As a Black Belt in BJJ, I'll say that grappling is grappling is grappling. I've been saying the same thing for years: the thing that separates Freestyle from Greco from Catch from Judo from BJJ is not the techniques. The techniques do the same thing regardless of which art you're practicing. The thing that separates these arts is the rules. Take a bunch of experienced modern Catch wrestlers, have them train solely according to IBJJF No-Gi rules, and I'll bet dollars to donuts that it doesn't take a very long time before they start looking no different than any other BJJ No-Gi competitor with a strong wrestling background. As for learning to adapt to the Gi, don't worry. You'll start to develop that same sort of sense for when and where you are being grabbed, gripped, and held as you have with your own body in Catch. Just as a sword becomes a familiar extension of your own limbs for an experienced fencer, the Gi becomes a part of you when you train BJJ.

Cross training is always a win. Puts more tools in your toolbox, as it were.

If you can not practice your own grappling art, you are definitely better off practicing another. It may not seem like it now because your are in another art using another set of rules but eventually your catch wrestling experience will give you an edge over those that have solely trained Jiu Jitsu.

I started bjj and went to catch. I find them to be almost necessary to complete a grappler (i'm by no means a complete grappler, bybthe way). bjj is great for the back work, escapes, and subs. Catch is great for the wrestling, top control, and pressure. There are also quite a few subs that catch does better. Catch is where I really learned the kimura (double wrist lock, excuse me). I knew of it from bjj, but catch taught me how to really finish it and get it from all angles. same with keylock, hammerlock, arm triangle, things like that. bjj is where I learned the rear naked, guillotine, triangle choke, and so many sweeps and guards. I love them both.

I subscribed because of your book collection in the background thumbs up, I'd love to experience some catch wrestling techniques to add to my jiu jitsu

As a fan i really hope to see catch wrestling take off more in the UK, watching the Billy Robinson clips on here way back opened me eyes. This channel too since i found it has added to my excitement at the future of catch wrestling in the UK thanks.

It's really interesting to see this, as you were the one that set me on the path to bjj. I've done it for a few months now, and first hears about it from a channel that covered catch wrestling. And I found that from looking up "what's a grovit" on KZfaq after you referenced it in one of your videos. And now, to see you not just doing bjj, but in a blue gb gi identical to mine except for the size, it's really both amusing and reminds me about what that one reference to grovits could have meant for me in a few years time.

British guy here living in Japan training BJJ. Thanks for talking about this. It reminds me a lot of when I started BJJ since my first experience was doing Pancrase (no gi). I would often choke myself out by turning the wrong way. It goes away eventually. You also reminded me of how I felt I was in a straight-jacket when I first started training. Those were good times. Since catch started in the UK it would be cool if you could start teaching it and keeping it alive. Cross-training is always a good thing. I've enjoyed cross-training judo with BJJ. I would do catch if I ever moved back and there was a place available.

Being part British I'm a big fan of traditional English Martial Arts .

I nearly miss this little gem of yours lad. Enjoy your martial journey. 🤔👊👍🙏

I've been doing BJJ for only about 6 months in a Renzo Gracie academy in the US. Depending on your group and your professor, it is very possible that you could turn some people on to Catch wrestling. we've got an collegiate greco-roman wrestler (purple belt) who teaches one class a week heavily influenced by greco-roman wrestling. lots of your teammates are likely interested and willing to learn. After you've built some rapport definitely mention your catch background and see if anyone is interested! best of luck

Really enjoyed your video! I'm interested to see your progress actually, what is your take on recording yourself rolling/drilling? I am interested to see what differences may occur in a session of BJJ rolling with someone who has experience in catch wrestling. Aside from that, your points are very valid as well. I remember reading a post from John Danaher that said something very similar to your view on the game "slowing down" and how much more aware your were of the chokes you would be caught in. Danaher made the post about the differences in training No-gi vs. Gi BJJ. His main points were that, since there is no jacket in No-Gi, there are less places for one to make strong grips. Since there is less to hold, maintaining position is more difficult, so the overall game is quicker. In Gi, with the jacket, one must be more conscious of chokes. You can really view the Gi as though it is literally a rope around your neck for the opponent to grab onto and choke you with. With this in mind, training Gi will help you realize this, and teach you one of the most important lessons in all grappling: protecting your neck. Finally, the friction of the Gi along with the access to grips, slows the game down.

Perfect. Damned perfect. I have done wrestling, CaCC, and BJJ and am partial to the Gi BJJ because of the thinking game. Excellent post.

