Mastering Mixed Martial Arts: The Guard - Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

I've always been a great fan of the man known as Nog. His style influenced my style a lot. Although, if you've seen one of my fights, you'll know my guard is not nearly as active and effective as his. As a result, I've also come to inherit his legendary ability to take punishment.

Maybe this book is just what I need.

I've seen plenty of books on the guard and I've reviewed a lot here. However, this seems to be the first that really takes what is really the traditional guard-work of BJJ and show its adaptation to MMA.

I know I don't need to introduce Victory Belt as a publisher. They've been reviewed here on many occasions. This book was supplied to me by Victory Belt for review.

It meets their usual high standards for quality. It has 228 pages, which is a little light by VB's standards. The format is smaller as well. However, there is no less information in the book. I actually like the smaller format because it actually fits vertically in the bookshelf I want to keep it in. My only gripe is that the previous ones don't.

VB books always start with an introduction from the author themself. Of course, this has exactly that. While this isn't why most people buy the books, it's my favourite part. It's the mind that makes the fighter and his story that makes his mind. Nogueira's is a good story. He outlines the hardships he's had to endure and the objects he's overcome to get where he is.

Also, where these intros can be quite dry, I was captivated by Nog's never say die attitude. Although that could be the fanboy in me.

The difficulties in photography are still evident. It must be incredibly difficult to never get background colours overlapping poorly with the models and keep everything straight. The publishers have done as good a job as you'd expect, but it's not quite up to the rap I gave Anderson Silva's book. With that said, it's always clear and the movements can be made out with minimal effort.

As per usual, the book is broken down into sections. This time, we get sections on posture control, double wrist control, the inside hooks guard (butterfly), the half guard and the downed guard - essentially, the guard against a standing opponent.

As is my way, I personally became very interested in Nogueira's use of the double wrist control, which is admonished by Victory Belt author Eddie Bravo. It just goes to show, there's a place for everything somewhere and its important to approach with an open mind.

The book is very clear and, if you're familiar with Nogueira's style, you'll see where the moves in the book translate well to his fighting technique.

I found the section on posture control to be fantastic . It's the fundamental element of guardplay - especially in MMA - and Nogueira does it well. The techniques shown work and are well described.

Nogueira is well regarded for his double wrist control guard. So, as a fan of the man - especially of his time in Pride, I especially looked forward to this chapter. The chapter gives some great clues as to why he makes it work while so many fail.

One thing I love about VB's format is the introduction of the "Troubleshooting" sections that they've introduced. This book has one, too. However, it only covers the half-guard. I think the first two sections especially could have used a section on this, as well.

The other sections seem to be a little light on content compared to these sections, but the information is still great. I just wish I had more.

If you want an inside look at Nogueira's well-known guard and perhaps pick up on how you can make it work for you, you'll go well with this book. It probably won't revolutionise most people's games, but it will definitely show exactly how good, "old school" jiu jitsu can be well applied to MMA.

Jiu Jitsu University - Saulo Ribeiro

In my last review, I mentioned I'd received an early christmas gift from Victory Belt Publications. Well, it wasn't just the Fedor book I received. I also received Saulo Ribeiro's "Jiu Jitsu University". I didn't review this first since it's already received bulk kudos from just about everyone on the web, but I thought I might add my $1 worth (I'm Australian - that probably amounts to US20c at the moment).

Everyone in Jiu Jitsu is interested in details and I spotted the first one before I opened the book. A lot of these type of books have colour coded edges so you can easily index to a section. Since this book is divided into belt sections, the colour coded edges are made in the style of BJJ belts. It's a nice touch.

The book itself is made of the same high quality binding Victory Belt and all the other good publishers are using now. It is 368 pages long and has six to ten photos per page. In my last two Victory Belt reviews, I've criticised the photos. There's no need to here. The kimonos are clear in white & blue and the mats are green which contrasts the models well.

The photos also show the inherent details of the technique correctly. This was another criticism I'v had with other books, where the timing of the photgraphy is just a little bit off. Victory Belt has told me they're using new techniques now and it shows.

As mentioned above, the book is divided into belt sections. The white belt section is simply titled "Survival" and consists of six sections where Saulo describes the postures and strategies the novice needs to get by. I think this is a great feature. While I've praised products before for their emphasis on posture, nothing I've seen has come close to this.

The blue belt section is titled "Escapes". Yes, it contains lots of escapes from various positions and submissions. In fact, it shows sixty some-odd techniques in eleven sections. The purple belt section is about the guard and has seven sections. These include pieces on butterfly, spider, cross and De La Riva guards, as well as reverse De La Riva (Andre from MMA.tv fame should be happy - he's the first one I heard use that term), sitting and half-guard.

The brown belt section is all about guard passing. It is the biggest section of the book with around 130 pages devoted to it an it's my favourite. There are twelve sections in here with strategies to pass all the guard types mentioned in the previous section plus more. It is well detailed and covers more methods than I think I could ever learn.

The black belt section is on submissions. Strangely (and refreshingly) it covers just twenty-eight techniques. I believe you can rest assured these techniques are effective and they are extremely well detailed. I think this shows that Saulo's game is about position and control and is a great indicator of the tone of the book.

Sorry - there is no red belt section. Impending grandmasters with little to learn from Saulo will have to look elsewhere. For the rest of us, this is a great resource.

The introduction breaks from the traditional VB fare and serves as an introduction to Jiu Jitsu, rather than to the author. Novice and experienced students alike would do well to read it as well as studying every part of the book - irrespective of belt rank or perceived knowledge.

Saulo leans heavily on applied principles, as opposed to simple techniques. Fans of his various video series know what I mean. The book is no different. His system relies on mastery of the fundamentals and application of mechanics. Tiny movements and details are important to the completion of techniques and Saulo is keen to show you what they are - just as he has done on his DVDs.

Xande Ribeiro is also used as a model in a lot of the photo series. It must be handy to have a brother who is also a multiple world champion to help you out with your book.

Saulo states in the book that Rickson has been the major influence on him and his Jiu Jitsu and his discussions certainly cover the same ground. I think this is as close as we're going to get to a book from Rickson in the near future, but I can tell you it's a great substitute.

Not that it needs a substitute. A friend of mine suggested that comparing this book is not fair to it or other books. He told me it's more like Da Vinci writing a book on art that covers everything from the first time you pick up a pencil through to the time you end up with the Mona Lisa.

Of course, he's a bit biased, but all hyperbole aside, this is the best curriculum style book on Jiu Jitsu written so far and I reckon it would be hard to top.

If you don't have this book, I'd like to suggest switching to soccer. Get it right now.

Eartbound - Ari Bolden

Like most people who know of him, I was introduced to Ari Bolden's work through the Submissions 101 website. Having seen some of the discussion his site has generated - both positive and negative - I was interested to see the 'Earthbound' DVD when one of my students turned up to class with it.

As is the custom here, I'll run through the DVD's contents and production first.

