Among the best, few are the Arm Drag, Russian Tie, Snap-down and Body Lock Takedown. They combine perfectly among themselves or whit other takedowns fro a complete stand-up game.
Judo Throws For BJJ
Judo has a greater contribution to the throws department compared to takedowns for BJJ. This Japanese art is based around manipulating the upper body with strong grips while setting up vicious sweeps or throws. While undoubtedly effective, Judo’s traditional background has made it fairly one directional, limiting the expansion of the art. The legs cannot be grabbed by the arms under Judo rules, restricting the art to certain throws. On the other hand, this kind of restrictions has resulted in a high level of specialization in throwing techniques.
Note that the point of a Judo match is an Ippon and not ground fighting. So, in BJJ, people often utilize techniques like the foot sweeps, collar takedowns and “under armpit” throws in order to get a throw without a risk of getting entangled in ground positions and giving up their back like ending up in Kesa Gatame position.
Foot Sweeps
Since both Judo and BJJ utilize the use of a GI, the heavy grips use of Judo translates perfectly to Jiu Jitsu. Upper body control via lapel and/or sleeve grips is emphasized in Judo, especially with foot sweeps. Foot sweeps are a huge category and only a couple are enough for BJJ.
Uchi Mata / O Goshi
The Uchi Mata is the quintessential Judo throw. It’s devastating when done right and very applicable to BJJ. On the downside, it has a big learning curve and takes time to master. For a more basic and quickly attainable move, give the O Goshi a try. Just be careful not to show to0 much of your back to the opponent. This is the main reason why throws like the Drop Seio Nage are dangerous for BJJ.
Sumi Gaeshi / Tomoe Nage
Going underneath an opponent is very useful and can surprise even top quality opponents. The Sumi Gaeshi and Tomoe Nage are similar in nature but done under slightly different circumstances. The Sumi Gaeshi is an offensive move, while the Tomoe Nage is best utilized reactively, as a counter to a Single Leg Takedown. As far as BJJ throws go, they’re a must-have for your arsenal.
Drop Seoi Nage
Drop Seo Nage is one the throws that work very well in BJJ. It’s an advanced throw of Seoi Nage, a shoulder throw. One of the traditional 40 throws of Judo developed by Jigoro Kano. You can check the video below of Travis Stevens showing how to execute it.
Sambo Rolls For BJJ
While Sambo is not original in terms of takedown techniques, it is undoubtedly effective. Most of the moves used in Sambo are also borrowed from Judo or Wrestling, but there is some innovation included. Sambo’s heavy leg locking focus has provided innovative opportunities of getting to the ground.
Victor Roll
The Victor Roll is one of the best takedowns for BJJ, provided it is done right. It is a fairly complicated move to master, but it leads directly into a powerful submission. Despite being very similar to Judo throws, it does include grabbing of the legs, which is a no-go in sports Judo. The end result, when done correctly, is a powerful kneebar. Useful, right?
A Sprinkle Of Originality
Seeing how BJJ is the ultimate ground fighting system, it has developed original ways to end up there. Opposed to the carefully selected arsenal of borrowed moves, BJJ has an original takedown approach. Well, sort of.
Pulling Guard
Despite being seen as a cheating move in stand-up terms, pulling guard is nothing if not effective. The point of takedowns for BJJ is to take the fight to the ground. Well, pulling guard does just that, albeit in a reverse position. However, since BJJ is as effective (if not more) from the bottom as it is from the top, it is a legit way to get to the ground. After all, everyone looks to play to their strengths, so why not take the most direct route to your favorite position?
Josh Barnett on Starting Rolls On The Knees: “It’s Useless”
Yuri Simoes Collar Drag vs Travis Stevens – Breakdown
30 No-Gi Takedowns
The Real Reason Why You Need To Learn Takedowns – Epic Fail
7 Takedowns Every BJJ Fighter Have To Know
John Danaher’s Rashguards Part 2 – Female Attention Could Change Your Mind
There are some things about rashguards that could change your mind about wearing it every day, all day. If someone tells you that you’ll get attention from all the females around would you wear it?
Rash guards – Part 2: Now it’s time for a rash guard story that may change the minds of some of the vast numbers of rash guard doubters out there…I am an admirer of the great MMA fighter Jose Aldo – any time he fights, I’m watching. The night he fought Uriah Faber, I wanted to see it.
I don’t own a television, so I suggested to a bunch of my students that we go to a sports bar on the upper east side of Manhattan and watch it live and watch the great man at work. As always, I was running a little late and came in wearing my usual attire and began looking around for our table. Now my students and I actively seek out every opportunity to prank/ridicule/make fun of each other, my general weirdness gives them lots of raw material to work with! The entire group of them had dressed in rash guards and Fanny packs!
As I sat down there was a noticeable look from pretty much the entire bar as they all simultaneously asked the question, “who the f**k are these dorks and why are they dressed in those gimp outfits?” We all started laughing and started to watch the show.
Out of nowhere groups of women started coming up to our table and asking who we were and why were we dressed like that? Were we a sports team? Cyclists? Triathletes? Lunatics? Morons? Suddenly our table was neck deep in curious babes and hotties and the Jose Aldo fight was completely forgotten ??Every single one of my students got multiple phone numbers and action out of that escapade! (I was the only failure ????).
The dudes at the bar were furious and could not understand how a bunch of dorks in wetsuits who looked like they had beamed down from the deck of the starship Enterprise had gotten all the female attention ?? So, who knows…maybe you doubters ought to give it a try…my rash guard system worked as well for my students as my leg lock system…perhaps it can work for you too! ??
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeNyuXoDQ1U/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_ufi
Conditioning For BJJ – Competition Tips And Workout Programming
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a very physically demanding sport. People only looking to get in shape often choose BJJ as an alternative to boring fitness routines. The fact of the matter is that rolling around gets people into shape fast. However, for those looking to get more out of it in training or competition, it gets more complicated. When you start being serious about the sport and/or are looking to compete, every roll is tough. Because you see, now you’re in an environment where everyone is in shape. Now, you need help in order to get your performance to the best of your abilities. Now, you need to start training conditioning for BJJ.
It’s often said that when two top-level grapplers are evenly matched, the outcome is decided by their physical conditioning. We’ve seen it time and time again. Both on the mat and in the MMA cage(s), a huge gas tank goes a long way to ensuring victory. BJJ conditioning is a huge part of the competitive puzzle and should be taken very seriously. Even those just rolling for fun need to do some conditioning for BJJ in order to improve. Consider it your homework, something you do off the mats but that needs to have carryover to your actual grappling performance.
