Customer Reviews (9)

A fantastic guide to real self-defense JiuJitsu that has withstood the test of time.
This was one of the first books on JuJitsu(jiu jitsu)I ever purchased back in the 1950s and it is still one of the best books ever written on pure self-defense JuJitsu. It does not matter what martial art you may have studied, this is one book that should be in your personal library.There is a whole lot to like about this book, but the number one thing I love about this text are the clear drawings of each technique.Photographs are okay, but I have found that drawings show more detail on each technique.This book covers numerous self-defense techniques from various types of attacks, including knives and guns.There is no mention of Judo or Jujitsu as sport activities in this text.This is simply a book on using jujitsu techniques and tactics for self-defense.In conclusion, this book is for anyone who is interested in pure street self-defense jujitsu.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Pro-Systems Combatives Vol. 1,2, Monadnock Defensive Tactics System, Use of the Monadnock Straight baton, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques, Martial Art Myths, Police Yawara Stick Techniques, Never Trust a Politician, Season of the Warrior).

Practical/Balanced/Excellent PROVEN Self-Defense +++
"Jiu Jitsu Complete", by Kiyose Nakae, is very PRACTICAL; using plenty of turn-around moves -- without clothing-grips or ground-pins -- to deal with possible multiple attackers, maybe not in Gi-uniforms. It has a modest, yet rich, array of "tricks", including striking and grappling, that cover a lot of situations without overdoing it. And the "tricks" are BALANCED; matching the actual attack-situations very well, without being too long or complex, with possible options and combinations shown appropriately. Also the line-drawings and explanations are EXCELLENT; streamlined, concise, and clear. On pages 11 and 12 is a "Classification of Tricks" to precisely organize the variety of "tricks" as presented in an interesting semi-random order in the main text. Finally, there are seven methods of resuscitation to make this "Jiu Jitsu Complete" -- SELF-DEFENSE via a compact and modern Aiki-like blend inspired by Kitoryu Jujutsu and Kodokan Judo. Kitoryu Jujutsu is a major source of Judo, Aikido, and Shorinji Kempo -- and inspires some Kenpo Arts -- especially such as my own via "Jiu Jitsu Complete" +++

Very good, for the subject mater
This is one of the better books out there for using Japanese Ju-Jitsu for self defense.Being from the 50s, you'll read stuff about "jiujutsu tricks" and "cheer up, begginner", so the style of writting is a little dated.However, the book, as it is written, is well-illustrated, biulds from one move to the next, and has some of the best explainations for the throws that I have ever seen.There's moves in here that you don't see anymore, which is good, because I've seen how they still work.There is a small section on dealing with firearms that I'm a little skepticalabout, but the author insists he's been able to pull off the moves shown.Another thing I like is that the throws are done without gis, and can be used against a guy wearing a t-shirt.This book is designed to give the user a small, but effective and interchangable, arsenal for one-on-one defense.Not too much on philosophy/art stuff here, but some sportative applications may be found.Not really a must-have, but a very good book nonetheless.

Grate self-defense book!
This book I find has grate examples for self-defense. They are simple and easy to learn/practice. It covers everything from simple escapes from wrist holds, to headlocks.
It even a small section on defense against weapons.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn self-defense.
(A good book for beginners.)

It worked for James Bond...
If you like the moves that James Bond used to take out Pussy Galore in Gold Finger, get this book.I think you could use this book to re-create most mid sixties fight scenes.While I was reading this book, I could hear Austin Powers saying, "Judo Chop". It's too bad this book is paperback, otherwise, you could put it on the coffee table and claim it was vintage.

All my blah blah blah is amounting to saying that this book seems dated, and maybe a little unrealistic.It's a cool book.I'm not upset I bought it, but I'm not going to try most of these moves on anybody.I say most, because a few of these moves look kinda' cool.I might try two or three from the whole book in a "play spar" situation ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A Poor Guide for Self-Defense
This is a well-written book by a very good instructor in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and includes very good pictures and instructions to help the reader follow along as the techniques are demonstrated.

The main gripe I have with the book is that I was expecting something new, not a republishing of Simco's book Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master Text, sometimes nearly word for word with the exact same photos. Personally, I'd buy the Master Text and get all of the information in this book, along with much more for a little bit more money. So, buyer beware, if you already have the Master Text don't waste your money on this book.

The other problem I have with this book is that this author confuses mixed martial arts for self-defense, which often happens these days, unfortunately.

The techniques the author demonstrates most likely wouldn't be effective in a true self-defense situation because they are clearly geared for the ring, not the street. For example, on page 140, the author instructs his readers to cover the mouth of the opponent so he cannot breathe, which is actually a tactic in MMA matches to cause your opponent to be unable to breathe easily and cause him to tire faster. With the fingers so close to the mouth, Simco neglects to warn his readers about the potential for losing fingers if the opponent happens to bite. As I said, there is a vast difference between the ring and the street.

