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Tom Barlow Online

Always Be Learning

Arm Bar From Side Control

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For a long time, I’ve had the dream of opening a full-time Jiu Jitsu Academy. However, due to a mix of circumstances that idea got put on the back burner, and honestly, at one point I thought it might never happen.

Well, yesterday, that dream became a reality, and I opened my new Jiu Jitsu Academy (hopefully the first of many). Although it’s not 100% finished it already looks amazing and will be an incredible place for people to train.

Anyway, as part of the opening, I taught a seminar covering some of my favourite attacks from side control.  And I want to share one of those with you now.  It’s one of the ways I attack the armbar from side control and three ways I counter my opponents defence. Check it out below:

You’ll also get to see a little of what my new gym looks like.

My Favourite Pass (…right now)

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As Jiu Jitsu players, we all fall in love with techniques from time to time. Those techniques can be anything from a simple grip change to a submission, but every time you train you try to use them. And when you catch it you feel on top of the world.

I’ve had many favourite techniques throughout my Jiu Jitsu career, but my current obsession is a pass I learned from Rafa Mendes. It’s awesome (well at least I think it is)

It’s difficult to stop, gives you some great attacking options, and you can get it from several different positions. Oh, and it works just as well Gi and No Gi.

So what’s the pass? Watch this video to find out.

Do you need to improve your passing? You can get the Simple Passing System now for a very special price.

Visit https://tombarlowonline.com/archive-simple-passing-position/ to see an overview of the system and how it could improve your guard passing.

How To Start A Fight…

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One of the most neglected areas of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how you should start a match.

Everyone learns what you should do while in a guard or how to escape the mount, but those first few moments of a match can be vital in securing the victory.

After all, how you start a match can dictate where the fight takes place. For example, if you’re a guard player and your opponent beats you to the pull, you’re forced to either work your passing or give up point to get to your guard.

A short while ago, I filmed a video for the Warrior Collective that outlined some of my strategies for starting a match.

In the video, I cover my gripping strategy, some basic attacks, and how I pull guard, plus some basic grip breaking strategies. Check it out below.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

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Mind Maps For BJJ

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Have you ever heard the phrase, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Well, mind maps are an excellent way to plan your Jiu Jitsu and can be a very useful tool regardless of your skill level. I’ve talked to you before about the benefits of mind maps.

Personally, I find them an amazing tool for clarifying what I’m trying to achieve and where I’m trying to go. And because you’re actively thinking about Jiu Jitsu, building them is just another form of training.

So how do I make my mind maps?

I use a combination of flow chart and mind map as it gives me the most clarity on what I’m trying to achieve. The process can be a little more time consuming but is well worth doing. Anyway, I’ve put together a short video that outlines exactly how I build my mind maps and walks you through an example.

Try building your own mind map and let me know how it goes.

Simple Knee On Belly Escapes

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There are few positions in Jiu Jitsu as painful as Knee on Belly. When you get someone that understands how to control the position, it can feel like a baby hippo pressing down on your chest.

I’ve seen many people tap (and a few go to hospital) just from the pressure of the Knee on Belly position. Personally, anytime I end up in that Knee on Belly I try to escape as quickly as possible.

Simple ways to escape Knee on Belly

So how do you escape the knee on belly position?

Whether it’s Knee on Belly or any other position, your first line of defence is ALWAYS prevention. To prevent Knee on Belly, you can use your knee and elbow as a shield on the same side as your opponent.

For example, if you’re in bottom side control; your knee and elbow closest to your opponent should be ready to block any attempt they make to bring their knee on your stomach.

But what if you can’t do that?

There are a couple of other options, and the video below covers two of my favourite knee on belly escapes. Check out the video below:

As with any technique, you need to practice to get it to work for you. The simplest way to do this is to spend a few minutes before or after your regular class drilling the technique and then specific training from Knee on Belly.

Within no time, escaping knee on belly will be a piece of cake!

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