Quiz time, boys and girls. It’s the last official fundamentals class of the year. Tonight we review highlights from the year and make sure everyone remembers some of the finer details. The format is secret. . . it wouldn’t be much of a quiz if you knew what you were getting into. If you all […]
I like to look at Royler Gracie’s Submission Grappling book whenever I want some nice cringe-worthy submits. Although his leg attacks are best at invoking a “I’m glad I’m not his sparring partner”, some of his armbars get points for the simplicity and creativity involved. We will be looking at a couple of his armbar […]
I remind students all the time to do what is easy. Don’t pick a complex technique when a simpler one will work. Don’t go for grip switching when you have something you can do as well that uses current grips. Don’t move your body while you have side control if you can attack using just […]
Tonight we are going to take a look at the pass/sweep (or submit) drill. This is partly because this is an underused drill, partly because I screwed up my thumb last night in open mat. Let’s go with the drill reason. Pass/sweep is where you spar starting with one person inside the other persons closed […]
Tonight we are going to take a look at two of my favorite sweeps. They both have mechanics that are used far beyond each individual technique. First up is the shin sweep. I guarantee that I’ve done this to every one of my students I’ve rolled with. I originally learned it from watching Marcelo Garcia, […]
I see Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a challenge. I challenge myself to pursue perfecting my expression of the art, and I challenge others in their pursuit. It isn’t an aggressive challenge. It’s more like adversity that is designed to make you better, like lifting weights or studying for a big test. Every time I train, I […]
Tonight we are going to discuss how to not be a meathead. Most of this stuff you learn in the first 6 months of open mat, or you learn it after a few competitions, or you find someplace on the internet that sorta-kinda goes over it. I’m going to give you the short version that […]
The first 10 lessons of the Gracie University Combatives blue belt course are free until Janurary 1st. From a recent newsletter: 10 Life Saving Lessons FREE at Gracie University Happy Holidays from the Gracies! The year is coming to an end, and we want to give each and every Gracie Academy supporter a holiday gift […]
This is the foundational guard break and pass combination that is core fundamentals, yet I routinely see guys executing these in a very sloppy fashion. For the life of me, I have never figured out if this closed guard break has a name. It’s that basic. This is the default thing that is taught to […]
