One of the most annoying guards in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the spider guard. AS long as you can play it without wrecking your fingers, you can literally win World Championship titles with a strong spider guard game. And, the key thing about it is that it is no longer a Gi only guard – there is a way to play it in No-Gi with a very high level of success as well. In fact, you can learn everything about the spider guard, from the old school original position and mechanics, all the way to the latest innovation from the Spider Guard DVD instructionals we review below as part of our ultimate collection. 

Learning the spider guard is pretty much a given in any Gi BJJ gym around the world. It is on most gym curriculums and is usually taught at an intermediate or advanced level. That doesn’t mean you can’t train, or use it as a beginner though. All it takes is understanding how it works, and most importantly, how to manage the grips so that your fingers don’t get destroyed in a few months, taking away your spider guard abilities. One of the key things you can learn is gripping and holding on to the guard which is exactly why this aspect si included in each and every one of the spider guard DVD instructionals we look at in this article.

The Best Spider Guard DVD Instructionals Collection

The spider guard is really a classic among open guards in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is one that you often see smaller grapplers playing, mostly because of the amazing amount of control it provides The main reasons the spider guard works has to do with two key principles. The first one is that you’re breaking the top person’s posture, which as we know is one of the key things in Jiu-Jitsu. Next up,  you’re manipulating the opponent’s arm,s and in particular, elbows, keeping them away from their body. The combination of elbows away from the body and a broken posture makes the guard extremely difficult to pass and is the reason why everyone can have success with it, regardless of the size and experience level of your opponent.

Mechanically speaking, the focus in the spider guard is on being on your side for the most part. As long as one of your hips is up, you’ll have the necessary angle to basically crucify people from the front.  That said, the leg on the side of the hip that is up is the one that should be extended for the most part to give you the utmost control. Conversely, if you need to switch sides you also change which leg is extended and which one is flexed. Simple right? Just check out the Spider Guard DVD instructionals below and everything will become crystal clear!

As far as the No-Gi versions of the spider guard go, there’s still nothing out on that (yet), but I will share the concept. The reason why the spider guard is so powerful are the grips that provide you with the chance to control the arms. Well, if you’re in No-Gi, simply grab four fingers on each palm (yes, ti is legal) and try doing what you usually do from the position.

The TOP 3

let’s look at the top 3 spider guard DVD instructionals that you can pick up and start seeing incredible progress in your game in next to no time!

1. BJJ Spider Guard Masterclass, a Step-by-Step Gameplan to Building an Effective, Aggressive Guard Game for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

BJJ Spider_Guard_Masterclass

The very first thing you should look into when looking for a spider guard DVD is the masterclass on the position. Across 5 volumes you will learn everything the reis about the spider guard, how to hold it, attack from it, and build an entire game that will help you deal with any type of opponent.


2. ROMULO BARRAL’S SPIDER GUARD SECRETS VOL. 1 [ON DEMAND]

ROMULO_BARRAL'S_SPIDER_GUARD_SECRETS_VOL. 1 One of the best spider guard players in the world is Romulo Barral. In simple terms, there’s nobody better than him when it comes to the competitive uses and applications of the spider guard. He has several instructionals out on the subject, but this is the one, to begin with, regardless if you are new to the spider guard, or have been doing it for a while.


3. DOMINYKA OBELENYTE – SPIDER VARIATIONS AND DOMOPLATA [ON DEMAND]

Dominyka Obelenyte "Spider Variations And Domoplata" DVD Review

What Romulo Barral is with the spider guard among male competitors, Dominyka Obelenyte is among the ladies. Her spider guard game is one of the most aggressive and functional out there, and she shares it in its entirety in this instructional. As a bonus, she also throws in how her Domoplata submission works, and how to set it up from the spider guard, of course.


List Of All Spider Guard DVD Instructionals Out There

Of course, we can’t just be limited to only three Spider Guard DVD instructionals, can we? That is why we made the effort to locate and organize all the other ones out there that are more than worth spending time and effort on.

1. Aggressive Spider Guard by Johnny Tama

Aggressive_Spider_Guard_by_Johnny_TamaIf you’re not going to attack from the spider guard, you might as well not use it. This instructional will teach you all about aggressive attacks from the guard, and how to tie them together in a very hard to deal with the system.


2. Spider Guard Tricks by Thamires Aquino

Spider_Guard_Tricks_by_Thamires_AquinoThis is one for the more seasoned spider guard players out there. This spider guard DVD is full of tips, tricks, and hacks that will open up options you’ve never thought of before. highly recommended.


3. The Lo Guard & Matrix Passing by Leandro Lo

Leandro Lo Matrix PassingLeandro Lo is one of the best guard players in history, and of course, has a lot to say on the subject of the spider guard. there’s no miss with getting this instructional.


4. Double Sleeve Guard by Jonathan Thomas

Double_Sleeve_Guard_by_Jonathan_ThomasThis might sound like it is just a fraction of the spider guard when you see the title, but don’t let that confuse you, It is a full-blown spider guard DVD, just one that really focuses on gripping and manipulating the arms more than anything else. Essential for a serious spider guard player.


5. Dynamic Open Guard 3 DVD Set by Michael Langhi [DVD]

Dynamic_Open_Guard_3_DVD_Set_by_Michael_LanghiPure magic That is what you get with any Michael Lnaghi DVD, and especially this three-part set that contains some never before seen information on the spider guard in particular.


6. Everyday Porrada Spider Guard by Romulo Barral

Everyday_Porrada_Spider_Guard_by_Romulo_BarralAs I mentioned before, Romulo is the utmost authority on the spider guard. this is his latest instructional on the subject, covering his entire spider guard system over four very long DVD volumes.


7. ROMULO BARRAL’S SPIDER GUARD SECRETS VOL. 2 [ON DEMAND]

ROMULO_BARRAL'S_SPIDER_GUARD_SECRETS_VOL.2Part two of the Romulo Barral spider guard DVD instructional series that we covered as the must-have in the top 3 section of this article.


8. ROMULO BARRAL’S SPIDER GUARD SECRETS VOL. 3 [ON DEMAND]

ROMULO_BARRAL'S_SPIDER_GUARD_SECRETS_VOL.3The final installment uncovering the deepest secrets of the spider guard that nobody but Romulo Baral can divulge.


9. ABMAR BARBOSA – SPIDER-X PART ONE [ON DEMAND]

ABMAR_BARBOSA_SPIDER_X_PART_ONE Ambar Barbosa is one of the highest level competitors in the sport, and certainly a man who knows a lot about the spider guard. His take on the position is unusual to say the least, but highly efficient.


10. ABMAR BARBOSA – SPIDER-X PART TWO [ON DEMAND]

ABMAR_BARBOSA_SPIDER_X_PART_TWOIt seems Barbosa has so much to say about the spider guard that it won’t just fit in one spider guard DVD instructional. this is the second installment of the series.


In Conclusion

You can learn a lot of the little secrets and tricks that make the spider guard work from spider guard DVD instructionals by some of the best grapplers out there. The lists above contain every release, either DVD or digital that you should consider when you’re putting together a spider guard instructionals library of your own.

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