by Jeff Meszaros Our around-the-world trip is nearly at an end. First, we took a spin through Asia. Then we hit the grappling styles of Europe. Then we did a tour of the various U.K. wrestling systems. After that, we headed south for a look at Africa and South America, and then back north up through North America, where we left off with trying hockey in Canada. (Sure, you could make the … [Read more...]
Eye Gouging, Hair Pulling, and Theodore Roosevelt with Historian Daniele Bolelli
This is definitely one of my very favourite Grapplearts Radio Podcast episodes to date. In it I talk with historian and martial artist Daniele Bolelli. When Daniele isn't training MMA or giving lectures to students he's busy creating episodes of his own podcast, History on Fire, which you should totally check out. Our chat went all over the place, including from the rules (or lack … [Read more...]
Blood, Sweat and… Sparta!!!
This may sound a bit weird coming from a guy who runs a grappling site, but I want you to ask yourself a question: why on earth are you spending hours and hours rolling around on the ground with men wearing spandex and/or pajamas? Really… I mean it’s not the easiest of activities. And it’s sweaty and sometimes it’s even painful… Obviously there are self defense benefits to training, but if … [Read more...]
Every Martial Art Consists of These 3 Things…
I'm primarily known as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, but the reality is that I've trained in a lot of other martial arts too. These other martial arts include Combat Submission Wrestling, Kajukenbo Karate, Boxing, Wing Chun, Judo, Muay Thai, Hung Gar, Pekiti Tirsia Kali, Hsing I, Northern Shaolin, Maphalindo Silat, Capoeira, Tai Chi, Western Fencing, Freestyle Wrestling, Jun Fan/JKD, … [Read more...]
Grappling Styles of Africa, South and North America
by Jeff Meszaros On our worldwide survey of different grappling systems started by doing the grappling tour of Asia, training and competing in every country along the way. We started with Japanese judo and ended with Turkish oil wrestling. Then, we covered indigenous grappling systems in Europe, going from Greek pankration to Icelandic glima. Then we moved on to the U.K, trying out the … [Read more...]
New Podcast: Impact, Concussions and Brain Damage in Mixed Martial Arts
I've just released a brand new podcast on Grapplearts Radio called 'Does MMA Make You Stupid?' Now that might sound like a deliberately provocative title, but the topic of brain damage in combat sports is so important that I want to make sure this podcast reaches as many people as possible. This podcast grew from an article I wrote a few years ago about the current state of head impact … [Read more...]
UK Grappling Styles
by Jeff Meszaros So we've finished the first two legs of your around-the-world adventure to try out all the grappling arts (click here for Asian Grappling Styles and/or click here for European Grappling Styles). While you've been wrestling up a storm I've been beside you the whole way to cheer you on and run up your credit card bill at expensive restaurants. Also, I've done a bit of research … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: Rare German Jiu-Jitsu Footage Discovered, Changes Martial Arts Forever
In the extensive Grapplearts video vaults I recently discovered rare archival footage of an incredibly deadly martial art that I had somehow missed... This savage system of self defense is called 'German Jiu-Jitsu' and as the GermanJiujitsu.com website so clearly and succinctly states, it is clearly clearly much better than all other kinds of jiu-jitsu. Watch the video below and tell me if … [Read more...]
European Grappling Styles
by Jeff Meszaros So, we’ve finished the first leg of your around-the-world grappling tour and it’s been a blast (click here to read Asian Grappling Styles, the previous article). In the previous part of the journey we started in Japan, where you got thrown flat on your back by judo champions and slapped around by sumo wrestlers. Then, in Korea, you did ssireum, which was kind of like sumo but … [Read more...]
Asian Grappling Styles
by Jeff Meszaros Do you like traveling? Of course you do! There’s the food, the music, the culture, the art, and if you’re a martial artist, you can bring along your mouthguard and try the local style of fighting, whatever it may be. Depending on the place, you might also need your shorts, pants, jacket, belt or jug of oil. Because each country has its own distinct style. Wouldn’t it be fun … [Read more...]