The DVD seems to be meant as an introduction level grappling video. The techniques shown are conventional ones and are simple, fundamental ones, at that. This surprised me a little because Bolden is a 10th Planet representative and I expected to find some Rubber Guard type stuff on here.

Firstly, I want to say the production is quite good. The menu graphics are very professional and the menus themselves are broken down well - even though I found they behaved a little erratically. That could be my DVD player's fault, however.

The DVD has three sections. They are "Throws & Takedowns", "Positional Dominance" and "Submissions". These are further broken down. The first section contains nine throws and takedowns. They start with the single leg and run through to Ippon Seionage by way of a few others, including something called the "Samurai Throw".

The Positional Dominance section covers five positions with a brief on maintaining the position and a look at one or two techniques to escape it when the shoe is on the other foot. The Submissions section similarly shows five submissions, each with a counter.

I guess this is where I have to critique the content. There has been a lot of negative talk about Bolden and Submissions 101 on the internet message boards. And, unfortunately, I have to agree. I tried to like this DVD. I really did. There are just too many holes.

To start with, I'm going to join the chorus of those criticising the technique Bolden displays and teaches. I'm no black belt myself, so I'm not going to give a detailed examination, but I'll say this. Bolden's teaching (and indeed demonstrations) are not the same as I've been taught and teach myself. The technique is looser than I would like and his explanations lack depth and detail. In fact, some of his explanations are plain hard to follow.

For mine, this isn't really the biggest issue. I'm concerned about the creation of an illusion of competence for impressionable viewers. I started out in Jiu Jitsu learning from videos. Many did. I was lucky I chose videos from reputable people. If I hadn't, I would have learned their mistakes and probably passed them to my students now. Old habits die hard.

Today, there are a lot of good DVDs available. There are few coming out right now that cover the basics well. That's because there are dozens of great ones out there already. Renzo Gracie's early series comes to mind. As does Cesar Gracie's ever popular (and cheap) three DVD set.

Further, the DVD is too short to reasonably impart any real knowledge on the techniques. You can't properly explain intricate techniques in one or two minutes. That's effectively what's going on here.

There is just no reason to buy this DVD. There is better stuff out there. I guess this is like one of those movies with all the hype and no substance. They try to get people throught the front door on opening weekend because they know once word gets out, people will stop coming.

I'm sorry if you're one of those first customers.

If you must get it. Get it here at Budovideos.

The Essential Guard - Rodrigo Medeiros with Kid Peligro

I've been meaning to review this book for a while. I bought it around 18 months ago from a retail outlet in Brisbane, Australia. Of course, that means I paid way too much for it, but it turned out to be worth every cent.

Like many of Kid Peligro's works, the book is published by Invisible Cities Press. Previous Invisible Cities products reviewed here are 'Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Theory and Technique', 'Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: For Experts Only' and 'Submission Grappling Techniques'.

Peligro is a pioneer of writing on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is a clear and easy to read writer with a knack for expressing techniques in words. This is no doubt helped by his being a black belt in the art with an obvious body of experience.

In this book, he teams up with Rodrigo Medeiros. This is the Medeiros from the Carlson Gracie team - an experienced and decorated champion with the highest of pedigrees.

This book appealed to me because of Medeiros' excellent DVD series. It was something I'd fashioned a good degree of my game from. Since books are my thing, rather than DVDs, I figured this would be a good purchase. I've not been disappointed.

The book is 231 pages long and is (as is traditional nowadays) a large format book made from quality stock. The photos are colour and are large and glossy. Interestingly, there aren't that many of them. Where a lot of books nowadays are running six to ten photos to a page, this book has three to four.

However, not one is wasted. The models are contrasted in white versus blue gi without exception and the mats and walls on the set are lightly coloured, unobtrusive and provide good contrast with no distractions. The photos work perfectly with the writing, as well.

While I've commented on other publishers' books setting standards in depth and detail, this book (and Invisible Cities books in general) set the standard in quality and attention to detail in preparation.

With that said - this is the best of Invisible Cities' work.

The book opens with a lengthy introduction section. This section does a great job of explaining the functionality, strategy and movements of the guard. It provides sage advice on its improvement and on position and posture.

This is followed by three parts. The first is called 'Essential Guard Techniques' and covers individual and partner-based improvement drills. It also includes a section on replacing the closed and open guard.

Part two is an exhaustive coverage of the closed guard and covers breaking posture, attacks and combinations. The third part discusses some conventional open guard positions (Feet in Hips, Spider and Butterfly) and covers similar fare to the previous chapter - attacks, sweeps and combinations.

I'm a simple man with simple tastes. I believe in the 80/20 rule and most of my game is the same closed guard stuff I learned when I first started in this game. This book complements my game perfectly. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to shore up their basics and learn how simple, fundamental techniques can also be the most advanced of techniques.

I may not have been particularly enamoured with some of Invisible Cities' work. But now all of Kid Peligro's and Invisible Cities' experience has come together in this book with the basic, yet detailed guard game of Rodrigo Medeiros. The result has been an excellent treatise on the guard as taught by Carlson Gracie and applied by Medeiros.

Buy It Now At BudoVideos.com

Startegic Guard - Ed Beneville & Joe Moreira

I've been waiting a long time for this. Another book from Ed Beneville's Grappling Arts Publications. Ed is responsible for the prvious works 'Passing the Guard' (with Tim Cartmell) and 'The Guard' with Joe Moreira.

For 'The Strategic Guard', he again teams with his teacher Moreira to produce a volume largely about defending your position in the guard. It also has chapters on sweeps and the sitting guard.

The reason I have been looking forward to this release is Beneville's attention to detail. Grappling Arts' previous publications pioneered the idea of multiple camera angles and different colour gis for the models. The previous books also had inordinately large numbers of photos showing the most intricate details. The new book doesn't disappoint in any of those areas, either.

'The Strategic Guard' is over 260 large format pages. Each page seems to average over twenty photographs and not one of them is wasted. Some some books add too many photos at the expense of clarity. The photos don't seem to capture the details, even if there's a lot of them.

In this book, every photo has something to say and the sequencing is clear.

The book has eleven chapters, starting with side control escapes followed by one on north-south escapes. It is refreshing for me to see these areas treated in terms of there relationship to the guard, rather than the typical purely defensive and isolated fashion.

There follows a chapter on deflection where the art of maintaining space and head control is covered in depth. This is followed by a simple and highly detailed chapter on half guard.

Following this is the meat of the book - four chapters on countering guard passes. The chapters classify the passes as tight or loose, knee in the middle and underhook passes.

A helpful chapter on counters to submissions follows before the aforementioned chapters on sitting guard and sweeps. The submission counters chapter is especially innovative to me. All to often, we gloss over the danger of submissions from inside the guard with rhetoric about positional hierarchy.

Grappling Arts Publications consistently turns out high quality, highly detailed books. This one is useful to all Jiu Jitsu practitioners, but its subject matter and detail make it as useful to purples and browns as it is to whites and blue which is where books are usually marketed.

