DVD Review - Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Advanced (Rorion, Royce & Helio Gracie)

The UFC brought notoriety to the Gracie Academy, but demand for teaching meant that others saw an opportunity to provide their own instruction. By 1998, the Gracie Academy was merely one of several options for legitimate instruction. Renzo and Rickson had developed their own schools, while their cousins the Machados were also doing good business. In addition to family members, various other high-level black belts, like Mario Yamasaki, had begun to establish themselves in the US. Even within the Gracie Academy itself, there were splits, such as the tension Roy Harris relates, resulting as ever from Rorion's desire to keep the Gracie Academy as the primary source for Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

Not only was there competition for students, but there were also other instructional BJJ tapes on the market. Pedro Carvalho and Mario Sperry both had popular releases, as did members of the Gracie family who were no longer directly affiliated to the Gracie Academy, such as Renzo and Carlson Gracie Jr. Unlike the stripped down basics of Rorion, these instructors were willing to show more complex and 'advanced' techniques, which quite possibly prompted Rorion to produce an 'advanced' series of his own (though this is something of a misnomer, as there is nothing especially advanced about the material covered in Gracie Jiu Jitsu Advanced).

As this series is later than Basics and Intermediate, there were more contemporary responses available on the internet (though still very little). Both Bill Lewis and Planet NHB emphasise that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Advanced was too little, too late. As Lewis concludes, "it is clear that Rorion and Royce, who were once BJJ trailblazers, have become followers straggling behind the times. The best they could come up with was a faint watered down imitation of other tape sets out there." Planet NHB is more concise, stating simply that "this series should be called 'Don't buy this.'"

Again, it should be noted that there have been arguments on the internet that 'Bill Lewis' was merely a pseudonym for Paul Viele, who just so happened to own a tape company himself, World Martial Arts (e.g., several threads on NHBGear, which should pop up here.) If true, that would put a quite different light on his reviews.

Then there are the thoughts of a poster on rec.martial-arts, GEEP30, who comments that "The Brazilians and the Gracies are not having it easy anymore, like they used to. Why? Because people have become familiar with the moves." Gracie Jiu Jitsu was no longer the mysterious, seemingly invincible style it had been in the past, further compounded by the rise of wrestling in the UFC.

[For more on the history of Brazilian jiu jitsu, see here]

Nevertheless, a lingering consequence of the earlier UFC success was that the man who did the actual fighting for GJJ, Royce, had become a much bigger name than Rorion. As a result, he now took on some of the instructional duties on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Advanced. Unfortunately, at least at the time, Royce was a great deal less adept both at teaching and the English language than his brother. Where Rorion is charismatic, providing clear and detailed explanation, Royce speaks in a dull monotone, lacking his brother's descriptive skills.

As ever, the tapes were split into three, 'Defenses Against Attacks From the Mount: Front and Back', 'Foot Locks: Offences and Defences', 'Finishing Moves From Standing Up and Combat Strategies'. There is also, as usual, a bonus tape. Interestingly, the advert refers to both Royce and Rorion as 'champions', which is a little disingenuous: Rorion was never a top competitor, though in his defence, during his prime there weren't many opportunities to compete.

The first tape is probably the best of the three. Rorion, who by this point had shaved off his trademark moustache, is again clear and detailed in his description. Defences against the submissions from previous tapes are carefully explained. For example, turning to the side and bringing your elbow to the mat, followed by bridging, to prevent the Americana.

Rorion actively brings Royce into what becomes a conversation, rather than just instruction, with a somewhat contrived "what do you do now, Royce?" Rorion still does the majority of teaching, but that gradually changes as the series progresses. He also elaborates on a jigsaw metaphor, treating each technique as part of that broader puzzle. Rorion explains how you need to drill them thoroughly before you can then put together the big picture, instead of just doing each technique in isolation.

I was a little uncertain about the rear naked choke defence, where you put your arm over your head. The way I've been taught is to protect your neck, keeping your hands in and elbows tight. I'd feel I was leaving my arm vulnerable if I followed Rorion's method, so would be interesting to experiment with that variation. Finally, Rorion warns against the common mistake of crossing your feet when trying to secure your hooks, as this exposes you to getting footlocked.

