I Suck At Jiu Jitsu Show

A rapid-fire rundown of heated training debates: why belt colors are mostly symbolic and how to tell if you actually deserve the next one. Heated takes on heavyweights, omoplata effectiveness, and whether adults chasing stripes should quit. Thoughts on podium promotions, self-promotion, wrestling vs judo crossover, and practical tests to measure real improvement.

I ranked every major guard pass in jiu jitsu from useless to essential based on what actually works when you’re trying to pass against good people.In this episode of the I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show, I break down the best guard passes in grappling using three criteria: risk, finishability, and versatility. If you’ve ever felt stuck inside someone’s guard, constantly getting swept, submitted, or forced into bad decisions just trying to pass, this will help you see things a lot more clearly.This isn’t just a list of flashy passes. I’m talking about what actually holds up in real training and competition. Which passes are worth building your game around, which ones are more situational, and which ones probably aren’t worth your time right now.I cover passes like the knee cut, torreando, leg drag, side smash, leg weave, float pass, tripod pass, body lock pass, long step, over under, double under, single under, X pass, Sao Paulo pass, cross pant grip passing, back step, reverse knee cut, knee staple, surfer pass, hip switch, cross body half guard passing, and more.If you’re newer and trying to figure out where to focus, or you’ve been training for a while and want to tighten up your passing system, this should give you a solid direction.And if you think I got something completely wrong, I want to hear it. Drop your hottest take in the comments.Subscribe for more jiu jitsu breakdowns, seminars, competition insights, and gameplans.Greatest Guard Passing Seminar Ever: https://youtu.be/aDAwqBVoDP4Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuckDatsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp0:00 Intro0:17 Why This Episode Will Change Your Guard Passing1:47 The Tier List Criteria5:50 Risk in Guard Passing8:13 Finishability10:04 Versatility12:23 Torreando Pass14:41 X Pass16:08 Leg Drag17:17 Cartwheel Pass18:57 Datsusara Sponsor Break20:24 Single Under Pass21:58 Knee Cut Pass24:59 Reverse Knee Cut26:06 Back Step Pass29:25 Over Under Pass32:03 Competitor’s Journey Ad33:24 DLR Stepover Pass34:27 Double Under Pass35:28 Body Lock Pass37:22 Side Smash / Folding Pass40:00 Near Side Underhook Pass41:34 Leg Weave Pass43:20 Knee Weave / Dope Mount43:49 Smash Half Guard Pass44:46 Float Pass46:00 High Step Pass47:23 BJJ Mental Models Sponsor Break48:36 Sao Paulo Pass50:09 Tripod Pass51:06 Long Step Pass52:56 Knee Staple Pass54:45 Cross Pant Grip Pass55:40 Surfer Pass57:13 Double Under Lapel Pass / Squid Pass59:42 Reverse Leg Drag1:01:26 Hip Switch vs Crossbody Half Guard Pass1:03:14 Crossbody Half Guard Pass1:04:04 How to Build Guard Passing Combos1:04:56 Torreando Combo1:05:54 Leg Drag Combo1:07:21 Knee Cut Combo1:09:20 Knee Weave Combo1:10:35 Why Stack Passes Ranked Lower1:13:12 Final Thoughts on the Tier List1:14:16 951 Hot Take + Guard Passing Seminar1:14:57 Why the Tier List Trilogy Ends Here

A wild ranking of 66 Jiu-Jitsu submissions from useless to unstoppable. Short takes on why some chokes and leg locks still dominate modern gi, no‑gi, and MMA. Controversial inclusions and surprising placements that will annoy purists. Quick hits on classic finishes, flashy moves, and underrated technical gems.

