What is the word on this course? What do people think of these videos? Good? Bad? Mediocre? Please give your honest opinions.
No need to rant or bash, just straight forward feedback, please.
Thanks,
TAKU T.N.T.
www.blackjackfitness.com
Not sure about the internet grading thing. But as dvd instruction goes, for bjj as self defense, they are excellent. Ryron and Rener are great teachers.
it gave me the confidence to know I can tap out my business associates.
Our white belts are being taught the combatives and they seem to be progressing faster than the white belts in the past. It seems to be a positive for their sport jiu jitsu, haven't had many students use them for self defense yet.
I believe they are a great foundation for BJJ training.
I've taken the Gracie Combatives Military / LE version of the series which is a week long class. It is explained at the beginning of the class that the techniques are a stream lined series to be used on an untrained attacker. Once you master the Combatives series you get your Blue Belt and you can move on to the Master Cycle, which are the techniques most of the BJJ world train. After taking the course I understand why they teach the way they do. They make it very simple and very structured so someone who is not an athlete or smart enough to break down the techniques will still learn (robotic moves). On the 4th and 5th days of the class the instructors had a few of the people in the room that already train help the people that did not understand or physically could not perform the techniques. All in all I think it is a really good program and it has changed the way I think about teaching new students.
I have the Gracie Combatives DVD set and I also train two to three times a week at the Gracie Academy in Torrance. I think the DVD set is simply amazing. The level of detail and the thorough explanations of body positioning (why certain movements work/don't work) is mind opening. I like how Rener and Ryron show the basics of the move and then keep breaking it down into further and further detail, then follow up with safety warnings, info about what will happen if your body/arm/leg positions aren't correct, how to conserve energy when doing the move... it's all excellent. The DVD's go into even more detail than I can get in class with the time limitations there. So frequently, I will watch the DVDs on a technique prior to my class session that day. It's been a great way to accelerate my understanding. I feel confident that by the time I finish this course run and get to blue belt that i will be able to dominate or destroy any untrained street thug who would give me a problem. Obviously, as you proceed up to purple belt, you will also be a good match for those with similar/equal jiujitsu training.
I did notice one thing... the level of instructions from white to blue is so good and detailed with the Gracies that I'm able to pick out flaws in the techniques of top MMA fighters. That's saying something.
I've seen 3 of the discs - the first 3.
I like it for what it is - a good introduction to the basics.
Read that again - it is an introduction to the basics. It is not all of the basics, nor is it the end-all be-all of what is presented. There are plenty things left out, like north-south, knee on belly, 99% of guard passing, etc. And I have seen other sets cover more variations/details of the techniques they cover (but not many, it is definitely near the top in terms of attention to detail).
I really like the emphasis on self-defense and practical application. I don't expect to get in a fight for the rest of my adult life, but if lightning strikes, I would find this more useful than my first week of "true" BJJ instruction (which was from a very skilled black belt and excellent teacher, who spent the first 3 lessons on spider guard sweeps and passing the spider guard - not the most applicable to self defense, obviously, but that's what the class happened to be covering when I signed up).
The video grading - of course, I have suspicions of that, but to play devil's advocate - do we know anyone who has done it? Maybe they are brutally critical in how they evaluate folks, I don't know.
Some observations - I love comparing various instructionals / instructors on little details. Sometimes they differ, and I like to figure out why. Case in point - Ryron and Rener teach that when doing the americana from the mount, you should slide your hand under his upper arm with your palm up - the rationale being that you could use your fingers to sort of "crawl" through on his arm, making it easier to get your hand through and then grab your own wrist, assuming he defends by keeping his arm pressed flat to the ground. However, Saulo says in his instructional specifically to do it with your palm down, flat on the ground. IIRC, he does not say why. Now, I know Saulo, Ryron, and Rener have all forgotten more than I will ever learn about BJJ, but I find it fascinating that high level people disagree over details like this...
Also, Ryron and Rener seem like cool guys, but every now and then I got this weird vibe from them. I would have said it felt almost like a used car salesman, but that is both too strongly worded and insulting. Maybe it's just that they were so friendly and casual and enthusiastic around each other, and talking about how awesome BJJ is, while most instructionals have stone-faced pro competitors being ultra serious.
I LOVE the drill sections they have - they show 3 techniques per DVD, with about 3-4 variations of each technique - then show a flow drill where they incorporate all of them, just going back and forth. And later discs start incorporating earlier techniques as well. As many others have said, the actual teaching methodology they use is second to none. Just getting in front of people and demo-ing moves works for many people for most moves, but their system of teaching, the actual structure they use, seems well thought out.
Might post some more thoughts later....
scrappy - Not sure about the internet grading thing. But as dvd instruction goes, for bjj as self defense, they are excellent. Ryron and Rener are great teachers.agreed.
best set ever made,cheesey commercial,rener knows it.
after watching ari promotion vid and him getting a blue from keith.i not gonna talk shit to rener again about the online testing.
the next set will be even better,watched some of the filming.talked with the boys,watched some of the slices , it will be great.
