Review of GU01: The Guard vol 1 & 2 - Total Grappling, UK Submission Grappling & Mixed Martial Arts Videos by Nathan Leverton

GU01 Review by Chris "Godders" McChesney

Total Grappling Series
GU01 The Guard Volume 1 & 2

I'm sure as many of you have, you have spent countless hours watching the ever similar instructional tapes...

"This is guard"
"This is sweep"
"This is armbar"

The biggest problem I think is that most simply try to cover too much. So you might learn how to do the moves. But alas life isn't that easy.

The problem is, trying to pull off that fancy armbar, sweep or whatever to a willing training partner is one thing. Doing it to someone who thinks getting punched in the face is funny is another.

This is when position and setup is oh so very important.

Curiously enough, I heard about the Levo tapes just as I was improving my guard. The leg death grip of doom wasn't quite cutting it, especially when the guy who's in your guard is happy to sit there and pound you till you cry. A few days later and popped through the letterbox came two tapes in a plain white box. Good value for money for a start.

I banged the tape in and was introduced to "Rollin, Rollin, Rollin........... RAWHIDE!!!" which was a welcome / funny change to the cheesy sounding 70`s porn casio keyboard music you normally get.

The Speel

Tape 1 covers the fundamentals of the Guard, including:

*What is the Guard?
*The open and closed Guard
*Guard drill series
*Hip movement
*Correct use of legs
*Grip work
*Breaking postures
*Guard retention

Tape 2 covers attacks from specific grips in the Guard.

Highly effective combinations of sweeps and submissions from the Overhook, Underhook, Cross Overhook, Headhook, Headlock and Armdrag.
Attacks include the scissor sweep, chest to chest sweep, flower sweep, armbars, triangles, straight armlocks, guillotine and omo plata. All moves are taught in detail and shown from numerous angles.
This cassette also features sparring footage of the techniques in action.

The Verdict

Nathan (Levo) is a fantastic teacher. He broke down each movement, showed you from different angles, setups and "what if" situations. You can tell people who are born instructors. People who truly understand each part of the movement and can describe it step by step as they show you. Learning a submission/ position, understanding it in detail is another.

After watching the first tape I went to the club and played allot with underhooks and high guard. For the first time, I found myself very aggressive on my back (I am primarily a top grappler due to in the words of Maccavelli "A big hairy freak"). I began to understand the guard as a tool and not a temporary holding position until I got ontop again. After watching the tapes, I spent every single session in BJJ and vale tudo on my back, playing, refining the guard. The feeling you have trying new things and strengthening a weak point is hard to describe. But to coin a old phrase of mine "I`m happy as a pig in poo". I've still got a long road ahead, but the fundamentals are there and reinforced by these tapes. Ironically these surpass big name / big budget tapes who seem to have never taught anyone in their life. The term "Monkey see, monkey do" springs to mind.

I cant recommend these tapes enough to anyone who wants to expand their guard "game". I guarantee you that you will find yourself trying new stuff and feeling pumped about pulling off that armbar from high guard. These are aimed more towards the guy (or girl) who's been at the club for a while now and wants to move to the next level. At £35 quid with free delivery for 2 tapes at 2 and a half hours is a bargain in anyone's book.

Comes with the Godders seal of approval

Chris McChesney

Review taken from CageWarriors.com