The Mounted Arm-Lock: A Standard Approach

[@MMARavid]

Fire. Hope you continue building the channel and sharing your knowledge, Coach.

[@BrenVez]

I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this approach- even after over 7 years of grappling, playing these games over the last 4 months has dramatically increased arm bar “skills”, and even the white belts at standard are incredibly good at them. Great content Greg!

[@gregsouders9648]

Thanks Bren

[@giuliolafauci6982]

Love your stuff Bren! Learning about this approach really reminds me of the video you did on jiujitsu. I think some potential direction from the coach after these games could be useful to throw out potential solutions to the games that the players hadn’t thought up on their own. Ie. the “just in time” information you spoke about

[@Bison1938]

I began BJJ training on my 81st birthday (4 and a half years ago) I presently have a blue belt, awarded for my tenacity I’m sure rather than any skill on my part. It’s been an incredible journey of redeveloping my strength, flexibility, and stamina after 2 shoulder and one knee replacement. I recently stumbled upon both your videos and the books and podcasts of Rob Grey and eagerly devoured them. Everything made such absolute sense. I now realize how much time I’ve been wasting trying to keep up with basically useless warm-ups and drills. Since I still have limited stamina, I’m fortunate if I’m able to get a couple of 6-minute rolls in each class I attend. Does anyone know of someone in the Austin area incorporating this methodology in their training that I might get in touch with?

[@ghandn]

There is a school in Austin called Vowbjj that does an eco class once a week on Tuesdays. The games are closer to positional sparring but the coach seems to improve his knowledge over time! Hope it helps. I have been doing what Greg has suggested a few times and been using the CLA to create games to play with some grapplers at my school during live training/at my house haha but other than that I haven’t found a school in Austin that does this approach fully yet

[@Bison1938]

Thanks so much for the reply. I'm in Smithville, I assume you're in Austin? Where do you train?@@ghandn

[@ghandn]

@@Bison1938 Any time! I am at a Gracie Barra currently. That would be a drive for you to get to Vow! haha

[@cutson45]

Here is a world map with gyms using eco aproach. www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1e5MPTbxnzyb4OO_haZ6y52IsQJADT6w&ll=42.571037926840326%2C-83.28546763473946&z=11

[@ba8e]

AWESOME!!! This style of teaching is genius! I hope you plan to address all the positions in this manner. I would buy this instructional instantly!

[@samcameron1805]

I’ve Jozef Chenned all instructionals so far but I’m paying for Greg’s no doubt. Love this shit!

[@konradbox2399]

does he have an instructional?

[@samcameron1805]

@@konradbox2399Greg has said he’s working on it, if I’m not mistaken

[@zipcode305]

@@konradbox2399No, he is still working on developing this system.

[@DrewDarce]

I love it. I've been incorporating a ton of these types of games into my practices. The room is getting better, faster, for sure, and people are having a lot of fun. Thanks for putting out content and encouraging interest and discussion on different ways of running practices.

[@martinmyggestik292]

I love this ❤ It's actually handing out the blackbelt knowledge of important principles to beginners and then letting them create techniques, instead of teaching them techniques and leave them in the dark about the important principles. Freaking awesome.

[@jedsanford7879]

Im super stoked you are showing some of the specific task based approaches you are using.

[@tomiskalmar]

Can’t wait to meet you in London! Thanks for everything you do

[@marcusballard2550]

Love the break down on the application.

[@Graybeardblackbelt]

It’s so helpful to see these step by step breakdowns. This should be enough for anyone who still thinks we’re just doing “situational sparring”.

[@sharaudramey9336]

When I had professors tell me to to do this or that based on my right or left side, I knew ecological understanding was waiting to be discovered and began developing my own way of understanding based on using near or far descriptions. Thx for doing this.

[@jclarkecoach]

This is unreal and contextually very helpful. Having seen previous videos on some of the guard and pinning based games I had wondered how submissions got introduced and this explains it perfectly. You can see how this could be used to introduce different upper body locks and strangles and it makes total sense I’m going to a seminar when Greg comes to the UK and I’m even more excited now 🙌

[@Tonetone389]

Are the guard and pinning vids on this channel??