Is Conditioning For BJJ Necessary?
There are different schools of thought on whether or not you should train conditioning for BJJ in a specific fashion. While it is true that rolling is irreplaceable as a conditioning tool that gets you ready for the demands of the sport, it is also true that it is far from enough. So, the claim that as long as you roll hard, you’ll do fine in competition is way off the mark. Your opponents won’t be counting on just their rolls to get them through tough exchanges and matches so why should you?
When you are tired everything seems harder. No matter how good you are at a leg lock or a choke when you’re tired all you can think about is how to breathe. Add in an opponent on top of you and it gets downright uncomfortable. A good gas tank makes all of the above bearable. A great gas tank makes you get through a tough roll ready for the next one.
A brown belt is going to need a different conditioning approach than a white belt. The duration of a BJJ match for white belts is 5 minutes, while for brown belts it is 8. That’s more than half the length of a white belt match, not accounting for greater quality of movement and technical prowess. While white belts mostly stay in their weight divisions, more advanced students often look to part take in the absolute division as well. A lightweight brown belt has at least a couple of 8-minute matches against experienced opponents, to start with. If he wins all (or most) of them, he/she is up for the absolute division.
That means further matches against experienced and potentially heavier opponents. A good conditioning program can lead to double medals. Gassing out won’t get our brown belt past his own weight division, let alone the absolute. The same, though, applies to white, blue, purple, and especially, black belts.
How Conditioning Works
Conditioning for BJJ might be simple, but only if you understand it. The thing is that the bottom line is that conditioning is still a form of physical training that is there to help you accomplish a goal. Once you understand how the body accomplishes that goal, you can figure out your favorite method of training, and set up a program to target those specific conditioning goals.
The body has three energy systems that help it break down nutrients and transform them into energy that the muscles and organs can use. These three systems are the anaerobic system, the anaerobic lactic system, and the anaerobic alactic system.
The aerobic system is an energy system that allows your body to work for really long periods of time (think marathon running) but at a very low output (think marathon runners’ speed, or better said, lack of it). This is actually a foundational energy system, and you simply have to have it in order to even think about doing any type of athletic competition. If you are lacking in this department (a good test is actually making it through a 5 mile run without spitting your lungs out) your conditioning for BJJ should start there.
The anaerobic lactic system is the system that will provide you with less energy time-wise, but that energy will be at a higher output, It means, you can do more and harder, but you won’t be able to keep it up as long as with the aerobic system. The reason for this is that this system works in an environment without oxygen, and uses lactic acid, which is a product of the aerobic system, as a source of energy, among other things. In terms of running, this is a 400-meter sprint.
Finally, the anaerobic alactic system is the one that will allow you to explode like an Iranian wrestler but only for a very short period of time, 10-20 seconds at most. The system is not easy to develop but is extremely important for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Since I used a running example above, the anaerobic alactic system is the one that allows you to sprint at maximum capacity for about 100 yards or so. The system utilizes a compound called ATP, or rather the dissolvent of it, which is a process that releases a lot of energy., Conversely, creating as a supplement help increase the storage of products required to form ATP and hence, improves alactic conditioning.
Sports Specific BJJ Conditioning
It is clear that grapplers need to train to condition for BJJ. However, routines shouldn’t be just blindly selected and followed. The latest Fitness Blender 10-minute-at-home-workout-for-great-glutes is one example of wasting time. Doing workouts that are not intended to improve your performance in a specific area is only counterproductive for grapplers. BJJ is a weight division sport with a precise match duration for each belt level. Specific BJJ conditioning means getting ready for a specific format of matches.
Conditioning training for BJJ should match the requirements of the competition as close as possible. Duration, intensity, and volume of the conditioning workouts all play an essential part in a grappler’s performance. The hardest part of the conditioning puzzle is deciding what to do, for how long, and how hard. In other words, programming is a crucial part of a BJJ conditioning routine.
Someone looking to add conditioning to their schedule must have clear priorities. BJJ training comes first. Only after being able to go through a class without too much exertion should a student turn to extra conditioning. BJJ is the main priority and conditioning for BJJ is the homework. A great way to approach BJJ conditioning is the “First, Do No Harm” approach. It means that additional training shouldn’t take away from your time or ability to perform on the mats. Conditioning should make you better, not just tired.
Focus your conditioning efforts towards the time duration of your matches and work with the highest intensity that doesn’t take a negative toll on you. This will take some tinkering, and it is best if you employ the help of a strength and conditioning expert. However, as long as you’ve got some experience in fitness training, you’ll be able to set everything up yourself, and you can see how at the end of this article.
Some Conditioning Tools For BJJ
There are hundreds of options out there when looking at methods that can help your gas tank. Not all of them are efficient, though. Even less are actually helpful in terms of BJJ performance. Some, however, are better than others and offer the most bang for your buck. At the end of the day, conditioning for BJJ is similar to technical training – you know the moves but you need to figure out what works for yourself. You could go about learning how conditioning works (which I’ll explain further in this article) and build programs for yourself, based on your preferences, or access to training equipment and/or space. The bottom line is to be efficient and creative.
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Bodyweight Conditioning
This should be on the top of anyone’s list. Moving around your own body weight is a great way to increase your gas tank without too much strain. Plenty of approaches are available and effective, from calisthenics, through suspension training to specialized gymnastics training. Not needing any equipment or facility makes this approach even better. Note that while bodyweight training does have certain restrictions when it comes to developing strength, it is virtually limitless in terms of conditioning. Depending on which energy systems you’re working with, you can actually really help improve balance, coordination, specific BJJ movement, etc. while also developing a crazy gas tank for grappling.
Bodyweight conditioning is actually a way in which you can have all your competitor’s work even during class. Given that most gyms use a warm-up they tend to repeat every class, simply add in a sprawl pyramid in between every exercise so of the warm-up. For example, you do arm circles, then 1 sprawl. The second exercise might be hip circles, you do 2 sprawls afterward. The goal is to get to ten sprawls, and then count back down again to 1.
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“Odd” Objects
Next on the list, also near the top. Modern-day crazes in the form of kettlebells, medicine balls, ropes, and sandbags can actually do wonders for your BJJ game. There’s also specialized grappling gear that falls under this category, like the Bulgarian bag. Circuit training is the best approach and doesn’t require a gym or too much space. The only investment is buying the gear which is generally affordable and long-lasting. Of course, if you’re into strongman training, you can also use boulders, and those crazy contraptions they use for weighted walks, but that’s at your own risk. I’d recommend a kettlebell, as your safest and most efficient option.
