Reddit mentions: The best martial arts books

Like you, when I find something that interests me, I try and just soak up knowledge about it, which is how I ended up here actually. Anyway, on to the things I've found.

Youtube:

Ask a black belt:

It's what it sounds like. Guy asks various black belts questions, paired with some cool Jiu-jitsu footage. Episode 1 is where I became a Dave Camarillo fan. Also on this channel is one of my favorite highlight videos: Why I Train Jiu-Jitsu.

Roy Dean's Channel:

Roy Dean puts out some very artistic videos. If I'm ever trying to show someone what Jiu-Jitsu is, I'll probably pull up a Roy Dean video. Here are my favorites from the channel:

White to Black: Shift in Perspective

What Makes a Purple Belt

Spirals of Jiu-Jitsu

Dave Camarillo Black Belt Test

Roy Dean also films "demonstrations" done by his students who are advancing in belt rank. From what I understand, these demonstrations are optional, but most students go through with them. They're very much like a belt test you'd see in more traditional arts, but applied to Jiu-Jitsu. Here is the one done by the man himself. Cool to see Roy Harris roll in this one.

The Gracie Way:

The Gracie Way reminds of the travel channel, but with Jiu-Jitsu. I think there's like 15 episodes now. They're usually pretty entertaining if you're not put off by the Gracie Academie's marketing. I personally don't mind it too much, but they do lay it on a little thick at times.

Rolled Up:

I'm reminded of the travel channel again, but this a different flavor than the Gracie Way. The Gracie Way is more lifestyle focused, and Rolled Up is much more focused on Jiu-Jitsu. Basically, Budo Jake goes and trains with all kinds of coaches in the sport. It's a good way to get to know the celebrities of Jiu-Jitsu. You probably saw the recent Kurt Osiander episode, which in my opinion, is the best Rolled Up I've seen.

Stuart Cooper Films:

All these videos are great. Stuart Cooper is the man. Watch them all. As far as artistic BJJ videos, I have found no one better.

Also check out All Things BJJ, Want V.S Need, and Metamoris.

Books:

Don't Wear Your Gi to the Bar:

Get it free here. It'd be worth the money to pay for it though. It's a hilarious Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle book. Really embodies the culture of Jiu-Jitsu.

The Cauliflower Chronicles:

I admit, I haven't read this one yet. But Marshal D. Carper wrote some of Don't Wear Your Gi to the Bar and the writing in that book was top notch, and funny as well. I'm willing to bet that this book has the same kind of vibe to it, at least stylistically.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Globetrotter:

Okay, I haven't read this one either, but I hear great things about it and it sounds awesome. I'll get around to it, but I have a backlog of books to read first. (Fucking George R.R. Martin)

Jiu-Jitsu on the Brain:

This one I have read. It's short, but sweet. Perfect for beginners. I say that because there's very little (if any) technical discussion. It's all about the broad concepts of Jiu-Jitsu, which, at this point, I find more helpful than techniques anyway. Mark Johnson is also an English teacher, which means he writes well, and like Marshal D. Carper, he's a funny guy who captures the spirit of the sport perfectly. Highly recommend this book.

Borrowing the Master's Bicycle:

This is Mark Johnson's second book. This one is slightly more technical than Jiu-Jitsu on the brain, but mainly, it delves deeper into Jiu-Jitsu philosophy. If you like Jiu-Jitsu on the Brain, and you want to see Mark delve deeper into some things he touches on in that book, pick this one up. Again, Mark writes well and he's got a great sense of humor. There's a chapter in this book where he talks about how badass Darth Vader would be at Jiu-Jitsu, which, for a Star Wars fan like me, was awesome.

Anyway, that's about all I've got. The other answers on here are good as well. Especially the Stephan Kesting recommendations. For technique videos, I watch his almost exclusively.

Here is most of my library, broken down, with links and some thoughts on each.

Karate Specific

• The Bubishi by Patrick McCarty (Amazon) - I think this book needs to be in every library.
  
• Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate by Patrick McCarthy (Amazon) - One of the first books I purchased by McCarthy. Details older version of classic kata found in a lot of traditional styles.
  
• Karatedo by My Way of Life - Gichin Funakoshi (Amazon) - Great read! I really nice view at the life of Funakoshi.
  
• The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate by Gichin Funakoshi (Amazon) - Another great read. While I'm no longer a practitioner of Shotokan, I believe the teachings of Funakoshi should be tought to every karateka.
  
