Mastering the Rubber Guard: Jiu Jitsu for Mixed Martial Arts Competition

This is the best martial arts book I have ever read. Very entertaining and informative. Descriptions, and transitions are thoroughly and thoughtfully laid out with great pictures of the positions. The quality of this book, the shear volume of valuable information, make this edition an absolute steal at the price offered here. Bravo attributes pot smoking with much of his success at BJJ. I am not convinced, but Kudos to this gappling Genius in any case. If you have any fragile sensibilities then you might be offended by his introduction. If you can look past this then you will love what this information can do to your grappling game. If you always find yourself getting demolished on your back, or you just can't seem to maintain a solid guard system whilst defending, then you definitely need this book. It is a problem solving manual, that presents many clear and succint tools that work a HIGH PERCENTAGE of the time. I think this point is critical when learning any system, that is, you want the technique to be effective most of the time with most opponents. Bravo starts off teaching you his half guard defense game, which when you apply his methods, becomes an extremely offensive approach for sweeping, submitting, and transitioning to other positions. He also covers his butterfly guard, pyramid guard (which I have never seen anywhere else), and also half guard dog fight positions (very wrestling orientated). Later he walks you through his Rubber Guard game which is just amazing. I have tried his lock down methods and they really work. However it will still take me time and practice to get the techniques really tight and to improve my flexibility. I would say the Rubber Guard techniques may be a bit beyond some peoples anatomy at first (i.e. flexibility plays a big part here). However Bravo does outline some very good stretches to slowly develop this flexibility over time. I think Bravo's methods are cutting edge and possibly revolutionary. If you do not take the time to learn this stuff now, then you will surely find yourself on the receiving end of it at some stage in the near future. I say get in there now before everyone else, and make it an integral part of your grappling game.

This is not your average Jiu-Jitsu instructional book. Written by a heavily tattooed ex-musician, every aspect of the book seems designed to attack the traditional foundations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. From the firm no-gi stance of the author, to the open marijuana advocacy (even going so far as to recommend marijuana usage during training!) to the, um, rather colloquial naming of moves and positions ("Retard Control", "Crack Head Control", "Jiu-Claw", "Night of the Living Dead"), Eddie Bravo questions and overturns seemingly every established dogma in BJJ. After deeper analysis, however, one realizes that behind the silly names and cannabis activism there is real and valuable martial arts research in these techniques. Transforming guard into an offensive position via Rubber Guard (especially when the standard 'triangle choke or arm bar from guard' sequence stops working) has the potential to COMPLETELY change your game. Bravo not only demonstrates Rubber Guard but beforehand explains how to turn half-guard into an equally powerful position, and outlines many sweeps and defensive counters. I found the Troubleshooting sections to be valuable, as they explain common errors and mistakes made when learning these techniques and how to overcome them. The book is well laid-out with many clear color pictures with alternate angles, in a sensible sequence from stretching to half guard Lockdown, to Butterfly Guard to Rubber Guard and more advances techniques building on the prior sections. The writing makes the strategy and progression clear, instead of simply being a catalog of individual moves. I recommend this to any BJJ practitioner, from white belt on up, particularly if you train at a more traditional gi school. You'll have fun surprising and tapping your classmates with the unorthodox techniques, and that alone is worth the price of this book.

Eddie Bravo's success, to me, closely parallels that of Royce Gracie in UFC, in that they were both successful in finding a powerful niche. Royce was able to exploit an area largely neglected by other disciplines--ground submission grappling--and beat bigger and more atheletic opponents. Eddie, likewise, was able to find his niche in a position--half-guard--that other BJJ practitioners avoided or did not focus on. Having watched his celebrated match with Royler a few times, it is my opinion his victory actually is more attributable to his half-guard skills, which frustrated Royler into being careless, than his rubber guard. Certainly, without his half guard, Eddie would have been mounted within a minute into the match. The half guard portion of this book is truly remarkable. The moves not only work, but have already become classics. Even if you have no interest in becoming a half-guard expert like Eddie, you should become familiar with those moves because you will be defending against them sometime in your grappling career. The fact that Eddie was able to hold off someone like Royler in his half guard for five minutes should tell you how effective the moves can be if you are unfamiliar with them. My recommendation is this book is a definite buy just for the half-guard materials alone. I am less enthused about his rubber guard. The rubber guard is a decent way to hold off an opponent and create some breathing room but I don't think it is revolutionary. Eddie has made conflicting statements on the issue, on one hand advertising the guard as being revolutionary but on the other hand admitting that rubber guard, like all guards, is inherently risky and ineffective. It seems somewhat more effective in no-gi, but that is not surpring because it was designed for no-gi. Regardless, I think it definitely belongs in the "good to know" category, so you can defend against it, even if you are not interested in using it. If you are interested in learning about the rubber guard, then certainly I can think of no better authority than its creator. The book as a whole is easy to read, with color photographs that makes it easy to distinguish the limbs of the practitioners. It even has a flow chart. Overall, one of the best executed martial arts books I came across. As an aside, I am a bit astounded by other reviewers' focus on the book's preface. Certainly, Eddie advocates the use of marijuana but I am not sure why this seems to offend many. He sincerely and strongly believes that marijuana improves his BJJ game. Then it would seem only natural that he would recommend its use. It's his book and he can say whatever he wants to, just as a reader is free to disregard or rip out those sections. I certainly do not think his belief on the issue affects the content of the book in any negative way (except for the funky names). I think the issue should not be given much thought.

