How the Choi Bar Changed BJJ Forever

[@kintsugibjjproject3623]

Nice tribute! Choi was developing this armbar entry when he was a blue belt at HBJJ under Shawn Williams and Sean Flanery. He’s a great guy and has always been highly skilled and tough as nails! 🥋😊👍

[@AlecBaulding]

Wish more was known about him cause I had to call up my friends from Paragon to learn about him. We definitely need a bjj fanatics Choi bar video with him

[@SifuJames77]

Yep, I used to travel over from the UK to train at HBJJ yearly and trained with Choi a lot as we were the same belt. I say trained, Choi would just smash me :) He was incredibly strong for his size, and it was like grappling someone made of iron. Choi had techniques and sequences that he would just hit on you like a robot, but a very polite and smiling robot. You knew it was coming, you just couldn't stop it. Such a nice guy and I always enjoyed rolling with him. Edit: Just watched further and saw you mention about Choi moving to Atos. Pretty sure he was at AOJ rather than Atos HQ. I remember seeing some videos of classes at AOJ and Choi was in the background

[@LeoMarcantonio]

@@SifuJames77JC in the comments 🙌🏼

[@jnakash]

@@SifuJames77 James! Good to hear from you. Funny, I was randomly browsing and saw this vid. HBJJ reunion! Hope you've been well. - Jonathan

[@chadromero3718]

Shawn Williams started developing his "Williams guard" as a blue belt as well. I guess blue belt is the magic time to develop a namesake technique.

[@Ruwod]

Choi is my instructor. I remember the first time that i rolled with him. It was such a big shock. His took my shoulder like machine and i tapped like 7 times in a row with same choibar. I was purple belt at that time but realized that i dont know how to defense the armbar 😅

[@terrykim2748]

Woah, crazy seeing your comment here! Huge fan of your page :) 안녕하세요~ 러운동을 여기서보니 반갑네요. 채널 너무 재밌게 보고있어요. 업로드 자주 해주세요 🙂 Love from California!

[@toolmania0909]

최용원관장님쵝고

[@AlecBaulding]

It's great to see so many people with a connection to Choi

[@twelvefour87]

Where is he teaching now?

[@nakhyunkang]

@@twelvefour87seoul korea

[@TheElThomaso]

I can only imagine the amount of time it took to put this together, very impressive 😵 Thanks for sharing Alec!

[@AlecBaulding]

My pleasure!

[@gamma105]

Trained with him at AOJ . Super nice guy, i was a victim to the Choi bar countless times 😂

[@woozzification]

Your content is so good man. Would love one of these mini-documentary style videos on Marcelo Garcia and his no-gi game in particular. Keep up the great work!

[@AlecBaulding]

Definitely going to level up my skills first before tackling the goat Marcelo

[@ramon4545]

I remember having wars and learning so much from Choi when I was with Paragon and training at HBJJ he was an amazing training partner. I miss those days haha.

[@AlecBaulding]

Awesome to hear that!

[@joeg7096]

cool of you to create this tribute video. i remember a while back trying to look choi up on youtube and insta and couldnt find anything, was surprised i couldnt find any tape on a guy who was the origin of such a popular move. thanks for sharing

[@AlecBaulding]

No problem!

[@jonlau7937]

killer format Alec, the history dive are so rich, the keenan, telles etc. Keep it up!

[@AlecBaulding]

Lots of unsung heroes in the grappling world

[@KierenLefevre]

Casually watching and then my face pops up at 3:08 hahaha awesome video, I LOVE the choi-bar.

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks for the clip!

[@kylebeckham3825]

Thank you for putting so much time and effort into this video...top flight stuff in all dimensions. Clear writing, great narration, and exceptional technical breakdowns in a variety of settings.

[@AlecBaulding]

Happy to share these videos with you guys

[@Aceinthehole1179]

Absolutely amazing video. Well done my friend! I definitely want to go watch other vids you have made. You didn’t drag it out, you gave good information, & took the story from A-Z👊🏻👍👍uo

[@meetthemasters754]

9:40 To Chois credit, he was against Roberto Satoshi, who is a absolute beast of a guy and is the current Rizin Lightweight MMA champion.

[@AlecBaulding]

100%

[@dimpap9659]

Did the Choi-bar myself since whitebelt (5 years ago) never knew that it is called that way. Always called it pinch Armbar, you can also combo it with a Kimura , triangle variations or swim-move or if opp give opurtunity use the shoulder and hip post for a sneaky backtake.. that what i usually do.