Bill Lewis was positive about the first volume, stating that "this is the best of the three tapes [...] if they would have produced about fifteen tapes like this, they would have been golden." He goes on to say "this might even be the best tape that Rorion and Royce have put out." Planet NHB is less forgiving, complaining that "there are easier and better counters shown on other tapes."

Both reviewers appear to have been deeply unimpressed with the second tape, which concentrates on basic lower body attacks and counters, mainly the achilles lock. Planet NHB wrote "this is about the worst leg lock tape I have seen [...] Bottom line, don't waste your time with this tape." Bill Lewis was equally scathing: "Rorion did not seem comfortable with the material [...] This tape seemed like a pale rehash of Pedro Carvalho set 1 tape 8 [...] Why buy a Xerox copy when you can get the original?"

Personally, I've never been especially keen on foot locks: I'd be constantly worried about accidentally injuring my training partner, so I doubt I'd ever try one in class. However, it would be foolish to ignore them altogether. Therefore I am keen on learning the escapes, which meant I found at least that part of this tape of some use. Of course, that doesn't mean much from the perspective of an admitted leg-lock phobic like myself.

Rorion calls foot locks an "extremely efficient weapon," which is in marked contrast to the traditionally negative light in which the Gracie Academy viewed them before (again, as Roy Harris remembers). In the process of showing foot locks, Rorion also demonstrates the Toreador pass: this would have been a far more sensible option to include in earlier tapes than the 'Gracie Gift'.

As Rorion describes defending the straight footlock (by grabbing their collar and kicking your foot through, then grabbing their bottom leg and shifting forward to mount), Royce appears to interrupt, providing his own perspective. Presumably that was scripted, but either way, it isn't a welcome addition. As Bill Lewis mentions, Royce left much to be desired as an instructor in comparison to Rorion, at least at the time.

It is also worth noting that Rorion makes a point of highlighting the dangers of heel hooks. He explains how the technique is banned in sport jiu jitsu, due to the serious problem that by the time you feel any pain, your knee ligaments may already be badly damaged. Whenever anybody teaches heel hooks (which Rorion refers to as an ankle lock on this tape), that risk should always be heavily emphasised.

I felt that the third tape was the least useful, mainly due to the unnecessary second half. In addition, the instruction is largely left to Royce, which was a mistake. Although the techniques are interesting enough – a variety of ways to pull guard straight into an armbar – Royce's explanations are dry and poorly delivered. Bill Lewis sums it up:

Here instead of Rorion teaching, Royce has the honors. At least I think its Royce, we see his lips moving but I can barely hear the words. He almost whispers, and says very little as if he is nervous or shy. Maybe he is unsure of his English, so he uses less words. Either way, we get almost a documentary feel out of this tape getting very little in the way of explanation. [...]

Later on, during the strategies portion, Royce picks up the volume considerably. However, it is too late because you have brain cancer from sitting so close to the television trying to hear what was being said.

On the other hand, both Planet NHB and Bill Lewis are complimentary about the actual material Royce covers in the opening segment of the tape. Planet NHB wrote that "this is the first time I have really seen some of this material," while Lewis states "The moves taught on the first half of the tape by Royce are all very good and are the only advanced moves on the tape set." Like the leg locks, I wasn't all that interested in jumping into armbars, but that doesn't detract from the quality of the techniques themselves.

The real vitriol is saved for the 'combat strategies' portion. Royce and Rorion are supposed to be talking you through their thoughts as they roll, but it becomes a slow re-enaction of the techniques covered over the course of all the Gracie Jiu Jitsu tapes. There are no startling insights into strategy or useful new details, so the section as a whole serves little purpose.

Bill Lewis believed that this was merely a "less than successful attempt to copy the black belt tapes from Carlson Gracie Jr," in which Carlson Jr coached his two assistants as they grapple. According to Lewis, this was a productive free-form exercise, whereas Rorion's attempt is "very boring and useless [...] no value was added."

Finally, there is the bonus tape. In a significant divergence from the two preceding series, this is by far the high point. Before, the bonus was a quick demonstration, under ten minutes, not really teaching you anything. In Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Advanced, the bonus is almost half an hour, and a fascinating piece of history. It isn't showing any techniques: instead, it is an extended interview with Helio Gracie (there is a version up on Google Videos, so if it isn't removed, this is the link).

