Real online coaching for your Jiu Jitsu defense!
Tired of getting submitted or stuck on bottom? Learn directly from the world’s most sought after instructor of BJJ defense.
No disrespect to Telles but Priit is the new turtle master
I don’t think any other instructionals have had a more positive effect on my grappling
…even purple/brown belts that have trained for many years compared to me just look so puzzled
A quick introduction to the Defensive BJJ system
10+ years of BJJ under my belt. Just recently started studying your defensive postures. Holy shit man! I’m having to completely re-evaluate my entire game and I couldn’t be more happy! Thank you!
...my opponent was helpless while he was on top. Thanks for the awesome knowledge! It’s changed my defense game tremendously!!!
I’ve started to apply your ideas and suddenly the ‘younger better guys’ aren’t getting taps because their technique or fitness is better than mine.
After rolling with him there’s no doubt in my mind about the effectiveness of his defensive system; he felt like he was surrounded by an impenetrable wall of defence and I felt like a white belt again
Teaching evidence based Jiu Jitsu is my passion
Jiu Jitsu is such an effective martial art because we subject it to intensive, unforgiving pressure testing. Unfortunately, some of the ideas surrounding Jiu Jitsu and the way in which it’s taught are often not held to the same exacting standards. There are surely countless little pieces of gym lore and outdated training methodologies that have been passed on from teacher to student, from training partner to training partner, without even thinking.
I am constantly researching and experimenting with new approaches to Jiu Jitsu. Everything I teach is the result of hundreds of hours of (often ongoing) testing and analysis of the results.
I’ve been trying out your concepts recently and they honestly feel like I have gained a superpower.
I train at a wrestling heavy gym with a bunch of maulers and your turtle system and the guard stuff has revolutionized the way I think about grappling and it has made my defense infinitely better.
I’m pretty sure it’s changed BJJ for me forever, and has given me much more inspiration on the mats then I’ve had in a long while.
Your turtle is the most annoying thing someone can do to make your opponents angry. I used it at the tournament this weekend, and I saw the sheer frustration of my opponents
Watch the Defensive BJJ system in action!
Actual footage from members who studied Priit’s defensive postures and techniques
The site is not just a library of exclusive videos, but feels almost like being mentored by Priit Mihkelson himself
No other ‘online’ coach offers this level of engagement with participants. Very glad I’ve come before too many people discover how good this all is. Seriously, thank you.
Your level of engagement is superb. I’m sure no other online site has anywhere near the level of personal involvement you give.
If you have questions for Priit, you’re likely to get an answer directly from him within a day
Become a member today and get direct access to Priit Mihkelson as your online Jiu Jitsu coach
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What you’ll get instant access to:
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A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO LEARN AND IMPLEMENT THE DEFENSIVE BJJ SYSTEM IN YOUR GAME
- Introduction to the five postures of the Defensive BJJ system
- Explanation of the transitions and movement patterns that connect the postures
- Examples on how to start drilling and practicing with a partner
- How to get personal and direct feedback from Priit on your progress
- Suggestions on further studies
LEARN TO BE COMPLETELY SAFE AND ESCAPE FROM THE TURTLE POSITION
- Origin story
- Introduction to turtle defense
- Elbows
- Head position
- Knees
- Hooks
- Upright turtle
- 5 mistakes in a row to take the back from turtle
- Turtle 2.0 position
- Clock choke vs good defensive turtle
- Turtle intro: Wrist fighting and first ideas also how to fight different seatbelts
- Defense against a fancy clock choke from turtle
- Escaping turtle using regular / typical guard pull
- Escaping turtle using inward invert
- Escaping turtle position using outward invert
- Defense against the clock choke from turtle
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Ankles
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Hooks
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Neck and chokes
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Stance and overall idea
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Knees and hips
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Shoulders, arms and wrists
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Standing up for escaping
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Crucifix threat
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Side turtle sector
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Front headlock threat
