Why Law Enforcement and First Responders need… TRUJITSU.

Imagine going to work everyday knowing that you are potentially facing a challenge that could be both harmful to you physically, and financially. You are signed up to go in harms way to correct bad scenarios, and de-escalate situations, while simultaneously being under the greatest scrutiny. That is the current job description for today’s Law Enforcement Officers, and now more than ever, the ability to stay calm under pressure is a must.

This has become increasingly difficult with the escalation of crime and the lighter penalties that make prosecution of criminals less likely. A Criminal has little to nothing to lose, while the officer has a strict protocol to follow to avoid accusation. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, every year over 80 officers are arrested for excessive force or misconduct.

What can be said about the current demands of Law enforcement, is that an officer needs to have the physical skills to apprehend a violent offender, while simultaneously having the mental aptitude to stay calm with no desire to use force no matter how provoking the suspect might act.

Rioter Resisting arrest.

This is not as simple as learning how to apply a wrist lock and hand cuffs. Aggressive training is no longer the solution.

An officer now needs to have an exceptional mental maturity that promotes a passive yet assertive behavior, which is no easy task.

This capability can only be developed with specific training that focuses on immobilization instead of aggression. Having the ability to force someone to the ground is great, but that may be just the response that opens up the officer to an investigation. Scrutiny is high, and arguably unfair in many cases. Moreover, the stress placed on officers doesn’t simply shut off when they are off duty. Without a proper outlet to defuse their anxiety the stress spills over into the officer’s personal life and often manifests into poor health choices and habits.

What is needed..

To deal with the worst situations in the community, you need the best resources in the community.

There are countless programs that teach a person how to fight, but that is not enough. The real battle happens with a person’s mindset.

Proper training can not happen

by attending a seminar or occasional workshop, because repetition is needed to develop reaction time.

Proper training can not happen

in an environment that has lesser developed participants, because that will not make a person confident when dealing with a physically imposing criminal.

Proper training can not happen if the curriculum is based on aggression, explosiveness or physical ability, because there is always someone stronger. An officer must use techniques that are based on leverage and don’t rely on strength or physical ability to be successful.

Proper training will happen if a person is in an environment that is surrounded by skilled training partners that intelligently apply  leverage based moves and are capable of safely pushing an individual to the limits they are exposed to while on duty. Training partners must have the ability and desire to train safely, not recklessly, while still applying intensity. This type of environment takes years to develop, and this

level of training on a weekly basis is what is necessary for an officer to build the confidence and mental acuity to deal with todays level of exposure. In addition, this also provides stress relief and camaraderie that is uplifting to an individual who is constantly exposed to harsh conditions.

And..

This is what TRUITSU is, and why every Law Enforcement Officer specifically needs TRUJITSU.

Intelligence over aggression. An established Community building its community.

To find a TRUJITSU Academy near you, please visit our affiliate page.

TRUJITSU HQ

TRUJITSU News

What’s new? A lot, always. If you are following our Insta and Facebook you probably have seen many of the latest happy moments, however For those unable to follow our media pages or trying to avoid social media altogether, here is a recap on some of the recent TRUJITSU highlights you may have missed. 

First, It is important to point out that competition is not the most important benefit from Jiu Jitsu? However, it is a valuable resource for learning and it’s always awesome when the results go well. Here are just a few notable moments from the many.

Fourth Quarter News:

Highlight number 1 

Sept 26th was one of those days where TRUJITSU team mates from coast to coast and Canada experienced success. 

San Diego California, one of the most competitive areas for Jiu Jitsu, was the hosting city for JiuJitsu World league. TRUJITSU team mates from TJ HQ, Unum, Outliers and Rio Bravo worked together to capture trophies in every category including 1st place Organization, 1st place Academy (TRUJITSU Bakersfield), and narrowly missing a clean sweep being just 2 submission victories shy of an Elite 8 1st place. 

Thank you to all the TRUJITSU Unified team mates that made this day possible.

TRUJITSU Sweeps JIuJitsu World League

Meanwhile on the same day on the east coast,

Blacksmith Jiu Jitsu had a great day at the Arte Suave competition, and In Alberta Canada Komodo Academy made a huge wave at the True North Grappling tournament. Congratulations for an awesome return to competition.

