I’d dismiss such a DVD as ineffective and a waste of time and money in an instant if it wasn’t for the underlying concept shared by the young Aussie BJJ black belt. To be honest, while there’s a lot of fluff, this instructional does deliver a powerful idea on how to combine guards for an ultra-effective bottom game in Jiu-Jitsu.

Key Takeaways

• A heavily Gi-based BJJ DVD with 6 volumes, lasting just under 4 hours.
• Offers the concept of dividing guards into upper and lower body dominant and creating hybrids.     
• Features sweeps, a few submissions, and plenty of leg entanglement entries. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 6 out of 10.

ARIEL TABAK HYBRID GUARDS DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Navigating BJJ Guards

What is your favorite guard? Depending on how long you’ve been involved in BJJ, this answer has changed for you multiple times. If it hasn’t you’re either crazy good about playing one guard, or you’ve just started the Gentle Art.

I really have no idea how many different guards BJJ has, but I doubt I’d be wrong if I claimed they’re more than a hundred. That just means you can’t really understand all of them even if all you did was play guards throughout your BJJ career. Luckily, you don’t have to know them all.

The best way to think about guards is in terms of defensive and offensive ones. Some are awesome at helping you stay connected to the top player, while others offer plenty of sweeps and submissions. But what happens when you have a guard, such as the half guard, that’s great for both?

The ideas outlined in the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD about dividing guards into lower and upper body dominant and blending them together is definitely one worth exploring further.

BJJ Guard Virtuoso Ariel Tabak

Ariel Tabak is a BJJ black belt under Cicero Costha and is famous for having one of the best guards in the game. Tabak has been training since 2009 when he was a teenager. The Australian spent his colored belt days under the tutelage of Daniel Keane and Daniel Shaw, getting his black belt in 2019.

Since then, young Tabak has conquered the IBJJF Pan Pacific championships twice, as well as grabbing third place at the ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials in 2022. Still not in his prime, Ariel has already spent a lot of time sharpening his skills with regular trips to Brazil so there is still a lot to come from him in the future.

While he is comfortable in all BJJ settings, Tabak has so far excelled in Gi Jiu-Jitsu more than No-Gi, and the guard is his main playground. Some snippets of his prowess with Gi guards can be seen in the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD, demonstrating his impressive teaching capabilities.

Detailed Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD Review

If you are a fan of modern Gi-based guards, you’re really going to enjoy this Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD. While in my opinion not overly practical, his iteration of hybridizing upper and lower body guards and combining them with lege entanglements does have a lot to offer in terms of potential:

Part 1 – Key Concepts And Principles

As the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD kicks off it becomes immediately apparent that there are going to be lots of inverting, spinning, and Gi gripping in this one. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Ariel begins by introducing his key concepts of merging different guards together. He uses

It has been a while since I’ve seen an elaborate Gi-guard DVD that features all the stuff that was a buzz in the BJJ world circa 2012. Inversions, Berimbolos, heavy use of different Gi grips and elaborate attacking schemes all feature in the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD.

I’d dismiss such a DVD as ineffective and a waste of time and money in an instant if it wasn’t for the underlying concept shared by the young Aussie BJJ black belt. To be honest, while there’s a lot of fluff, this instructional does deliver a powerful idea on how to combine guards for an ultra-effective bottom game in Jiu-Jitsu.

Key Takeaways

• A heavily Gi-based BJJ DVD with 6 volumes, lasting just under 4 hours.
• Offers the concept of dividing guards into upper and lower body dominant and creating hybrids.     
• Features sweeps, a few submissions, and plenty of leg entanglement entries. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 6 out of 10.

ARIEL TABAK HYBRID GUARDS DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Navigating BJJ Guards

What is your favorite guard? Depending on how long you’ve been involved in BJJ, this answer has changed for you multiple times. If it hasn’t you’re either crazy good about playing one guard, or you’ve just started the Gentle Art.

I really have no idea how many different guards BJJ has, but I doubt I’d be wrong if I claimed they’re more than a hundred. That just means you can’t really understand all of them even if all you did was play guards throughout your BJJ career. Luckily, you don’t have to know them all.

The best way to think about guards is in terms of defensive and offensive ones. Some are awesome at helping you stay connected to the top player, while others offer plenty of sweeps and submissions. But what happens when you have a guard, such as the half guard, that’s great for both?

The ideas outlined in the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD about dividing guards into lower and upper body dominant and blending them together is definitely one worth exploring further.

BJJ Guard Virtuoso Ariel Tabak

Ariel Tabak is a BJJ black belt under Cicero Costha and is famous for having one of the best guards in the game. Tabak has been training since 2009 when he was a teenager. The Australian spent his colored belt days under the tutelage of Daniel Keane and Daniel Shaw, getting his black belt in 2019.

Since then, young Tabak has conquered the IBJJF Pan Pacific championships twice, as well as grabbing third place at the ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials in 2022. Still not in his prime, Ariel has already spent a lot of time sharpening his skills with regular trips to Brazil so there is still a lot to come from him in the future.

While he is comfortable in all BJJ settings, Tabak has so far excelled in Gi Jiu-Jitsu more than No-Gi, and the guard is his main playground. Some snippets of his prowess with Gi guards can be seen in the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD, demonstrating his impressive teaching capabilities.

Detailed Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD Review

If you are a fan of modern Gi-based guards, you’re really going to enjoy this Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD. While in my opinion not overly practical, his iteration of hybridizing upper and lower body guards and combining them with lege entanglements does have a lot to offer in terms of potential:

Part 1 – Key Concepts And Principles

As the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD kicks off it becomes immediately apparent that there are going to be lots of inverting, spinning, and Gi gripping in this one. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Ariel begins by introducing his key concepts of merging different guards together. He uses Leandro Lo’s spider guard and De la Riva combo as an example, demonstrating the principle of combining upper and lower bodyguards for the ultimate bottom control.

The entire first volume explores this connection, looking at ways to off-balance the top person and win the essential grip fight. There is also some useful information on how to precisely remove and re-attach your upper and lower body posts to make the opponent stuck at all times.

Part 2 – De la Riva Guards

The De la Riva guard, both regular and reverse plays a huge role in this entire instructional. The first mention of the sleeve and pants DLR guard is in the second volume of the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD, where lots of the focus is on keeping the position and attacking with elaborate sweeps.

In my opinion, most of the stuff is overly elaborate, taking away from the efficiency of Jiu-jitsu for the sake of connecting more and more stuff together. The few finishing chapters that cover the high knee shield are actually the most useful part of this 45-minute-long part of the DVD.

Part 3 –  Hybrid Spider-Single X Guard

The third volume of this Ariel Tabak guard DVD goes on to explore the knee shield further, offering leg lock entries with the knee bar as the main finish. The way Tabak hybridizes the half guard is by exploring the use of a spider guard hook with the free leg, essentially guiding the opponent to a spider-RDLR hybrid or a combination of X-guards and spider-inspired biceps control.

There is a lot of emphasis here on pants control, combined with biceps spider control which are very useful and innovative, opening a lot of opportunities for Gi guard players and leg lockers. The hybrid Spider X guard emerges from all this chaos, and I am left pretty unconvinced by its practical application against seasoned grapplers.

Part 4 – The Whip

As far as somewhat useful aspects of the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD are concerned, the fourth volume is as useful as things get. All usual overcomplication aside, Ariel Tabak explains his Whip concept here, which is essentially a play on the leg lever sweep.

He uses a drawstring grip to control one end of the leg, and a pants grip on the other, allowing him to effectively sweep from all the hybrid guard positions he shares in this DVD. The spider hook makes it easier for Ariel to open up entries into inverted and spinning attacks using the Whip.

Part 5 – Lasso RDLR Guard Hybrids

I spent a lot of time doing inverted Gi-based guards, lasso stuff, and RDLR in my time on the mats, and I avoid them for a reason – they’re not necessary. With plenty of easier ways to weep or get back, I find no allure in this type of guard play, but since others might like it, I’ll try to be impartial about it.

The penultimate part of the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD focuses on connecting the lass guard as the upper body control with the RDLR hook as the lower body one. Looming brutal leg lock threats aside, the position is a solid one to retain guard and attack.

Tabak does provide a different dimension to the game, building up the arsenal of attacks to include more than spinning sweeps and Omoplatas by integrating the Ashi Garami game into his system.

Part 6 – Lasso DLR Guard Hybrids

As we near the conclusion of the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD, the final half hour or so is about the deep lasso guard and how it relates to the Berimbolo. Yeah, just when you thought you found a Gi guard instructional with no Berimbolos, it had to crash the party.

Some of the stuff sections of the instructional are really good, such as the hip post hybrid and the R guard combo that opens up leg locks. The rest, I’d recommend skipping if you want to learn BJJ instead of break dancing.

How To Combine BJJ Guards 

The art of combining guards is a crucial one if you want to have a successful bottom game in BJJ. Gi or No-Gi, your guard has to have layers that target the main distances that top players use to pass. Understandably, you need different guard configurations for different distances and passing threats.