I've been training jiu-jitsu for a year and 8 months now, earning my blue belt this Saturday, and I think it was definitely a good choice for you to invest in this martial art. My experience with wrestlers has been very much a challenge, the speed and the power does require me to provide more technical movements and thoughts versus the everyday average guy, and wrestlers I've rolled with have progressed faster than I expected them to just by their impressive grappling skills. It's a lot of fun, and I'm happy that you found it and are enjoying it too.

Cool video. I train BJJ and did some judo. Never had a chance to do any catch, but it sounds interesting. Saw Josh Barnett fight Dean Lister of course, and that was awesome. Your perspective on pinning sounds a bit like a judo view. In judo you can win with a pin, so they'll have side control and scarf hold for days, but aren't as clued in about guard or submissions. Of course, judo has the gi, so grip fighting and awareness of grips is a key part of it, unlike catch. Does catch have leg locks? My vague impression is that it's no-gi with lots of neck cranks.

Exactly! Fellow wrestler here - I'd also prefer to do my own stuff, but the only things around here are Judo and BJJ, so you work with what you got. I can learn from others' stuff, and also learn how to counter it with my own. We can all learn from the early catch wrestling/judo rivalry from the Early-Mid 20th Century, with the end result being some Judo stuff coming into Catch, and some Catch stuff coming into Judo - until the sport and/or entertainment versions of both essentially took these out. The best Catch techniques I've learnt were from an old traditional Judoka. Everybody: there's nothing wrong with having your own preferred style, and indeed thinking yours is the best - but never testing it against all the other styles ruins the point.

Love what i have seen of Catch wresting.... one of my biggest regrets was that I was in Arkansas while Billy Robinson was living there, and didn't know. If I had known I would have at least tried to contact him. I like BJJ very much (excellent art), but I've found at a number of Barras i've visited the focus is almost entirely the ground game (which I really enjoy), with much less time given throws and take down's as entries to ground work even less as damaging techniques in their own right (IMHO if you throw an opponent and he gets up you did it wrong..this is a weakness of sport Judo). I don't know if this is common among BJJ schools or just my experience, I've heard instructors like Carlson Gracie had a more self defense orientated practice. 2nd thing that concerned me was I noticed higher grades tend to appear more passive. This I understand is part of the "game" waiting for the opponent to make a mistake and learning to capitalize on it. However if practiced to excess this could be a bad habit of passivity in a street situation. That being said respect to all arts everyone has something good to share.

Inspiring to see how someone looks at a challenge or issue and seeks to explore and find a solution.

Impressive collection of books there brother. I can see a few David Gemmell paperbacks. Very nice.

BJJ and Catch complement each other very well. I enjoy Catch more, but training both is the best way to go. BJJ is especially helpful for teaching high school and collegiate wrestlers how to "relax" on the mat. And the gi does completely change the game.

Glad to know I wasn't the only one that felt this way. I'm trying to beat the habit of stalling when I gain control because I've trained to pin instead of choke or submit the opponent. I wouldn't exactly call myself a Jiujitsu fighter but I'm just an MMA guy that trains in Brazilian JJ. Great stuff tho

Very good video.

Novice at either, but one time a friend had asked me to grapple, and I had just watched your video on chancery holds and quartering your legs to avoid getting tossed off and it seemed to work pretty effectively, he countered by trying to hook my head under his leg which forced me to curl up a little bit and he was able to throw/roll me off.

I was fortunate enough to have gone from judo to BJJ and when i moved from NYC to Asheville North Carolina . Started training with some of the catch wrestlers here . John Husky

nice one! bjj is an amazing martial art, it has a lot in common with catch, especially when you do no gi, have fun!

There's no better; only different and you explained the differences nicely. I wrestled in high school (US) and there were several times a guy would shoot, I would sprawl, and feel his neck against my radial bone. I would think, "if only I could choke him out..." because all I would have to do is lay my other forearm across the back of his neck and have a triangle choke.

