Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD Review

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD Review
Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics - DVD Review

Do you know what a grappling leg ride is? Unless you’ve wrestled, and not just a few times, then you are probably not aware of the power of these simple, yet super-powerful staples of wrestling control.

Today on the menu, we decided to go through the Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD, reviewing how one of the best wrestling coaches and Olympic-medal set competitors in the US at the moment uses leg rides for ultimate control. Throughout this article, you’ll come to understand that you already know and use leg rides in BJJ, you just haven’t given them the dedicated attention they deserve.

Key Takeaways

  • Two-part wrestling instructional with over an hour of leg riding techniques. 
  • Demonstrated by four-time Division I All-American wrestler.   
  • Powerful mat return and scramble damnation tactics, easy to master quickly.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10.

Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Wrestling DVD Review

Preview the Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics DVD

DOWNLOAD THE LEG RIDE LOGISTICS DVD HERE!!!

Riding the Legs in Grappling

Have you ever done a Twister while rolling in BJJ? How about the truck position, or Ninja rolls to get the back? all of these are examples of leg rides that work like a charm in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Despite it all, this wrestling staple is not usually taught in BJJ schools on its own, nor does it get the attention it deserves.

I have said it before and will say it again, wrestling is a complete grappling martial art that has a lot more benefits for BJJ players than just a few takedown combos. The mat returns and mat control offered by wrestling are unparalleled, given the crazy positions wrestlers get in to stave off getting pinned.

This is exactly why dynamic ground control moves such as leg rides are so useful in BJJ. Their versatility ensures that you fulfill a major principle of top control – preventing one of the opponent’s legs from leaving the mats, effectively taking away any chance they have, or standing up or getting on top of you.

Once entangled, leg rides work much like Ashi Garami, but instead of leading to leg locks, they lead to position pins, such as side control, mount, or back mount. This Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD we’re reviewing today is a very useful resource for those willing to introduce some wrestling spice to their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game.

Cal Poly Wrestling Coach Evan Wick

Wrestling is one of the staples of American high school and collegiate sports, with lots of kids taking part at one point or another in their trip through the educational system. Some of those kids go on to become multiple times division I All-American wrestlers and become wrestling coaches themselves, like Evan Wick.

Evan started wrestling in Wisconsin but transferred to Cal Poly in his final year. A very aggressive and fast-paced wrestler, Wick has a knack for draining opponents through smart attachments that force them to give in. Breaking wrestlers is no easy task, so Wick is exactly who you want to be learning wrestling from.

With a record of 23-1 in his one wrestling season with Cal Poly, and an overall record of 133-22 it is clear why Evan Wick was kept on as a coach. After joining, he has influenced the wrestling program so much, that the head Cal Poly coach has claimed he “changed the trajectory” of the team’s performance.

If you’re not a part of the Cal Poly wrestling team, though, the only way to pick his brain (sort of) is to pick up the Evan Wick Leg Ride DVD. Do not forget to keep an eye out for him, as he is not yet done with competition, with World and Olympic medals still long his radar as a competitor representing the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club.

Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD Review

The Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD is a short and precise one. The material is spread over two volumes, covering mechanics and leg ride entries, and everything that you can gain from there on. Given the subject, the instructional is short, but it delivers al the key information you need, especially if you’ve never encountered leg rides before.

Part 1 – Leg Riding Basics

Leg riding is essentially a way of hooking the legs of an opponent, mostly while they are in the referee’s position in wrestling, and using it to prevent them from standing up as you look to pin them on the mats. You can see how this can translate to BJJ.

The first volume of the Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD covers the mechanical aspects of leg rides and a few different ways you can attach both above and below the opponent’s knee. He particularly stays with the figure four-leg ride configuration, which offers the most options in terms of versatility.

The first volume ends with an introduction to how the cradle position connects to leg rides, which is the main subject of the second part of this grappling DVD.

Part 2 – Riding to the Cradle

The second (and final) part of this Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD builds on the leg riding basics from the first volume, expanding to include not just more control, but also even direct submission options.

While Wick shows leg bars and wrist attacks from the leg ride, he also goes over the most common scrambling scenarios, ensuring that even during forced rolls you stay in cruise control. It is literally like you’re riding the leg, following the opponent wherever they go.

The ultimate position to wrap up using a leg ride is the cradle, and Evan covers both near and far-side options,  ending with the torturous cherry on top that is the crossface crunch.

Using Leg Rides in BJJ

Now that you’re aware of what legal rides are, let’s try and see how and where you can use them to improve your BJJ game. First, let’s make it clear that the choice of training attire makes no difference at all since this move works just as well in Gi and No-Gi.

The main use for leg rides that I have found, and fall back to often in Jiu-Jitsu, is to effectively break down the turtle position, With more and more people figuring out the defensive power of the turtle, getting to the head and/or armpits is proving very difficult, if not impossible. Accessing the legs, though, offers a whole different approach that not many people without wrestling experience are aware of.

For example, you can attach yourself not just at hip level, like we do with hooks, but also at knee level (knee rides) or even ankle level (ankle rides). Knee-level insertions vs. the turtle are not unheard of, with most truck and Twister entries or half guard back exposures exploiting this route.

Ankle rides, though, can ensure you break down someone trying to stay in turtle/all fours, effectively preventing opponents from standing up or scrambling (known in wrestling as mat returns) and taking away a key post that allows them to fend off breakdowns and conceding top position.

If you turn towards wrestlers, you’ll find a lot of different resources on the subject of leg rides, some even including very old-school catch wrestling submissions. However, if you want a very practical guide covering the modern-day applications of leg rides in grappling, the Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD is more than enough. 

DVD Review: Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics
Check Out a Sample from Evan Wick’s Leg Ride Logistics DVD

EVAN WICK LEG RIDE LOGISTICS DVD DOWNLOAD!!!

Time For A Ride!

Wrestling has proved over and over again to be the Achilles heel of BJJ. Every time some major innovation happens in BJJ, it can be traced to a wrestling staple Jiu-Jitsu grapplers tend to ignore and dismiss. With the fame around the sending prowess of wrestling not dying down, and wrestling defense on the rise, the next big thing might just be mat returns and mat control.

A look at an instructional such as the Evan Wick Leg Ride Logistics Grappling DVD means you act proactively, expanding your grappling horizons and widening your options of dominating opponents. After all, as long as it is legal, does it really have to be “Gracie-approved” for you to use it in BJJ?

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Review: Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Review: Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD

I love guillotines! I am sure many people agree with me, and just as many are going to shrug them off as just another choke. Well, if you dare to look into the Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD, you will probably emerge on the other side agreeing with my opening statement.

The guillotine has been around for millennia and is one of the most effective and versatile grappling moves you can use. Unfortunately, it has been downplayed and underestimated in BJJ, mostly falling victim to the Gi vs No-Gi debate in the sport. So, can this Gordon Ryan DVD finally change how we look at guillotines in Jiu-Jitsu? Let’s find out!

Key Takeaways

  • No-Gi BJJ DVD, with 4+ hours of ultra-high quality material on guillotines.
  • More than an hour and a half of live rolling and rolling breakdowns.   
  • A complete system to teach guillotines to white and black belts alike.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.
Gordon Ryan DVD Review: Systematically Attacking The Guillotine
Check out the Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD Trailer

DOWNLOAD THE NEW GUILLOTINE GORDON RYAN DVD HERE!!!

The Guillotine – A Heavily Underestimated Choke in BJJ

If there is one position that deserves a lot more recognition in the entire sport of grappling, it has to be the guillotine. I will not write ‘choke’ next to it because the guillotine is just so much more than just a way to strangle somebody. It is one of the best attachments that, once achieved, provides you with control over every aspect of a grappling or MMA match.

Not many positions offer such a threat from standing, guard, and top positions, not to mention the potential for further transitions and connecting chains. It is staggering that people only think of the guillotine as a choke, and even then place it exclusively in the realm of No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.  That’s just criminal.

Take a look at any successful top-level grappler and you’ll see heavy use of guillotines all across their game. From Marcelo Garcia, through Rickson and Kron Graci, all the way to Craig Jones and ‘King’ Ryan, every top competitor has a guillotine system up their sleeve. Now, with the latest Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD, you get such a resource at your disposal as well.

The Teaching Legacy of Gordin Ryan

As a competitor, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Gordon Ryan is one of the best grapplers ever. I’ll leave the GOAT debate open, as I lean towards Marcelo Garcia over Ryan, but that is a subject for a different day.

Apart from his well-documented competitive escapades, there is another side to Gordon Ryan that is just as important – his role as a coach. While he is not a full-time instructor, which is very understandable given his competitive focus, he does issue a lot of video instructional, so much, in fact, that he’s just about covered every important subject in the sport.

In terms of that material, some Gordon Ryan DVDs are better than others. If we skip over that train wreck of an instructional that was his very first DVD about weight lifting for grappling, Gordon has had some hits and misses, but nothing too horrible.