What I love the most about the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD is the underlying concept behind the material Tabak shows, which is combining upper and lower body guards in a way that makes you as sticky as possible from the bottom. This is widely applicable to any type of guard game in BJJ, all kinds of guards, and is the smartest way of building a very difficult-to-beat guard game.

It was also refreshing to see leg locks feature as part of guard attacks, especially in a Gi-only insturctional. Introducing this threat to the mix of hybrid guards literally covers every base you need to easily create your guard, and stay offensively dangerous at any point during exchanges. I’d just skip over all the spinning and self-stacking.

FULL DOWNLOAD: ARIEL TABAK HYBRID GUARDS DVD

Hybrid Guard Tactics

At the end of the day, the Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD is going to teach you how to play guard better, as long as you can look past the crazy sand overcomplicated technical directions it contains. While all the techniques, including the spinning stuff, are delivered with super-high technical proficiency, I remain doubtful that any of those things will work in a competitive setting.

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The post Ariel Tabak Hybrid Guard BJJ DVD 2024 Review appeared first on BJJ World.

Giancarlo Bodoni is not just a meathead grappler (sorry Gordon) but also seems to be a very intelligent fellow who likes to think on his own accord. That makes him a formidable opponent, but also exactly the person you want to teach you. And when it comes to Ashi Garmi, having Bodoni explain the latest developments is like learning physics from Hawking.

Key Takeaways

• A 5-hour long No-Gi DVD instructional with eight volumes of Ashi Garmi material. 
• Covers the latest developments in the No-Gi Ashi Garami game.  
• New Ashi positions, baiting tactics, transitions, finishes, and lots of sweeps. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 10 out of 10.

ASHI GARAMI GIANCARLO BODONI DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Ashi Garami is About More Than Leg Locks

So you’re not a leg locker but you’re reading the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD review. Don’t worry we won’t tell. Even better, you’ll learn something about the Ashi Garami that has a lot to do with playing guard and not much to do with leg locks.

For those thinking outside the box, Ashi Garami is a set of positions that go far beyond just a huge potential for leg locks. The entanglement itself is a great way to understand the 50/50 situation that happens during sweeps when both players are on the mats with their hips.

If you’ve ever competed at a high level, you know that this is where sweep battles are won and lost. Now imagine having the best possible tool designed to keep the other person with their hips to the mats, as you comfortably gain the top position and two points. Well, there is, and it is the Ashi Garami. And let’s not forget that you can submit from there as well.

The Grappling Pedigree of Giancarlo Bodoni

Born in 1995 in Miami, Giancarlo has spent a lifetime practicing martial arts. He was 5 when he first enrolled in a Karate class, and the ball just kept rolling from there. Going through most of the usual martial arts for a 90’s kid, Bodoni spent time in Taekwondo, as well before discovering Gracie Barra.

Yeah, you read that right. Bodoni spent a lot of his early days gaining a fundamental understanding of Jiu-Jitsu under Gracie Barra’s Rillion Gracie. It was only after a visit to Brazil that Bodoni discovered the GFTeam, and it took moving to Charlotte to end up at Alliance, that gym that introduced him to the BJJ world.

Under the tutelage of Lucas Lepri, Giancarlo Bodoni made all the right splashes as a brown and eventually black belt, both grades awarded to him by Lepri himself. The Alliance association crafted a path for Bodoni to meet Bernardo Faria, who then led him toward his current home – Danaher’s New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team.

As we go on to explore the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD, it becomes apparent just how far he has come but has a teacher and a competitor.

Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD Review

Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD is a No-Gi instructional organized in 8 different volumes, each lasting differently. The total running length of the video material is almost 5 hours, and the information inside it is incredibly useful to anyone involved in BJJ.

Part 1 – All About Kuzushi

This Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD is one of the best Ashi Garami instructional I have ever seen. That much is apparent from the very first moment, where he spends the better time of half an hour talking about the most important aspect of effectiveness from Ashi positions – off-balancing.

Clearly influenced by the Danaher leg lock philosophy, Bodoni places a lot of emphasis on how he destabilizes his opponents, as well as the direction he wants them to take. In addition to talking about Kuzushi from the bottom, Bodoni also covers his general approach to playing the Ashi Garami game in No-Gi.

Part 2 – Testing The Connection

I particularly enjoyed this art of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD, where the young grappling prodigy emphasizes how key solid connection it to have any sort of tangible success with the Ashi Garami. he shares a very useful connection test that can work as a great drill to get you tighter with your Ashi.

Aslo featuring in this volume are integrations of Kuzushi with the connection in the elevator drill, as well as direct sweeping options. Bodoni promises efficiency and states that sometimes it is far more efficient to sweep from Ashi rather than hunt for leg locks.

Part 3 – Sweeping From Ashi

On the subject of sweeping form Ashi Garami positions, Bodoni shares a whole host of those in the third volume of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD. He begins with a very neat ankle pick and talks about using misdirection to increase the effectiveness of off-balancing.

A couple of sweep options in the tripod and double shin sweep follow a very informative chapter on leg placement, which outlines how to retain inside position when the top persons trying to establish a straight or cross hamstring passing checkpoint.

Part 4 – Butterfly Ashi

The most creative and innovative aspect of this Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD (and this is coming from a leg locker with a 10-year pedigree of chasing feet) is the fourth volume. The butterfly Ashi is a hybrid position, which Bodoni is taking to new heights as his own specialty.

While the position has a ton to offer, he only touches on the most crucial aspects in this part, covering how to switch between the legs and set up a few more sweeps marking the halfway point of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD.

Part 5 – Countering Top Maneuvers

The second most useful volume in the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD, which I found to be super rich with useful information. Namely, in this one Bodoni deconstructs what the top players are usually trying to do, and how to turn the tables before they even begin establishing their game.

Over the course of 40 minutes, Giancarlo goes over applications and modifications of the Ashi Garami when the top person changes levels, as well as how to turn their backsteps and shin pin passes into leg lock-rich traps.

Part 6 – Ashi Garami From Top

Another highly useful portion of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD, particularly to those that compete a lot in No-Gi. Everyone who has ever been caught in a footsie battle knows how frustrating it can be until the lone person decides to get the top position – and Bodoni shows how to be that person.

Of course, he demonstrates not just how to get on top efficiently, but also be safe from Ashi Garami attacks as well. And, since this is an Ashi instructional, Bodoni also shares some cool leg lock finishes from the top, featuring both belly down and belly up positioning.

Part 7 – Dealing with Defenses

the one thing that every seasoned leg locker is mostly battling these days is awareness. As leg locks became a staple of grappling, everyone started practicing and defending them. While Bodoni’s instructions of Kuzushi, connections, sweeps, and transitions can get you Into Ashi, finishing requires just as much work, if not more.

This portion of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD explains how to keep the pressure on as you transition different Ashi Garami positions and how to interchange linear and twisting leg locks for maximum efficiency.

Part 8 – Baiting and Transitions

The final part of the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD goes over the key transitions between Ashi Garami attacks. Bodoni shares a lot of baiting tactics here, that misdirect your opponent as you hunt for stronger Ashi positions and devastating finishes without easing off.

I love the tactic of coming up to improve connection before heading back to the mats for optimal finishing mechanics. A fine knee bar brings this incredible Giancarlo Bodoni No-Gi instructional to an end.

A Gateway To Attacking From Guard

The Ashi Garami is no longer a position that only specialists consider worthy of exploring. It also transcends the entire Gi and No-Gi BJJ debate, as it is extremely applicable to both. Don’t get me wrong, you can still play footsie as much as you want and the Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD is definitely going to put you ahead of the curve.

However, you will also benefit from this instructional as a Gi fighter who does not use leg locks and likes to win on points. The concept of using Ashi to play guard changes the landscape of the bottom Jiu-jitsu game.

The fact is that sweeps are an integral part of the Danaher Ashi Garmi system, as he emphasizes breaking the opponent down to a hip before setting up finishes. Well, that breakdown is essentially a sweep, with all that’s missing is gaining top position.

Furthermore, sweeping from different Ashi Garami positions also opens up new passing positions to consider, as it will place you in a position you don’t usually end up in during passing. Not to mention how effective it is at helping you recognize both leg lock and sweep threats very early on.

FULL DOWNLOAD: ASHI GARAMI GIANCARLO BODONI DVD

Chase Efficiency! 

If there is one theme that runs throughout this Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD it is that you need to be efficient with everything you do. Leg locks are not working from the Ashi Garmi? Sweep and get to the top then. You can always go back and finish from improved positions.

This is just one of the key aspects that Bodoni shares in his Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami DVD. The instructional is truly one of the best video learning resources I’ve seen in BJJ in 2024 and deserves to be in your collection since it teaches so much more than just leg locks.

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The post Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Giancarlo Bodoni DVD Review appeared first on BJJ World.

Somewhat surprisingly, Jeff offers a very down-to-earth instructional that probably had him holding back a ton, but what he delivers might just be better than his craziness-filled DVDs. This one is definitely worth exploring for everyone, from white belt to black!

Key Takeaways

• 3-part No-Gi BJJ DVD with just under two hours of material.
• A very well-organized instructional that flows from one volume to the next. 
• Covers attacks and transitions between the half, butterfly half, and butterfly guards. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 9.5 out of 10.