The little I know about Catch Wrestling it sounds amazing. I didn't wrestling in high school and picked up BJJ after seeing the Gracie's in UFC I. Even freestyle wrestling, though clearly a sport, adapts pretty easily I think to fighting, as wrestlers tend to end up in dominant positions and many dominant positions are just better for throwing strikes that can't be countered in an equal fashion (think ground and pound). You add in the catch submissions and I would think it's pretty formidable stuff. I also love BJJ. I like that it's a sport that, as I've aged (mid 40s) I can still roll and break a good sweat and catch some of the younger guys. I really cannot see myself wrestling due to some old man knee and back issues. But I can pull guard and work a nice methodical game and have fun. I really feel like all Grapplers are 'on the same team' so to speak and that what mostly dictates what a 'style' is-is the rules you chose to put in place. If you use Greco Roman Wrestling rules (no holds below the waist) you won't get Catch Wrestling or BJJ. (Though you might get some no Gi Judo guys adapting to it somewhat quickly). If you allow pins, you won't get the guard play, etc. It's more a question of, what rules do you like. Maybe the best point about catch wresting is that in a random fight, avoiding being flat on your back is probably a very, very good thing strategy wise. If I actually had to use BJJ for self defense I definitely wouldn't pull guard. I obviously can work reasonably affectively from guard if I had to, but in real world fights I think getting back on your feet an assessing multiple attackers, escape routes, etc is a pretty important element.

I train at Fighting Fit in Stone and at Active Arts in Stafford under coach Chris Paines and we (our group of bruise brothers and sisters) have been hybridizing CACC, Greco Roman and free-style, Judo and BJJ for the last 5-6 years. What has been happening is that as one of us may find another avenue/technique/style for submission grappling brought it to the groups and it has been studied the incorporate and analysed and the chaff chucked. Coach Chris (a very good man, a good friend and a bloody good grappler) is so enthusiastic and fanatical about grappling that any and all styles have been incorporated and explored, the escapes the attacks the set-ups the dummies and then worked in to our style. We seem to be going through a Luta Livre phase right now which seems to be kinda like catch-jitsu.

Excellent Channel I'm glad you made a point about wrestling specifically catch wrestling vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I've done a variety of different styles of wrestling from Russian, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Japanese and even indigenous folk styles from South America. I'm also a teacher the reality is that most grappling was based for combat purposes. So for example most of the old Styles have a hitting and they throwing component. For example Sancho Chinese boxing has a variety of different throws but no grappling. But the throwing is what really matters same thing as Judo. I once been thrown so hard that I almost broke my collarbone arm was damaged. So there is a difference between combative grappling and Sport grappling. Brazilian jiu-jitsu has also gone through a Renaissance itself the style that most practice and United States is very aggressive with a lot of catch wrestling tactics that you can see in Collegiate wrestling. While being in the guard is important from of combative state being on your back is not optimal. We also have to take into consideration to rain and what kind of clothes we wear. You should grapple in a suit with a tie I guarantee you you will find out very interesting techniques that you can't and can do with the shirt and tie and even a blazer. Most styles of European grappling was done through singlets but the reality is that people work clothes and battle and I suggest if you want to find out how it is to Grapple Bend traditional European clothes you should do it. There's also grappling in Japan with armor that's tremendously different and it's also done with various knives. I think there is also a channel on KZfaq of a practitioner who teaches grappling Persian Style. Good luck and I love the channel

I've trained in both Judo and Catch Wrestling, Judo being the Art I've had more time to train in and Catch being newer to me. In addition, I also have an extensive background in Kung Fu. For me, I preffer Catch since there is a lot of Wrestling involved which makes it difficult for an opponent to take me down. Once on the ground if im pined, in can bridge or use my legs as used in judo and BJJ to sweep. As a stricker my goal Wether sweeping or bridging, Is to get back on my feet. Wrestling has a lot of good moves to escape, counter and get to ur feet, it's not just about pinning. Hope this gives an already known perspective. Thanks for sharring your video.

Great insights, grappling is grappling. I recently learned about the story of Ad Santel and his victories over Judoka in Japan. No doubt there were and are a few tremendous catch guys at the highest level but the Brazilians kept alive the idea of no time limit, submission only grappling to the modern day and it's flourished. Catch is just harder to find, and havent we replicated it with modern no-gi JJ tournements?

I've wondered why the pinning came to be. Did it serve some sort of function in a type of combat? Like pinning a guy down quick while a peer dispatched in group scenarios? IDK. What s the deal with pinning?

Can you make catch wrestling videos? I'm talking about you teaching some online

Very interesting

It's a good thing to cross train. What you will find when grappling with a Gi is that after training with it for a while when you do take it off your wrestling game will go way up.

Right on!

Have you tried no gi BJJ? I'm back to BJJ after a layoff and find that previous wrestling experience lends itself better to no gi BJJ than the Gi for the exact reasons you explained

I train bjj but love wrestling. To me, its all grappling. I dont care if its bjj, sambo, wrestling, judo, if it works, i like it.

