MASTERING THE RUBBER GUARD BY EDDIE BRAVO
WOW WOW WOW, let my start by saying, this book is about the best jiu-jitsu book i've ever laid eyes on. The production quality is that of Roylers books (though I would say this is much better put together, and it’s at least as big). It’s actually indexed at the top right corner according to half guard, guard, etc. Now let’s get past how good it looks for a second, this book has substance. I was practically tearing at some of the stories he tells (even some from childhood). Beyond that, one of the biggest complaints with the last book “Jiu-jitsu Unleashed” have been solved. What’s the issue? In “Jiu-Jitsu Unleashed” there were barely any pictures to explain what’s going on! He goes very deeply into each technique, nearly every picture for a technique has a picture depicting an alternate angle. And he doesn’t stop anywhere near rubber guard, he gives his half guard and butterfly guard game, from the sweeps to submissions to everything else, and the techniques are surprisingly easy to remember because of his witty and unique names for them (jiu-claw, retard control, stoner control, the dog fight, etc.). You’re going to be hard pressed to find a single instructional piece that will advance your game more than this one. I, just as many people I’ve talked to, had nearly no half guard game before seeing Eddies stuff, but jiu-jitsu unleashed left too many questions unanswered. He leaves no stone unturned in his new title. I promised Erich that I wouldn’t give away any of the techniques, but I will tell you, this is pure dynamite, and I expect it to become a staple of most peoples game in the coming times. So get it while it’s hot! You can already order a copy at
www.victorybelt.com (and no, I don’t work for them, nor do I receive any payment of any kind for writing this). If anyone has any questions about the book, feel free to ask me!
UPDATE: A more in depth breakdown of the book…
Section one: Eddie breaks down much of the stretches he uses to get flexible for the rubber guard. The verdict? Awesome, I tried some out, and the feeling in my hips is as close as a stretch has gotten me to the feeling of playing the actual rubber guard. Eddie is one flexible guy
Section two: The half guard. You know you like it, Eddies half guard game is easily the most progressive I’ve seen anytime recently. The way he leads you through his learning system is really well thought out too. He goes step by step showing “first I need this, then this and so on” and breaks down how to get each position. He also goes into if the half guard isn’t working for you, how to jump to other positions, it’s made better by cool names like “the whip up” and “the super stomp”. The section lasts from page 52 all the way to page 105, so there’s LOTS of info on the half guard, no skimping here.
Section three: The butterfly guard. Eddies most definitely smart from here, and I’m glad to see that, because I end up in butterfly guard a lot (come on, you do too). This is the thinnest section in the book, but it’s not the reason I wanted the book, and I’m not upset about that, there is still plenty of moves to work for a long time to come.
Section four: The rubber guard. The meat, period. I would try and give deeper insight into this section, but that would take at least a week. Either way, if there’s one thing that changes me as a grappler, it’s this section. Eddie again goes into a step by step system, progressing from one rubber guard position to the next, really interesting. I can see how the rubber guard would be helpful in MMA because of you having the person broken down into your guard so they can’t strike effectively.
Section five: Troubleshooting the rubber guard. Here Eddies shows some common counters that people may try against the positions/moves. This is a thick section, Eddie has been there and done that, he knows what guys are going to go for. Of all, this section seems really useful, I know more than a few people who used the rubber guard ineffectively because of this problem and that problem, and it’s likely that Eddie resolves whatever issues most people have with the rubber guard in this chapter.
Section six: The spider web. If you purchased Eddies last book, you’d know that the position he calls the spider web is where you are falling for an armbar from the top. I wish I had more time to look at this chapter, for now I can say that Eddies has a lot of clever tricks and tactics to get the opposition to unclasp their hands, or roll for another position.
Section seven: Escapes to guard. Did you read the stretching section? Good, because here’s where you need it. Eddies goes into tons of ways to escape the most common and frustrating positions to be caught in from the bottom. North south, side control, mount, etc. Even detailing the move he used to regain guard from bottom side control against Royler (that’s right, Royler Gracie). I really enjoyed this section.
I was actually impressed over all with Eddies writing skill. He was very articulate and came across well, without seeming overly proper. Even if I didn’t like jiu-jitsu, I’d probably enjoy reading it. Easily a 9.5 out of 10.
