One of the most common questions I get is how to find a good BJJ school. This is a REALLY important issue, given that in your martial arts journey you'll potentially be spending thousands of hours training and placing your health in the hands of total strangers. In episode 216 of my podcast (The Strenuous Life Podcast) I give you some of my very best tips for picking the best BJJ school for … [Read more...]
Why You MUST Regularly Calibrate Your Skills Against People Better Than You!
This is a short rant about the dichotomy of individuality in the martial arts. On the one hand you absolutely have to take responsibility for finding techniques and strategies that fit your body, your physical attributes, and your personality. On the other hand if you spend too much time training in a small group without the opportunity to calibrate your skills against people much better … [Read more...]
BJJ Strength Training, The Top 6 Exercises
Many jiu-jitsu students want to know about strength training exercises for BJJ. Time is precious, people want to focus on the exercises that will give them the best results fastest! To help answer this question I met up with my friend Ben Zhuang who is a strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer, nutritionist and BJJ black belt. Ben has also been a guest on my podcast - click here … [Read more...]
3 Huge But Easy-to-Fix Kimura Armlock Mistakes
Here are 3 tweaks that you can implement immediately to make your Kimura armlock MUCH more effective right away! Add these modifications to your Kimura and you'll find that you tap out a LOT more people. The main mistakes and how to fix them are covered in detail in the video below, but here's the overview... Problem: losing control of the arm you are attacking. Solutions: first choke … [Read more...]
The 2 Most Important Things For The Absolute BJJ Beginner
Jiu-jitsu can be really confusing at first, but fortunately help is on the way! In the video below BJJ black belt Ritchie Yip shares the 2 most important things every white belt beginner should know. https://youtu.be/oeXg51hrgqE The Basic Positional Hierarchy of BJJ in App Form... For Free! Did you know that I have created an app for iPhone and Android phones and tablets that … [Read more...]
The ‘Head Mount’ – A Secret Position to Pin a Squirmy Opponent Flat on his Back
This video describes what I call the 'Head Mount' which is a great way to deal with a squirmy, flexible opponent who is forever trying to put you back in his guard. Plus I show how you can drill this position and transition by yourself just using a heavy bag or a grappling dummy. Watch the video below to check out the 'Head Mount'... https://youtu.be/VtpbnWQ5TEo Also you might want … [Read more...]
“Jiu-Jitsu Nowadays Is Much More Effective”, Fabio Gurgel on Old vs Modern Jiu-Jitsu
In this clip of my epic talk with BJJ black belt legend Fabio Gurgel on The Strenuous Life Podcast he talks about whether old school or modern BJJ is more effective in competition, MMA, and in a real fight. He argues quite convincingly that new school jiu-jitsu is now MORE effective than it's ever been, that there are now MORE submissions in competition, and that reminiscing about the good old … [Read more...]
A Guard Passing Drill You Can Do At Home on a Heavy Bag
It's hard when you want to train but there aren't any bodies handy right at that moment. Here's how you can drill a guard pass called the kickpass (aka X pass) by yourself. This is a standing guard pass where you force your way into a loose half guard position and then use a dynamic backwards swinging kick to free your leg and come forward directly into a dominant position like knee … [Read more...]
BJJ and Bodyguarding with Jamie Flynn, Former British Special Forces Operator
Jamie Flynn - former British Special Forces Operator turned BJJ practitioner and bodyguard - breaks down the keys to successful bodyguarding and how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu helps with that. Check it out below! https://youtu.be/1uU0UDdiMhM More Jamie Flynn If you enjoyed the little snippet above you may enjoy the entire interview I did with Jamie. In audio form it's episode 199 of The … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 7: The Most Powerful Chokes from the Back Position
Rob Biernacki with the highest percentage chokes you can use when you're on someone's back in rear mount. This is part 7 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. You can get The Back Attacks Formula (including the NEW weak side material) in several different ways... 1) … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 6: How to Transition to the Crucifix from Rear Mount
The crucifix is an absolutely terrible position to be caught in when you're doing BJJ, No Gi or MMA. Here's Rob Biernacki of BJJ Formula fame showing exactly how to apply the crucifix on your opponent!! This is part 6 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. You can get … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 5: How to Switch to an Armbar Submission When You’re on the Back!