Simco's dismissive attitude of addressing weapons and multiple attackers is also a large issue if this is supposed to be a self-defense book. He does mention it briefly a few times, but basically reduces the issue of multiple opponents to a useless situation (way to inspire confidence in potential students...) unless you're an expert in BJJ, when there are useful strategies that will get you out alive that are fairly easy to learn, which Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu doesn't have since it's not geared for self-defense.

Because the text and pictures are taken from Simco's fantastic The Master Text, the photos are excellent, as are the written instructions accompanying the pictures. It's just unfortunate that we have yet another "self-defense" instructor who just don't know what they're talking about and should stick to what he obviously is very good at: competitive BJJ.

Oversold and Underdelivered
I am a martial arts instructor who is wanting to incorporate some basic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into my curriculum for self-defense purposes.After reading all of the glowing reviews about this book and DVD being "straight and to the point" and how Simco just shows the street-effective techniques I thought this would be the right resource to utilize.

I was wrong.

I am very disappointed in the skimpy material in this book, all of which is designed for use by a very strong fighter in an MMA competition, not a normal sized individual on the street.Also, the DVD is nothing more than an advertisement for his other DVD sets.Seriously, there are only 3 techniques on the DVD (about 10 minutes worth) and the rest is previews without instruction for his other products.

The techniques he does show are good if you are an MMA fighter, though there are not a lot of them.If you are looking for a self-defense book, I suggest buying something else.

Straight to the point!
This is THE book for self defense and street fighting basics. Simco tells it like it is, focusing on techniques that work not "religion and theory". Simco has a gift for explaining the techniques he uses in an easy to follow manner. I'm looking forward to purchasing more material from this author.

Complete but not extraordinary
It's a good book. It gives coverage to basic and practical techniques. For the motivated beginner, it will give as much information they can hope to obtain outside of sparing and practice. I think the DVD could have been more informative and less a sales vehicle for a set of DVDs by the author. I couldn't give this product 5 stars, because I had hoped to see more photos with descriptive narrative on the reason for changing levels and what counters to avoid if one attempts any technique. But these shortcoming are overcome by prctical advice throughout.

Book Overview
Overall, this book is exactly what it says it is and shows the techniques of Brazilian Jujitsu that are best used in MMA and Self Defense.

There are the normal forwards and introductions that set the stage for the reader.The Forward done by a military special operations MSG who endorses the use of BJJ in general for hand to hand combat (most military personel have adopted the practice of BJJ) and talks a bit about how they use Simco's products.

Simco then gives an introduction as to how to use the book and his philosophy of training and organization, explaining that its basically better to learn 20 moves at 100% than 100 at 20%. He explains the overall philosophy of Jiu-jitsu and how this is a book of how BJJ techniques fit into a Street or MMA situation, not a book about how to change BJJ into something its not. He stays pretty true to BJJ throughout the book and doesn't add anything that isn't Jujitsu for the sake of making it more `street', instead shows how Jujitsu can solve all the Self Defense problems the reader might have.He explains how the practice of MMA is great for self defense because it is the closest you can get to reality without hurting your partner or yourself.His philosophy of training in general is to be better than the opponent both technically and morally otherwise, "we are no better than those who attack us".`Jiu-jitsu' does mean `Gentle Art'.

Before he gets into the techniques, he gives a history, which was pretty interesting, then follows with the philosophy of positions and the scientific side of physical attributes.

The Techniques:

Before he gets into anything technique-wise, he does something I appreciated as a martial artist by explaining the differences between a real fight and mixed martial arts competition. There are differences and Simco both identifies and acknowledges them.

Unlike many other books, Simco's are very well organized by position and within position, sequencing the techniques so that they link together.This makes them easy to learn, easy to reference and better yet, it makes them work.

He starts from the standing position and talks a bit about striking and how to learn the basics of it so that you understand exactly what is being thrown at you.

He then discusses how to achieve the clinch position in a street fight and some self defense tips.The pictures are clear and go over the details of several takedowns for street and MMA step by step with pretty good instructions. He shows a few variations of moves and the differences of how they might be applied differently with clothing and in MMA with shorts, like the "biana" takedown (basically the brazilian double leg), which he shows a couple of times, addressing how to do it with a penetration step (taking a knee), then without for a hard surface, then a variation, making use of the pants.

The book follows a step by step photo and description approach through all the BJJ positions for the bulk of the book, covering guard passing, the use of the guard, top attacks and escapes, and back mount attacks.All pretty much linked together.

The other nice reference feature is that small thumbnail pictures are displayed down the left side of each page so that after reading the book through (once you've go the basic idea) you can flip through and get a quick refresher or visually find the technique you are looking for.This is especially great for the beginner who isn't familiar with all the jargon and terminology, its easier to look at the picture of what you want to work on.

The last part explains briefly a bit more about simplifying BJJ techniques for self defense even further in his Self Defense Made Easy dvds and works as an introduction to the DVD that comes with the book.After reading the book and checking out the dvd, I purchased the full No Rules set, which was even better than the book and more expansive being that it is a four dvd package.I also purchased the Self Defense dvds and found it to be a useful guide to what I should show my wife whom I want to know some self defense but won't come to class.