- Straight arm turtle / referee turtle: Power-half threat
BUILD AN ANNOYING GUARD DEFENSE WITH THE “GRILLED CHICKEN” SYSTEM
- Grilled Chicken introduction
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Origin
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Explanation of the stance
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: How to move while keeping the stance
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Sitting up direction
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Switching sides
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: More advance way to switch sides
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: North/south direction protection
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Recovering guard from north-south
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Bottom leg
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Full invert ideas
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Switching sides using full invert
- Sideways Grilled Chicken intro: Using the half invert to keep the guard
- How to invert and not end up with the double under situation
- Small change we had to do to the fundamental structure of the grilled chicken
- Grilled chicken 360 defense drill
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the legdrag
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the torreando pass
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against going behind torreando pass
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the front side torreando pass
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the over-under pass
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the knee slide pass
- Sideways Grilled Chicken: Defensive ideas against the kneeling passes
- More sideways open guard structures that we know exist
- Another option to switch sides against the north-south directional threats aka Tom’s version
- Another take on the sideways open guard north-south direction defense
- Some additional seatbelt variations that you should be aware of
- Sideways open guard and the knees to the chest rule
- Sideways open guard top leg “new” ideas
DEFEND GUARD SWEEPS WITH THE “UNSWEEPABLE” SYSTEM
- Butterfly sweep babybridge counter
- Butterfly sweep high babybridge counter
- Butterfly sweep Granby roll counter
- Butterfly sweep Granby roll counter 2
- Unsweepable against roll from turtle
- Against a shoulder clamp butterfly sweep
- Kneeling sweep defense
- Standing/tripod sweep defense
- Experimental unsweepable thoughts against the bridge’n roll sweep from side bottom
POSTURES AND STRATEGIES TO SURVIVE AND ESCAPE SIDE CONTROL
- Power of the babybridge
- Positioning after being passed
- Head positioning
- Killing the near side arm
- Hawkings 2.0 introduction
- Reverse hook side control escape
- Stiff arm escape 1
- Stiff arm escape 2
- Stiff arm escape 3
- When/why pushing with the bottom arm can be considered dangerous
- Side control bodylock escape
- Hawking 2.0 World Premiere
- Using shrimping for escaping side control and the problem that will come with that
- Side control bodylock escape
- Elbow posting explained when using Hawking 2.0 and Babybridge
- Details about the pummeling when playing the Hawking 2.0
- Hawking 2.0 towards opponent when in side bottom
- Why killing the arm in side control does not matter so much as before
- The importance of Hawking 2.0
- Details about the top elbow in Hawking 2.0
- Reaching rules when playing Hawking 2.0
- Clicking rules
- Hawking against one of the loop choke versions
- Top arm function in hawking
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Intro
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Default escaping direction
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Different ways to pull guard (over the head direction)
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Different ways to pull guard (sideways direction)
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Hawking 2.0 top arm options
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Hawking 2.0 bottom arm options
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: secondary escaping direction
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Turnover sweep as an escape
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Reverse underhook to darce choke
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Reverse underhook aka ghost escape direction
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Reverse underhook to top position
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Negative shrimp option against more adapted opponent
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Keeping the arms safe aka no default flaw
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: 1st stiffarm option for escape
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Turning inwards stiffarm (2nd option)
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Over the body stiffarm escape (3rd option)
