This WILL Change Guard FOREVER!!

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[@TheSymphonyofpain]

My poor knees lol

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Lmao it’s not that bad if you rotate hips open more, but even if you aren’t flexible using your hand will help you more

[@TheSymphonyofpain]

@@JonThomasBJJ ❤️

[@SethKBaldwin]

I don't have full range of motion in my knees such that I rarely play butterfly guard because it's excruciating to put my foot to my butt. I'll definitely see how I can add this safely but I'm worried about getting collapsed.

[@0b3ryn29]

​@@SethKBaldwinyou can use the same concept of using hands to frame against leg to prevent leg drags. Requires less flexibility in the situation. I use it often

[@bdupri25]

@@JonThomasBJJ Jon, I share this guy’s pain, haha. How about - what kind of stretching routine could get flexibility like yours or the guy demonstrating this. I’m thinking that may be like an hr a day of stretching. How did you do it?

[@atlanticsligo]

This is phenomenal.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

It’s really soooo powerful!

[@richardhansen4170]

Believe me, give this a few weeks of specific training and you will have a new perspective on the open guard, and your guard will be 100 times better than it was before you learned this. By the way, thanks for sharing and well done Espen and Jon! The way you explain this makes it so easy to understand. Great job! Great video

[@Gmiyas]

Great instructional! Please consider a follow up video on this topic, specifically on proper structural form to avoid injury as well as mobility/stretching to properly enable this type of framing. Thank you!

[@kennethchapman1]

100% - this is an amazing concept and deserves a deeper dive

[@frumby12]

Why have I trained SO LONG and never thought of this? One thing you did t mention… the hip and knee alignment is important to keep unhealthy pressure off the knees. It was mentioned in the context of hamstring strength, but the same position relieved torque on the knee I think.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Yeah absolutely! Should have thought to mention that in there as well. Almost need a consistent disclaimer for all jiu jitsu videos and mobility safety lol

[@ericnevitt637]

This improved my guard retention immediately. Was a pleasure to learn from you last week. Going to be drilling this with the boyz tonight.

[@huskylord123]

I definitely want to add this to my game. I just hope my meniscus doesn't ruin the plan. Thank you for sharing this.

[@conflakesroxy]

Man now I know why I’ve been stretching… Time to do this

[@JamesBrown-]

Wow this stuff is gold, purple belt and never incorporated this into my game, can’t wait to start working on this

[@cameroon95]

This is honestly the best bjj piece ive seen on KZbin ever on guard. Ive been trying for years to circle my leg back when someone uses torrendo grips with very little success. This honestly has completely changed my rentation , just need to remember to get back in offence after i get my leg in . Would love a follow up video or instructional on this

[@thorbreakseverything1836]

I have been fooling with this for the last six months and just saw this. wow, very exiting all the places this can take me.

[@vladfarias]

When I think you've already provided every wonderful instruction you could , you just come up with an even better one.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Hahaha I try to not disappoint I got 3 more big ones mapped out in my head I’m excited about

[@shabblabbat]

As a distributor and seller of arthroscopes, I approve of this video.

[@Farsidejunky]

The ones who will be helping you sell more equipment will be the ones who don't adjust their hips for the movement they're trying to make with their legs.

[@orgANGmo]

​@@Farsidejunky or 40yo software engineers who want to try something new. Like me.

[@GASmotorsports]

@@FarsidejunkyI think it’s interesting you don’t think Jiu Jitsu can destroy hip joints.

[@martinmyggestik292]

This is great. Another benefit is that if they manage to pass you, your inside space is already closed, so they will have a hard time establishing control.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

100 percent

[@kennethchapman1]

Watched this 3 times and then went to open mats to try this with the blue/purple belts that constantly smash me and are way superior strength wise and technique - worked twice with little strength! Thanks for such a practical tip!

[@chuckduncan9098]

Very interesting. I'm still working on the concept of my body as many parts rather than one unit.

[@chrismasseybjj]

I was at Espen's seminar yesterday and his details on DLR and Berimbolo were excellent. We had a roll (it went as well as you'd expect) and he suggested this video to help with my guard. Also he was just a super cool guy.

[@PauloBerni699]

I'm a small quite flexible 60 yo black belt and I've been using the ankle grab to circle my foot from the stacking or any semblance of a crowding position when I'm in guard in order to return it over their head and inside my opponent's shoulder, but this video introduces a more systematic paradigm in guard retention. Very well done and explained!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Yeah I had seen small stuff with this before but this full system around it takes it to a new level!

[@ronaldp.vincent8226]

I’m starting to learn more about the importance of self frames when playing open guard.