1/2 AND BUTTERFLY GUARD JEFF GLOVER DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

The Role of Basics in Modern BJJ

The one thing nobody likes to practice (before brown belt, at least) is the basics. While training BJJ like the Gracie’s did in the 80s is definitely not effective and can be boring, there is nothing wrong with using the basics of BJJ to set up a modern game, as long as you modify them to fit modern-day needs.

In fact, there’s hardly anything better than relying on basics, such as the half guard or closed guard as a safety net to ensure you keep being a threat if fancier options, such as lapel or inverted guards fail. The same principle applies to top positions as well as standing exchanges.

Everything you see these days, from leg locks to crazy inversions and spins, to lighting-fast wrestling scrambles on the feet, is made possible because of the basics of Jiu-Jitsu. They are the foundation that provides you with the feeling of timing and control that makes all the more advanced stuff possible to pull off.

In this particular Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD, the focus is on these “forgotten” basics, rather than the fancier stuff. It’s not something that we’d expect from Glover, but still very well worth a watch.

The Grappling Legacy of Jeff Glover

Jeff Glover was the epitome of the creative BJJ troll in the 2010s. These days, he has been outside of the spotlight, after he decided to stop competing professionally. The 41-year-old is still active in the BJJ world though, mostly through releasing high-quality content.

Style-wise, Glover was always a wild card, but whatever he did pull off while performing on the mats, he was able to back it up with a very high level of technical proficiency and tactical genius. For example, he is the mastermind behind the Donkey Guard, a position so weird that it got banned for a while. Jeff, however, pulled it off at the highest levels of BJJ competition.

Equally as crazy and fun in both Gi and No-Gi, Glover has a legacy of being a troll land trickster, but not a jester. His stuff, while crazy, is not just efficient, but they are also easy for different grapplers to pick up and learn fast, adding them to their game. Proven at the highest levels, as confirmed by Glover’s No-Gi world title and ADCC bronze, opting to research some of his work, such as the Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD is always a good idea.

Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD Full Review

This three-part No-Gi instructional by Jeff Glover is really simple, just like it promises. The Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD goes over the most fundamental ways you can use these two guards to catch everyone off guard (pun intended).

Part 1 – Half Guard Simplified 

The Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD begins with just over thirty minutes of material covering one of Jeff’s favorite positions – the half guard. While he was a fan of the deep half, this instructional stays true to its title, covering the most basic half guard version that works like a charm.

This part of the instructional contains a couple of basic leg-based sweeps that follow a lengthy explanation of the basic half guard positioning that makes them possible. Glover ties in two sweeps, offering combo options through the body lock grip.

Part 2 – Pummeling to Butterfly Half

The second portion of the instructional cleverly opens the half guard as Glvoer starts using just one butterfly hook to set up more sweeps and a few submissions as well. In fact, the butterfly hook is a backup option to use if you fail when you open the half guard for triangles or Omoplatas.

This part of the Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD also covers how to set up variations of the top butterfly hook both offensively and defensively, as Glover touches on the use of the popular shoulder crunch position as well.

Part 3 – Butterfly Guard Game

The final part of the Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD is all about the butterfly guard, a strong suit of Jeff and a guard everyone plays from time to time. As expected, the introduction to the guard is tied in with the information from the previous volume.

This final part of the instructional also introduces Ashi Garami and the leg lock game, slightly modified by Glover for maximum efficiency. Interestingly enough, he prefers overhook control from the butterfly guard, which I have always been a fan of.

Building a Safety Net for Your Guard Game

Using basics such as the half guard and the butterfly guard is the perfect way of building a crack-proof guard game you can use even at high levels of competitive grappling. The reason behind this is that these positions share the same main goal of ensuring you keep your opponent where you want them, making it easy to figure out how to attack them.

Another crucial aspect of building a guard game around these two positions is that you can be as basic or as crazy as Glover is while playing them, still reaping the positional benefits they bring to the table. Both guards offer lots of variety and attack options that you can start very basic, and keep doing nothing but those two guards til the end of your grappling journey.

Finally, they integrate perfectly with one another, as demonstrated in the Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD. That translates to building a versatile, yet simple game that you can use against anyone, both with and without the Gi. If I had to pick two positions to build a guard game around, I’d pick these 10 times out of 10.

HALF AND BUTTERFLY GUARD JEFF GLOVER DVD DOWNLOAD

Back To Basics! 

Do not run from the basics simply because you think they’re boring or they don’t fit your game. They’re basics because everyone can do them and benefit, so make sure you master the basics first. The Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD is a great blueprint to help you focus on a couple of very basic guards and build an intricate game around them.

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The post Back To Basics: Half and Butterfly Guard Jeff Glover DVD Review appeared first on BJJ World.

However, there is an exception to the Helicopter choke that does not apply to most of the above-mentioned flashy moves. Unlike most of them, the choke we’re about to deconstruct today has the potential to work against opponents of any size and experience and won’t land you in trouble if you mess it up. Let’s explain how it all works.

Attacking the Modern BJJ Turtle

The turtle has always been the go-to defense for Judokas but it never really made too much sense for me. Fast forward to the mid-2010s and a modern system of BJJ defense emerged, turning the turtle into the one position that could block all BJJ attacks and open up escapes or counters.

So, how do you now attack a position designed to repel attacks? The main use is that the harder you try to break it down, the more you sacrifice your balance, giving away attachments and options for the bottom person to get out.

Since grabbing underneath the armpit is not an option anymore against any experienced turtle player, you’re left with destabilizing the turtle itself, which is the weakest point of the position. The best way to achieve a turtle breakdown is to target either end of the turtle – the legs or the neck.

When you are grappling with the Gi, the neck becomes your primary target. While attacking with the likes of the clock choke and the helicopter choke might not yield a submission outcome, you will destroy the turtle and set yourself up to have more success with your attacking game. Unless you let the opponent turtle up again.

Rolling Gi Chokes: A Warning

The BJJ Helicopter choke is part of the rolling chokes family, and whenever a world like rolling, spinning, or flying precedes a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu move, you should exercise caution with it. It has as much to do with your safety as that of your opponent or training partner.

With rolling chokes, there is a point during the drop section of your roll when you have no control over your body. This is the time when you’re past the highest point of the roll and all you can do is let gravity take you to the mats. In ideal circumstances, this is a large reason behind the success of rolling chokes.

In the case of the Helicopter choke, though, you should be careful as this means all your weight is essentially going to drop-hang off the opponent’s neck. Since the Gi is involved, this might result in neck muscle or even spinal injuries before any choking mechanics start to apply.

Since there is no real way of dropping safely while executing a rolling choke, keep in mind that you don’t have to clamp on your grips as if your life depends on it and you should be ready to let go in case you feel that the opponent’s body positioning is not where you expect them to land, or they tap verbally or in a panicked way.

Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Helicopter Choke

The BJJ Helicopter choke is essentially a clock choke done in a way that locks the opponent’s head in place so that they can’t turn to the side and sneak out as they usually do versus clock chokes.

The absolute prerequisite of performing this choke is to establish a thumb-inside grip on the far side of the opponent’s collar while they are turtled up. As you’ll see later, there are ways to use the choke outside of the turtle position, but for learning purposes, it is best if we stick to it.

Grip Positioning

The placement of the choking arm is across a turtled-up opponent’s neck, while you’re positioned to the side. Reaching underneath the chin is not going to be resistance-free, which is why you only need to thread your thumb inside the opponent’s collar.

Your other arm can reinforce the position by grabbing the opponent’s pants on the near side. This way, you can still move freely to eventually set up the helicopter choke while preventing the bottom person from rolling out.

The Arm Post Checkpoint

Getting the Helicopter choke grips in usually has you in a kneeling or half-kneeling position to the side of your opponent. In order to enter the Helicopter choke you’ll need to pop up to standing, which will create space that the opponent can use.

While you should not linger in the standing portion of the choke setup, it actually helps the surprise factor as the opponent wonders why the weight is suddenly off. To ensure you can enter the choke or other follow-ups, you need to post the palm of the hand that held the pants on the opponent’s back.

The Leg Swing

The crucial moment in making the Helicopter choke work and preventing you from completely conceding the bottom position is the leg swing, also known as the stepover. This motion brings the power of your leg muscles into play, as you use the leg that is closer to the opponent to reinforce the choking arm as well as destroy any hopes of posturing up.

In fact, the arm post checkpoint serves as a power source to launch the step over, as you throw your nearside leg over the opponent’s body, trying to place the foot next to their head on the same side as the rest of your body.

This motion where you wrap your leg around your choking arm also activates the rolling motion, and the leg wedges deeper behind the neck as you start to drop to the mats.

Establishing an Underhook

Finally, as you allow the leg swing to take you over the opponent, your goal is to use the free arm, which is the one that is posted on their back to grab an underhook on the far side as you go through the rolling motion.

This aspect of the choke might not be available always, in which case, you should grab whatever you can get a hold of to solidify your position. However, once you get comfortable with the rolling helicopter choke, you’ll find it easy to sneak in an underhook control that further blocks the opponent from moving.