[@ghandn]

Dang these games are so well thought out. Really gives me a lot to think about when creating mine.

[@kylebelzer2993]

This is unreal content. There's a lot of skill and experience in creating these games in a way that helps players develop efficiently. I really hope you can put out more content like this.

[@SpiralBJJ]

Looking forward to the coaching clinic and training camp this weekend. Only a few people in my local community have put any good faith effort into trying to understand things, it’s incredibly frustrating.

[@gbfxtrader]

Greg you are paying it forward. You are absolutely devoted to the process..

[@Henry-vr5gv]

oh my god! please keep uploading the standard approach for other skills! I’ve been training with a friend in my garage and the games you posted on instagram have been useful beyond imagination, but these full breakdown are on another level

[@linerssecurityandpatrolelk2973]

The his is amazing!!! It takes principles and concepts into actual applications and the variables are so many. It’s truly amazing!! I am a black belt at Waza BJJ and I am amazed to see white learn this so quickly. It took me years and a decade to learn. Please keep up the work? This is going revolutionize the sport and learn skills forever. Truly amazing!!!

[@belowbaseline8429]

Thanks for the inside look into your teaching process. Really excited about this stuff. We need more videos like this from this channel!

[@heavybjj]

Awesome thanks Coach Greg! I teach a beginner’s jj class and have been using very simple games, and it’s truly eye opening to see how quickly some of them are improving.

[@karlitozwei]

Clear and super helpful. This is gold.

[@ramavijayadcosta6145]

I am very grateful to have come across this channel... As a new brown belt and desiring to grow as a coach and not really having a consistent coach ..but relying on a great and consistent training partner.. basically just exploring and playing with techniques and positions we have been able to gradually improve having made a connection with a great professor now opening our own school...my desire has been to find a methodology that I can use to give the knowledge that I have gained through my exploration and basically playing with positions and submissions..... This is it! Love it

[@ramavijayadcosta6145]

Didn't mention that I am in rural west bengal, india

[@alexandrefelgar7666]

Coach Greg you need to release more vids/tutorials like this one Incredibly helpful

[@YHTOMIT2001]

Amazing breakdown. I would love to see heel hooks and other lower body attacks under this framework.

[@SpectralSky]

This is absolutely fantastic sir, I applaud and am grateful for your ingenuity and the spirit of generosity in which you are sharing these insights. I do hope there's a comprehensive, standard guide (no pun intented 😅) coming out in the future.

[@gregsouders9648]

We will be releasing more content

[@Justted227]

After hearing a lot about your methods its cool to see such a detailed breakdown, thanks.

[@raymondchou9550]

Greg, you're amazing. After your instagram DMs I went and read all the books you recommended, watched a ton of the content, and my friends and I came up with nearly identical games to these. I think we're starting to get the hang of this game design thing, and I can't thank you enough!

[@DrMacz]

This is so helpful, thank you for sharing. Its a lot easier to understand the concepts by watching how the games are structured.

[@dtritus439]

Great stuff Coach. Really useful to see how you structure the entire sequence for one result/outcome/"technique", with the gradual pulling back from end state to beginning.

[@Daddyhof]

I appreciate you putting these on youtube!

[@dnice.831]

Thank you for the easy to follow and well articulated practice design!

[@TheMunst]

Great work Greg and Team Standard!

[@stevenhsu5703]

Thank you for doing this, I am a small gym owner here in Taiwan. I was starting to lose passion and intrigue about teaching the arts, and all my peers start to copy John Danaher style instruction. The way you teach have made Jiu jitsu fun once again, and force me to look within on how well do I actually know the position 🙏🙏🙏

[@supermansouri]

I've been doing Jiu-jitsu 30 years and coaching for 20 years. this is amazing!! definitely the next evolution of the sport

[@jodybond]

Thanks for the breakdown!

