I was excited to watch Felipe Costa’s documentary The Path to Success because it promised to show how an average BJJ fighter could become an expert competitor. Through three sections, “Felipe’s Story”, “Old Mistakes”, and “Techniques”, The Path to Success offers a new take on jiu-jitsu documentaries by showing how three aspects of jiu-jitsu combine to make a great competitor. Unfortunately, the actual content left me wanting more.

The first section is a personal account of Costa’s journey to become a world champion. He narrates his life from the time he was a “little fat guy with no talent in the beginning” up until he becomes a two-time world champion. His narration accompanies a slideshow of pictures that together form a somewhat cohesive story of Costa’s life. There are also some clips of old tournament footage that offer humor to his story, such as the coach yelling, “Are you dead, Felipe?” in the background of his fight.

While this section seems to drag on too long at some points, it offers the most important aspect of this DVD: Felipe’s outlook on jiu-jitsu. His positive viewpoint on training hard to become the best is inspiring and motivational. He emphasizes the point that he was not talented in jiu-jitsu. He lost most every match growing up, but with persistence in training, focus, and confidence building, Costa was able to move up the ranks until he reached his goal of standing atop the medal podium at the Mundials.

While it does incorporate an incredible message about never giving up in a fight, I found a disconnect between Costa’s story-telling and his actual training regimen. As much as he said he received great coaching and sparring partners, viewers do not get a chance to see what kind of training makes a champion. The Path to Success lacks a very important connection between the type of training one must do to become a champion and the mindset of a champion. There is no doubt that Costa is correct in his philosophy about hard work paying off, but I am not so naive as to think that a champion mindset alone will create a world champion. It would be nice to see real footage of the type of training it takes to win competitions.

On another note, if you are looking for a documentary that shows the lifestyle one must lead to be a champion, this is not the one for you. You don’t get the same “lifestyle” feel that other DVDs, like Arte Suave, have created. This DVD is more focused on one man’s journey to become a world champion: the pressure from his family to be the best at whichever career he chooses, the long road to actual victory in competition, the benefits of becoming a world champion and the opportunities championship has afforded him. This section is best described as a video magazine interview rather than a documentary.

The second section, “Old Mistakes”, had great intentions. Costa’s friends, including Demian Maia and Michelle Matta, critique his old matches. The point of this section is to show viewers common mistakes and what can be done to avoid them. Unfortunately, this section is quite awkward with each of Costa’s friends watching his matches on computer screens and explaining what they see him doing wrong. Matta’s observation is in Portuguese, so English speakers are forced to read subtitles while Matta acts out what Costa should be doing. While she has great pointers, it is difficult to absorb the technique because of the distracting set up of this section. Altogether, the point of this section didn’t come through. It shows viewers some common mistakes Costa made at blue and purple belts, but I feel it lacks the actual depth to improve an outsider’s jiu-jitsu.

“Techniques”, the third section, shows Felipe Costa’s incredible ability to teach jiu-jitsu. He has great detail in his description of each technique and viewers also get to see him pull off each move in competition. Personally, I think this section should have been the focus of his DVD. He has such a gift for teaching, especially in English, but he only shows five techniques.

There is also an “Extras” section that could have been left out of the DVD altogether. If you did not get enough out of Felipe’s story the first time, you can watch his wife tell it all over again from her perspective. Meanwhile, her story cuts between a view of her speaking and her dog traipsing across the lawn (random!).

On a media level, the layout of this DVD is sufficient, but it could have done a lot more. The sections are split into three chapters, but viewers are forced to scan through each section if they want to return to a certain idea or technique. The menu is easy enough to follow, but it would have been nice to have more chapter options. The sound quality is not the best, as Costa’s narration echoes in the room he’s in, and the multimedia quality of the DVD was amateurish to say the least. However, there is a Portuguese subtitle option for non-English speakers that makes this DVD versatile.

In the end, everyone would have benefited more had Felipe Costa intertwined his story with actual teaching and event footage. Separating these aspects was a bold new idea for jiu-jitsu documentaries that just didn’t pay off in the end. Costa’s message as a whole is an important one that will inspire viewers to be the best they can be, but altogether, it does not offer actual advice to become an expert competitor, as promised.

So would I recommend this DVD? The Path to Success offers a first-hand account of what it took to go from so-called talentless to world champion. If you are looking for some motivation in your training, this DVD could supercharge your competition mentality and push you to the next level. However, if you are looking for an actual strategy and training regimen, this may not be the source for you. I would try Martin Rooney’s Training for Warriors, instead.

Happy Training!
Kevin

Attack of the Killer Butterfly & The Human Crucifix!
This is a preview of the upcoming Jiu Jitsu Theater Double Feature 3 disc DVD set featuring Nino Schembri, available soon at www.Budovideos.com

Attack of the Killer Butterfly & The Human Crucifix!
Two Movies, One Admission, Multiple Submissions!