Blacksmith JiuJitsu winning at Arte Suave Cup

Komodo Academy winning at The True North Grappling tournament

Highlight number 2

Delano Jiu Jitsu heads to Phoenix with a successful run capturing first place in the Elite 8.

Highlight Number 3

208 Academy wins Grappling Industries

Highlight number 4

TRUJITSU welcomes 3 more Master Worlds Champions. Congratulations to Jill Baker of TJHQ, Danielle Abbott of 208 Academy, and Jamie Galvan of Delano Jiu Jitsu for capturing Gold at IBJJF Master Worlds. 

Highlight Number 5

Verity Jiu Jitsu team mates make a big wave at The FUJI Jiu Jitsu Championship 

Highlight Number 6

November 20th TRUJITSU team mates headed back to Fullerton for the JJWorld league California Finals. Once again, TRUJITSU Bakersfield captures the First place Academy trophy. 


Whatever your goals are, Jiu Jitsu should always be a compliment to your life, not a distraction. Every challenge you overcome on the mat, makes you that much more successful off the mat.

Here are some of the recent promotions across the TRUJITSU Unified team:

TRUJITSU HQ:

Epi Rangle Blue Belt

Chris Juarez Purple Belt

Ashley Arreola Black Belt

Kylie Baker Black Belt

Andrew Lowrimore Black Belt

Jose Tenorio Blue Belt

Joel Cantu Brown Belt

Mitchell Thompson Brown Belt

Daisy Verdugo Blue Belt

Salomon Rodriguez Blue Belt


208 Academy :

Danielle Abbott Purple Belt

Nate Andersen Blue Belt

Chris Young Blue Belt

Tony Huebner Blue Belt

Cameron Quitugua Blue Belt

Axel Davies Grey/ White Belt

Mac Dean Grey/White Belt

Aspen Lee Grey/White Belt

Carson Lee Grey/White Belt

Peyton Cook Grey/ White Belt

Deklen Elizondo Grey/Black Belt


Excelsior Jiu Jitsu:

Micheal Hogan Blue Belt

Heather Desalvo Blue Belt

Dustin Williams Blue Belt

Kevin Chapman Purple Belt

Josh Baker Purple Belt

Corey Hebert Purple Belt

Ronnie Amorello Purple Belt

Rip Rittel Purple Belt

Brigit Hooper Grey Belt

Komodo Academy:

Tyler Mailman Blue Belt

Trennen Thibault Yellow Belt

Delano Jiu Jitsu:

Jayme Galvan Purple Belt

David Guiterrez Grey Belt

Rio Bravo Jiu Jitsu:

Anthony Sanchez Yellow Belt

Jonathan Arias Grey/Black Belt

Xander Rodriguez Grey/Black Belt

Emma Ramirez Grey Belt

Aiden Garcia Grey/ Black Belt

Mason Manabat Orange Belt

Unum Jiu Jitsu:

Jesus Gaytan Purple Belt

Chuck Williams Blue Belt

Doc Podell Blue Belt

Marek Britt Grey/White Belt

Serenity Britt Grey/White Belt

Addison Roquemore Grey/White Belt

Calvin Diaz Grey/White Belt

Preston Elwell Grey/White Belt

Elijah Williams Grey/White Belt

Evelyn Buday Grey/White Belt


Blacksmith Jiu Jitsu:

Courtney Aryana Blue Belt

Lana Delao Blue Belt

Claudia Maldonado Blue Belt

Taylor Nixon Blue Belt

Patrick Russell Blue Belt

Deacon Smith Yellow/Black Belt

Dawson Smith Yellow/Black Belt

Bella Cruz Grey Belt

Gwen Thompson Grey/Black Belt

Aiden Tate Grey/White Belt

Parker L’Orange Grey/White Belt

Sam Rabener Grey/Black Belt

Cole Knight Grey/White Belt

Archer Enas Grey/White Belt

Verity Jiu Jitsu:

Ryan Christen Purple Belt

As mentioned, these are just a few promotions. More are on the way as néw goals and accomplishments continue to develop through out TRUJITSU Unified. Thank you to all that make TRUJITSU Unified the family that it is. To get involved in the next wave of fun, visit these TRUJITSU Academies.