Choke-wise, there is no real need to squeeze anything as the roll and final landing position put immense pressure on the neck via the collars. If you need more pressure, extend the leg that is wedged behind the arm to finish off stubborn opponents.

A Couple Of BJJ Helicopter Choke Variations

Now that you know how to do the Helicopter choke against a turtled-up opponent, let’s look at a few other setups of the choke that are going to catch the eye of experienced grapplers a bit more.

Helicopter Choke From the Back

As an alternative to classic choke attacks from the back, you could opt for the Helicopter choke if you set everything up correctly. The main thing to pay attention to is that you will need to relinquish your hooks in order to get to the choke.

This variation also begins with a tight thumb-in grip on the collar, however, this time  you set it up from the back just like you’d do for a bow and arrow choke. Since you don’t need hooks, all it takes is standing up however slightly you need to execute the leg swing.

In this instance, the choke is not a rolling one but rather a falling one, and instead of underhooking the arm on the far side, you’re scooping up the near side knee, again, like in a bow and arrow choke finish.

Judo Style Helicopter Choke Entry form Throws

This variation of the Helicopter choke setup is the one that works the best out of everything in this article. The reason for this is that you set it up during a transition as you attempt a throw or a pass and the opponent decides to turtle up.

Once again, nothing happens without the grips, and you have to have the collar control to set this one up. That said, whenever an opponent turns to enter the turtle, you get your cue to go for the leg swing, allowing you to enter into the choke tightly with a high percentage of success.

The Clock Choke

Finally, we have to pay homage to the predecessor of the Helicopter choke which is the clock choke. This choke has put many people to sleep on account of the fact that you don’t have to use hooks to finish it and most people do not perceive the danger until it is too late.

Finishing the clock choke only requires the thumb-in grip and does not involve standing or rolling. Simply put, you grab the collar, place the weight of your shoulder on the opponent’s back, right below their neck and you start circling, be it clockwise or counterclockwise in the direction of their head.

Chopper Away!

Is the Helicopter choke enough to end all your turtle trouble while you’re rolling or competing in Gi Jiu-Jitsu? Of course not. However, it does present a very viable solution to help you break down the turtle and even maybe sneak in a submission while you are at it.

If you opt to use the choke during transitions through, particularly when you’re using collar-based takedown systems or passes, you open the door to a very powerful finish that often comes underestimated on account of its somewhat acrobatic nature. But, if it’s not flashy it’s not really worth doing, is it?

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The post Helicopter Choke: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide and Variations appeared first on BJJ World.

Alternatively, you can look at an instructional such as the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD, which contains an overview of the most useful half guard variations. The key thing to remember is not to get lost with al the options available from half guard, so even with this DVD, you should pick one volume and stick to it for a long time!

Key Takeaways

• A 5-part No-Gi grappling DVD that lasts almost 4 hours.  
• Contains an overview of common half guard variations, concepts, and plenty of techniques. 
• More of a general instructional than a resource for building a half guard game. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.

HALF GUARD GIANCARLO BODONI DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Everyone’s Favourite Guard

There’s really not much to say about the half guard except that everyone likes it, even when they claim otherwise. Moreover, everyone does it, and just about everyone messes it up as well. Whenever I see people playing half guard during rolling in my gym, I know I am either in for a threat or a cringe.

The half guard is a very comfortable spot to be in when you’re playing from the bottom, which is exactly what makes it very dangerous. For you. Getting complacent in the half guard means you won’t let people pass (for the most part) but you also won’t achieve much in terms of attacking.

If you truly want to unlock the maximal potential of the half guard, you’ll need to find the balance between defending passing with it and working a bit to achieve top position and then enjoy grappling more. It just so happens, that finding this balance is the most difficult aspect of playing half guard.

We’ll be looking today at the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD to see whether yet another half guard BJJ DVD can do to help you achieve this balance or will only leave you even more confused.

Giancarlo Bodoni – The Italian Stallion of Grappling

The 28-year-old Florida native who rose to grappling stardom by winning the 2022 ADCC -88 kg division is one the best, yet humble grapplers of today. Originally a Lucas Lepri black belt, Bodoni is part of the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team led by Danaher. He is set to defend his title in this year’s edition of ADCC, attempting to improve on his 41-22-1 record.

Throughout his career, Bodoni has perfected his grappling skills by learning from names such as Lucas Lepri, Rilion Gracie, Gutemberg Perreira, and, of course, his current mentor, John Danaher. Giancarlo even moved to Brazil for a while in pursuit of BJJ excellence, joining the GF Team ranks in 2017.

Bodoni was a strong member of the Alliance team from 2018 until 2021, getting both his brown and black belts from Lepri. In 2019, still, as a brown belt, he went to teach at Bernardo Faria’s Alliance Academy in Bedford, meeting up with the then Danaher Death Squad in the process.

After joining the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team when they set up base in Austin, Bodoni started claiming No-Gi accolades such as the 2022 ADCC gold and IBJJF Pans, to add to his already impressive Gi resume. He also has several high-level instructionals out, now adding the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD to the collection.

The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD Detailed Review

Ginacarlo’s latest BJJ instructional effort addresses the half guard by exploring different commonly used variations, goal setting, grip fighting, and crucial concepts, and topping it all off with a number of different defensive and offensive techniques.

In this Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD you get nearly 4 hours of very methodical material, divided into 5 different volumes. The first volume covers general half guard concepts, while the rest each address a variation of the guard in detail.

Part 1 – The Half Guard Criteria

Bodoni is very methodical in organizing his instructionals, although much more to the point compared to some of his New Wave Jiu-Jitsu teammates. The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD begins with an introduction to everything you’ll ever need to know about the half guard, delivered in just above an hour.

Bodoni begins by setting up the key criteria for playing half guard, before addressing body positioning in terms of lower and upper body placement and motion, and how purposeful grip fighting makes everything come together.

He also covers some key concepts on guard recovery, placing an emphasis on its importance in successfully playing any half guard variation.  In this part of the instructional he also addressed the most common problems you’ll face as a half guard player and how to mitigate and/or completely resolve them.

Part 2 – Knee Shield Half Guard

As the second volume of the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD instructional rolls through, Giancarlo dedicates an hour to one of the most useful half guard variations in the history of BJJ – the knee shield. Building on the principles from the first volume he discusses positioning, defensive tactics, sweep setups, and submission dilemmas.

Among the more entertaining and useful chapters in this part of the DVD, I’d single out the ones on how to clamp from the knee shield, the triangle setup, and the scoop grip sweeps mini system. his take on dealing with people sprawling from the top, especially heavy opponents is also quite insightful.

Part 3 – The Half Butterfly

Every lazy guard player and leg locker’s favorite half guard variation, the half butterfly also gets a lot of attention in this Giancarlo Bodoni DVD. The majority of the setups in the volume revolve around the arm drag, which is effective given the tilted positioning of the half butterfly guard.

Of course, the New Wave’s favorite overhead sweeping system makes an appearance, tied in with straight and cross Ashi Garami entries and finishes. I particularly enjoyed the parts covering how to capitalize on an opponent trying to flee these leg lock setups by utilizing the X guard as a follow-up.

Part 4 – Underhook Half Guard Game

Somewhat lost in the modern tsunami of wrestling techniques in BJJ, the underhook half guard also gets some time in the sun in the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD. While I am still skeptical about its use, Giancarlo has some good points in this volume.

Namely, in the half an hour dedicated to this variation, he offers a few interesting arm positioning details, paired with several roll-through counters to deal with the danger of overhooks and front headlock attacks. The attacking trilemma he sets up from the position is also highly effective at directing the top person’s attention away from your underhook.

Part 5 – The Deep Half

The final chapter of the Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD is dedicated to the deep half guard, a.k.a. the old guy’s guard. This is a short volume, barely exceeding 10 minutes, and features a couple of sweeps including a No-Gi waiter sweep variation and a quick X-Guard transition.

The Value of Tactical Efficiency

Whoever says that stalling in BJJ is a despicable move has probably never grappled people who have any real experience on the mats. Stalling, while often abused, especially in Gi BJJ, is a valid strategy to help you set up the execution of your game against a more skilled opponent.

The thing to remember here is that you need to set up your game using stalling, not just try to survive by preventing a person from passing and going further up the positional hierarchy.

When we talk about stalling from the bottom, the half guard is the absolute best position for such a tactical approach. The reasoning behind it is simple – you contain your opponent to only play one position from the top, as opposed to having the ability to move and pass in every possible direction.

This is a double-edged sword though, as the same happens to you – you can only play half guard if you decide to force it. If you are good at half guard, then it will make a lot of sense to employ such tactics. That is where you can benefit from the material in the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD.

GIANCARLO BODONI HALF GUARD DVD DOWNLOAD

Shield Up!

With all said and done on the subject of half guard, and how the Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD can help your game, al that is left is for you to become a tactical stalling machine with a dangerous submission finishing rate.

Yes, even though it sounds counterproductive, such a thing is possible to achieve as a means of playing guard, and I’ll go even as far as saying it is the best way to play guard against opponents who are better than you.

While you could figure it all out yourself by putting yourself in half guard, why not use the shortcut that this Giancarlo Bodoni Half Guard DVD offers?