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the turtle historically has been seen as a conduit to either recovering guard or getting your guard passed (or possibly being submitted). However, over the last few years a lot of these views have changed as the turtle has become an offensive staging ground for sweeps, reversals, and even some submissions. While some have been slow to accept this changing paradigm shift about the turtle, others have embraced the unique aspects of this game. Nowhere else is this change so obvious than in the two Turtle specific volumes by Josh Russell and Eduardo Telles. Following is a cross comparison review of both instructionals where there can only be one winner and it isn’t the hare.

The Turtle Guard by Josh Russell- Seeing as this was the first Turtle DVD to be produced, it should definitely be the first one to go under the microscope. Russell, a Canadian black belt from Gracie Barra, discusses his involvement with the turtle though necessity as he outlines defense, reversals, and attacks from the turtle. Although the production quality leaves a lot to be desired, it is crystal clear that this material is more than unique as Josh showcases several defenses and maneuvers that you will not see anywhere else.

Who should get this: Like the following set, anyone with an interest in learning how to escape, survive, and reverse the turtle. Although I am not a huge fan of the production value, the moves are very unique and I think most people could benefit from integrating some of these drills into your warm-ups and flow rolling sessions. In addition, this instructional is about 1/3 the cost of the Telles instructional, so it may be a better choice for some economic minded buyers.

The Turtle/Octopus Guard by Eduardo Telles- Although Josh provides some valuable insight and I am sure he is a technical and skilled turtle guard practitioner, Eduardo Telles is the Turtle King. Or should I say Ninja Turtle? No one else has epitomized the positon as well as the changing paradigm from defensive turtle to turtle guard than Eduardo Telles. In this five volume instructional, Telles outlines his entire turtle game in grand fashion. As a production, Telles’ instructional is on a hole new level from that of Josh’s, but it is the depth of content that really separates the two.

As a content rich instructional, Telles’ set is definitely one of my personal favorites. He begins with his turtle guard basics and he shows everything from survival apects to defense of specific back taking techniques to some of the most enjoyable sparring drills I have ever done. Next up are two Sweeps volumes that encompass sweeps that originate from both the turtle and Telles’ loose version of the sitting guard. He shows how he transitions in and out of this guard and how he sweeps just about everyone with his relaxed style. Following this is a submissions volume with some of the sneakiest subs I have seen, and they have to be sneaky to be coming from this position! Finally, Telles includes a submission wrestling volume on a position he has coined as the octopus guard, which is both strange and exhilarating in its approach. Needless to say, it just is not possible for Russell’s instructional to match the depth of Telles’ with the amount of techniques and instruction time present throughout this DVD set.

Who should get this: Obvious Turtle fans will need to pick up this instructional. It really is the quintessential Turtle instructional and it has just about everything you need to learn and start playing with this unique position. If you want to learn the turtle from the master, go with Telles.

While it may seem that the Telles vastly overshadows Russell’s instructional, that really is not the case. Both are actually great together as a companion sets. Russell shows some crafty escapes by posting on his head and walking around the guy on top (who is trying to jump over to take his back) that are not on the Telles set. Obviously, the Telles set has moves and details that are not on the Russell set either. If you can afford both of them, I think that together they provide a rich view of the position.

For those that have seen the both sets and are ready for a different perspective, you can also check out Saulo Ribeiro’s Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 2 and The Turtle Volume he has included in that set. I would recommend this DVD just as highly as these two, but it is only one volume in a set of six.

Happy Training,
Kevin

Recently, two of the largest jiu-jitsu instructional producers went head to head with nearly simultaneous releases of the newest Marcelo Garcia vol. 4 instructional and the highly anticipated Braulio Estima set. Although the timing is certainly hard on the wallets, these instructionals couldn’t have been any more different and both are definitely worth checking out.

Marcelo Garcia vol. 4- As the latest iteration of the famous franchise, Marcelo breaks new ground in this volume entitled New Game Jiu-Jitsu. Gone are the x-guard, back attacks, and arm drag DVDs of volumes 1-3. In its place is a whole lot of submission grappling specific omoplata, guillotine, and crucifix attacks. This is definitely new ground for the series.

Like many WMA productions, the picture quality is very clean and the dubbing is crystal clear, but someone needs to tell the producer to get rid of the different colored curtain in the background. It appears frumpy and out of place when compared to the clean lines of the all blue background in Marcelo Garcia vol. 2. Ever since Saulo Ribeiro’s Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 2 we have seen the emergence of the grey curtain and i’m hoping this isn’t the beginning of a trend. Take note producers: solid screens that match the mats are better than curtains!

With that said and done lets dive into the content of Garcia 4… there is a ton of omoplata on here (4 DVDs worth). This has to be the omoplata of Garcia because he covers everything. Easily some of the most worthwhile information is on defeating the omoplata defense and isolating the arm to create the omoplata angle. These entry strategies are really top notch. For those looking for the latest and greatest techniques, the monoplata and its many variations should more than sate your curiostities.