One of the reasons it is so interesting is that Helio heavily criticises various members of his family who were teaching jiu jitsu at the time. Even Rickson takes some flak for his inflated 400-0 record, but it is the other side of the family who come in for the most abuse.

While Helio speaks at length about how much his brother Carlos did for him, in the role of surrogate father, he is dismissive about Carlos' abilities as both a fighter and a teacher. He states that another brother, Jorge, "decided to get him [Carlos] out of the fighting business, because the jiu-jitsu that he knew was not up to date." Helio follows up by claiming that Carlos "was not much of a hard worker," which allegedly meant Carlos rather liked the idea of Helio teaching instead of him.

By the end of the tape, Helio goes much further. First, he attacks Carlson Gracie Jr, asking "Didn't you see Carlson's son is selling a certificate in the United States? To anyone who buys four or five of his tapes, he'll give a certificate as an instructor. What else do you want? Is there a bigger con artist than this?" That then leads into a broader complaint:

This kind of dishonesty I do not approve of. I already elected Rorion my representative in all areas, not only because he's my oldest son, but because he is the one who is more dedicated to jiu jitsu for what jiu jitsu is and the way I like it. [...]

Lets not confuse the student with those presumptuous ones who want to become teachers, because my own sons, who were born with me and since three years old have been doing jiu jitsu, only got their certificates after practicing their teaching skill for ten years.

Now an individual comes by my academy and spends five or six months or a year, and then leaves calling himself a jiu jitsu teacher. There's no way. Because for me, the instructor skill is not the learning of the movements, its in the philosophy behind the movements. In Brazil, unfortunately, it is very difficult to find someone with the morals I expect to become an instructor at my academy. That's the problem.

Jiu jitsu in Brazil was only learned through me, because Carlos Gracie never put a gi on to teach class to anyone, especially to his sons. When his children were born, I was already teaching classes instead of him, better than him, and not one of them learned from him. So this is the deal: to know jiu jitsu is one thing, to be able to pass it on is another.

This probably should not be taken at face value, especially as it is a translated voice-over on the tape, possibly by Rorion (though I didn't think it sounded like him). The context was that the Gracie Academy found itself confronted by growing competition, due to the numerous Brazilians who were moving to the US to teach jiu jitsu. Rorion had to do something to protect his livelihood and what he saw as his father's legacy, so in certain respects, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Advanced was an attempt to make Gracie Jiu Jitsu distinct from what became known as 'Brazilian jiu jitsu.' There was even a disclaimer included in the transmission, warning against "unqualified instructors" (though sadly, that has indeed now become a problem in BJJ, with some individuals claiming black belts under dubious circumstances).

That effort continues through to the present, over a decade later, with the sons of Rorion making much the same distinction as Helio between 'sport' jiu jitsu and 'self defence'. The most overt indicator of this is the Gracie Combatives program, which aims to separate 'sport' – the allegedly 'ineffective' BJJ – from street-ready Gracie Jiu Jitsu. As Helio claimed, "my sons are the only ones who know this jiu jitsu that works in a street fight." (for more on the course, see here and here, along with this and this. More recently, this has been put online at the Gracie University: for threads on that, see Bullshido, EFN, NHBGear, Sherdog, and The Underground).

Other sources would of course disagree with Helio's interpretation of events: Reila Gracie has written an extensive book on her father Carlos Gracie, which unfortunately is only available in Portuguese at present, while Carlson Gracie frequently commented on the manner in which Carlos' contribution had been overshadowed by Rorion's marketing (for example, this interview).

Never afraid to be controversial, Helio also made surprising claims about Masahiko Kimura, at first admitting "I knew I couldn't defeat Kimura," saying that he merely "wanted to experience the type of jiu jitsu he knew, since [Kimura] was the best in Japan." Despite being defeated by Kimura, Helio continues, "When the fight was over, I was convinced that they were beginners in comparison to my jiu jitsu. This jiu jitsu that I know enables me to say that anyone who does it as I do, or as my sons do it, cannot be beaten unless by accident."

