Key Takeaways

• This is a front headlock system, not a random collection of finishes—Barnett treats the position like a control hub that forces predictable reactions.
• Best value comes from the “how to keep them stuck” mechanics: pressure, angle, and decision-making that makes escapes feel expensive.
• The structure is clean and progression-based: first you win position and go-behinds, then you layer chokes and catch wrestling facelock variations, then you add nastier catch wrestling options.
• If you already play snap-downs, sprawls, or wrestling-up in No-Gi, this plugs into your game immediately.
• Rating: 9.5/10

GRAB HERE: FRONT HEADLOCK AND TACTICS JOSH BARNETT DVD

If you’ve ever hit a snap-down, latched a front headlock, and then… kind of stalled—this is the exact problem Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD is trying to solve. Josh Barnett isn’t presenting the front headlock as a momentary checkpoint on the way to something else. He’s treating it as a position you can live in—a place to rack up control, force movement, and finish with high-percentage attacks when the opponent finally panics.

That framing matters because the front headlock is everywhere in real training: sprawls, failed shots, turtle exchanges, stand-up scrambles, and those messy who’s on top transitions that decide rounds. Barnett’s promise here is simple: stop letting opponents slip out and reset. Instead, learn how to turn the front headlock into a loop—control → reaction → finish or go-behind → re-attack.

Finding the Best of Catch Wrestling for BJJ

The front headlock is one of those positions that grapplers know, but don’t always own. In most rooms, it’s taught as a quick guillotine look, maybe an anaconda if you’re feeling spicy, and then you move on. The problem is that against anyone decent, the opponent’s first goal isn’t to get submitted—it’s to recover posture, clear grips, and re-enter neutral where they’re safer.

What separates a good front headlock player from a great one is the ability to deny the exit. This is where catch wrestling thinking pairs nicely with modern No-Gi: it’s less about hunting one perfect submission and more about turning the position into a decision tree where every option hurts.

The best front headlock systems don’t just threaten a choke—they threaten the go-behind, the snap-down re-attack, the front facelock, and the grindy in-between controls that make people carry your weight. That’s the lane Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD lives in: pressure-first, tactical, and built to function when your partner is trying very hard not to cooperate.

The Legendary Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett has been around enough combat sports worlds to have a rare perspective: elite MMA experience, deep grappling knowledge, and meaningful time inside professional wrestling—where control, leverage, and body positioning are the whole game. He’s widely known by the nickname “The Warmaster,” and his MMA stats alone explain why the Josh Barnett front headlock instruction carries weight: a long career with a heavy emphasis on submissions and top control.

From the available public bios, Barnett is associated with UWF-USA, and he’s listed as having a professional coaching lineage that includes Erik Paulson—one of the key connector figures who helped bring catch wrestling concepts into modern submission grappling circles.

Put that together, and you get a teacher who isn’t just demonstrating moves—he’s selling you a way to think: don’t chase chaos, manufacture it for the other person. That mindset is exactly why a Barnett front headlock course is interesting in 2026. The position has only become more important as No-Gi continues to blend wrestling, front headlock cycling, and turtle offense into a single competitive language.

Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD Review

If you’re serious about No-Gi, wrestling-heavy Jiu-Jitsu, or MMA-adjacent grappling, this is one of the more complete front headlock systems you can study without it turning into “highlight technique soup.” The material is practical, pressure-tested in spirit, and organized in a way that makes it easy to implement.

Volume 1 – Front Headlock Takedown Finishes

Volume 1 starts where the system should start: what the front headlock actually is (grips and mechanics), and how to convert it into reliable front headlock takedown finishes and control. In Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD, Barnett quickly moves past vague keep pressure advice and gives you a framework for go-behinds and movement-based finishes like the drag-by and shuck.

The standout here is that the takedown finishes don’t feel separate from the submission game—they feel like the same attack expressed in different directions. Even the bigger, flashier turns (like the cement mixer and Olympic roll) are presented as part of a coherent “front headlock = steering wheel” approach, not as highlight bait.

Volume 2 – Submission Finishes

Volume 2 is the front choke chapter in the best sense: you get a primary finish (front chokes), and then Barnett layers variations that match different defensive behaviors. The short choke and post choke feel like “if they do X, you do Y” options rather than isolated techniques.

Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD is especially good here at making the front headlock feel like a clamp you tighten in stages—first you keep them from resetting, then you punish the posture they choose. The inclusion of named catch-style finishes (like the Schalles choke and Schultz headlock) also signals the course’s identity: this isn’t only a No-Gi guillotine product; it’s a front headlock finishing module with catch wrestling DNA.

Volume 3 – Facelocks

Part 3 shifts into front facelock territory, and this is where the tactics part of the title really earns its place. Instead of assuming you always get clean choking looks, Barnett shows how to keep the opponent trapped when their priority is survival. You get front facelock and naked front facelock material, plus a Greco neck lock entry, and then an anaconda finish that includes the roll.

In the Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD, these aren’t presented like choose your favorite. They’re presented like tools for different frames and head positions—ways to keep pressure and force the head/neck to carry load while you stay safe from scrambles.

Volume 4 – The Choke Stack

The final volume is where Barnett leans hardest into the catch wrestling flavor: lasso choke, cravat options, a front full nelson, and a front quarter nelson chin pick twist. Importantly, these aren’t taught as cartoon villain moves—they’re taught as controls and finishes that become available when your opponent’s defense creates the openings.

The volume also circles back to the Assassin finish and closes with an outro, which makes the overall arc feel complete. If you’re already a front headlock player, the Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD in this final section feels like expanding your vocabulary: you’re not replacing your game, you’re adding nastier (and often more controlling) sentences you can speak when the roll gets stubborn.

Championship Catch Wrestling

The easiest way to make this instructional “stick” is to treat it like a weekly front headlock cycle rather than a binge-watch. Start with Volume 1 and pick one go-behind path (drag-by or motion-and-shuck are great), then build two training rounds around it:

1. Positional start: front headlock with your preferred grip, opponent trying only to clear and square up.

2. Constraint: you’re allowed only go-behind attempts for the round—no submissions yet.

Once you can keep the position long enough to force reactions, add one choke from Volume 2 as your “tax” on posture. After that, add Volume 3’s facelock options as your answer when the choke isn’t clean. Finally, treat Volume 4 as your specialist layer: you don’t need every finish to get value, but having one or two “this is miserable to defend” controls changes how people roll with you.

FRONT HEADLOCK AND TACTICS JOSH BARNETT DVD DOWNLOAD 

Who Is This For?

Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD is a strong fit forwWhite-to-blue belts (with a wrestling room exposure): If you can already find front headlocks but can’t keep them, this is a system upgrade. Purple belts and up will appreciate the decision-making and the way Barnett connects control to finishing without relying on perfect looks.

For No-Gi grapplers who wrestle up this plugs directly into snap-downs, sprawls, and turtle sequences. The emphasis on control, pressure, and preventing scrambles maps well to fighting.

Brand-new white belts who still struggle to recognize head position, grips, and basic front headlock safety might need positional fundamentals first may not get maximum value.  The same is true for Gi purists looking for lapel-based front headlock adaptations won’t find that here—the course identity is clearly No-Gi/catch-wrestling aligned.

Pros & Potential Drawbacks

Pros:

• System-first structure: It teaches control and cycling, not just finishes, which is why it works against resistance.

• Clear progression across volumes: Takedown finishes → front chokes → facelocks/anaconda → heavier catch options feels like a real learning path.

• Pressure without wasted motion: The emphasis on shutting down exits means you spend less energy chasing scrambles.

• Adds depth beyond the standard guillotine/anaconda pairing: The course broadens your No-Gi front headlock toolset in a way most BJJ instructionals don’t.

• Highly compatible with modern No-Gi training: Snap-downs, sprawls, and turtle exchanges are everyday scenarios, not niche ones.

Potential Drawbacks:

• Some material is “mean” by design: Certain catch wrestling options demand good partner awareness and responsible training intensity.

• Not a Gi-specific product: Gi grips and lapel-specific routes aren’t the focus, so Gi-only readers won’t get full value.

• You still need entries: Barnett improves what happens once you’re there, but you must already be able to reach the front headlock reliably.

Catch It!

A lot of instructionals claim to make you dangerous from the front headlock. What makes Front Headlock and Tactics Josh Barnett DVD different is that it makes you annoying first—and dangerous second. Barnett builds the position like a trap: you learn how to keep people from escaping cleanly, then you layer finishes that match the defensive choices they’re forced into.