Many people are surprised to learn that the straight armbar is a reliable, high-percentage, and super-powerful submission, from the back when you're grappling in BJJ, No Gi or MMA. Here's Rob Biernacki of BJJ Formula fame showing exactly how to do that. This is part 5 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 4: How to Systematically Apply the Triangle Choke from Rear Mount
The rear triangle choke, also known as 'ura sangaku' is a fantastic way to submit your opponent when you're on his back in rear mount. Here's Rob Biernacki of BJJ Formula fame showing exactly how to do that. This is part 4 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. You can get … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 3: How to Trap the Arm and Leave Your Opponent Defenseless
Trapping one of your opponent's arms when you're in rearmount gives you a HUGE advantage and makes it much easier to finish him. Here's Rob Biernacki of BJJ Formula fame showing exactly how to do that. This is part 3 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. You can get The … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 2: How to Control the Rearmount with Grips & Hooks
How to control the back using grips like the claw ride, half nelson, motorcycle grip and Kimura grip. Plus a very cool way to teleport yourself onto your opponent's back when you're in his half guard. With Rob Biernacki of BJJ Formula fame. This is part 2 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ … [Read more...]
Back Attacks 1: A Critical Concept That Stops Your Opponent from Escaping Rear Mount
If you end up on your opponent's back in rearmount then he'll be doing his very best to escape! Here's how to shut him down and stay glued on his back using cross body rotational control! This is part 1 in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. You can get The Back Attacks Formula … [Read more...]
Back Attacks: Best Way to Control the Back in BJJ
Rob Biernacki breaks down the strong and the weak side of back control for BJJ and no gi. This is the introduction to series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back which we will be releasing on Youtube and is a small part of the Back Control module of the BJJ Formula instructional. This is the introduction in a series on the so-called 'weak side' of the back we're releasing on Youtube and is a … [Read more...]
How to Defend and Escape the 411 (aka Honeyhole, Saddle, or Inside Sankaku)
The 411 (also called the 'Honeyhole', the 'Saddle' and the 'Inside Sankaku') is the most powerful position in leglocking. Here's a clip from https://www.grapplearts.com/modern with BJJ black belt Matt Kwan showing how to defend and escape it! https://youtu.be/oUFjr-JDyPw … [Read more...]
How to Drill Your BJJ Guard Passing on a Heavy Bag
You can use a heavy bag to drill your BJJ movements! In this video you'll learn how to perfect a powerful guard pass. Grab my free guide to learning BJJ fast at https://www.grapplearts.com/book https://youtu.be/Lkt7ca5Uems … [Read more...]
My Solo 1000 Mile Journey from Missinipe Saskatchewan to Arviat Nunavut, Updates from the Field
I'm writing this on June 29th, 2019, on the eve of setting out on a 1000 mile journey by canoe, alone across the northern boreal forest and Canadian tundra. More information about my plans here: grapplearts.com/1000-miles-by-canoe. This page is (hopefully) going to serve as a repository of updates from the field, assuming that I can keep all my electronic devices charged and connecting to … [Read more...]
1000 Miles by Canoe in the Arctic, Alone
In this episode I talk about a 1,000 mile solo trip through Canada's arctic that I'm planning to do from July 1st to mid August 2019. This trip is both to celebrate having survived a kidney transplant and to bring awareness to organ donation (click here for the full story on that). If f you have Google Earth installed on your computer then here's a Google Drive link for the kmz file for … [Read more...]
A Powerful Heel Hook Leglock Escape
Many grapplers treat leglocks as the black magic of jiu-jitsu. They fear leglocks and never use them. Cnsequently never learn how to properly escape them either. The problem is that if you're doing any form of no gi grappling you will inevitably run into ankle locks, heel hooks, kneebars and toeholds - sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich and ignoring them is no longer an … [Read more...]
Modern Jiu-Jitsu Instructional with Matt Kwan Out Today!
Hey guys, the brand new instructional Modern Jiu-Jitsu is now LIVE on Grapplearts!! It's a deep dive into the techniques that have had the biggest effects on gi and no gi jiu-jitsu in the last 10 years and that are now required knowledge for any serious competitor. It's available in online streaming, DVD and app format. And right now it's available at an absolutely KILLER … [Read more...]
How To Do The Crab Ride in BJJ and No Gi Grappling
The Crab Ride is one of the hottest new positions in BJJ used by competitors like Rafa Mendes, Gianni Grippo, the Miyao brothers, Mikey Musumeci and more. It looks kind of like you're doing the butterfly guard on the back of your opponent's legs with your insteps behind his knees... except that you're upside down while doing it! The cool thing is that from that strange position there are a … [Read more...]
Mindset and Motivation in the Martial Arts and the Rest of Life
Brett Piperni has spoken about mindset and motivation on the TED stage and I was very happy to get him on my podcast because he shared some great tips! I particularly his approach to creating 'have-to' situations in life. His story is that he was a nationally ranked Taekwondo competitor when he came down very serious illness that threatened his life and left him crippled. Multiple … [Read more...]