Joe Moreira has a simple game with a lot of detail. Ed Beneville is helping him make it known to the world. If you're looking for instruction that will give you insight into the fundamentals and help you maintain your guard, this is the book for you.

For me, I'm kind of glad there's some time between each Grappling Arts publication. There's a decade's worth of details here for me.

Grappling Arts Publications

The X-Guard - Marcelo Garcia

It's no secret that I really enjoy Victory Belt's books. I think they've nailed the format for describing individuals' games and their specialities. They are definitely the market leader in the arena of working with a fighter to extract the information they need and put it into print.

It shouldn't surprise any readers, then, that I really liked the X-Guard by Marcelo Garcia.

The book has all the hallmarks of Victory Belt's previous works. The large format and detailed colour photography don't disappoint and actually go one better with this edition.

Not resting on their laurels, the guys at VB have introduced detailed inset photos where warranted. This is not a completely original concept by any means, but it is done as well here as with any other publisher.

One of the problems I thought I might have with the book is that I wouldn't be able to identify with Marcelo and the X-Guard. This was an issue with Eddie Bravo's books on the Rubber Guard. I don't really use the Rubber Guard and am not built well for it. I pretty much have had the same problem with the X-Guard.

That was until I read through this book. You see, my butterfly guard is a little...... agricultural. And that, it seems , is my problem with the X-Guard. Not my long legs and extraordinary height - my previous excuses.

The book is split into two sections. The first is on the butterfly guard and the second on the X-Guard, itself. Both are split into three subsections each. The butterfly guard section is the most detailed treatment I've seen of the topic in a book. The three subsections are titled "Basic Positioning & Grip Defense", "Sweeps & Transitions" and "Submissions".

Now, Marcelo Garcia can work his butterfly guard in a way I find amazing. It's something I'd never been able to do terribly well. I could work it well enough against white belts, but always had to let it go against people nearer my own skill level. This book, though, gives solutions to most of the problems I'd encountered in the past.

I had the same problem with the X-Guard. There was just no way known I was ever going to get my giant legs in position. It shouldn't surprise you to find I was doing it wrong, though. The details shown for the X-Guard helped me a great deal, but I believe it's my better understanding of the butterfly guard that has ealed the deal for me.

The X-Guard section is is split up in a similar way to the butterfly guard section with subsections called "Establishing the X-Guard", "Sweeps" and "Submissions".

All-in-all, I'd say this is one of those rare $24 books that have made a heck of a lot more than $24 worth of effect on my game.

It just keeps getting better, too. Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza have been getting steadily better at writing, too. In the past, I've criticised their spelling and grammar in the introduction sections. Is it better in this book? The truth is, I don't know. I got so engrossed in Marcelo's story, I never bothered to check.

That's got to be a big tick in the box.

After a review like this, I like to put a little disclaimer to it......

I am no Marcelo Garcia fanboy. I've not watched his DVDs all the way through and I've seen maybe three of his matches. I have also been known to give Victory Belt some very pedestrian reviews, but they do impress me with their ability to improve with each publication. This book is the second of their catalogue to go in the Best of the Best category, but probably not the last if the quality continues this way.

Victory Belt Publications

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Basic & Advanced Techniques - Fabio Gurgel

I've seen quite a number of posts on internet message boards about Fabio Gurgel's "latest" contribution to the instructional book market. The reports seemed solid and I seriously considered buying them for myself. So, imagine my delight when I opened a surprise package from Blue Snake Books and found both volumes inside.

Firstly, for those who haven't seen Gurgel's previous series in Portuguese, this is the English translation. I seem to remember the original series being three volumes, though. I'm assuming the volumes have been condensed, but I don't own the Portuguese version to compare.

Both books are a fairly high quality product, which is the norm, mowadays. The bindings are strong and the paper is high quality, as well. Photography is in black and white, but the pictures are clear and plentiful.

The basics book is 156 pages long and and covers just that - the basics. It starts with rolling, the technical standup and hip escape movementsbefore moving straight into self defence. This portion has a great set of fundamentals and doesn't seem dissimilar to what I was taught when I started this lark I don't know how many years ago.

The book continues with a chapter on guard passing, one on sweeps, attacks from side control and then attacks from the mount. It then keeps right on attacking - next from the back and then from the guard.

Chapter nine deals with escapes and chapter ten gives some instruction on takedowns. The chapter on takedowns pleases me because the standing game is a subject that is often overlooked in books about fundamentals.

While I'm on this tack, though, I'm a little disappointed in the lack of discussion on escapes. All the chapters have six or seven techniques to describe and the escapes chapter is no different. I feel, though, a book on basics deserves more work on escapes than this. Especially since headlock escapes aren't covered in the self defence chapter.

The technique selection is good throughout thebook and would serve as a good blueprint for the relative novice.

The advanced book follows the same line as the basics book and even has the same chapter structure. While the techniques are certainly more advanced than the first book, they are still quite fundamental. I think this is a good thing. It clears up some of my concerns with the lack of emphasis on defence and escapes in the first book. Together, the books work better than they do as individual purchases.

The photography and book structure doesn't necessarily lend itself to demonstrating fine details. There are points at which I was wanting more detailed photos especially in the advanced book. The truth is, though, that the details are probably your instructor's job. These books are a guideline for white-belt students, and a good one at that.

If you're after books that show the latest competition techniques, you won't find them here. What you get are 300 odd pages (collectively) of solid basics and a great blueprint for building your game.

If you're relatively new to the sport and have a qualified instructor, this pair of books will help you understand where you're going. Also, if you're a new instructor, the books will give you a good idea of what you should be teaching.

At as little as $14.76 each (that's US dollars, these are among the cheaper books and seem a good buy at that price. I do recommend you purchase these as one big $30 book, though. The information is worth it. So is the novelty value of seeing a young Leo Vieira and Marcelo Garcia being tied up by one of the very few who actually could.

Xplosiv Fight Shorts

I had been struggling with my one pair of fight shorts - the HCK ones I reviewed a while back. Trying to get them clean for my next training session was always a drama, since I train pretty much daily. Plus, with the weather getting warmer here on the bottom part of the world, I was going to be needing them a lot more. So, I was very pleased when I was sent a pair of XPlosiv fight shorts to review.

These shorts have been around my waist for a while, now and they don't look like going any time soon. They are made from a light but strong nylon material with a brushed feel on the outside. This makes them a little more comfortable than I've come to expect from fight shorts. They have all the mod-cons. There's a double closing velcro front and a conventional drawstring, along with a flex panel crotch and split seams at the thighs.

I received the XXL pants and they fit well. I guess this means XXL will fit a 40" or so waist. At the moment, I'm down to 38" and the pants still fit great - thanks to the conventional drawstring and fully elasticised waist. The drawstring is a very thin nylon cord. This makes it very easy to untie and manipulate and is useful for most people. Personally, I prefer a more substantial boot-lace style drawstring, but to each his own. The elasticised waist is a little bit of a novelty in this market. I guess other manufacturers believe elasticised waists to be bulky. I have had no issues with freedom of movement with these shorts, though an am certainly happy with the fit.