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The post Efficiently Executing The Half Guard Giancarlo Bodoni DVD Review appeared first on BJJ World.

Executing Reverse De La Riva back take is not easy, but it is not something reserved for advanced grapplers only. You can make your route to the back as complicated or simple as you wish, and we have selected 6  slick and very effective methods of not just getting to the back fast, but also introducing sweeps and different guard transitions to the mix.

Reverse De La Riva Guard Tactics

One of the most popular guards in BJJ, particularly in No-Gi was the Reverse De la Riva guard. I say “was” because the raise of leg locks brought an abrupt, and very unnecessary end to this position.

True, there is a threat for leg locks, but it comes at the price of potentially giving up top position, and with the guard offering leg lock entries and Ashi Garami transitions as well, it really isn’t more dangerous than playing any other guard. And no, playing RDLR does not guarantee the top person an Estima lock, so that excuse goes straight out the window.

Moving on, the potential of the RDLR is still immense in terms of playing a secure guard that works against both standing and half-kneeling opponents, reflecting passes easily and setting up various different attacks from the same position. Moreover, it ties in beautifully with the half guard if the opponent decides to kneel on both knees.

That brings us to the most efficient tactic available from the guard – the Reverse De la Riva back take. It takes some movement mastery as it involves inverting into a half spin, but the end result is a shortcut to the back position, 4 points, and a smooth ride to winning any match, Gi or No-Gi. 

6 Gi & No-Gi Reverse De La Riva Back Takes 

Let’s take a look at a few of the best routes that lead to the back from the Reverse De la Riva guard. Options include direct routes, sweep, and other guard combo threats, standing and half-kneeling setups, and details on the all-important half spin, a.k.a kiss of the dragon:

No-Gi Reverse De La Riva Back Take

Serra Jiu Jitsu’s top black belt and once a Danaher Death Squad member, Jason Rau is an established star in the sub-only scene. The young prodigy has some very slick attacks from the Reverse De La Riva guard, with one of his best being a very easy-to-master from Reverse De La Riva back take.

While these moves are demonstrated without the gi, the concepts, theories, and movements can also be applied/modified to work in the Gi. Check out this high-percentage setup below:

A Gi RDLR Back Take Variation

Gracie Barra’s top competitor Felipe Pena shares a slightly different way to set up what is more or less the same Reverse De La Riva back take demonstrated by Jason Rau. he main differences are in the grips, with Pna making the most out of the pants grip options he has available. 

The main reason why the Gi version of this slick back take is slightly better is because of the belt. It presents an attachment point that allows transitions back into guards such as the 50/50 if the back take fails after you manage to spin inside. 

RDLR Guard Sweep and Back Take Dilemma

For those who like to chain their attacks, the following option, also done with the Gi, offers the chance to threaten with a sweep and a back take at the same time. While the back take shown below is complicated and very advanced, the sweep is a breeze to set up and finish. 

I’d recommend that you use the timber sweep from the RLDR to introduce a different direction of attack, that allows you to grab the back the old-fashioned way, by half spinning between the legs. However, you can put some effort into mastering the Bolo back take available off the sweep to become even more dangerous.

Low Reverse De La Riva Back Take 

One of the most annoying things about the Reverse De la Riva is that people can kill a big portion of it by forcing and maintaining a half-kneeling position. As Luiz Panza demonstrates, this doesn’t have to be a hurdle, and can still lead to the back, albeit not the same way as a standing entry goes.

The same motion applies here, but the inverted spin goes further, and you extend your legs instead of hooking them onto the opponent. The end position is one that reminds of a distal leg locking setup and forces the opponent on their back landing you a sweep. If they decide to remain on all fours, then their back is all yours

Reverse De la Riva Back Take and X-Guard Combo

In this video, you see how you can force the top person from a half-kneeling into standing Revrse De la Riva guard which opens up all the Reverse De la Riva back take options explored above.

This version explores a route towards the X guard if the opponent has exceptional balance, which means you add leg locking and sweeping threats to your back take effort. Having this checkpoint in your RDLR back take arsenal is huge in preventing counters that might end up with the opponent on your back.

Essential Kiss of The Dragon Details 

The final video in our Reverse De la Riva back take the crash course is a detailed breakdown of the spin itself, the thing that makes or breaks your back taking attempts from the Reverse De la Riva guard.

Here Brandon McCaghren shares snippets of a class he teaches on the subject of spinning inside the RDLR, covering key details such as grip placement, hook height, timing, and when to back out of the spin. He also touches upon the crab ride, the position you end up in after the spin but before you grab the back.

The Best No-Gi Guard in BJJ? 

Some people have gone as far as calling the Reverse De la Riva the best guard in BJJ, particularly when it comes to No-Gi. I don’t agree, as I think no such determination can be made, but concur that the guard can be very effective. It is somewhat limited in what you can do, but if you want to hunt for the back, RDLR is for sure one of the best launching pads.

The best aspect about the guard is that it is very well-balanced, meaning you can use it for defensive purposes as well. That provides a sense of security in knowing passing is extremely difficult. Furthermore, pairing up the Reverse De la Riva back take threat with sweeps and leglocks means you can develop a deadly attacking guard game for both Gi and No-Gi.

So, when will you be trying these RDLR back takes out?  

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The post 6 Easy Reverse De La Riva Back Take Variations [Gi & No-Gi] appeared first on BJJ World.

If you’ve ever wondered what the B-team’s bottom game is all about, and how you can learn from it, then this is the bundle for you. It delivers the complete B=team game, as well as all the things that made Craig the best second-place grappler in the world, string from his early specialties all the way to his signature moves.

Key Takeaways

• 6-part bundle containing 6 different Craig Jones bottom game DVDs.
• Features The B-team’s bottom curriculum, Standing Up, Triangles, Octopus Guard, and two Z-guard instructionals.
• 18 hours of details on how to play the B-team’s dangerous, battle-tested No-Gi bottom game.  
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10.

GRAB THE CRAIG JONES BOTTOM GAME DVD BUNDLE HERE!!!

The Most Unorthodox BJJ Character in 2024

Craig Jones emerged as a highly proficient competition that appeared out of nowhere. One legendary EBI run that took him all the way to a final match against Godron Ryan, and that armbar that almost tapped the King immediately put Craig on the BJJ map. The fact that he submitted everyone in less than a minute with heel hooks also helped.

In the years to come, the most popular Aussie grappler of all time went on to compete as much as he possibly could, sticking exclusively to No-Gi. he went against the who-is-who of grappling, earning two Polaris champion belts along the way and a bunch of second places in tournaments like EBI and ADCC.

The best part was that Craig put a spin on his performances, adopting the second-place role so much that he formed an entire competition team of grapplers around the premise – The B-team. definitely keeping Jiu-Jitsu playful they have been reaping titles and medals across the professional competition scene while trolling pretty much everyone involved.

Craig’s late effort to change the BJJ landscape came as he challenged ADCC by putting together his own invitational tournament dubbed CJI, which offers one dollar over the ADCC winner cash prize to competitors just for registering.

While we wait for the outcome of CJI, as the event takes place on the same weekend as ADCC 2024, let’s take a look at how the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle can help you improve your overall No-Gi bottom game.

What Is In The Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle?

The Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle is a collection of six different Craig Jones DVDs that outline major aspects of his bottom game. Contains over 18 hours of video material, all presented in No-Gi.

In it, you’ll get instructions on the Octopus and Z-guard, how to stand up, finish triangles, and the entire B-team bottom game described in detail:

Just Stand Up DVD – AVAILABLE HERE!

Subject Matter: One of Craig’s popular catchphrases turned into full-blown instructional on how to stand up during BJJ exchanges, a highly useful skill that many grapplers ignore. 

Key Points Covered: Craig was among the first grapplers to publically address the lack of a key skill in BJJ – standing up to your feet. BJJ folks are so focused on ground fighting that they rarely consider standing up as an option to gain an advantage during a match or roll.

This first instructional of the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle features tips on how to avoid pins by introducing vertical motion, which, interestingly enough, you don’t always have to finish in order to achieve what you want.

As you probably expect there is a lot of wrestling in this instructional, but it is all accommodated to the needs of Jiu-Jitsu. A super-valuable tool to have in your arsenal!

Technical DVD specifications: A four-part instructional with slightly under four hours of No-Gi instructions. The material is organized mostly as tips and tricks, with lots of chapters in each volume. 

Make Z-Guard Great Again DVD – DOWNLOAD HERE

Subject Matter: Mechanics and attacks from the Z-guard position that reflect how far Craig has come with the position since he first introduced it. 

Key Points Covered: Craig’s second take on the Z-guard presents the material in a very organized manner, dedicating different volumes to different aspects of the guard. For example, he starts off with half an hour of just Z-guard structure and positioning.

As the DVD progresses, Craig addresses passing before any actual guard attacks. This ingenious move means you both get info on how to pass, but also, an insight into what people will do against your guard.

This sets the stage for exploring the usual suspects of guard attacks, such as submissions and sweeps. Craig’s early favorite, triangles, feature heavily, as do leg locks and the Choi bar. A flurry of transitions using the K-guard, and X-guard variations wraps the instructional up.