Eddie Bravo is in my opinion the next Helio Gracie as far as jiu jitsu goes. Helio took japanese jiu jitsu which used more strength holds and adapted it to his smaller size by using leverage and the gi. Eddie Bravo has taken the Gracie jiu jitsu system and adapted it to mixed martial arts fighting without a gi. When no gi is present you must use other positions and techniques to accomplish similar goals. This book will teach you that system. Beware flexibility is not required to practice some techniques, but most will require a yoga type level of flexibilty. But hey if you wanna throw up crazy arm bars and triangles you must be flexible anyway. The system is great and you are beginning to see it in mma more and more. This is just the next level of jiu jitsu. I am sure more will follow as the sport grows, but for now these are advanced teachings. I want to trow in that my favorite technique is the electric chair. When someone has you in half guard revert to the electric chair and on someone who is not super flexible you will have it won in a suprising way. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the jiu jitsu game or mma.

I've been practicing jiu jitsu for a year. We have worked a lot on Oomoplatas and Gogoplatas, that's where I learned about the rubber guard. There is also a large focus on MMA at my dojo, so I picked this book up and started reading it. A couple pages in I knew this was a great book, and it really is. One of the first series of techniques you learn is the Lockdown, Whip up and the subsequent sweeps from Half Guard. Let me tell you, I train with 2 Colorado amateur MMA title holders and I have got them with these moves every time. I am very impressed with the style and the thought that was put into this book, truly genius. I wouldn't say this book is the end all be all, but it is a great addition to anyone's game. I continually roll with people of all different skills, sizes and abilities and I utilize the techniques in this book very often. Another book I've checked out is BJ Penn - Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge, again another solid addition to anyone's game.

Do not mind the first pages with the cannabis activism. Skip them completely and.... there you are... A new way to think and act with your body. It is not only the nice techniques presented in that book, is that it challenges you to start thinking outside the box. This way I decided to start experimenting with whatever I was taught (and not only with the techniques of Eddie Bravo but with all the BJJ techniques) and thus enhancing my game. P.S. One very useful part is the chapter troubleshooting the moves described in the previous chapters where it demonstrates the counter or additional moves you have to do when your opponent has a very tight defense. P.S. It helped also my Gi game although is no-gi oriented. P.S. I am a short and further-weight fighter (165cm, 60Kgs) and I find that the rubber guard is quite useful when fighting heavier people (almost everybody in my gym). It allows me to hold their heads and neck down and not allowing them taking a posture far away of my reach (my arms are comparable short since I am only 165 cm) that limit my choices of attacks.

I'm not really a fan of learning things from books or videos, but THIS book changed all of that. Eddie lays everything out in such a way that everything builds on the technique before it. From how to hold the position, to a number of attacks, to a number of counters. I took the book one technique a week and just worked it each night after practice (it will take me a loooong time to get all the way through the book) but I will have a good understanding of all the techniques involved. Another thing I like about Eddie's book is how he has his system layed out at the begining of the book so you can look at the position, what the situation is, and what to do next and based on that linear model look at the page number next to it and you have it. A lot of new things to most grapplers, I'm more than happy with my purchase and have recommended it to many people in the gym.

First off I'd like to address all the people talking bad about the pro pot talk in this book. If you know anything about Eddie Bravo it's that he is pro pot and has world class bjj. If you don't like pot talk then don't buy a book written by a pothead or get over it; just skip to the techniques. In all aspects of life we should strive to be open minded especially in martial science if you ever want to rise above mediocrity. Onto the book. the book itself is unbelievable. the pictures in this book are so nice that you don't even have to know how to read to get something out of this book. while the book is called mastering the rubber guard it covers a wide array of things from stretching,just about every guard position, to defending slams. this book in a nutshell will (along with some serious roll time ) will take your art to the next level. DON'T BE A PRUDE OR YOU WILL MISS OUT ON SOME VERY INNOVATIVE JIU JITSU.

Its grate, and for any of the moves i dont understand there youtube (only one i was unsure of so far) which has most stuff on it . although not presented in the same way. the book is grate. gives real structure to my BJJ game.

Das Buch ist von seinem Niveau her einzigartig und das beste Kampfsportbuch, das ich je in Händen gehalten habe. 10P4L :-))

A great step by step resource for someone expanding their knowledge of Eddie Bravo's system, whether to pick up some new techniques, or to be aware of the methodology of people who study Eddie's System.

エディーブラボーの技としてあまりに有名なものとして、ツイスターとラバーガードがあります。しかし、これだけではサブミッションで勝てません。サブミッションでは、いかにデフェンシブなポジションからオフェンシブな体勢に展開していくかが勝利へのキーポイントとなります。エディーブラボーが愛用するのはLOCKDOWNと呼ばれる足がらみからの展開です。彼はLOCKDOWNについては昔からBJJにあったかもしれないが、BJJのコンペティションでは観た事がないと本書のなかでふれています。私がジムでLOCKDOWNをしたときに、「二重絡み」と柔道経験者に言われたので、LOCKDOWNは二重絡み、あるいはその亜流なのでしょう。しかし、彼は二重絡みを攻撃用のポジション、完璧なスィーにプ移行する強力なポジションにブラッシュアップさせています。本書のなかではLOCKDOWNの確立だけでも6年もかかった技の体系を、懇切丁寧に解説しています。冒頭部分の彼の生い立ちは、ちょっとやばいですが、いざ技の解説になると、彼が言うように「誠実」に解説してあります。

Well put together book. Good pictures, great explainatory text. From basics of stretching to more advanced moves & transitions, this book delivers quality tips. I may never be as flexible or imaginative as Eddie in the ground game, but after reading this book I can't say I wasn't given a chance to work it out ...