[@fromsamuraitoscience7184]

A judo coach showed us this entry into the armbar - but with different grip - at a national training session in 1996. Works great. Enjoyed the video 👍

[@AlecBaulding]

Very cool! You know they say that bjj is basically just judo hahaha

[@rickfinsta2951]

@@AlecBaulding Yeah this technique is actually called Hiza Gatame (Ude Hishigi Hiza Gatame) but I know how you BJJ guys like to rename stuff after the first guy you saw do it LOL.

[@keredchang]

@@rickfinsta2951 Unless you can provide a photo or a video that shows otherwise, then it would appear the Hiza Gatame is a different move. More similar to a straight arm lock. With a Hiza, the entry, body positioning, and finishing mechanics are entirely different. There are nuances to the set up and finish of every move. Thus specific names should be provided to them. Again, maybe there is evidence to the contrary, so please provide if so.

[@rickfinsta2951]

@@keredchang In Juji Gatame (Ude Hishigi Juji Gatame) the shoulder is isolated by the hips, the arm drawn straight, and pressure is applied to the rear of the elbow. In Hiza Gatame, the arm is not generally straightened fully, and torsion (not straightening) is applied to the elbow joint by the knee. Hiza literally means "knee." This is clearly identifiable in the first few seconds of this video so I'm not sure what other evidence needs to be shown? I learned this technique from a multi-time US Nationals Katame no Kata and Shiai champion and current Rokudan. About the closest technique would actually be Ashi Gatame which is when the leg goes across the face to isolate the shoulder and the arm is drawn straight and pressure applied in the same manner as Juji Gatame (the method of shoulder isolation is using the leg instead of the hips in that case). Living somewhere in between all these is what you guys call Omoplata which is actually just a version of Ude Garami (what you guys have several names for including Kimura and Americana) executed with the leg instead of the arms. I hope that helps?

[@user-theBeyonder]

A lot of killers in those days back in Santa Barbara paragon . Choi was always a very nice guy , I remember his big smile

[@jonhernandez3645]

I always wondered where the name came from, I learned it from a lachland submeta video and that was the first time.

[@paultaing7420]

I LOVE these documentary style videos you’re doing. They are very well done. I hope you keep these up❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@AlecBaulding]

Thank you 🙏🏾

[@moefinesse9878]

I publicly challenge Choi to the Choi bar!

[@Thefrenchsavagery]

Great work

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks

[@ScientistSam1]

Loved this video and the historical perspective.

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you liked it!

[@andrewkim6037]

Thanks for the fascinating video Coach Alec! I've been trying to learn the Choi Bar, and I usually end up in a belly-down armbar type of situation. So, there's a lot for me to work on, but I'm having fun with it. Thanks again!

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stuartsmith5927]

Superb video on the evolution of the choi bar. Thank you

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you liked it!

[@hirosato1548]

sick video man, very creative. choi bars are so hot right now.

[@AlecBaulding]

Appreciate it!

[@layzboybc]

This was really an amazing breakdown and history lesson. Well done sir!

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you liked it!

[@cknasir]

Alec amazing tribute to Yongwon Choi about his amazing submission

[@AlecBaulding]

Yeah I'm happy to see that he's getting some recognition

[@ForzaTerra89]

This ties very closely into a very fundamental rolling armbar used in Judo. I’m definitely gonna practice this, great video

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LIMIBJJ]

Very well done. I enjoyed this video a lot

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@grumpyae86]

This is awesome! Well done man. Really enjoy these research vids

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you like them!

[@MidlandsJJ]

Yet another excellent video! Thank you as always!

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MidlandsJJ]

@@AlecBaulding Do you take idea requests for videos?

[@AlecBaulding]

@@MidlandsJJ I can’t make any promises but I’m open to suggestions

[@0b3ryn29]

These short documentaries on moves are great. Do one on the D'arce and high wrist guillotine.

[@1028made]

Choi is THE fucking MAN

[@AlecBaulding]

100%

[@Godofjiujitsu]

All your videos are Masterpieces👍 I love Choibar ❤️

[@AlecBaulding]

Thank you so much 😀 got another video planned for release this week

[@submeta]

Very informative and entertaining! Good stuff, Alec!

[@AlecBaulding]

Much appreciated!

[@tobybjj4789]

one of my coaches was a long time partner of choi choi... boy the stories he has too tell 😂

[@AlecBaulding]

I can't even imagine lol

[@thedadhaze]

@2:54 'A wild Chewy appears, how do you wish to proceed?'

[@rturo22]

Nice so the difference between the Choi bar and say what cyborg and Pablo Papovitch were doing is the gable grip vs the kimura grip?

[@grappler840829]

`Choi got married recently congratulation, I also have met him at Jamsil a couple weeks ago

[@AlecBaulding]

That's awesome!