Technical DVD specifications:  This instructional featured in the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle has six volumes, each with a varying length, covering the No-Gi Z-guard system that Craig centers his competitive game around. This DVD has a running length of roughly 5 hours.  

Reach Around Octopus Guard DVD – GET IT HERE

Subject Matter: A variation of the unorthodox Octopus Guard, featuring entries, sweeps, submissions, and recoveries bunched up into a short but detailed instructional. 

Key Points Covered: As a big proponent of bringing unorthodox positions to the forefront, this participant in the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle deconstructs a somewhat unusual, yet very effective guard system.

The octopus guard, originally developed by Eduardo Telles is an out-of-the-box way to play half-guard, and even closed guard, by going for an arm drag, but not opening the legs to finish a back take.

From the Octopus position, Craig delivers scramble tactics, plenty of sweeps, and a way to threaten with the dreaded buggy choke without being in bottom side control. The instructional ends with narrated rolling footage.

Technical DVD specifications: Dubbed a ‘mini product’ by Craig, this DVD has only three parts and barely an hour of material. Given the obscurity and nature of the Octopus guard, that is plenty, and Jones does the position justice. Of course, it is all No-Gi.

Triangle Machine DVD – FULL DOWNLOAD

Subject Matter: Craig’s favorite submission before he discovered leg locks were triangles, and he has a wealth of finishing and setup details to offer that are a result of decades of triangle choke experience. 

Key Points Covered: This Craig Jones instructional, one of his first few, is a surprisingly short one given the subject, but Craig still delivers. In only 7 chapters, Jones covers just about everything you need to know about tringle chokes.

He starts with finishing mechanics, before presenting different types of triangles, such as the front, rear, reverse, and mounted triangles. Jones also explains his signature flying traingle setup in great detail.

Technical DVD specifications: The shortest instructional in the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle, lasting under 1 hour with all content packed into just one volume.

The B-team Bottom Game DVD – DIRECT DOWNLOAD

Subject Matter: The next member of the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle is a look at what the B-team focuses on during their world-famous grueling practices, including 

Key Points Covered: An overview of the B-team’s system for dominating off their back, focusing, as expected, on blending submissions, wrestling, and unexpected moves into a very viable system.

The first volume addresses standing up, which, as we already covered, is a major aspect of Craig’s game. The principle Jones explains is that you should stand up whenever you see that you can. OF course, he offers a bunch of different details on how to do it.

Moving forward, volumes address guard distances, a key concept of BJJ, as well as the intricate trilemma B-team members use to safely and effectively pull guard. The Z-guard, in the form of the reverse Z-guard, gets a full volume, as does the modern-day offensively defensive turtle position.

Wrapping up is an hour-long volume that expands on the turtle concepts of the previous volume, looking at how to make the four-point position, a.k.a. the referee’s position a hub of highly effective counter-attacks.

Technical DVD specifications: An instructional that contains six parts, each outlining a major aspect of the B-team’s wrestling heavy bottom game. The material is almost six hours long and organized around the team’s main grappling principles. 

Z-Guard Encyclopedia DVD – IN STOCK HERE

Subject Matter: Craig’s very first Z-guard instructional, outlining his favorite setups for triangles and leg locks form his preferred half guard variation. 

Key Points Covered: This Z-guard instructional by Craig Jones outlines a different aspect of the position compared to the one we discussed earlier. Namely, in this one, Jones focuses more on tactics while playing the guard, rather than details on the structure.

The first volume covers a bunch of baits and pass counters using the Z-guard, followed by a volume that outlines the relation of the Z-guard and the Reverse De la Riva. The final volume builds on this relation by demonstrating how the X-guard ties in with both guards, crating yet another trilemma of bottom threats.

Technical DVD specifications: Craig’s first take on the Z-guard features three parts, each just under an hour long, deconstructing the position and presenting its place in the BJJ environment. 

Connecting The Dots

One of the biggest leaps in your BJJ progress is going to come when you gain the ability to connect the dots in terms of what your general goals are in BJJ in regard to different positions. By positions, I mean top and bottom rather than specific along the lines of side control or knee on belly.

Once you understand your main objectives off your back when on top, and during standing, you will begin to start connecting things. If we take the bottom game as an example, the connections you need to figure out are those between different guards, how to pack sweep and submission attacks into bundles, where defense fits, and how to change levels to introduce paths that connect your bottom game with your top game.

THis is not an easy thing to master, and people rarely manage to get that click before they reach the purple belt. It is not unheard of, though, and using tested systems, such as the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle means you get a set of connections served on a platter.

 COMPLETE CRAIG JONES BOTTOM GAME BUNDLE DOWNLOAD

Bundle Up!

Adding the Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle to your collection is a great way of setting yourself up to create an unbeatable game from the bottom. It will take a lot of time to go through the material, and even longer to make it all work for you, but all the connections are already there! All that you need to do is pick it up and start getting ready for all those silver medals coming your way!

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The post Craig Jones Down Under Bottom Game DVD Bundle Review appeared first on BJJ World.

Apart from a competitor’s view of the basics that define the closed guard, this instructional offers a bunch of unorthodox, yet extremely effective attacks paired with classic closed guard sweeps. The best takeaway from the Janine Mocaiber Closed GuardDVD, though is how to approach setting up your closed guard as a dungeon that keeps your opponent in grappling darkness once you shut the doors.  

Key Takeaways

• 4-volume Gi BJJ DVD with 2+ hours of closed guard material.
• A world champion shows how to stay in the closed guard and set up traps.
• Systematically organized to feature entires, sweeps, submissions, and other guard integrations. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 8 out of 10.

JANINE MOCAIBER CLOSED GUARD DVD  AVAILABLE HERE!!!

The Ultimate Stalling Position in BJJ

What is your goal when you’re playing the closed guard in BJJ? Of course, most of you are going to think sweep and submit, some perhaps even throw in the odd back take from there. Not many people outside of seasoned black belt veterans are going to say to control the pace. 

If you want to stall from the bottom in BJJ, your best bet is the closed guard. By stall, I don’t mean the negative hanging out in a position, like 50/50 where literally nothing happens for the entirety of a match. Stalling is a way for me to describe a forced change of pace, against an opponent that likes to push harder than your athletic abilities can handle. 

On top of that, the longer you keep someone inside your closed guard, the more they start to fall apart as they try to break out. This opens up more submissions and sweeps options that you can hope to ever get by going on the offensive with all your guns blazing. 

So, the next time you find yourself inside the closed guard, make sure you get comfortable, as you make the top person uncomfortable and miserable. If you have no idea where to begin, the Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD is a perfect starting point. 

6x BJJ World Champion Janine Mocaiber

Whenever a high-level active competitor in BJJ, who has had recent huge success, issues an instructional, I try to get my hands on it as quickly as possible. Not many top competitors do this, but every once in a while, we get a treat from someone like Janine Mocaiber. 

Janine is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has six world titles to her name (including IBJJF JJIF and UWW titles), as well as a trio of No-Gi Pans gold medals, and one Pans title with the Gi. An impressive bunch of accomplishments, and she is far from done. 

In fact, Mocaiber fought just recently (In July of 2024) winning the Next Gen tournament with 6 submissions out of six matches! This comes off the back of winning the Canadian Nationals, which places Janine among the top grapplers in Canada and the world. 

At present, she is the head instructor at Oshawa BJJ, an academy she co-founded. Mocaiber is also a certified fitness coach and expert in nutrition, which makes her the perfect person to go to for anything BJJ competition-related. The Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD comes at a great time, allowing us to see what exactly Janine is doing on the mats. 

Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD Review

The Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD is a Gi Jiu-Jitsu instructional that contains roughly two and half hours of material spread over four volumes. Everything presented in it is connectable and interchangeable, although you can opt to play each system separately and still be ultra-effective from the closed guard. 

Part 1 – Entries and Closed Guard Sweeps

Kicking things off in the Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD is the Canadian’s take on the role of the closed guard in BJJ, which, in her words, should be a life sentence! That sets the tone for the relentless closed guard system Janine shares with us across four volumes. 

Building off that scary concept, the first few chapters of the instructional cover how to pull and jump closed guard, to quickly seat yourself up for success. I dare anyone to call Mocaiber a butt scooter. 

Once in the guard, Janine goes over some competition-tested basics, mainly demonstrating variations of the flower and pendulum sweeps. Both are sweeps that have withstood the test of time and allow you to open up more Janine Mocaiber closed guard attacks, such as armbars on both sides and crazy chokes than you’ve ever thought possible. 

Part 2 – Drags and Overhooks 

The second portion of this Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard DVD is all about creating off-balance and finding a sweet spot for launching attack after attack. In terms of Kuzushi, Janien goes over the arm drag from the closed guard, offering a new perspective on how it can help you cycle different attacks. 

The triangle choke and assorted armbars feature heavily in this part of the instructional, as does the Baratoplata, who most people seem to have forgotten all about. Towards the end of the volume, Mocabier begins presenting the overhook closed guard system that is the foundation of the guard game and subsequent successes at the highest levels of grappling. 