[@ogulbjj]

The best way to learn! My students started learning BJJ using only the ecological approach, and after 3 months they are able to roll with people, who have been doing it a lot longer but, they know what to focus on, to get out of trouble or get the job done. It's like our mantra: make and maintain meaningful connections, destabilize, get past defense, immobilize, isolate a body part - or prevent all that from happening. Magic! The best thing is, nobody has to remember moves and techniques, we can just roll... The hardest part is communicating clearly and analyzing what is or isn't happening to make adjustments in the "games".

[@hectorsanchez1111]

I am from Mexico, I am so grateful found your content, my first video. So powerful aporoach on offensive an defensive step by step skill development.

[@triskellfit2080]

Can't wait to see you in action in London!

[@YoniGraber]

I loved it. Please keep them coming! I'll be integrating this structure of skill building in my classes.

[@kodypaynter9111]

Great video, thank you! I hope you keep posting content like this!

[@TheEverydayJiuJitsuPodcast]

Great video, Greg! Definitely will be using this. Thanks!

[@StopTalkandRoll]

Great class, coach.

[@menschapterhouse]

Thanks you this is very helpful increased my understanding of your teaching methods. Won’t say I understand it truly it’s new to me and an action I will have to experiment with myself. This content is great as well please make more. well done at good marketing and branding gym looks great too. Simple clear message it all sends and that is the best kind.

[@pkthejiujitsuguy]

I've shared this video with so many people. Thanks for the great info! Discovering the invariables is a really good challenge as a coach. Helps to flush out what's important.

[@salagerkim5583]

Awesome approach.

[@BobbyBulllets]

Great stuff thank you Greg

[@pdellorto]

This is very helpful. Thanks for doing this.

[@TimpeTuyt]

Will be using this as the base for the next class over here in Amsterdam - great concrete and usable content Greg!

[@madebyape]

Superb content as usual, keep it up. Thanks

[@ontastudio356]

Hi Greg, I don't know if you're still reading these comment, but I have a question. Like a lot of people I'm a coach who is following your lead adapting the ecological method to teaching martial arts, and I'm really grateful that you're putting this stuff out there! When I've heard you outline your method on podcasts, and in your games posted on instagram, you've said you prefer to have partners reset when one of them achieves their win criteria, i.e. - resetting back in the same position with the same roles. And then for the next round you'll have them switch roles. This way they get more immediate feedback for their different choices, and greater ability to adapt to the affordances their partner provides. But in this video you have the partners flip flopping, i.e. - switching roles within the round, every time one achieves their win criteria. In my classes I've found that younger kids have an easier time with this style, and seem to struggle conceptually with just resetting. I feel like the choices you've made are usually intentional, with a well articulated reason behind them. So my question is: when do you have partners do reset rounds, and when do you have them do flip flop rounds? And are there pros and cons to each style we should be aware of? Thank you!

[@gregsouders9648]

My easy answer to you would simply be to not confuse a students struggle as a sign of “not learning”. The struggle is part of the process. However, having the round “repeat” rather than “flip flop” is another way we can control variability. If you feel like the variability is too high have the round repeat rather than flip flop. Use your students level of engagement as your guide.

[@marschalljakob]

Thanks for sharing!

[@alekseiaminev4751]

This is incredible!

[@jonathanmilette9805]

Love it! Thanks for sharing

[@zapkif]

Awesome video. Really clarified some stuff for me 👌🤙🤓

[@jiujitsu_collective]

That was great Greg! Thanks.

[@builtbydima]

Awesome stuff coach! Have you considered putting out a paid video series or an 'instructional' where you go through these games that would cover all of the major bjj positions?

[@NaranyaR]

Always great content! ❤

[@kaptenmemo]

Greg looking mildly pissed in the thumbnail is killing me. Amazing content

[@LexLupton]

Love it. Looking forward to seeing more videos like this

[@mustaphadiomande5871]

Greg is a genius it's like starting chess from checkmate and working your way backwards!