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Running
The time-tested and almost inevitable part of any conditioning plan. Marathons aside, all forms of running have an impact on BJJ conditioning. Running is highly effective in increasing the aerobic capacity of the lungs, thus improving general conditioning levels. Jogging, interval running, hill sprints, you do have lots of options. This makes things tricky as you need to understand conditioning and your needs in order to choose the best form of running to develop specific athletic capabilities. Conditioning for BJJ is not one-dimensional and you’ll need to be working on multiple qualities at once. In other words, simply running 5 k every day won’t really help too much with your conditioning.
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Rolling
Has to be mentioned. Rolling is considered by some to be an effective conditioning tool for BJJ. Marcelo Garcia is known to do no extra conditioning outside of aggressive rolling on the mats. While it is as specific as it gets, I personally tend to disagree. In my experience, going all out in a conditioning sense while rolling takes away from the technical proficiency of a grappler. To me, sacrificing technical prowess for the sake of a gas tank is an unfavorable trade. That said, as long as you can maintain a high technical level during rolls, certainly do try and challenge yourself physically, especially with more experienced partners. Choosing stronger, faster or technically more experienced training partners will help you both in terms of conditioning for BJJ and grappling performance.
A Complete BJJ Conditioning Program
So, what is the BJJ conditioning program? It is the one you’re currently on. But only as long as you complete it. The key thing to remember that doing an Andre Galvao conditioning for BJJ routine is not going to turn you into Andre, not in terms of gas tank, and certainly not in terms of BJJ performance. Each and every athlete that you see out there doing crazy routines, has had stuff tailored to them after countless physiological measurements and fitness tests. Unless you find someone to do that for you, you’ll need to figure out stuff for yourself. That is why I’ll provide you with all the building blocks of conditioning for BJJ program, and you can then do the necessary adjustments to make the perfect one for yourself.
Building The Base
The way you go about building a conditioning program is by developing the key elements first. Those would be the three energy systems we covered earlier. And yes, you need all three, despite the majority of BJJ requiring mostly the work of the anaerobic lactic system. First of all three’s no way to make only one system work, while the other two are idle. Secondly, you’ need all there in grappling, without an exception, because of the different demands throughout a match and the duration of a match.
AEROBIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
There’s no need to run in order to develop impressive aerobic conditioning. Of course, you could go for road work and or jumping rope, but that is boring. Instead, lifting weights and doing bodyweight exercises will not only provide you with a greeter aerobic base, but it will also help you build a bit of strength in the process. Plus, you can do the workouts even when the weather sucks outside.
Here’s how you can set up a circuit that you should do for at least 3-6 weeks:
- A1: Bench and Squat – 5 Mins x 1 rep each alternating (@60% of 1RM)
- A2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
- B1: Pull-up and DB RDL 5 Mins x 1 rep each alternating (@60%)
- B2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
- C1: Close Grip Bench and Chin-ups 5 Mins 1 rep each alternating (60%)
- C2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
ANAEROBIC LACTIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
The anaerobic lactic system, or the one we use most of the time in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling and MMA can also be set up in a similar fashion. With our goal being specific conditioning for BJJ, even when developing general qualities like energy systems, the way to set up anaerobic lactic circuits is like this:
- A1: Bench and Ring Row – 5 Mins x 10 rep each alternating (@ 35-45% of 1RM)
- A2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
- B1: Right Leg and Left leg Step-up 5 Mins x 10 rep each alternating (@35-45%)
- B2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
- C1: Close Grip Push-up, Barbell Curl and OH sit-up 5 Mins x 10 rep each alternating (@35-45%)
- C2: 5 Mins mobility (do BJJ movements or related stretches)
ANAEROBIC ALACTIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
The final piece of the conditioning for BJJ puzzle, the anaerobic alactic system requires a lot of dedication, and most importantly a lot of patience. You’ll be working hard, but also resting for long, which may sound counterproductive. It is not, as resting is key to actually being able to “recharge” and use your anaerobic alactic system over and over again. Similar to the previous two systems, training the system will yield results after 3-6 weeks.
First, though, let’s discuss training methods. Here you’ll be using the isometric and oscillatory methods. Isometric means holding the weight at the peak of the movement in a static fashion for a period of time. Oscillatory means “shaking” the weight with small range of motion movements in an explosive and repetitive fashion, as fast as you can.
The circuit looks something like this:
DAY 1 – 3 SETS OF EACH:
- Bench press @90% 10 seconds hold
- KB split Squat @90% 10 seconds hold Right Leg
- DB Bent over row @90% 10 seconds hold Right Arm
*Rest 4-8 Minutes
DAY 2 – 3 SETS OF EACH:
- Bench Press @70% 10seconds Oscillatory
- DB Split Squat @70% 10 seconds Oscillatory Right Leg
- RDL @70% 10 seconds Oscillatory
*Rest 4-8 Minutes
Preparing To Compete
When competition time comes, you should up your conditioning as well. The most important thing is identifying where your weakness lies and addressing it directly. If you’ve spent enough time (several months) building your conditioning base and energy systems, you can actually focus on training in a way that will mimic matches so that you build highly specific conditioning for BJJ.
Remember that “peaking” for a tournament will require you to be fresh and rested, not exhausted. That means that about 6 weeks out, you shouldn’t do more than 3 conditioning sessions per week, outside of mat technical training. Three weeks out, this should be reduced to two times per week, and in the final week, only use conditioning if you need help cutting weight.
Here’s an ideal circuit to really take things to the next level, and still have enough energy to train technically and roll hard:
Rounds 1 to 3: 10 minute round and each exercise is performed for 15 – 30 seconds
- Band Resisted Sprints
- Band Resisted Shuffle
- Clap Push-Ups
- Dumbbell Rows
- Back Peddles
- Burpees
- Kettlebell Swings
- Dumbell Snatch
Round 4: 10 minute round and each exercise is performed set number of reps with sprints or animal movements in between.
- Med Ball slams
- Clap Push-Ups
- Russian Twists
- Burpees
- Toe Touches
Maintaining Conditioning
Once you have a great base, and you’ve peaked for a tournament, there’ no need to use hard conditioning circuit training during the tournament season. Conditioning for BJJ takes a long time to develop but will last you if you only maintain it for as little as 40 minutes two times per week. Moreover, all you need is one kettlebell.
To begin with, pick up a kettlebell, and do twenty minutes of Turkish get-ups, alternating sides on each repetition. 24kg for men and 16kg for the ladies is more than respectable. You should aim to beat the number of reps you do per side every week. After you complete the twenty minutes, rest for a little (3-5 minutes) and move on to phase two.