Part 3 – Chokes and Armlocks

While you’d expect to see armlocks and chokes in a closed guard DVD, the Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD has a few surprises in store. Namely, given that it is a Gi instructional, I was expecting mostly collar chokes, armbars, triangles, and Omoplatas. 

What I discovered inside was a glorious selection of obscure, yet highly effective submissions such as the Choi Bar, Mirlock, Gogoplata, and a very intricate Brabo control and submissions system. The cherry on top is the section of chapters deconstructing the WIlliams guard, and the best submissions to set up from there.   

Part 4 – Mixed Attacks and Guard Transitions 

The final part of the instructional contains a variety of different attacks, that work as single attacks, in unison, and in combination with all the material demonstrated by Janine so far. Sweeps appear a lot in this volume, in the form of the hip bump, 100%, and balloon sweep. 

On top of these closed guard staples, this Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard DVD also covers guillotine setup and finishes, armbars versus standing opponents, and the devastating Sout Oshawa Wristlock. Towards the very end, she also presents some guard transition to the Octopus guard as a secondary guard option. 

Closed Guard Traps

You might think that the closed guard is a boring, slow position that only frustrates the passer and is used to waste time. You’re right on all of these points. However what you might be missing is the effectiveness of the position, when used to the maximum of its potential.

That effectiveness is particularly pronounced when you play a closed guard system that allows you to tie in attacks without being obvious about your efforts. Telegraphing your intentions is the main reason why you struggle with the closed guard in Jiu-Jitsu. And the best way to conceal your true intentions is by setting traps. 

Every top competitor out there that utilizes the closed guard as their go-to has a system of sneaky traps from there. In most cases, they tie in submission threats together, covering the real one they’re after with other attempts. However, pairing subs and sweeps is also a great option, one that allows for even more versatility. 

As you saw from our review of the Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD, there is a myriad of ways to set up traps using positional, transitional, or all-out attacking principles. 

JANINE MOCAIBER CLOSED GUARD PRISON FULL DVD DOWNLOAD

Off to Prison! 

Now that you’re more acutely aware of how dangerous keeping someone in the closed guard can be, it is time to focus on turning your closed guard into a prison. Forget not allowing them to pass, you want them to remain inside your legs at all times, wondering why they can’t open them up. 

This tactic is actually pretty easy to incorporate, but it takes purposeful positioning and grip fighting. The Janine Mocaiber Closed Guard Prison BJJ DVD has everything you’ll ever need to set up a diverse and dangerous closed guard game for Gi BJJ, whether you need it to compete or simply be the prison warden of the mats in your academy. 

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Key Takeaways

• 8-part No-Gi BJJ DVD with 6+ hours of material delivered by a Danaher black belt
• A half guard system based on key skills, common problems, and smart tactics.
• Directions on how to best study the material and tie it together as a system. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 10 out of 10.

BRIAN GLICK HALF GUARD MASTERY DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

Why Every Grappler Needs the Half Guard

Like it or not, you’re going to play half guard in BJJ. You may not want to use the position as your main guard, but you’ll often find yourself forced into it by a top player with smart passing tactics. In fact, forcing half guard from the top is one of the best stalling tactics passers have at their disposal.

So, since you’re going to spend time in the half guard, why not pick a half guard variation and make it your own? The position allows you to make passing a nightmare for the top person, it offers direct access to both lower and upper body submissions and opens up sweeps in every direction. Plus it works just as well with and without the Gi.

At the end of the day, the half guard is just a more practical and much more versatile version of the closed guard. Granted, playing it can be boring and difficult at times, but if you truly want to excel at any other guard, you’ll need to understand how to play the one guard that is the final frontier between you and a strong passer.

Danaher Black Belt Brian Glick

Brian Glick is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under John Danaher as well as a Judo black belt who resembles his mentor and coach Danaher in many ways. Glick is a very cerebral person, focused on dissecting Jiu-Jitsu to its most foundational components and figuring out how it all works together.

Glick, one of those grapplers who has never competed, teaches BJJ full-time in Brooklyn. Danaher singles him out as one of his senior black belts and a hidden gem among his most notable students. Having withstood the very violent early days of Jiu-Jitsu in the 90s, marred by dojo challenges and serious injuries, a small-framed Glick emerged battle-clad with buckets of grappling knowledge.

Being a small grappler in the early days of Jiu-Jitsu in America was no easy feat, and it forced Gloick to understand BJJ a lot more than any of his contemporaries.  Having trained MMA with GSP and Chris Weidman, and grappled full-time with the DDS, Danaher uses Glick as the prime example of the transformative powers Jiu-Jitsu has.

In the Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD you’ll notice how much of an influence John had on Brian, in the way he delivers information, the structure of the instructional, and the depth of analysis in every single chapter.

Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD Detailed Review

The Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD is an eight-part No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructional featuring over 6 hours of ultra-high quality material demonstrated by one of John Danahers most valued students.

Part 1 – Half Guard Mechanics

As the DVD begins, Glick presents the half guard by explaining why he loves to use it and why it is essential for anyone involved in grappling. As part of his introductory volume, he talks about some key mechanics that make the half guard tick, such as posture, inside position, distance, and the importance of where you place your head.

He also portrays the three essential skills you need to make it work, all of them regarding the lower leg, a.k.a. the one you have wrapper around your opponent’s leg. Glick talks a lot about the importance of the lower leg shift, the knee lever, and shelfing as the main means to set up a successful half guard game.

Part 2 – Tight Waist

As we move deeper into the Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD, the attention is directed towards setting up and making the most out of the tight waist position from the bottom half. Glick explains this using a trilemma sweep example by focusing on solving three key problems:

1. 1. The posted arm;
   2. The leg post;
   3. The Guillotine threat.

Once those are no longer of any concern, you can use the tight waist to finish your attacks, which diversify from roll-through sweeps to ankle picks by leveraging the three key skills explained in the first volume. I found the discussion on using momentum to be particularly eye-opening.

Part 3 – Duck Under

While you might not perceive that duck under as a move that you can use from the half guard, this wrestling staple actually has a huge advantage to offer. Given that we use stuff like arm drags and 2-on-1 from the half guard anyway, it makes sense that the duck under would find applications as well.

Most of the focus in the opening sections of this volume explores head positioning, and the optimal angles for a successful duck under. Once again, Brian ties in all the stuff presented earlier, introducing the tight waist control to provide versatility.

In fact, the second portion of this volume focuses a lot on solving the issues that arise when the top person uses common tactics to deal with your tight waist. The main culprits are a strong Whizzer, the knee cut pass, and the back step.

The volume ends with skill integration samples that can be used as drills. The feature uses the tight waist to sweep in combination with the duck under, ankle picks, and roll-throughs – the sweep trilemma.

Part 4 – Knee Lever

A crucial concept of playing half guard is understanding the knee lever principle which is a lot more difficult than it sounds. There are a lot of mechanics involved, but Brian manages to dumb it all down, despite going in great detail to explain how and why it works.

Initially, this volume of the Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD addresses the different directions of Kuzushi you can create using the knee lever, before looking at some grip combinations that enhance the move in different situations.

As this part edges towards its end, Glick offers his thoughts on how to manage scrambles that often emerge as you play with the knee lever, and how the height of your head is crucial in winning those scrambles. A few more troubleshooting tips end this portion, margin the halfway point of the DVD.

Part 5 – Whizzer Solutions

Another problem that every half guard player faces, whether they want to play underhook half guard or not, is the Whizzer, a.k.a. the overhook. Brain uses the Dogfight position to explore Whizzer solutions, offering great insights into a very useful position.

For the most part, Glick attempts to use the principles he already laid out to help solve the Whizzer situation when you are side by side with the opponent. Hip height, knee position, and the mandatory limp arm are concepts you can’t even think to grapple without. Brian also talks about a sneaky little trick in using your knee to dominate the exchange.

Once you learn how to neutralize the threat of the Whizzer, there is no need to get out of it, and Brian offers counters instead. I’d single out the Cowcatcher as my personal favorite, but going into single legs or using an outside scoop might work better for others. It is good to have options, though.

Part 6 – Troubleshooting

At this point in the Brian Glick DVD instructional, I had some questions and concerns, regarding some of the presented material. Luckily, Brian anticipated that and devoted an entire volume to troubleshooting common issues before moving further.

In the sixth portion of the DVD, Glick covers how to solve reverse over and underhooks, details on the sit-out, shielding in smash positions, and recovering to an offensive position. He also shows a cool roll-through variation that I find better than the original.

Part 7 – Half Guard Concepts and Principles

The penultimate part of this instructional is all about the conceptual framework that is responsible for the half guard’s effectiveness. Once again, the three essential skills make an appearance, as Glick uses them to guide us to the principles of playing half guard.

He uses different entries into the position to pinpoint the importance of key concepts, both from other guards and as a means of escaping pins. Once again, he goes over the key problems you’ll face, and how you can use the trilemma attack to destabilize the opponent before you finish the sweep using the essential skills of shelfing, knee lever, and lower leg shift.

All in all, this part of the instructional is a framework of how the entire system operates and how to best approach studying the half guard using Glick’s methods. As this volume unfolds, so does Brian’s half guard game, introducing leg locks, and wrestling up to the system.