[@nonlineargrappling]

Great video! 👏👏👏

[@Glonk_Respecter]

Excellent

[@anttiarokoski6255]

Thx Coach!

[@rolandfisher]

Fantastic, thank you.

[@Italiangentleman2394]

My gym has been using the ecological method and it works won my first tournament at expert! I could feel the difference and felt my conditioning was better

[@kuttz12]

Awesome bro!

[@juansergioflores9118]

Thank you Greg! I’ve been using ecological dynamics for a period of 5 moths and the results are incredible. The literature was hard to understand in the beginning but as a coach I knew I had the responsibility to understand it. I would like to talk you but I have no social media. Is there another way I can contact you? Thank you very much for what you’re doing for the BJJ community.

[@kylebeckham3825]

This training methodology is so vastly superior to the classic isolated technique approach, or even classical positional training where both players are not given clear goals that are actually related to the specifics of the position (starting in half guard until someone passes, sweeps, or taps for example). The clear goal orientation avoids hyperfocus on technical perfectionand allows both players to develop situational awareness rooted in concepts. It's not entirely novel, but the level of systematicity and focus are novel. This is the future of coaching and training.

[@mariano_negro]

I hope this is an excerpt from the upcoming course that will come out soon 😜great stuff!

[@menschapterhouse]

Immobilization and Isolation are great concepts and easy to understand and execute. Do you have any other key terms that help address the game of jujitsu?

[@Luiseo1]

Im extremely intrigued! How do I get more info like this?!

[@honeyhole411]

This is gold 💯

[@TheMartialWay]

Brilliancy made simple

[@Petepato3]

That's great thanks ! As stated by some before, would be ready to pay to access a system of games for a wider range of skills

[@countergrappling]

Sick. Cheers

[@cjandnixie]

So helpful! Thank you!

[@0713mas]

Love this!

[@VincentP4in]

At the beginning of the video it is stated that these games are helpful for "building the skills of creating and finishing arm locks" but the actual games do not incorporate finishing the arm locks. You specify the actual goals of the games later on. Do you have specific games that focus on finishing arm locks? How long are these games played? Is it a 5 minute round or 15 minutes? Is it one continuous round or are there breaks in between? Are the players allowed to talk and analyse specific situations during the round or is there maybe time to reflect on a round during a break? Do you have specific questions for them that you have them reflect on in between rounds? Do you let them play the same game multiple times or is it all these games back to back? Do you let them play these games for one session and play different ones in the next or do you have them play the same games for multiple sessions?

[@gregsouders9648]

It depends

[@benlevin7296]

Question: in this approach, is there any room for a coach to introduce a potentially novel idea that may not occur to the trainee due to the technique being so far outside of the knowledge scope? For instance, when isolating an arm for an armlock, a former coach introduced to me the idea of the attacker doing an Americana formation with his own arm to undo the defender's arm knot, which was very counterintuitive, effective, and something I never would have been unlikely to figure out on my own, though this technique did apparently occur to Ryan Hall at some point. To be clear: this approach is very interesting and much of the value is evident from even a casual observation.

[@TheStr8Up1]

Do you have any heuristics for choosing the scope of task focuses? For example, Game 5: you note “isolation of the arm” as the primary task focus for the top player. You chose not to indicate focuses like “prevent rotation of the wrist,” or “keep the elbow flush to your hip.” What made you decide to highlight the former, but not the latter? When, if ever, would it be appropriate to provide the latter as a focus?

[@Henryxedge]

I might be totally in the wrong here but it seems like the focuses you gave are skills for finishing the armbar which were outside the scope of the lesson here which was immobilization and isolation of the extremity to perform an upper body joint lock.

[@manimal667]

I have to say, I was very skeptical hearing about this because many different coaches that have explained it make it always sound like situational sparring to me. I see now how this type of situation has way more levels and granularity to it and how it separates itself from the more "traditional situational sparring". More videos like this, please. Would you taylor this differently for kids? Thank you.