For the Beginner, this book adjusts the basics and shows how they can be performed in a non-sportive fight.

For a Martial Artist from another style who wants to add BJJ without going through the belt ranks again, this book is probably the best out there.It's just what you need to know without all the filler and fluff.

For the Intermediate BJJ student, this book will show you how to adjust positions for better self defense or act as a great reference guide if you are training for mixed martial arts competition.

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (35)

It's descent
I can't give this book 5 stars like many others have. The drills are effective and will help with rolling but there is nothing ground breaking about this book. You could put together your own series of jujitsu moves and do just as well.

muy util para el entrenamiento
me gusto mucho el libro por que no se enfoca en sumisiones sino en darte un programa de entrenamiento para fortalecer el cuerpo y dotarte de habilidades para la competencia.
en la academia estamos a punto de poner en practica estas recomendaciones.
hay mucho de donde sacarle provecho, se paga solo.

The best Ever
This is the best book ever on the subject of BJJ drilling period.... There is no other book out there like this one.... i highly recommend this book..... its a must have for the collection

Nothing else like it
In order to learn and execute techniques from a book, you have to be able to implement the movements into your daily training. Most jiu-jitsu books are filled with useful techniques, but don't give you specific instruction on how to train. Drill to Win solves this problem.In addition to demonstrating several partner drills, Kevin and Galvao cover several independent drills that you can implement in your garage or living room.Although the layout suggest following a twelve month program, you can just as easily pull out a specific drill to augment a particular aspect of your game.This is one of the best jiu-jitsu books on the market, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their game.

Good So Far
This book looks good so far, pictures and descriptions are easy to follow. After a few pages of introduction it gets right into the nitty gritty of diet and training drills. I am by no means an expert at jujitsu but I will commit to the year + of drills and report back then. It gets 5 star for presentation and clarity from me initially. ... Read more

Product Description
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, The Master Text is the largest and most comprehensive book about the subject ever written. This book covers Brazilian Jiu-jitsu through clear photographs and easy to follow step by step instructions.Thousands of detailed techniques are broken down into three areas of practice: Sport (with the gi), Submission Grapling, and Vale Tudo (No Holds Barred Fighting).This award winning book is a must-have for any student of Martial Arts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The Bible of BJJ
As an avid BJJ competitor with an extensive library, I can honestly say that this is the jewel of my collection.

Because it is probably the best and highest reviewed BJJ book ever written, I don't think I can possibly add anything except my thoughts on the value of this book. Sure, it's $69, but even if you bought $70 worth of other BJJ books, you still wouldn't have as much info as there is in this one.From that standpoint, it's the best value out there. Obviously most others agree.

The only other thing I think I can add is that this book is not out of print.I found the latest edition, which has better binding and quality printing at a popular jiu-jitsu website (against the rules to post it, so I'll just say type in jiu-jitsu and add dot net to it).

This is a monumental achievement and a true gift to the BJJ community that every enthusiast should have.

Great but not perfect.
Technique wise this book is the way to go. At nearly 800 pages you'll be reading this thing for quite a long time.

[Negatives]
-- NO Glossary. Extremely hard to find a particular technique. If you want to look for an armbar, or counter to one you have to spend a few minutes thumbing through the pages looking at the pictures to find what you want. It does have a table of contents but a very limited one.
-- Emphasis on "rule" type fighting. Whether it is Sport Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling or Vale Tudo. They all have rules. A lot of the content can be adapted to "street" worthy techniques but be sure you have a qualified instructor explaining how and what needs to be changed to do so.
-- Absolutely NO reality type scenerios. But I doubt this is why someone would buy this book. Like I said there is an emphasis on "rule" type fighting. There are no gun or knife disarms in it or hair grab counters and other "street" situations.
-- Some typos i.e. description says armbar but they're doing a choke. Very few though.
-- Cover price of $69.99 is a little steep.


[Positives]
-- Lot's and lots of techniques. No other BJJ book on the market comes close. If it's in BJJ it's more than likely in this book.
-- Good pictures but not great. Black and white to keep the cost down but still easy to see.
-- Easy to read descriptions of the techniques. Accompanying description of the technique alongside the pictures was very helpful and straight forwared. Not too vague making you wonder what the heck they're talking about.


Final thoughts: Overall a very welcome addition to someone's martial art book collection. Not perfect but one of the better if not the best book on BJJ techniques on the market.

Still the best.
I've been following this author for years as he was the first to really author Brazilian Jiu-jitsu books.This book has three editions, the one being spoke of is the latest.

I have to say that I disagree with the gentleman from Japan with suspiciously good English.He doesn't do much talking about himself in this book, besides a few details drawing from his experience.He actually supports any suggestions he gives with reviews and interviews done over the years with Gracie family members and black belts.

I also find it funny that you say there is nothing special about the techniques, then recommend the Gracie book, which has a syllabus for white to black belt and only contains @ 100 techniques, some of which are TYPING THE BELT!Yes, you recommend a book that considers tying the belt a TECHNIQUE.The Master Text contains MORE than anyone really needs to know on the mat to perform at an advanced level.

