Aesopian

After watching the The Twister I was very intrigued by Eddie’s success with lockdown and old school (his favorite sweep). I started trying it out and wasn’t having much success, other than stalling with the lockdown.

Reading his first book, Jiu-jitsu Unleashed, helped a little but I still found myself just being smashed from half guard while desperately holding on to the lockdown.

I spoke to many others who were studying Eddie Bravo’s half guard and almost all of them had arrived at the same point: all his moves seemed like they should work, but they can never get on their side like they know they should, and the very act of keeping lockdown seemed to kill their own hip movement.

I had one fellow go so far as to say that trying to figure out the lockdown had set his half guard back by 7 months.

So going into the half guard chapter of Eddie Bravo’s Mastering the Rubber Guard, I had two problems:

1. When I have the lockdown, how do I get double underhooks?


2. More importantly, how do I get on my side and have good hip movement while keeping the lockdown?

And it solved them almost immediately:

1. The Jaws of Life.


2. The Whip Up.

Well, that was anti-climactic.

I simply took these moves from the book, drilled them on an open mat, and ever since I’ve been able keep the lockdown as I get underhooks and whip up on to my side to work old school.

As far as I’m concerned, everything beyond this is gravy.

Eddie’s new book also teaches what to do when you can’t get the underhooks, which revolves around getting butterfly hooks. This does much to flesh out his system, especially with the new chapter on butterfly guard.

All of the sweeps from his first book and many more make an appearance. Only now you can see them in full color and from multiple angles.

I have yet to play with the dogfight or stoner control, other positions that make up different branches of Eddie’s game, but I trust they are as solid as everything else he teaches.

Even if I don’t end up using them, I do find it interesting to see just how thorough Eddie is in breaking down every position in his game, especially the ones no one else uses or teaches. I think the only way he can get away with such an unorthodox game is because he seriously applied himself to understanding how to maintain control and leverage from every “weird” position.

Pros

Solves the common problems of half guard with lockdown; a very systematic approach to half guard strategy; full color, more photos, multiple angles.

Cons

Can be hard to get the hang of Eddie’s half guard game, but this is still the best way to learn it so far.

Overall

Given the chance to go in-depth with his game, Eddie has shown how it is built on solid fundamentals that progress towards high percentage sweeps and submissions.

[rate 5]

While training this Saturday, somewhere in all of the twisting and turning of sparring, I pulled a muscle midway down my back.

I didn’t think much of it while I was warm, but as I cooled down after class, I realized just how badly I’d got it. It hurt to stand or walk, raise or lower my arms, turn to either side. I had trouble finding a position I could sleep in, and it was an endeavor to get out of bed the the next morning. Even breathing wrong made me stop whatever I was doing while I grimace.

Back when I first started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I had purchased a copy of Stretching by Bob Anderson. My stretching routine is largely based its material.

I had recently dug up my copy again and was using it to focus on my lower back, groin and hips to improve my guard. After seeing how much it helped me prevent injuries while playing rubber guard, I figured I’d try using it on my already-injured back.

I spent 20 minutes on Sunday putting myself through a pleasant stretching routine, working on the effected effect as well as my lower back and legs.

By the end of the routine, the stabbing pain had reduced to a minor dull ache.

In less than an hour, I’d gone from worrying that I wouldn’t be able to train for a week to just having a little kink in my back.

After wonders for me like that, I felt I should give Bob Anderson’s Stretching a major recommendation.

Anderson does an admirable job of teaching how to stretch safely and painlessly (the only right way to do it), which I feel is more important than the specific stretches themselves. He makes sure you understand the proper frame of mind for stretching as well as the best (and worst) practices, since most people were taught to do it incorrectly (like most PE coaches make children do). I never enjoyed stretching before this book since it had always been taught to me as a stressful exercise, not as the relaxing one it should be.

The book teaches a wide variety of stretches for every part of the body. They are shown with cleanly drawn black-and-white illustrations, with arrows showing the directions to stretch, and the body parts being stretched highlighted. The explanations of the stretches give clear instructions of how to do them correctly, and often offer insight into make the most of the stretch. Both easier and more difficult variations of stretches are also often shown.

The author has put together stretching routines for specific purposes, such as isolating a part of the body, working at a desk, and a large collection of ones for sports and activities.

He shows a stretching routine for Martial Arts, but my experience is that the one for Wrestling more appropriate for BJJ, since it warms up the upper back, shoulders and neck more.

I find that the Legs, Groin & Hips and Lower Back Tension routines are perfect for BJJ and the guard in particular, and the one for Hands, Arms & Shoulders is very soothing after frying your fingers and forearms with grip fighting.