Back in the 90s I was training at a boxing gym in Nashville and there was a guy there teaching pro wrestling and recruiting for a Japanese pro wrestling association. He had his guys doing Hindu pushups and squats, and asked us if we wanted to jump in his class. I thanked him, but no. I wanted nothing to do with “pro rasslin.” It was years later that I realized it had been Billy Robinson. If there had only been an”KZfaq’s” back in those days….

I would love to train in catch wrestling but as you mentioned it's quite hard to find places to learn it. I might try BJJ some time in the future though as it looks a lot of fun :D

Also check out, Eduardo Telles. I believe his game will suit you for obvious reasons. He willingly gives his back and attacks from that position. If I ever train at a club that roll only from Knees I immediately give my back. Working from this position has helped me build a strong defence & also a tricky offence from this same position. You do not have to play off your back Oz. Have fun. Much respect. Chris 😄👍😎

good stuff, my son has done bjj 4 years and is now starting wrestling. he loses to experienced wrestlers but easily beats any other beginners. I think wrestlers can pick up bjj quicker than bjj guys can pick up wrestling, but doing both is the best bet for anyone

Readers may like to know that E. J. Harrison's book 'Wrestling' (1934) is available from Amazon as a cheap Kindle edition. The book has two chapters on Catch-as-Catch-Can, but his description is more like Olympic Freestyle or American college wrestling than what people seem to think of as Catch wrestling now. He also has a chapter on American 'All-in' professional wrestling, but he clearly regarded a lot of that as 'staged' (already in the 1930s).

Doesn't matter. With your background, you're a very dangerous Man. Cheers.🤠

I wrestled in high school and then did gi BJJ for a few years after that and I didn't really have the same experience. Of course I was a freshman in HS in 1995 and was a huge UFC fan from the time of UFC 2. I'd done traditional Jujutsu and Judo since I was very young so the gi wasn't totally unfamiliar to me. Anyway, when I was learning to wrestle I tried to do what I saw Royce Gracie doing, of course my coaches told me not to do a lot of that, so I would when I'd wrestle or roll with friends for fun. I definitely developed wrestling instincts in the 8 seasons I wrestled (I did both folkstyle and freestyle in the summers), so by the time I started BJJ, other people thought of me as "the wrestler", but I didn't, I expected it to be a new art. I didn't like the gi, and I still don't, but I learned it. I didn't like being on my back, and I still don't, but I learned it and got comfortable there. So now if I were to grapple someone I'd wrestle, but if I could not outwrestle my opponent or they were much bigger than me, I can play guard, 50/50, berimbolo with a gi, rubber guard, those are all tools in my toolbox. I'd rather scramble and get up, but I can play guard and pass someone's guard if I have to. For me the learning curve wasn't that great. I wanted to be heavy on top and make their life suck underneath me. Then I would find a choke. Ultimately I think they are both great and help you improve in all kinds of ways with your grappling.

You should stop by to come train with Catch wrestling alliance in Los Angeles. I am doing both bjj and catch wrestling.

Between Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Catch Wrestling, Judo, Sambo, and BJJ - BJJ is actually the "oddball" because it is the only style where there is no pinning. Consequently, BJJ people spend the most amount of time in the guard.

Gracie Barra! Yeah! Cheers mate!

have you had the opportunity to experience other forms of Folk Wrestling?, in the North Country family you also have the Blackhold styles, then their are the West Country styles and Irish Collar-and Elbow after that you have to look to Continental styles.

Training without gi boosted my confidence significantly. I notice that catch wrestling a predecessor of BJJ is simply limited to being more offensive. One could argue that BJJ is simply a modified hybrid of Catch Wrestling and Judo. That's until one starts training and one's perspective completely changes.

Every time I've tried a catch wrestling move in my bjj class it has ended bad. In my opinion catch is definitely for the strong rather than for the small with technique.

In BJJ control over opponent comes from the movement. It is important because every technique has its couter, there are couters to these counters and so on. There's no use of being just heavy on your opponent as it happens in judo or wrestling. It makes the escapes easy because you're predictible. The key is the adaptation: your opponent moves you adjust your posistion, he does the technique - you do the counter. Try not be strong but just flow with the movement.

Ive done judo 8 years and bjj 3 i can say from someone whos done mainly gi going from no gi to gi is very difficult its all about grips theres so much more to the gi game but in saying that i found doing no gi was great for defending but very difficult to attack les options you slip when you sweat so harder to attack so i tell people train both so you can have a balanced game

I have an extensive background in Judo and in last six years on and off I've been practicing Catch. I preffer Catch over Judo. I still use certain techniques from Judo, but I use what works for me. It's good to cross train as I also have a background in Kung Fu. Catch up until recently has been almost impossible to come across. That's why it's long been referred to as the lost art of hooking.

