The first Grapplearts Instructional app for Android devices is finally here! Apps are such a great tool. They give you a way to brush up on your skills when you're on the go, on the bus, stuck in a bank lineup, whatever. Now I've had some bestselling apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch available for quite a while. … [Read more...]
Fifty Ways to Improve Your Grappling Almost Immediately
Sometimes the best way to get better is simply to stop doing things wrong. Over the years I've shot quite a few guerilla-style videos breaking down many of the most common mistakes that I see for different positions and submissions. I get a lot of positive feedback on these videos, because apparently I'm not the only person to have made all these mistakes on the mat! Here, all in one post, are … [Read more...]
The Jab-Cross of Open Guard Sweeps
Let's talk about two of my favorite sweeps from the open guard. These are high percentage techniques that are used again and again at every level, by novice whitebelts and world-class blackbelts. When learning a new position I think it's important to learn the high percentage stuff right away. In general you should first pick the low-hanging fruit, and then move on to the stuff that you're … [Read more...]
How to do the Butterfly Guard Sweep
Today I want to teach you how to do the most important sweep from the butterfly guard correctly. This is because sometimes in life, you just HAVE to learn certain things. … [Read more...]
BJJ in Singapore, a White Belt’s View
When I first faced BJJ black-belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mundial and regional champion Zorobabel Moreira on the mat in Singapore last year, I thought I had signed up for a personal self-defence trial. I had no idea what BJJ was and had never worn a “gi”. … [Read more...]
Stabilizing and Attacking Larger Opponents from Sidemount
Many battles are lost by not sufficiently stabilizing sidemount, and/or choosing the wrong attacks to use from that otherwise dominant position. Let's say that you've done everything right and cut through the guard of a bigger stronger opponent. You've just arrived in sidemount. The first few seconds in sidemount are actually a rather dangerous time, especially if you're giving up a lot … [Read more...]
BJJ Training Strategies
Having the right assortment of techniques is pretty darn important in BJJ. But having the right training strategies is even more important... By 'training strategies' I'm talking about the big picture. Like knowing which techniques to use, when to use them, and how to correctly train those techniques in the first place. … [Read more...]
Defending Stupid Big Guy Attacks (and the Honor of Jiu-Jitsu)
It's amazing what some big guys will do when they get frustrated. In fact, sometimes they'll try stuff so stupid that it'll take you completely by surprise! Now, many BJJ instructors never bother to teach you what to do against these 'stupid attacks.' … [Read more...]
What a Spider Guard Fail Teaches You About How to Train Any Technique!
Today's tip comes was inspired from some training I did with a smaller grappler, let's call him 'Stu.' Stu wanted to learn some sweeps from the Spider Guard (an open guard position where you control both of your opponent's sleeves and have one or both feet on his biceps). Anyway we worked on what I call the Baiting Sweep.' (Those of you who have purchased the Spider Guard Masterclass … [Read more...]
2 Good Reasons to Bail Out of the Mount
What? Abandon the Mount? The position you've worked so hard to achieve?!? Let me explain... BJJ is a position-based art. The positional system of BJJ is the central organizing theme of my 'Roadmap for BJJ' book (click here to be emailed instructions on how to download this free book). On page 5 of the book we talk about how the positions in BJJ definitely fall into a hierarchy. Some … [Read more...]
Three X Guard Mistakes (and my Best Drill for Getting a Killer X Guard)
The X Guard is one of my very favorite 'go to' positions. If I can get there in a match then I'm suddenly a very happy camper... In fact, this position is so dominant that you should be able to sweep your opponent at least 80% of the time when you get him jacked up into the X Guard. … [Read more...]
4 Mistakes That’ll KILL Your Half Guard…
Whether you want to or not, you ARE going to end up in the half guard! Some people simply use the half guard as a last resort when their guard is being passed. Their opponent is blasting around their guard, so without even thinking about it they lash out with their legs and trap one of his legs between their own. … [Read more...]
Some Sample Lessons for the BJJ Beginner
As you probably know, I write a free newsletter called the Beginning BJJ eCourse. Just to give you a taste, here are some of the tips that get sent out in that newsletter - some sample lessons, if you will. … [Read more...]
A Confusion of Open Guards
The open guard can be quite confusing. Basically any time your legs are not closed around the back of your opponent you are in a type of open guard. Butterfly guard, X guard, spider guard, sitting guard etc. etc. are all open guards. … [Read more...]
Beginning Grappling Tips
This article was written by Nathan Leverton, who teaches submission grappling at his club in Leicester England. Enjoy The Training … [Read more...]
Accelerate Your Jiu Jitsu Path To Black Belt
Achieving a blue belt level of Jiu Jitsu may take only a year or two. But what if you’re not content with intermediate Jiu Jitsu skills? What if your goal is to get your black belt and become a submission machine? … [Read more...]
Starting BJJ: What to Expect on your First Class
The purpose of this article is to answer any questions you might have about starting to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and your first class in particular. Every school is different, but this article will help you understand how MOST Brazilian Jiu-jitsu schools operate. … [Read more...]
A Girl’s Guide to Grappling What You Need to Know Before You Start Rolling
Although the sport and art of grappling is currently mostly a male activity, many female readers have commented on how important it is for women to learn to grapple (see Why Should Women Grapple?). In this article Liz Bader, an active mixed martial art competitor and instructor, explains what women should be aware of before they step onto the mat for the first time. … [Read more...]
Why Should Women Grapple?
Most Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission grappling students are male, and in most grappling schools females are the exception, not the rule. My foundation in the martial arts was self-defense oriented, not competition oriented. … [Read more...]
A Glossary of Guards Part 3: The Half Guard
By Stephan Kesting and Elliott Bayev Principal Photography by Keith Haist Originally Published in Ultimate Grappling Magazine This is the third and final article in a series introducing a wide variety of guard positions. … [Read more...]