The issue I have with some of his instructionals is that it is very difficult to follow his train of thought, as he goes on huge tangents as he is teaching. He seems to be clearing this up, though, in his latest instructionals, as the Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD demonstrates.

Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD Review

Gordon quoted hundreds of direct messages asking him to produce an instructional covering the Guillotine. Despite some coverage in his front headlock instructional, everyone (me included) wanted more, given that he used the position to win the ADCC.

The Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD is another 8-part grappling instructional, as all previous DVDs by the ‘King’. It runs just over 4 hours, covering the guillotine more than any other DVD in the BJJ world, concluding with Ryan’s signature narrated rolls.

Part 1 – Positioning & Connections

As the instructional begins, Gordon shares his thoughts on the variable uses of the guillotine as a position, making the very important distinction that it is much more than just a choke. After a short intro, he covers crucial connection principles, such as distance management and hand positioning.

Lots of attention in this volume goes into gripping, as it defines the mobility you have with the Guillotine, as well as the restrictions in movement you impose on the opponent. Ryan also shares several different types of guillotines at the beginning, often referring to this section as the instructional unfolds.

Part 2 – Closed Guard Guillotines

A quintessential attack from the closed guard and one I still use very often and with great effectiveness to this day is attacking with a guillotine from the closed guard. Gordon offers a myriad of finishes, featuring different elbow and wrist positions, as well as different grips.

He also demonstrates several examples of dilemma attacks you can launch using the guillotine, such as tying it with the threat of the hip bump sweep, Sumi Gaeshi, and triangle chokes.

Part 3 – Open Guard Guillotine

As the Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD progresses, so does the game he demonstrates. Starting from the most secure position to hunt for the guillotine, Ryan opens up the guard, which also offers a lot more attacking avenues using guillotines.

Part 3 is all about keeping a hold of the head as you make your way through sweeps, submissions, and backtakes using the guillotine. Ryan covers an important alignment rule first, before heading to explore how the guillotine connects different open guards and how opponents usually react.

He then builds on those common reactions, teaching exactly how he uses the guillotine for effortless Sumi Gaeshi sweeps, to counter body lock passing and even get out of side control.

Part 4 – Guillotines vs. Passing

Immediately following the bottom guillotine game is Ryan’s tactical blueprint for using guillotines to deal with a bottom player’s guard. There is a natural progression here, as he started in the closed guard opening the game and tying sweeps with submission finishes to allow the guillotine to get him to the top and in a passing scenario.

The position works like a charm for passing as well, particularly against seated guards and the half guard. Chapters in this volume of the Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD cover footballing the head (I love the term!), rolling past the opponent’s legs, and setting up knee slides.

In most of the cases, Gordon picked a landing position for his passes that still allows him to use the guillotine for control and finishing, such as side control and the mount. This is where different types of guillotines appear again, as each works slightly better in a specific position compared to the others.

Part 5 – Top Position Guillotine Chokes

A personal favorite aspect of mine when it comes to using guillotines is to torture people from top positions. I expected Ryan to share lots of options for improving control and submission rate, and he did not disappoint.

Albeit shorter than the other volumes in this series, this part covers everything guillotine-related from the mount, side control, and the back mount. Since things are pretty clear mechanically, Ryan showed diversity by going over some common scenarios and troubleshooting common problems.

Part 6 – Headlock Guillotines

If there is one position that screams guillotine, it has to be the front headlock. This part of the Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD is a throwback to Ryan’s previous front headlock DVD, covering subjects such as setups vs. defensive grips, hand positioning, body alignment, and how to set up other arm triangle chokes, such as the Darce choke and the Anaconda.

Part 7 & 8 – Rolling and Commentary

As expected, the Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD ends with rolling sessions including several different training partners, followed by an analysis of each and every roll, explaining exactly how he used the guillotine system in a real sparring setting.

This is arguably the best part of the instructional, as Gordon is exceptionally good at analyzing rolls, and does not spare any details. A great way to end a very solid instructional.

Don’t Neglect The Guillotine

The guillotine has a place in every grappler’s toolbox, Gi or No-Gi. Don’t shy away from it simply because you perceive it with a choke. It is a very powerful position that you can use to navigate around the entire game without ever sacrificing control and always maintaining a threat of a finish.

Just think of the Kimura trap system. You essentially get the same with the guillotine, a trap system that, once activated, is only going to draw your opponent deeper into trouble. And don’t worry about nonsense like the Gi is going to get in the way. If anything, having extra handles to grip is only going to make you a lot more efficient at what you’re doing.

The reason the guillotine works is simple, and you already know it: it breaks posture and keeps it broken. Wrestlers have been using variations of the position for thousands of years to out-grapple opponents, so why would you skip over using such a great weapon in modern BJJ?

Gordon Ryan Guillotine DVD Instructional Review
A Free Technique from Gordon Ryan’s New Guillotine DVD

GUILLOTINE GORDON RYAN DVD – GET IT HERE!!!

Off With Their Head!

I will dare to claim that the Systematically Attacking The Guillotine Gordon Ryan DVD is the best instructional by the ‘King’ to this moment. I am not the biggest fan of his instructional, but I am coming around, and his covering one of my favorite subjects certainly helped.

The fact of the matter is that nobody has ever covered the guillotine so diversely as Ryan did in this BJJ DVD instructional. Just go on and grab it, there is no way you’re not going to benefit from this instructional, regardless of how good you think you are at Jiu-Jitsu.

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Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets Satoshi Ishii DVD Review

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets Satoshi Ishii DVD Review
Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD by Satoshi Ishii

If you’ve ever grappled with a Judoka, you know how annoying their iron grips can be – you can’t make them let go of you! Even in No-Gi, the gripping effectiveness of high-level Judo grapplers is often the difference in matches, even if their actual BJJ skills are not up to par.

The reason behind it is obvious – the Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets that Judokas have drilled over and over again for hours at a time, as they navigate a grappling art where the grip is king! While you can find ways to break these grips apart, why not do the smarter thing and join Satoshi Ishii and learn how to develop the iron grips from hell that will skyrocket your BJJ?

Key Takeaways

  • A Gi BJJ instructional containing nearly 2 hours of Judo grip fighting secrets. 
  • Taught by Olympic and World Judo champion, MMA fighter, and pro grappler.   
  • Explores differnet grips and stances, grip breaks, and counter gripping tactics.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 7 out of 10.

DOWNLOAD THE JUDO GRIP FIGHTING SECRETS DVD HERE!!!

Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets Satoshi Ishii DVD Review
Free Technique from Satoshi Ishii’s Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD

It All Starts With Grip Fighting

Okay, it all starts with distance, really, in any type of martial art or combat sport. Hwoever, the one parameter that defines a distance from which exchanges are possible is the establishment of grips. Even striking arts such as boxing and Muay Thai have the clinch, which helps control the match by controlling distance, all made possible by gripping and attaching.

In BJJ, as well as Judo, wrestling, and all other grappling-based martial arts, grips are absolutely essential to have a meaningful experience. Imagine grappling with an opponent and neither you nor they get any grips going – it is no touch martial arts at their best.

Grips are what allow us to destabilize opponents, isolate parts of their bodies, and lead them to positions where we can assert dominance. Even when finishing, grips are essential – there is rarely a submission in BJJ not requiring that you hold on to some part of your opponent with your arms.

Out of all the grappling martial arts, Judo is the one where you can master the true art of grip fighting. Since no lower body takedowns are allowed in sports Judo, it all comes down to manipulating the upper body of a standing opponent to throw them to the mats. It is no easy feet, which is why Judokas spend some much time working on their grips.

Luckily, you don’t need to become an Olympic Judo champion to develop such powerful grips for BJJ. You just need the experience and tactics of such a champion, which is exactly what you get from Satoshi Ishii and his new Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD.

Olympic Judo Icon Satoshi Ishii

Satoshi Ishii is a household name in Judo and MMA and is one of the most notable Japanese fighters ever. He is still active as a competitor, now focusing on kickboxing and the occasional submission grappling opportunities that professional Jiu-Jitsu opened up.

Ishii was born in Japan in 1986 and has been grappling for most of his life. Not many people in the world can say they have medaled in everything that matters in Judo:

  • 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist.
  • 2006 Asina Games Silver Medalist.
  • 2004 World Judo Champion.
  • 2 x All Japan Judo Champion.

Satoshi also spends considerable time in MMA, fighting for several different organizations such as DREAM, Rizin, Bellator, and K-1, emerging with a professional record of 26-14-1. The naturalized Croatian citizen also has some notable performances in Submission Underground in 2020, where he lost to Craig Jones and Mason Fowler.

Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD: The Review

Satoshi Ishii’s Judo Grip Fighting Secrets is a three-part DVD that covers the basics of grip fighting for grappling martial arts that use the Gi. It covers standing exchanges and goes very deep into depicting the importance of grip placement and maneuvering during grappling:

Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets Satoshi Ishii DVD Review
Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD by Satoshi Ishii

Part 1 – Basic Arm Control Gripst

Satoshi begins his instructional by offering an overview of a bunch of different Gi grips along the length of the arm, and how they work in relation to common stances. The focus of the instructional is on standing exchanges, but many of the principles can be extrapolated for use in all kinds of BJJ situations.

Instead of showing mindlessly complicated grips, Ishii focuses on how you position and move your body as you go from the sleeve, through the elbow, all the way to armpit grips. He also covers the opponent’s stance and positioning, explaining why specific grips work so well against specific stances.

Part 2 – Breaking Grips

As we go into the second part of the Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD by Satoshi Ishii, the focus shifts from gripping to preventing grips. Ishii shares the Japanese system that divides the opponent’s arms into pulling and pushing, addressing each accordingly.

Some of the grip breaks in this part are not new, but it is the first time someone has explained them in relation to body positioning and distance. Other grip breaks, such as dealing with overhead grips or maintaining your armpit grip despite the opponent’s breaking efforts stand out in this volume.

Part 3 – Japanese Grip Combos and Counters

The final portion of the DVD looks into more advanced grip exchanges, with intricate Judo tactics on how to grab the sleeve for that super-important first grip. In this portion, there are lots of back-and-forth tactics covered by Ishii, ending with adding color control to the sleeve/armpit grips you already know how to obtain from the previous volumes.

What I really liked about this instructional is that Satoshi covers only grip fighting and does not sidetrack into throws and trips. He sticks to the subject, taking grip fighting very deep, which, despite being boring at times, is extremely important, particularly for those grappling exclusively in the Gi.

How Grip Fighting Makes Your Jiu-Jitsu Better

Ask yourself why you place a grip in a specific position as you grapple. If the answer is ‘because the instructor told me’ then you’re likely wasting your time with the grip. The thing that is of the utmost importance during grip placement in BJJ is purpose.

The grip serves the purpose of attaching you to the opponent, but for it to be effective, that attachment has to lead to something. We all know that ‘death grips” do nothing but tire out our fingers and end up with a ton of money spent on finger tape over the years. So, instead of blindly grabbing things, understand what you’re trying to achieve with those grips.

Satoshi Ishii offers a blueprint for Gi grips during standing exchanges that covers exactly that – why grips work the way they do. The moment you realize that you’ll lock the Japanese Judo grip fighting secrets that will transform your BJJ game into a very effective and annoying one.

SATOSHI ISHII JUDO GRIP FIGHTING SECRETS DVD DOWNLOAD!!!

Japanese Judo Grip Fighting Secrets

So far, Satoshi Ishii has excelled at anything he has done, from Judo to MMA and submission grappling. He does the same as an instructor, delivering one of the best grip-fighting resources I have seen to date, and I’ve seen plenty.

If you want just one instructional to take care of all your grip fighting needs for BJJ, I’m sorry to say no such DVD exists. However, if you want to understand purposeful grip fighting, especially in the context of standing exchanges with the Gi, then the Judo Grip Fighting Secrets DVD is exactly what you need!

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Side Control Authority by Alex Smith DVD Review

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Side Control Authority by Alex Smith DVD Review

If you are ready to torture everyone on the mats from side control, then you’re looking for the right resource for the job. While most people only see side control as a temporary transitional position, Alex Smith presents it as a super-powerful pin of its own in his Side Control Authority DVD.

There is a lot to be gained from being dominant from side control, even though the position itself doesn’t earn points. Instead of points, it offers so many different direct upper-body submissions that the trade-off is more than favorable! The trick to side control success? Knowing how to isolate the arms of your opponent to both control and tap them out!

Key Takeaways

  • Improve your side control pinning by isolating arms. 
  • Side control attack chains and follow-ups that will annoy your opponents. 
  • Meticulously organized Gi BJJ DVD by a Roger Gracie Academy instructor 
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.

DOWNLOAD THE SIDE CONTROL AUTHORITY DVD HERE!!!

Side Control Authority Review: Check Out Alex Smith DVD insturctional
Check Out Alex Smith’s Side Control Authority DVD

The Attacking Versatility of Side Control

Of all the top position pins available in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, side control is by far my personal favorite. It allows for so much dominance and control while giving the bottom person the illusion that they can somehow wiggle out and get free, that it almost seems unfair to use.

The one key thing to keep in mind when you’re after side control authority is that you will never be able to settle down and ride it out, like in the mount or back control. For side control, you need to constantly keep working, adjusting how you attach to the opponents so that you take space away and tighten your control over the opponent.

Speaking of attachments, they are the one thing that people seem to take for granted once they achieve side control. Namely, simply getting to the position, despite its name, does not mean you’ll automatically have absolute control over the bottom person. You’ll need to adjust constantly, and simply having an arm under or over your head is not enough.

That’s where arm isolation comes in. The closer you can get to one, or ideally, both of your opponent’s shoulders, the easier it will be to keep them pinned. It also means you now have direct access to all side control armlocks, bent or straight, as well as a combo of direct and arm-in chokes.  Sounds better, doesn’t it?

Alex Smith – A Roger Gracie Academy Instructor

The name Alex Smith might not be immediately recognizable to you if you are not a UK-based grappler. It does seem like a spy name, but rest assured, Alex is as real as it gets, both as a person and a BJJ black belt.

Smith is part of the Roger Gracie Academy in the UK, where he has been training his entire grappling life. At the moment he teaches in the academy, alongside Roger and Mauricio Gomes, mainly taking care of the fundamentals classes. He was promoted to black belt by Kev Chappel who got his black belt from Roger.

Alex is a very versatile grappler who particularly enjoys working with the Gi. His style is an interesting blend of old-school BJJ, grappling for MMA, and carefully chosen and refined aspects of the modern Jiu-Jitsu Gi game. Combined with the fact that he has been one of the top instructors in Roger’s academy for years, his pedigree in teaching something as fundamental as side control dominance is very well substantiated.

Side Control Authority: Complete Alex Smith DVD Review

In a couple of hours of your time, the Side Control Authority Alex Smith DVD is going to teach you one of the most difficult things to master in BJJ – how not to lose side control. Alex’s tactics and approach are great for grapplers of all levels, but, as he also iterates, you’ll have to put in the work and hours on the mats to make all the material in this DVD work for you:

Part 1 – Controlling Side Control

As this Alex Smith DVD opens, the first thing that catches the eye is that Alex takes no time to blow his own horn, but rather gets straight to it. I admire that, since when I got this instructional, I already knew I was getting a side control attacks DVD, so skipping over unnecessary intros was very welcome.

In the very first chapter, Alex shares the mechanical intricacies of side control, and how you can ensure that the bottom person is going to:

    1. Stay on bottom
    2. Be unable to replace the guard

From there, he explores some classics of BJ Jside control, starting from the crossface and letting it lead to one of the most devastating side control positions that Roger’s father came up with, known as the Mauricio Side Control.

Perhaps the most important chapter of this entire volume is the final one, in which Alex shares strategies on how to still keep a hold of a fleeing opponent, without losing side control.

Part 2 – The Kesa Gatame Game

Once control is secured, it is time for the fun part – torture the person you have pinned. While I tend to stay away from the Kesa Gatame position, even though I am a former Judoka, Alex Smith makes some compelling arguments for its prolonged use in the Side Control Authority DVD.

All of the attacks in this DVD begin by targeting the near side arm, which is very accessible from the Kesa Gatame side control variation. Alex goes through all the basics, such as Americana, straight armbar, Kimuras, and a bunch of ways to combine all of these attacks into a versatile system.

He also covers how to add the far arm into the loop, obtaining control over both shoulders, which lets you build a game centered around armbars. What makes this instructional great for grapplers of all levels is that Smith offers follow-ups to the mount and knee on belly when the attacks fail, which is an issue that beginners will undoubtedly face.

Part 3 – Near Side Followup Attacks

Personally, I found volume number three from this Alex Smith DVD the most useful for my game and research at the moment. As I am exploring all kinds of Crucifix variations, including those done from side control, I found very valuable information in the chapters about near and far side isolation.

Most of this part of the instructional covers follow-ups and techniques combos that come together as the opponent reacts to both your side control and the attacks you’re trying to launch by isolating their arm. The good news is that they have two arms, so you have plentiful options that also provide additional attacks such as the paper cutter choke.

Isolating Arms from Side Control

As I stated above, I have been playing around with isolating arms from both top and bottom lately, and the Side Control Authority Alex Smith DVD came in very useful. I am still clearly in my research (it’s only been a few months) but looking at how to travel along the length of the arms from top positions, and looking to attach to the shoulders seems to solve many problems I’ve had with pinning.

In fact, attaching to the opponent’s arms allows for much more improved and versatile dynamic control as opposed to endlessly trying to outmaneuver them by grabbing the legs (which I used to do) or trying to scramble around and hope for the best.

