If you are here for a film analysis of the thriller Speed, starring Keanu Reeves, you might be disappointed. The topic of discussion in this episode is about how and when to rely on speed. Speed can be a devastatingly effective tool, but it can also be used as a crutch to mask poor technique. Kroyler talks about the different types of speed and how they should be ultilzed.

Few chokes are as quick and powerful as the Baseball Bat Choke. This choke uses an opponent’s eagerness against them. By baiting them to pass your guard, they happily progress to the trap. By the time they realize they’re at risk, it’s too late. In this episode we breakdown the choke in order to understand what makes it so potent.

Carlson Gracie, the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, showed that grit and skill are a dangerous combination. A talented fighter responsible for coaching legends in jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts, Carlson is known as a prolific figure in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

This episode marks one year of the Just Jiu Jitsu podcast. In honor of our special episode we change up the format. Instead of focusing on a particular topic, our conversation is all over the board. We reflect on the past year, look forward to the future, role-play, and take a quiz. If you prefer our usual format, fear not, it will return next week. Thank you for listening to our first 52 episodes!

If last week’s episode was a super hero, it would be Spiderman. That means this week’s episode is Captain America: strong, composed, understated, and great for passing guard. Wait, has Marvel ever confirmed that Captain America is good at passing guard? Moving on, this week we talk about the less flashy, but equally effective Pressure Pass. This style emphasizes control and strategizing. If movement passing isn’t your style, then pressure passing may be your jam.

We’ve walked through Kroyler’s first two stages of passing: good control/nullification of the opponent’s hips and creating an opening in their guard. This episode is on stage three: passing the opponent’s guard. We talk specifically about movement passing. This is a subcategory of passing that emphasizes finesse, agility and craftiness. It involves techniques like long stepping and weaving. If you enjoy keeping your opponents guessing and pretending like your Spiderman dodging enemy bullets then this is the style for you.

A listener says she is small and can’t do much on top, which makes her avoid top mount and spend all of her time on bottom. She asks if she should focus more on her top game. How can she feel heavy and control larger opponents? After discussing some ways to improve top positions, Kroyler uses this topic to talk about going out of your comfort zone in order to work on your weaknesses.

A new segment debuts in the last half of the show: Kroyler’s Competition Corner! A listener sent a video of one of his competitions and Kryoler analyzes it. To follow along with Kroyler’s analysis go to the Just Jiu Jitsu Podcast facebook page for a link to the video.

Controlling your opponent is one of the most important parts of jiu jitsu. In order to do this you have to know how to use hooks. There are many different types of hooks and they can be used offensively or defensively. When properly utilized, they create a point of contact and they allow you to control your opponent. In this episode we talk about how to turn your arms and legs into grappling hooks!

In the second episode of our guard passing series we talk about breaking closed guard. Before you can work on passing your opponent’s guard, you have to do two things: nullify and open. First you must control your opponent and nullify their ability to sweep and attack. Secondly you’ll need to open their guard to set yourself up for a pass. We spend this episode focusing on these first two stages of passing.

When you’re faced with the magnitude of information in jiu jitsu it can be overwhelming. It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in an ocean of techniques and concepts. How do you keep your head above water? In this episode we discuss how to learn efficiently. We look at learning strategies that make it easier to absorb and retain information. Whether it’s taking notes, visualization, or analyzing rolls, we evaluate different means of processing the information you’ll come across while training.

While leg locks have been accepted in mainstream jiu jitsu, wrislocks are still frowned upon in many circles. If leg locks are the wild and dangerous brother, then wristlocks are their creepy little cousin. Where does this negative connotation come from? Should people be afraid to learn wristlocks or are they a valuable weapon for a person’s arsenal? In this episode Kroyler explains why he loves wristlocks and has incorporated them into his playbook. Is it any surprise that a monster like Kroyler would keep wristlocks near and dear to his heart?