As mentioned above, the pants are made from a single layer of brushed nylon. This makes them lighter than other shorts on the market, but also more comfortable, in my opinion. I'm unsure whether this will have an effect on the life of the shorts, but they seem to be wearing well enough. The flex panel in the crotch is also a single layer, as well. This is certainly very different to Sprawl Flex Fighter, which have a double layer in the flex panel. Certainly, I feel the double layer is a better idea. However, the single layer is doing a good job and showing no real signs of wear.

The shorts have some large decals on them, as well. These seem to be well attached and don't peel as I've seen with some clothing. Although decals aren't really my scene, these ones are tasteful and inoffensive.

Ultimately, these are a pretty good pair of shorts. They're more comfortable in general than most grappling shorts I've worn and fit better by virtue of the elasticised waist and drawstring. Of course, Sprawl's adjustment method has it's merits, as well. The shorts are as comfortable as board shorts. They are also functional grappling shorts. Perhaps the manufacturer will consider a model with a double shell and double layer crotch for the hardcore grappler. Nonetheless, if you want a pair of shorts you can train in but wear off the mat, as well, I've not seen better, yet.

Xplosiv Fightwear

BJJ Online Training Comparo

While waiting in a doctor's surgery recently, I came upon the idea of doing a couple of 'comparos' a la Motor magazine and the like. Basically, they take a bunch of cars in the same class and flog the backside out of them. Then, they report the results. You know - how fast they go, fuel economy and which ones blew up versus the ones that didn't.

Well, I'm pleased to say I've performed one such flogging on the three major subscription BJJ Online Training services available. The reviews are available individually here, but I thought I'd do a synopsis and put them head to head. The three Online Training services are Jean Jacques Machado's, Cesar Gracie's and Gene Simco's. I joined all for a period of time and am pleased to report on them to help you sort out where to spend your cash.

One thing I need you to know in advance is that I have received no incentives from any of these sites.

Gene Simco's Jiu-Jitsu.net

There are mixed opinions on Gene Simco's work in world of BJJ. His site, though, is pretty good as far as BJJ tech sites go.

As far as I can tell, Jiu-Jitsu.net's program pre-dates the others significantly. Consequently, it has a large number of techniques available in all positions. I don't consider myself a technical expert, but the techniques were mostly solid. There were a few techniques I thought were a bit flowery, but for the most part, it's pretty good jiu jitsu. I saw a couple of points where I thought Simco's technique missed something or his instruction lacked detail, but it was mostly OK.
There is a forum where you can ask questions of Simco and interact with him and other members of the community. The forum is showing it's age, though. It is the primary method for navigating the site's techniques. By today's standards, that's just not up to par. Also, the forum software itself seems clunky and dated.

Lastly, the video sequences are shot in several different fashions they are in different formats and are hosted on different sites. Some even go to dead links. Quality varies from clip to clip and the description in the database (read forum thread) is often not sufficient.
The service is billed at $6.95 US per week. That's a shade over $30 per month.

Cesar Gracie's Online Training at Dogs of War

I like Ceasr's site. I like it enough that I stayed a member for three months. The site is straightforward and easy to navigate. There are new lessons each week on both gi and no-gi. The lessons also follow a theme. The archives are easy to access and you can request a lesson in areas you want to improve.

The themes are a great idea. For example, recently there was a series on 'Defeating the Rubber Guard'. The themes follow with the techniques Cesar's fighters are famous for and a re likely driven by popular request from the lesson request area. I also quite like Cesar's method of instruction. Often, he has two students demonstrate the techniques while he coaches them and instructs. That's quite a good way to teach in many cases.

I thought the website needed a more professional and modern design, although navigation is handled capably. The administrative section is a shambles,though, and needs a real overhaul. I was also disappointed at the lack of a user forum and the inability to interact with the instructors. There are fewer videos here, as well, but I must say they seem of higher quality content than Jiu-Jitsu.net.

Dogs of War is the cheapest of the training sites at $21.95 per month.

JJ Machado Online Training

I've been a member of JJ's site now for seven months, now. There's good reason for that, too. I love it. Honestly, This site sets the standard for online training in martial arts.

The site is run by two guys who are students of Machado. Jay is a brown and Mike is now a blue belt. They are very clearly competent with the technologies they are using. Not only are the techniques sorted by position and technique, but they are accessible by searching with the TAP Browser tool. This makes sorting and searching much easier. It needs to be. There are videos added daily. I'd say there are about 500 on there, now.

The videos are all high quality Quicktime ones with uniform production style and quality. The videos presented are mostly from JJ Machado himself (about 450 of them) but there are a stack (a big stack) of clips from JJ's senior students.

The forum is very active. Jay and Mike make daily announcements with updates and handle techniacl difficulties quickly. Here, you can interact with Jean Jacques, as well. Ask a question and you'll probably find a video answer in the thread a few days later. If not, there are plenty of other capable people who are only too happy to help.

The combination of good technology, extremely high quality (I don't think you'll hear anyone complaining JJ is missing details) and quantity is great. Couple that with the site's professionalism and cameraderie and you've got a successful formula.

Dogs of War Online BJJ Training

Some time ago, DogsofWar.net started the first online BJJ training class with Cesar Gracie. I'm a fan of Cesar's first video series and I wanted to give it a try, but I couldn't afford the $21.95 a month. I still can't afford it, but I thought I'd drop the cash so I could be thorough in my review of the available online training classes. Plus, I might pick something up in the process.

The site is well laid out and fairly intuitive, if a little uninventive. Once you get into the BJJ lessons site, there are drop-down menus for the most recent lessons (gi and no-gi), archives of previous lessons and a tips and drills page. These is also a link to a weapons page I couldn't get to work.

The video clips are in Flash Video format and play inside your browser. The production is OK, but it is not uniform. Some clips are from Cesar's DVD series and it's clear these are better production. The clips can vary in sound quality and the clips seem to be shot in different locations and at different distances. The guys at DosofWar.net are sorting this out, though, and the last few updates have seen all the video clips filmed in one location. The stability of production is noticably better.

I should mention that the quality variation really isn't a problem as the information is always clearly articulated. You might just have to adjust your speaker volume from time to time.

I have always regarded Cesar as a good instructor on video. One of my early introductions to BJJ technique was through his earlier series (reviewed here: http://mareviews.blogspot.com/2007/02/cesar-gracie-brazilian-jiu-jitsu.html ) and I found that he was able to clearly articulate ideas and details. The online training clips are no different. Cesar has little trouble getting the details onto the video.