Key Takeaways

• A six-part, step-by-step system that treats the knee cut as a connected passing method—not a single “move.”
• Best for grapplers who already knee cut sometimes, but lose the pass in the messy middle (frames, hip escapes, re-guarding).
• Strong emphasis on starting position, diagonal control, and recovering your base so you can finish clean instead of stalling in half-pass purgatory.
• The later sections expand the pass into a broader passing hub (Toreando links, North-South routes, headquarters/split squat passing).
• Rating: 8/10

KNEE CUT GUARD PASS JOHN DANAHER DVD DOWNLOAD

The knee cut is one of those passes that looks simple until you try to land it on someone who actually knows how to play guard. One moment you’re slicing through the knees; the next, you’re stuck in a half-guard glue trap, your posture is broken, and you’re eating frames while the bottom player rebuilds everything. That’s the real problem most people have with this pass: not knowing it, but finishing it.

That’s exactly the lane Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD aims to occupy. Instead of treating the knee cut like a highlight-reel slide, this instructional frames it as a system of starting positions, controls, angles, and recovery mechanics—so the pass doesn’t fall apart the second the guard player starts doing guard-player things. If you’ve ever felt like your knee cut is almost there, this is designed to turn that almost into something you can rely on.

The Sweet Spot Pass

The knee cut sits in that sweet spot between pressure passing and mobility passing. It’s not pure smash—because you still need angle, timing, and a clean line through the legs—but it’s also not the kind of passing where you’re constantly disengaging and sprinting around ankles. The best knee cutters feel like they’re always one step ahead: they win inside space, pin shoulders and hips, and force the bottom player to carry your weight at the exact moment they want to rotate.

In practical terms, a high-percentage knee cut usually comes down to three ideas:

1. You begin from a position where your hips are stable and your posture is recoverable.
2. You control the far-side upper body enough that frames don’t reset the guard.
3. You dominate the near-side hip/leg line so the guard player can’t freely reinsert knees and shins.

If any one of those is missing, the knee cut tends to turn into a slow-motion stalemate. That’s why the best passers don’t treat it as “knee across, done.” They treat it as a decision tree: if the underhook is there, you slice and flatten; if it isn’t, you change connection and posture; if the guard changes shape (shield, half, transitional frames), you still keep the same passing logic.

The Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD leans hard into that systemic viewpoint, which is exactly what this pass demands if you want it to work beyond friendly rounds.

John “Rashguard” Danaher

John Danaher’s reputation in Jiu-Jitsu isn’t built on flashy competition moments—it’s built on building monsters who win with repeatable mechanics. With an academic background in philosophy and years spent training and teaching under Renzo Gracie’s lineage in New York, Danaher became known for an unusually analytical teaching style: he breaks positions into problems, then solves them with structure, constraints, and “if-then” clarity.

His influence is often associated with elite submission systems, but the larger pattern is that he tends to systematize fundamentals until they become brutally consistent. When he says something is “high percentage,” he usually means it can be made reliable under resistance if you respect the details.

The knee cut is the kind of pass that rewards exactly that mindset. It’s not rare. It’s not mysterious. It’s just a pass where small positional errors get punished immediately. Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD is Danaher applying his usual “make it inevitable” approach to a classic passing staple that many grapplers half-know and half-finish.

The Details: Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD Review

The early structure (starting position, diagonal control, recovery to base) gives you a practical checklist, and the middle volumes add layers that help you scale from “I can hit this sometimes” to “I can force this often.”

The later material—especially the headquarters-based section—does a good job turning the knee cut into a passing hub, which is how high-level passers actually use it.

Volume 1 – The 3 Step System

The first section lays out the backbone of the instructional: a clearly defined, three-step framework that organizes the knee cut into phases rather than moments. The emphasis is on creating an advantageous starting position, establishing diagonal control (anchored around underhook mechanics and opposite-side knee penetration), and then recovering back to a stable base while controlling the outcome.

What’s useful here is the order of operations. A lot of people try to “win” the pass with the slice itself, and then panic when the bottom player disrupts posture or clamps half guard. By treating recovery-to-base as a formal step, the knee cut guard pass instructional highlights something experienced passers feel instinctively: finishing the knee cut often depends more on your ability to stabilize after the slice than the slice itself. This volume sets expectations that the knee cut is a process—one you can repeat—rather than a gamble.

Volume 2 – Collar and Underhook Knee Cut

The second volume narrows in on what Danaher describes as the first type of knee cut you must master: knee cuts with minimal connection, organized around collar/underhook relationships and specific hand positioning themes.