To the reviewer posing about the publisher: this book is being sold exclusively at www.jiu-jitsu.net.If you try to order it from amazon, you will never get it.Also, I am a member of the subscription you speak of there and am very happy with the service. The site was founded by the author, but I believe he has little to nothing to do with the management there anymore. The subscription service includes some helpful newsletters and access to online techniques.The sign up included a free month and was clearly labeled what I signed up for on the order summary, receipt with the latest DVD I purchased and emailed to me with all of the cancellation information should i wish to discontinue before being charged.

TO the reader who made the Vale Tudo comment: I agree with most of your review, but got a different impression.I felt he made it very clear that street fighting and MMA competition are two different things and just made the statement that they are SIMILAR, but actually took quite a bit of time explaining differences and variables.

Anyway, good service from the publisher, great book, but unfortunately, like anything else, there is a lot of competition with a bad attitude, especially in BJJ.

Do not waste your money
First off, Gene has like chapters dedicated to his philosophy on jiu-jitsu, it's origin, history, etc... and he goes into way too much information on himself, as if we care.Bottom line is, yes, this is a really big book.Unfortunatlly, there is nothing special about the techniques, his descriptions and the pictures are very faint and make it difficult to see what is going on.Really, if this was like 1/4 the price that he is charging, then maybe it would be worth it.Dont buy this, rather spend your money on Renzo's book and Carlson's new book.Ten times better and you can still buy both of them for less than this one costs.

A must have for BJJ book.
I have many BJJ books, but the "Masters Text" is the book that I take out the most. The Masters Text has more high percentage techniques and less book selling flash moves than any book I have seen.It covers Sport, and Vale Tudo with great detail.The Masters Text is hands down my favorite BJJ book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Solid Book on Combinations and Transitions in BJJ
Although not a 'Complete Guide' by any means, this is one of the few book that emphasizes chained attacks and transition between the basic positions in BJJ.In addition, the first 25 pages prior to the techniques are extremely insightful and should be mandatory reading for any BJJ practitioner, particularly the lower belts.

The techniques themselves are very sport-centric and imply an understanding that the opponent know BJJ and is defending correctly.In this way, they provide a guide for the next suggested attack in a series.This is very valuable stuff that takes a long time to learn on the mat and few teachers focus on.

The book isn't very large (only 112 techniques) and one gets the impression that this book could be Vol 1. in an many part series on transitions/defenses/responses.In fact the conclusion might mention that this is an initial volume and even though the cover does show Vol 1, the material is so useful that the book is worth every penny.

Incomplete, random, mistitled book on combinations
First of all, the notion that a 263 page illustrated book could be a "Complete Guide to Gracie Jui-jitsu" should tell you something about the book's legitimacy. Some of the reviews for this book appear to be promotional, and at least one of the reviewers has represented himself as being affiliated with the Gracies, meaning his endorsement is nepotistic.

While the graphics and steps are good, the book only contains a relative handful of techniques, and many are depicted in longer sequences.

Also, while the book does discuss counters from a offensive point of view, like most Peligro/Gracie books, the coverage of techniques, defenses and counters to defenses is somewhat spotty and random.The book's focus, evident from the TOC, is to show techniques in isolation and in combination as a response to defenses;a more accurate title would have been "Some Gracie Combinations," instead of "The Complete Guide to Gracie Jiu-jitsu" (which implies that the book handles everything from takedowns/defenses, to submissions/defenses, to holds/sweeps/escapes.

The book does break techniques down by position, a compelling improvement over the earlier Peligro/Gracie books, which ordered techniques randomly. However, since the book's focus is really just on showing a few combinations, the sections are limited to "Guard," "Mount," "Passing the Guard," "Side Control," and "Knee on Stomach."

The point of the book -- and its strength -- is to some show combinations for a handful of techniques.However, picking even three combinations for most major techniques from each standard position would be a topic so broad that it could easily fill a number of books, and this text is hardly encyclopedic in that regard.This is not a great book on GJJ, or even a great book on GJJ combinations;unfortunately, given the lack of books on GJJ combinations, this may be your best bet on the subject right now.

Top of the Top and best of the best
This is by far one of the best if not the best instructional and historical Brazilian Jiu Jitsu books out there.Kid and Rodrigo put together a great collaboration of the history of the Gracie's and brought the basic back to BJJ.This book, Royce's Self Defense book, and Royler/Renzo books are all you really need to understand how BJJ works.All other books work off of them.

Great book
I really enjoyed this book. Rodrigo does a great job in breaking down the techniques.I also own his Path to Black Belt, this book continues in the same tradition with enhanced pictures and quality explanation.If your a fan of BJJ this book should be added to your collection.When I need to review a technique, I refer to his two books more then any others.It's a very well thought out book.I definitely recommend it.