TRUJITSU HQ in Bakersfield California

Rio Bravo Jiu Jitsu in Bakersfield California

Unum Jiu Jitsu in Ridgecrest California

Delano Jiu Jitsu in Delano California

Outliers Jiu Jitsu in San Diego California

208 Academy in Nampa Idaho

Komodo Academy in Grand Prarie Alberta Canada

Excelsior Jiu Jitsu in Zachary and Denham Springs Louisiana

Blacksmith Jiu Jitsu in Niceville Florida

Verity Jiu Jitsu in Cary North Carolina

What’s new in TRUJITSU?

First off, my apologies for the delay in posting blogs. Most of you know, unless you have been under a rock,  the focus has been more on creating content for the TjX show.

However that’s no excuse, so we will be updating more blog posts for the foreseeable future. We promise.

What should the first welcome back topic be?

Let’s start with TRUJITSU news.

What’s new? A lot! The best way to describe what’s new with TRUJITSU is by highlighting just a few of the many great moments shared by TRUJITSU athletes and affiliate academies over the last few months.  Just a few, so here we go...

TRUJITSU Unified makes the podium for every category at JJWorld League. Again. 

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Outliers Jiu Jitsu wins Elite 8! Congrats Professor Jeremy Barden and Outliers crew. 

Outliers Jiu Jitsu wins Elite 8! Congrats Professor Jeremy Barden and Outliers crew. 

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Delano Jiu Jitsu Club makes a wave in San Francisco!! Congrats coach Eric Juarez and Ryan Galvan and Delano Crew!

TRUJITSU has a new Black Belt. Congratulations to Professor James Morales. (54 years young). and still Guyama gripping opponents half his age.

TRUJITSU has a new Black Belt. Congratulations to Professor James Morales. (54 years young). and still Guyama gripping opponents half his age.

TRUJITSU Bakersfield aka BBJJ wins 2018 Season Championship after double First place Academy awards. 

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Michael Walker jumps up 2 weight classes and wins the IBJJF LA PRO!

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Kylie Baker wins The AD Grand Slam London. 

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Excelsior Jiu Jitsu makes a wave at the IBJJF Orlando Open. 

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TRUJITSU athletes win Gold at 2019 IBJJF PAN. Congrats Ryan Galvan and Andrew Lowrimore.

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Blacksmith JiuJitsu makes a wave at JJWorld League.

 

TRUJITSU Unified invades JJWorld League Fullerton (as seen on TJX Show episode 7) capturing trophies in 5 separate divisions. Thank you to all TRUJITSU affiliate Academies able to attend the event. Your awesome work and comeradre showed.

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The overall message of TRUJITSU is about accomplishing goals with out needing to live an unbalanced life by neglecting responsibilities to train. Jiu Jitsu should bring balance to your life, not take it away.

Thank you to these TRUJITSU representatives across the country that are proving you can accomplish great things, and still live a balanced life.

Excelsior Jiu Jitsu Makes A Wave In New Orleans

Congratulations to Excelsior Jiu Jitsu on an amazing performance at The Tap Out Cancer New Orleans BJJ Open.

Team TRUJITSU EXCELSIOR walked in with 13 competitors, and walked out with 15 medals. In addition to having a great showing at the event,  TRUJITSU EXCELSIOR raised over $1200 for a great cause.

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Team TRUJITSU EXCELSIOR BJJ 

Thank you again to Professor Nathan Lott and the Excelsior Jiu Jitsu crew for your hard work on and off the mat , and excellent representation of TRUJITSU.

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 For an excellent opportunity to train Jiu Jitsu and learn TRUJITSU concepts in Louisiana, visit Excelsior BJJ.

 #Excelsiorbjj #trujitsu #Louisiana #trujitsuunified

So What Happened Between Magomedsharipov vs. Davis?

After UFC 228, several discussions came up regarding what kind of Submission it was that Magomedsharipov pulled off against Davis?

It’s very simple; it was a knee bar.

A better question is why it happened?  Especially in MMA when fighters don’t tap unless they’re convinced they’re about to break in half.

