Key Takeaways
- A Gi Jiu-Jitsu instructional that delivers a movement-based analysis of the half guard.
- Contains detailed instructions on setting up sweeps, submissions, and transitions to and from different guards.
- Includes a full volume dedicated to passing the half guard and mastering the to half guard game.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 9 out of 10.
FUNDAMENTALS HALF GUARD JARED WELMAN DVD GET HERE
The Fix Your Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is an instructional that covers things you already ‘know’ how to do from the half guard through a different perspective. Jared is an expert in movement who looks at how the body moves first, and the applications of that movement to grappling second.
Having a legit BJJ black belt who understands movement better than Ido Portal, blending the two together is the best combo you can look for in a coach. For those not lucky enough to train at Berrnardo Faria’s academy, where Wleman teaches, his DVDs are the best alternative.
When to Simplify Your Jiu-Jitsu
At some point during your Jiu-Jitsu journey, you’ll find that you inevitably have to go back to fundamentals. One thing I’ve come to terms with, though, is that the bunch of people who will do anything despite the fundamentals, no matter how hard I try, are white belts.
This, in turn, means that unfortunately, most of teh fundamentals are learned later in Jiu-Jitsu, and in one of a few very common scenarios:
- You hit a plateau with your game, and suddenly find the answer in super basic stuff.
- You think you’re advanced, but somehow, things that work against people your belt level and above are only the fundamentals “you don’t use in your game”.
- You are actually advanced enough to see that the fundamentals hold more answers than everything else put together.
- You’re coming back from a serious injury and have to train with a handicap (it is how the half guard was invented, actually).
- You found out the hard way that your ‘competition game’ does not work in a competition setting.
There are more situations and examples, of course, but these are some that most people will go through. Notice that I never mentioned that you’ll be doing fundamentals because your instructor asks you.
So, for those in one of the above scenarios, or those open-minded enough to want to learn the motion behind Jiu-Jitsu techniques, the Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is obviously your next smart investment in BJJ.
Movement Specialist Jared Welman
Not many black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu truly understand movement. I get it, grappling is their specialty, but when you think about the fact that grappling is just another way of movement, albeit more complete than daily activities, you want someone to cover that aspect of BJJ.
Among the few that can offer such a perspective is Jared Welman, a black belt under Bernardo Faria. Welman has dedicated his life to studying movement and the mechanics of the human body, which gives him a better edge in Jiu-Jitsu than any super-strong and athletic, roided-out blue belt.
With extensive experience in Yoga and another black belt in taekwondo, Jared knows more about the human body in standing, seated, and supine positions than probably anyone else involved in our sports. The Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is going to be a viewing experience like no other for you, especially if you like to base your game around fundamental motion principles.
Fix Your Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD Review
The Fix Your Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is a very well-organized and slow-paced GI instructional that looks into other half guard positions through exploring how movement patterns apply to grappling. It is divided into four volumes and has a total running time of two and a half hours.
Part 1 – Submitting
The Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is one of the best formatted BJJ instructionals I’ve had the pleasure of watching. He defines the half guard position in the opening chapter and decides to start from the end, submitting people.
Without talking too much about the mechanics and body positioning for half guard, he allows you to figure out your best half guard by explaining how you can submit the top person with one of your legs in between theirs.
True to the title, there is no fancy stuff in here. Welman sticks to the fundamentals that work, such as the Kimura, armbar variations, and a couple of collar chokes. Everything is perfect for both beginners and seasoned black belts, especially since he delivers it from the movement angle.
Part 2 – Sweeping
Part two moves on to more complex movement patterns, which see you end up on top of your opponent. In the sweeps volume of the Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD covers two types of sweeps.
The first series of sweeps involves moving yourself and your opponent sideways, a.k.a. sweeping, as most people think of from the half guard. Simplciity reigns again, with the options revolving around kick out, flower, and everyone’s favourite John Wayne sweeps.
Another, more modern and highly applicable way of sweeping from half guard is weretling up, and it appears in the second portion of this volume. Jared covers wrestling up to single leg, with mid-way point sweeps or follow-up takedowns taking you to the top position via the longer route.
Part 3 – Transitioning
This third part of the Jared Welman Half Guard DVD is where most guard players who like to complicate things will find simple solutions for their goals. Welman explores how to best stitch up several different half guards together into a game, dedicating a lot of time to the deep half.
He also moves out of the half guard, recognizing that it is not the ultimate bottom position to use, and introduces routes to and from other open guards. All the popular kids don’t have he block, such as the X guard, some lapel guards, and the butterfly guard get their time under the sun.
Part 4 – Passing
Finally, Jared goes over something that most guard instructionals don’t cover, which I find disappointing – ways to beat the system. Every time someone offers counters to their game, you know it is legit.
So, the final part of the Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is all about playing half guard form the top, with the goal of passing to the mount or back. Plenty of different passes feature, with the Eagle Pass standing out from the bunch. Most of the others are clearly inspired by Jared’s coach, Bernardo Faria.
DOWNLOAD HERE: JARED WELMAN HALF GUARD DVD
No Half Guard – No BJJ!
Two things are certain in BJJ. First, you’ll get beat up regularly, from the day you join to the day you hang up your belt. Second, you’ll play guard a lot, and especially when you don’t want to play it. You’ll also play guard variations that are probably not your choice, or the most modern thing to do in BJJ when you’re on bottom.
The half guard is the perfect example of this. I don’t care how experienced you are, what you rage is, or whether you only roll Gi or No-Gi – you have a half guard variation in your game. If it is not by choice, it is there because of necessity, but it is there nonetheless.
Since you’re going to spend lots of time in half guard, you might as well go for what’s effective rather than winging it. The Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD offers easy-to-follow instructions to figure out how to get out of it quickly by attacking, or develop a solid game to enjoy the advantages this position brings. That’s down to you.
Half Guard Fixes!
Others won’t be able to fix your half guard, but they can give you ideas and directions on how to do it yourself. Going through the Fix Your Fundamentals Half Guard Jared Welman DVD is more than enough to find quick fixes for any troubling aspect of the half guard and come up with simple solutions that you can use for life. Or overcomplicate things, if you’re a purple belt.