[@LexLupton]

It’s rare that you see something that is completely novel and yet can be put into your game immediately. Thank you for this fantastic content

[@JonThomasBJJ]

I know this is honestly one thing that instantly improved my retention so much

[@drialoves5013]

this is really gonna help me recover my guard! thanks john :D

[@ivanivan4563]

game changer details, ty guys, you are best online instructors) respect from Russia!

[@jasonlinam9645]

Great stuff. John is a phenomenal human. Excellent teacher. We saw this in Denver.

[@olegbroichenko352]

Circle frame is gold!

[@neillangston5846]

My open guard has gotten so much better watching you, now I have more to implement. Nice!

[@CauliflowerDino]

Love this, will really help my game. We are lucky to have Espen doing a seminar at our gym this weekend, so I can pick his brain about this 🤘🔥🔥

[@kevin-augusto]

beautiful!

[@MikeYounes-e5d]

Your videos are solid gold

[@matthewchristie4158]

I love this technique. What a great video. Thanks for doing this, buddy.

[@professor_earn]

Thanks for sharing!

[@bazlewis]

This is pretty fantastic. A gamechanger that isn't hyperbole. I've been farting about with grabbing my leg in various ways for a bit now due to a hip injury, but without the foresight to thread that idea together into an actual guard retention concept. I'd gotten as far as, that's sore or I can't move my hip that much, grab that dumb leg and move.

[@UnskilledGrappler]

Movements like this make me fart too.

[@Vscustomprinting]

@@UnskilledGrappler this is an underutilized way to help defend. Sometimes you have to pass to prevent the pass

[@rapp3090]

I will use this immediately. Thanks.

[@randymarsh6253]

Bro out here changing lives!

[@kamesennin178]

Excellent concept thank you so much for sharing 🙏

[@aidywong703]

love it will be using these details thank you!

[@andriyuzumaki666]

What a simple and effective idea 💡

[@antoniyhristov]

Amazing concept, never thought of it! Keep up the great content, Jon, we all appreciate it very much!

[@zacharywong483]

Fantastic details and footage to match here!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Thanks so much!!

[@Paladin1776a]

Excellent, thank you Jon!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Happy to help!

[@alains4050]

Awesome tips for the older grapplers!

[@lukaszbilski5373]

Amazing concept. I’ve seen this done by Pato, but your explanation is on point.

[@blockmuse]

wonderful insights

[@patrickdalessandri3177]

Great instructional! So simple a concept but effective.

[@ghelix333]

Amazing. Thank you Jonathan

[@breakfastwithdragons]

This was gOld 🙏🏽✨ thanks Thomas 🎉

[@JonThomasBJJ]

You're so welcome!

[@spencebjj]

Thank you for sharing guys!!!

[@dennissweeney7953]

Will give this a try tonight!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Hope it works well for you!

[@pfdg500]

Amazing, I'm going to have to start playing around with this. Thank you for sharing!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Yeah it’s so addictive when you start

[@chanbru]

Thank you

[@race_allen]

I'm super excited to try this. Great video.

[@Vscustomprinting]

I find this is exactly as adversized.. My teammates also pointed out that its often easier to bring parts of your body to yourself (for bigger, less flexible people) when you opponents are pushing on you, almost like they help you..

[@jamesneddermeyer3984]

Much appreciated 🙏🌎🤙

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Happy to help!

[@neckbomb9693]

Damn, dropping that secret jitsu knowledge yet again 🙏🦾🔥😎

[@JonThomasBJJ]

The small stuff makes all the difference!

[@neckbomb9693]

@@JonThomasBJJ thanks man! I’ve implemented many of those small things into my game and it’s helped me tons, and also helped me understand jitsu conceptually. If you ever do a seminar in the Austin/central TX area I will be there! 🙏🦾🔥😎

[@supermanbeer84]

100% giving this a go

[@davormladinic6617]

Thank you for sharing these details

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Happy to help!

[@ni1name]

Great stuff! Loved this!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alevieirareis]

I had never heard anything even like that. That's why your channel is so recommended, Thomas

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Yeah it’s such a small idea but insanely powerful when you start using it, instantly makes a massive improvement in guard!

[@orgANGmo]

If I knee this video was coming 25 years ago, I would have studied to be a knee surgeon.

[@rkp1222]

Fantastic content as always. Thanks guys

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Happy to help

[@Vscustomprinting]

Trained it, sprained it (jk).. Cant wait to do it again..

[@alessandrofarinella4735]

My knee popped out just watching the first 10 seconds lol

[@zakh1866]

I tore my LCL doing this and now I'm afraid 😭 - Great content though!!

[@AEB-tb3om]

Yeah I agree with the concept for very flexible people, but if you use this technique to be at the very end range of your flexibility, and they stack you FURTHER, I do fear that you'll pop something in your knee specifically

[@Vscustomprinting]

@@AEB-tb3om its a concept for everyone but people that are completely inflexible due to the framing mechanics and movement mechanics ..