Great Book...as expected with anything Gracie!
A must have for the aspiring Instructor, the newbie and everyone in between. The only reason it didn't get five stars is because the books are produced with pages that are only slightly thicker than tissue paper. I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for for the type of pages the Gracies have used in previous books. ... Read more

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The Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts Manual. 6 Complete books. Chokes, Throws, Take Downs, Wrist Locks, Backyard Jiu Jitsu, Street Jiu Jitsu. ... Read more

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Never before has a book covered passing the guard in greater detail. This is a valuable resource for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players, Judoka, submission wrestlers, and anyone interest in ground fighting.Passing the Guard covers:1.Fundamentals of passing the guard.
2.Passing from the knees.
3.Standing guard passes.
4.Defenses and counters to submissions and sweeps from the guard.
5.Passing the half guard.
6.Attacks while in the guard.
7.Attacking the turtle position.
8.Drills.In order to show how not to get caught while passing the guard, the book shows how many submissions work, which is to say the book covers how to perform many attacks from the guard.Over 1400 pictures.
Over 200 techniques.Not just technique…DETAILS.Passing the Guard covers fine points crucial to successful guard passing.Full color throughout.

Clear easy to understand pictures.Many techniques are shown from more than on angle so that the reader can see key details.Graphics illustrate and highlight key points.Detailed picture sequences take the guess work out determining how to transition from one phase of a move to the next. (A problem with most martial arts books.)200 pages of technique and details.Innovative format.Technique shown from multiple angles.Easy to follow picture flow.Techniques range from beginning to advanced. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

There are...
...very, VERY few BJJ books worth getting. I can think of...hmm...3. This is one of them. One of the others is "The Guard" by the same authors. An absolute 5 star and must-have.

Great Visual Guide
I really like this book.It's hundreds of color pics. break down each move 1/2 step by 1/2 step and from multiple angles.You don't even need to know how to read.Just follow the pics & arrows highlighting the important grips and positioning.I use volume 2 ("the guard") a little more, but both are really great.

You will pass the guard!!!
This is a great book. Sequence of pictures are taken from two different angles to capture all the details.Tim Cartmell does a great job describing each step of the technique in simple words.
It covers most of the situations encounter when passing the guard. Will definitely boost you BJJ game.

The Best Book on Guard Passing
I'm a blue belt, and this book can definitely improve your top game a lot. No other book cover the subject with so much depth. Sometimes the pictures aren't as crystal clear as Kid Peligro's ones, and you have to get used to the unusual layout. Aside from that the book is awesome and I think intermediate bjj practitioners will get the most out of it.

Great reference and instructions!
I'll start off by mentioning the only negative I can think of or noticed:

There are quite a few typos and grammatical errors in the techniquedescriptions/instructions.However, they only cause a minor distraction, and not enough to warrant giving this book anything less than 5 stars.The reason for this is because all you have to do is look at the accompanying picture and the problem is solved.For example, the instructions will say, "Grab with the right hand or swing to the right" and then you look at the picture and the guy is grabbing with his left hand and swinging to the left.I'm assuming those who buy this book already practice BJJ and are only purchasing the book for reference, so it should be easy to "understand" what the typos meant to say.This, however, leads to the best part of the book.

Everything else about the book is great.The only negative I mentioned above may actually go unnoticed by some.The reason for this is that the pictures are awesome.One may be able to learn a technique just by looking at the pictures.They're that good.The flow and clarity of the pictures makes the detailed instructions seem as an optional supplement.

Another thing that this book does well is it's order.The book starts from the ground up, literally: breaking the guard on your knees, passing the guard on your knees, standing up, breaking the guard standing up, etc, etc...More importantly, whenever the opportunity is given, the authors split the techniques into alternative "finishes" depending on whether or not the opponent reacts.

If you're looking for a well written book with plenty of details for BJJ as a reference, I cannot recommend this more.It's really great to look through and see a technique and think to yourself (or scream out loud), "That's what I should have done in that last fight/roll/etc!"

I will be buying volume 2 for sure. ... Read more

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Product Description
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is more than a contest of physical strength and agility; winning fighters know it is also a battle of mental strength and agility. If you want to be a champion, you must take your game to the next level by learning how to specifically tailor a strategy that will destroy your next opponent.With clear, easy-to-follow photographs and instructions and exclusive interviews with some of the top names in Brazilian jiu-jitsu today, this book will enable fighters of all skill levels to make the jump from technician to strategist. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

not impressed
really expected alot more. didn't have much I could use. thought that his association with John Will would produce a more practicable and usable book.

Great philosophy, great advice, great stories, great book!
First off the book it self is very high quality. I usually dont notice this with books, but it really stood out. Nice glossy pages, great pictures and a easy to read fonts, kudos to the book producer, very classy. Now onto the book itself David Meyer not only gives you great strategies, but a fantastic mindset on how to approach competition. I think my best take aways from the book is that champions are not afraid to lose, and that if your not competing then you are denying yourself the opportunity to grow and become better. I just finished my first ADCC competition, and all the advice he provided in the book was spot on. if I had I read the book before the competition, and put just a few of the techniques into practice I would have medaled.