In fact, a positive for me is that Cesar doesn't perform most of the movements himself. Other black belts (Nick Diaz, Vnicius Maghales, etc) perform the movements while Cesar commentates. Sometimes those other instructors do the commentating, too. This has some advantages over the traditional method of displaying techniques. It as some disadvantages, too, but here, Cesar does a good job.

verall, the product is OK, but can be imporved. The first (and most obvious) issue is that the program isn't nearly as prolific as its competition. The lessons are updated regularly, but not nearly as frequently as either Jiu-Jitsu.net or JJ Machado's sites. This is not a problem in and of itself, though.

Quality is more important than quantity, though. Whether the instruction is what you're looking for is up to you. I can tell you it's competent instruction and I learned during my time in the program.

Secondly, I'd like to see a forum where users can discuss what they've seen. Obviously, the site's owners don't want the material scattered over the internet. It would be a fantastic idea to have a forum where the techniques could be discussed, bugs ironed out and customers could 'meet' the instructors.

Finally, I believe the site is poorly presented. I hope the site's owners will understand that this is meant as constructive criticism. The site looks somewhat amateurish from the fisrt page onwards - especially in the account maintenance area. I would hate to think customers would miss out on good information because the site wasn't put together as well as it could have been.

All in all, DogsofWar.net have a good idea with solid instruction. At $21.95 per month, it's the cheapest of the three online training programs I've visited. The quality is OK, but can be improved, as can the site's design. It has less than half the clips of the other sites, but the instruction is solid.

Dogs of War - Online Training

Mastering the Rubber Guard by Eddie Bravo

Most people in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu know who Eddie Bravo is. There's a pretty obvious "love him or hate him" feel around. I'm happy to note, though that I'm one of the less boisterous people who fall into neither category. I just like anyone who can explain a concept to me so that I pick it up. And Eddie does that for me in this book.

A quick word, firstly, on Eddie's first book - 'Jiu-Jitsu Unleashed'. I was going to give it a separate review until I received 'Mastering the Rubber Guard'. 'Jiu Jitsu Unleashed' was a reasonable book until the new one came along. 'Jiu Jitsu Unleashed' is a collection of techniques that Bravo uses in his game. It's got a good collection of anecdotes and shows Eddie's game and how it has come to be quite well. That said, the overlap with 'Mastering the Rubber Guard' is too much to warrant buying both - if you were wondering about that.

In fact, I felt quite disappointed in myself when 'Mastering' turned up. Why? Because I'd paid good money for 'Unleashed' just a couple of months before and this was so much better. Ultimately, though, I got a book that was twice as good, anyway. The exception is tht 'Unleashed' takes a bigger look at the Twister and Eddie's top game. Hold on, though. Victory Belt (the publishers) have 'Mastering the Twister' on the horizon.

Like 'Unleashed', 'Mastering' covers the main areas of Bravo's game. There are sections on the half guard and, obviously, the rubber guard. This time, however,we get sections on the butterfly guard, recovering the guard, Bravo's "Spider Web" control and a section on stretching.

Kudos to Bravo for realising not everyone has his flexibility and that they need to develop that attribute to make all the techniques work. Putting my S&C coach hat on (especially with my knees), I shake my head in disapproval of some of the stretches. Still, it's what Bravo does and they are all applicable to his game and the book. Just exercise some critical thinking. If you're in the group the stretches are likely to injure - don't do them.

I'm not going to get into details of the moves. What I am going to say is that they work for Bravo and his guys. They work for a lot of others, too. They might even work for you. The technique names have always been a bone of contention for some, too. Bravo is quick to explain that the names are devloped for coaching in competitions, so the opponent doesn't understand advice being given. I do the same thing with my guys to a large extent.

The book flows well, with a strategy for each position and a series of ideas to help achieve the techniques. For example, the "Whip Up" has been a bit of a boon for my half guard, depite it not being a technique, per se.

The book also contains a flow chart to help guide you through the Rubber Guard game. I've beeen flow charting for a couple of years now and can attest to the improvement and insights it gives you. Eddie gives you his own, personal flowchart.

I'm never going to use Eddie's whole game. I'm 6'7" and weigh the best part of 300 inflexible pounds. I bought the book to help my students and training partners. I've been pleasantly surprised to take some techniques and insights away, along with a better understanding of the 10th Planet system.

Insofar as production, it's good. It's colourful with good quality stock. Photographs are clear and plentiful. Since I'm a bit anal, I picked up some spelling and grammar errors and I hope they'll be picked up with better editing in future Victory Belt productions. But, ultimately, it's content I care about and this book has plenty of it.

Victory Belt's 'Mastering the Rubber Guard' Page

After giving this review to a couple of friends to look over for me, one pointed out the obvious philosophical differences between Eddie and myself and expressed surprise I'd give such a flattering review. Especially due to the drug references.

Let me say this..... Some of the language in the anecdotes is foreign to me and I find some analogies a little trite. I have never taken any illicit drug, including marijuana and am strictly anti-drug.

If you can't put these things behind you and they stand in the way of you buying the book, then too bad. You'll miss out on some quality instruction.

Carlos Machado - Infinite Jiu Jitsu

It's been a few days since I posted. Sorry. Hopefully this'll interest some, though. I've recently been re-watching (and re-watching and re-watching) Carlos Machado's recent instructional set. I know the point of this site is not to review DVDs, but this set has to go into my 'Best of the Best' collection.

Carlos' set is titled 'Infinite Jiu Jitsu'. It features six eighty-odd minute DVDs and takes a slightly different approach to other DVD sets I've seen. Some videos outline a set of techniques. Some outline someone's strategy and show the techniques that are their bread and butter. Others are very detail oriented. 'Infinite Jiu Jitsu' manages to be all three..... And more.

At the beginning of disc one, Carlos explains his outlook on the set and, hence what makes it different. He explains that most sets don't show what really happens when an opponent applies resistance and that he'll have partners on the DVD set that do apply the right resistance. Further, he says he'll explain the proper resistance to give and how to do it.

To prove the point, he gets started with disc one's 'Defensive Power Drills'. In this disc, Carlos essentially works on what I had formerly called guard retention. Now I know it's not that simple. He starts with some positioning work and how to counter some common and effective guard passes.

The odd thing about this disc is that it's nearly as good a guard-passing instructional as it is a guard one. Carlos goes into detail about how to pass the guard and has his partner apply that pressure whilst he explains how to counter. Detail here (and everywhere else on the set) is extraordinary.

On this disc, Carlos provides a fantastic study on the crucifix. It has sealed up a big chunk of my game. It is, doubtless, the best treatment I've seen of the crcifix on a video. He does the same thing for the clock choke. Think you know how to apply this fundamental technique? Have a look at the DVD and see if you can't learn something.

Disc two is entitled 'Defending and Attacking'. I won't go into the details about the instruction, as it is in the same style as disc one. Carlos covers what he calls the knee-ride pass. Others call it the knee-through pass. I call it my best pass. Now it's better. Once I can absorb some more of the details, it'll be better again.

He then gets right into armbars, covering different manipulations to the arm to get a tap or control and a number of novel (to me, anyway) ways of getting the armbar. Then, he covers what to do when stacked. This leads into another one of these gem details, which he calls the "Russian Flip".