For the second phase of the conditioning for BJJ maintenance workout, you’ll do Hindu push-ups and kettlebell swings. For the swings, you should go heavy, but if you only have access to one kettlebell it’ll still work. 10 repetitions of each for another block of twenty minutes will more than do the trick. Watch your breathing while you’re doing this as breath control is more important to BJJ conditioning than you could imagine.
Closing Thoughts
Conditioning for BJJ is simple, yet has plenty of moving parts. Sounds a lot like Jiu-Jitsu, right? That’s your proof that it will work! The caveats of conditioning for BJJ are to avoid using other people’s programs and expect to see their results. Instead, either find an expert that will build a program for you, or better yet, understand how things work, and write your own conditioning programs! It will take a bit of research, but once you’ve figured it out, you’ll only need to make small adjustments. Spend the next 6 months trying out the program design presented in this article and see how things go.
The Best Strength & Conditioning DVD and Digital Instructionals
FIGHT VIDEO – Female MMA pro vs Internet Troll Kristopher Zylinski
As a reminder. In early December Kristopher Zylinski started posting how women are slow and weaker than man and they wouldn’t stand a chance against a man in an MMA fight.
Kristopher Zylinski wrote:
“99% of women are too weak and lack the reflexes ro do enough damage to stop 99% of men. Even if they knew BJJ they just don’t have the size or strength to use the holds. It’s dangerous to teach any woman to try and strike or fight a man. Just my 2 cents.”
While it is true that men have stronger upper body and reflexes than women on average Kris pointed out that there is a small chance of some women winning against men.
“by a man, yes. And I said 99% of women will lose to 99% of men. Me vs Female MMA pro fighter? Still 80/20 me.”
Kristopher Zylinski was also writing about his opinion on women training some Martial arts and self-defense martial arts.
“On a side note, reality note, if you teach women to try and fight a man off, you are giving delusional thoughts to them. The only way a woman will successfully defend herself against a man in most types of situations is with a gun. And if she gets confronted by a man her first reaction should be to try and get her gun. If he grabs her, her first reaction should still be to try and get her gun. There is no scenario in any situation where she should try and fight him instead of trying to get her gun. That is the point.”
After his words, McDojolife Facebook page was looking for a Female MMA Pro fighter. The first female MMA fighter was Anna Dempster.
Anna Dempster jumped in to show to Kristopher Zylinski that her MMA training and her MMA amateur fights worths a lot. Much more than Kristopher Zylinski Thinks. But, Anna got injured. And she was replaced by Sarah Patterson.
With a Pro MMA Record of 5-3-0, Sarah was ready to fight Internet Troll Kristopher Zylinski but as she got injured. Just like Anna Dempster, she suffered an eye injury and she was out.
That’s when Tara LaRosa Jumped in to fight Internet Troll Kristopher Zylinski.
Tara LaRosa as a PRO Female MMA fighter with a score of 22-5 is a former and first BodogFight Bantamweight, 135 lbs, Champion. She’s also a Purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Royce Gracie and a Brown belt in judo.
Tara La Rosa jumped in to prove to Kristopher that Woman vs Man makes sense. And especially if it’s a fight of MMA Trained Woman vs Untrained Man like Kristopher is. After Tara was picked to fight Kristopher she wrote on her Facebook profile:
“A friend tagged me in on the search for a replacement and I responded as a joke… well, I guess shit got real, so here I am! I feel like I should say something like “hey, hold my beer for a second” or “Hey Y’all, watch this” in my best redneck accent. It fits. I’m a part redneck. So, I guess… here we go!”
“If you don’t know me, I’ve been training in martial arts since 1995. I got into Shotokan karate in hs and then got involved with Judo in college. I placed 2nd at collegiate nationals in 2001. Shortly after, I started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA (which was referred to as NHB back then).
I had one amateur fight and my mom got scared, and said you’re moving with you’re auntie and uncle in Bel-Aire… wait no, that was Fresh Prince.”
“So I had an army fight Nov 2001, then went pro in April 2002. I’ve been training and fighting ever since.
If you want more, check the wiki. Also, I’m on twitch almost every weekday from 2:30-5: 30 pm, so come in and ask me anything! Follow me on Twitter for better interaction, I’m not very good at FB lol
Welp, that’s me! …so, here goes nothin’!”
While there were many speculations about Kristopher’s training we managed to ask him if he has any Martial Arts training in his life. Here is what he answered to us:
“I have never paid anyone to teach me fighting. I’ve watched boxing since I was 5 and boxed when I was 19. Again I never trained in a gym. I also roll with friends but again no formal training. I do watch MMA about 6 hours a day. I simply believe in my eyes and my abilities than I can beat Tara LaRosa. Not cause I’m a man, not cause she is a woman, but I have unconditional belief in myself.”
The fight against Tara LaRosa and Kristopher Zylinski that was scheduled for January 6, was canceled just an hour before the bout was expected to begin. According to McDojlife, Kristopher Zylinski and TaraLarosa the State Athletic Commission arrived at the venue along with the police and shut down the fight or “sparring” as they were calling it.
And, today, it Happened. Enjoy
Guillotine Choke – Basics, Secrets and Variations to Make it Perfect
The guillotine choke has long been regarded as a strong man move. People involved in BJJ looked at it as just a one-off move useful mostly to MMA fighters. It was probably the emergence of Marcelo Garcia that started to change that impression. Marcelo managed to fine-tune and modify the guillotine to a deadly effect. That resulted in a greater awareness of the finer technical aspects of the choke. Today, guillotines can be seen in almost every competitive grappling environment done at every level of Jiu-Jitsu.
How many submissions do you know that you can get from both top and bottom positions as well as from standing? Arguably, there’s only one that ticks all these boxes. And it’s a tight one if the mechanics are in order. The guillotine choke is a mainstay in Jiu-Jitsu, granted, more on the No-GI side. It is, however, just as effective in the Gi. Actually, it might be even more effective, seeing how lots of people seem to disregard it on account of it being a No-Gi move. Check out Marcelo Garcia’s guillotine highlights to see how effective guillotines are.
What Is A Guillotine Choke?
The guillotine choke is a very versatile technique used in submission grappling arts, most of all, in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It works as a choke, blocking off air or blood supply by pressuring the neck. Different grip variations provide different choking options, although the basics are the same – you grab an opponent’s head from the front, placing it under an armpit, and then place the forearm of the same side arm on their neck. That is the gist of it, although it is the details that actually make it perfect. Before we move on to them, though, let’s answer some of the most common questions people ask about guillotine chokes:
-
Who Invented The Guillotine Choke?