In practice, this portion is about learning to knee cut without needing perfect “chest-to-chest dominance” first. That’s realistic for most training environments: the guard player is framing, moving, and denying the clean underhook, so the passer needs a version of the knee cut that still functions when connection is lighter.

Volume 3 – Underhook Knee Cuts

This is where the instructional shifts from entry-level reliability to the grinding, higher-control version that pressure passers love: knee cut passing with greater connection, centered on fighting your way to an underhook through reactive and proactive methods. Danaher also includes a recap to keep the system coherent, and then contrasts two distinct finishing styles—chest-to-chest/ear-to-ear knee cuts versus higher-head, post-oriented knee cuts.

This volume does a good job of explaining why some knee cuts feel unstoppable while others feel like you’re sliding into danger. Increasing connection is not just about weight; it’s about denying the bottom player’s defensive cycles by controlling the lanes they need to rotate, frame, and reinsert knees.

The comparison between tighter chest alignment and a more post-driven posture also helps different body types find their version: some grapplers pass best by smothering; others pass best by staying tall enough to keep their hips mobile and their balance recoverable.

Volume 4 – Combining Knee Cuts

Volume four expands the knee cut into a broader passing network by explicitly pairing it with other passes and transitions: knee cut to Toreando, North-South passing, half guard passing to knee cut, plus themes like timing, misdirection, body lock knee cut variations, and even passing without inside foot position.

This section is where Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD becomes more than “a knee cut tutorial.” It turns the knee cut into a hub: you threaten one direction to force a reaction, then take the pass the guard player gives you.

The emphasis on misdirection and timing is especially important because the knee cut is often less about overpowering and more about catching the guard player mid-adjustment. If you’re the kind of passer who likes to chain attacks instead of forcing one, this volume will likely be where the instructional starts paying off fast.

Volume 5 – Headquarters

The fifth volume is a special topic: headquarters position and knee cut passing. Danaher introduces the headquarters position, then covers practical problems that frequently derail passers—like clearing a hand off your ankle and controlling the top knee position—before layering in a sequence of attacks from headquarters: knee cut pass, smash passing, knee hike guard passing, and the skip step pass.

This is a very coach-friendly section because headquarters is one of the most teachable passing hubs in Jiu-Jitsu. It gives structure to the chaos of open guard: you’re not just reacting to grips and shin frames, you’re building a stable base from which multiple passes branch. It also helps clarify when the knee cut is the right choice versus when another branch (smash, hike, skip) is simply higher percentage in that moment.

Volume 6 – Split Squat Passing

The final section looks at knee cut passing from a split squat configuration, including a wrist pass to knee cut and a two-handed pass option. It also addresses a very real-world scenario: what to do if you cannot secure underhook control.

Instead of pretending that problem doesn’t exist, Danaher routes into alternative outcomes, including knee cut transitions into a Darce strangle or a T Kimura. Conceptually, this volume is about not freezing when the guard player wins a key battle (like denying the underhook). A lot of failed knee cuts fail because the passer becomes single-track minded:

if the underhook isn’t there, they still try to slice the same way and end up stuck. By presenting structured alternatives—both passing and submission-based—this section makes the system feel complete.

The Best Way to Use Danaher Instructionals

To get real value out of this, treat it like a short-term project rather than a “watch once and hope” instructional. Start by picking one primary entry (for most people, the headquarters-based approach is the most repeatable), then isolate the three-step framework from volume one as your checklist.

In live rounds, your goal is not “hit the knee cut.” Your goal is: start in the right place, establish diagonal control, recover to base while controlling the outcome. If you can reliably do those three things, the knee cut starts finishing itself.

A simple training plan is to build positional rounds around the problem phases. Begin in headquarters or split squat, and give the bottom player one job: deny underhooks and reinsert knees.

Give the top player one job: progress through the system without rushing. Once you’re consistently getting to half-pass situations, start from there and work only on the recovery-to-base portion—because that’s where most knee cuts die.

This is also an instructional that rewards filming your rounds. The “micro-detail” promise is real in the sense that small posture errors—head position, knee angle, hip distance—are usually the difference between pressure and stalemate.

GRAB HERE: KNEE CUT GUARD PASS JOHN DANAHER DVD

Who Is This For?

This is best for grapplers who already understand what the knee cut is and have at least a basic passing vocabulary. A solid white belt who can name positions and isn’t still drowning in open guard chaos can absolutely benefit, but the biggest payoff starts at blue belt and above—when you’ve tried knee cutting on competent guard players and realized it’s not as automatic as it looks.