[@MakeItRain420ify]

Your killing it on these videos!!!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@lastat10]

Shout out choi!!! ❤

[@AlecBaulding]

Had some other thumbnail ideas with him but ultimately I realized most people never heard/seen him, so hopefully that changes a little bit moving forward

[@lastat10]

@@AlecBaulding I love it man! Keep it up, this video came at the perfect timing for me, as I’ve been really diving into the Choi bar and was already doing it in training but not knowing what it was called. Thanks for educating me on who he was and is.

[@kevinsho2601]

I heard from an instructor at renzo gracies in LA that choi was super nice but kinda crazy and tough as shit. I think he was in the military for a bit.

[@AgentZackSit]

Great video. Love the details and research! 👌🙌

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks so much!

[@xMarcxAndrex]

Love the history videos. Keep em coming!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks for watching!

[@kenjiujitsu2024]

I got choibarred many times by Choi when i was training at AOJ

[@AlecBaulding]

Wow!

[@overrideFunction]

I've been learning the Choi bar, but had never heard of him. Glad you helped me correct it! Although earlier this year I tore my LCL going for a Choi bar. I blame all the bicep slicers I was doing for weakening the knee. The Choi bar really isn't that bad on the knee from my limited experience. Fortunately the injury wasn't too terrible and didn't need surgery

[@AlecBaulding]

Take care of yourself and I hope to see you back on the mats if possible

[@danieldreamsofjiujitsu]

Amazing video Alec!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks Danny

[@jdmj0]

What an excellently done video! II learned a lot! SUBBED my guy!

[@froggy3496]

I saw stuff about the choi bar years ago but couldn't really pull it off. It wasn't until I saw everyone at ADCC using that I realized it's potential and started working on it. Now it's probably my main attack. Shout out to Choi for coming up with it 🫶🫶

[@bensoto4855]

Rafa Mendes was doing that style arm bar in 2009 in ADCC

[@froggy3496]

@@bensoto4855 wrong. John Danaher invented after he invented gravity

[@bensoto4855]

@@froggy3496 How could I forget? Apologies. I mean, I'm sure he wrote a 50 page dissertation on the subject that I forgot about

[@marcgagne6913]

I enjoyed. Thanks man.

[@AlecBaulding]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@connormccreary4743]

Keenan hits a Choi bar in Lloyd irvin Kumite, episode 1, doesn’t finish with it but the setup is definitely a Choi bar, this is from 2012 I believe

[@jameswhelan1066]

This is a really good video thank you very much!🎉

[@AlecBaulding]

No problem 😊

[@db9544]

I used to do something like this when I did judo about 20 years ago. It was always a last ditch effort when tired though.

[@diogolmbhz]

Subscribed!! Great content 🎉

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks 🙌🏾

[@alfredovillasenorsoto3667]

This is awesome. I like this move.

[@AlecBaulding]

You know I had to spam it in training leading up to the video haha

[@DanTheWolfman]

I wonder if my vid on "arm weave better than a kimura" in 2012 definitely became the "reverse kimura" and wonder if it led to any development in this....i also used the "double leg over position" a lot

[@cashyourdreams7252]

Awesome video Alec!!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@jassimalaamer3255]

Excellent video 👌

[@AlecBaulding]

Thank you 👍

[@ijustwannaleaveacommentony6511]

great job

[@geraldoferreira4595]

I couldn't get what happened at 02:50. Can someone explain? Thanks in advance.

[@stevenhan1811]

Great video, thank you!

[@jonahkong572]

choi bar in korean is 초이바. There are some instructions pf choi bar and its variations from Choi on youtube. Use the korean word!

[@chueher9828]

Great history lesson Alec❤

[@AlecBaulding]

Chue Chue!

[@user-sl4sx6dp4c]

great video!

[@AlecBaulding]

🙏🏾

[@byronjabara]

Another great video!! Thanks

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks for watching!

[@mylastchance]

Amazing video!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@TaylorDouglasMusic]

Great video!

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@pninnan]

That shin on shin toe hold type thing his opponent in Japan was going for was so dirty. Zero chance to actually submit, just being dirty and trying to make it dirty

[@Lockdown335]

Thats something i would have done as an hurt angry lil 10yo white belt LOL what on earth

[@AlecBaulding]

That's that old school defense right there lol

[@evanburgess8428]

Nice

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@chefntoast]

Great nod to Eddie Cummings 👏🏽 👍🏽

[@808BJJ_Black_Belt]

Awesome 👏🏻

[@chefntoast]

Good job

[@Somethingsomethinglol]

Great video ❤

[@AlecBaulding]

Thank you!!