This incident is an example of one of the three red flags often discussed in the TRUJITSU system. For those unfamiliar, Red Flags are used to evaluate the practicality of a technique working against an actual opponent, beyond just a friendly roll session. If a move has all three red flags it most likely will never work.

In the case of Magomedsharipov vs. Davis, a creative knee bar was successfully pulled off that involved one Red flag, and that Red flag was a “Delayed reaction”.

Let’s talk about what specifically happened, and what could’ve happened with one minor adjustment.

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At approximately 3:20 seconds of the second round, Magomedsharipov locked in high back control as Davis’ attempted to stand up. 

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Magomedsharipov maintained  a strong hook on Davis’ right leg and reached down for a knee bar.

Why it happened?

While everyone is discussing the awesome knee bar that took place, the detail that continues to be overlooked is the reason why the knee bar was able to stick in place. This detail involves Davis’ right leg.

The picture below explains the delayed reaction that made the difference in this leg attack.

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Davis’ right leg continues to stay bent.

 What could have happened?

Straightening the right leg would have made Magomedsharipov’s hook less tight, and would have enabled Davis to move his hip to the left, relieving pressure from his leg stretching, and most likely would have allowed him to wiggle out of knee bar. 

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One adjustment can make all the difference, however the more competitive the match, the narrower the window of opportunity is to make the adjustment. A delay in processing can allow opponent to solidify their offense.

 

Long story short, the red flag that made the difference here was a “delayed reaction”.

To be continued in detail on the TRUJITSU YouTube channel and the TRUJITSU show. Coming Soon!

​TRUJITSU repeats at JJWORLD League

After a short 6 week break, TRUJITSU representatives jumped back into competition for the Jiu Jitsu World League American Open Championship, however this time the circumstances were different.

Summer season is often slower due to extreme heat and seasonal distractions. Various obstacles made it difficult for most veteran TRUJITSU competitors to attend the American Open, however this gave an opportunity for a newer and younger group of TRUJITSU representatives to step up for the challenge.

The result was a First Place Academy trophy once again. Thank you to all  TRUJITSU representatives that made this happen. Those that stepped out of their comfort zone, (many for the first time), and those that helped their team mates practice the TRUJITSU game plan and concepts.

TRUJITSU concepts for the win!

#trujitsu #jjworldleague

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TRUJITSU Unified 

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Kylie Baker of TRUJITSU Bakersfield 

 

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Rick Watson of TRUJITSU Bakersfield.

 

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Victoria Suarez of TRUJITSU Bakersfield.  

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The TRUJITSU Revolution continues...

​TRUJITSU reaches top of the podium at JJWL

After a good day of competition at the Jiu Jitsu World League Los Angeles, TRUJITSU Unified walks away with 6 trophies.

TRUJITSU unified, with a team consisting of members from Bakersfield BJJ, Delano Jiu Jitsu Club, Blacksmith Jiu Jitsu, Outliers Jiu Jitsu, and Bakersfield PAL captured trophies in every category for both Youth and Adult divisions. Thank you everyone for your hard work and demonstration of TRUJITSU concepts.

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TRUJITSU Unified!  

TRUJITSU Placing at various categories. 

TRUJITSU Placing at various categories. 

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TRUJITSU Bakersfield and TRUJITSU Blacksmith Win Academy Trophies. 

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Outliers Jiu Jitsu wins the Elite 8.

 

Thank you to these Champions and Finalists for their effort and work.  Congratulations!

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Champions and Finalists! Truplayers!

#trujitsu #trujitsuconcepts #trujitsuunified #jiujitsuworldleague

Outliers Jiu Jitsu Wins Big At JJWL!! Again

What Happens when you have a few devoted coaches working together with an absolute interest in the development and success of their students.

3 strait championships in a row! That’s what happens. Congratulations to TRUJITSU representatives Outliers Jiu Jitsu from San Diego California. Outliers Jiu Jitsu once again captured the Youth Elite 8 1st place trophy at Jiu Jitsu World League Champions Cup OC.