Throughout the book are what are called PNF stretches, and there is a chapter on the subject at the end. These stretches are based on first contracting then relaxing the muscle before stretching it, which can increase the flexibility by taking advantage natural mechanisms of the body.

I found the explanation of the PNF techniques and the sample stretches very interesting and have been able to apply the concept to stretches I have learned from other sources.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of Stretching by Bob Anderson if you want a well-rounded guide to the subject. It will help your jiu-jitsu immensely.

Pros

Very simple and easy to understand; teaches good practices and habits for healthy stretching; stretches for every part of the body; helpful pre-planned routines; inexpensive and widely available.

Cons

Hard to keep book open while stretching; would have liked to see more PNF stretches.

Overall

This is my number one recommendation for anyone wanting to improve their overall flexibility, prevent injuries, and recover faster.

[rate 5]

Last week, a reader of the journal commented on my holiday wish list, disagreeing with my recommendation of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu by Dave Camarillo to those wanting to improve their stand-up game.

He bet me (quite literally) that I would prefer Judo Unleashed by Neil Ohlenkamp as the book for jiu-jitieros wanting to get better on their feet, and even laid down the cash for me to check it out.

Having had a chance to work through Judo Unleashed, I’m going to offer my opinion of it in a head-to-head review with Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu, specifically addressing several of the reader’s points.

“Even on a superficial level, there are very few pictures per page in Guerilla Jiu Jitsu.”

I don’t agree with this, and I think give specific examples from each book will show why.

Ohlenkamp shows o-soto-gari with three photos (beginning, middle and finish) and explains it with one large paragraph and a bulleted list of key points.

In contrast, Camarillo shows the same throw with eight pictures, each of which has a full paragraph explaining it. The introduction to the technique describes the best times to use it as well as how to modify the grip for no-gi and MMA.

These examples are representative of the majority of each book.

If I had to roughly estimate, I would say that Camarillo’s book shows most moves with 6-8 photos, with simpler ones like specific grips getting 2-3, and more complex techniques (e.g. transitioning into ground work from a throw and moving into a armbar that counters specific defenses) having as many as 16 pictures.

I’d say that Judo Unleashed shows most techniques in 3-4 pictures, with variations getting 1-3 photos on the side, and some moves getting around 5-8 pictures.

To be fair, Judo Unleashed attempts to cover a wider variety of throws than Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu. It would seem that Camarillo chose to only teach those basic judo throws which he felt were the foundation to developing stand-up skills.

The newaza (ground techniques) chapter of Ohlenkamp’s book seriously disappointed me. Most of it is text that broadly discusses points like leverage, balance and base, the mechanics of armlocks and chokes, general strategies from the top and bottom, etc.

While nothing is glaringly wrong with what Ohlenkamp is saying, where this chapter really fails to deliver is in technical instruction. Techniques are only explained in general terms, and the setups are left unexplained or unshown.

For example, the page on ude-garami (“entangled arm locks”, usually the basic bent armlocks like the kimura) shows pictures of an americana, an omoplata and some kind of hammerlock (I couldn’t really make out of the details), but doesn’t show or explain how to get them. I couldn’t tell but it also looked like the armlocks were all being applied awkwardly so they attacked the elbow and not the shoulder, as required by judo rules.

The page on chokes has pictures of a couple but doesn’t show how to set them up.

A sequence of pictures showing sankaku-jime (triangle choke) on a turtled opponent, a standard of judo, has no explanation.

The information offered was so general, and the techniques so poorly shown, that I got next to nothing out of the newaza chapter of Judo Unleashed.

“Setting aside flying armlocks, once you get a chance to read/review Ohlenkamp’s Judo Unleashed, just answer one question for me: which book, Guerilla Jiu Jitsu or Judo Unleashed, would you recommend to a jiu jitsero seeking to add some standup judo moves to their game?”

I will gladly set aside the flying submissions since I feel this subject is better shown in Camarillo’s DVD set, not static pictures.

I feel the real strengths of his book are the in how well he teaches the basics of judo and then the meshing of it with BJJ.

The chapters on rolling and falling in Camarillo’s book are better than every other judo book I have read. BJJ is often criticized by judoka for its sloppy breakfalls, and yet this is the first time I’ve seen them taught in great detail. He even includes simpler versions used to familiarize the student with the skills needed for the full breakfalls.

The throws that Camarillo chose to teach from purely from a judo perspective are all extremely well-taught.

While you can find many more throws from the judo syllabus elsewhere, Camarillo covers several topics I’ve never seen addressed in any judo books, including:

• Stopping a wrestling shot in gi grappling.