Even if you don’t want to use Kesa Gatame or attack armlocks (I don’t) your side control will still benefit immensely from exploring how isolating arms helps you achieve positional dominance. On top of it all, you’ll get unintended taps from the sheer pressure you place on the bottom person. Happens to me all the time.

Alex Smith DVD Review: Side Control Authority
Free Alex Smith Side Control Authority Technique

GET THE SIDE CONTROL AUTHORITY ALEX SMITH DVD HERE!!!

A Blueprint to Side Control Dominance

Alex Smith’s Side Control Authority instructional is a very interesting BJJ DVD. It does not go overboard, covers exactly what it promises, has no fluff, and blends old-school and modern BJJ in a very balanced way.

As a black belt, I found some stuff in there that helped me develop a much better understanding of the relationship between isolating arms and controlling an opponent. For you, it may do the same, or it may open up a whole new direction of thinking, or open your eyes to techniques and combinations you’ve never thought of. I’d recommend it to everyone.

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Gracie Fundamentals DVD Review: Turtle Mastery by Rayron Gracie

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Gracie Fundamentals DVD Review: Turtle Mastery by Rayron Gracie

cIt has been a while since I’ve seen a Gracie BJJ DVD instructional. The founding family seems to be lagging behind the rest of the BJJ world as Jiu-Jitsu skyrockets in popularity and they reap the financial benefits of decades of intricate marketing.

However, they still appear from time to time, just like Rayron Gracie did with another Gracie Fundamentals DVD, this time targeting the subject of turtle mastery. Most Gracie family members regurgitate the same information over and over again in their instructional, but it seems Rayron decided to break the mold and teach an updated version of how to attack the turtle. It is all in our detailed review below.

Key Takeaways

  • A Gi BJJ instructional with nearly 4 hours of footage on how to beat the turtle. 
  • Contains a volume of rolling commentary while Rayron focuses on the turtle.  
  • Front and Back turtle strategies and key takedown follow-ups. 
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 7 out of 10.

GET THE FULL TURTLE MASTERY DVD HERE!!!

Turtle Mastery Rayron Gracie DVD Review
Check out the Turtle Mastery Rayron Gracie DVD

The Most Annoying Position in BJJ

The turtle is one of the most boring positions to practice, but makes up for it in the security and defensive prowess it provides once you master it. In sports grappling, it is the ultimate defensive position to ensure you’re safe from any kind of attack while you’re on the ground.

Moreover, achieving turtle mastery means you can open up your shell whenever you decide and launch a myriad of different counterattacks straight from the position. This takes time to figure out, as your timing in switching from defense to offense has to be very precise. Even if you mess it up, though, the turtle is still accessible and remains a very potent safety net.

With the turtle turning into the quintessential defensive position, attacking it becomes a puzzle we must solve. So far, the latest turtle developments have caused a myriad of issues in terms of just taking the back when someone turtles up, which was the norm. There are ways to beat the turtle, but they don’t come easy as you’ll see in this Gracie Fundamentals DVD.

Rayron Gracie’s Legacy

Rayron Gracie is the latest black belt in the family, promoted by his cousin Kyra Gracie in 2023. He is a 4th generation Gracie family grappler who grew up with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, learning his trade from the likes of Renzo, Roger, Kyra, and Rolles Gracie. Quite the pedigree.

Given how young he is, both as a person and a black belt, Rayorn still has a lot of competition before him. He managed to win bronze at his first Worlds as a black belt in 2024 but has already won the competition at purple and brown, as well as the IBJJF Pans at blue and purple.

Overall, Rayron, who is the son of the late Ryan Gracie, moved to the US in 2015 to, like most of his family, pursue a career in BJJ. He started in Renzo’s gym, where he demonstrated he is dedicated to the sport and has boatloads of the family’s grappling talent.

He went on to dominate the juvenile divisions in all of the biggest tournaments in the world and followed by doing pretty much the same during his colored belts phase. Showing lots of promise as a black belt, Rayron might just be the next big thing to come out of the Gracie family.

Turtle Mastery Gracie Fundamentals DVD Full Review

The Turtle Mastery DVD is a solid resource to open up options on how to deal with the modern BJJ turtle, which is extremely powerful. Rayoren dedicates around 4 hours to covering the different ways in which you can attack the turtle from the back and front, as well as from standing and all top positions:

Rayron Gracie Turtle Mastery DVD
Free Rayron Gracie Turtle Mastery DVD Technique

Part 1 – Getting to the Turtle

Rayron Gracie kicks things off by looking at how you can get to your opponent to turtle up. The main idea here is to ensure you have optimal grips and position before they set the turtle up so that you can use it against them.

Rayrong covers a bunch of different ways to defeat the safety of the turtle, starting from bottom position entries and tying the turtle in with guard passes. He covers side control routes to turtle using ankle frames knee shield variations, and even butterfly hooks.

This Gracie Fundamentals DVD is with the Gi, as expected, but that’s as close as it gets to earlier Gracie instructions. Rayron showcases his evolution and open-minded approach as he shares some really effective turtle strategies in this DVD, that are applicable to modern Jiu-Jitsu.

Part 2 – Dogfight and Pass Prevention

Going forward, the Turtle Mastery DVD explores the intricate ways in which you can follow up on the turtle when it is used to fend off your guard passes. Rayron looks a lot into the Torreando pass, which always leaves room for the bottom person to turtle up, analyzing how this can help you get into a superior position.

A particularly eye-catching part of this volume is the several chapters addressing the dogfight position. The position is directly tied to stalling and causing trouble from the turtle and Gracie offers several different ways to turn the tables by using it.

Part 3 – Takedown & Front Turtle Attacks

The midpoint of this Gracie BJJ DVD covers a creative way to approach takedowns. Rayron takes the turtle a lot further than anyone I’ve seen, using it as the endpoint of his takedowns. His thinking is that if he can’t take an opponent down, he can at least force them to turtle up, which effectively moves the exchange to the ground.

What Rayron did was go through some of the most common takedowns, like the double leg, single leg, and collar drag, offering ways to force the opponent to turtle up as you attack with these takedowns. He even covers what I think is one of the best ways to utilize the body lock and get a mat return that opens up a host of different dangerous attacks.

This part of the instructional also covers how to deal with the front turtle, by utilizing proven methods such as the guillotine chokes and the threat of transitioning to the back turtle

Part 4 – Back Turtle Destruction

The fourth part of the Turtle Mastery DVD by Rayron Gracie addresses how to attack an opponent that has turtled up tightly and is repelling common attacks. He begins with retention concepts that ensure you keep the bottom person turtled and in place.

Rayron then goes into the different arm positions and how to get underhooks and leg hooks in, as well as how to operate went the opponent is actively trying to clear them. I particularly enjoyed the different directions of escape counters, that go past just rolling forward and offer sitting back and standing up as well.

Rayron rounds off this volume by offering a couple of chokes to beat the turtle, in the form of the one-hook choke and the clock choke.

Part 5 – Rolling Commentary

The final portion of the instructional contains rolling footage of Rayron putting his turtle attacks to use. He does a few rolls first, and then goes through them, narrating and breaking down what happened, how his thought process went, and how the entire system ties in together.

Forcing the Turtle Out of the Shell

Many people turn to the turtle as a hub of defensive opportunities in grappling, and the launching pad for multiple differnet escapes. The introduction of wrestling turtle principles into BJJ in the last few years has changed the landscape in favor of those playing the turtle.

I have not seen much instructional covering how to purposefully and effectively break down and attack the turtle in BJJ. This Gracie Fundamentals DVD, although leaving lots of questions unanswered, does offer some ideas and directions on how to solve this very annoying issue. 

Personally, I am looking at the source to learn how to beat the turtle, trying to implement wrestling tactics to combat the wrestling base that gives it the defensive power it has. Regardless of tactics, the endgame remains open, as attacking the turtle in BJJ is not as easy as it was 10 years ago.

That doesn’t mean to just give up and allow people to use it to defend everything. It just means we need a lot more work on the subject and this Rayron Gracie DVD provides some useful information on how to approach it.

Gracie Fundamentals DVD Review: Turtle Mastery by Rayron Gracie

DOWNLOAD THE TURTLE MASTERY RAYRON GRACIE DVD HERE!!!

Master the Turtle!

I’d say that to beat the turtle position you need to learn how to hold and defend it first, but that is the long way to Turtle Mastery. If you want a shortcut to defeating the turtle before it shapes up to become a defensive fortress, then the Turtle Mastery Gracie Fundamentals DVD by Rayron Gracie is one of the best resources to help you with your quest, especially with the Gi on. Definitely worth taking a look!