It is possible that "cannot be beaten unless by accident" should have been translated as "cannot be beaten unless they make a mistake", but even that is a bold statement. Not only was it bold, but it was also proven to be untrue: Wallid Ismail and later Kazushi Sakuraba both beat several members of the Gracie family, including Helio's son Royce, in BJJ and mixed martial arts competition respectively. They were not the only ones to do so, but remain perhaps the most famous (and in Ismail's case, the most entertainingly vocal). Then again, Helio had already made his views on competitive fighting clear, so it could be he was only referring to self-defence encounters:

Here in Brazil now, everybody does jiu jitsu with rules and time limits. How can I fight a man much stronger than I for five or ten minutes if I'm weak and he's strong? I have to wait for him to get tired, so I can defeat him. Who is a better fighter? I, who can make him tap in half an hour, or he, that wins by points in five minutes, because the time-keeper or somebody with a pen says that he scored more points. The winner is the one that wins the real fight, which is what we do.

Interestingly, Mario Sperry was making a similar distinction between 'sport' jiu jitsu and 'self-defence'. In the January 1998 issue of Black Belt, Sperry featured in an article entitled 'Fail-Safe: Will Your Brazilian Jujutsu Work on the Street?' Sperry is quoted as saying "The majority of the Brazilian jujutsu instructors in America are teaching sport jujutsu. Americans must understand that sport jujutsu may not be the most effective method of self-defence in the street." He then continues, "If they try these [sport] techniques in a real fight, they are going to be in for a big shock. These techniques won't work. Everything from the takedown to the finish of the fight is different."

Not surprisingly, it also just so happened that Sperry was hoping to open up an academy in the US, building on the success of his own instructional tape series. Like Rorion, Sperry had decided that the self-defence angle was a useful way of distinguishing himself from the competition.

The following month, yet another BJJ black belt renowned for his instructional tapes appeared in Black Belt. Pedro Carvalho contributed to an article called 'Modifying Brazilian Jujutsu for the No-Holds-Barred World of Vale Tudo'. Even in martial arts magazines, Brazilian jiu jitsu now meant more than just the Gracie family. Rorion was able to keep the name 'Gracie jiu jitsu' closely associated with the Gracie Academy, but the art itself had moved far beyond Torrance.

I'm not sure if Helio's interview was carried over to the DVD version of Gracie Jiu Jitsu Advanced, which is available from the Gracie Academy for $49. You could also get it here. I wouldn't recommend the rest of the series for instructional purposes, except for portions of the first tape, but overall it remains intriguing from a historical perspective, which is the main reason I was excited to get a chance to watch it.

As with all of my GJJ reviews, if there is anyone reading this blog who trained BJJ back in the early 1990s (so therefore may well have used these tapes upon their original release) I’d love to hear about your experiences. I'd be especially interested in the contrast between your view of the tapes then as compared to now.

DVD Review - Gracie Jiu Jitsu Intermediate (Rorion & Royce Gracie)

Between Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics and Gracie Jiu Jitsu Intermediate, much had happened. In the years from 1991 from 1996, there was one major change in particular: the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1993, Rorion's brother Royce stepped into an octagonal ring with a chain-link fence, unassuming and looking almost out of place. Or at least he did physically: Royce was the smallest competitor there that night. However, he was one of the few who looked calm, a confidence which he would quickly justify by coming out on top at the first UFC, following it up with further victories at the second and fourth events.

Winning UFC 1, 2 and 4 made Royce a household name, and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu a hot topic of discussion. When Rorion released Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Basics, he was still working hard to convince the world that his style was something special, something elite: in short, something you'd be willing to pay plenty of money to learn. By the time of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Intermediate, Royce had proved it to a large slice of the public, especially in the US. His success would be a lasting influence on the women and men who decided to step on the mats in the 1990s, much to the Gracie family's benefit.

[For more on the history of Brazilian jiu jitsu, see here]

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Intermediate is split into three volumes, 'Attacks from Front and Back Mount', ' Attacks & Reversals from Guard' and ' Offence & Defence from Cross Mount'. Just like Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics, there is also a bonus, again emphasising Royce. Each of the tapes begin with a summary of the techniques from the basics series, which led some reviewers at the time (at present, the only contemporary review I can find is by Bill Lewis: hopefully I'll be able to dig out others) to comment that this effectively made the previous tapes redundant.

It should be noted that there have been arguments on the internet that 'Bill Lewis' was merely a pseudonym for Paul Viele, who just so happened to own a tape company himself, World Martial Arts (e.g., several threads on NHBGear, which should pop up here.) If true, that would put a quite different light on his reviews.