The choke has been around for too long to pinpoint the person that has come up with it. It is a part of old Judo curriculums where it appears the “Mae Hadaka Jime”, or front naked choke.
There’s also evidence of it in early catch wrestling matches, as well as some of the wrestling matches in the first Olympic games in ancient Greece. In other words, the Guilltince choke has been about as long as grappling martial arts have. Bruce Lee helped popularize it among martial arts fans with his “Way Of the Dragon” movie.
-
Is The Guillotine A Blood Choke?
Yes and no depending on the way you’re holding the guillotine choke on your opponent. However, it is much more efficient when done as a blood choke than an air choke.
If you’re after a high-percentage finish, it is blood choke. Making the guillotine choke work as a blood choke will require a bit of fitness and more training because it involves very precise placement of your forearm. In fact, it is the most efficient done as a blood choke with a chest compression component (more on that later).
-
What Happens In Guillotine Choke?
During a guillotine choke, you first achieve control, by not allowing the person you’re attacking to pull their head out. What happens as a result of the initial grip on the chin (chin strap) and the placement of your armpit behind the crown of the head. That way, there’s no pulling out, or p[osturing up.
Secondly, you can apply choking pressure as a result of the specific positioning of your arms. The end goal should be pressure on the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck, along with forcing the chin of the head towards the opponent’s chest. This leaves the opponent in a painful position, and without enough oxygen to make the brain work, so they either tap or they will go to sleep.
-
Is The Guillotine Choke Legal in BJJ?
In terms of adult belt levels, the guillotine choke is legal for every white belt to black, with and without the Gi. It is, however, illegal for kids and teenagers, until the age of 16. In those cases, even getting into the position can lend a competitor in trouble. In Judo, only the arm-in guillotine is allowed, while the position is legal in wrestling for control, but not for finishing, as there are no submissions allowed.
How to Do A Guillotine Choke
The guillotine choke in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is fairly simple if you understand how it works. In order for you to execute any of the plenty variations available, you to understand how to set up. Let’s break it down into several steps that are essential to tapping people out with guillotine chokes.
1. Grips
First and foremost, you’ll need to get a hold of the head. I’ll cover grip variations in detail later on, but for now, you should know that each allows you to keep control of the head, and position the arms for a choke. For most guillotine choke variations, though, you’ll need to grab your palms together in order to finish. Grips come first in the hierarchy of guillotines.
2. Position
In terms of positioning, you can go for a guillotine from the bottom, mainly from the closed guard, half guard, and open guard. The half guard offers options for attacking from the top as well, as does the mount. Attacking against the turtle is one of the most common setups, and you can even look to set guillotines up from standing.
3. Angle
The angle at which you apply force for the choke is the “make it or break it” detail in every guillotine choke. Pulling like crazy with all your strength will not provide you with a finish. Instead, top, or bottom, you need to be looking to touch the elbow of the choking arm to your own hip on the same side. This provides the best possible angle for finishing any variation of the guillotine choke.
4. Application Of Force
This is the most versatile part of a guillotine. In every grip variation, there are slight differences in how you apply force. The general guidelines, though, are not to pull but rather to squeeze everything, which angling as previously described makes possible. Next up, you should look to “tack” the opponent, so that their hin goes to their chest, causing a chest compression effect. Also, remember that twisting the arms so that different parts of your arms press on the neck is also crucial to wrapping a guillotine choke up.
5. Adjustments And Combos
Finally, the guillotine is a high-control p[ostion and offers the option of switching between its many variations at will. For example, if an arm-in guillotine is not working for you, you can switch to a low elbow, and then perhaps, even a high-elbow variation. Or, you could “marry” the guillotine with other front headlock chokes like neckties, Darces, and Anacondas.
Follow these 5 steps and you’ll be able to develop an air-tight guillotine game that will be a puzzle for everyone to solve.
Guillotine Choke Grip Variations
As simple as it might seem, the guillotine choke is had complex mechanics that require long-term practice. This is opposite to it being a brute choke that can be learned in a few classes. Shocking, I know, but if you want a Daniel Strauss-like guillotine, you need to learn the technical nuances.
The guillotine choke has two “main” varieties when it comes to execution. The original version involves trapping the opponent’s arm while going for the choke. That’s the “arm-in guillotine”, which acts as an air choke. The second variation is done without the arm and can be both blood and an air choke.
Both guillotine variations revolve around the same basic principles. The most important part is to utilize the correct part of the arm for the choke. To avoid mistakes, it is best to place your thumb on the outside of the opponent’s neck. This allows for correct placement of the wrist and easy transitions between the two variations. Strapping the chin offers a very tight controlling position as well.
There are several grips available, with the Gable and S-grip as favorites. Besides arm placement and grips, finishing relies on using the correct power source. A crucial principle of finishing a guillotine is to always push the crown of the opponent’s head towards their hips. To do so, one has to close both elbows towards their body and push with the hips while shrugging the shoulders. In the high elbow guillotine, the supporting arm’s elbow is placed upwards on the opponent’s shoulder.
The arm in guillotine requires an appropriate angle of the trapped arm. Namely, it should always extend past the head of the opponent. Opening up the arm allows the choking arm to correctly apply pressure on the windpipe.
Top Position Guillotines
The half guard and the mount are the two primary positions for executing a Guillotine choke. Since attacking it from the top half guard often leads to the mount transition, we’re going to focus on that.
In order to get into position for the guillotine from the top half, the hips have to be in the reverse Kesa Gatame position. This allows the knee of the bottom leg to control the opponent’s hips. At the same time, it positions the upper body correctly in order to wrap the head up. The torso is used to place pressure on the top of the head while the choking mechanics are applied. Although both versions of the guillotine can be done, the armless variation is used more often.
For the mounted guillotine, the focus should be on two main principles. First, the head has to be pulled towards the opponent’s hips. Secondly, you have to be placed in low mount, putting direct pressure on the opponent’s pelvis.
Attacking From The Bottom
The closed guard is the bread and butter position for the guillotine. It is a very strong finishing position due to the high control of the hips. Having both legs locked behind the opponent prevents any counters ensuring a high percentage finishing rate. Basically, the most important part of the closed guard set up for the Guillotine choke is breaking the posture. Once the head is placed in the armpit and forced back, it’s all about choking mechanics. And we already covered those, right?
In open guard environments, the butterfly guard is the best position for Guillotine hunting. Arm-dragging is the most usual route to setting up the butterfly guard guillotine. From there, having the control position can lead to a direct submission or a sweep. The sweep might even end up with you in position for a mounted guillotine finish. That way you get both the sweep and mount points as well as the sub.