Thank you Professor Jeremy Barden, coaches Nicholas Coates, Vinny Coates and the rest of the Outliers family for your dedication. The results are amazing. http://outliersbjj.com/

#OutliersJiujitsu

#San Diego

#trujitsu

Learn the Concepts, Excel in the game.

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TRUJITSU reaches IBJJF top Ranking spot.

Professor Matt Baker would like to thank everyone that is a part of TRUJITSU Unified and all of his team mates for helping him prepare and once again put TRUJITSU at the top of the Ibjjf ranking list.

TRUJITSU concepts once again prove that you can science Jiu Jitsu.

Learn the concepts = Excel in the Game.

#trujitsu #ibjjf #ranking #trujitsuconcepts #albinoandpreto #doublegold

TRUJITSU Concepts at work.

Matt Baker wins Double Gold At San Jose open.

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Always Remember: A mount is an upside down Closed Guard.

Why do I lose control of my opponent as soon as I try to attack from a mount?! 

If you find yourself asking this question, you’re not alone.

Even though the mount is considered one of the more dominant positions, there are challenges when trying to attack your opponent.

The two primary ways to attack your opponent from the mount are by attacking the neck, and that almost always involves using both hands. (Cross choke, Ezekiel etc.)

And the other common approach involves attacking your opponents arms which requires a transfer from a straight linear top position to perpendicular top position. The only exception to this is an Americana/paintbrush that is easy to see from a mile away.

Both processes of attacking provide a window of opportunity for the your opponent to escape because you are ether committing your arms or shifting your weight off of your opponent when you transition.

So what is the best solution for attacking when you have a Mount?

To successfully attack without creating a window of opportunity for your opponent to escape you must implement two factors.

The first factor is to keep constant pressure.

The second factor is you create an angle.

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Always remember: A mount is an upside down closed guard. 

You wouldn’t want your legs loose in a closed guard, so think the same when you are holding a mount position..

Keeping constant pressure on your opponent prevents quick explosive movements, which is very important when going against an athletically gifted opponent.

They may be able to move and bridge, but if you are putting pressure on them, you will be able to slow down their explosive movement to a pace that you can process and if necessary adjust your body to maintain a top position.

The other key principle is creating an angle to stabilize and attack.

An angle creates two advantages.

The most important one is it gives you a better ability to post and bass out, which makes it almost impossible for your opponent to bump you from side to side.

The more they unsuccessfully try to bump, the more they become exhausted and careless with their arms. The attack opportunities become easier and easier as your opponent gets frustrated trying to escape.

The other advantage is that having an angle gives you a quicker opportunity to attack by either positioning to a hurdle mount or slipping around to take the back.

The illustration below shows the exact body positioning needed for an airtight mount game.

For more information on this subject, video clips can’t be found on TRUJITSUs YouTube channel. 

 

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When Both arms captured and your weight is high on your opponents torso you can choose to transition to Hurdle mount, or slide to back control.

to be continued.. 

Connecting the dots 12.5 (part 2)

Ok as promised, back to solving foot lock attacks, part 2.

Hide your Feet, Hide your Legs.

Defend your Feet! Continued..

Ok, once again imagine yourself getting ready to roll with an opponent that you know enjoys twisting legs and breaking Ankles. What do you do?

Here's a great idea? Pull Guard and play spider guard... ok just kidding.

That would be horrible. Actually every guard that involves your legs being upright and protruding forward is pretty much a bad idea against a leg lock enthusiast.

What guards should you play if you are on bottom?? Guards that hide your feet or allow you to hug your opponent's hips or torso. For example Sitting Guard or Quarter Guard.

However a common approach being used to attack the legs and feet is actually to catch the leg from a Guard position by using a hook to pull the leg or foot away from the body. That's why TRUJITSU rule #10 is important. As discussed previously, Always keep your knees in front of your feet when facing a leg attacker.

 

It's very simple, keep your feet behind your knee so it's harder for your opponent to reach your feet.

In addition to not letting your opponent grab your feet, don't let your opponent elevate and lift you or get under your base. This is another scenario that often happens when your opponent is playing X Guard. The Guard player lifts up the top player, scoops his leg, and then starts to attack the leg as he pushes the top players body away.

Words don't explain well, so once again please see the pictures bellow to better illustrate.