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Transition from Hawking 2.0 to Babybridge as defense against the hold
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: What else can happen if you use reverse underhook
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: Over the head escaping direction
- Crossface / underhook side control bottom: More detailed wrestling option from the reverse underhook escape
- When to use hawking and when to use babybridge while under side control
DETAILED MOVEMENT PATTERNS TO PRACTICE WITHOUT A PARTNER
- Babybridge/Hawking 2.0
- Starting from Hawking 1
- Starting from Hawking 2
- Starting from Hawking 3
- Starting from Panda
- Starting from Running Man 1
- Starting from Running Man 2
- Starting from Running Man 3
- Starting from Turtle 1
- Starting from Turtle 2
- Starting from Turtle 3
- Zhaado Jiu-Jitsu free roll
- New way to go to the turtle
- How do get better at inverting
- Drills you can do to get better faster when practicing the Hawking 2.0
- More thought and ideas towards drilling/teaching method
- How to train movement patterns better and create endless drill variations for yourself
- More ideas how to train movement patterns (example when you do not have much space)
- Final details (hopefully) about how to go to the knees
- Running Man 2.0 intro
- Moving around idea when practicing the movements patterns
- Using posts when practicing movement patterns
EXPERIMENTAL THOUGHTS FROM “PRIIT’S LAB”
- Ideas about side choke defense
- Ideas about the underhook
- Turtle 2.0 / upright turtle
- Reverse underhook experimental ideas using Hawking 2.0
- Deep Halfguard Experimental Ideas Using Hawking 2.0
- Hawking 2.0 against Twister attack
- Hawking 2.0 experimental clicks to play with
- Experimental double underhook grip when using Hawking 2.0
- First experimental thoughts about the baseball choke defense
- Experimental “new” back escaping ideas
- Experiment inspired by Michael Pleavin
- Experimental “new” back escaping ideas (exploring more)
- Experimental thoughts towards the back triangle defense (inspired by Jonathan’s question)
- More raw ideas towards the back escape system that we are building
- Experimental defensive thoughts against two of the lapel chokes
- Half guard bottom hawking 2.0 experimental ideas part 1 (inspired by the question from Michael Pleavin)
- Half guard bottom hawking 2.0 experimental ideas part 2 (Inspired but the question from Michael Pleavin)
- More raw ideas towards the back triangle defense
- Some add-on defensive thoughts about going to the knees directions against the back triangle
- More about the minimal inverting idea
- Idea about the default flaw that very much guides my search
- Back escape experiment continues (3 directions)
- Some preliminary raw ideas how hawking could be countering the crucifix position
- First raw ideas against the paper cutter choke
- NCAA turtle ideas that I am playing with myself at the moment
- Some grey area aka not yet set in stone material about the back survival
- New and experimental angle for playing Hawking 2.0
- Additional thoughts about the new Hawking 2.0
- How new-hawking 2.0 is changing shrimping
- New-Hawking 2.0 developments against the back control
- Ongoing paper cutter choke defense research
- Final thought about the paper cutter (a very successful I might add) experiment
- Final thoughts (hopefully) about the new-hawking 2.0 vs underhook down side back control
- VERY important “new” details about the back survival experiment
- Ongoing paper cutter choke study and answer to Oleg
- CRAZY developments part 1 & 2 against the bow and arrow choke
- Kimura defense just got upgraded using our new posture
- Ongoing back triangle survival experiment and new solutions
- Anaconda choke survival ideas (teaser)
- New running man that is not in the system yet
- More about guard retention and a different way of pummeling inspired by Jon Thomas
- Grilled Chicken: Preliminary ideas for defending north/south defensive passing
- Further ideas about the deep half guard structure using hawking and mini babybridge, part 1
- Ongoing grilled chicken upgrade process aka playing open guard more sideways
- Further thoughts about the rolling back take from the 3/4 mount
- Additional ideas about the deep half guard, part 2
- Experimenting with tripod sweeps using our new sideways open guard ideas
- “New” back control ideas that are forcing me to adapt
- “New” back control survival ideas that we are playing these days
- “New” turtle idea that I have been playing with
- Preliminary ideas against knee on belly position
- Preliminary ideas about how my hawking works against halfguard top passes
- Preliminary ideas about how my mini babybridge works against halfguard top passes
- How half guard bottom ideas connect to side control bottom escapes
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: Ideal situation against the crossarm top position
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: Mini babybridge against the crossarm top position
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: Mini babybridge away from opponent when more is lost