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The Complete MG Back Attack System DVD Review

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
The Complete MG Back Attack System DVD Review
MG Back Attack System DVD

The first ultra-efficient back taker I discovered in Jiu-Jitsu was Marcelo Garcia. When he got people’s back, you knew a choke was coming. MG developed an incredibly offensive back mount game that became the stuff of nightmares for everyone – he even won the ADCC using it.

While Marcelo has talked about his approach to back attacks in previous instructional, he never really gave the entire system together. Until now. The MG Back Attack System DVD, featuring back takes, chokes, and crucifix attacks is now out, with Marcelo Garcia himself explaining every key bit of it, and how it all comes to work together. A Marcelo Garcia Back DVD you simply can’t miss!

Key Takeaways

  • A Gi BJJ DVD, containing over 2 hours of exclusive Marcelo Garcia material. 
  • Back takes from standing and top, Crucifix, chokes, and grip fighting tactics. 
  • Marcelo Gracia’s full system, along with the blueprint on how to use it. 
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10

GET THE COMPLETE MG BACK ATTACK SYSTEM HERE!!!

MG Back Attack System
Check Out the MG Back Attack System

Back Mount: Cruise Control for BJJ

Whether you play the position or not, you will most likely not say no to the back mount while rolling. We all know how powerful it can be for keeping you in control and allowing you to deal with people of all sizes without having to worry about counters.

Tactically speaking, the back mount is a smart choice from two aspects. First, it earns you at least 4 points, oftentimes more as you fight to attain it, which is the maximum you can get at once. Secondly, once you conquer the back, you don’t have to worry about activity or penalty points anymore. You can (and should) keep the back all the way to the end.

One aspect of back control that seems to disappoint people who go for it in training is submissions. While you can stay on the back for extended periods, that is only because people are more afraid of you struggling with them than holding them, and will fight to stop you.

The MG Back Attack System is exactly what helps put this common grappling issue to rest.

Marcelo Garcia: A Legend of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Some 10 years ago, everyone in BJJ knew the name Marcelo Garcia. It is like Gordon Ryan today, just without all the online exposure he has. That clearly points out how big of a deal Marcelo Garcia is in the BJJ World.

Born in Formiga, Brazil, Garcia has been competing in BJJ since the earliest white belt days. He actively sought out competitions across Brazil as he rose through the ranks, representing different gyms in the process. He then went on to win everything of note:

  • 2 xx CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Champion;
  • 4 x ADCC Champion;
  • 5 x IBJJF World Champion;
  • 1 x IBJJF Pans Champion.

Since 2009, Marcelo has led his MG Academy in New York, producing incredible talent as he put his competitive career to rest. He remained a beast on the mats, though, showcased by his successful battle with stomach cancer, which he recently concluded. The legend was back on the mats as soon as he could!

Full MG Back Attack System DVD Review 

The Marcelo Garcia Back Attack System instructional is a four-part series that was released after Marcelo’s victory over cancer. It is a Gi BJJ instructional that goes over Garcia’s full system that made him one of the most feared grapplers in the world:

Marcelo Garcia Back Attack System Review

Part 1 – Getting the Back

The second hardest aspect of the back mount after getting a choke, is gaining access to the back position. It is something Marcelo Garcia is exceptional at, which makes it seem easy, and then disappointing when it doesn’t work in rolling. I know because it happened to me.

Marcelo begins his system by solving this particular problem first. Unlike his earlier instructional, this time Garcia does not spare details. He covers every different way of getting the back you can think of, starting from standing.

Jumps, mat returns, takedown attempts, sprawling – they all open up ways to get the back of a standing opponent. For those who like attacking in more controlled ways, MG offers all for breakdowns, rear body lock back takes, and a bunch of ways to break your partner’s posture.

Part 2 – Quick Back Takes & Crucifix

As the complete MG Back Attack System unfolds, Garcia proceeds to explore more back takes, this time against a grounded opponent. He covers both near and far-side attacks, as well as re-back takes.

As a troubleshooting option for those struggling to attain complete back control, MG offers the crucifix position. The best ever in the position shows in great detail how to enter, hold, and submit from it, having the option to transition to full back control if needed.

Part 3 – Arm Traps & RNC

Part three of this Marcelo Garcia Back DVD is all about finishing. The man who most likely invented the short choke shows a host of different variations of the Rear-Naked choke that work with and without the Gi.

For the first time to date, Marcelo shows his system of dealing with the arms that includes arm traps, and the grip fighting sequences that make it possible. He also provides several extremely powerful ways to expose the neck, regardless of what your opponent is trying to do.

Part 4 – Bow and Arrow & Grip Fighting

Concluding the MG Back Attack System DVD instructional is a volume covering Gi-oriented attacks, with the Bow and Arrow choke replacing the Rear-Naked choke as the main focus. Garcia goes over several grip solutions that make the Bow and Arrow choke incredibly tight, as well as a few interesting variations of the submission.

He also dedicated a lot of time to covering how to beat key defenses, such as the turtle position and sit-outs. MG solves it with his seat belt grip and a series of attacks that wrap up with a standing version of the Bow and Arrow choke.

Mastering the MG Back Attack System

If you ask me, there is no better system out there for the back position than the MG Back Attack System. Sorry Danaher and Gordon, but Marcelo is still the kind when it comes to dominating the back.

Achieving even a fraction of Marcelo’s success with this system is undoubtedly going to make you significantly better at the back mount in a matter of weeks! I am currently exploring the Crucifix position as my research on the mats, and I can attest that Mracelo’s stuff works from day one!

As I tell my most serious competitors, you need to know how to attack the back if you want to have success on the mats. Becoming an annoying human backpack is essential in making anyone’s game much more dangerous and complete, and is not difficult to understand and master.

A resource such as the Marcelo Garcia Back DVD we reviewed today only acts as an accelerator in the learning process, offering you a blueprint containing the answers to all the important questions a back-attacking specialist might ask.

The Complete MG Back Attack System DVD Review
MG Back Attack System DVD

COMPLETE MG BACK ATTACK SYSTEM DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

The Best Marcelo Garcia Back DVD so Far!

The moment I saw that the Complete MG Back Attack System DVD was out, I couldn’t wait to sit down and go through it. This is one of the most fun reviews I’ve written, given how eager I was to see if this is the Marcelo Garcia Back DVD that provides all the secrets of his system. The answer, as you may have concluded from the review is that it does! Grab! Now!

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Jay Rodriguez DVD Review: Jay Rods Judo Instructional

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Jay Rodriguez DVD Review: Jay Rods Judo Instructional

Judo or Wrestling for BJJ? I doubt this question is ever going to be settled in a way that satisfies everyone, as different folks lean towards different ways of standing exchanges. We can’t say that one is more effective than the other, as wrestling works in the Gi, and Judo is still unstoppable without it. Just take a look at Jay Rods Judo!

For the most part, it comes to time – how fast can you learn a throw/takedown combo to get to the fun part of BJJ, which is the ground fighting? Most BJJ competitors have accepted wrestling as the primary source of takedowns, given that it is easier to master.

However, some top competitors like to keep their opponents on their toes (pun intended) and attack using JUdo attacks during No-Gi matches. In this Jay Rodriguez DVD, you’ll learn how to learn and use the most effective throws for BJJ without spending years training Judo to master them.

Key Takeaways

  • No-Gi Judo instructional, with just over an hour and a half of material. 
  • Easy to follow, progressive system of developing Judo skills for No-Gi.
  • An entire volume dedicated to combining effective wrestling and Judo moves. 
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10

FULL JAY ROD JUDO DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Jay Rodriguez No-Gi Judo DVD Review
Check Out Jay Rods Judo!

No-Gi Judo for BJJ

As someone who has been through it all, I can say that Judo is a great fit for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as sending people flying is extremely fun. I have a Judo background and used it a lot in my early days of grappling to get the match to the ground.

Wrestling soon took over, though, given the increased control over opponents after the match hits the mats. At present, I use both Judo and wrestling to set up guard pulls, which remains the only way my body can successfully drag someone into ground fighting.

This just proves how effective both are at forcing people down to the ground. The one aspect of navigating them people like to use is to categorize them depending on their clothing:

However, they are much more effective when used interchangeably. Just look at what athletes like Travis Stevens and Ronda Rousey, have achieved in No-Gi using their explosive Judo skills. As the new generation of grapplers emerges, we see Kayla Harrison, Ffion Davis, and Jay Rod do the same in both MMA and grappling.

So why not mix it up and introduce some Judo to your standup tactics?

Jay Rod: A Rising Grappling Talent

Jay Rod is one of the most talented grapplers who is set on becoming a world champion. He was aiming for the ADCC title, but given that he is representing the most fun team in grappling these days, B-Team, he will probably be showcasing his skills in the Craig Jones Invitational in August of 2024.

There is no question that Jay Rod, the younger brother of B-Team standout Nicky Rod, is among the very best in the world. Apart from his last two outings, which he lost, he has been tearing it up in the professional grappling circuit, winning super fights at UFC Fight Pass, WNO, Quintet, Polaris, Fight to Win, as well as a world title in the Pans.