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The beginning of a problem. the left leg is forward and the foot is close enough to hook. 

 

 

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The Guard player collects the Leg. 

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The Guard player pushes legs apart and begins foot lock.

 

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The foot is now caught! 

This is another example of what not to do. 

 

*Please see illustration below on what to do to if your opponent hooks your Leg. 

 

 

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  If your opponent grabs your leg, first drop your weight.

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Bring your feet together. 

 

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Lock your feet together, and follow the next few steps to pass the Guard.

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Underhook the head and push your hips forward.

 

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Turn your body to face your opponent with your feet and legs still wrapped around your opponent's leg, then hug the top leg.

 

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Kick your leg free. 

 

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Complete the pass. 👍

 

Don't just survive their leg attack, use their attack to pass the Guard.

That's TRUJITSU!

Leandro Lo vs Nick Meregali, So what really happened?.

Leandro Lo vs Nick Meregali. So What really happened?


The 2017 Worlds is over and a lot of great matches took place. A few upsets, a few goofy calls, and as always a few lessons to take back to the classroom.


One of the matches to make a wave was the battle between Lo and Meregali. Lo was expected to win, however Metegali pulled off an upset victory. By all accounts Lo should have won, having the edge with much more experience, confidence having beaten Meregali before. Moreover, Lo is considered one of the best conditioned Jiu Jitsu athletes, and some might say he was a tad bigger then Meregali. Just a tad.


So what happened? Very simple, A "Reach under" sweep is what happened!

Why I am I writing about this? Because this is an example of a "TRU" technique.

A TRU technique is a move that once you catch your opponent in that move, that's it, they are stuck, and you are going win that transition regardless of how athletic or strong they are. Those that have been following the TRUJITSU revolution from the beginning probably recognized the "reach under grip" as it took place and aren't too surprised by the outcome. It's simply that difficult to get out, unless you are Superman and you can fly.


Jiu Jitsu constantly evolves, however the concept of grabbing the bottom of your opponent's Lapel isn't new. There are several Guard games that involve creative ways of grabbing your opponent's Lapel. Lapel guard, Worm Guard, and for those that have been following TRUJITSU from the early days you're most likely familiar with the Jiu Jitsu lab DVD series that came out almost 5 years ago and introduced Lapel concepts from the Sitting Guard. However the outcomes aren't always the same or as definitive.

It would be easy to make a 20 page lesson on this subject, and why some grips are better then others. But the point of these blogs is to be brief and still informative. So the best compromise is to say..

1. First, look at the picture below.

2. Ask, How was Lo trying to respond ?

3. Why did Lo feel he could stand up ?

If you analyze those 3 hints it will probably become more clear why the "Reach under grip" works so well. 


If not, well, just keep following the revolution. : )

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Ok, What really happened between Shaolin vs Florian?

Ok we are right in the middle of discussing how to stop Leg Locks, but this last weekend's match between Florian and Shaolin keeps popping up, so I figured it might be a good idea to bring up a couple of valuable points.

 

It's not too often I talk about fights or matches, however several comments and questions keep surfacing about this fight.

 

Just Minutes after the fight took place I had students asking if I saw the fight. The answer was no, and I wasn't in a hurry to watch because I figured it was just another case of someone winning and someone losing with both sides having fans emotionally invested.  What makes this interesting is that most of the comments on the news feeds are just referencing "The Choke", when there was much more that happened that lead up to the choke happening.

 

First it should be said that Kenny Florian is a good and knowledgeable Jiu Jitsu competitor. Moreover, he recently has done well in competition. I have never rolled with Kenny personally, but I do recall seeing some of his seminar material floating around on a bootleg DVD about 10 years ago that showed he had a solid well thought approach to Jiu Jitsu.

 

So what really happened??

 

The Answer...

High level Jiu Jitsu, that's what happened. Never forget anything can happen in High Level competition. There are details to be explained of course, but the simple answer is, "High Level Jiu Jitsu", where one mistake can set the tone for a bad outcome. Especially if the match has a time limit, which we will also bring up. I will go out on a limb and say if both of these competitors fought again, the outcome might be a bit different, if not, at least it would be a closer fight. Both of these competitors are talented and deserve respect.