What I liked about this set? The crucifix and guillotine DVDs are also quite excellent. Some of the transitions into the crucifix have to be seen and I had quite a few “wow” moments throughout my viewing. The guillotine instructional focuses a lot on the “ten finger” style guillotine and there are some great variations as well. My favorite DVD in the set is the crucifx; the material just felt newer to the DVD market.

Complaints: 4 discs on the omoplata felt a little overdone at times and my mind waned when viewing for long periods. Also, like some of Marcelo’s other series’, there is a little overlap to his previous sets. For example: Marcelo 2 and 3 show the same “Sperry style” arm behind the back pass, Marcelo 1 and 2 the same drag sequence, and Marcelo 2, 3, and 4 the same guillotines (from passing the sit-up guard and north south). To me, the variations between how it is shown from gi to no gi is slight and I could have used some different stuff.

Overall impression: The set comes packed with some focused material and it is definitely worth it. I don’t think it is the type that you can watch in one sitting, but you will definitely get some great insight into finishing from these common positions. My favorite is still Marcelo 1, but this set is just as solid as the other three. Marcelo could release a cookbook and I’d prob buy it.

Braulio Estima - This is the first instructional of any form from BJJ World Champion Braulio Estima by Bjjtapes. Being the owner of an incredible guard, Braulio showcases the closed and open guards as well as a small segment featuring his guard passing strategy.

The production quality is good and the background is the standard gym. Once again, it would be nice to see more of a studio feel with more control in the background. Braulio speaks English throughout and he is easily intelligible. Once again, let’s dive into the content…

I think 90 % of the moves on this set are high percentage; the closed guard and guard recovery are solid gold. The other 10 % will take a little play and practice to get used to your opponents reactions. Some of these moves include some leg movement, lassoing, and spider guard movements that will probably need a little time to get the movements and strategies down pat. With that said, I really found the basic attacks and combinations were priceless. Anyone suffering from a weak guard should see what Braulio has to offer in this department.

What I appreciated about this DVD was the attention to detail in every position. Braulio really breaks down the necessary movement and answers the why of the position. In this regard the set feels more like a private lesson than an instructional. He also teaches every technique using an intelligent opponent who is not just sitting there lame duck style. Due to this, each move really feels like three or four. For any given move, Braulio gives multiple end games and alternatives - all of which created a very dynamic feel. In fact, if Bjjtapes would have separated each move into at least two or three, he could have created a much higher move list based on Braulio’s variations. This said, I like to see the variations within the same string of thought.

My favorites techniques: Once again, I liked all of the core fundamental sections: How to defend the pass, putting together an open guard, controlling wih the guard, and posture breaking to the attack with the closed guard. Braulio’s closed guard is incredibly dangerous.

Complaints: I would have liked to see a intro menu graphic, but that complaint is very minor and is more of just a personal preference. Other than that, I was really impressed.

Overall impression: This is my favorite set from tapes. However, I really think this has more to do with the strength of Braulio as an instructor; Braulio is articulate and he presents the guard as a dynamic and moving system. Great set.

One more thing. Both sets cover totally different areas and have their own specialties. I really think they are beyond comparison in case someone is wondering which is better.
Braulio teaches some of the best gi closed and open guard that I have seen. There is a lot of value and I think the principles can be utilized without the gi. Apart from this, Garcia shows technique specific moves that are great for gi and no gi, but are definitely assisted by the no gi freedom of movement. Both are grade A quality instructionals.

Happy Training,
Kevin

With the incredible success of current Alliance fighters like Marcelo Garcia, Tarsis Humphreys, and Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles, there has been an increased focus on the teaching skills of their instructors, Jacare Cavalcante and Fabio Gurgel. With only a few other instructionals from these great instructors, the time was right for some new material in the form of their recently released seminar DVDs.

Having more instructional material to compare to, we will begin by looking at Fabio Gurgel’s BJJ Summer Seminar in Atlanta. First and foremost, this DVD has zero overlap with Fabio’s previous DVD instructional, Fabio Gurgel’s Greatest Techniques (which I also recommend) and his Basic Jiu-Jitsu book. Whereas Greatest Techniques and Jiu-Jitsu Basics focus on a broad spectrum of favorite techniques or core moves, this seminar is incredibly focused on a very special area… attacking off the guard pass. Though there are a few caveat passes at the end that are more than worth it, the attacks from the guard that make up the bulk of the instruction are worth the price of admission alone.

The moves themselves are what only can be described as current. He has triangles where your use the heel off of the back of their collar to make space, armdrags to leg picks off of the pass, and it looks like Fabio can hit submissions off of almost any pass. This is content that is somewhat rare in the instructional market and it is good to see a focus on submissions from the pass prevention.