Good, but not great
The book gives solid tips and strategy's to up your game, but the entire photo section seems pointless. They describe a move anyone with a white belt would know, and then show 4 or 5 pages of photo's showing the technique and similar ones. It's somewhat repetitive and seems more like a space filler. The information on training, attitude, mindset, is all great, however; and the real reason to get this book. If you plan on competing in BJJ I would recommend this book.

The Real Deal
David Meyer is the real deal.A great competitor, gifted teacher and a man who will bring you to the next level in BJJ.This book offers many insights that you won't get on the mat.A must read for BJJ students!

Competition fundamentals
This book is very good on training fundamentals, how to be successful in competition, and some hints to get better overall. ... Read more

Product Description
GRACIE JIU-JITSU - THE MASTER TEXTTHE DEFINITIVE TEXT ON BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU FROM GRAND MASTER HELIO GRACIE HIMSELF! This 8.5 x 11 inch284 -page hardbound full color masterpiece is packed with over 1, 300 photos! This collector quality first edition will be one of the most sought-after books in the martial arts world for years to come. Get in on the ground floor and be one of the few to own the first edition of GRACIE JIU-JITSU - THE MASTER TEXT.In a clear and easy-to-follow format, Grand Master Helio Gracie addresses different aspects of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu method that bears his name. From the first page to the last, you'll get a simple break down of how to systematically progress and technically improve your mat game regardless of your background or grappling ability. Now over 90 years old, still training and teaching, Helio Gracie has left an enduring worldwide legacy that can only be found inGRACIE JIU-JITSU - THE MASTER TEXT ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Helio Gracie
This is a legandary man, wish I could have met him. If one wants to get to the roots of Jiu-Jitsu Gracie style, this book is it. I enjoyed the history of Helio in the beginning.

1st BJJ book purchased
Having been practicing BJJ for the past few months I thought this might help out.Could not have made a better purchase.

The instructions are clear, the photos detailed and the moves specific.

I can recommend this to anyone interested, whether it's just for review, or for some serious study!

Great book.
This book is not intended to replace videos or rolling to improve your Jiu-Jitsu. However, this book is must for any Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practioner or Helio Gracie admirer. Numerous color photos of the late great Helio Gracie in his 90's performing hundreds of moves on son Rorion. Also included are some vintage black & white photos of Helio competing in the 1930's. Excellent color photography by Thomas DeSoto. Buy it.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu !
The most complete book about Gracie jiu-jitsu.
It covers all the gracie basic techniques for self defense and sport, plus gives a little insight about their family beginnings. A must have!

Great book!
This is a great book. For those looking for "traditional" BJJ book, this one is not for them, but for those who are looking book of "old school" Gracie JJ this is the one. Master Helio is instructing a self defense what was the primary goal of his JJ (most of his instructions are from stand up fight).

Great images, great instructions. Highly recomended! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Consistant with vol one
This book was about what you would expect .... if you liked vol one, you will like vol 2 .... same will hold if you didn't like vol 1

royce gracie in a book
all that you need to know from royce gracie a bout jujitsu in this book .

Excellent book. Nice colored pictures and explanations.
The most important thing in marital arts is to understand how to do a proper move.
Colored pictures with arrows that show how to twist etc., different angles, good explanations. Gracie's books are the best martial arts books!

Great illustration from pictures
I've gotten DVDs and now paperback.The DVDs are great if you have time to sit through and watch it.I was somewhat skeptical of books but this one turns out to be done quite well.The advantage of a book is you can flip through pages at anytime and not have to sit and watch the DVD.It also helps if you have some basic background in BJJ as the photos cannot show a continuous movement as DVDs as you will need to connect the moves on some illustrations.Most are pretty much self explanatory.In the end, books can only take you so far whereas real practice is valuable.

Easy to follow
This book was great for learning how to fight.I was able to understand the thinking of a great fighter, and to learn some of his escape and block techinques.A must-have if learning to fight for any reason.You never know who will be able to put you on the mat, and this book helped me understand what is needed. ... Read more

Product Description
Jiu Jitsu for all: yellow belt to green belt guides the reader through the requirements of these novice Jiu Jitsu belts. Using clear step-by-step photography, it covers: introduction - the history of Jiu Jitsu, preparing to train (mentally and physically), and working togethertechniques - strikes, throws, locks, groundwork and weapon defencesself-defence - practical applicationputting it all together - bringing together the techniques for belt gradings.Jiu Jitsu is a unique martial art helping the student to develop new skills, improve fitness and defend themselves if necessary. By following the clear guidance in this book, the reader will be able to progress through the belts. ... Read more

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*Intro Sale*

Love watching MMA and want to learn more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

Want to learn how to dominate in any situation?

Written by an expert martial artist, this Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guide covers:

Rules
Scoring
Joint Locks
Equipment
Finding a School

and MUCH more, Guaranteed!