It’s also a strong fit for pressure passers who want a clean, repeatable “main pass” that links naturally to other passes and coaches looking for a structured way to teach knee cutting without turning it into a random collection of grips and finishes.

Pros & Potential Drawbacks

Pros:

• True system framing, not a one-off technique. The three-step organization gives you a repeatable template instead of a “try this grip” vibe.
• Clear distinction between minimal vs greater connection knee cuts. That’s a real-world passing problem, and the John Danaher knee cut pass DVD treats it seriously.
• Excellent linking between passes. The knee cut-to-Toreando/North-South/two-handed connections make the knee cut a hub rather than a dead end.
• Headquarters focus adds teachability and consistency. For many grapplers, headquarters is where the knee cut becomes a dependable A-game option.
• Addresses the underhook-denial problem directly. The final section’s alternative routes help prevent the common “I’m stuck because Plan A failed” stall.

Potential Drawbacks:

• Detail density can feel heavy if you don’t already knee cut. Beginners may need to build basic passing comfort before the micro-details stick.
• If you dislike structured, concept-driven teaching, you may want more “just show the move” pacing. This is not a quick-hits highlight format.
• Some branches may be more relevant than others depending on your ruleset/style. Not everyone will prioritize submission follow-ups from the knee cut, for example.

Master The Move – Knee Cut Pass

If your knee cut already exists in your game but collapses under resistance, this is a strong upgrade. The biggest value in Knee Cut Guard Pass John Danaher DVD isn’t that it shows the knee cut—it’s that it shows how to make the knee cut survive contact with real guard defense.

Instead of betting everything on one slice, you threaten the knee cut to open other passes, and you use other passes to funnel back into the knee cut. That’s where the system starts to feel like it belongs in an A-game.

Key Takeaways

• Best for No-Gi grapplers who want a reliable straight ankle lock they can hit in live rounds (not just a “catch and pray” foot grab).
• Core focus: Short X / Butterfly Ashi finishing mechanics, plus the troubleshooting that actually solves the usual defenses (booting, standing, peeling grips, hiding the heel line).
• This isn’t a “20 entries” course—it’s a finishing course that builds pressure, control, and decision-making so the ankle lock stops being a coin flip.
• Limitations to know: If you’re hunting heel hooks first, you’ll need to mentally reframe why the straight ankle matters (and why it often wins earlier).
• Rating: 9/10

ANKLE LOCKS DON’T WORK DAVID MITCHELL DVD DOWNLOAD HERE

Ankle locks have a weird reputation in modern grappling: everyone knows they work, but plenty of people still treat them like the “budget leg lock” you threaten with until you can move on to something else. Ankle Locks Don’t Work David Mitchell DVD is basically a full-on rebuttal to that mindset—taught through a very specific lens: build a straight ankle lock that finishes even when your opponent does all the right defensive things.

Mitchell’s style here feels like it comes from real competitive friction: he’s not teaching the ankle lock as a single move, but as a chain of control problems you solve in order—bite, posture, inside space, pressure angle, and reaction. If your straight ankle lock has ever felt like it’s “almost there” until someone stands up, boots hard, or hand-fights you into nothing… this No-Gi leg lock instructional is designed for exactly that moment.

Ankle Locks Don’t Work (And Other Lies)

The straight ankle lock is one of the most misunderstood submissions in No-Gi because the finishing looks deceptively simple. People assume it’s about yanking the foot. In practice, the high-percentage finish is closer to a wedge-and-fold: you’re controlling the foot’s ability to rotate, controlling the knee line so they can’t run, and creating an angle where their defensive structures collapse under pressure.

That’s why positions like Butterfly Ashi remain gold even in a heel hook-heavy era: they give you a stable lever on the leg while keeping your upper body free to win the grip battle. When done right, you’re not “chasing” the ankle lock—you’re forcing your partner to carry your structure, then tightening the trap.

The big hidden advantage, especially for IBJJF legal leg locks purposes, is how often a clean straight ankle lock forces a predictable sequence: boot → stand → rotate → hand-fight → give up balance. A truly good ankle lock system doesn’t just finish—it creates sweeps, back-takes, and passes because the defense is so scripted. That’s the lane this instructional lives in: turning the ankle lock into a game plan, not a “hope submission.”