With that said, there are two glaring problems that severely impede the viewability of the seminar. The first problem is that Fabio’s audio track is set way too low throughout the seminar so expect to turn the volume way up. Fabio’s English has improved markedly over his Greatest Techniques interviews, so his instruction is more than sufficient. The second problem (combines with the first one to make a nightmare for the ears) is that there is no way to advance chapters or “Play All” on your DVD player. Basically, you have to select your move at the menu screen (all moves are well described so that is good) then turn your volume way up to listen to Fabio, after the technique is over it ejects you back to the menu screen where the menu start up music is blaring!! This means that when you watch it, you have to have your volume control in hand and have a quick twitch to ensure that you pick a new move before you lose some hearing. Unfortunately, this annoyance does get in the way of an otherwise good DVD. I would prefer to just hit play and chapter forward and back.

The Alliance 2004 Jacare Seminar in NY DVD was another one that I was looking forward to. Filmed entirely in NYC, I was excited to see some details from the head of one of the most successful schools in competition. As a comparison point, there is relatively little in the form of media instructionals by Jacare with the exception of his parts in Comprido Medeiros’ set, added details in the Leo Vieira Georgia seminars, and his recent BJJ Fighting Strategies book; none of which really compare to this seminar. In actuality, this only piqued my interest for the seminar and what he may show.

Personally, this was a really hard DVD to review. On the one hand, I thought the moves were good, high percentage stuff that you would expect to learn from a black belt of Jacare’s stature. On the other, the production is not very good- at all. The entire seminar was edited onto one entire timeline without breaks. Basically, you put the DVD in and press play and it goes from one end to the other. In itself, this is not the end of the world, but in the age of DVDs and easy editing software, this does become less than acceptable. The other problem is that the entire film was filmed using what must be a tripod-less handy cam. What does this mean to the viewer? Expect grainy footage and shaky movement from time to time. Unfortunately, with this less than stellar production, the opportunity was missed to capture what is otherwise a good seminar.

Getting off of the negativity bus, I should emphasize that Jacare does teach some very good pointers, especially on the pass. The gripping strategies and movements are basic, but don’t mistake that for low percentage or inadequately taught. One moment that I particularly enjoyed was seeing how Jacare starts a knee slide Margarida style pass and when the opponent slides his outside knee across the abdomen to defend, Jacare just loops the leg, pressures and passes off of their next reaction. This is good stuff - nothing fancy; most moves are well known by most intermediate players, and they are put together to create a logical game or drill. The xguard moves have been done before, but it still of value to get Jacare’s perspective and detail. In the end, it is these little details that make or break any DVD for me.

Would I recommend these DVDs? Yes and no. Content wise they are both good. Fabio teaches an area of the game that is really important and often missed in other instructionals. However, the structure of the DVD does make it somewhat annoying. The Jacare set has high level basics strung together to showcase good movement and fundamental BJJ, but the picture quality and lack of chapters also make it hard to watch. For me, yes I would buy them because I enjoyed the content (especially that of Fabio’s), but I do think the production and in particular DVD authoring and filming is subpar.

One thing is obvious after some later introspection on these DVDs. Both Jacare and Fabio are two of the best in the world at teaching and competing in jiu-jitsu. Hopefully as they tune things up on the production side, they will be able to create a DVD that is better suited to showcase their amazing skills.

Happy Training,
Kevin

When looking at the current crop of champion factories in the BJJ and MMA world, one cannot overlook the powerhouse Cesar Gracie Competition Team. With champions and fighters like Dave Terrell, Gil Castillo, Nick and Nate Diaz, Jake Shields, and Gilbert Melendez, it is clear that Cesar Gracie offers something important as an instructor. To discover what this special “something” is, we are going to be diving into Cesar Gracie’s DVD legacies, his 3 disc Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Instructional by Ultimate Imports as well as the self produced 6 volume Gi-Less Jiu-Jitsu set.

Cesar’s Base: It really looks like Cesar’s base or foundation of instruction can be found in his first GJJ 3 disc instructional. Throughout the nine volumes on three discs, Cesar outlines what could be considered a complete BJJ game, ripe with clinchwork, escape mechanics, takedowns, passing, guardwork, and positional dominance with submissions. The moves themselves are a mixture of Gracie basics, rich detail in movement, and competition variants that build off of the intelligent opponent hypothesis. In this regard, we can see the first indicator to Cesar’s teaching success.

Immediately, it is apparent that Cesar Gracie is offering something different with GJJ in terms of the Gracie instructional market. While other sets have been successful in showing move collections, Cesar not only repeats the same thing, but adds details and variations that are missing in sets like Renzo and Kukuk. For example, Cesar not only shows a classic windmill sweep, but he shows what the opponent is likely to do and how this leads you towards your options as an attacker. His opponents, Dave Terrell and Gil Castillo, offer very real defense and this is great when seeing how a move is more likely to be executed.

