Class 2015-04-27: Closed Guard Control and Defense

The closed guard is a very important position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. By controlling your opponent’s body with your legs, you exert a tremendous amount of control over their actions. Unfortunately, it’s common for fundamentals students to use the closed guard inefficiently, making both offense and defense more difficult than it should be.

Class 2014-06-18: Back Mount Defense and Control

Back Mount Defense It’s a sad sequence of events that landed you here, and now someone is riding your back.  You’re pretty sure they want to choke you unconscious.  Despite your opponent’s clear display of superiority, you still have some good options for establishing a defensive base to use as a launchpad for your escape. 

Class 2014-06-02: Knee on Belly Control and Defense

Perhaps the best way a fundamentals student should look at the Knee on Belly (KoB) position is as an attack position.  While you can maintain the position for a short period of time, you don’t need long to determine if you have a valid attack or you should be transitioning.  In competition, you need to […]

Class 2014-05-19: Side Control Maintenance and Defense

I’ve never met a white belt that didn’t like side control on top, or dread side control on the bottom.  It’s a stable position, easy to attack from, and difficult to escape when your opponent is intent on holding you there.  I was one of those white belts until I went to a Phil Migliarese […]

Class 2014-05-12: Closed Guard Control and Defense

The closed guard is a foundational position of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  The simple act of being on your back and putting your opponent between your legs with your ankles crossed gives you a huge number of options for controlling them while their options are severely limited.  It is a position you can use to slow down […]