Rorion's easy confidence reflects Gracie Jiu Jitsu's new position in the world of martial arts. The UFC had gone a long way towards vindicating the claims that had bounced around magazines and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Action tapes in the years leading up to the tournament. Rorion could speak from a position of true authority, and he made sure to capitalise on his brother's performance, slipping references to the UFC into his instruction throughout the series. For example, when moving to back mount by throwing punches to get your partner to turn over, Rorion notes how the viewer might have seen Royce perform the same technique many times in his no-holds-barred fights.

Rorion, now wearing a red-and-black belt, is visibly more relaxed on this series, as can be seen when he demonstrates the cross choke on the first tape. He describes how, if you apply the technique correctly, it is an almost pleasant sensation for your training partner. That gets a chuckle and comment from Royce, which is also the first time we see Rorion's brother speak up on an instructional tape. Rorion does something similar on the 'papercutter' choke (grab their collar, put your forearm over their throat, then drop that while pulling back on their lapel), pretending that Royce's head rolls down the mat after he brings down his elbow to complete the submission.

There were several chokes I hadn't seen before, though as I'm very far from knowledgeable on submissions, that isn't especially remarkable. The most unusual was something Rorion called the 'nutcracker' choke, where you grab the collar on either side of their neck, pulling up on the cloth. You use that motion to bend your top knuckles into the neck, with your elbow on the ground for balance and feet clamped underneath your partner to stop them bumping your forward.

Rorion moves on to combinations with the basic cross choke, showing how to shift to an armbar if they try to trap your choking hand in order to bridge and roll: he calls this a 'double attack'. Rorion also makes a point of Gracie Jiu Jitsu being for everyone, no matter if you're not limber or simply out of shape, demonstrating how you can either bring your leg straight over and around for the armbar, or a more gradual method for the less flexible. As with previous tapes, everything is reviewed at the end, with a final note on being careful with your training partner, in order to avoid injuries during class.

The second tape covers the guard, which was probably the most shocking aspect of Royce's UFC success for viewers unfamiliar with grappling. As Rorion comments in his introduction, many people used to view the person on the bottom as being in trouble, without realising they could themselves attack from that position.

Rorion begins with basic sweeps, like the scissor, moving on to the natural follow up, the push sweep. If your opponent manages to resist that, Rorion shows a variation where you insert an elevator hook under their leg to complete the motion. These are solid techniques, but it raises the question of what exactly "intermediate" denotes as opposed to "basic." Bill Lewis commented that this was effectively "Basics - Part Two," as he expected something more advanced to justify the 'intermediate' label. Semantic quibbles aside, I'm more than happy with the basics: after all, you can never spend too much time on the fundamentals.

Rorion also talks you through the triangle choke, which interestingly he shows as a defence against the very same pass he demonstrated in Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics. So, Rorion was clearly aware that the triangle is an obvious possibility, which makes you wonder why he showed a pass in full knowledge that it was easily countered (at least when performed in the manner shown on Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics). If they raise their head, Rorion demonstrates how you can switch to an armbar by pivoting your body, then bringing your leg over, after which you can lock in the sub.

Finally, the third tape covers side control. Rorion runs through the submissions from the earlier series (Americana and guillotine), then adds in armbars and stepping over for a kimura. With his typical attention to detail, Rorion goes through 'what-if' scenarios, such as landing the kimura if they put an arm over your neck, or how you can shift to an armbar if they grab their belt.

Rorion's approach to the knee-on-belly position reminded me of Nick G's set-up, although Rorion is much lower, so on the stomach rather than the chest (which is what Maurição – a man widely noted for his knee-on-chest – recommended during the same lesson). Rorion emphasises the grip, with your thumb over the four fingers, and also how you can secure a hold behind their head, so that if they turn it will drive your forearm into their neck. He also demonstrates various submissions, like the cross-choke, kimura and a few armbar variations.

However, I was mainly looking forward to the next part: side control escapes. This is something I've been trying to focus on for most of my time training BJJ, so I'm always keen to see different approaches. Rorion runs through two of the basic options: first, shrimp and drive your knee through then shrimp again to get back to guard; second, what I refer to as the Tran side control escape, because that's who showed it to me (very simple: bridge into them when they try to bring their leg over to mount, rolling through to guard).