However, for as much as it is important to show resistance in instruction, this is not the secret to Cesar’s teaching success. I feel that his real success is in his communication. On both of these DVD series’, Cesar speaks perfect accent free English as only a native speaker can. While other Gracie sets have their moments of greatness, they can often be bogged down as the instructor either A. hunts for the right word to use or verb tense or B. uses an interpretator that may miss some of the key points. For Cesar, he really is a double threat. He has an incredible amount of detail in his core, advanced, MMA, and gi-less jiu-jitsu and he has the ability to easily communicate this knowledge. With this said, let’s discuss the high and low points to Cesar’s instructionals.

Where the GJJ 3 disc set succeeds in content, instructional quality (especially in teaching proper body movement for the technique), and diversity; it fails in organization and DVD production. Regarding organization, this set is divided into basics, intermediate, and advanced. Like the BJJ Theory book, this structure lends itself to some scrutiny when some moves seem too basic for intermediate, too advanced for basic, etc. On top of that, a few volumes seem to randomly jump between BJJ, submission wrestling, and MMA theory- this also creates some issues in terms of continuity. In Cesar’s defense, this set is a bit older now and at the time, the distinction between no-gi and MMA may have been less pronounced. With the organizational issues put to rest, I really feel that my biggest bone pick with the series is with the DVD production. As a remastered from VHS set, I do not expect Hollywood visuals, but I do wish that Ultimate Imports could have chaptered each volume. There is a ton of information on here and having to use the fast forward and rewind exclusively makes me feel like I am watching VHS all over again. Regularly, I have the bad luck of wanting to watch the last move on a volume and it is a pain in the neck to get there.

Cesar’s present and future: If the 3 Disc GJJ set represents Cesar’s foundation, the 6 Disc Gi-Less Jiu-Jitsu set has to be his present and future. I say this for one primary reason… Although Cesar’s guys are great with the gi in competition, they exhibit some truly technical BJJ without the gi and in MMA. In the same teaching style as his 3 Disc set, Cesar goes really in depth into the submission grappling game and the details are definitely present. In addition, Cesar shows you all of the grips and controls that you will utilize if you are a straight jiu-jitsu player trying to adapt to the faster pace of submission wrestling; the way he covers the slip factor and body control is very smart.

An example of the technical nature of this set is when Cesar introduces the basic foot lock game off of the pass. I would think that most grapplers have seen, know, or are aware of this move, but Cesar shows everything from your partners expectations (they think you may pass still due to your pressure), how the inside arm controls the knee turn instead of simply grabbing, and the turning feel with pressure to get the tap. I really think Cesar covers all of the bases or why’s of the position - this is invaluable teaching. The result of this style: technical fighters that can adapt their BJJ to the gi, MMA, or submission wrestling.

In terms of complaints, I thought the production and content was great; the video quality is on a much higher level than his previous set. However, there were some areas I thought that Cesar could have spent a little more time with. Although all of his volumes were interesting, I really did not like his section on flying attacks. Do not get me wrong, the instruction was good, I just thought the time could have been better utilized showcasing more guard pass prevention without the gi or some more high percentage attacks like his other material. Truth be told, this is a very minor complaint - I think the Gi-Less set has some great information, especially the leg attacks, attacks, and defense.

Having now spent way too much time viewing Cesar, I think I have an understanding as to why he has become a marquee instructor. Really, in terms of teaching Gracie Jiu-Jitsu he has a great advantage. Combining his depth of knowledge and detail with his high level of communication, Cesar is a great place to start to learn the details that may otherwise be missed.

Would I recommend these? Definitely. I would go with either, but actually the GJJ set is a better deal in terms of content for your dollar. This set is as long as some of the $150.00 sets and just as worth looking into. If you are solely no gi or MMA focused, go with his newer Gi-Less set. This set is also a great companion to his online Gracie Fighter E-Lessons. Whether its gi, submission wrestling, or MMA, it looks like Cesar is a great asset to becoming a technical fighter.

Happy training,
Kevin

When it comes to instructionals, there are usually two major subcategories that arise: 1. Encyclopedic- including the macro every move under the sun as well as the micro/position specific instructional and 2. Game specific- where the player tries to give insight into why his/her jiu-jitsu works so well. However, sometimes the dividing line between these subcategories becomes hazy and this is definitely the case with the recently released Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles Vol. 1 and Cobra Jiu-Jitsu 2 instructionals by Bull Terrier out of Japan.

First off, let’s learn a little about Ruben Charles and why these instructionals are going to be of such interest for so many practitioners. To talk about Rubens is so to talk about the famous and now defunct TT School. As a student/blackbelt under Fernando “Terere” Augosto and Eduardo Telles as well as a classmate to Andre Galvao, Rubens has been fortunate to train under some of the most popular and sought after instructors. With the collapse of TT and lack of instruction from Galvao or Terere, this set along with the Eduardo Telles Turtle Guard is pretty much all that is available to get an insight into the techniques of TT. With that said, Charles has also blossomed into an international BJJ star in his own right with dominating victories at the Mundials in which he became a world champion by convincingly defeating Marcio Feitosa and chasing this with a Pan American title as well. His style most closely mirrors that of Fernando Terere in his use of hooks, capoeira infused athleticism (he is an instructor level in capoeira as well), uncanny sensitivity, and transition.

