Technique library
No-gi techniques, white to black belt
137 techniques, each with step-by-step instructions, the details that make it work, common mistakes, a drill and a video. Grouped by the belt they're usually expected at.
White to Blue belt 74 techniques
Takedown
- Double-leg takedown Standing
- Single leg (run the pipe) Standing
- Snap-down to front headlock Standing
Entry
- Sitting to guard safely Standing
- Shin-to-shin to single-leg X Seated guard
Guard
- Guard retention: frames & hip escape Seated guard
- Half guard bottom: knee shield & underhook Half guard
- Recover full guard from half Half guard
Sweep
- Wrestle-up from seated guard Seated guard
- Butterfly (hook) sweep Butterfly
- Hip bump sweep Closed guard
- Underhook to dogfight to single leg Half guard
Pass
- Posture up & open closed guard In closed guard
- Knee cut (knee slice) pass Passing
- Body lock pass Passing
- Toreando (bullfighter) pass Passing
- Leg drag pass Passing
- Over-under pass Passing
- Half guard pass: flatten & free the leg Half guard top
Escape
- Sprawl Standing
- Technical stand-up Seated guard
- Side control escape: frame & re-guard Side (bottom)
- Side control escape: underhook to knees Side (bottom)
- Trap & roll (upa) Mounted
- Elbow-knee escape (shrimp) Mounted
- Back escape Back taken
- Turtle: defend & recover guard Turtled
- Front headlock & guillotine defense Headlocked
- Leg lock defense Legs attacked
- Knee on belly escape Side (bottom)
- North-south escape Side (bottom)
- Stopping the back take from turtle or a scramble Turtled
- Mount defense: protect your neck and arms Mounted
Defense
- Armbar defense: closed guard and mount In closed guard
- Triangle defense In closed guard
- Kimura and americana defense Side (bottom)
- Arm triangle defense Mounted
- Rear-naked choke defense Back taken
- Guillotine defense: in their guard and standing In closed guard
- D'Arce and anaconda defense Headlocked
- Straight ankle lock defense Legs attacked
- North-south choke defense Side (bottom)
- Single-leg defense: whizzer, hip pressure and limp leg Standing
- Double-leg defense: downblock and sprawl Standing
- Knee cut defense: knee shield and underhook Seated guard
- Body lock pass defense Seated guard
Control
- Stance, motion & hand fighting Standing
- Closed guard: break posture & control Closed guard
- Half guard top: crossface & flatten Half guard top
- Side control: pins & pressure Side control
- Side control to mount Side control
- Mount: stay & climb Mount
- Back control: seatbelt & hooks Back control
- Back to mount Back control
- Ashi garami / single-leg X control Leg entangle
Submission
- Kimura from closed guard Closed guard
- Guillotine from guard Closed guard
- Triangle choke Closed guard
- Armbar from closed guard Closed guard
- Americana Side control
- Kimura from side control Side control
- North-south choke Side control
- Armbar from mount Mount
- Arm triangle (head & arm) Mount
- Rear-naked choke Back control
- Guillotine (arm-in / high elbow) Front headlock
- D'Arce choke Front headlock
- Straight ankle lock Leg entangle
- Heel hook (know it, defend it) Leg entangle
Back take
- Arm drag to the back Standing
- Arm drag from butterfly to the back Butterfly
- Mount to back take Mount
- Back take from turtle Turtle (top)
- Go-behind from front headlock Front headlock
Blue to Purple belt 31 techniques
Takedown
- Ankle pick takedown Standing
- High crotch takedown Standing
Guard
- De La Riva guard: hook and control Seated guard
Sweep
- Reverse De La Riva sweep and back exposure Seated guard
- X-guard entry and technical stand-up sweep Butterfly
- Single-leg X sweep Seated guard
- Pendulum (flower) sweep from closed guard Closed guard
- Kimura trap from half guard bottom: sweep or back take Half guard
- Waiter sweep from deep half guard Half guard
- Lockdown half guard and old-school sweep Half guard
Pass
- Headquarters position: knee slice and backstep options Passing
- Smash pass from half guard Half guard top
- Double-under (stack) pass Passing
Escape
- Crucifix escape Back taken
- Body triangle escape from the back Back taken
- Kipping (heel-drag) mount escape Mounted
- Ghost escape from side control Side (bottom)
Defense
- Omoplata defense: roll forward and recover In closed guard
- Kneebar defense Legs attacked
- Mounted triangle defense Mounted
- Kimura trap defense from half guard top Half guard top
Submission
- Omoplata from closed guard Closed guard
- Knee on belly and far-side armbar Side control
- Mounted triangle Mount
- Armbar from back control when they defend the choke Back control
- Arm-trap rear-naked choke Back control
- Crucifix from turtle and the crucifix choke Turtle (top)
- Anaconda choke from front headlock Front headlock
- High-wrist guillotine Front headlock
- Kneebar from outside position (ashi) Leg entangle
Back take
- Back retention: re-seating hooks when they slide out Back control
Purple to Brown belt 18 techniques
Takedown
- Body lock takedown with outside trip Standing
- Duck-under to the back Standing
Entry
- K-guard entry to the saddle (backside entanglement) Seated guard
Guard
- Shoulder clamp (overhook guard) to triangle or back Closed guard
Sweep
- 50/50: entry, sweep and heel exposure Seated guard
Pass
- Backstep pass from half guard top Half guard top
- Leg weave pass to mount Passing
Escape
Control
Submission
- Inside heel hook from the saddle Leg entangle
- Outside heel hook from outside ashi Leg entangle
- Mount attack chain: arm triangle, armbar, back take Mount
- Front headlock chain: guillotine, d'arce, anaconda & go-behind Front headlock
Back take
- Truck entry from turtle to back take Turtle (top)
- Berimbolo from De La Riva to the back Seated guard
- Kimura trap from side control to the back Side control
Brown to Black belt 14 techniques
Takedown
- Arm drag to body lock to mat return Standing
Entry
- Imanari roll to leg entanglement Standing
Guard
Pass
Control
- Power half and spiral ride from turtle Turtle (top)
Submission
- Rear-naked choke against a defended chin Back control
- Reverse triangle from top (side control or turtle) Side control
- Mounted guillotine Mount
- No-gi Ezekiel choke from mount Mount
- North-south kimura to armbar Side control
- Buggy choke from under side control Side (bottom)
- Backside 50/50 heel hook Leg entangle