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BJJ Escapes: How to Get Out of the Worst Positions in Jiu Jitsu
The choke is what people see. The escape is what lets you get there. How to escape back control, the turtle, north-south and knee on belly, the three principles behind every escape, and why Gracie Jiu Jitsu teaches them first.
Itay Leibovich
Oct 2315 min read


Chokes or Joint Locks in Jiu Jitsu: Which Submission Is Really More Effective?
A joint lock asks your opponent how much they're willing to pay. A choke doesn't ask them anything. The difference between chokes and joint locks in jiu jitsu, what the numbers say, and what works in competition, on the street and against bigger opponents.
Itay Leibovich
Oct 1618 min read


Side Control in Jiu Jitsu: The Position Everyone Ignores
Side control scores zero points in competition, and in judo it wins matches. What side control is in jiu jitsu, how to hold it with position rather than strength, and how to escape it.
Itay Leibovich
Oct 316 min read


The Mount in Jiu Jitsu: How to Get There, How to Keep It, and How to Escape It
A new student holds the mount for about two seconds. How to get to mount in jiu jitsu, how to keep it with balance rather than strength, and how to escape it under a heavier opponent.
Itay Leibovich
Oct 114 min read


The Guard in BJJ: What It Is, and Why You're Dangerous on Your Back
Beginners think whoever ends up on their back has lost. In BJJ it's the opposite. What the guard is, the three types you'll meet first, and how Royce Gracie won from the bottom.
Itay Leibovich
Sep 2515 min read


Helio Gracie: The Man Who Turned Weakness Into a Method
A sickly kid who sat on the sidelines, lost his two most famous fights, and still changed martial arts forever. The real story of Helio Gracie, without the legends.
Itay Leibovich
Sep 1814 min read


Krav Maga or Jiu-Jitsu for Self-Defence in Tel Aviv: Which One Actually Fits You?
Krav Maga or jiu-jitsu? Two good systems, one goal, and a single difference that decides almost everything. An honest comparison for anyone in Tel Aviv still weighing it up.
Itay Leibovich
Sep 1813 min read


BJJ Near Me: How to Actually Find a Jiu-Jitsu Academy (And Why Closest Isn't Always Right)
Typing "BJJ near me" and getting ten results? How to turn them into the right decision: why distance matters more than coaches admit, what to check in a trial class, and where the quality bar sits.
Itay Leibovich
Sep 1412 min read


Position Before Submission: The Most Important Principle in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Three words that explain all of jiu jitsu: Position Before Submission. Why a submission without control is a gamble, what the positional hierarchy looks like, and what it gives you off the mat too.
Itay Leibovich
Sep 413 min read


Why Is BJJ Good for Mental Health? What Happens to Your Head When Your Body Is Busy Surviving
A mind that won't switch off, work stress, the loneliness of screens? What happens on the mat does something for your head that a gym cannot. Professor Itay Leibovich on BJJ, anxiety, stress and the quiet that follows.
Itay Leibovich
Aug 3115 min read
Israeli Academy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Blog Articles by Professor Itay Leibovich
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