Disc three is all about armbars and kimuras. Which brings me to a point. There's a little overlap between ealier discs, but this is great. It serves to introduce you to a concept earlier and expand on it later. It also whets the appetite for the coming details.

Machado covers the usual things, but he does so differently. A section on common errors, a section on finishes, and one on setups. What is less common is the way it is instructed. Just like in disc one, the right resistance is shown and you get instruction in that, as well. Also uncommon are Carlos' personal observations and improvements. I'm talking about such details as the "V Grip" and "Americana Squeeze".

Carlos - if you're reading this - the Americana squeeze has been worth the cost of the whole set to me.

I haven't delved into disc four, yet (The Science of the Shoulder Lock), but I have watched it through. The general overview is that Carlos covers mechanics to make the finishing lock work andhow to set it up. However, he also covers how to escape it and counter it and to deal with those counters. All with the same resistance instruction and intricate attention to detail.

Disc five (Top Mount Finishes, Half Guard Passes and Hook Flips) sees the keylock make a re-entrance, along with finishing chokes and all the fun stuff. Most of all, though (for me, anyway), Carlos covers mount control and passing the half guard. The details are so intricate and effective and my game is improving every day because of this. Here, he gets into a sweep he calls the "Perosh Flip". He touches on the position named for his Australian student, Anthony Perosh, throughout the set and it gets a good look-in here.

Finally, comes disc six - Troubleshooting. Again, I haven't gotten into this in detail, although I have viewed it through. If I was to describe what is on the disc, it would look a little mixed up and all over the place, but it's not. Here, Carlos covers some commonthings people do wrong in everyday training and answers to some circumstances you may just plain have no answer to. All with that same ralistic instruction style with outstanding attention to detail.

There's been a lot of discussion about this set and its price of US$199.99 (although the website lists this as reduced from $250). I believe it's well worth it. It's also available to by volume by volume at US$49.99 each.

The DVD struck me as more like a group private in presentation than an instructional. There really is material for years, here. I saw this set described really well on the MMA.TV forum by someone who I don't remember. Paraphrased.....

"This set will be great for blue belts who are looking to get to purple. And even better when they get there and re-watch them."

Get it 20% off at BudoVideos

Atama Gold Weave - White

Another gi I don't use myself. Two of my training partners picked these up in Australia from Shogun Martial Arts in Sydney. The price at Shogn is competitive with any other imported gi manufacturer and runs you AUD$160 for A1-A4. Atama themselves sell their gold weave gi direct from their website at US$130. It's important to note, though, that the gi at Atama's site is not the same gi. It is a newer model I haven't yet seen.

As you'd expect from arguably the most popular Brazilian Jiu Jitsu kimono brand, there are many other models, one of which I'll review in the next few days.

Both the guys bought the A3. One is a little over 6' tall and about 95kg (209lb). The other stands a little under 6' and gets around in low 80kg range (180-185lb). As such, we'll get a look at the gi on different body types.

Material: Surprise, surprise - the gi is made out of gold-weave material. I know little about where gold-weave comes from, whether all the manufacturers use the same source or even what the difference is from platinum weave, really. What I can tell you, though, is that the Atama is of moderate weight (my Keiko G-W is significantly heavier) and is less soft than my KF G-W. It may not be as soft, but it doesn't seem any less comfortable for the guys who use it. The collar is your standard, everyday thickish collar. It's not up there with the big names (HCK, Keiko), but it isn't as easy to grab as most singles. Nor is it soft, like some (my Krugans collar sometimes feels like a pillow). I think Atama have found a great balance between collar thickness and comfort.

Honestly, the pants aren't significantly different to Koral. The material is similar medium weight cotton. It's much softer than the canvas used by KF and not nearly as soft as the Gameness Platinum's pants. There double-layed from mid thigh to the cuff (down the front) and don't have a rope drawstring closure.

Fit: Fit is good - on anyone. The pants have enough adjustment to make up the difference in waist measurement between my two training partners. Equally, both find the fit to be good around the chest. The cut of the jacket really allows for a thinner wearer to tighten up the belt and not have the gi billowing out in the chest. The arms are cut such that the cuffs are at the wrists of your average six footer and the cuffs themselves are slightly larger than the average Jiu Jitsu gi. They would be Judo-legal..... Just. The skirt is shorter than some, but not so that it rides up and comes free of the belt. A little longer than the Koral, perhaps. Photos of the new model look like the skirt might be shorter on it, though.

The pants go all the way to the ankles. A big plus for me. They adjust enough in the waist to allow for the difference in waist size between the afore-mentioned training partners. Interestingly, the pants fit just right on both guys. Just loose enough to make mobility easy without being baggy.

Bottom Line: I guess Atama's niche in the business is reliability. You know if you pick up an Atama it's going to fit and fit well. If you're remotely within the bounds of normal, they have your size and, with other fabric available, they'll have a gi for just about anyone (Look for the double-weave's review in the next few days). Honestly, if you're not fussed about rubber collars, different weaves, skirt length, cuff size, etc and just want a gi that works, see Atama.

Koral Classic Kimono - White

Koral is a mainstay in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu market and is well represented by all sorts of greats. They sponsor the Mundials and just about any high level comp you watch will see a plethora of Koral kimonos getting around on the mats. They have a big reputation for quality and, some would say, a price to match. So, let's take a look at one.

Firstly, this is not my kimono. I've never been able to get a Koral in my size. I've only seen them for sale in up to A4, although I've been told you can get A5s now. So, the A2 sized gi we're reviewing belongs to a guy who is a little under 6' and weighs around 75kg (165lb). He's very lean and mesomorphic (broad shoulders, slim waist).

Material: The material is a light single weave fabric. Despite its weight it is quite stiff (no stretch to speak of) and strong. It is pretty much the equal of my Isami single weave, although the textile's pattern is slightly different. The collar is stiff, as well. This is most likely due to the fact that Koral kimonos are made from rubber.

Koral came up with the idea of sewing the cloth of the collar over a piece of rubber, rather than over several layers of folded cotton. This keeps the collar stiff. It will probably hold up that way for longer than regular collars, too. More importantly, though, you don't get three-quarters of an inch of high density material soaked through with sweat and the gi dries more quickly after washing. Big plus points for hygiene.

The pants are fairly standard fare. There is no rope drawstring, which is something I like, but I realise others don't necessarily care. The material is reasonably heavy for a single weave gi and soft. It's nearly a soft as my Gameness' pants and equally weighted.

Fit: The fit is slim. There is plenty of room in the jacket, but the arms are cut as tight as possible without being restrictive. The cuffs are quite tight. Not as tight as my Krugans, but they have a little room, like my Isami. I have a little trouble getting a decent grip when rolling. They also make it comfortably to the end of the wrist.The skirt is short, too. There is nothing to get in the way when rolling and nothing for the fancy guys to choke you with.

