If you have an Android device (or don't have a newfangled smart phone or tablet at all) you might still want to scroll to the bottom of this post. I've got some links to some brand new video previews below that'll be worth your while, even if you don't end up buying any apps at all!
Anyway, here's the plan. Five days. Five new apps.
These five apps are laser-focused on the topic of what to do when you're facing a bigger, stronger opponent on the mat.
Emily is a multiple time BJJ world champion, both with and without the gi. She has taught and worked with thousands of grapplers of all levels.
Emily faces people bigger than her on the mats every single day, and she's learned that the single-most important thing you can do to stop a larger opponent from rag dolling you all over the mat is to control the grips.
That's why in this app we're going to teach you how to use defensive gripfighting to completely shut down your opponent's sweeps, submissions and throws. And how to use offensive gripfighting to control the pace of the match and set up your own attacks.
These gripfighting techniques apply both to standing work and on the ground. This means once you learn a technique you can use it in both contexts.
First we cover the underlying strategies and tactics of gripfighting. The mindset that world class grapplers like Marcelo Garcia use every time they compete against quality opponents.
After we get the big picture out of the way we then take you through the actual, specific grips that work best against bigger opponents... and how to get them on opponents both while you're on your feet and also when you're on the ground.
Then we give you step-by-step instructions on how to get your opponent's grips off you (even if he's twice your size and has an iron vices instead of hands).
But in this first app we also share their collection of must-know, must-do grappling drills. Including both solo and two person drills.
These sports-specific drills will strengthen your body, prepare you for training, and prevent injuries. Most importantly these drills allow you to easily perform lots of repetitions in an easy and efficient manner. Repetition leads to mastery, and if you use these drills you'll have a ton of reps under your belt in no time.
FEATURES
~ 1 hour and 39 minutes of solid, filler-free, video instruction
~ Professionally filmed and edited
~ Complete menus for easy navigation
~ Create a list of your favourite techniques and drills using our one-click 'favourite' feature
~ Download the entire app to your phone or iPad; an internet connection is NOT required to view the videos
~ BONUS: 'The Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' book for free!
INDEX
1) Intro to Defeating Bigger Opponents
2) Why You Should Drill
3) Fundamental Drills
4) Breakfalls
5) Technical stand-up
6) Forward Breakfall
7) Backward Roll
8) Shrimping
9) Leg Circles
10) Leg Triangles
11) Grappler's Lifts
12) Advanced Drills
13) Scoot Forward
14) Scoot Backward
15) Shrimping Forward
16) Four Point Rotation
17) Kickouts
18) Spidermans
19) Jumping Lunges
20) Partner Drills
21) Leg Switching on Hips
22) Wheelbarrow Forwards
23) Crab Walk
24) Granby Roll
25) Leap Frogs
26) Drag with Sleeves
27) Bear Walk
28) Butterfly Lifts
29) Jumping Guard Sit Ups
30) Hook Walk
31) Guard Pop-ups
32) Introduction to Gripfighting
33) Four Fingers In
34) Pistol Grip
35) Lapel and Sleeve
36) Common Mistakes
37) Guidelines
38) Stripping Sleeve Grips
39) Stripping Lapel Grips
40) Stripping Elbow Grips
41) Stripping Over the Shoulder Grips
42) Stripping Grips on the Ground
43) Stripping Leg Grips
44) Demo & Summary
45) No Gi Grip Fighting
Thank you,
Stephan Kesting
P.S. Once again, the link to the brand new iPhone and iPad app is here:
The focus of this app is exactly that: compensating for strength. The techniques have been chosen specifically because they work on people much stronger than you.
First you'll learn the guard sweep system Emily uses when she's on the bottom.
The reality is that against a bigger opponent you WILL end up on the bottom at some point. But with the techniques on this app you'll be able to defend yourself, sweep your opponent and get to the top.
We also cover what to do if your first attack doesn't succeed, because you don't want to be left without a plan.
The next section covers guard passing. You'll learn how to cut through the guard of much larger opponent without having to rely on excessive strength or weight. These techniques are proven to work at an elite level because stop you from being manhandled, stalled out, and/or submitted as you pass.
Finally we cover pin escapes.
You'll learn the right techniques and strategies to use if you find yourself pinned on the bottom. You may be temporarily down but definitely not out; these are the best ways to survive the smother, escape the pin, and get back into the game!
Learning how to make space and get things moving again when someone is 100% determined to pin you flat to the mat is the 'secret sauce' that allows smaller, weaker grapplers to stay in the game when they're wrestling with a big hormone-endowed Sasquatch.
Every technique is taught with an emphasis on safety. As a smaller grappler you have to be careful not to get injured inadvertently when your bigger partner moves explodes in an unpredictable attempt to blast your technique.
