Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling-based martial art celebrated for its emphasis on ground fighting and submissions. Achieving proficiency in BJJ hinges on mastering ground control, a critical element that allows a practitioner to dictate the pace, position, and ultimate outcome of a match. The Ground Control Program is designed to help practitioners improve their ground game, but is it worth it? Let’s dive in.
What is the Ground Control Program?
The Ground Control Program is a comprehensive BJJ training system focused on enhancing a student’s ability to dominate on the ground. It’s designed to be accessible to practitioners of all levels, from white belts to seasoned black belts, providing a progressive learning curve that builds a strong foundation in ground control principles.
The program uses video instruction, drills, and detailed explanations to teach key concepts and techniques. It covers everything from basic positional control to advanced submission sequences, ensuring a well-rounded skill set.
Who Created the Ground Control Program?
Details on the specific instructor or organization behind the Ground Control program are scarce in the provided data. Reputable BJJ programs are often led by well-known and respected figures in the BJJ community, usually black belts with years of experience and proven track records in competition or coaching. Further research is crucial to verify the instructor’s credentials and reputation before committing to the program.
Breaking Down The Curriculum
While the product data is brief, we can extrapolate the expected curriculum of the Ground Control Program based on common BJJ ground control principles:
Positional Hierarchy and Control
Understanding the hierarchy of positions (mount, back control, knee on belly, side control, guard) is fundamental. The program must teach how to achieve and maintain these dominant positions, utilizing proper weight distribution, leverage, and body mechanics. Expect drills focusing on transitioning smoothly between positions while maintaining control.
Escapes and Reversals
Equally important is the ability to escape from disadvantageous positions and execute reversals. This section of the curriculum likely covers techniques for escaping from bottom positions, such as the guard, side control, and mount. Reversals involve transitioning from a defensive position to an offensive one, putting the opponent on the defensive.
Submission Defense
A critical aspect of ground control revolves around understanding and defending against common submissions. The program likely includes detailed instruction on recognizing submission attempts (armbars, triangles, guillotines, kimuras), proper defensive postures, and escape techniques.
Submission Attacks and Chains
Once dominant control is established, the program likely teaches how to capitalize on that advantage by initiating submission attacks. This involves learning a variety of submissions from different positions (mount, back control, guard), as well as understanding submission chains – linking multiple submission attempts together to exploit an opponent’s defenses.
Guard Retention and Passing
The guard is a fundamental position in BJJ, and the program should cover both retaining your own guard and passing your opponent’s guard effectively. Guard retention involves maintaining a strong guard using various techniques to prevent the opponent from advancing their position. Guard passing focuses on breaking down the opponent’s guard and establishing a more dominant position.
Drilling and Sparring Integration
The Ground Control Program should heavily emphasize drilling the techniques learned. Repetition is key to developing muscle memory and making the techniques instinctive. The ideal program should also guide you on how to safely and effectively integrate these techniques into live sparring sessions, allowing you to test and refine your skills against resisting opponents.
Benefits of a Strong Ground Game
Developing a strong ground game in BJJ offers numerous benefits:
- Improved Confidence: Knowing you can control and defend yourself on the ground boosts confidence in both training and real-world self-defense situations.
- Enhanced Control: Ground control allows you to dictate the pace and direction of a fight, limiting your opponent’s options.
- Increased Submission Opportunities: Dominant ground control creates opportunities to set up and execute submissions.
- Better Self-Defense: The majority of physical altercations end up on the ground, making ground fighting skills invaluable for self-defense.
- Competitive Advantage: In BJJ competitions, strong ground control is essential for winning matches.
Is The Ground Control Program Right For You?
Deciding if the Ground Control Program is right for you depends on your individual needs and goals:
- Your Experience Level: Does the program cater to your current skill level? Beginners need a program that focuses on fundamental principles, while advanced practitioners may seek more specialized techniques.
- Your Learning Style: Does the program’s format (video instruction, drills, etc.) align with your preferred learning style?
- Your Goals: What are you hoping to achieve with the program? Are you looking to improve your self-defense skills, become more competitive in BJJ, or simply enhance your overall ground game knowledge?
Potential Drawbacks
- Lack of Personal Instruction: Online programs can lack the personalized feedback and correction that you would receive from a live instructor. This can hinder progress and potentially lead to the development of bad habits.
- Risk of Injury: Practicing BJJ techniques without proper supervision can increase the risk of injury. It’s crucial to train safely and listen to your body.
- Motivation and Discipline: Online programs require a high degree of self-motivation and discipline to stay on track and complete the program. It can be easy to fall behind without the structure of a regular class schedule.
Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Because the data is limited, I cannot provide customer reviews or testimonials. It is important to seek outside opinions before buying any online BJJ instruction. It would be wise to research reviews of this specific program, plus seek opinions from other BJJ practitioners.
A Final Thought on Ground Control Programs
The Ground Control Program aims to enhance a practitioner’s ability to control and dominate opponents on the ground. A strong ground game is essential for BJJ success, self-defense, and overall confidence. Carefully consider your individual needs, learning style, and goals before investing in any online BJJ program. If you’re seeking to amplify your ground game, the Ground Control Program presents a potential route, provided you supplement it with diligent practice and, ideally, guidance from experienced instructors.
Ready to improve your BJJ ground game? Click here to learn more about the Ground Control Program and start dominating on the mats!
Visit Official WebsiteFAQ
Can the Ground Control Program replace live BJJ classes?
Is this program suitable for complete beginners?
What equipment do I need for the Ground Control Program?
How much time should I dedicate to training with the Ground Control Program each week?
Does the program cover specific BJJ rule sets, like IBJJF?
References
- Gracie, R. (2007). Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique. Invisible Cities Press.
- De Been, M. (2016). BJJ Fundamentals: Essential Habits to Fast Track Your Jiu Jitsu. Independently Published.
- Silva, B., Detanico, D., Vieira, L. H., & Franchini, E. (2011). Physiological and performance characteristics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes. *The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25*(7), 1728-1735.
Disclaimer
This review is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional BJJ instruction. As an affiliate, I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Always consult with a qualified BJJ instructor before starting any new training program.
Last Updated on 23 de January, 2025
This review is great! I’ve been looking for a program to improve my ground game in BJJ, and this overview helps me understand what to look for. Thanks!
Great advice, Noeline! I appreciate you adding the potential drawbacks of an online program. Helps me calibrate my expectations.
I appreciate the focus on positional hierarchy. That’s a fundamental aspect that’s often overlooked. I’m curious if anyone has tried this specific program and can share their experiences.
The lack of instructor info is definitely concerning. Knowing who’s teaching is crucial before investing time and money. Has anyone found more information about the instructor’s background?
I found some user reviews on Reddit, they are generally positive, but a few complain that the Ground Control Program material is too basic.
Thanks, Harold! That’s useful info about Reddit too. I wonder if those people leaving negative feedback about it being ‘too basic’ are black belts? If they are brand new to BJJ it will be perfect for them.
I agree with the point about personalized instruction. It’s hard to get good feedback online, which is why I still prefer learning in person.
Excellent breakdown of the curriculum! It covers all the essential aspects of ground control. I especially liked the emphasis on drilling and sparring integration.
I’ve been doing BJJ for 5 years and my ground game still needs work. I’m mostly self-taught – I think a structured program like this will help. I’m checking reviews from other sites.
I think the potential drawbacks are spot on. Need discipline to keep at an online program!
I feel the part about self-defense is important. I am more confident walking the streets knowing BJJ.
Has anybody seen the videos from this ‘Ground Control Program’? Do they have rolling?
I appreciate the honesty about the program’s limitations. It’s refreshing to see a review that doesn’t just hype up the product. It’s true – practice, mat time is what is important. Thank you.
I am an older guy, now, and have some injuries. I wonder if this program has options for older guys who want to make sure to work their BJJ safely.
I agree, having a structured curriculum can be incredibly beneficial. I have had success with other video-based programs like this to improve my grappling! I can submit more opponents now.
I’m skeptical about online BJJ programs. Nothing beats the hands-on experience of a good gym and instructor. Still, it would be useful to see positional drills in video format. That would be great.
I find these courses very expensive, but I guess everything is going up in price these days. They say you need to ‘invest’ in yourself
I wonder how suitable this is for MMA training, and not just BJJ? I want something that can help me transition from striking to grappling.
Thanks for the review. Gonna research it further.
I am worried about the risk of injury. BJJ is hard enough on the body as it is, I would not want to add the chance of learning it the wrong way. Gonna stick with my instructor for now.
I would agree, the benefits are improved confidence, control and submission opportunities when you level up on BJJ. Like anything worthwhile, you have to put in the work to be successful.
I love the points in the article about drilling and sparring integration, but there is nothing worse than training against someone who does not maintain basic hygiene!
For me, BJJ isn’t about competition or self-defense. It’s about mental and physical well-being. If this course helps you achieve that, then it’s a good investment.
I like the idea of improving my escapes and reversals, but some of the people at my gym are so athletic, it’s very frustrating.
Thanks for the informative post, I found a lot of very useful knowledge. I think I am gonna sign up. Wish me luck