• Finding your balance in a single leg takedown.


• Throws to counter a single leg.


• Throwing a hunched over opponent.
  
• Forcing high stance against the hunchbacked jiu-jitseiro.


• Grips and throws that are only possible in the slower-paced stand-up of BJJ.


• Throwing a kneeling opponent, such as a jiu-jitseiro who’s trying to avoid the takedown.


• Moving from groundwork to a throw (on an escaping opponent).


• Blocking the guard pull and stepping past guard if they do.

Situations like these are what I have experienced in BJJ more than I’ve needed the majority of the throws in judo books.

I have seen transitions from throws to groundwork taught in other judo books before, but none take it as deep as Camarillo does, devoting an entire chapter to the topic.

He coins the term “impact control position” to show how most throws end in one of several similar positions, and how you can learn to use them to seamlessly moves into submissions after throwing your opponent.

Even if you take throwing out of the equation, this would still be a great chapter on a dynamic attacking style of side control, knee-on-belly and mount.

Judo Unleashed does contain several well-written sections on topics like kuzushi (breaking balance), foot work, grip fighting, what a belt rank means, how judo and competition can develop a person’s character and help him in other aspects of his life. While most of these section don’t require illustration, I did find the ones on more technical subject (e.g. grip breaking, foot movement) lacking since they did offer any pictorial explanations or specific techniques.

That said, I found Camarillo’s topics more interesting, since he tells stories about how insane Ralph was as his instructor, his take on judo vs jiu-jitsu, and on gi vs no-gi. These just personally interest me more than what Ohlenkamp wrote about.

All things considered, my recommendation of Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu still stands. Judo Unleashed has its good points but I think Camarillo offers more actual instruction of techniques that will mean more to the jiu-jitiero at the end of the day.

Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu by Dave Camarillo

Pros

Many clear photos of each technique; better breakfalls than most judo books; detailed grip fighting; high percentage throws and takedowns; handles many issues that are specific to BJJ stand-up; the best instruction of transitioning from throws to groundwork and flying submission in existence.

Cons

Difficult to see the timing and momentum of some moves, like the flying submissions.

Overall

Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu remains my top recommendation for jiu-jitieros who want to improve their stand-up. It offers better information on judo than many pure judo books, as well as a ton of innovative material on blending the art with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

[rate 5]

---

Judo Unleashed by Neil Ohlenkamp

Pros

Well-written essays on the theory of judo, competition, maximum efficiency, character development, et cetera; a wider variety of throws; a couple interesting throws and variations; inexpensive.

Cons

Not all techniques have enough pictures; extremely poor groundwork.

Overall

Judo Unleashed has rough spots but is overall a decent book on the art. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I were a judoka, but as it is, I already have better judo books, and none of them combine it with BJJ like Camarillo can.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive judo book, I recommend the excellent title Best Judo by Isao Inokuma and Nobuyuki Sato instead.

[rate 3.5]

Not sure what to put on your Christmas wish list?

Does your obsession with choking men leave your family unsure how to shop for you?

My holiday shopping guide will make finding the right gift easy.

Books

This year has seen a marked jump in the quality of BJJ books, both in terms of books themselves, and the depth and detail of instruction.

On the publishing end, the books getting bigger and longer; publishers are allowing the authors show the techniques with more pictures (even from multiple angles); and the glossy paper and full color photos make the reading experience much more enjoyable.

As for the rising quality of instruction, authors are beginning to go deeper games and positions, offering more solutions to counters; details or common mistakes that might have been left out before are getting shown; and the writing has improved, with more time and text spent explaining strategies in depth.

All in all, it’s been a good year for BJJ books.

Mastering the Rubber Guard by Eddie Bravo, Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza

With his latest book, Eddie Bravo sets a new standard for BJJ books on several fronts.

First and foremost, it is the most complete breakdown of a black belt’s game that I’ve ever seen. Every one of Eddie’s moves from half, butterfly and rubber guard are shown in explicit detail, with a lot of time spend on explaining the philosophy and strategy behind each part and the system as a whole. He also throws in chapters on stretching for BJJ and his escapes from bad position.

You may have already bought Jiu-jitsu Unleashed and are wondering if it’s worth getting Mastering the Rubber Guard too. Owning both myself, I can tell you that if you enjoyed the first book, you’ll be blown away by the new one.

While they shows many of the same moves, you can now see them in full color from multiple angles with in-depth explanations, as well as all of the moves that never made it into the first one. When Mastering the Twister comes out, Jiu-jitsu Unleashed will be completely replaced.

If you’re at all interested in Eddie Bravo’s system, this is the book to get.

Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu by Dave Camarillo and Erich Krauss

As a black belt and successful competitor in both arts, Dave Camarillo offers incredible insight into blending judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. If your New Year’s Resolution is like mine and you want to improve your stand-up, this is a must-buy. The groundwork is also just as impressive as you’d expect from a BJJ black belt. The publisher, Victory Belt, is the same that put out Eddie Bravo’s book, and the quality is similarly high.

The Path to the Black Belt by Rodrigo Gracie and Kid Peligro

Almost everything Kid Peligro puts out is a safe bet. He set the standard for BJJ books, at least in terms of production values, and with Rodrigo Gracie teaching, you can be sure that this is a very solid reference. Rodrigo covers all major positions with fundamental techniques and drills for each.

This is my recommendation for white belts and beginners, since it contains a wide range of fundamental material that is well presented. I was never a huge fan of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory & Technique by Renzo and Royler Gracie, the original “from white to black belt” book that everyone’s bought by now, so I was happy to see that I could now recommend The Path to the Black Belt instead.

The Essential Guard by Rodrigo Medeiros and Kid Peligro

Kid Peligro’s books tend to be general in nature, covering a wide range of positions and situations, which makes The Essential Guard unique as his first to address only a single topic. I hope he continues this with his future books, since the level of detail for each technique is much improved over the past. The finesse and technical ability of Rodrigo Medeiros are evident in the moves he teaches, and I personally find his style of guard very appealing since it is very loose and open.

The Guard by Joe Moreira and Ed Beneville

This is another impressive offering by Ed Beneville, the author of my favorite BJJ book of all time, Passing the Guard. His book was the first I’d ever seen show entire moves from multiple angles, as well as offer alternate versions or finishes, and close-ups of any important details. Everything that made his first book great is present in The Guard.

Joe Moeira teaches the drills and techniques. His style of guard seems lazy, but in a good way. The sections of this book that actually appealed to me the most were the ones that you might not expect in a book on guard, such as getting head and neck control by going to front headlocks and the crucifix.

Which guard book to get?

Finding yourself trying to pick between the last two books because you don’t want two on the same subject? Each is valuable in its own way, and they do not have any significant overlap of material (aside for a few basics), but I’ll help you decide:

• Get The Essential Guard if you prefer pendulum sweeps (and that kind of hip movement in general), butterfly guard or open guard.


• Go with The Guard if you like scissors sweeps (or “scissors guard”), going to your knees or standing from guard, or taking the back.
  

If you still can’t decide, flip a coin and you’ll likely be happy either way. Or just get both.

More to Come

I will update this later with my video recommendations.

I hope I’ve helped make your Christmas shopping a little bit easier

Happy Holidays.

I recently received my copy of Eddie Bravo’s new book, Mastering the Rubber Guard: Jiu-jitsu for Mixed Martial Arts Competition.

While I have read the entire book and my initial impressions are positive, I don’t plan on writing a review until I’ve had a chance to try out more of the new material. I want to see how well the moves stand up over time, and I know my feelings about the worth of a book change with time and experience (for the better and worse).

That said, Bravo’s book does have one section I feel I can review at this point: stretching.

Eddie feels that too many jiu-jiteiros complain about their flexibility while few of them actually work to improve it. He thinks stretching should be done to improve one’s range of motion (particularly for rubber guard, which can be demanding) but also to prevent injuries and strengthen the core, lower back and hips, which take abuse from playing guard.

I agree with him on all of these points, though I’m not sure everyone needs to reach the extremes that he has (as you’ll see in the book). I’ve had the same concerns about injury to my hips and back since I was first getting into BJJ, so I’ve have always made a point of focusing my stretches on these areas. Having already put together my own stretching routine for guard, I was interested to see what Eddie does.

I was familiar with several of the more basic stretches, and felt he taught them in good detail. I had even been doing stretches similar to the more innovative ones, but he found his variations to be a nice addition to my normal routine.

Where I feel this chapter offers the most is in the isometric stretches that like come from yoga. These involve moving through ranges of motion or holding positions to warm up the areas. I haven’t learned much yoga so these drew my attention the most.

I have been incorporating these stretches into my training, before and after classes. They are good for getting loosened up to train, but I felt they benefited me most as cool down stretches. I often get lower back and hip pain from BJJ, but it has been bothering me much less when I make sure to end my night (at the end of class and before bed).

Pros

Clear descriptions and photos; sport-specific conditioning; innovative stretches for guard.

Cons

You’ll probably know a few of the stretches already, but that’s to be expected.

Overall

Eddie’s stretches make a great addition to any BJJ training regimen, rubber guard or not.

Rating

[rate 4.5]