Rorion also shows one I haven't seen before, which again depends on timing. This time, they aren't swinging their leg over as with the Tran escape, but instead sliding their knee through. As they do so, Rorion slips his arm under their other leg, raises them up just enough to slip his own legs through, then gets half guard. From there, you can shrimp back to full guard.

The coverage of side control escapes was extremely thorough, although at the same time it was only discussing the basic approach. I would probably judge this tape the high point of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructional series. It is also made me think about something I've been attempting to work out for a while now, which is the issue of where to put the arm that is nearest to their head.

Roy Dean and Saulo Ribeiro both drive their forearm into their opponent's neck, which is also how I was taught at RGA. Demian Maia instead wraps his arm around their head, something Saulo specifically advises against. Rorion does something a bit different, in that he avoids the head altogether, gripping around their gi on the other side. I've seen that for when you want to go to your knees, but not when shrimping back to guard: Rorion uses the same grip for both. Then again, in Rorion's version the person on top doesn't have an arm around the bottom person's head, which changes things slightly.

Bruno, a purple belt at RGA, advised that I should tuck my elbow into their armpit to prevent that from happening. Christina, on the other hand, prefers to keep her elbows tight, and like Rorion avoids the head altogether. I guess it depends on how the other person reacts, but it would be nice to imagine there is some kind of at least vaguely "safe" position from which to being your defence. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

The bonus tape is the most overt reflection of how the UFC has positively impacted on the Gracies financial situation. That starts from the title, 'Royce Gracie, The Ultimate Fighting Champion: Finishing Moves'. At the time, Royce was no longer the champion: in 1996, the UFC was dominated by two wrestlers, Don Frye and Mark Coleman. They ushered in the success of the 'ground and pound' style of fighting, proving how wrestling combined with a willingness to strike was a powerful combination. Royce had yet to face that kind of opponent at the time: Dan Severn possessed the wrestling skill, but when he fought Royce in UFC 4, Severn hadn't yet become comfortable with striking an opponent on the ground.

Nevertheless, Royce could claim that he was still the undefeated UFC champion, as he had effectively retired after defeating Severn in the tournament and drawing with Ken Shamrock in the UFC 5 superfight. Royce spends this bonus tape talking the viewer through the submissions he used to get his championship belts. If you're looking for some deeper insight into Royce's victories, you won't find it here. He simply shows the technique without elaboration. As with the last series, that is to be expected from a bonus. The main interesting point about this bonus is that Rorion felt, rightly, that using Royce's UFC fame might bring in further customers for the instructional series.

If I was going to recommend any of the original Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructional tapes, it would be these (though I would again emphasises that Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements remains by far the best DVD on the market for beginners). Rorion does a fine job of explaining the techniques, in a clear and detailed fashion, once again keeping them in context. Available to buy here.

Finally, here's a clip of Rorion going through some of the finer details of a choke (which is also where he has a chuckle with Royce). Its from YouTube, so the link may disappear at some point. If that happens, let me know, and I'll see if I can find a replacement:



If there is anyone reading this blog who trained BJJ back in the early 1990s, and therefore may well have used these tapes upon their original release, I’d love to hear about your experiences with them, and especially how you view the tapes now, looking back.

DVD Review - Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics (Rorion & Royce Gracie)

Short Review: As the first of its kind, this set is mainly of historical rather than practical value. The intended market of BJJ beginners is now much better served by releases like Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements. Nevertheless, Rorion presents his instruction clearly, with plenty of detail, always showing techniques in context. If you can take it with a pinch of salt, then it is still possible to benefit from the instruction on thse tapes. Available to buy here.

Full Review: In the late 1980s, adverts began popping up for a video entitled Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Action. Seven men, all wearing a gi, stared out above the caption “Real Fights – Original Footage”. The advert also made the bold claim that something called ‘Gracie Jiu Jitsu’ was the “most complete form of fighting today.” This was nothing new in the world of martial arts, as many styles made similar claims: what was different is that the Gracies were willing to test themselves against anybody who doubted them. Most important of all, the fights were recorded on tape, putting over half a century of challenge matches onto the screens of living rooms across America.