[@thelastchimp]

love your vids alec

[@AlecBaulding]

I actually learn a lot doing these as well

[@zukabjj2885]

Great video

[@AlecBaulding]

Thanks!

[@yousufleads]

11:13 😂

[@kimura317]

You did Chewy dirty there at 2:53, lol

[@ryanthompson3446]

People do not create moves, they discover variable pathways to invariable conclusions.

[@KingMob4313]

Choi bar isn't too different than what you classically see from a number of judokas, especially Neil Adams back in the 80s.

[@achmadthalib1873]

bruh i have submitt 1 person with this choi bar because i mistake wrong hand to get armbar back when iam white belt

[@amaisaitama9353]

Shit Didnt know that my former instructor created such famous technique imma go back

[@AlecBaulding]

Just saw that he filmed an instructional with BJJ Fanatics so be on the look out for that

[@99Gara99]

Game changer

[@AlecBaulding]

100%

[@dra8920]

Ok but Sean Roberts did not sweep Rodolfo Vieira lmao. It was just an adv, Rodolfo sprung back up.

[@AlecBaulding]

If I was Shawn I would count that haha

[@dra8920]

@@AlecBaulding lmao for sure, I'd also cut the clip exactly were it's cut. Nobody needs to see Rodolfo destroying your guard multiple times, mounting, passing and choking you from the back

[@rturo22]

Sean Roberts Swept Rafa Mendes with that sweep too

[@dra8920]

@@rturo22 Where? cause I don't think Sean Roberts ever fought Rafa Mendes in competition, they are not even in the same weight division, not even close.

[@a0ea0e]

👍👍👍

[@vikingbjj7]

remember daniel moraes teaching this about 20 years ago, chois version is great too.

[@Carnemexada]

The double wristlock works a lot better from bottom using k-control like Neil Melanson.

[@misnomer4231]

but this has been in judo since forever

[@CTGracie]

'Choi Bar' is just another name for arm lock. I been doing 'Choi Bar' before it became popularized and with 'its entries' as seen by the named people. My coach rips arms this way and so did people before 'Choi.' Ill never call it 'Choi' since its been called arm lock from when i learned it in 2002, same goes for ashi retarded BS, single leg x. I give respect to those that taught me rather than new age names that just rebrands it to sell videos and make shitty content.

[@sirpibble]

Naming moves after people is a dumb convention that needs to stop 👌 Moves should be discriptive of what youre doing

[@Dude27RJ]

Truth : In 2005, when I got my black belt in Brasil, this position already existed !!! This position is known here waaaaaaay before americans started naming things as if they were recently invented......honestly, is a little pathetic.

[@Carnemexada]

It's a clear deficiency in BJJ positioning. Learn how to wrestle and get off your damn knees!!

[@rturo22]

the reason they are passing low is to keep from exposing the legs from leg locks hence the reason the choi bar is coming into play

[@Carnemexada]

@@rturo22 I'm not sure what you mean by passing low. I'm talking about weight distribution. If you're on your knees your weight is not being carried by the guy on bottom, which is why there is enough space for setting up the choi.

[@rturo22]

@@Carnemexada that's why they hip out to make the space to get the leg around the the head.

[@Carnemexada]

@@rturo22 they don't have to make space. The guy on top is giving it to them. BJJ doesn't teach you how to be heavy. It's as simple as that.

[@jiujudo1307]

STOP IT! Are U still mad about sleeping in the basement? The dirty showers? ANYWAY, Helio developed Judo and all current moves taught today. It was his mast plan. Just look at the 4th generation of Gracies, MMA CHAMPIONS, ADCC CHAMPIONS, AND FINALLY, IBJJF Gi & No-Gi World CHAMPIONS! Wait, Don't google Gracie Champions. There is a virus that will lock your device.

[@Jonobos]

Jiujitsu has a really weird obsession with naming things. It is just the spinning armbar, but from the bottom. There are 20 different names for an armbar. Any slight variation and it gets a new name. This technique by technique understanding of jiujitsu is why it takes so long to attain any level of skill.

[@pradeepinside3893]

It's like when families have kids and don't simply call them "Human154" "Human155" and so on. Really weird.

[@axeltorbenson8533]

Important new moves get new names. The Choi bar is quite distinct from other armbars, so it is useful to have a separate name for it.

[@phobowl]

Nah it’s a different from the classic guard arm bar. Deserves its own name.

[@marwinmccall]

Been doing this since 2001 you can do this technique with the Camorra or you could do it without but this is nothing new

[@axeltorbenson8533]

Do you mean "Kimura"? Just want to double check as the naming of techniques is important imo ;) @@marwinmccall

[@wcarlson6115]

@SilverFoxBJJ hmmm?!? 🤭