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: Mini babybridge towards the opponent when under crossbody top position
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: mini babybridge away from the opponent when they are having an underhook under the leg control
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: Second ideal idea against the crossarm top position
- Preliminary ideas about the half guard bottom: underhook and head crossface (part 1 & 2)
NARRATED ROLLS FROM WITH TIPS & SUGGESTIONS
- Weekly narration of sparring and competition rolls uploaded by members
- Priit rolling at seminars, camps and in his own gym, testing out his techniques
COMMUNITY HOMEWORK WITH DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM PRIIT
- Movement patterns
- Babybridge from everywhere
- Hawking 2.0 position
- Improve your training methods
- Turtle
- Back escapes / Prevention
- Running Man
- Putting it all together
- Grilled Chicken open guard
CRITIQUE OF “HOW THINGS ARE USUALLY DONE”
- Mounted armbar
- Side control movement drill
- Side control armbar
- Cross choke from mount
“PANDA”: MODIFYING A CLASSIC WRESTLING POSITION TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE DEFENSIVE BJJ TOOL
- Panda: Origin story
- Panda introduction
FULL LENGTH VIDEOS FROM SEMINARS
- Amsterdam Camp 2020 class on bridging
- 2.5 hrs online seminar with Lithuanians
- 100 mins. group private from camp in Italy
NEUTRALIZING THE KNEE ON BELLY POSITION
- Is there actually a knee on belly position as we know it
- Defensive ideas against baseball choke from the knee on belly
- Knee on belly escape that I can now explain using mini babybridge
LEARN TO DEFEND ANY KIMURA ATTEMPT WHEN IN SIDECONTROL
- Using babybridge
- Using babybridge v2
- By sitting up
- Very late defense
- Using wrist fighting
- Kimura trap defense
- Finer detail about the kimura defense and how to create the preferred angle
- One more layer for the kimura defense by going to the knees to free the head
- Very late Danaher style kimura defense (if true will change everything)
- Mini babybridge against kimura attacks
- New information about the kimura trap defense using the mini babybridge
IMPROVE YOUR TRAINING AND TEACHING METHODS WITH OUR COACHING SECTION
- Conversation on how to teach your first defensive Jiu Jitsu class
- Intro for the coaching section
- Coaching: Class template to start with
- The idea of teaching techniques backwards
- Talk on lockflows and flowcharts
- Video interviews with other coaches
- Coaching: Warm up section of the class
- Examples of drilling the defensive postures
- My first attempt to explain / address progressive resistance
DETAILED OMO PLATA ESCAPES
- Version 1
- Version 2
FULL LENGTH VIDEOS OF PRIVATE LESSONS WITH PRIIT
- 1+ hours of questions from a new blue belt
OTHER UNCATEGORIZED VIDEOS
- Introduction to underhook escapes
- What order to watch the videos
- Underhook clicks
- Answers to most of the questions in the “video requests” forum topic
- “Know your roll” a talk on framework series about BJJ
- “Why is there something rather than nothing”?
- Defending the back take from s-mount/side mount
- How different positions have slightly different pummeling rules
- Idea about grips being static and others scrambly
- Deep half guard sweep using the Babybridge
- Running man: Origin story
- Babybridge vs Mounting
- What is the “click”
- The transition law that guides me towards answers
- Interesting similarity between hawking 2.0 outwards and wall wrestling in MMA
- One more example about the default flow that guides my findings
- Running man and going to the knees direction/test
- More details about the running man 2.0 position
- Re-back take position answered by the hawking 2.0
- Steps to win and lose during the early back survival / defense, May 2021
- Back escape / survival drilling ideas with an interesting methodology
- Running man for back survival
- Grabbing the head when using hawking 2.0 for back survival
- Another way to grab the head on the failed back take
- Two versions when grabbing the head while inside seatbelt
- Perfect time to do the inward hawking
- 5 x hawking 2.0 against the back take
- Weird control but a good test for the hawking 2.0
- Winning transitions with hawking 2.0 while defending the back
- Defensive BJJ in action (nogi)
- Defensive BJJ in action (gi)
- More evidence of the hawking 2.0 making a difference in different situations
- My obsessive thoughts towards the running man posture
- Some of the attacking ideas from defensive positions
- Trying to explain hawking 2.0 bottom arm work from the different angle
- One lapel choke from the back that “ruins” everything
- Guard retention and side retention connection
- Upgraded baseball choke defense ideas
- Upgraded defensive ideas against the crossface
- Additional thoughts about the crossface prevention
- Upgraded info about the side choke defense
- Underhook down side back survival study against the armbar threat
- Back takes just got harder