As with most grapplers these days, Jay Rod prefers training and competing in No-Gi, which perfectly fits his entertaining style. He reminds a lot of Garry Tonon but with superior Judo skills to the New Wave representative. He does a great job of blending his Judo tactics with the wrestling strategies taught at B-team, outlining them all in his Jay Rods Judo DVD!

Full Jay Rodriguez DVD Review: Jay Rods Judo

Jay Rods Judo is the first DVD I’ve seen from the B-team standout. I have to say that I prefer him to his brother Nick, mostly because Jay has a very easy organizational system in his instructional. Each volume of this Jay Rodriguez DVD covers a specific subject in the order they are recorded, offering a way to progress through each crucial skillset you need to become as good at Judo as Jay Rod is.

Part 1 – Establsihing Control

As the Jay Rods Judo DVD opens, Rodriguez begins introducing the topic through his perspective, talking about how the way you attach to your opponent’s upper body is crucial in your Judo for No-Gi BJJ success.  The focus in this volume is on winning underhook or overhook control.

Jay Rod covers a bunch of different ways to establish a dominant grip fight that leads to you successfully inserting underhooks from a distance in a way that opens up Judo attacks. He then links overhooks to the previous entries, while introducing different level stances.

Part 2 – Trips and Throws

Once Jay Rod covers the most efficient ways to control a standing opponent, he goes on to make the most out of it without complicating too much. He sticks to very high-percentage moves that are easy to learn quickly, such as ankle picks, side trips, and quick reactionary hip throws.

A great chapter in this volume of the Jay Rodriguez DVD is the one covering hip loading, which is the crucial element of understanding Judo throws and making them work for you. He also diversifies the options by sharing leg hooks, far arm throws, and my personal favorite – the Kata Guruma a.k.a. the Fireman’s Carry.

Part 3 – Blending Judo and Wrestling

The final portion of the Jay Rods Judo BJJ DVD builds on the tactics presented in the previous volumes, with entries, control, and quick throws and trips all covered. In the final part, he opens the door to mixing in your favorite standing moves to personalize what you’ve learned.

Jay demonstrates innovative ways to mix up foot sweeps with knee tap takedowns, snaps, and duck under with hip throws and body locking with unstoppable trips. Rodriguez also dedicates a chapter to creating and controlling movement and using collar ties to further open up standing Judo attacks.

Quick Judo Fixes for Jiu-Jitsu

Judo might not be high on your list of standing options to quickly increase your success with throws and takedowns. I would have agreed completely with you until a while ago when I found out that you can find shortcuts to everything if you find the right learning sources.

If you decide to learn Judo by going to a black belt Judoka, you’ll take the slow, but much more comprehensive route. What you’ll practically have to do is train and learn another martial art in addition to Jiu-Jitsu.

The alternative is to use analytics of matches, and then seek out people who can teach you the highest percentage Judo moves that work perfectly in BJJ in a fraction of the time. With no access to such experts, the next best thing is turning to instructional, like the Jay Rodriguez DVD I reviewed above.

To sum it up, it is possible to learn effective Judo throws for No-Gi BJJ in a short amount of time, as long as you cut all the fluff out and focus on what specific moves bring to your Jiu-Jitsu game, rather than looking at how they fare in Judo matches.

Jay Rods Judo DVD Review
Jay Rods Judo for No-Gi DVD Instructional

 GET THE COMPLETE JAY ROD JUDO DVD HERE!!! 

Throws Galore with Jay Rods Judo!

At the end of the day, what you get with the Jay Rods Judo DVD Instructional is a shortcut to learning effective Judo in a matter of months. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an experienced grappler who has never done Judo before. Of course, having experience means you can integrate Jay Rod’s tactics into your game faster.

So, instead of overthinking and drawing endless flow charts to attempt to organize your standing, try learning from a pro. Cover the distance, win the grip fight, get control, and use combinations of throws and trips to get the opponent to the ground. Easy!

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Ffion Davies DVD Review: No Gi Closed Guard

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Ffion Davies DVD Review: No Gi Closed Guard
Ffion Davies DVD Review

One of the most entertaining women in BJJ, and one of the toughest, if not the toughest (at present), competitors in white women’s divisions, Ffion Davies has decided to share her No-Gi guard secrets in her latest Ffion Davies DVD!

The famous Judoka turned BJJ champion and one of the top grapplers to ever come out of Europe, Ffion Davies is always fun to watch, both on the competition mats and behind the BJJ DVD instructional cameras. Her latest resource is all bout playing closed guard without the Gi, which is exactly what you’d like an ADCC champion to cover.

So as Ffion gets ready for her upcoming performances at the Craig Jones Invitational in August, we can take a look at the strategies, attacks, pass counters, and reversals that have made her guard one of the toughest spots to be in as a professional competitive grappler!

Key Takeaways

  • Around 2 hours of competitive tactics, proven to work at the highest level.  
  • Taught by one of the European grapplers and ADCC champion.
  • Ffion teaches how to create combos and dilemmas as she shows the moves.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10.

Click Here

Ffion Davies No Gi Closed Guard DVD
Check Out the No Gi Closed Guard Ffion Davies DVD

 GET THE NO-GI CLOSED GUARD FFION DAVIES DVD HERE!!! 

The Best Guard for No-Gi?

Let’s be honest, playing guard without the Gi is a real struggle. Craig Jones’ controversial ‘just stand up’ tactics work extremely well when an opponent doesn’t wear a Gi you can attach to. So, if you can’t use your arms, the only logical thing left is to use the legs not just to keep the opponent away from passing, but also to lock them in place.

What I just described is the closed guard in BJJ. Gi or No-Gi, when you can wrap both your legs around an opponent’s waist, they’re going to have a tough time dealing with you. It can be the mount, back mount, an Ashi Garmi, triangle choke, or, the closed guard.

People often tend to shy away from the closed guard on account of its simplicity. BJJ is all about phases of learning, and I’d expect nothing less from blue and purple belts. However, if you want to be a successful No-Gi player, you will have to pick the closed guard up as a white belt and keep your skills crispy clean as you go through the belts. Otherwise, you’ll just get mauled from the top.

In all honesty, the closed guard is not without its drawbacks too. It simply does not work when people are standing, so you’ll need to add distance management and level breakdowns to your closed guard game to really be successful with it. You can learn all that in this Ffion Davies DVD.

Ffi Ffi From The Bronx

Ffion is a grappler born in Wales, UK. She is the absolute best grappler to ever come of the small island nation and one of the best European competitors of all time. At present, Ffion has switched her base from her roots in Cardiff to New York City, as it provides lots of versatility in terms of training partners and easy access to professional grappling events.

Grappling competitively her whole life Davis announced herself to the Jiu-Jitsu world by winning the CBJ Brazilian Nationals in 2019. From there, she went on to conquer the Europeans and Worlds in both Gi and No-Gi multiple times between 2019 and 2023, on either side of a stellar performance that won her the 2022 ADCC title.

Ffion’s competitive Judo background is very noticeable in her grappling style, which is as relentless and explosive as they come. Everyone who saw the 2019 ADCC remembers her crazy armbar finish over the number one favorite Bea Mesquita, which resulted in a broken arm.

Davies, now training with JT Torres, has never shied away from competing both with and without the Gi, although No-Gi seems to be her preferred choice. Her game has been improving in leaps and bounds since Darragh O’Conaill gave her a black belt in 2018, but we rarely get the chance to see exactly what she is doing to become so good. The No-Gi Closed Guard Ffion Davies DVD contains some useful insights!

Reviewing the No-Gi Closed Guard Ffion Davies DVD

The Ffion Davies DVD about the No-Gi Closed Guard is a four-part instructional, with each volume lasting around 30 minutes. The content is very easy to follow, mostly because Ffion shares how to combine the techniques as she demonstrates them:

Part 1 – Using Overhooks

I like a BJJ instructional that has a clean and precise outline, and this Ffion Davies DVD offers exactly that. Davies starts off by introducing the overhook closed guard, which, in my humble opinion is the best way to control the top person from close distance guards.

About half of the content in the first volume, apart from the short introduction, covers the overhook and all accompanying dynamics that prevent the top person from posturing and breaking the guard.

Naturally, submission and sweep attacks follow, as Ffion perfectly combines the 100% sweep with a triangle/Omoplata double submission threat. In typical Ffion Davies fashion, the attacks are relentless and only trap the top person deeper in the system as they struggle to beat them.

Part 2 – Omoplatas

Speaking of Omoplatas, Ffion is no stranger to using this staple BJJ move against high-level grapplers to get on top of the transition into her favorite rear naked choke. In this part of the instructional she demonstrates exactly that, but shows a much more practical short choke finish from the Omoplata which requires less tranistioning.