FEATURES
~ 2 hours and 24 minutes of solid, filler-free, video instruction
~ Professionally filmed and edited
~ Complete menus for easy navigation
~ Create a list of your favorite techniques and drills using the one-click 'favorite' button
~ Download the entire app to your phone or iPad; an internet connection is NOT required to view the videos
~ BONUS: 'The Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' book for free!
INDEX
1) Compensating for Strength
2) Intro to the Seated Guard
3) Knee Push Sweep
4) Butterfly Sweep
5) Butterfly Sweep with Head Control
6) Butterfly Sweep with Knee Push
7) Single Leg X Guard
8) Intro and Shin-to-Shin Entry
9) Butterfly Sweep Entry
10) Side to Side Finish
11) Heel Grab Finish
12) Dealing with Grips
13) Transition from Single Leg X Guard to Regular X Guard
14) Intro to the X Guard and X Guard Details
15) Stand-up Finish
16) Backtrip Finish
17) Intro to the Half Guard
18) Taking the Back
19) Leg Grab Sweep
20) Roll-Under Sweep
21) The 'Vomit' Sweep
22) Guard Passing
23) Strategies and Tactics
24) Explosive stand-up
25) Standing Step Pass
26) Leg Drag & Hip Trap
27) Over-Under Pass
28) Transitional Escapes
29) Pin Escapes Intro
30) Block and Elbow Wedge
31) Multiple Bridging
32) Side to Side Bridging
33) Transitional Mount Escapes
34) Improving the Elbow-Knee Escape
35) Leg Trap Mount Escape
Today we're releasing the third app in the How to Defeat the Bigger, Stronger Opponent series. It's called 'Top 5 Submissions, Sweeps & Escapes' and it features world champion Emily Kwok and yours truly, Stephan Kesting.
Top 5 Submissions, Sweeps & Escapes is a no-nonsense collection of the top moves used by Emily against larger skilled opponents on a daily basis.
Emily starts off by sharing her five most reliable submissions (four chokes and one armbar) that you can use to make even the biggest grapplers say uncle and tap out.
Then she teaches you the five specific guard sweeps she hits most often on bigger people in training and competition. No matter how strong or heavy your opponent is, he'll have no choice but to topple over when you hit him with these surprising techniques.
Finally Emily takes you through her five favorite transitional escapes. The best time to escape a pin is before it's been finalized; this section teaches you how to recognize those escape opportunities and the exact steps you need to get out of that bad position and get back in the game.
No need to sift through hundreds and hundreds of techniques to find the ones that actually work. This is a unique opportunity to learn the highest percentage techniques of one of the top female black belts in the world. If she can use these then so can you. This app contains zero fluff and is filled with 100% hard-hitting content that you can start using on the mats today!!
FEATURES
~ 1 hours and 15 minutes of solid, filler-free, video instruction
~ Professionally filmed and edited
~ Complete menus for easy navigation
~ Create a list of your favourite techniques and drills using the one-click 'favourite' button
~ Download the entire app to your phone or iPad; an internet connection is NOT required to view the videos
~ BONUS: 'The Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' book for free!
INDEX
1) Top 5 Submissions for Smaller People
2) Choosing your Submissions
3) Cross Side Lapel Choke
4) Modified Baseball Choke
5) Reverse Armbar from Mount
6) Bow and Arrow Choke
7) North South Choke
8) Top 5 Guard Sweeps for Smaller People
9) Developing your Guard Sweeps
10) Knee Push to Single Leg X Guard
11) Knee Push to Sickle Sweep
12) Scooting Butterfly Sweep
13) Double Shin Lever
14) Counter to Backstep Guard Pass
15) Top 5 Transitions and Escapes
16) Moving in Transition
17) Closed to Open Guard
18) Elbow Push vs Guard Pass
19) Leg Over Head Escape
20) Granby Roll Escapes
21) Two-on-One Escape
22) Some Final Words of Advice
The fourth app in the How to Defeat the Bigger Stronger Opponent Series has just been released. It's called 'Advanced BJJ Q&A with Emily Kwok'. All the footage for this app was professionally filmed during a semi-private Q & A session in which Emily answered questions from white, blue, brown and blackbelts.