[@timothyelems1357]

I'm really tryna figure out how to implement all of this in our gym without the prof getting ticked😅 Do it with my buddy and it works well for us! We've figured new entrances and escapes that work well for our body types (no homo)

[@MrJesseBell]

I have been using this approach through Firas Zahabi since 2014. Especially in wrestling situations. Really once we drill the details of maintaing the position, following those rules during rolls becomes more than enough practice. Once the comprehension is understood through some successful repetitions, our muscle memory is efficient at feeling out control. Situational drilling is best for mitigating injury. But it can be overkill for becoming proficient at a position. It’s great for beginners to catch up, but not as effective for advanced belts. The details of the technique become more valuable at some point.

[@SpiralBJJ]

The environment has all the information you need.

[@gregsouders9648]

What you just described is not “this approach”. But I’m happy you found something that works for you.

[@leonardocorrea3500]

Thanks for sharing. Once a player wins, they switch roles, for example, top/bottom. Is there a reason for that? Just trying to understand you rationale. When I set up similar games, I do 2 or 3 mins only one person attacking or on top position. Then another 2 or 3 mins switching top/bottom.

[@jclarkecoach]

I was thinking this and in applying it would probably apply a one person stays on top the whole round approach just because if one person is better they will invariably get more rep time. Interesting to understand the context behind switching during the round

[@leonardocorrea3500]

​@@jclarkecoach I agree. My rationale is to give one player a continuous intense focus on the task so he/she can make adjustments immediately for the whole round. If they switch top/bottom, they may "forget" what they were doing. I also like the idea of starting with less variation and moving to more variation games so students know what they are searching for. Sometimes the opposite may be beneficial too.

[@usbsol]

Yesss 👍

[@swedbp1]

I love this approach but i know there are people who feel that a step-by-step approach is stull necessary. I happen to agree. I am a math teacher and this is something i tou around with when i can. Let a student struggle and flail around woth what little they know. Thia process help the atudent not only learn what doesnt work it lets them FEEL why it doesn't work. The game playing allows a VERY RAPID period of eliminatimg useless moves. The way a student gets to a winning condition is minimized because the winning condotion and yhe parameters of the game are so focused. Ince the agudent gwts pretty good at, THEN exposing the student to the formalized method makes a lot more sense. They have a working framework of what doesn't work and they may have some hazy areas anout why they cant quite finish. Those lottle points areuch easier to process and adjust to. In tyoical jujitsu (and math) directions, we are goven ALL of the necessary steps and they are all out of context because we have no framework. Niw our brains are struggling to process 17 steps instead if 1 or 2 adjustments which are far easier to assimilate. I notice this method alsonworks with teaching math ir other problem solving scenarios.

[@fran9023]

LET'S FUCKING GOOO

[@umont503]

lmao. Once my hands touch center mass it’s go time, happy training

[@rodhenderson7226]

💯 Gold

[@7jiujitsu]

Unbelievable content stop dead drilling

[@blim2020]

Daaaaaamn

[@jiujithsu]

💯 the truth

[@Darragh-p6v]

Does flip flop mean top and bottom swap?

[@standardjiu-jitsu6031]

Yes

[@derekardita5717]

I have a question... So why wouldn't step by step on how you do an armbar from mount along side games like this hurt or be a waste of time ?.. if you can give the answers to the general problem and have the student find the ways to apply the answers within the games how does that become a waste of time... Sometimes with new students its a matter of them feeling their body move within positions without the resistance because they have never moved in such a way before ...

[@achunable]

👍

[@luchador1764]

So do all they do is games and rolling?

[@johnpedouify]

correct. no static drilling. it’s a lot more time effective

[@Bumpy_Ears]

what shade of lipstick is bro wearing tho?

[@georgeatcherson7260]

Post more games please

[@bazokie]

OK, great technique (or not-technique or whatever it is us eco-bros call it) and all, but what I really want to know is; the sweet ass hair, is that canned heat controlled anarchy? Or careful primping masquerading as canned heat controlled anarchy?

[@gregsouders9648]

I wake up like this; a sensible mess in manifest

[@carbonconnection]

1 😊