Far more than just being the thing that holds your brain, the head is tragically underused in BJJ. But skilled players have learned how to use the head like a third arm or leg. Conversely, if you've ever had a person use moves like, "the shoulder of justice" on...
Guard Passing: The Art Within the Art
Passing the guard is probably the most complex aspect of jiu jitsu. Basically an entire martial art in and of itself. Being in someone's guard is a very dangerous place. You have to focus on passing while also avoiding a litany of attacks...
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Nothing against this guy. Had to use someone for the picture. "20141012_0143" by Wolf Pictures is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
If you’ve seen the movie City Slickers, you know where this is headed. Billy Crystal plays a man struggling with life’s challenges.
In an effort to figure things out, he and his friends sign up for a cattle drive.
During the drive, Crystal is talking with the rough and rugged Curly,...
"20141012_0139" by Wolf Pictures is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
With Jiu-jitsu, it's often said that the best way to get better is to just show up. While this is true there's something to be said about how you, as an individual, learn things best. If you've...
Years ago, before I trained in BJJ, I was an avid UFC fan. I used to religiously watch "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show in it's first few seasons.
In one episode Tito Ortiz was coaching a fighter during a match. He kept screaming "UNDERHOOKS!!" again and again. It was pretty...
Jiu-Jitsu started as a small man's game.
If you've been training for more than a day, you've probably had about a dozen people tell you jiu-jitsu was made by smaller people, for smaller people. If you happen to be smaller yourself, you might feel some pressure. You're expected to be...
Jiu jitsu is an up close and personal sport.
Rolling with your opponent means a lot of rubbing against that competitor—and that can mean a lot of things rubbing off on you, things you don’t want like MRSA, ringworm, athletes foot, and even a type of herpes. Prevention is vital,...
It's a running meme in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that the new year brings an influx of new students hoping to make good on their new years resolutions. Gym owners are fully aware of this, and savvy ones will be offering specials for new signups.
If you're one of the many people...
Pretty much every martial art is chalk-full of superstitious traditions. Perhaps one of the most gut-churning pieces of “traditional wisdom” is the notion that you shouldn’t wash your BJJ belt, ever.
The “don’t wash your BJJ belt” belief stems from the idea that the...