She also shares her devastating straight armbar finish, along with the complete setup from the Omoplata. As grand as Ffion is, she names the sequence after her inspiration for it, Michelle Nicolini.

A few follow-ups to the opponent’s rolling escape efforts from the Omoplata wrap this volume up, but not before she shares a very sneaky version of the Mir Lock and ties it all beautifully with an unstoppable flower sweep.

Part 3 – Shoulder Crunch Armbars

Armbars from guard were certain to feature heavily in a Ffion Davies DVD and they get an entire volume (almost) dedicated solely to setting them up and getting a tap from the No-Gi closed guard. Ffion turns to the Marcelo Garcia classic – the shoulder crunch to clamp down and isolate the arm.

Once in control, she shows how you can move freely to sweep, transition to butterfly guard, and wrap up ultra-tight armbars either directly or by forcing the opponent to roll (Ronda Rousey-style). The volume concludes with several chapters of Tarikoplatas set up from the shoulder crunch position.

Part 4 – Sweeps & Drags

A bit of classical Jiu-Jitsu mixed with some wrestling brings this incredible Ffion Davies DVD to a conclusion. She starts by offering improved setups of the hip bump sweep by tying it to the Kimura in the most efficient way I’ve seen to date.

Offering options in the opposite direction, Davies turns to the arm drag, opening up not just back attacks but also crazy effective Nelson variations that seem to confuse people in BJJ. Of course, a beautiful way to tie together drags and the hip bump sweep does not lack from this DVD, as Ffion wraps it all up.

The Closed Guard Always Works

I am a big proponent of the closed guard, be it for Gi, No-Gi, MMA, or even self-defense. It is a very strong position that is highly reliable since it offers a simple way to keep someone where you want them. On top of that, it takes away the power of the top person’s legs, which not many guards in BJJ can accomplish.

Obviously, there is no need to explain the attacking prowess of the closed guard in terms of sweeps and submissions, as everyone “knows” these and is already bored with it. Maybe it is worth another look, particularly from the perspective Ffion offers in her No-Gi Closed Guard instructional.

One aspect I am sure many are skipping over is how effective the closed guard is when used against powerful and explosive wrestlers. You have the choice of believing all the memes that claim guard pulling is not “manly” enough and getting crushed by young wrestlers, or doing the smart thing and pulling them into the endless pit of traps that is the closed guard. Your choice.

Ffion Davies Closed Guard BJJ Instructional
The Closed Guard Overhook by Ffion Davies

FFION DAVIES CLOSED GUARD DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!! 

Outflank Your Opponents From the Closed Guard!

You don’t have to like the closed guard to see that it is the most effective guard in BJJ without the Gi. That simply means that you can be stubborn and try to Berimbolo your way into leg locks (we all know how that works) or accept that in creating situations, the “boring” basic guard is the perfect solution.

For those who are smart enough to admit how hard the closed guard can be to master, this Ffion Davies DVD offers the perfect shortcut to success. It will teach you competitive techniques that work at the highest levels, without any of the fluff that only ends up confusing you. Pick it up today and you’ll be able to notice the difference in just a few weeks!

The Best Closed Guard DVD Instructionals and Digital Releases

The Best Guard Retention DVD and Digital Instructionals

Graphic Warning! The Most Painful BJJ Submissions Ending In Horrific Breaks!

Full Review: Break Your Dummy DVD By Jeff Glover

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Full Review: Break Your Dummy DVD By Jeff Glover

The Break Your Dummy DVD By Jeff Glover has got to be the weirdest DVD I’ve ever seen or reviewed in my life! Given that I had to rely on instructional a lot while going through the belts, I have seen almost everything in the realm of BJJ DVDs in the last 15 years.

Enter Jeff Glover, who already has a unique bunch of instruction on all subjects of BJJ, and his latest DVD dubbed ‘Break Your Dummy Not Your Frines’. And yes, it is exactly as it seems – an instructional on how to train, or better said, drill, using a grappling dummy. To be honest, while at first glance it is unusual, it is the first of its kind and covers a subject nobody else has so far.

The question that pops to mind is do you really need to invest in such an instructional? We were curious to see what was in this one and had to review it, so read on to discover exactly what lies inside Jeff Glover’s Break Your Dummy DVD!

Key Takeaways

  • The only BJJ DVD instructional of its kind!
  • Features demonstrations using both a live partner and a training dummy. 
  • Gi and No-Gi instructional with a running length of two hours.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 10 out of 10!

BREAK YOUR DUMMY DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!! 

Jeff Glover Break Your Dummy DVD Review
Check out the Break Your Dummy DVD by Jeff Glover

Does Training with a Grappling Dummy Make Sense?

In wrestling, practicing with a grappling dummy is a staple of training, especially in the US. Grappling dummies are great for figuring out how to move dead weight while practicing throwing, tripping, or slamming techniques and combos. Even Judoka used them in some capacities.

As you’d expect, the use of grappling dummies carried over to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as people sought out ways to train without a live training partner. During the pandemic, grappling dummies became particularly popular, especially for those BJJ fanatics with no pet or compliant significant other at their disposal.

The main concern with using grappling dummies in BJJ is whether or not they are effective. While they are great tools to improve standing skills and offer a great workout, the lingering question is are they really helpful on the ground, where the majority of BJJ exchanges take place?

The opinions are divided in this regard, with mine leaning towards endorsing grappling dummies as a useful tool for practicing BJJ. There is no way to learn Jiu-Jitsu by ONLY using a dummy, even if you get your hands on one of the robot dummies that tap when choked. However, training with one is going to make you a better grappler, especially if you choose one that is with a challenging weight.

BJJ Monkey Man Jeff Glover

As I went through the belts of the sport, Jeff Glover was an iconic name, especially in competitive circles. Known for his uniquely unpredictable, but highly effective grappling style, Jeff was a true nuisance to anyone who faced him, both Gi and No-Gi. In fact, he is one of the No-Gi pioneers of the sport, bringing a lot of excitement to his matches.

Glover won the No-Gi World in 2007 and had some memorable performances in tournaments like Metamoris and the early EBIs. The Ricardo Miller black belt also has a host of super fights across all major promotions, capping off his competitive career with his High Rollerz performance a while ago.

The man who popularized the D’arce (was my main source of information on my best submission as a grappler) and came up with the Donkey Guard, contributed to the BJJ world not just by competing and teaching, but also by releasing a bunch of very interesting and useful instructional, the last of which has to be his craziest ever – the Break Your Dummy DVD!

Jeff Glover Break Your Dummy DVD: A Complete Review 

The way Jeff Glover set this BJJ instructional up is very impressive. Over four volumes he addresses every aspect of training with a grappling dummy, from top position attacks to bottom position escapes.

While demonstrating he does not only use the dummy but also has a live partner helping him point out the challenges and differences in training with either of them:

Part 1 – Top Game Drills

As Glvoer opens up the Break Your Dummy DVD, he goes over a quick intro to what a grappling dummy is and the best ways to think about training with it. He shows the type of dummy he is using, a real-life person replica with bendable limbs to help provide realistic resistance (of sorts).

The first part is all about the grappling dummy drills you might already know, or can even figure out intuitively the first time you pick one up. Most of the chapters cover top positions, with a strong focus on passing drills for the open, half, and closed guard.

Glover also sprinkles a few staple BJJ submissions in there, starting with the Kimura and progressing towards triangles, armbars, and Omoplatas, complete with escape strategies.

Part 2 – Escapes

I started this part of the DVD skeptical, after witnessing the submission escapes Glvoer provided, but, to be honest, I kinda, maybe changed my mind. While the submission escapes are still out there, in my opinion, practicing escapes from pins is a realistic use of a grappling dummy.

Namely, the weight of the dummy mimicking a real-life person, and the fact that it has limbs you can position to make it pin you effectively, make it a viable tool in trying to figure out defenses and escapes. It is particularly useful to beginners and those that suck at getting out of bad spots.

Part 3 – Closed Guard & Back Mount

Another classic way of drilling with a grappling dummy in BJJ is to catch it in the guard or back mount and start throwing away submissions. This third volume of the Break Your Dummy DVD by Jeff Glover addresses exactly that but with a signature Glover twist.

Jeff goes over all the submissions you can think of, offering different leg lock drills from Ashi Garmi, a host of chokes from the guard and the back, and some sneaky armlocks that feature both the closed guard and the crucifix position.

Part 4 – Experimental Glover Moves

The final part of this unique Jeff Glover instructional is exactly what most people who know him expected him to show in this DVD. He goes off the deep end here with Berimbolos, his signature Donkey Guard, and deep half guard drills that you might not think of first when training with a grappling dummy.

The best part about this volume is that it all makes sense as Jeff offers a framework of how to approach training with a grappling dummy, by using the ‘copy drilling’ approach. He sets the stage here to allow you to further explore all kinds of experimental drills using the dummy without spending all those hours training without any practical grappling reference.