None So Blind -What's wrong with Car Salesmen??!?! lol Of course they are salesmen, we all are salesmen in life(though some of us are better than others ;) ) In their case they are selling the public on their philosphy and techniques.. Just like you "sell" your "image" to the public when you go out and meet people. Being in High Level Sales and Marekting as Sales Manager, Closer, and sales I can see when people are "selling"..even when they don't realize they are! lol
The video grading - of course, I have suspicions of that, but to play devil's advocate - do we know anyone who has done it? Maybe they are brutally critical in how they evaluate folks, I don't know.
Also, Ryron and Rener seem like cool guys, but every now and then I got this weird vibe from them. I would have said it felt almost like a used car salesman, but that is both too strongly worded and insulting. Maybe it's just that they were so friendly and casual and enthusiastic around each other, and talking about how awesome BJJ is, while most instructionals have stone-faced pro competitors being ultra serious.
As far as the grading online... A couple guys have posted videos on Youtube that ACTUALLY failed, I can't find them now..but around July there was a couple of the Qualifications posted where the guy testing failed, it even showed where his point deduction were and they were pretty strict from what I remember...small things like hand placement caused point deductions... so apparently they aren't just selling belts for testing fee's...
Here is a video of some tests..scroll to the bottom and there is a failed test posted on the Gracie university site.
.https://www.gracieuniversity.com/LC/test_tips.aspx?c=63QJ4TGT7X&n=28&t=0
To be honest, I don't see why so many people have a problem with the online belt testing (at least for blue belt).
I got my blue belt after training for 2 years under a great instructor, who is a black belt under a Gracie. But I didn't test for my belt. He watched me rolling with other white and blue belts and determined that I was ready. Did I know all of the self-defense techniques, and fight strategies? Some of them. But not in the detail that Rener and Ryron demand. Most of my time had been spent learning sport JJ techniques, so I could defeat other JJ students in the academy during rolling. It almost seems like the detail demanded by Ryron and Rener in the video testing is MORE stringent than what was requuired of me, to get my blue belt.
The video blue belt test that Rener and Ryron have demands a lot of attention to detail. The simulated fight scenarios are VERY good for developing the correct reflexes needed to defend onesself, which is the PRIMARY reason most people start studying martial arts. As instructors, Ryron and Rener's main focus is to develop students into people who can defend themselves in a street confrontation.
And 12 is right, if Ari can get a blue belt (and let's face it, most beginning blue belts are not world beaters), then why not someone who has obviously demonstrated the ability to use JJ in a street confrontation against a relativley untrained opponent? Ryron and Rener are not trying to start a sport JJ dynasty; they want students who can use JJ in real fights, where the opponent is trying to take your head off with punches.
I think Gracie Combatives is essential for all JJ students.
This is very, very good stuff for people who are learning JJ to defend themselves, or to fight MMA, for that matter. Way better than learning the newest spider guard pass or half guard sweep, IMO.
Scrappy said it best.
Not sure about the internet grading thing. But as dvd instruction goes, for bjj as self defense, they are excellent. Ryron and Rener are great teachers.
I would not think twice about buying the master curriculum.
RobbieH -
What's wrong with Car Salesmen??!?! lol Of course they are salesmen, we all are salesmen in life(though some of us are better than others ;) ) In their case they are selling the public on their philosphy and techniques.. Just like you "sell" your "image" to the public when you go out and meet people. Being in High Level Sales and Marekting as Sales Manager, Closer, and sales I can see when people are "selling"..even when they don't realize they are! lol
LOL
Really, the more I think about it, the more it felt like just plain old enthusiasm. I mean, there are parts where they would demo a move, and then Ryron would say s/t like "You are gonna get SO awesome at doing this move!!!" It's just very different from most other vids (e.g., "WHY? WHY HE STAND UP LIKE DIS? LIKE A CRAZY????").
Part of me was thinking, "Dude, you don't have to sell me on BJJ, I already have the DVDs!" and another part was feeling like I was listening to some kind of life coach or something, the guy was being so positive and encouraging :-P (which again goes back to excellent teaching style - I taught at the university level, and I could make boring stuff memorable simply by style)
The world hasn't been flooded with online bluebelts yet.
In fact, in one of the mailouts they brothers said half the people that have submitted the videos have failed.
Great instructionals. The best Basic DVD series ever made.
from what i have seen and the curriculuums outline on what they like the 30-37 techs of BJJ (or something ?) is pretty much a good basic start for anyone .
i feel its solid overall...but of course whenu see the commercial ad it seemingly begs to be questioned from a casual eye. :)
i actaually plan on getting it my self sometime to check it out... even as a blue myself i am sure and was informed i would get something out it regardless as i am sure i would anyway.
never heard anything bad about them myself .