In BJJ it's what you don't know that hurts you. If you get caught in a position that you don't have an answer to, that you don't understand, then life on the mat just got exponentially more difficult. This problem is most pronounced for the guard. It can be really difficult to keep up with the changing technology. One year it's the X Guard, taking the world by storm, then it's the 50/50 guard, … [Read more...]
Half Guard
A High Percentage Triangle Choke Attack from Half Guard
Some people are under the mistaken impression that you can only defend or sweep from the Half Guard. But it's a big mistake to ignore the powerful submission attacks that present themselves from that position! One of the most powerful, most effective, and most popular attacks from the Half Guard is the Triangle Choke. You see this in high level competition all the time, both with and without … [Read more...]
How to Transition from Half to Closed Guard
The half guard is a sophisticated tool in the grappler's toolbox that can be used to defend, sweep your opponents, or submit them outright. But just because you've got a hammer doesn't make the whole world a nail. And that means that you can't rely on any one guard position as the be-all-and-end-all. Even if you're a half guard wizard you'll still end up facing opponents who know all your … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Deal With Injuries in BJJ
I'm not going to pretend that injuries don't suck. They do. There have been many great athletic careers cut short by injury. Many people who would otherwise have been great have had their dreams derailed when a bone went 'crack' or a ligament went 'snap' and then never quite recovered. The typical reaction of the BJJ addict when they get injured is, 'Oh no, now I can't train.' … [Read more...]
Keenan Cornelius’s Inverted Spinning Armbar Explained…
In the No Gi super fight at the 2013 BJJ Expo between Keenan Cornelius and Lucas Leite there was an absolutely spectacular submission. Keenan hit an inverted spinning armbar from half guard that impressed the hell out of everyone who saw it. First, here's the match itself. The armbar sequence starts at about 8:01. I interviewed Keenan earlier this year and thought he shared a lot of … [Read more...]
6 Steps for an Effective Sleeve Choke
I know, I know, I KNOW! I go on and on about how tapping out is no big deal, and how you can get injured if you let ego get in the way, and how everybody gets caught from time to time… But there I was, leaping all over the place to escape a submission, becoming increasingly desperate as the noose tightened around my neck, just because the whole thing seemed so cheesy. Let me jump back a … [Read more...]
My Favorite One-Two-Three Sweep Combo from the Half Guard
The half guard is one of my favorite guard positions. And here are three of my favorite half guard sweeps and attacks! Not only is each of these moves a high percentage technique in its own right, but when you put them together they create a powerful one-two-three combination that will serve you well in the half guard for the rest of your grappling career. The first attack in this sequence … [Read more...]
What is the Half Guard?
The Half Guard is a funny position. Once upon a time it was a position of last resort. Something that you would try to achieve if your opponent was passing your guard. A last-ditch attempt to stop him from getting to a truly dominant position. My, how things have changed in the last 20 years... … [Read more...]
4 Tips to Pass ANY Guard
Passing the guard of a skilled opponent is one of the hardest things to do in BJJ. If you don't believe me, take a look at high level BJJ and submission grappling competition like the Mundials or ADCC. … [Read more...]
The Difference Between the Brabo Choke and the Anaconda Choke… Plus Tips for Both
I recently received the following question about the Brabo and Anaconda chokes from a reader of the Grapplearts Newsletter: Hi Stephan, I've been training in BJJ for about a year. In no gi training I really like chokes, but I still get confused sometimes: what is the difference between the Anaconda Choke and the Brabo Choke? I get my hand positioning all messed up every time I try either … [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...]
How to Counter the Backstep Guard Pass
BJJ and submission grappling are in a continual state of evolution. New techniques, tactics and strategies emerge, or are rediscovered, or are brought into the art all the time. The backstep guard pass is one such modern technique. You won't see this guard pass in old-school BJJ … [Read more...]
What To Do When Your Guard Attacks Fail
It's my very favorite quote from the movie 'The Avengers' which I saw last night: Captain America: We need a plan of attack! Iron man: I have a plan... Attack!! It's a funny moment in the movie, but there's a lot of truth to that statement. For example, wouldn't having an continuous, irresistible and relentless offense from the guard would be great in BJJ? In an ideal world you'd be … [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...]
Marcus Soares technique 3: Half Guard Pass and Cervical Choke
Marcus Soares and Denis Kang demonstrate a Half Guard Pass and a Cervical Choke. (1) To avoid getting swept in Denis Kang's half-guard, Marcus keeps Denis flat on his back and pins his face with his shoulder. One arm (left) hooks his head and grips the collar, and the other comes through Denis's legs and grips his belt. (2) By kicking his trapped leg backwards and keeping his weight … [Read more...]
A Half Guard Sweep
by Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro The half guard in BJJ is a position that has evolved a lot. Originally it was considered to be a bad position, only one step short of having your guard passed altogether. Now it is the favorite sweeping position of many BJJ practitioners. … [Read more...]
Andreh Anderson’s Half Guard Series
Andreh Anderson is a brown belt under Rey Diego at (www.reydiogo.com). Here he kindly shares his favorite half guard series with us. Andreh says: "One of the things I'm working on is the area I feel most comfortable: The half guard. … [Read more...]
Half Guard Sweep Counter to the Crossface, by Andreh Anderson
Countering the crossface when you're on the bottom of half guard is really important - if you don't know how to get out of it then you'll be dead in the water and soon get your guard passed. This technique is demonstrated by BJJ black belt Andreh Anderson … [Read more...]
Kimura Armlock from Top Half Guard
The Kimura armlock is a bread-and-butter move in BJJ, but not many people know that they can use it from on top in the half guard. In this technique Marcio Feitosa shows you how... Marcio (dark gi) is in Marco’s half guard. Marco has his left arm under Marco’s armpit. Marcio encircles Marco’s left arm and … [Read more...]
Americana Arm Lock from Top Half Guard
The Americana or figure-4 armlock is usually thought of being a technique you use from mount or side mount. But here Marcio Feitosa uses it to finish an opponent in the half guard... … [Read more...]