Regarding the instructional, this is a 2 volume set (Rubens Charles I and Cobra Jiu-Jitsu II) that is filmed entirely in Japan. The language track is Portuguese only with Japanese subtitles, so if you have a problem with visual learning this may not be the set for you. Each disc retails at 39.95 and consists of over 50 moves per disc. Both volumes consist of techniques, interview (once again Portuguese only), sparring footage, and class footage. The class time includes warmups, drills, Swedish Ball techniques, and a capoeira demo. It should be noted that the class and sparring footage is filmed on a different camera and due to lighting and resolution the visual quality suffers a little bit compared to the instructional footage. However, the issue is a minor one when you consider how enjoyable these segments are.

The content of these DVDs is superb, but may not be for everyone. Foremost, it is a non-English import DVD (don’t worry - it works fine on Region 1 players) and some people will not be able to learn visually or understand the language. As far as techniques the movements include a lot of transitions and again this may be alien to some viewers. What we do get with these DVDs are some of the most advanced techniques I have seen; some complex and some simple. Here are some of my personal favorites:

For the Andre Galvao fan: Cobrinha goes through several moves with the leg lasso from spider guard that Galvao has made famous in competition, Arte Suave vol. 1 (where he is partnered with Cobrinha), and in his segment at TT Academy on BJJ Spirits. The lifting sweeps from the leg lasso are incredible.

The Terere fan: Most of the transitioning techniques are very similar to what you may have seen Terere accomplishing in competition, especially Charles’ back taking moves, guard pass transitions, and hook guard techniques. Both Charles and Terere have a great ability to sweep off being flattened with their hooks in. It is a position that most end up in and get passed, yet these guys manage to sweep and for that alone I think these techniques are incredible. Not to mention, there is no Galvao or Terere instructionals- this is the only way to see their techs.

The Marcelo Garcia fan: As an Alliance lineage black belt (and present student of Fabio Gurgel), there are a lot of comonalities between Cobrinha’s attacks and Garcia’s. On Volume 1, Cobrinha goes in depth on what Garcia now calls the monoplata and he shows how he attacks it from a myriad of positions. You can often see Gavlao, Charles, and Garcia working this with great success in competition. In addition, both volumes include guard passing and harness strategies that look very similar to Marcelo’s game as well.

In addition, there are similarities to Telles’s Octopus game in a couple of moves and Leo Vieira’s movement based guard passing throughout the DVDs. One of my favorite things about the guard passing is that he puts moves together so that you do 2 or 3 passes to get the pass and it is all about drilling for your opponents reaction. There is so much on these DVDs and most of it I have not seen anywhere else.

Who should get this? Anyone looking to add transitions to their game that do not mind a language barrier. The moves range from intermediate to advanced, but more often than not lean towards the advanced end of the spectrum. In a recent interview, Rigan Machado spoke of the importance to train yourself in transitions and Cobrinha looks like living proof of this sentiment.

Asides from transitions, this is a collection of the current most advanced competition techniques out there. Almost every position is covered (with the exception of escapes) and these two volumes have a lot of great new content.

What I did not like? Some of the moves are very advanced and you will need some attributes to stand on your head or to do some of the rolls. Also, some of the moves may not be high percentage, but they are pure jiu-jitsu entertainment. On that entertainment value alone, I would recommend this to everyone.

So, if you are interested in some high level movement based BJJ (or at least watching it) you will love Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles Jiu- Jitsu Volume 1 and Cobra Jiu-Jitsu Volume 2. Both fit together perfectly to show a gameplan and are encyclopedic in their scope of covering modern competitive jiu-jitsu.

When I first thought of the idea of showcasing a certain athlete and his material, Rigan Machado was the first person to come to mind. The reason is simple… Rigan has a ton of knowledge, experience, and product both written and video from multiple publishers, therefore he was a prime candidate for the Essential Series. In addition, Rigan is respected as one of the greatest BJJ practitioners of his era and is also one of the five famous Machado brothers of jiu-jitsu.

Now, let’s establish the purpose of the Essential Series. Basically, the role of the ES is to take an extraordinary martial artist and discuss the pros and cons of their entire curriculum. This will be top down, so there will be a Top 3, following by the rest of the media in no particular order. With these guidelines established, here is the Essential Rigan Machado.

1. Rigan Machado’s Triangle- This is one of the most underrated books out there. When I hear of popular titles, they are usually Kid Peligro or Victory Belt related, but this book really flies under the radar and is packed with content. Triangle stands out for a few reasons. First of all, it is the only BJJ book that I am aware of that solely and deeply delves into the finer intricacies of the triangle choke. Secondly, it was originally packaged with a DVD that was worth the cost of the book alone, featuring chokes and competition highlights. And finally, it captured a lot of interesting variations and detail that Rigan is known for.