Standing Guillotine Choke
Knowledge of the guillotine choke is going to solve a lot of your wrestling-related problems on the feet. It is the perfect double leg counter, both because it stuffs the takedown and leads to submission. The arm of variation is superior here, though both variations apply. The only extra detail that is crucial is timing. Even if the takedown is completed, the Guillotine has to be timed in order to land at the correct choking position.
In a more offensive manner, the Guillotine choke can be used from the snap-down or via an arm drag. The most direct route is the snap-down since it leads to greater control that can end in either a takedown or a finish. While going to the back is effective, looking to end up in the top half guard or mount is a more strategic approach. The choke can be finished while standing as well. Again, the emphasis is primarily on tight control by way of correct mechanics and secondly on finishing details.
Final Thoughts
The guillotine choke is one of the most powerful weapons available to you in all submission grappling martial arts. You can become a submission specialist by learning all its variations, or just become crazy good with only a single one of them. The choice is yours, but if you have any hope of progress in grappling, there’s no way forward without at least a decent guillotine choke.
Related Articles:
How to make the standing guillotine choke work for you
Blood vs air Jiu-Jitsu chokes: Which are better?
Subtle Tricks For Developing World Class BJJ Chokes
Different ways in which you can finish a Jiu-Jitsu Choke
Marcelo Garcia Guillotine Choke Review
High Percentage No Gi Chokes
The Best Guillotine Choke Escape Options And Counters
Standing Guillotine Defense Techniques You Must Know
A Few Crazy BJJ Guillotine Variations To Brighten Your Day
Everything about BJJ Chokes – Systematization, Anatomy, Efficiency
Fallon Fox, Transgender MMA Fighter Who Broke The Skull of Her Opponent
Fallon Fox is a retired transgender MMA fighter. She was born a man, but now lives as a woman and is still in the process of transitioning from male to female with hormone therapy. In addition to hormone therapy, Fox had gender reassignment surgery back in 2006.
Transgender Fighter Fallon Fox
Fallon Fox’s story has been very controversial because up until 2011 it was not known that she came from a life of being male. She fought several times before her gender history surfaced and became public. Since then there has been heavy debate about whether or not she should be able to fight women and some believe that it is an unfair advantage for Fallon who spent her physical prime as a man, whose bones and muscles were developed on testosterone.
However, on Fox’s side, she claims that since she has been taking female hormones, she is a woman just like all other women and that she should not be treated differently.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani from MMA Fighting, Fallon explained how she has been feeling throughout this gender change process:
“I definitely feel like the chemistry and balance of hormones, and all that kind of stuff in my body just feels really good.”
This controversy raises many questions about gender equality and what rights transgender athletes should have.
Are we to assume that because someone was born a certain way they must always be that way for the rest of their life? Is it fair for Fallon who lived the majority of her youth as a man to fight against women? What do you think about transsexual women fighters being included in the Olympic games?
Early Life of Fallon Fox
Fox was born in Toledo, Ohio as a male. Her struggles with gender started as she became a teenager when at first she thought she was a gay person. At the age of 17, as she realized there are transgender people, she knew that being a woman is her only way. But as she said, it was a hard solution for her to change her gender so she continued to live as a heterosexual man. She even married her girlfriend at the age of 19 to become pregnant with her daughter a few years ago.
“I was fighting a lot with my gender and my sexuality. Since I was a teenage boy I knew something was wrong with me, but I never wanted to admit it to myself. Everything I did, and the girls I was dating with, was just me trying to feel normal and accepted.” – said Fallon Fox for BJJ World.
Soon after she gave birth to her daughter she joined the US Navy to support her family and she served in the USS Enterprise as an operation specialist.
As she said it was a pretty hard time for her as she was constantly fighting with gender issues which caused ongoing psychological stress. She then dropped out of the USS Navy while trying to get enough money for her gender change
Gender Reassignment Surgery
She decided to do a sex reassignment surgery because she believed that was her only way to live a normal life. The only problem was its price and she didn’t have enough money. Therefore, she decided to get a job. Fallon found a job as a truck driver which enabled her to earn enough money for the operation.
Finally, in 2006, transgender female fighter Fallon Fox traveled to Bangkok together with her daughter and did all the necessary surgeries to become a woman. She got gender reassignment surgery and hormonal treatment at the Bangkok National Hospital.
During the gender change process, Fallon Fox had to go through a lot of hormone therapy which is still an ongoing process.
“It’s not easy for everyone to understand, but I hope that people could at least be supportive.” – said Fallon fox during an interview with BJJ World.
To get rid of all the masculinity she was born with, she had to take female hormones for about five years. Also, she had to go through some surgeries before finally looking like a woman later on.
“I’m doing this so I can live my life as who I am on the inside – not what people perceive me to be.” – said Fallon Fox in an interview with MMA Fighting.
After all these struggles and gender reassignment surgery she was finally able to get her gender change confirmed in court which allowed Fallon to legally become a woman in the state of Florida.
That was the time when she decided to fight. She chooses the combat sport of MMA to pursue her fighting career.
MMA licensing process
As we mentioned before there was a lot of controversy around Fallon Fox’s licensing process and many well-known fighters and commentators were against Fallon getting the license. She actually got it when they examined fox’s medical records. They noticed many differences in her bone mineral density, structure, and higher body fat mass. She also had significantly less muscle strength than an average male.
After some time and many discussions, Fallon Fox got a fighting license to fight in women’s divisions in Coral Gables which came as a surprise and shock to many people.
After her two professional fights, Fallon Fox came out publicly on March 5th, 2013 in an interview with OutSports writer Cyd Zeigler and sportsillustrated.com. The licensing procedure Fox chose to go through in Coral Gables caused controversy due to the California State Athletic Commission and Florida’s athletic commission.
Due to controversy and the licensing process, Fox’s April 20th bout with Fallon has been postponed by CFA co-founder Jorge De La Noval, who promoted the fight on March 2 in Florida. De La Voal went on saying that his group would not “turn our backs on her…”. “She’s welcome in our campaign so long as she’s licensed. We support her and give her all of our help.”
In a video interview with Cyd Zeigler, Fox stated that she was in compliance with IOC rules for post-surgical transsexuals and wanted to continue competing in MMA.
MMA Career of Fallon Fox
Once she turned into a woman, Fallon decided that she would like to use her physical strength for something good so she started training in MMA. She came out as a transgender MMA athlete on March 5, 2013, when Florida’s athletic commission issued the license for Fox.