In my humble opinion wrestling is better in a real life situation but bjj has some very interesting concpets and experiences! but the concept of those two are quiet similar but the rules are quiet different. But the more martial arts you try the better! i have to say you are a badass you know pugilism,karate,wrestling,hema and soon to be bjj!! thats the way i wanna gone thnx for all tje insoiration Oz!

You must have read Blue Blood On The Mat by Sir Athol Oakley, I'd be interested on your thoughts on it. When I first read, nearly 20 years ago now, I posted about it on The Underground Forum and Tony Cechine said there were a lot of 'inaccuracies', which may well be true, but it's a great read and I've not yet seen anything that goes into any detail on some of the champions at that time and the people he mentions other than footnotes in lists and other small stuff.

Having your back off the ground isnt necessarily a bad thing! I wrestled in high school but have found that getting to the side i with my full guard and a whizzer feels great and affords plenty of sweeping and submission opportunities !

I train bjj. I think it would be great if we all learn from eachother and evolve the sport. Everyone can learn from someone

that is an impressive library

This may sound nerdy or dumb but I train just for the art of it. The way guys like Bill the Grill, Marcelo Garcia, Rickson, Pedro Sauer. Well you gat the point. Just do it for the love of it and how crafty it is how one move contradicts the orther. How we all know similar moves but from who we learned from and our personalities come into play. It's the only martial art you can do your way and people compliment your game or help you build the game of your choice. Be it catch jiujitsu submission wrestling it's all beautiful. Thank god im healthy enough to still hit the mat. Thought I would share that more people need to leave the fact of yes you can choke and give some one a real fucked up day. Leave that shit go train for the technological and crafty slick ways to manipulate your training partner. Fellas your training partner is that "DONT KILL HIM!!!!"" Be cool flow chill enjoy the roll you will have way more fun. Took along time to build this up thank god I did

Both are great arts and they borrow techniques from each other. Cross training is always a good idea. Alot of people train BJJ and wrestling or BJJ and judo this helps improve BJJ's biggest weakness, ( the takedown ).

did you see the video from fighttips on old school boxing

Get to a No-Gi class and see how you get on and let us know!

I do both like you do and yes the idea that you are a wrestler doing BJJ is the right attitude. Since you will have an affinity for one or the other. Now have a lot of fun and piss the BJJ guys off by using Catch Shin lock stuff. :-)

I love bjj but training catch opens my eyes up

Catch is trying to expand and theyre recruiting bjj into that process. Barnett is a perfect example of a guy who got a black belt in bjj and brought that with him into Catch. There are many other lesser names doing this as well. Tbh, if i was more advanced in bjj id look into the Snake Pit coaching curriculum and open an affiliate gym myself.

Wonder what level the bjj guys were at he was rolling with?

Someone asked Judo Gene LeBell who is an expert in Catch Wrestling what is the difference between what he does and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He said there was no difference just that he has less rules.

There's no problem with not wanting to be on bottom, or flat on your back. As long as you don't roll on to you knees giving up the back all the time. 13y of freestyle and collegiate wrestling only helped me in bjj, as soon as learned no to feed people my arms, or give up my back I was golden, I got my blue belt in just three minths, I've it took 2 years after that to get in purple belt.

Can training bjj teach bad habits for a street fight? (For example, it's always bad to end up on your back in a street fight no?) I'm learning bjj for self defense, not for sport, but my academy focuses on both

Are there any catch wrestling schools in the midlands?

I think the instincts you developed in catch will serve you better in a real fight, but let’s hope and pray you never have to find out.

A video about grappling without any grappling.

As soon as you said the gi is really different, I thought: "you got choked out didn't you" :) Focus on learning choke defenses, guard passing, defense in the guard, and guard prevention and you'll be hard to beat for your length of training time. Your footlocks and toeholds should be a game changer but be careful with them, most won't know how to defend properly and won't tap fast enough. Position before submission adds a lot to the game, makes submissions easier and safer, but don't stop snatching things when they're really there. Oh, and while I believe everyone should know how to fight and grapple from the guard, the instinct to put their backs to the ground will get your opponents in trouble, both with you (when you can break and pass) and in self-defense. Gracie University would be a great supplement to your game and allow you to focus on the defenses you need, many of which aren't taught elsewhere. It's neat to see this from the other perspective, I just got through reading Farmer Burn's correspondence course and comparing it to BJJ.