The pants fit well. They have enough adjustment in the waist to cover all body types and the pants reach the ankles of the average guy. They are cut reasonably slim, but leave enough room to move. There just isn't any bagginess to them.

Bottom Line: Koral is in the business of high quality, premium gis. The Classic kimono is that. It is priced with gold weaves and some doubles despite being a single weave gi. That said, it is beautifully cut and has the innovation of the rubber collar to boot. I like its clean, closely cut, non-descript look. I like the gi a lot.

Kimonos Fighter (KF) Gold Weave Competition Kimono

When I bought my KF from Rio Fightwear a couple of years ago, I did so on the promise of the best pants in the business, according to a friend of mine. Since Rio Fightwear's website had a special on the blue one, I took it up. For the record, the same gi is still on there for $119.95. I think I paid $104.95, but I can't be 100% sure.

Material: The material is gold weave. It seems a little lighter than the Keiko Raca model, though. It also seems a little more pliable than my friends' Atamas, but that could be my imagination. The collar is softer and thinner than my other gis.

Interestingly, the gi jacket turned ever so slightly purple after a few washes. It was only ever washed by itself, too.

The pants are made out of a very heavy, very hard and course canvas with double thickness panels in the front all the way down the leg. This is what my friend had referred to as the best pants he'd seen. He still thinks so now. I'll disagree, though. I prefer my pants to be soft - although I do like them to be a little heavy. The rope drawstring is a big bonus, though.

Fit: As far as I can tell, the KF is a fairly large fit. The lapels wrap past the split seams on the body of the gi unless I'm getting really fat. The sleeve cuffs are are about the same size as an Atama. They probably would be on the border of legality in a Judo competition.

The pants are a little too much for me. The waist is very wide and has to be adjusted a long way to fit me. That's not terribly comfortable - even with the rope drawstring. The legs are a very baggy fit and seem ridiculously short. The A5 pants finish about four inches above my ankles.

Fit-wise, I stopped wearing the KF a long time ago. It has, however, found a good home with a training partner of mine, who is significantly shorter and a little heavier.

Bottom Line: My KF pants seemed to be sized like a very baggy A4. The pants are very heavy, hard and coarse and I found them uncomfortable. That said, the guy who wears the gi now is very happy with it. The wide, short fitting pants and reasonably generous jacket point to a useful gi for the shorter, stockier Jiu Jitsu practitioner.

Kimonos Fighter Site (Poruguese)
Rio Fightwear KF Gold Weave Page

Keiko Raca Gold Weave Kimono - Blue

I bought my Keiko Raca gi about two years ago from Rio Fightwear. It was a great deal at the time for $94 and I believe you can still get the exact same price, now. It's not the "Special" gi that you see Marcelo Garcia getting around in. It's the standard gold weave model. It has since become my primary training gi. About half of the classes I do, I do in this uniform.

Material: The material is gold weave. Most people have seen it. The gi seems a little heavier than my KF gold and Gameness Platinum weave gis, but this may be due to the fact that the Keiko is a much larger cut. I love the collar, which is very heavy, but it's not as thick and soft. It's tightly bound and very inflexible. That makes it a little uncomfortable, but it's almost impossible to grip effectively.

The material has lost its shape more than my other gis. The chest billows out at the front more than it used to and the collar seems a little 'bent'away from my neck. That's not a bad thing, though and it's probably due to the large amoutn of wear this gi gets.

The pants are quite heavy canvas with double thickness panels in the front all the way down the leg. They don't have a rope drawstring, though, which would make them just about spot on.

Fit: The Keiko is a large fitting gi. The lapels wrap past the split seams on the body of the gi (even when I'm way out of shape) and the chest is very generous. The sleeve cuffs are moderate (in between the Isami and Gameness) in size and the sleeves themselves taper down to that. They are very generous in the upper arm and shoulder. The skirt, though is quite short. Something I prefer.

The pants, aren't as generous as the jacket. The waist is quite wide and quite comfortable when it has to be adjusted in a long way. The legs are a baggy fit, even for me. Howver, they don't billow out in the lower legs. Lengthwise, they're maybe an inch shorter than the Gameness.

Bottom Line: I've never seen a more hard wearing BJJ gi (some Judo gis notwithstanding) and for a great price. If you're budget conscious, that is a major plus. The collar makes it useful as a competition gi, as well. If you're a large-framed person, the Keiko is going to be one of the gis that fit you. It's well worth a look.

Keiko Raca Official Site
Rio Fightwear Keiko Raca Gold Weave Page

The Single Leg - Takedowns 101

'The Single Leg' is an independently produced DVD starring Ken Primola - a BJJ brown belt and D1 college wrestler. I first became aware of Ken's work when I visited his Myspace site to check out some technique videos I'd heard about. I found the videos to be clear and well presented without being verbose. Nonetheless, I balked at purchasing the video since it is an independant release with no history. However, when Takedowns101.com had a sale, I couldn't resist.

First things first. The price is excellent and the shipping to Australia was extremely cheap and fast. I paid by Paypal, too. This is a helpful option to me as it resticts my liability to fraud. Not that it was necessary, here.

I've always been able to get a single leg easily despite not being taught how. I've historically had a bit of trouble finishing from the position, though. I've had a bit of help here and there and I've seen a number ofinstructionals that I've gotten a bit from here and there.

This DVD is good from that point of view because it doesn't assume the viewer has been heavily exposed to wrestling. In different chapters, Ken goes over the major wrestling stances, three setups and eleven finishes to the single leg. Previous to this, I had one setup and three finishes. Now, tthere are a few from this series I'm successfully working into my game - with and without the gi.

Ken is relatively soft-spoken and approaches instruction with a slow and deliberate approach, rich in detail. Production is of a very high standard, especially considering the DVD's humble origins. The chapters are set up perfectly to enable easy navigation and the chapters flow logically.

The only criticism from a prodcution standpoint is that a little work can go into choosing clothing for Ken and the other models.

All in all, this is a great set for a great price. The focus on a small segment of the game and a 'no-ego' approach sells this DVD to the grappler with less freestyle exposure very well.

Takedowns 101
101 Myspace Page

Jiu-Jitsu.Net Online Training Program

Edit: It's a little sad, but I have to change my view of this service. The Seven day risk free trial isn't. You can certainly cancel within seven days. However, there is a minimum seven days notice required to cancel - according to the service's administrators (Membersolutions.com). Unfortunately, I have to change my mind on whether it's worth looking at. The answer is no. Unlike the other online training sites, there is no real risk free trial period.

Firstly, let me say that I have heard all the rumours about Gene Simco (the owner and instructor in this case). I have always made up my own mind about people. My very brief interaction with him and those on this site has shown that he is a nice guy who seems to have a genuine passion for Jiu Jitsu. As a lowly blue belt, I consider myself unqualified to judge someone's talent, so I can't comment on that area.

Firstly, Jiu-Jitsu.Net's online program seems to have been around much longer than the others I've seen. Simco was also one of the first Americans to mass market BJJ to the american public. I wanted to see if this program was comparable to the others on the net, so I signed up for the program's very generous 1 week free trial.