 

Ok, let's talk specifics.

 

Those of you that get to hear my rants on a regular basis already probably recognized a certain detail at the beginning of the match. Florian was trying to lead with his hips and stay out of the range of Shaolin's guard. This is becoming more common and my prediction was that this would be a standard practice to stay out of range of your opponent's guard.

What happened next?

Sitting guard is what happened next!

Now before you think I am going to spin this discussion in to "Why you must learn sitting guard," I want to remind everyone that Sitting Guard also has its down side or "kink in the armor."

The only hint I am going to give you on that is to look at the last frame of the exchange shown below.

However, where Sitting Guard does benefit is from the Fulcrum or pivot point you create with your knee. The knee creates the sweep not the foot hook. Notice where Shaolin inserts foot to position knee against Kenny's torso. Shaolin executed the sweep with an overhooked arm which probably made the sweep easy to underestimate. Usually the overhook allows the top player to pass by creating an angle, however in this case the fulcrum created by the knee is the variable that changes everything.

The images below show the progression of the sweep.

When discussing this match, this first exchange set the tone for what would happen next. Of course we know the match ended with a clock choke, however that choke may not have ever happened if Florian didn't feel the pressure to catch up on points or attempt a sweep that wasn't ripe yet. The other key was Shaolin's continuous grip on Florian's pant leg that limited options from The De La Riva guard.

Why did Florian keep an open guard? Because he probably felt the need to create movement because he was behind on points. 

That lead to the long step pass attempt, then scramble to recover guard,

then hip switch to turtle,

then came the clock choke.

Those that compete have probably recalled the feeling of being in Florian's situation. In competition a rough start can create a ripple effect.

So much can be taken from this match. Not just the conclusion.

If you ever watch a high level match and wonder why both competitors are so cautious, this match is a good example of why.

 

The difference between Butterfly and Sitting Guard is the placement of your knee against your opponent's torso.

A few observations to take note, that will probably seem familiar to those already following TRUJITSU. 

A few observations to take note, that will probably seem familiar to those already following TRUJITSU. 

1. The Sitting Guard is easy to underestimate.

2. t's never good to be behind on points in a short match.  

3. Don't allow your opponent to control your pant leg when your guard is open. 

for those that have asked my thoughts, hope to his helps. 

Now let's get back to the Leg lock stuff. 

Leg Lock attacks? No problem. Let's connect the dots again. #12

Ok..

Here we go again.

It's been a while since we have "blogged". Forgive me, but you should be watching TRUJITSU on YouTube anyways : ).

If you have been, then you probably already realized that's where my focus has been. Thank you by the way.  However.. some still like the reading stuff, so I decided to throw another one or two on the table.

 

What better topic to elaborate on than the latest TRUJITSU rule # 10.

Here is what it boils down to. If you decide to jump into the latest "sub only" tournament, and your opponent likes to attack your feet or legs, then never let your toes line up in front of your knee.

Words may not explain this easily so I have decided to break this into two segments, and as always include pictures to better illustrate what we are trying to accomplish.

 

Long Story short, follow rule 10 and your Leg Lock issues probably start to disappear with little effort.

 

To explain in the simplest words, keeping your knee in front of your toes frames your leg and tucks your feet away from your opponent's hook. If your opponent can't hook your leg, they lose the opportunity to attack your leg or foot for that matter.

To help illustrate this subject I called upon two of my favorite Jiu Jitsu ladies, Jill and Kylie Baker.

 

Below is an example of one scenario where it is important to keep your knee positioned in front of your toes.

The first sequence shows Jill successfully hooking Kylie's leg for a sweep and leg attack.

 

Notice Kylie's left leg. This is a common occurrence from X Guard and single X. 

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This image below shows Kylie placing her knee forward and basing lower, which prevents Jill from capturing the leg.

 

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The beauty of Jiu Jitsu is that anything can happen. There are several approaches to attacking your opponent's leg. However the defense is often very simple in almost every case. To be continued my friends.. 

Don't Get out of line!

 Connecting the dots for success #11

" Don't get out of line! "

That statement almost everyone hears growing up, believe it or not, is a great reference for Jiu Jitsu defense.