I ranked 28 different guards in Jiu-Jitsu from F Tier to SS Tier based on real effectiveness at the highest levels of grappling.Which guards are actually worth learning… and which ones are a complete waste of time?In this video I break down the best guards in Jiu Jitsu, the most overrated guards, and the positions that still dominate modern gi and no-gi competition.⚠️ Some of these rankings may make you mad.Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp0:00 Intro0:16 I Ranked Every Guard in Jiu-Jitsu3:32 Criteria for the Tier List9:21 Quarter Guard12:17 Donkey Guard / Reverse Closed Guard17:04 X Guard20:06 Lockdown22:55 Knee Shield23:54 Coyote Guard25:50 Deep Half Guard28:04 K Guard29:31 Single Leg X Guard (SLX)33:03 Seated Guard (Sit-Up / Koala Guard)34:12 Reverse De La Riva (RDLR)35:35 De La Riva (DLR)37:32 Spider Guard39:38 Collar Sleeve Guard41:16 Lapel Guards (Overview)41:40 Shallow Lapel Guards (early lapel / lapel lasso / lapel spider)43:53 Deep Lapel Guards (worm / squid / etc.)47:27 Hybrid Lapel Guards (lapel added to no-gi guards)50:24 Open Guard (Disconnected)51:25 50/50 Guard53:45 Rubber Guard55:22 Williams Guard56:52 Shin-on-Shin57:28 Inverted Guard59:23 Smashed Half Guard1:01:15 Turtle Guard1:02:49 Lasso Guard1:03:33 Butterfly Guard1:05:05 Octopus Guard1:08:48 Closed Guard1:11:34 Final Tier List Recap (bottom to top)1:16:19 SS Tier Reveal + Wrap Up

I brought a mic to open mat at ISAJJx (The I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show Experience) and asked one simple question:“What’s your hottest jiu-jitsu take?”That’s it. That was the mistake.What started as a chill open mat at Headnod HQ turned into a full-blown mat-side debate about everything we pretend not to care about in jiu-jitsu… but absolutely care about. From disgusting mouthpiece etiquette to gym owner capitalism, from guard pullers to hoverers, from “flow rolling” lies to the eternal BJJ vs AJJ identity crisis, nothing was safe.We’ve got black belts calling people out, gym owners confessing what actually annoys them, competitors admitting the stress nobody talks about, and at least one take that was so hot it didn’t survive the edit.This episode is raw, live, and exactly what jiu-jitsu sounds like when you stop pretending it’s polite.If you train, you’ll recognize every personality in this video.If you don’t train, you’ll question why we do this to ourselves.Welcome to open mat with a microphone.Subscribe for more jiu-jitsu culture, comedy, and the stuff people only say when the round timer’s off.Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

You’re training a lot. You know the names of the positions. You’ve watched the instructionals. You’ve saved the Instagram clips.And somehow… you still feel like you kind of suck at everything.That usually doesn’t mean you’re bad at jiu-jitsu. It means you’re training randomly.In this episode of The I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu Show, I’m joined by Bryce and Bryan Allen (the Allen Bros), and we break down how to stop guessing what to work on and start training with a real focus—even if you don’t control what your gym is teaching that week.We talk about how to choose the right thing to train when there are a million options online, how to let your rounds organically reveal what actually needs work. We dig into why “did I win?” is a terrible metric for improvement, and how to build real self-coaching skills so you keep getting better no matter where you train.If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve learned everything… but I’m not good at anything,” this episode will help you fix that.Stop wasting rounds. Train what actually matters.I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience:  https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

SHOCK WARNING - There are stories describing injuries and other content some listeners may find disturbing. Don't be fainting while driving and then blaming the I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show. You've been warned. The episode is actually really good though. Coming back from injury isn’t just physical... it’s ego, identity, and expectations colliding at once. In this episode, we talk about what it actually takes to return the right way… and why most people sabotage themselves before they ever step back on the mats.Featuring Kyle Watson, Andy Sabens, and a special guest, this conversation drifts into crazy arrests, training as you age, competition(or lack their of), and some stories that you won't believe — but everything somehow comes back to leadership, pressure, and staying composed when things get unpredictable.Because the truth is: people don’t listen to 2-hour podcasts just to “solve a problem.” They listen to be entertained. If we can make it interesting, we can help you suck less. Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience: https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