Brothers Who Have Changed BJJ
by Jeff Meszaros Everyone who trains in martial arts has heard about the Gracies. They're probably the most famous family in the history of martial arts and it's no surprise. They have a huge family tree with many branches of brothers, half-brothers, sisters, uncles and cousins. And, with just a few exceptions, they've all played a role in the evolution of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. But did you know … [Read more...]
47 Favourite Martial Arts and Inspiration Quotes
I love pithy quotes: in just a few short words they can encapsulate an entire strategy, philosophy, or approach to life. That's why more than 10 years ago I published a short article with some of my favourite grappling and martial arts quotes. Well, I've come across a lot more great quotes in the last decade! I typically share the new quotations I discover on my Twitter and/or Instagram … [Read more...]
BJJ – Born in Japan, Evolved in Brazil!
This new BJJ shirt was designed by Mark Mullen, one of my very first jiu-jitsu training partners and occasional contributor to the Grapplearts blog. Obviously being a BJJ black belt he's a skilled grappler and instructor, but what a lot of people don't know is that he also does a lot of graphic design. So when he came up with this image of a charging Japanese dragon I thought it would make a … [Read more...]
The de la Riva Guard
By Don Whitefield and Stephan Kesting We asked BJJ legend Ricardo de la Riva to show us the Five Most Imporant Techniques from the 'de la Riva Guard! Here's what he showed us, and we'll go through each one of them! The Basic de la Riva Sweep The Reverse de la Riva Sweep The Entangled Leg Sweep The Back Trip Sweep The Cross Knee Guard Pass Counter Ricardo de la Riva is a slight … [Read more...]
Podcast EP29: Skepticism and the Martial Arts
Skepticism is your best defense against the lies, hoaxes and magical thinking that are so rampant in the traditional martial arts. Join us on this Grapplearts Radio interview where I talk with Jeff Westfall about chi, the evolution of kata, insane martial arts teachers, Indonesian Silat counters to BJJ submissions, the chimpanzee brain, the fight or flight reflex, signs that you might have … [Read more...]
Does MMA Make You Stupid? Impact, Concussions and Brain Damage in Mixed Martial Arts
MMA has been my guilty pleasure for a long time. On the one hand, I'm a huge fan. I've been watching the UFC since its inauguration in 1993, and have enjoyed fights in Pride FC, Shooto, WEC, Strikeforce, Bellator, and many other organisations. I have good friends who are professional fighters, and have helped them prepare for their fights. And I have nothing but respect for the skill, … [Read more...]
Podcast EP23: Brandon ‘Wolverine’ Mullins on BJJ Training, Competition, Transitions and Evolution
I've got a super cool, super informative interview for you today! This is the first time in Grapplearts history that I’ve interviewed a person for a second time. But boy, did my friend, BJJ black belt, and fierce competitor Brandon 'Wolverine' Mullins ever deliver! (click here for the first interview). (Brandon and I originally worked together to create the highly acclaimed instructional … [Read more...]
A Sakuraba Highlight Video Worth Watching
I came across the video below and thought it was a poignant tribute to the arc of Sakuraba's career in Pride. It combines Sakuraba's beautiful grappling with the extreme violence of Japanese Pride, along with a melancholy undertone that reminded me of the movie 'The Wrestler' starring Mickey Rourke from a few years ago. For those of you not familiar with his career it's hard to convey the shock … [Read more...]
Podcast EP21: The Evolution of BJJ (Plus Some Crazy Stories) with Scott Nelson
We've just released the latest episode of the Grapplearts Radio Podcast! This time I talk to Scott Nelson from On The Mat. Scott is a North American jiu-jitsu pioneer who was one of the very first guys to travel to Brazil to train in the motherland of the art. He was also one of the first guys to run a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu website (I remember visiting it back in the dial-up modem … [Read more...]
Self Defense, Competition, and Performing In High Pressure Situations
Performance under pressure is always tricky. In fact a lot of martial arts practitioners worry about whether they'd actually be able to execute their skills in super-stressful situations. Of course competing at a tournament or performing at belt tests can be stressful. But the scariest high pressure situation of all is a self defence scenario where you and/or your family is being … [Read more...]