Key Takeaways
- A solid 4-part very Gi-specific instructional providing an overview of the X-guard and a full competitive game blueprint.
- Features entries, X-guard control, many sweeps, submission attacks and hybrid guard combinations.
- Delivers details on all X-guard variations, connecting them together in an easy-to-use system.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
X-GUARD TRICKERY KYLE SLEEMAN DVD GET HERE
The X-Guard, but Gi-specific. That’s what the X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD is all about. It will give you answers to plenty of questions you have about entering, keeping, and attacking from the full X-guard.
However, the best value of this instruction lies in the sheer number of sweeping options it provides. Instead of trying to teach people who are already struggling with BJJ complicated off-balancing concepts, Sleema simply provides effective ways to disrupt balance and put people on the mats. Exactly what the doctor ordered.
When In Doubt, Play X-Guard
Yup, the statement above just about sums up my entire BJJ guard game. That said, I am a beat-up master grappler who is only interested in efficient ways to survive against Nicky Rod-type blue belts which seem to be coming out of the woodwork these days.
The X-Guard is the perfect guard for, well, anyone. It is effective with and without the Gi, can get you leg locks, but also offers routes into upper body submissions, puts you more than halfway to the back, and allows you to sweep in more ways than any one grappler can master. More on this in the actual X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD.
There is a catch though. While effective for everyone and requiring absolutely no athletic abilities, the X-guard will only work if you get there, and that’s the part that deters most people from playing it. Yes, it is not easy to claw your way into the X-guard, but with the help of those who really understand it, like Kyle, you’ll definitely be able to figure out a shortcut to establishing it.
Kyle ‘Bull’ Sleeman
Kyle is a very interesting character, with lots of instsity to everything he does, from talking to grappling. The black belt has been training since 2005 and is a mainstay at IBJJF competitions, with impressive titles to his name so far.
The Canadian teaches his craft at Kalsamrit Martial Arts in Bowmanville, Ontario, and is also often on the roster of BJJ Globetrotters camp instructors. He likes to be the person on top, and is a master at passing and pinning folks, backed up with a versatile takedown game.
So why consider the X-Guard Kyle Sleeman DVD if Kuyle is such a master at the top game? Well before all his success from the top, Kyle built his game around the guard. Also, crushing people’s guards gives him the most unique perspective on what works and what doesn’t in terms of guard.
X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD Review
What you can expect to learn from the X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD is sweeping people from many different X-guard variations using the Gi. There are four different length volumes in this instructional, amassing a total of 2 hours of material.
Part 1 – Filling the Single Leg -X Guard
If you want to learn the X-guard, learn from a masters’ competitor. Since Kyle is a champion in the masters’ ranks, the X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD is definitely a top choice.
The instructional starts off with an overview of X-Guard basics, starting with the Single Leg X. Apprantely Sleeman likes to teach the other way around, starting with Single Leg X and going into the full X-guard from there. I have to say it makes sense.
A few entries build on the SLX guard mechanics already covered, originating in different guards or the bottom mount. He then seamlessly connects the Single Leg X-Guard to the full X version, once again, offering entries from different guards and building complete bottom game sequences in the process.
Part 2 – Sleeve Grips Versatility
I was most intrigued by this second volume of the Kyle Sleeman X-Guard DVD. Most people tend to base lots of their X-guard success on controlling the arms of the top person, especially in Gi Jiu-Jitsu. I really loved that Kyle offers no-sleeve grip options in this part of the instructional.
He starts off with an array of X-Guard sweeps that only require you to grip the legs. The face plant sweep was my favorite of the bunch, but there are other effective ones in this one too.
As the volume goes on, Kyle re-introduces sleeve grips, mostly through the Kuzushi he already showed us. Once the sleeves are back in the mix, sweeps become even more effective, as the shoulders are the first to hit the mats, all but guaranteeing sweep completion.
A few armbars show up here as well, from initial setups to follow-up finishes taking into account common counters. Triangles and Omoplatas ensure there is no lack of submissions in Sleeman’s X-Guard game.
Part 3 – Single Leg-X Sweeps
In the third portion of his instructional, Kyle circles back to the Single Leg-X guard. Previously used as a means of obtaining the full X-Guard, the focus is now on attacking from the SLX, with sweeps being the preferred method.
This short portion of the X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD offers details on the common sweeps that Gi grapplers will find very useful. There’s a bit of leg locking as well, with the ankle lock making a quick cameo.
Part 4 – The Lasso X-Guard
Finally, a bit of typical modern Gi guard work to round this Kyle Sleeman DVD off. The X-guard becomes part of a hybrid here, introducing Lasso control on one side to trap the top person more securely. While not a fan of anything lasso, I must admit there is a method to the madness here.
Kyle is an IBJJF competitor with a great record, and the lasso combos here, especially the sweeps, are proven to work in those settings. For Gi competitors, this instructional, and particularly this last volume is a sweeps gold mine. A bit of Honeyhole leg-locking naughtiness from the Reverse X-Guard helps bring this DVD to a memorable end.
Use Close Distance Guards More
So, why is the X-Guard such a useful position and why is it more stable than the Singel Leg X? Well the answer to that is the same one behind the effectiveness of the 50/50, deep half guard and every other guard that places you directly beneath your opponent’s hips.
Simply put, you’re in the best possible position to disrupt the balance of the top person when your entire body is under their hips. When you can also control both legs, like in the full X-Guard, you’ve basically swept the top person just by entering into the guard – it is just a matter of time.
The X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD builds on this particular off-balancing power of the guard to provide you with an entire game, from entries to submissions while exploiting the many sweeping directions the guard offers.
FULL DOWNLOAD: X-GUARD TRICKERY KYLE SLEEMAN DVD
Becoming an X-Guard Trickster
The trick is in the balance. Take it away, and you can do pretty much whatever you want. you’ll learn a lot about performing X-guard magic from the X-Guard Trickery Kyle Sleeman DVD, including how to sweep without having any sleeve grips. This instructional has only one flaw – it’s too Gi-specific. With a few adjustments though, it’s not hard to make it work in No-Gi as well, so the final verdict is to go for it.
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