[@Username18981]

People's hips need to take the brunt of the pressure. If your gup cand move to take off the pressure you will wreck your knee.

[@svatandoost]

Hip Rotation and stretch is mostly in the glutes than knee

[@willieb.hardigan6091]

Who is this Espen guy, looks like he has got good balance

[@steph-3026]

I first saw Diego Pato show this on Flo, its still new to me so I'm glad you guys broke down this technique by concepts and applications.😄

[@JonThomasBJJ]

I had loosely seen the idea of grabbing foot before but never really went far into how far you could take it!

[@ardemesa88]

Eddie Bravo employed similar technique in his breakthrough match vs Royler, way back in 2003

[@seazerespiritu137]

This has improved my game so much since this video came out

[@JonThomasBJJ]

That was the goal! Some of the best stuff doesn’t do well in the beginning but when people use it months later they see how much it changed their game

[@willrob3951]

this is amazing

[@leandroviannachagas7282]

Thanks! Will help me a lot

[@ndaking]

Can't wait to try these techniques.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Hope it helps a lot!

[@Azmx986]

For a potential future video I'd love to hear your thoughts on flexibility, stretching, programming of it, and why it matters.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

I might bring a guest in to discuss!

[@tomwalker389]

This WILL Change My Knees forever!!

[@Vscustomprinting]

Youd be surprised.. just playing around with it, its easy (easier, even!) on the knees because of all the framing

[@jeffersonbarbosa5034]

Veri good 🙏🙏🙏

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Thanks so much!

[@tvbuster]

This is a creative solution but for me personally it looks like knee LCL snap city.

[@Demonthya]

ok... I need to unlock my hips

[@onyxcideYT]

I feel dirty… like I should’ve had to pay for this. Golden rules for guard retention

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Hahahah was hard to release this one because it’s so damn good, sometime you want to hold on to the secrets but it’s better the world has it! Now everyone got to reinvent passing

[@mavka.chorna]

This is the first time i've heard Espen speak 😅

[@Raivopaa]

Great stuff. I've been done this for ages. Kind of. When you're too stiff, you don't have other options than help your legs with your arms 😅

[@JonThomasBJJ]

100 percent it’s great for non flexible people because they can put their foot in position

[@smasher1234]

You know what also helps to keep your guard is being able to gold yourself like paper. Lol. But this will help me thank you

[@mendybaev]

wow just amazing and so simple

[@MrKanti-yy5ux]

I definitely used my arms to bolster my knee-to-chest shield a lot but it never really occurred to me to just grab my foot and put it where I want. This is going to make people very annoyed. I like it.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Man so many people going to be annoyed passing all over the world lol

[@kellaway-1578]

I'm 100% going to have to start stretching

[@DeanTrains]

Absolute gold!!

[@RodMaxdi]

Guard retention instructional are definitely the most useful

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Absolutely

[@linusji1732]

Sadly for me, I blew my outside ligament in a matrix attempt last year, so I will never be able or even dare to do this

[@dragosristici]

HOLY COW

[@KilljoyJiuJitsu]

🤯 This is a game changer!

[@synthamesk]

Simple but genius

[@JonThomasBJJ]

It really is

[@attacktheback7649]

As a 90kg brown belt with relatively inflexible hips, I watched this video and decided I wanted to add this into my game. Absolutely mind blown. These concepts are easy and simple to execute and I was having great success against white and blue belts. Now it’s time to keep refining and working up that ladder or technique and eventually I’ll have a guard that not even black belts can pass.

[@-jack-6801]

So much evolution of the art happens everyday. I wonder how different jiu jitsu will be in 20-30 years.

[@JonThomasBJJ]

It’s gonna be crazy for sure!

[@Pifagorass]

Genius tricks ❤ 😁

[@tomsooty]

Don't expect to have elite black belt level flexibility from watching a KZbin video guys. Stay safe, use protection.

[@ThinkingFramework]

my knees might break😂

[@timothylee5824]

Appreciate the novel content!

[@JonThomasBJJ]

No problem happy you liked it

[@ecady75]

Awesome thx for sharing

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Thanks for watching!

[@JerseyDevil_RF]

His knees are made of rubber! 😮

[@radicalmaverick77]

I just want an in depth instructional in that back take at the very end! Straight ankle, inversion, to crab ride?

[@JonThomasBJJ]

Might throw something up on second channel on this

[@radicalmaverick77]

​@@JonThomasBJJ did you make something? Thanks!

[@fredp.1539]

Amazing

[@chrismize2738]

I would think of this as an attribute rather than a technique. To think I thought that rubber guard was rough on the joints😳

[@cashyourdreams7252]

This is so good, I’m almost sad that you made this video