This is still one of the most common questions about Jiu-Jitsu. In this video, I will explain my perspective on...

• Why the early UFCs answered the question about which martial art was most effective… and why those answers are still relevant today [0:56] 
• How the original structure of the UFC, which included 3 or 4 fights per night to win, and no-gloves and barely any rules, shaped the world of Mixed Martial Arts 
• How Royce Gracie really forced the world to learn Jiu-Jitsu (hint: it wasn’t just the fact he won his fights… it was how he won) [7:50] 
• Why if you’re doing Jiu-Jitsu correctly, it’s never a fair fight, and the odds are always in your favor [9:20] 
• Why the MMA glove was created, and why it’s misleading for what’s effective in a real life fight [11:40] 
• Why you may want to revisit the first couple UFCs to see what happened for yourself. 

If you practice Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense...

I once asked Rickson, what he felt was the weakest part of his game and it wasn't so much his answer that surprised me but his explanation that made a tremendous impact in how I still train myself to this day.

He told me he has no weaknesses in his game, he's trained all the weaknesses out so that anywhere the fight goes he’s comfortable.  He explained to me anytime he felt like one area of his game was weaker than the others he would work on it until he felt completely comfortable there.

I apply this principle to my training to this day.

I love training Jiu-Jitsu, and although just “rolling” is fun, it's not the type of training I really do to help my game improve. For me rolling is better for getting a workout and although there will still be some improvement over time, it's is not as beneficial for me as focusing on a specific aspect of my game to develop.

When I'm focusing on improving my Jiu-Jitsu, I usually ask myself what part of my game do I currently...

How to break down techniques to figure out how to make them as efficient as possible or to figure out the most efficient/best counter to a technique?

This was a question that was brought up by one of my Mind Blown Jiu Jitsu Club Members.

The short answer is to question everything....

For me as I was coming up through Jiu-Jitsu it was never good enough for me to just learn a technique. What I was really interested in were all the things that surround the technique and trying to really understand what makes it work.

These are the things I work to master in every technique.

Timing.
What situation should I apply the technique and when was the best time? If the timing is off, the technique is going to require too much strength or not work at all.

Baiting.
How could I bait my opponent or set them up to give me what I wanted? For maximum efficiency we always try to use our opponents movements against them. So I was always trying to find the necessary reaction to the get the technique to work...

Here is one of the latest interviews I did with Shawn Mozen, founder and CEO of Agatsu.

Shawn is one of the foremost authorities in kettlebell training in the world and a lifelong martial artist.  He found out about me and Hidden Jiu-Jitsu from a Faceobook ad and I was lucky enough to have him come by Dynamix MMA and train for a few days while he was visiting in Los Angeles.

We talked a little about the site, my ideas on jiu-jitsu and I shared with him some basic ideas and adjustments to make some techniques more effective.

In this video we review some details on why framing on the bottom doesn't always work and another option.

We also reviewed a couple examples of how normal BJJ training can leave you wide open to be hit and the small changes that can implement in your training that can keep you safe from strikes.  The styles do blend together.
To check out all the amazing fitness and strength and conditioning stuff Shawn does go here http://www.agatsu.com/

I got asked this question the other day and I really had to put quite a bit of thought into it. I've had zillions of breakthroughs in training just like everyone else.  Sometimes it relates to a specific technique, a way to escape, a moment something is available to attack or just a concept and idea.  But I think something that I have been constantly reminded of recently in life and something that has had the greatest impact in my training the last few years is this.

The more relaxed and less strength I use the more effective my jiu-jitsu can become.  

I know all our instructors have tried to beat this idea into our heads from day one but it's one thing to hear it and something completely different to experience it.  The first time I had actually experienced this was when I was a purple belt almost 18 years ago.  I was just getting back on the mats from taking almost a year off from training because I had blown out both my knees in a tournament. ...

I've been teaching jiu-jitsu now for over 17 years. I'm so passionate about jiu-jitsu and the positive effect it has in peoples lives that I'm constantly trying to improve and become a better teacher so I can serve others better. I've had a lot of people ask me about teaching so I just wanted to share my thoughts on what I think makes someone a great teacher.

First to define what a teacher is we have to define teaching. Teaching is the ability to transfer ideas and information from one person to another.

A great teacher is someone who can convey their thoughts and information to others in a way where it makes it easy or simple to absorb. There are many people out there who are amazing at jiu-jitsu but do not have the ability to articulate the information in a way so that it becomes clear to others.

A great teacher must posses a wide range and depth of knowledge. For myself as an instructor it is very important for me to not only understand the ground techniques of jiu-jitsu but also...

Back from a week of training Hidden Jiu Jitsu in Costa Rica with Sub and Surf BJJ Camp!

I filmed this wrap up video just to share with you guys some of the stuff I showed at my BJJ camp in Costa Rica and people's reaction and experience learning it.

Many people said it was completely game changing!

Of course we filmed it all and I'm excited to be able to share footage of the camp with you all in the near future. For now, check out this video with the breakdown on what I covered.