In this app she shares the tricks, techniques and mindsets she uses on a daily basis against taller, heavier and much stronger training partners - no matter how 'agro' they are. Here's just some of the other material that Emily covers in this app:
A highly sport-specific and functional warmup for a group of people of all sizes,
A detailed breakdown of Emily's approach to attacking from rearmount, including secrets learned from Marcelo Garcia,
How to finish the guillotine even when your opponent is taller and stronger than you with a much larger neck,
How to attack with the guillotine in a way that sets up an instant guard pass,
Sweeps that use your opponent's size to your advantage,
A choke that works on bigger, stronger Goliaths, even if you're only using one hand,
What to do when your opponent stalls in your guard, trying to shut down your attacks,
How to protect your fingers from getting mauled when gripfighting,
Emily's favorite X Guard pass,
The keys to controlling the rear mount so that your opponent can't squirm or power out of it, and how to put him into constant ~ danger of getting submitted,
Why some traditional teaching techniques actually hinder your progress, and how to get better fast,
Two high-percentage moves to recover from a failed butterfly guard sweep, even if your opponent is trying to use his superior size to crush you and shut down your game,
The mindset you must maintain to prevent your sweeps from being shut down and having your guard passed,
And more tips, techniques and mindset tricks that you can use on the mat right away
Basically if you've enjoyed Emily's other apps then you'll really enjoy this one as well!
FEATURES
~ 1 hour of solid, filler-free, video instruction
~ Professionally filmed and edited
~ Complete menus for easy navigation
~ Create a list of your favourite techniques and drills using the one-click 'favourite' button
~ Download the entire app to your phone or iPad; an internet connection is NOT required to view the videos
~ BONUS: purchase this app and receive Stephan's highly-reviewed 'The Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' book for free!
Thank you,
Stephan Kesting
P.S. Once again, the link to 'Advanced BJJ Q&A with Emily Kwok' - the brand new iPhone and iPad app - is here:
All the apps above (1-4) have featured Emily Kwok. Emily is a bona fide world champion, both with and without the gi. Obviously her high level of technical expertise has a TON to do with her competitive success, but it would be foolish to overlook the importance of conditioning.
And I'm not just talking about conditioning to increase strength and endurance - that's important, of course, but conditioning is also vital to avoiding injury, allowing you to train harder, and get better faster.
Correct conditioning = less injuries = more training = faster skill development.
Martial arts is a contact sport. And the continuous physical contact in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling and MMA means that the potential for injury is always there.
If you're injured then you can't train, and if you can't train then you can't get better.
Furthermore the sad fact is that many of our favorite techniques tend to overdevelop certain parts of our body. And these imbalances ultimately make us much more vulnerable to injury.
Fortunately increasing your functional strength with proper training makes your body much more resilient to injury. If you the right exercises in the right way you can
Increase strength,
Protect your joints,
Correct physical imbalances created by practicing your martial art, and
Get rid of many of the aches and pains that many grapplers take for granted.
Most longtime martial artists eventually come to the conclusion that a sensible strength and conditioning program is essential to achieving longevity in their chosen art.
Which is where the fifth app, Total Body Stability, comes in.
Emily was very particular about who she wanted to work with for this part of the Bigger, Stronger series. She wanted to work with master trainer Roy Duquette. Roy is uniquely qualified to work with martial artists. He has over 15 years of experience as a professional trainer and and performance coach. Roy has also worked with many MMA fighters and BJJ competitors.
He was also Emily's first conditioning coach and the person who first introduced her to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In the app Roy presents a workout designed to strengthen and stabilise your body. Not only will you develop a rock-solid core that will greatly increase your functional strength on the mats, you'll also protect the joints and muscles of your body that are most susceptible to getting hurt.
Total Body Stability training may just be your ace in a hole, for the simple reason that being strong and uninjured allows you to train harder in class and walk around without feeling crippled all the time!
Volume five, 'An Introduction to Total Body Stability' comes with detailed instructions for each exercise. The emphasis on the back, abs, core and shoulders, and the specific ways in which these exercises are done, ensures that these sequences are total body strengtheners.
CHAPTERS
Standing Active Posture Series
Standing Front Raises
Standing L-Flyes
Standing Dumbbell Shrug
Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press
Standing Upper Body Stability Bicep Curl
Sequential Roll-Up Series
Sequential Roll-Up
Roll-Up with Alternating Leg Raises
Roll-Up with Double Leg Raises
Superman Series
Superman: Double Arm and Leg Extension
Superman: Overhead Flyes
Superman: Leg Curls
Superman: Simultaneous Flyes and Leg Curls
Standard Plank Series
Sequential Plank
Plank Push-Up
Plank with Alternating Leg Raises
Swiss-Ball Bridge Series
Swiss-Ball: Straight-Leg Bridge
Swiss-Ball: Leg Curls
Swiss-Ball: Bent-Knee Bridging
Swiss-Ball: Alternating Leg Raises
Summary
FEATURES
1 hour of solid, filler-free, video instruction
Professionally filmed and edited
Complete menus for easy navigation
Create a list of your favourite sections and exercises using the one-click 'favourite' button
Download the entire app to your phone or iPad; an internet connection is NOT required to view the videos
BONUS: 'The Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' book for free!
You can get the fifth iPhone app in the Bigger, Stronger series here:
Thanks to everyone who bought one or more volumes of this series! Because of your support I'm currently working on the Android versions of these apps as well as converting the Brandon Mullins DVD set into apps as well.