 

Remembering that quote can be what saves you from some of the most common submissions and bad positions your opponent may put you in. Remember the TRUJITSU rule "more important than learning any 1 move, is learning the proper way to move". TRUJITSU is the scientific breakdown of Jiu Jitsu as a language, and this detail is for conversing your way out of bad positions.

 

When you look at the function of common submissions such as the Bow and Arrow and arm bar, the effectiveness of those attacks is almost completely dependent on the body alignment of both players being perpendicular.

 

Keeping it simple, when your opponent attacks, immediately line up your body in a parallel position with legs pointing the same direction and life gets easier.

 

This concept is simple and in some cases you may find yourself falling into this movement by coincidence when scrambling. However if you find yourself trapped under your opponent, paralleling your body should be your immediate interest.

 

To better illustrate, please see pictures below.

of a couple common scenarios.

1. When your opponent attacks your arm from side control.

Note: step 1 Body position is crossed.  Step 3 shows feet pointed in same direction.

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2. When you are trapped in your opponent's side control. 

 

Once hips are parallel, the opportunity to reverse top player becomes easier. 

Once hips are parallel, the opportunity to reverse top player becomes easier. 

Long Story Short, stay in Line when trapped under your opponent. Unless you are playing guard, the more perpinndicular you are, the easy it is to control you. 


Connecting the Dots for success#10 "Be like the Mantis and Pray"...

Be like The Mantis and Prey,

or be like the Koala and sit?

What to do??..

For those of you that already have noticed the spelling error for Pray Mantis, thank you.

Now that I have your attention, let's talk about one of the most underrated Guards in the Jiu Jitsu Kingdom. The Koala Guard.

If you are wondering why this Guard is called Koala, look at the picture and note the similarities. This position often develops from sitting guard when your opponent decides to stand up. However there are several ways to initiate this position.

And once you do, the possibilities are almost endless because your back is off the mat and you have gravity on your side to create momentum. What people often overlook is how this position can take you to several other guards with literally 1 or 2 steps.

That's if you even need to, considering you probably will find easier options to knock over your opponent from Koala Guard.

Need a few examples? Please look below to better explain and demonstrate the perks of the Koala Guard.

Here is an example of how to get to Koala Guard from De Lariva Guard. As Ben pushes down on Ian's leg the transition begins. 

Here is an example of how to get to Koala Guard from De Lariva Guard. As Ben pushes down on Ian's leg the transition begins. 

Single Leg take down From Koala. This option works with or without grabbing their arm. However grabbing their sleeve provides several counter options. See example below. 

Single Leg take down From Koala. This option works with or without grabbing their arm. However grabbing their sleeve provides several counter options.

See example below. 

Koala rolling side sweep.   Long Story Short.. Sit up when your guard is compromised. The options are endless. Never doubt the strength of "The Koala".  Need more info? always remember to tune in to TRUJITSU on Periscope. 

Koala rolling side sweep.  

 

Long Story Short.. 

Sit up when your guard is compromised. The options are endless. Never doubt the strength of "The Koala".  

Need more info? always remember to tune in to TRUJITSU on Periscope. 

Connecting the dots for success #9 = Save your Guard!

Imagine this..

Your hands are tired, your legs are burning, and when you decide you can't handle the pressure any more, your opponent pins your legs to the floor and passes your guard.

Keep in mind you are exhausted, that's why your guard started to fail to begin with.

Does the match get easier now that you surrendered the pass? NO!

Now, on top of being Exhausted, you get to enjoy the pressure of your opponent crushing your chest.

 

How can this be prevented?

 

One simple rule, never let your back touch the mat if your guard is compromised.

To better explain, and to keep this "Long story short", look at the pictures below.

The person on top is in the same position. However the player on bottom is doing 1 thing different that makes a night and day difference.

Note: With your back off the mat your opponent  has much to consider before attacking you because he has less control. 

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The better you are at getting your back off the mat, the harder it is to pass your guard.

Even better, develop options that keep your back off the mat, for example Koala Guard. If you are not familiar with Koala Guard, please see picture below and stay dialed in for a wave of information on the way.

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