This is a very important question—most people hit a rough patch, disconnect, and eventually quit Jiu Jitsu.

If you can’t train like you want—whether it’s injury, life, or anything else—stay connected by doing what you can:

✅ Watch instructionals or matches

✅ Journal and reflect

✅ Visualize reps and rolls

✅ Stay active with light movement or mobility

✅ Show up and support your team

It’s just a season. Don’t disappear. Your journey isn’t over!

🔥 NoGi Intermediate Focus This Week 🔥

We’re putting in work from Top Control — one of the most dominant positions in NoGi.

This week’s focus: attacks like Armlocks and Kimuras that break down defenses and finish fights. 🦍💪

It’s all about pressure, precision, and staying one step ahead.

Be ready to control, isolate, and attack. Let’s sharpen your top game! 🛠️

🧠 GI Intermediate Focus This Week 🧠

We’re diving into escaping the S-Mount — one of the tightest and most dangerous control positions in Jiu Jitsu.

Our main focus will be using Deep Half Guard to not just survive, but reverse the pressure and create sweeping opportunities.

This one’s all about staying calm under fire and turning defense into offense. Let’s sharpen the details and expand your options from bad spots! 🔄💥

Russell Usauskas - Joint manipulations are generally quicker than strangulations due to the way they affect the body. When a wrist lock or arm lock is applied, the nervous system reacts immediately—pain is the instant response. This sharp feedback loop doesn’t exist in the same way with strangulations. Chokes require more precision and control, and often take longer to take effect. Rather than causing immediate pain, they work by restricting blood flow, eventually leading to unconsciousness.

This is a great question and I agree with Peter Thanos  and Marc Hansen white belt is often considered the most difficult rank in jiu jitsu — not because of technical complexity, but because of the mental and emotional challenges it brings. At this stage, everything is new: the movements, the language, the intensity, and the discomfort of being a beginner. Progress can feel slow 🐢, and frustration is common as white belts struggle to survive against more experienced training partners.

There’s also the internal battle — managing ego, dealing with failure, and staying motivated when wins are rare. Injuries can happen more easily due to tension and inexperience, and it’s easy to doubt yourself or question if jiu jitsu is for you.

But pushing through this phase builds the foundation 🧱 for everything that follows. Those who stick with it learn resilience, patience, and humility — traits that matter just as much as any technique.

Keep on training 👊

Exciting week ahead, team! 💥

Gi Intermediate will be focused on attacks from top control, while NoGi Intermediate will dive into top control escapes. 🛡️

You’re in for a treat—I’ll be traveling part of the week, and the mats will be in great hands with Daniel Bianchi, John Kats and Michael Liston stepping in to lead. Let’s keep the energy high and keep improving together! 💪

This leads us into a very interesting conversation of “what’s more efficient chokes or join manipulation”

One year is a long time, and this is a tough question—but if I had to choose, I’d go with the triangle choke. It’s hard to beat the combination of control, simplicity, and finishing power. When your opponent gives you just enough space to lock it in, and you’re able to secure the finish using your legs—that’s a huge statement. It’s not just a submission; it’s a demonstration of timing, awareness, and precision. A clean strangle, if left unchecked, ends the engagement decisively. And doing it all with your legs? That just takes the control to another level.

Keep training, stay sharp, and keep hunting those triangles.