All About Leg Locks: David Mitchell 

David Mitchell (often listed as David Charles Mitchell in event results) is a competitive Black Belt with strong credentials in Masters divisions, particularly in No-Gi. He won the Masters 2 Black Belt Open Class at the IBJJF No-Gi Worlds in 2023 and also medaled in his weight category at that same event—proof that his leg lock approach isn’t theoretical or purely gym-room.

That matters for this topic because straight ankle locks are one of the most tested submissions in the sport—everyone has a defense, everyone has an opinion, and the meta has moved fast. Mitchell’s credibility here comes from the fact that he’s building a system around the ankle lock that holds up against experienced opponents who know exactly what you’re trying to do.

The Full Ankle Locks Don’t Work David Mitchell DVD Review

This course is structured like a practical conversion kit: it starts from the end (finishing), then builds the grip framework, then adds pain/pressure escalations, then shows entry routes. Then, it spends serious time on troubleshooting and common reactions (especially standing defense), and finally ties it into 50/50 and saddle situations before ending with drills and positional work.

Volume 1 – Short X Foundations

Mitchell opens by planting a flag: he wants you to become a Short X king, and he frames the ankle lock as something you should understand from the finish backward. Instead of dumping you into a bunch of entries, he prioritizes what submits actually bite—your relationship to their hip line, the way you structure your legs, and the kind of angle you need before you ever squeeze.

This volume feels like it’s designed to fix the common “looks right, doesn’t tap” problem. He layers in the small adjustments that change everything: how your secondary leg helps control rotation, where your body should be relative to their knee line, and how you choose between committing to the finish versus coming up for the sweep when the defense gives you that option. The troubleshooting section is especially important here because it establishes the tone of the whole series: you’re not just learning a move; you’re learning what to do when the move doesn’t work immediately.

Volume 2 – Grip Frameworks & the Apollo Lock

If Volume 1 is the lower-body structure, the second portion of this DVD is the upper-body engine. Mitchell outlines multiple grip options and then organizes them in a way that makes decision-making faster—so you’re not always improvising your hands mid-scramble. The point isn’t “use grip A always,” but rather understanding what each grip gives you: better control, better squeeze mechanics, better ability to survive hand-fighting, or better angle for the finish.

He also introduces the Apollo Lock concept here as a way to reinforce the break when a standard finish isn’t getting the reaction you want. The value of this volume is that it makes your ankle lock less fragile: if your partner is good at peeling hands, stripping grips, or riding out pressure, the grip system becomes your toolkit for re-attacking without losing the leg.

Volume 3 – Pressure Escalation & Pain Management

Volume 3 has a clear theme: if your opponent is durable—or if your mechanics are close but not quite perfect—you need ways to escalate pressure without losing position. Mitchell introduces options like the elbow kickstand and other named variations (including the Sole Crusher and the 404) to give you finishing tools that feel more like “pressure locks” than quick snaps.

This is where the instructional starts to feel very competition-friendly. Rather than encouraging frantic reaping of the ankle, it teaches how to keep your structure while increasing discomfort and limiting the opponent’s ability to rotate out.

Volume 4 – Half Guard and K-Guard

This is the “how do I get there?” volume, and it’s also where Mitchell starts connecting leg attacks to broader positional outcomes. He covers entry routes like the half guard swim-through and multiple paths from K-Guard into X and Short X.

The emphasis is less on flashy inversion and more on getting your hips and legs aligned so you land in the position ready to finish, not ready to scramble. What makes part 4 especially useful is that it doesn’t treat the ankle lock as a dead-end. Mitchell includes follow-ups around passing—both “passing on feet” and “passing on knees”—which is exactly how a real match often plays out: you attack, they defend hard, and now they’re compromised in a way that should let you advance.

The “dynamic entries” section reinforces that you’re rarely entering on a perfectly still opponent; you’re entering in motion, and your job is to arrive with control rather than chasing speed.

Volume 5 – Troubleshooting

If there’s a meat and potatoes section of this instructional, it’s this volume. Mitchell explicitly addresses why he prefers Short X to outside ashi in this context, then spends serious time on the real-world problems that kill ankle locks: distance management, booting, subtle adjustments to re-bite, and the exact moments where you need to reset rather than force.

He also goes hard on standing defense—arguably the most common survival tactic once someone feels the lock. This includes proactive answers (like transitioning to variations such as the Aoki-style finish when appropriate), decisions about when to go belly-down, and how to keep control when your opponent is rising and trying to shake you off. le.