She officially made her MMA debut in 2013 when she faced Allanna Jones at Championship Fighting Alliance 10 in Florida. She won the fight via TKO in 39 seconds of the first round, breaking her opponent’s nose with a kick.
After having three successful MMA fights against Allanna Jones, Ericka Newsome, and Elisha Helsper she was undefeated for two years until May 2015 when she faced Ashlee Evans-Smith during Championship Fighting Alliance 12.
Fox’s First loss in MMA vs Ashlee Evans Smith
She suffered her first loss against a relatively unknown female MMA fighter by the name of Ashlee Evans-Smith. Transgender fighter Fallon Fox lost in the third round by technical knockout for the featherweight title fight, which was ongoing during Saturday night’s Championship fighting Alliance 12 event.
But Fox didn’t stop there. She continued to pursue her MMA career in the Xtreme fighting organization where she defeated Heather Bassett via armbar submission in 2014.
During an interview for Bloodyelbow about her next opponent, Fox said: “I want all the trannies on this planet and beyond to know, that you can be whoever it is that you want to be”.
“I’m on a mission of spreading the knowledge about transgenders.” – said Fallon Fox on Sherdog Forums.
In 2015 she fought Tamikka Brents in the most controversial match ever in MMA. She won the fight via TKO in just 44 seconds. That was the fight that brought the most controversies about Fallon Fox as she managed to break Brent’s skull in that fight.
Fight against Tamikka Brents
“I’ve never felt so overpowered!” – were the words of Tamikka Brents after Fallon Fox broke her skull during their MMA fight.
She defeated Tamikka Brents in a much-anticipated fight that left Tamikka Brents down for the count in the first round. It was messy, it was bloody and it wasn’t easy viewing for everybody. Tamikka suffered a concussion and a broken skull. Fox wasn’t stopping until Tamikka Brents was finally TKO’d and the referee stopped it. Tamikka needed stitches and serious medical attention after the fight, which shows you how the fight went.
“I’ve fought a lot of women and have never felt the strength that I felt in a fight as I did today. I can’t answer whether it’s because she was born a man or not because I’m not a doctor. What I can is that I’ve never felt so overpowered ever in my life, and I am an abnormally strong female. I’m afraid I still have to disagree with Fox fighting. She can pursue any career but when it comes to a combat sport I think it just isn’t fair.” – Tamikka Brents said in an interview after the fight.
Retirement from MMA
Soon after the controversy in an MMA fight against Tamikka Brents, Fallon Fox decided to retire in 2014. As she said, she just couldn’t withstand all the negativity surrounding her appearance in MMA
Fallon Fox Professional MMA Record
6 fights, 5 wins, and 1 Loss. Fox has three wins via knockout and two wins via submission. Fallon fox losses are down to only one: against Ashley Evans Smith via TKO.
| Professional MMA Fights Breakdown | ||
| 6 matches | 5 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 3 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 0 |
Where is Fallon Fox Today?
Fallon currently lives in Chicago, and you can check her out on social media on Twitter and Instagram.
As soon as she retired from MMA she got involved in LGBT activism to help other people with similar problems. She wanted young people to never face the problems she was facing. As she said, “Nobody deserves to be treated the way I was.”
ESPN did a documentary that covered Fallon Fox’s life and career called Game Face. You can watch it on ESPN+.
MMA Community Comments on Fallon Fox and Trans Women
Fox has made a lot of headlines throughout her career, emergence into the public eye sparked a tremendous amount of outrage. But, it’s been almost five years since she last fought. Her battle in 2014 vs. Brents, however, continues to haunt her today.
Ashley McGuire
Ashley McGuire, the author of Sex Scandal on the whole Fallon Fox drama: “The Drive to Abolish Male and Female, said: Twenty years ago if a man hit a woman so hard that he sent her to the hospital, he’d be in prison. Now he can get paid for it. It makes no sense to fight women if you’re born a man.”
In the video below, McGuire explains that the idea that gender is a personal choice is very ANTI-WOMEN and ANTI-SCIENTIFIC.
“That’s because the men-and-women-are-the-same argument invariably leads women to be judged against a male standard. Or, to put it another way, to be more of a woman, a woman has to be more like a man. As a transgender woman, you just can’t fight female athletes.”
“For the tiny percentage of people who experience gender dysphoria, we should have nothing but compassion. We should do everything we can to help them and protect their dignity, but we don’t need to overturn biologically defined sex differences to do so.”
Joe Rogan
One of the people who were against giving Fox a license was famous: comedian, podcaster, and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. He gave some pretty solid arguments against her getting the license to fight, but that didn’t change anything.
‘First of all, Fallon Fox is not really a she. She’s a transgender, post-op person. The operation doesn’t shave down your bone structure density. It doesn’t change. You look at a man’s hands and you look at a woman’s hands and they’re built differently. They’re just thicker, they’re stronger, your wrists are thicker, your elbows are thicker, your joints are thicker. Just the mechanical function of punching, a man can do it much harder than a woman can, period.’ – Joe Rogan said in his podcast
‘She calls herself a woman but… I tend to disagree. And, uh, she, um… she used to be a man but now she has had, she’s a transgender which is (the) official term that means you’ve gone through it, right? And she wants to be able to fight women in MMA. I say no f***ing way.’ – Joe Rogan added
‘I say if you had a dick at one point in time, you also have all the bone structure that comes with having a dick. You have bigger hands, you have bigger shoulder joints. You’re a f***ing man. That’s a man, OK? You can’t have… that’s… I don’t care if you don’t have a dick anymore…’ – Said Joe Rogan in one of his later podcasts
Matt Mitrione
While speaking with Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour” show in 2013 Matt Mitrione said that Fallon Fox is a “lying, sociopathic, sick and disgusting freak”.
Soon after his comment UFC suspended him and charged him with a fine amount of money.
But, as much as UFC is known for suspensions fighters who go against their public image, Mitrione still did an announced fight against Brendan Schaub. It actually means UFC wasn’t that upset with his comment. The reason probably lies in the fact that Dana White said he would never allow transgender women to fight in the UFC.
Dana White
One of the most controversial interviews was with Dana White when he called Fox “He” and “Him” instead of “She” and “Her”. That’s even forbidden by the law in the US right now.
In an interview with MMA Junkie White said:
“He was a man and now he’s a woman. He’s fighting girls who have lost records. Before you get too crazy about him being in the UFC, he’s so freaking far from being in the UFC that it’s not even funny.” – said Dana White for Fallon Fox
Those words raised a huge controversy as many people referred to white telling him that “He’s a She”.