[For more on the history of BJJ, see here]

The success of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Action, along with the Gracie Academy’s open challenge for anyone to come and test the Gracie’s mettle, led to wider coverage. Articles on the Gracies appeared in Black Belt, but more importantly, Pat Jordan’s piece on Rorion featured in the September 1989 issue of Playboy. Interest in the Gracie Jiu Jitsu system grew, until by 1991, Rorion and his brother Royce were ready to produce an instructional video series.

Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics is therefore fascinating from a historical perspective: these tapes were an essential part of spreading interest in GJJ, at a time when qualified instructors were few and far between. Almost two decades after its original release, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics is rather dated in some regards. This is partly due to the self defence focus, which assumes that your assailant will be completely unfamiliar with grappling on the ground.

The series was originally divided into five tapes: ‘Get Close’, ‘Get Them Off’, ‘Scissors’, ‘Headlocks’ and ‘Finishing Holds’. The more descriptive subtitles (which for later releases became the main titles) were ‘How to Close the Distance Between You and Your Opponent’, ‘How to Escape from the Mounted Position’, ‘How to Pass the Guard’, ‘How to Escape from Headlocks’ and ‘Arm Locks and Chokes’. There was also a short bonus tape, ‘How to Handle Stand Up Aggression’, used as an incentive to order all five tapes at once. Later on, the five volumes were condensed into three, a pattern which following releases from the Gracie Academy maintained.

Rorion begins with the tactic of throwing a stiff front kick to the leg before going for the clinch, recognisable from Royce’s early MMA fighting style. Rorion makes the comparison to boxing, where he states that when they go to the clinch, that’s a safety position, as it is difficult to effectively punch someone who is hugging tight to your upper body (though that does raise the question of muay thai’s use of the clinch, which isn’t mentioned).

From the clinch, Rorion also demonstrates a basic o-goshi hip throw, then a few simple wrestling takedowns. Rorion’s intention with all of them is to get into mount as quickly as possible. Rorion’s teaching style is detailed, methodical, and perhaps most importantly, always shows a sequence of moves in context. After about fourteen minutes, the whole series is shown again, which emphasises how well the instruction fits together. Finally, Rorion and Royce go full speed: in total, the opening section on takedowns lasts about twenty minutes. The techniques are perfectly valid, though if you want to learn how to take a fight from standing to the ground, you would be much better served by judo, wrestling or SAMBO.

Next, Rorion shows you how to stabilize the mount position. His instruction is excellent, picking up on fine details, explained clearly from several angles. The assumption is that your opponent is clueless on the ground, but that’s forgivable given that this is supposed to be basics. It was also aimed very much at self-defence, something the Gracie Academy has always championed: hence why Rorion states the importance of mount is that it puts you out of reach of their punches while still being able to throw your own. In addition this was recorded back in 1991, before the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the rapid revival in grappling that produced. Rorion’s points on maintaining balance, spreading your weight and adjusting to your partner’s reaction are all still valid.

Having covered stabilizing the mount, Rorion then demonstrates how to escape from that position. Again, the techniques shown here are still very relevant, with the two classic escapes – the upa and the elbow escape – described in detail, dealing with several eventualities. It also gives Rorion the opportunity to make a quick sales pitch for Gracie Jiu Jitsu, insisting that the person who knows GJJ will always have the advantage, even when on the bottom. The section on mount is longer than the opening depiction of takedowns, lasting slightly over forty minutes. As before, that includes a summary, finishing with a reminder to drill all the techniques you’ve just watched as much as possible, aiming to make them reflexive.

That brings the series to its most infamous moment: the ‘Gracie Gift’. Rorion breaks the cardinal rule of guard passing, which is never leaving one arm in and one arm out. If you keep an arm inside, you are leaving yourself open to a triangle. It is possible to pass from this position, but you need to keep the elbow of the inside arm back by their leg, and press either above or below the knee with your shoulder. Nevertheless, it is always risky, and Rorion does nothing to mitigate that danger: his inside arm is locked out against Royce’s bicep, while Rorion's shoulder presses directly into the back of his brother’s knee. The triangle is staring Royce in the face.