The training group is set up as a forum which claims in excess of 5600 members. At $6.95 per week, that should be pulling some serious coin. If the figure is accurate, Simco is surely getting to a lot of subscribers.

The forum has sections containing still shot sequences and videos from each position. The best way to access the resources, though, is through the threads on the "Online Jiu-Jitsu Classes" forum. This forum has lists of techniques with links to the videos or still sequenece resources. The lists are set up in a logical sequence for designing a class.

The number of resources seems fairly high. I figure it would go close in number to JJ Machado's program. That said, the videos do seem a little light on details and variations are in separate videos.

The forum concept was probably a great idea when the website started. However, it's a little hard to navigate and pull out the resources you want. If one wanted to find a technique to work against a very specific posture or resistance, I'd doubt it would happen without pulling your hair out a little. Mind you, Simco is available to pinpoint you in the right direction.

From browsing the forum, I found that Simco is habitually polite and helpful in finding the right resources.

An annoyance I had while perusing the site was that the earlier videos haven't been re-edited to suit the newer video styles. Some of the files seem much newer, have great titling and editing and excellent production. Others (presumably earlier ones) have little to no titling and different formats. There are wmv files, rm files and old files that seemed to be hosted at another site with dead links. This does little for the professionalism.

Unfortunately, what may once have been a great resource is definitely showing its age. At $6.95 per week, it's more expensive than the Jean Jacques Machado's service and lacks many of the functions it presents.

Once, I might have recommended this program. And, perhaps with an update, it might be up to the new standard that has been set.

Jiu-Jitsu.Net Online Training

Gameness Platinum Weave Gi

A month or two back, I retired one of my competition gis. My Krugans had been repaired so many times the inside had pretty much an entire extra layer of calico holding it together. After much deliberation, I chose to try the new Gameness Platinum Weave gi. I'd heard great things about it, and I was determined to give it a look.

Firstly, I'd like to explain that I bought the gi from Budovideos.com. I was very impressed with their prices and service. So much so that I'll be purchasing from them again.

Before we get into it, the gi I purchased is size A5 and I am 6'7" (with long, thick legs) and get around in the 280's (127kg +) for weight.

First Impressions: I've heard the Gameness described as light. I'm no expert, so I can't really comment. It seems about the same as Gold weave KF gi and significantly lighter than my Keiko. I'll tell you one thing, though - it's soft and comfortable. There are a few too many patches on it for my liking, but they are fairly tasteful. In fact, they're starting to grow on me.

Oh, and the pants are the best ever!

In Detail: We'll start with the pants..... I like thick pants and rope drawstrings. Previously, my favourite pants were my Keiko ones. However, the Gameness improves on these by being longer (the Keikos never quite made it to the end of my legs) and a slimmer cut. I'd never thought about this in the past, but it is much more comfortable while rolling.

Further, the material, while thick and strong, is softer than the Keiko by a long shot. Another nice touch is the softer rope drawstring. I prefer rope as it's easier to deal with, especially when the gi is wet with sweat, but the Gameness' softer drawstring makes it even easier and seems more comfortable.

The jacket is a softer, gold weave-like material. If I had to describe it, I'd call it a "double gold-weave", but I don't actually know anything about textiles, so take that for what it's worth. It doesn't seem any heavier than gold-weave gis, though.

The jacket is of what I'd term a medium cut in the body. It is nowhere near as tight as my Isami and closes quite high on my chest in comparison. The sleeves are comfortable for my arms, which are probably a little bigger than average. The sleeves would just be Judo-legal as well. That means there's fair bit of room, but it doesn't look like flags hanging off your wrists.

The collar is pretty heavy. I won't usually buy a gi if the collar isn't heavy. I need all the help I can get. This one gets points because it's softer than some others (making it more comfortable during long training sessions) without sacrificing "choke security".

Conclusion: All in all, I like this gi. I can see it becoming one of my favourites. It will take a while for me to grieve the gi it replaces, though. It seems to appeal to the majority of BJJ practitioners, too. With moderate fitting in all areas, softness and high "strength to weight" ratio. Price is very competitive and the company has a great reputation.

This gi is well worth considering.

Budovideos - Best price on the net

JJ Machado Online Training

Most people know who Jean Jacques Machado is. And everyone who knows him knows just what a great Jiu Jitsu practitioner he is. His 'Becoming a Champion' video series was among the first I'd seen. He is also well known as the teacher of such notables as Eddie Bravo, Ricco Rodriguez and many others.

JJ, with the help of students Jay and Mike Zeballos, began his online training site in early 2006 and the program seems to have gone from strength to strength.

The main feature of the site is the very intuitive 'TAP Browser' which keeps all the techniques classified by position, or technique type, gi or no-gi - or just about any other classification you can think of. TAP also recommends video lessons to go with the lesson you've selected. It will recommend escapes from the position, similar techniques, techniques that work in combination, lessons that teach what to do if you balls it up, lessons on details for the technique and drills to help learn it.

The library function is also a great idea. With so many videos to navigate, it's tough to keep track. The library function enables you to "collect" lessons in your library that you want to work on.

There are over 400 lessons from JJ himself on the site at this time (February, 2007). Additionally, JJ has sections for guest instructors. Making an appearance here are people such as Todd Nathanson and Lou Salseda (who some may remember from "Becoming a Champion') and Felicia Oh. Also, the guest instructor section has very helpful segments from wrestling champions who train with JJ and from other guest instructors from time to time. There is also a section on basic and a 'Path to Blue Belt" section that should really help those who are getting started.

The lessons themselves are really that. It's not just a look at a technique. For the most part, JJ shows the whys and wherefores on the principles he's showing. Perhaps the most valuable part of this program is where JJ answers questions on video. Just put the question on the message board and send in a pic or video (if required) and JJ will try to answer the question. I don't know if there's a lot that isn't already covered, though.

Want more features? What if you want to download a technique and take it away on your IPod or PSP? Well, of course, the videos are streamed - but the guys provide an option to purchase IPod and Quicktime videos for this purpose.

Also, the afore-mentioned forum is a great resource. There are other members who are brown and black belts who can answer questions you may have, as well.

After you've been in the program a while, you become eligible for a pack that includes goodies like gi patches.

For those who need to ask the question, there's no point at which you become eligible for a belt. There are no belts to be earned in the online program. Of course, ththere is potential for students to be assessed at JJ's academy.

The program is $24.99 a month and I believe it's worth every penny. A great many people pay more than that in DVDs, especially when they are remote from a school (like me). There is a 72 hour money back guarantee, as well. So you can poke around comfortably for a couple of days.

All up, if you're a remote student, this is a fantastic way of getting quality details on a regular basis. If you do have regular instruction and would just like a great community with a great deal of existing information, this is the place for you, too.

If I gave stars out of five, this resource would get five and a half.

Jean Jacques Machado Website