GU01 Review by Bernie Bae

Total Grappling Series: GU01 The Guard Volume 1 & 2

"Diamond in the rough."

A most apt term to accurately portray this set of videos. Although Nathan Leverton may not be the biggest name in the instructional video market, upon viewing these tapes, one quickly recognizes his grappling prowess, and more importantly, his ability to teach and relay important concepts to the viewer.

Leverton begins with a comprehensive examination of the guard, and how it should be utilized in the course of grappling. One of the underlying principles reinforced throughout this series is Leverton's emphasis on an "attacking guard". Too many of us are guilty of simply laying back and waiting for our opponent to make the first move once we have them within our closed guard - at least, this is certainly the case for me. Leverton strives to break us of this habit, using the techniques and concepts he teaches. It begins with a progressive series of drills designed to reinforce movement and fluidity in the guard position - simple enough, but probably the most important thing one can do to quickly improve one's guard. Leverton approaches the topic of the guard in a very detailed manner, systematically examining the contributions of your hips, legs and arms in the guard. Good grapplers, perhaps unknowingly, already employ these movements in their game, but it is quite interesting to see these details broken down on video.

A large portion of this series is devoted to the use of your arms in the guard, and I for one, am very glad to see it. Think about your guard - most of us are intimately aware of what our legs and hips are doing in the guard, but what of the arms? It's likely that we simply clutch and grab, almost exclusively in the pursuit of pulling off a specific submission or sweep. However, the majority of us probably don't have any specific strategies with our arms when simply trying to control the opponent, and this is where these videos stand apart. Leverton makes a great point about how controlling the opponent's arms greatly hampers his ability to pass, and proceeds to delve into an exploration of the various arm positions and grips, such as the underhook, overhook, and cross overhook. He also addresses in great detail how to break your opponent's posture once they have already established it in it's various forms. The remainder of the first video covers the principles of guard retention, or regrouping to re-establish your guard, when you feel that you are in danger of having your guard passed. Within this section is a beautiful little technique that is so simple, yet so effective in keeping your opponent at bay - it's a small detail that can make seemingly a world of difference.

The second video covers attacks from specific arm positions/grips, such as the aforementioned underhook, overhook, etc. What you will not find on this tape is a series of flashy techniques, but rather a set of solid, high-percentage moves that we all know and love; techniques such as the armbar, triangle, and omoplata - staples of a proficient guard. You may be asking yourself, if these are the basics, then why should I bother purchasing these videos? Answer: because not only does Leverton cover them in great detail and analysis, handing out subtle points to refine these techniques, but because he teaches them within the context of the various grips, and it is this integration that makes the subject seem brand new and innovative. Here is an example of one of the sequences: you are controlling your opponent with an underhook - slide your hips out and apply a straight elbow lock; if they manage to free their arm, you can armdrag it and take the back; if they counter this by driving into you, go with their momentum and move into a spinning armbar or flower sweep. As evidenced by this example, Leverton teaches in a very sequential manner that is conducive to learning. It's a safe assumption to say that most of us prefer instructionals that "flow" from one move to the next, and these videos certainly follow that precept. Another nice feature is that throughout the tapes, Leverton includes quick summaries of the material, in moments that he deems appropriate to reinforce what has already been taught. Additionally, there is also footage of sparring interspersed to show the techniques in use during live grappling.

The only drawbacks to these videos are issues that relate to the production value - albeit minor problems in my opinion, but worth noting in the context of a review. The picture quality is not the greatest - although it is definitely studio quality, it is akin to some of the public access cable TV programming you might stumble across while channel surfing. However, at no time does this interfere with the material of the videos, and there is never an incident with poor visibility. Also, the acoustics of the room are not particularly superb, and thus there is a slight echo. Additionally, one must keep in mind that Leverton speaks with a British accent, and it may take several minutes for North American viewers to get used to this. These are all small details that would bother only devoted audiophiles, and do not significantly impact the overall quality of these videos.

These videos are highly recommended for grapplers of all levels and abilities - they are simply a no-frills look at a normally overlooked aspect of the guard, and will benefit anyone who purchases them. Leverton's teaching style leaves very little to be desired, and he does an excellent job in conveying all the important details to the viewer. It is in this manner that I believe anyone can easily improve their guard by adding the concepts that lie within this set. Do yourself a favor and buy these.

Bernie Bae

Website created and maintained by Nathan Leverton
Copyright © 2003 by Nathan Leverton. All rights reserved.