This is why the pass has since become known as the Gracie Gift: Rorion is ‘gifting’ his opponent with an easy way to finish the fight. The excuse is presumably that this tape took the perspective that you are in a street fight against somebody unfamiliar with the ground. However, if the opponent knows the guard, then it isn’t unlikely they would also know the triangle. The stack pass, which proceeds in a similar fashion (with the essential difference that you wrap your arms under both legs) is far safer: Rorion could, and probably should, have shown this pass instead (indeed, his son Rener does just that in 2009's Gracie Combatives).

Rorion himself was clearly aware of the danger, as in Gracie Jiu Jitsu Intermediate, he demonstrates the triangle as a response to the very pass he had shown five years earlier. In other words, he taught a pass to which he knew there was an easy counter, but failed to provide either a warning or the details which make the pass safer. It was a strange omission, which has generated plenty of comments over the years. For example, Yrkoon9 takes the Gracie Gift as a central indicator of GJJ’s unwillingness to progress, to such a degree that Yrkoon9 claims GJJ actually became ‘inferior’ to the Brazilian jiu jitsu taught by schools outside of the Gracie Academy. Then there are opinions like this tongue-in-cheek thread on NHBGear, or this critical thread on Sherdog.

The self-defence focus comes to the fore again in the next tape, which covers headlocks. At first I thought this might refer to the common scarf hold position, but it is indeed just headlocks (i.e., arms around the head rather than one arm around the head and the other arm pulling their arm into your chest). In Rorion’s introduction, he admits that it is “not the most technical way of finishing a fight,” but claims that “for those who lack better technique it is one of the most widely used finishing holds.”

It is unlikely that anyone except an absolute beginner would try to hold you in a headlock: the scarf hold is far more secure. Rorion’s escapes have a degree of applicability to the scarf hold (basically it is as if you’ve already got the point where you’ve extricated your trapped arm), so this tape is still of some use. There is one rather bizarre technique where Royce supposedly gets a tap by simply squeezing Rorion's head between his legs, but most of the escapes are fairly standard. For example, framing your arms, sitting up, bringing them onto their side then shifting into mount, or alternately hooking their leg and moving to their back.

The last tape of the series, along with the earlier material on the mount, has probably stood the test of time best. Rorion gives a thorough explanation of basic submissions from the mount, guard and headlock, like the Americana, kimura, armbar and guillotine. As is the case throughout the tapes, these are all shown in context, such as flowing from a kimura to a guillotine from guard.

Again, sport is absent, as Rorion always talks about breaking the arm rather than submitting a training partner. In the course of his instruction, Rorion comments more widely about developing your BJJ, such as the fundamental importance of establishing a good base. As he puts it, if you can get that solid base, then your opponent will be exerting lots of strength and energy while you can simply relax. On the one hand, this points to the explicit assumption throughout Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Basics that your attacker is completely unfamiliar with the ground. On the other, it emphasises the importance of relaxing, something I very much agree with.

Finally, the brief bonus tape runs through simple self defence techniques, like throwing from a front choke, the twist and armbar from a lapel grab, armbar from shoulder grab, throw from double grab etc. Rorion also uses knees and elbows, but mostly sticks with throws and armlocks. More bizarrely, he demonstrates defence against an attacker coming at you with a club, which tends to be a little dubious (for weapons, I would suggest groups like the Dog Brothers rather than BJJ). The sequence is merely a demonstration without instruction, but then it was only a bonus, so would be silly to make it especially in depth.

To my surprise, the original series is still available on DVD from the Gracie Academy, apparently unchanged (at least judging by the previews available on the website). I would assume that the extras included are different (presumably with Ryron and Rener), but it is nevertheless incredible that the ‘Gracie Gift’ remains a staple of GJJ video instruction. As discussed in this thread, there are ways to make that pass work – most importantly tucking your elbow back and pressing your shoulder above the knee rather than directly behind it – but Rorion does not mention those details.

If you can find the DVDs at a reasonable cost and take the guard pass with a large pinch of salt, then Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics will still be of use to beginners (though Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements remains by far the best DVD on the market for beginners). Rorion presents his instruction clearly, with plenty of detail, always showing techniques in context. Available to buy here.

If there is anyone reading this blog who trained BJJ back in the early 1990s, and therefore may well have used these tapes upon their original release, I’d love to hear any anecdotes you might have about watching and learning from them, and especially how you view the tapes now, looking back.