The Ideal Training Partner?

Let’s face it, a grappling dummy can be a real training asset if you use it efficiently. As Jeff Glover points out in his instructional when you want to drill at home, try to put private class information into order to even train in class when you’re left without a partner.

A grappling dummy is also a great way to work up a sweat in the most functional way for BJJ there is. You can use it to go back and forth through positions, using Jeff’s approach to also work on your defense as you drill your top and bottom attacks. In fact, it may just be the best way to develop sport-specific conditioning there is.

From a technical standpoint, connecting sequences and creating combinations without any resistance apart from the dead weight of the dummy is another great way to put in much-needed repetitions that will pay off when you roll or compete!

Jeff Glover Grappling Dummy Training Instructional
Jeff Glover’s DVD on training with a grappling dummy

 FULL ‘BREAK YOUR DUMMY’ JEFF GLOVER DVD HERE!!! 

Dummy Up!

What is left to say except that you need to get a move on and order a BJJ-specific grappling dummy now, and don’t forget to pick up your copy of the Break Your Dummy DVD! That way, you have the power 1-2 combo of meaningful drilling for BJJ with a partner who will never be late, tired, or absent-minded as you make him go over the same drills again and again!

Why break your friends when you can break your training dummy instead?

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Eoghan O’Flanagan: Downright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks DVD Review

By
Ognen Dzabirski
-
Eoghan O'Flanagan Outside Heel Hooks DVD Review
Check Out the Outside Heel Hooks DVD By Eoghan O'Flanagan

Are you finding your heel hooks attacks fall short of completion? If this is the case, then you’re running into the same problem most grapplers face as heel hooks became a common thing in BJJ, and the overexposure to their use led to the development of highly efficient defensive options.

If you only stick to Danaher’s Ashi Garami basics, you are bound to finish both inside and outside heel hooks, as long as you can get to them. Given that this ‘getting there’ part is the most difficult aspect of leg locking, more open-ended and creative approaches, such as the one Eoghan O’Flanagan demonstrates in his Downright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks DVD is the best way to actually get a tap.

Key Takeaways

  • No-Gi instructional, with just under 2 hours of video material. 
  • Taught by one of Europe’s top competitors who only trains at open mats.
  • Perfectly organized material to take you from grip fighting to finishing.
  • BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10

 GET THE OUTSIDE HEEL HOOKS DVD HERE!!! 

Eoghan O'Flanagan Outside Heel Hooks DVD Review
Check Out the Outside Heel Hooks DVD By Eoghan O’Flanagan

The Case for (Sloppy) Outside Heel Hooks

Outside heel hooks never really got the love and appreciation they deserve on account of the crazy breaking power of the inside heel hook from the Honeyhole, which became the holy grail of BJJ leg locks. Well, it is time to change that.

Most of the influence in raising the inside heel hook to the heights of a deity in grappling came as a result of Danaher’s (or should I say Eddie Cummings’) success with them. However, what most people did not take into account is that the much more easily accessible outside heel hooks actually made up for most of the Danaher Death Squad’s early success.

Namely, Danaher himself favors the outside Ashi Garami heel hook over all others, at least from a competitive point of view. Eddie Cummings set up plenty of inside heel hooks by threatening the outside first. Dean Lister is another example of how effective outside heel hooks are on the big stage. And of course, there is Eoghan O’Flanagan as well.

Attacking outside heel hooks is the most efficient approach as they are easily accessible both as submission and as a controlling Ashi Garami position.  One of my personal favorites is the game over entanglement, with one of the nastiest heel hooks available in grappling. So why not show some love to these sloppy outside heel hooks?

A Scrappy Submission Genius: Eoghan O’Flanagan

Eoghan O’Flanagan is a grappler, not many people outside of Europe, or better said the UK, knew about before ADCC 2022. The Ireland-born grappler comes equipped with over 20 years of grappling experience, teaching all across London and Cardiff as he prefers a nomadic lifestyle.

In fact, O’Flanagan is a very curious fellow when it comes to his approach to training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He prefers training at open mats and rarely visits classes, mostly relying on instructional and, wait for it, YouTube to advance his knowledge of grappling.

Most of Eoghan’s time training before he became a black belt took place in Japan, where he went through the BJJ belt system. When he moved back to Europe, Eoghan O’Flanagan started competing a lot, becoming a popular and feared competitor in the -88kg division.

He burst out into the international grappling scene with his 2022 ADCC performance, where he gave folks like Xhande Ribeiro and Mason Fowler nightmare experiences, beating both on his way to the semi-finals. He then lost to eventual champion Giancarlo Bodoni to land a bronze match against Vagner Rocha, which O’Flanagan lost.

What he showcased, however, was a set of impressive leg-locking skills, mostly centered around outside positions, which contradicted what most ADCC competitors were looking for that evening. you can see why picking up his Outside Heel Hooks DVD makes a lot of sense if you’re looking to become as dangerous as him with leg locks. 

Eoghan O’Flanagan Outside Heel Hooks DVD Content Review

What exactly are you getting from the Outside Heel Hooks DVD by Eoghan O’Flanagan? I thought it was going to be just another leg lock DVD, albeit a solid one given the instructor. What I ran into instead was, in my opinion, one of the best-organized leg lock BJJ DVD instructional ever released:

Part 1 – The R-Guard

Eoghan O’Flanagan has an interesting take when it comes to structuring this instructional. He likes to bunch up all things that relate to a given position in a single volume. Personally, I find this approach the best possible one to organize the learning material in BJJ instructional.

O’Flanagan’s R-guard, a personal invention, is the main feature of the first volume, covering everything you can ever need to hunt for leg locks from there. Eoghan starts with off-balancing tactics that open up pummeling options, which lead to various Ashi Garami controls and inescapable heel hook attacks.

That said, you only get the pummeling and entry tactics in this first volume – not one single heel hook features in it!

Part 2 – Side Guard / X-Guard

As the Donwright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks DVD goes on, O’Flanagan takes us to the second aspect of his meticulous leg locks game – using the opponent’s reactions to bait them deeper into controlling positions.

A good half of this volume is centered around the side guard, and how Eoghan uses it to expose the legs when an opponent does, well, anything – kneeling, standing, backstepping, knee cuts, etc. O’Flanagan offers counters to all of them.

He then tops it all off with some fun and slick Ashi Garami entries featuring single-leg X-guard variations, once again organized in a reactive game. The shallow X is something I found works particularly well in rolling, and I intend to experiment with it further.

Part 3 – Inside Ashi Garami

One of the two Ashi Garmi positions covered in depth in this Eoghan O’Flanagan instructional is the inside Ashi, which is what most people reading this think of when they picture an Ashi Garami.

Since the previous two volumes covered distance management, entries, and control, this one is all about the breaking mechanics. O’Flanagan opens with a dilemma strategy and goes on to explore Z Locks and outside heel hooks versus an opponent with their hips on the mats, as well as standing opponents.

Part 4 – The Double Outside

Wrapping up the Outside Heel Hooks DVD by Eoghan O’Flanagan is an entire volume covering the outside Ashi position, also known as the Double Outside. In this part, Eoghan sort of brings everything together, blending information from previous volumes to provide contact, entries, off-balancing tactics, controlling dynamics, and breaking mechanics.

to put it simply, this is exactly the game he likes to use when grappling, and we all know how that turns out for his opponents. Oh, and that section on dealing with a shared Ashi Garami situation is pure gold!

Prioritizing Outside Heel Hooks

So, what do you think now? After checking out O’Flanagan’s success with outside heel hooks, and having access to his complete system in extreme detail, are you going to give outside heel hooks a try or stick to the glorified inside ones?

let’s put it this way – the inside heel hook remains one of the best submissions in grappling. So does the cross-collar choke. Both of these only work if you can get to them. Outside heel hooks, on the other hand, are more like a rear-naked choke – they appear suddenly and work immediately, giving you the element of surprise as a huge advantage.

The best, of course, would be to blend them all, but if you’re just starting out with leg locks, or are stuck with inside heel hooks, Eoghan’s system is a great way to shake things up and increase your submission rate.

Downright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks Eoghan O'Flanagan DVD
Downright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks DVD

 FULL EOGHAN O’FLANAGAN OUTSIDE HEEL HOOKS DVD HERE!!! 

A Downright Sloppy DVD!

Since I personally prefer outside heel hooks anyway, I was happy to see this instructional finally hit the shelves. To be honest, I had no idea who Eoghan O’Flanagan was before his impressive 2022 ADCC performance, but I have been following him since then, eagerly waiting for an in-depth leg lock instructional.

The Downright Sloppy Outside Heel Hooks DVD by Eoghan O’Flanagan is anything but sloppy, though, as it is meticulously organized to take even complete beginners to leg lock mastery in a matter of months! So, go and get O’Flanagan’s instructional now, and start getting sloppy with those outside heel hooks!

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