Its cons are that it could have used some more writing in areas and that it’s a little too large for my bookcase (I know this is trivial). The warmups were okay, but they felt a little tacked on and lacked the importance of the following chapters. Also, some editions do not include the DVD instructional and as I said earlier, this is a great DVD that can only get your triangle attacks stronger.

To begin the Top 3, Rigan Machado’s Triangle takes top honors for being unique and one of a kind, focused, and consistant in the ability to focus the readers game towards some practical applications.

2. Rigan Machado: The Art of Passing Volume 1- Not only is this Rigan’s best DVD release to date, but it is probably one of the best instructional on gi less guard passing that you will find anywhere. In this basic volume, Rigan takes you through the fundamentals of passing the gi less guard and the detail is great. Actually, what I liked most about this set is how Rigan simplified what the passing game is and then showcased some very solid principles of passing to assist in the aquisition of passing skill. Another favorite is how Rigan forces the opponent to react and then passes off of the proper trained response; I found to this be very savy and technical. I am looking forward to seeing whats on Vol. 2.

The only real con that I could see with the content is that some people may be looking for more passes, but as a first volume, I can only assume that more is on the way. Other than that, the moves on this DVD are coherent and I love how Rigan manages to turn anything into a drill - this is itself is of incredible value.

3. No Gi Submission Wrestling Vol. 1-3- This DVD is kind of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand it does include a lot of great no-gi techniques, but it is more encyclopedic and it lacks the feel of the previous two instructionals. What this series does great is capture the pool of knowledge that Rigan has on submission wrestling. Some highlights for me are Rigan’s take on the twister, transition footlocks, roll overs from foot control, and everything regarding the underhook. There is some fantastic information on here.

As a negative, the structure and DVD format leaves a lot to be desired. It is hard to watch some DVDs that have chapter issues (or lack of) with poor opening structures and menus. This is issue is also present on Rigan’s Mastering, Essential, and Secrets of the 1/2 Guard Series‘.

Honorable Mention:

The Secrets of the 1/2 Guard- This set is actually really good and Rigan’s halfguard operates a lot differently from the current paradigm as popularized by Eddie Bravo in his Mastering the Rubber Guard book. Rigan plays a lot with lapels and overhooks and this series serves as a great compliment to the Bravo book and other great halfguard instructionals like Gordo’s and Gustavo Machado’s. Unfortunately, the organization is lacking and the producer failed to create a chaptering system that could only have assisted in the viewing of the DVD. Still, there are moves on here that I had never seen prior to this.

Now, on to the rest…

Encyclopedia of BJJ Vol.1-3, Essence of BJJ, and Rigan Machado’s Leglocks- The Encyclopedia books are filled with a vast amount of techniques and this is the quintessential tome of Rigan’s knowledge. Reading this three book series, it is just incredible to see how many techniques Rigan knows intimately. What stops this book series from surging towards the top are the black and white photographs and the horrid organization without any clear chaptering, move list, or index. The reader should not have to skim through Guard Passes 1-50 (I know it is an exaggeration) to find the torreando - just call it the torreando! With that said, I can guarantee that everyone can find something new or forgotten in this set and that in itself makes it valuable.

The Essence of BJJ and Encyclopedia of Leglocks books just feel a lot more lacking than the first Encyclopedia Books. The Essence of BJJ is essentially a bare bones Book Series with an equally shallow DVD series with abyssmal video quality to accompany it. I would not recommend these to anyone pass a beginner with absolutely no knowledge of BJJ, but in that case I would probably recommend the Royler and Renzo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu book instead. The Leglocks Book is hindered by grainy photographs and short explanations, although there are some great moves in here. For the leglock enthusiast- you might pick this up because of the lack of other leglock books on the market, but I would go for the Yakimov Leg Lock DVDs and perhaps the Imanari DVD for some truly exciting leg attacks. One thing is for certain, the market is right for a good leglock book to be introduced.

Mastering Jiu-Jitsu Series- This is a 3 Disc Set in which Rigan delves into the 1/2 Guard, Chokes, and Leglocks. A lot of the moves are seen in other instructionals, so I did not really get into the groove of these DVDs. The production is a lot better than the Essence of BJJ series, but once again the chapters are lacking and the DVDs run like one big long shot. This should not be the case and unfortunately it interferes with the viewability of the product. Perhaps they should have focused more on the halfguard DVD and created it more as an addendum to Rigan’s Secrets of the Halfguard.

After watching so much of Rigan Machado, one thing is for certain- this man is a veritable encycopedia of BJJ. As a walking encyclopedia, I feel that Rigan is best utilized when his focus is micro, so that he can pour all of his knowledge and detail onto one fine tuned topic. The result of which are products like the Top 2 and Secrets of the 1/2 Guard, focused and full of details that many would never get to see.