Ronda Rousey
The most famous female MMA fighter and UFC star Ronda Rousey comment on Fallon Fox:
“I have a feeling that if you go through puberty as a man, it’s not something you can reverse. There’s no undo button for something like that”. – Ronda Rousey on Fallon Fox
Other Comments
“I don’t understand the problem with Fallon Fox. I’m told that men and women are equal and that gender is a social construct. I’m constantly shown “badass women” on TV and in movies that can beat up men easily. We’re told that woman can do anything a man can do. DOVE commercials show that girls can run, punch, and jump just as well as men. So… why shouldn’t men fight vs. women? Why segregate sports? If transgender people can use the bathroom, which matches their gender identity, why can’t they choose the UFC gender class that matches their gender identity? You’re not a transphobic/sexist bigot, are you?”
Today’s Society on Transgender Women in Combat Sports!
It’s really hard to find anyone today who would support the fact that a trans-MMA fighter beats a woman in a women’s sports competition. It seems like only transgender people and LGBT activists support it. Where ever you find any discussion about trans athletes you’ll find some great resistance to them. The comments are usually rude and full of “hate” with people saying “Go fight men”, “don’t destroy the careers of other females”, “they don’t have the same bone structure”, etc.
Unfortunately, it’s something hard to judge unless science proves those people wrong, and science isn’t doing it. Many medical experts and scientists actually agree with the overall opinion of society, and they have scientific evidence supporting the hormonal disadvantage of born female to transgender person.
In today’s world and political correctness, it seems like people are saying to trans people that they’re different and immediately it seems wrong to any human being. But in reality, it seems like they really are different than many women they’re fighting against in the women’s division.
The only thing that would work for people is to form transgender divisions in MMA and it’s the only way for female transexuals to have a green light for fighting without controversy surrounding them. But, that’s something we’ll probably never see due to the low number of transgender female fighters in MMA, and other sports in general.
Fallon Fox Interview on Life as a transgender athlete
Fox gave an interview for Outsports in March 2013.
When she was asked about the situation of having to come out publicly so early in her career: “That sucked. I expected that someone was going to out me; you just can’t go through life with a microscope on your career without someone delving into your past a little bit,” she said. “But it’s something you really can’t prepare yourself for.” Her face grows serious. “The scope of anger and vitriol that I received initially … That was disheartening, and tragic. It was mind-blowing.”
This was not how Fallon Fox had planned her career to go. Her ideal narrative would have seen her enter the cage as any other competitor, winning fights and hopefully becoming one of the greatest female fighters on the planet. “I suppose I’d want all of that,” she muses thoughtfully. “But I also want to bring my family with me”
Fox’s interest in MMA came from the fact that ladies competing in the sport were shattering traditional male/female regulations associated with combat sports. She discovered the career when a trainer advised her that if she really wanted to get in shape, she should accompany him to an MMA gym. “There, women were doing things that other women weren’t doing for the most part. They were aggressive. I needed to see that in my evolution as a woman. Transgender women especially feel like we have to fit the binary system to a T in order to not be recognized as trans.”
Do Transgender Women Have An Unfair Advantage?
The question of whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete or not has been getting a lot of attention throughout the years. The most controversial case is the Fallon Fox fight.
According to many scientists, men, and women are inherently different. Pretending that they’re equal is making some women pay a huge price for it. It doesn’t matter if a man transitioned into a woman, she still possesses some advantages over the cisgender women competitors. Therefore Fallon Fox had a physical advantage over her opponents.
According to many scientists, unfair advantages are:
- bone density
- bone structure
- bigger shoulder joints
- stronger and larger limbs
- increased ability to generate power
In reality, it’s really hard to determine how much advantage one trans woman has over other non-trans women because it varies on many factors. For example their testosterone levels before gender-affirming hormone therapy. The more testosterone levels they had before they switched their gender the more advantage they’ll have.
Scientific Research on Trans Women by Dr. Timothy Roberts
This question raised many controversies once the Tokyo Games allowed transgender women to compete in the Olympics. As that was the first time that several trans women were allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games many scientists started their research.
We bring you the research of Dr. Timothy Roberts, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a pediatrician.
The research clearly shows that trans women who went through hormone therapy for one year still outperform non-transgender women (cisgender women).
After two years of hormone therapy, the gap would close a bit, but still, trans women would outrun non-trans women by 12%.
The study suggests that for the first two years after the subjects started taking hormones, some things are changing. The trans women in the study were able to do 10 percent more pushups and 6 percent more sit-ups than their cisgender female counterparts. The biggest problem lies in the fact that all the bone structure remains the same for a long period of time.
After two years, Roberts told NBC News, “They were fairly equivalent to the cisgender women.”
Another scientist’s comment on this subject was done by Dr. Eric Vilain, director of the UCLA, Institute for Society and Genetics. He helped the Association of Boxing to write their transgender policy and was examining Fox’s medical records. After examination, he told Time Magazine that “a male to female transsexual athlete has significantly less muscle strength and bone density, and higher fat mass, than males”.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is Fallon Fox’s Real Name?
Fallon Fox was born Boyd Burton. She changed her name to Fallon Fox together with her Gender change.
What was Fallon Fox born as?
Fallon Fox was born as a male, named Boyd Burton. She started with hormone therapy in 2006 when she changed her gender in a hospital in Bangkok.
Who Did Fallon Fox Fight?
Fallow Fox fought Tamikka Brents and Brents suffered an orbital bone fracture and concussion.
Did Fallon Fox Fight in the UFC?
No, Fallon Fox never fought in the UFC women’s and men’s divisions.
Does Fallon Fox take female hormones?
Even today Fallon Fox continues to use oral estrogen and it was never considered a performance enhancer drug. Even if she stops taking it now her body would still remain the same. She would also enter the post-menopausal state.
Conclusion on Fallon Fox and transgender athletes in general.
Controversies about this topic are not discriminating against anyone or anything. It is just to ensure fighters’ safety, and not give any advantages to any fighters above the others.
Gender issues can be hard to deal with and it’s understandable, but we should draw a line in some cases. The fight between Fallon Fox and Tamikka Brents could have ended much worse and we should learn from it. If transgenders were allowed to fight in the women’s division, many other serious injuries would happen. Usually, non-transgender athletes get beaten no matter their experience, so some kind of a problem really is there.
There are many questions we must ask ourselves about this subject such as: Is it fair for Fallon who lived the majority of her youth as a man to fight against women? If I were born female but now identify as a male do I have the right to compete against men? Is it fair for Fallon to fight women since she lived her whole life as a man and has the body, bones, and muscles of one?
What do you think about transgender athletes competing in sports? Do we need gender equality across all sports or should there be separate categories, such as men and women?