Dominate today, become more self-confident. Download this today. ... Read more

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The moves that Carlson Gracie has taught to such stars as Vitor Belfort, Amauri Bitteti, Murilo Bustamante, Wallid Ismael, Mario Sperry, Kevin Costner, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Mickey Rourke are revealed in this book on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style of martial arts. One hundred and one positions that provide a complete game of guards, sweeps, and submissions are detailed. Students will find more aggressive techniques that expand their game in all directions, and advanced practitioners will learn the tips and secrets that make the difference between competence and greatness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great Service - Book is OK
Great Service!
Delivered in time (maybe earlier than expected) without problems.
The book is OK, if you are an expert you will probably find a few techniques that you may have otherwise put in the back of your mind, so it's nice to have the refresher.
It may be also helpful to freshen up if you are teaching classes.
Otherwise, as a former student of Carlson, it was nice just to have his book in my collection.

The one, the only, Carlson Gracie
I found this to be a very interesting book.It starts off explaining Carlson's thoughts and theory on what he is looking for in an individual that wants to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling, and MMA.It all starts off with the title "For Experts Only" it doesn't really mean that this is for experts but it's meant to scare off people that aren't ready to work hard for what he has to teach.Next, he goes on about how he likes to teach without being to wordy.Carlson seems to feel that words can be misinterpreted and distract from the physical truth that one learns on the mat.Third, he doesn't want you to think to much when you compete but instead he wants you to practice a lot so that your body does these move automatically.Last, this isn't to cover everything about BJJ, Submission Grappling, or MMA.It mostly goes over his favorite techniques.

Pros:True to the intro, this book is very picture driven with a minimal amount written.The good thing about this is that they often use about 7 to 12 pictures for each move.This book is easy to read, visually appealing, and is laid out in an organized manner.I like how he broke to book up into 3 sections which are BJJ, Submission Grappling, and MMA with subsections for each area.I really enjoyed reading about his teaching style and his views on how to learn.

Cons: I wished they showed the moves from multiple angles and not just the one angel that most moves have.Even though I know they wanted to teach by pictures and not be too wordy, I wished they added more to the explanations.At times it is hard to pick up the details of each move.

Notes of Interest:I'm writing this review in 2009 and this book was only published in 2004 but it already seems a little dated.Not in a bad way but in a way that you can see how the sport of BJJ, Submission Grappling, & MMA have evolved in such amount of time.The other interesting part is what Carlson referred to as the Jello Guard.Today most people refer to this as the Da La Riva Guard but Ricardo Da La Riva who made the Da La Riva Guard well known is a Carlson Gracie Black Belt.

I felt that this was a good book but not great.There are many newer books that can give you more but this book still has a lot to offer people.

I'm not sure...
...why this book has so many great reviews. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad book, and is actually a very good book for beginners. But really it just shows the same stuff that is in 99% of BJJ books...nothing really new or innovative. Carlson himself was an amazing guy and coach, and everyone who does this sport owes him. Buy the book for the great intro and in memory of Carlson, but don't buy it expecting new moves, variations, etc.

The only book by Carlson Gracie
The Carlson Gracie style of BJJ is an "aggressive" style which differs from the BJJ taught by those under Helio Gracie. Due to its more aggressive nature, there are more pictures in this book than most other BJJ book to show the techniques more clearly. Of course, there is no replacement for time spent on the mat but this book serves as helpful reminder to the different techniques taught by Carlson Gracie Sr to such champion like Mario Sperry(BJJ Champion),Vitor Belfort(Former UFC Champion)etc. This is the only book written by Carlson Gracie, the insight into the techniques of the Grand Master of BJJ is priceless.

Undisputed Master Discloses the "Secrets"
If, by secrets, we mean quality, high percentage techniques for BJJ, submission wrestling and MMA, then this is true. As well as being an elder statesman of the legendary Gracie family and well recognised master of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Carlson is also the coach of many top BJJ, submission wrestling and MMA champions.

Names like 'Ze' Mario Sperry, Murillo Bustamonte and Rodrigo Medeiros are just a few of Carlson's fantastic stable of students. In this book, we see why they're so successful.

The book is in three parts and starts with Carlson demonstrating techniques for sport Jiu Jitsu. This section covers takedowns, guard work, sweeps and reversals, chokes and cranks, and arm bars and ankle locks.

Carlson demonstrates (or has his students demonstrate) simple and effective techniques. Often, you'll see something done slightly differently to what you're used to. IT's a little light on description. That's a bit of a pain, but it's also part of the reason this is for "Experts Only".

I especially liked the section on the "Jello Guard". Some open guard techniques you've seen before at the big competitions, but performed by the guy who developed them and refined them, giving you details on how to make them work.

The submission wrestling section covers guard work, escapes and defences, chokes and cranks, and arm bars and wrist locks. This section is mostly demonstrated by Carlson's students, but Carlson demonstrates a number of techniques.

Same comments as the previous section. Great, simple, effective techniques. Light on description, but those with some exerience will be able to pick up plenty of detail. Perhaps you'll even pick up a great technique you haven't seen before to add to your arsenal.

