“The guard is the gentle art’s essence, Jiu-Jitsu’s most characteristic position,” lecture the Grandmasters. That being the case, one had maneuver with guard techniques in the best way possible. Be it defensively, with good blocking and replacement. Or be it offensively, by sweeping or attacking for the finish. Of all the submissions from closed guard, the armbar is without a doubt the most emblematic. It’s beautiful. Intricate. A sight to behold. It’s a composition of geometric exactness, with levers and fulcrums placed to millimetric precision.
This month, GRACIEMAG decided to decipher the underlying technique in the armbar from guard, a move that requires constant update and tinkering. To do so, we called on Professor Ricardo “Franhinha” Miller, head coach at Paragon Jiu-Jitsu, and Bill Cooper, the star of the academy.
In the seven-page article, the duo shed light on the technique’s mechanics, demonstrating the “dos and don’ts” of the move and revealing details that can mean the difference between winning by submission and sinking a sloppy hold that is easy to escape.
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Check out what else issue 190 of the magazine every fighter reads has in store for you.
Training program: Finish from the mount
You’ve reached Jiu-Jitsu’s supreme position but still can’t finish? This month, two mat wizards from CheckMat offer efficient and creative solutions for getting your clamps on a neck, arm or even other appendages! It’s a can’t-miss!
Face to face: Grandmaster Robson Gracie
We had an exclusive chat with Jiu-Jitsu red belt Robson Gracie, who explains why he feels Jiu-Jitsu possesses divine powers, and comments on what he feels was the most important day in the sport’s history, from the 20th century to the present. The candid and clever conversation with Carlos’s son will move you.
IBJJ Pro: Romulo Barral vs. André Galvão and much more
In the coverage of the first IBJJF competition ever to pay out cash prizes, find out what the top dogs in each weight group got up to—and what they did to win.
Choke MMA: GSP, Rashad Evans…
How was Georges St-Pierre’s Jiu-Jitsu the key piece in his victory over Carlos Condit? What makes Rashad Evans’s mind get in the way of letting his ground game flow? Check out the special MMA-focused pieces, and get an exclusive poster to boot.
And there’s more:
Five pointers on how to pass guard from DJ Jackson, a position by our GMA Vinicius Draculino, the top fighters of 2012, what MackenzieDern learned when she got her black belt, Jiu-Jitsu as an ally in combatting psychiatric problems, and what we learned from Dan Henderson vs. Rodrigo Minotauro at Pride FC.
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