It's so hard to find catch wrestling in the UK, I've looked a few times to supplement my BJJ and come up short.

Was there ever a "Catch Wrestling Challenge" like the Gracie Challenge?

I train in normal ju jitsu but just recently we have been dabbling in bjj seen as the bloke who runs our club has started doing it, but the problem is I just seem to lose a lot mainly because most people are at least 2 stone heavier than me and when I see the bjj blokes there almost 3 times the size of me which puts me off doing it.

BJJ is awesome!Trust me,once you get started,there is no turning back!

Catch is not limited to pinning. It normally was decided on the spot and so sometimes matches were submissions only. But yeah, if you practice winning by limiting yourself to pinning, it can be a bad thing. As for getting quality sparring in, why not roll with freestyle wrestlers. Go ask if you can join in a local college, or go to a high school wrestling club if you have to.

You could just focus on No-Gi. No-Gi advanced or brown/black belt divisions allow pretty much all of techniques so your catch moves wouldn’t be limited. In gyms, theoretically “self defense” oriented schools should allow catch techniques so you could learn to blend stuff better in to one style. Competition focused schools or otherwise dogmatic schools will say a lot of techniques are off limits for lower levels. If you went out and pieced up a black belt at a local no gi tournament it would get a lot of attention and make for a good KZfaq video. Cheers!

Thanks god for Sambo and Catch wrestling

60 year old white belt at a Gracie school, been going 3-4 times a week for 11 months. I find catch wrestling fascinating. I am only interested in self defense and how to win in a street fight, not sport BJJ….so catch wrestling is appealing but where here in the states every decent size city has 2 or 3 BJJ schools but nowhere is there catch wrestling….too bad.

If there is no Catch Wrestling clubs, then go to another grappling club. Similar to if there are no tournaments to compete in for Catch Wrestling, then compete in another grappling tournament. Cross train, and cross compete. All of the arts compliment each other, and fill all the holes in.

modern "freestyle" wrestling was invented by the olympics in 1904/05, catch used to be the standard style of wrestling seen all around the world, calling it a "historically european" martial art is just stupid

can you do a video series on catch wrestling?

arent those pesky grips annoying in bjj?

seriously, the video started and my first thought was "WTF is he doing in my house?!?!" Showed it to my wife and she was the same. We had a laugh 😁

Should try No Gi!!!

He's sports style catch wrestling.

The best guys in UFC are wrestlers.. thats not a coincidence Henry cejudo Kamaru Usman Khabib TJ dil Jon Jones Daniel cormier Colby Covington Tyron Woodley You could arguably put GSP on that list as well.

You aught to make video of you doing some of the training

Apparently catch guys don't like to be on their back causd thats the guy who gets tired from carrying weight. This guy is sports style.

I like this video a lot , especially the honesty. I am sad though in a way because I wish that there were more European martial arts ( as well as African, Indian and Arts of the Americas) more wide spread and able to learn. Please do not let Catch Wrestling ( as well as Cornish Wrestling, Lancashire Wrestling, Gouren, Karakucak Gures, Chidaoba , Kushti , Koshti Pahlavani , Kokowa and a myriad of other grappling arts) go the way of so many extinct or barely relevant arts. When Judo arrived on the worldwide stage it gobbled up a lot of people and tricks from other national folk arts. Start your own group and preserve your folk art without it going the way of globalization. Nothing against crosstraining or filling in the holes of your art. Just don't abandon your national folk art.

Billy Robison is my coachs old coach! Billy Scott mma an catch wrestling!

Saw this video posted to the bjj subreddit. Good stuff. Any fantasy series you could recommend :p.

There was a discussion on Reddit recently about dumb things newbies say when they get submitted in BJJ. Perfect example here: You didn't choke yourself out, your partner choked you out. Yes, you made a mistake, but your partner was setting you up for a choke and she got it.

It is worth noting that Japanese Jujitsu was developed for fighting on battle field an armored oponent wearing full armor, hence I would suspect, the very stiff gee. Perhaps if you imagine fighting in full armor, and half swording could give you different perspective and put you in entirely different mind set.

Gi and no gi are world a part. I trained predominantly in gi, and the few times we tried no gi, I felt like I lost half the handholds.

Try to improve your audio quality cause it's hard to watch your videos.

give judo a go.. bjj has got next to no uchi komi skills.. fantastic on the newaza but the standing game is slack