There’s also an advanced link here connecting shin-on-shin into single leg X into Short X, which helps bridge the gap for grapplers who like to play open guard and want a consistent path into their finishing position.

Volume 6 – 50/50 and Saddle

In modern No-Gi, you don’t always get to live in your preferred entanglement—sometimes you land in 50/50, sometimes you hit a saddle-style position, sometimes you’re forced into a leg pummeling exchange. Mitchell addresses both 50/50 and saddle as practical realities and shows how to apply his approach inside those frameworks.

The important takeaway is that he’s not trying to turn this into a heel hook course. Instead, he’s showing how the straight ankle lock remains relevant—even in positions where people assume the “real” threat must be rotational. If you compete in rulesets that limit heel hooks, or you simply want a submission that’s available more often, this integration helps you keep your game coherent when the entanglement changes.

Volume 7 – Drills, Positionals, and Making it Stick

The final volume is where the instructional becomes easiest to implement. Mitchell provides drills and positional sparring ideas that reinforce the key habits: clean entry alignment, grip retention, angle creation, and reacting correctly to common defenses. This matters because ankle locks aren’t just technique—they’re timing and feel. If you only “watch” ankle locks, you’ll still miss the micro-adjustments that make the finish click.

Ankle Locks Scare People – Use Them More!

To get real value out of this instructional, treat it like a short training block, not a one-night binge. A realistic plan looks like this: spend your first week living in the Volume 1 world—finish mechanics and structure—because everything else collapses if you can’t actually make people respect the bite. In week two, add the grip framework from Volume 2 and one pressure escalation from Volume 3, then immediately test it in positional rounds starting from Short X.

Week three is when you start building the game: pick one entry route (half guard swim-through or a K-Guard path) and make it your default way to arrive in position. Then spend a full week using Volume 5 as your troubleshooting map—especially the standing defense sections—because that’s the point where most straight ankle locks fail in sparring.

Finally, sprinkle in Volume 6 only as needed: if your room constantly forces 50/50 or saddle exchanges, use it to keep your ankle lock threat alive without changing who you are as a grappler.

AVAILABLE HERE: ANKLE LOCKS DON’T WORK DAVID MITCHELL DVD

Who Is This For?

This instructional is a strong fit for solid white belts through purple belts who already understand basic leg entanglement positioning but haven’t developed a truly consistent finish. Early white belts can still benefit, but they may need a coach to help them recognize knee line, inside space, and angle before they can fully apply the details.

Style-wise, it’s great for No-Gi players who want a high-percentage straight ankle lock system that works in live rounds without relying on athletic scrambling and modern guard players who like shin-on-shin, single leg X, or K-Guard and want a direct path to a finish.

Maybe skip this one if you only want heel hooks and see the straight ankle as secondary—you’ll still learn a lot, but you need to buy into the premise. Pure Gi specialists who rarely play No-Gi leg entanglements will find that the concepts translate, but the emphasis here is clearly No-Gi reality and reactions.

Pros & Potential Drawbacks

Pros:

• Clear “start from the end” teaching approach that fixes the biggest problem: getting the finish to actually work under resistance.

• Strong troubleshooting layer (especially for standing defense and boot defense), which is where most ankle lock instructionals fall short.

• Practical grip framework that helps you win hand-fighting battles instead of constantly losing your bite mid-attack.

• Entries connect naturally to real guard scenarios and include pass follow-ups, so your leg attacks feed your overall game.

• Drills and positional sparring guidance makes it easier to build the skill into your rounds, not just your knowledge.

Potential Drawbacks:

• If you want a wide “encyclopedia” of entries, this is more of a focused finishing-and-reaction system than a huge catalog.

• Some named variations will click best for grapplers who already have decent positional control; brand-new players may need extra reps to feel the differences.

• Heavy No-Gi emphasis—Gi-only players will need to adapt grips and reactions to their environment.

Ankle Locks Work!

If your ankle locks have felt like a gamble—strong on compliant partners, weak on anyone good—this is the type of instructional that can genuinely change that. The biggest win is how Mitchell frames the straight ankle lock as a sequence of solvable problems: structure, grip, angle, inside space, and reaction.

Ankle Locks Don’t Work David Mitchell DVD earns its title by attacking the exact reason people say ankle locks “don’t work”: they’re doing them without control layers. Mitchell gives those layers, then backs them with troubleshooting and training methods that translate to live sparring.