Next up for the ES series? The Essential Mario Sperry.

Happy Training,
Kevin

Carlos Machado recently released his new set after receiving a lot of hype, but how does it stack up to other well liked sets like Saulo Ribeiro’s Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 1? After many long nights watching and rewatching both sets, I think its time to find out.

First off, let’s get into what makes Saulo’s Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 1 a great set. From beginning to end, there is one thing that Saulo nails and that is detail. He spends an indordinate amount of time on every technique and the viewer actually gains something very special when they watch Saulo - they begin to believe that they are seeing the “secrets” of BJJ. This is due in part to Saulo’s style - he tells you why he is doing everything right and others have it all wrong. His is not a set of alternative styles, but in defense of Saulo he does a great job of explaining why his way is the right way. If this is starting to sound negative towards Revolution 1, do not misunderstand, this is a great set; it is only that Saulo can be a little preachy. That being said, Saulo does earn this right - after all, what he says and how he teaches makes a lot of sense.

If Jiu-Jitsu Revolution gives you some easy answers for common jiu-jitsu problems, Infinite Jiu-Jitsu gets you working again. This is because Infinite Jiu-Jitsu is based off one thing - real resistance. With every new set of techniques, Carlos shows how to put the movements together in sparring (which is probably at medium energy) where he channels the sparring towards the techniques he just taught against real resistance. Beyond Saulo, this leaves the viewer with an idea of the timing and pressure involved to really pull off any given technique. More importantly, Carlos answers the question every jiu-jitsu practioner comes across at some point, that is, “why doesn’t this (insert technique) work when my opponent is resisting or fighting back?” The answer is in the details of how you combat resistance with leverage.

Similar to Saulo’s Jiu-Jitsu Revolution 1, Carlos does not skimp on detail. Carlos explains everything and shows you some very logical springboards to take you over the hurdles created by resistance. An example that I enjoyed is when Carlos describes the basic foot on the hip open guard. Often times, when playing this guard, the opponent fights the sleeve pull and maintains some semblance of posture. Carlos defeats this with a basic tenet of jiu-jitsu - hip movement and shifting. Watching how Carlos broke down his opponent’s posture with shakes and hip escapes immediately turned a light on with me. This is the beauty of Carlos’ set, you really feel like you are getting some of those key details that allow all of the “old school” jiu-jitsu teachers to still dominate after all these years. This is “old school”, but I do not think too many advanced practitioners know this much about their basic techniques.

Now its time for the other side of the coin. What is stopping Infinite Jiu-Jitsu from achieving absolute greatness is its horrible organization, high price point, and DVD-R format. Whereas Saulo puts everything into a nice framework of technique by position, Carlos is all over the place. The instruction is always world class, but it would have been a lot better if it felt more coherent. At times, Carlos jumps from guard passer to pass preventer to attacks from the crucifix. This organization does hinder the DVD set at times and does make the viewer have to work a little harder to absorb different things. In Carlos’ defense, the menus are labeled as are most techniques and this at least assists in the searching of techniques; it just would have been better if it followed a more coherent structure like Jiu-Jitsu Revolution. The high price point and DVD-R format are the other two negatives and they are grouped together symbiotically. Basically, a high price or DVD-R format are both livable when independent of eachother, but when in conjunction it begs the question, “am I getting a cheap product/ripped off?” This is where the injustice lies in this set, the content is great as is the production. I think its worth the money and I am just puzzled as to why Carlos’ producers skimped on not putting these on pressed DVDs. It is just an oddity.

Why did I get this? I believed the hype when I saw some of the Infinite Jiu-Jitsu clips from his website and I will buy any DVD that shows how to beat a smart or resisting opponent. The time of presenting dumbed down opponents that lay around like dead fish is hopefully over.

Would I buy this again? In an instant. Although I am not happy that it is DVD-R, it is worth every penny. This DVD is full of so much detail and it really gets into the nitty gritty of how to make your basic techniques work better while adding a few new ones (or forgotten techniques) to the mix as well. I think the set is for all levels and this is a must buy for any grappling enthusiast.

So, what’s better, Saulo’s set or Carlos’? Well, this is a toss up. Both are great teachers and there actually is not a lot of overlap (maybe not any) between the two sets. You will get a solid overview of the fundamental jiu-jitsu game as well as the leverage that allows this art to work in resistance in each respective set. I would buy them both, but if you are cash strapped, go for Jiu-Jitsu Revolution first and then save up for Infinite Jiu-Jitsu. If you can afford them both, get them both- you’re game can only change for the better. I would also make the suggestion to pick this up as a set and not as an individual DVD. Besides being cheaper in the long run, I just think you will probably like every DVD and will want to use them all to expand your game/knowledge.

Happy training,
Kevin