The MMA section is my favourite. It covers the clinch, takedown defence, guard work and side control/knee on stomach. The first two are subjects you don't usually see in Jiu Jitsu manuals. The other two parts are covered in a way I've only seen covered by Mario Sperry in his Vale Tudo series.

The standing techniques incorporate strikes that are simple enough for any grappler to use. The takedown defences and clinch techniques are simple and very high percentage.

As I said earlier, this section reminds me of Mario Sperry's Vale Tudo Series. The techniques are simpler and different, but you can see where Ze Mario developed his philosophy.

This section includes THE ABSOLUTE BEST coverage of guard use in MMA/NHB I have seen in a book.

All in all, the photography is good, the techniques are great. The book doesn't teach you how to string techniques together very well, though. They're more a set of ideas to add to your game. The book loses a star because I thought it needed more detailed descriptions in a lot of areas.

Don't let that deter you, though. Especially if you're a somewhat experienced grappler who wants to add to his or her gam or to seehow to implement your existing game into MMA/NHB. ... Read more

Product Description
Jiu Jitsu for all: brown belt to black belt guides the reader through the requirements of this advanced Jiu Jitsu belt. Using clear step-by-step photography, it covers: introduction - the history of Jiu Jitsu, preparing to train (mentally and physically), and working togethertechniques - strikes, throws, locks, groundwork and weapon defencesself-defence - practical applicationputting it all together - bringing together the techniques for belt gradings. Jiu Jitsu is a unique martial art helping the student to develop new skills, improve fitness and defend themselves if necessary. By following the clear guidance in this book, the reader will be able to progress through the belts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great place to start a study of martial arts, or to add to your toolbox
This guy is a seminal martial arts teacher. And an early exponent of mixed martial arts!

I have purist martial arts expert buddies who sneer at him because his technique isn't the same as the technique taught in their styles. Or because he doesn't teach obviously vicious and death-dealing techniques.

Well, too bad!

What they don't understand is that Tegner was writing to a civilian population in a relatively safe, law abiding world, where most guys were going to deal, at worst, with some bullying and a challenge to "take it outside". He was not, in this book, preparing guys to be commandos or inner-city cops.

Tegner knew that most of the people who read his books were not going to spend ten or twenty years in a dojo learning techniques that had only some application to the real world.

Tegner was a serious judo guy. He'd studied all his life. And judo guys aren't sissies; they call it the gentle way, but when a judo guy hits you with the biggest weapon around (the planet Earth) it doesn't feel very gentle. And you can get seriously hurt in judo if you aren't lucky.

He'd also studied broadly, and had a good knowledge of what techniques were available for hand to hand combat of all sorts, including military hand to hand.

He made intelligent choices of techniques that laymen without a lot of time to spend on training could practice to improve their chances of surviving a fight.

If you are a beginner to martial arts and want to read an author who has balanced ease of use, length of practice to proficiency, and likelihood that the techniques will send you to Sing Sing after the fistfight, this is a perfectly good place to start.

Bear in mind that no book can teach you to fight, and that you'll need to practice with a partner (very carefully and under competent supervision) and on a bag. Also bear in mind that the laws of self defense differs between jurisdictions.

In any case, buying all the Tegner books there are and reviewing the sorts of tricks he teaches is a perfectly good way to begin a study of self defense.

And I give this guy five stars partly because of the cost to technique ratio!

Self defense
Very easy to use techniques for self defense.Bruce Tegner combines best of all self defense styles and demos them for the average person. ... Read more

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Illustrated by Snapshots of K. Koyama and A. Minami, well known native experts. ... Read more

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With the recent popularity explosion of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is VERY interesting to see how much is the same and how much is truly different from the original VINTAGE Jiu-Jitsu from Japan. In AN INTRODUCTION TO VINTAGE JIU-JITSU you get to discover early 20th Century instructional classics like: 1) Jiu-Jitsu Combat Tricks: Japanese Feats of Attack and Defense in Personal Encounter by H. Irving Hancock 2) The Text-book of Ju-Jitsu As Practiced in Japan by World Champion S.K. Uyenishi and 3) Jiu-Jitsu by the American College of Physical Culture. Learn the "scissor" takedown, leglocks, arm locks, the "devil's handshake", throat-holds, the shoulder pinch, the right way to trip, jiu-jitsu against the boxer, breakfalls, and MUCH MORE! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good classic reprint
When I bought this book I didn't know that it was a photocopied reprint of H. Irving Handcock's 1906 Jiu-jitsu combat tricks. Even though the text is a little out dated; it is one of the first English written books on Jiu-jitsu which makes it valuable to anyone interested in the roots of Jiu-jitsu. It gives the reader an incite into what Jiu-jitsu was at the turn of the century, way before Gracie Jiu-jitsu or Judo was ever heard of in America. This book has excellant vintage photos of old Jiu-jitsu guys showing some common and uncommon techniques. This isn't what I expected but it is well worth the money to have it in my collection.

Rip-Off: Literally
This book is a copy of three other books each of which is about 100 years old.I'm not kidding! ... Read more