Part 8 – Body Positioning

As we reach the very end of this Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD, he continues with the principles of how to study his material and make sense of it before you try stuff out on the mats. Here, the big picture regarding the Dogfight position and the Whizzer is in the spotlight.

Once again. Glick goes over everything he said about naturalizing the Whizzer, finishing sweeps, and getting superior positioning from the side-to-side position after successfully using the tight waist half guard. he also ties the stout into the system, rounding everything off in a way that makes half guard easy, logical, and fun to play.

How Long Do You Want to Train BJJ For? 

If you are into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the medals and glory of competition, you’re going to have a short-lived career in one of the best things you can do in life in the modern age. That, of course, is ultimately your choice.

However, if you are into Jiu-jitsu to try and understand, perhaps even solve some of BJJ’s great mysteries, then your goal is longevity. This is a much deeper and more meaningful goal to have, in my opinion, and one worth exploring more than simply being a competitor

Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive and you can still be a top competitor and grow as a grappler at the same time aiming to be able to roll for as long as possible, With longevity in mind, though, your game cannot be based on explosive motion and endless movement.

Instead, you’ll need to focus on a slower, more control-based game in every aspect of grappling. The half guard is the perfect example of a versatile position you can use to be able to do KJiu-Jitsu at a considerably high level for life, at least when it comes to bottom positions.

And no, you shouldn’t pick it up as a focus point after your competitive career is over. Why rack up injuries and abuse your body when you can be effective and smart from the beginning? The Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD is a great resource to set you up with a foolproof bottom game that will allow you to train BJJ for life. Think about it.

HALF GUARD MASTERY BRIAN GLICK BJJ DVD DOWNLOAD

Simplify The System!

Adding half guard to your guard game is going to offer a safety net based on simplicity and effectiveness that you can use whenever all your other guard attacks and tactics fail to materialize. Before you get passed, you’ll have one last chance to respond, and if you decide to study the Half Guard Mastery Brian Glick DVD, your response will be one that the opponent is going to hate!

A very, very smart investment in your longevity as a grappler and your effectiveness as a competitor. Even though I started this review as a skeptic, I am now a firm believer in the half-guard approach Brain Glick offers in this instructional.

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It is called ‘Timeless Knee Shield’ and is a Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD that offers insights into one of the most effective staple positions of the sport. What sets this instructional apart from others is that the person doing the demonstrations is not just a BJJ World Champion, but also a proven world-class half guard player.

Key Takeaways

• Four-part No-Gi instructional roughly two hours of material.
• Full systems for common upper body submissions like triangles and Omoplats.
• Features sweeping, back takes, and guard transitions that tie in with the submissions. 
• BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10.

TIMELESS KNEE SHIELD RAFAEL LOVATO DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!

The Only Half Guard Concept You Need

Half guard is the one position I keep getting asked about by people of all ages, and all levels. Almost every week someone has a half guard-related question, that is how much people like to play this guard and all assorted positional variations.

There are two key things to remember about the half guard, at least in terms of leg placement. The leg that is in between the opponent’s legs, a.k.a. the passive or ‘hook’ leg needs to go deep. By that I mean deeper than you think, and even a bit more than that, if you want to be sure the opponent can’t just easily pass by moving away.

Next, you need to pick the optimal position of the second leg, the free one which you can keep moving from one place to another, depending on your needs. One position that offers everything you’ll ever need from the half guard is using the top leg as a shield, by placing your shine in between you and the opponent.

The knee shield can be placed all across the opponent’s chest, with either of the shoulders and the shin across the stomach being the three most utilized (and effective ones). In the Timeless Knee Shield Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD, you’ll get to learn all the key things for all three of these top leg positions.

The BJJ Nice Guy – Rafel Lovato Jr.

After Conor McGregor’s antics in the UFC made him a living legend, he proved that Chael Sonnen’s bad-guy act works better than trying to be a respectful martial artist, such as GSP for example. Unfortunately, this trend poured over into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well, with people like Gordon Ryan using it in a smart way to gain attention, and others, like Dillon Dannis failing miserably at it.

Among the bunch of folks trying to capitalize on being ‘bad boys’, the few nice guys that stick to the values they believe in do make a mark in the sport. The ultimate nice guy in BJJ has to be Rafel Lovato Jr., a legendary grappler who is anything but nice if you’re his opponent on the mats or in the cage.

With a grappling record of 125 wins (with a 54% submission rate) and 67 losses (only 10 by submission) and a professional MMA record of 11-0, the former undefeated Bellator World Middleweight Champion has made history on more than one occasion in his career.

The Carlos Machado black belt decided to retire from grappling at the 2022 ADCC, being forced to vacate his Bellator title earlier because of health issues. Rafel has since dedicated himself to teaching in his Academy while offering lots of timeless knowledge in his instructionals, a standout being the Timeless Knee Shield: A Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD.

Timeless Knee Shield Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD Review

The Timeless Knee Shield: A Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD is a No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructional containing roughly 2 hours of high-quality material on the subject of the knee shield half guard. Rafel spreads his desaturations over 4 volumes, each covering a specific aspect of the full knee shield game, and masterfully bringing them all together:

Part 1 – Triangles and Omoplatas

The Timeless Knee Shield Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD starts very strong, covering a true timeless submission combo – the triangle and Omoplata. Across 30 minutes Lovato offers precise details on how to finish each of these staples of BJJ, but also how to integrate them together in relation to the knee shield guard.

Lovato guides us through the best way to introduce submission dilemma attacks from the knee shield when the opponent postures, or tries to go forward too much. He ties everything in with the powerful shoulder crunch position as well, ending with a very tight spiral armbar finish.

Part 2 – Kimuras and Armlocks

One of Lovato’s signature submissions is the Kimura, a move he has used successfully a dozen times against the very best in the world. In the second volume of the DVD, Rafael explores the pretty obvious Kimura from the knee shield, showing us how to make it work even when the opponent can see it coming.

Sticking to a multi-faceted game, Lovato ties in the Kimura finishes and set-ups with the previous threats of triangles and Omoplats, adding depth and options to an already versatile attacking knee shield system. The popular snap submission Choi Bar also makes an appearance in this part of the Timeless Knee Shield Rafael Lovato DVD.

Leaving no knee shield stone unturned, Lovato adds the final piece of the puzzle to this system by showing how to cover the only side left for the opponent to exploit with a guillotine choke threat.

Part 3 – Sweeps and Back Exposure

The first half of this  Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD covers submissions from the knee shield position, with the second half focusing on transitioning and sweeping.  Creating movement from the knee shield half guard is crucial for success, and Lovato chose to do drags.

Dragging an opponent’s arm across your chest, or theirs opens up immediate sweep threats while simultaneously exposing the back. Another world-quality dilemma attack that provides not just follow-up submission options, but also opens up transitions to other guards, such as the butterfly and X-guard.

The low knee shield guard, a.k.a. the Z-guard makes an appearance here, as one of the alternative guard positions to use to amplify the power of the knee shield. A few effective hook sweep-triangle combos wrap this volume up.

Part 4 – Leg Locks and Signature Sweeps

As we reach the final part of the Timeless Knee Shield: A Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD, sweeps still play a pivotal role in the instructional. Lovato uses half of this volume to foe over his favorite John Wayne sweep in great detail, tying it up with all the stuff he demonstrated in earlier volumes.

Given the closeness to butterfly positions, Rafael does not skip over the potential of the knee shield in terms of leg lock entries, dedicating several chapters to integrating Ahsi Garami into the system. The instructional ends with a simple way of opening up the dreaded Coyote half guard from the knee shield, as if we needed more variety from Lovato.

Versatility in Simplicity

The most powerful positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have become staples of the sport for a reason – they work and have been working for tens, maybe even hundreds of years. however, we see people avoiding these positions on account of them being ‘boring’ and too ‘simple’.

This is the best way to shoot yourself in the foot in terms of grappling. While there are positions and transitions that are visually stunning and effective, the efficacy of the ‘boring’, and ‘old’ positions, remains unmatched. The biggest conundrum is that people will revert back to closed guard or half guard variations, for example, once they feel the pressure in competition even though they prepared using De la Spider Inverted X-guards for months.

At the end of the day, less is more, and in a sport where literally every movement you make counts, moving more just for an artistic effect is always going to come second to restricting your movement only to the bare essentials. After all, we’re after the effects of performing a motion, rather than the performance itself.

One of the most basic guard variations people tend to ignore on behalf of flashier ones is the knee shield, used in different configurations from the half guard. Appropriately named Timeless Knee Shield, this Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD attempts to re-introduce the position to the general public as much more than just a boring fundamental.

TIMELESS KNEE SHIELD RAFAEL LOVATO BJJ DVD DOWNLOAD

Shields Up!

Playing half guard is not always a choice, as many times passers like to force it so that they can control the exchange completely. Why not be ready with an entire system of submissions and sweeps to mess up their plans and draw them deep into a quicksand of traps?

The Timeless Knee Shield Rafael Lovato Half Guard DVD is the ultimate resource to help you make sense of this half guard variations and develop a deadly game from it. Since the guard is perfect for both Gi and No-Gi, you’re getting one half guard variation to use against anyone with loads of success!

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