A Few weeks ago at the Fuji Expo in KC, I (@thejoshmckinney) grabbed a mic at the end of a long tournament day and did what every exhausted coach should do: talk trash, tell stories, and give hot takes while the adrenaline wears off.You’ll hear from the Arias Bros (including a wild match story that ends in a heel hook attempt in the gi), plus more coaches breaking down what they saw on the mats, what tournaments get right/wrong, and the weird culture stuff we all pretend isn’t real (handshake etiquette, rulesets, coaching “disappointment,” and more).Thanks to all the coaches who jumped on the mic to chat.If you’ve ever coached all day, competed and got banged up, or just love the post-tournament parking-lot vibes—this one’s for you. Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience:  https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp00:00 – Live at the Fuji BJJ Expo01:30 – Aras Bros interview & wild black belt match story04:20 – Coaching all day, winning & losing at tournaments06:00 – Fuji Expo thoughts & Midwest Jiu-Jitsu08:00 – ISAJJ Show Experience & camp announcement10:40 – Jiu-Jitsu injury insurance explained17:45 – Tournament risk, injuries & gym owner responsibility20:00 – Hot takes, sponsors & mat hygiene talk23:30 – Coaching mindset, injuries & training updates27:00 – Gi vs No-Gi & tournament formats33:30 – Favorite matches & coaching disappointments41:00 – Post-match etiquette & jiu-jitsu traditions45:20 – Masters vs adult divisions & rulesets50:00 – Spicy hot takes & culture commentary57:45 – Final thoughts & wrap-up

Everyone Has a Hot Take about BJJ… So We Gave Them all a MicrophoneThis is the FIRST EVER episode of Hot Takes Wanted—and we didn’t hold back.I(@thejoshmckinney) grabbed as many people as possible and let them unload their most unfiltered jiu-jitsu opinions. No scripts. No safety nets. Just raw takes from the mats.Guard pulling?Gi vs No-Gi?Wrestling elitism?American Jiu-Jitsu?Barefoot tournament savages??Yeah… it all came up.Some people think you can’t complain about guard pulling if you can’t pass a guard.Others say you shouldn’t guard pull if you can’t wrestle.Some swear No-Gi isn’t even Jiu-Jitsu—it’s just submission wrestling.Others say if you don’t train in the gi, you’re missing the point entirely.Then things got weird (in the best way).We got takes on:-Boxers vs Jiu-Jitsu in real fights-Why belt promotions are broken (or perfect)-Why American Jiu-Jitsu is its own thing-Why your toes should get stomped on if you walk barefoot at tournaments-And even why the infamous “r*pe choke” should be renamed Some takes are smart.Some are spicy.Some will absolutely make you mad.And that’s the point.👇 Jump in the comments:Which take was the WORST?Which one was 100% correct?And what hot take should we put on blast in the next episode?This is jiu-jitsu culture—unfiltered.I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience: https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

What does it actually take to become unbreakable in jiu-jitsu — mentally, physically, and over an entire career?I(@thejoshmckinney) recorded this conversation live at the Fuji BJJ Expo with Victor Hugo (victorhugojj), right in the middle of a tournament atmosphere, with matches happening, crowds moving, and pressure everywhere. No studio. No edits. Just a real, unfiltered conversation with one of the most dominant and respected competitors of this generation.Victor Hugo doesn’t talk about techniques here.He talks about how he lives his life and how it applies to jiu-jitsu.In this live interview, Victor breaks down:- Why flow matters more than force at the highest level- How he trains without burning out or getting stuck- What actually goes through his head before world championship finals- How early losses shaped him instead of breaking him- Why adaptability beats having “one best move” - How he stays calm when everything is on the line- And what most athletes get wrong about longevity, pressure, and winningThis was filmed tableside at Fuji BJJ Expo, during a live tournament weekend — the noise, the distractions, the energy — and Victor stayed exactly who he is: calm, thoughtful, and intentional.If you’ve ever:- Felt stuck in your training- Burned out chasing results- Struggled with pressure in competition- Or wondered how elite athletes stay composed while everyone else panicsThis conversation will change how you think about jiu-jitsu.This isn’t hype.This is Big Man Flow — explained by the man who lives it.I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience: https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ he Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/compChampion’s Stay Present: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/cspJoin ISAJJ PRO(ALL of Josh’s Courses in One Place): https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/suckFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isuckatjiujitsushow Check out the ISAJJ Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JoshMcKinney