- Grabbing opponents head when defending the back
- How to make repetitive back takes harder using mini babybridge
- 3 other places which we can explain now using mini babybridge pressure
- How something so simple can hold so deep truths (open guard secrets)
- Defensive ideas against a knee slide baseball choke
- More about how mini babybridge makes sense of the different open guard positions
- More evidence for the running man new head position during the power half attack when attacking the back
- Something that Wim Deputter explained me years ago makes sense now because of the mini babybridge
- Rant about how I know how to express my art
- Z-guard and the Caio Terra crazy belly down direction
- Cross leg guard retention move that makes sense now after 22 years
- Back survival new posture is now also tested against the armbar threat
- Side control crossface prevention idea that I would disagree these days
- More info about shrimping that now makes sense to me
- Something about the very late armbar escape that I can now explain using the new stick transition
- Mini babybridge against deeper tarikoplata attacks
- Mini babybridge and x-guard
- One click in the open guard that now makes sense because of the mini babybridge
- Finally butterfly halfguard starts to make sense (bonus hook sweep details)
- Attempt to try and explain Gordon Ryan body triangle escape
- One more reason why the grilled chicken structure change makes sense
- Sideways butterfly guard top leg new ideas
- Common mistake while practising running man posture
- Common mistakes when practising hawking 2.0 posture
- Transitioning between the hawking 2.0 and mini babybridge during the back control
- Transitional ideas about the back survival using hawking 2.0 as an example
- We changed something about the way we invert
- Back take transitional defense from the turtle using hawking 2.0
- Back take transitional defense from side control using hawking 2.0
- Back take transitional defense from side control using mini babybridge
- Reverse hitchhike armbar escape: The first video about the whole idea
- Reverse hitchhike armbar escape: Sitting up direction
- Reverse hitchhike armbar escape: Turning in direction
- Reverse hitchhike armbar escape: Babybridge towards the opponent
- Reverse hitchhike armbar escape: making them still flat a bit
- Elbow post running man intro: RNC test
- Elbow post running man intro: Gi choke defense
- Elbow post running man intro: Gi choke defense by going more into the choke
- Elbow post running man intro: Connecting postures
- Elbow post running man intro: Top hook test
- Elbow post running man intro: Power half test
- One detail how to create extension in the end range of the escape
- Close(d) guard top: How the closed guard top should look like so we could explain everything that happen
- Close(d) guard top: Width of the knees
- Close(d) guard top: Seal feet or toes on the mat
- Close(d) guard top: Where to put the arms
- Arm triangle defense details inspired by the Brian Ortega video
- How to choose (maybe) between hawking and mini babybridge inside the seatbelt grip
- Thumb position that I am trying to understand more
- Forearm mount frame counters that you should be aware of
Any questions?
Reach us any time on [email protected], we’re happy to help!
I was apprehensive about signing up to Defensive BJJ because I already have all his videos. I mean what more can you learn. Proven wrong!! There is so much new prittshit on his website. Totally worth it. Tons of new material.
I just watched our narrated roll you did for us on your site! Can’t thank you enough I got a massive amount out of that, I think it would have to be one of the most helpful and informative lessons I’ve had since I started grappling. I’m off to the gym for a roll soon and will try to start implementing/ fixing the things you pointed out right away!
Oh wow. It took me literally an hour and a half to watch this for the first time. I was constantly pausing it, taking notes, having my mind blown, and trying out the positions at home. It’s just a stream of solid gold information. Really feels like my skill level was pulled apart and I was shown the key mechanics that I’m lacking. Most definitely very-very high value!
You are providing world class information (a system with a vision behind it, not just many techniques) and direct one to one coaching, creating a super effective feedback loop. I am getting more convinced that this platform you are providing is the future of learning.
How much time do you invest in your Jiu Jitsu defense?
There’s no denying that the offensive side of Jiu Jitsu is the most viscerally appealing aspect of the sport. After all, takedowns, guard passes, and submissions are what will end a fight, so we’re naturally drawn to them more. But how well equipped are you to deal with your opponent’s offensive arsenal in return? We might spend hours drilling armbar setups and finishes, but how many hours have you drilled it from the other side – when you’re locked in a fully extended armbar with apparently no way out?