• Okinawan Karate : Teachers, styles and secret techniques by Mark Bishop (Amazon) - Great amount of historical content, and helped link a few things together for me.
  
• The Study of China Hand Techniques by Morinobu Itoman (Lulu.com) - The only known publication by Itoman, this book detains original Okinawan Te, how it was taught, practiced, and some history. This was one of my best finds.
  
• The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do by Shoshin Nagamine (Amazon) - Great details on Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu kata, and some nice historical content.
  
• The Way of Kata by Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder (Amazon) - Fantastic book on diving deeper into kata to find the application of the techniques.
  
• Classic Kata of Shorinji Ryu: Okinawan Karate Forms of Richard 'Biggie' Kim by Leroy Rodrigues (Amazon) - Not quite accurate as to the title, this book details the versions of shorinji-ryu kata as if they were taught by a Japanese school. Still able to use, as long as you understand what stances and techniques have changed between Okinawa and Japan.
  
• Black Belt Karate by Jordan Roth (Amazon) - This was a gift from a friend. I have a First Edition hard cover. Shotokan specific, and has some nice details on the kata.
  
• Karate-do Kyohan: The Master Text by Gichin Funakoshi (Amazon) - Love this book, especially for the historical content.
  
• Kempo Karate-do by Tsuyoshi Chitose (Shindokanbooks.com) - The only known book from Chitose, highlights his history, his thoughts and ideas for practicing karate-do as a way of life, and contains steps for practicing Henshu-Ho. Chitose is the creator of the style I study. I have this book for obvious reasons. Your mileage may vary.
  
  Kobujutsu Specific
  
  
• Okinawan Weaponry: Hidden methods, ancient myths of Kobudo & Te by Mark Bishop (Amazon) - Really great detail into the history of some of the weapons and the people who taught them from Okinawa.
  
• Okinawan Kobudo Vol 1 & 2 (Lulu.com) - Fantastic books detailing the kihon and kata of Okinawan Kobudo. Anyone who takes Ryukyu Kobujutsu, and doesn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on the original texts by Motokatsu Inoue, this is the next best thing.
  
• Bo: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense by Fumio Demura (Amazon) - Purchased it for the historical content. Doesn't actually apply to anything in Ryukyu Kobujutsu, but still a decent read. I also have his Nunchaku and Tonfa books.
  
  Other Martial Arts
  
  
• Applied Tai Chi Chuan by Nigel Sutton (Amazon) - A great introduction to Cheng Style Tai Chi, detailing some of the fundamentals and philosophy behind the teachings.
  
• Tai Chi Handbook by Herman Kauz (Amazon) - More Cheng Style Tai Chi, but this one has more emphasis on teaching the shortened form (37 steps).
  
• Tai Chi Chuan: Classical Yang Style: The Complete Long Form and Qigong by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (Amazon) - Just received this for Chirstmas, and looking forward to diving in. Includes some history of Tai Chi Chuan, Yang style Tai Chi, philosophy, and has instruction on the complete long form (108 steps)
  
• The Text-book of Ju-Jutsu as Practiced in Japan by Sadakazu Uyenishi (Amazon) - I have a very old version of this book (1930ish). Picked it up for the historical content, but still a great read.
  
• Tao of Jeet Kun Do by Bruce Lee (Amazon) - Notes on technique, form, and philosophy from Bruce Lee. Another must read for every martial artist, regardless of discipline.
  
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide to Dominating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Combat by Alexandrew Paiva (Amazon) - Excellent step by step illustrations on performing the basic techniques in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Easy to understand and follow. Contains several tips on what to watch out for with each technique as well.
  
  Health and Anatomy
  
  
• The Anatomy of Martial Arts by Dr. Norman Link and Lily Chou (Amazon) - Decent book on the muscle groups used to perform specific techniques in martial arts. On it's own, not totally useful (but not useless), but with the next book, becomes gold!
  
• Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy by Bret Contraris (Amazon) - Brilliant book that details what muscles are use for what type of action, and gives examples on body weight exercises that pin-point those specific muscle groups. My best purchase of 2014, especially when paired with the previous book.
  
• Martial Mechanics by Phillip Starr (Amazon) - Slightly Chinese Martial Arts specific, but contains great material on how to strengthen stances and fine-tune technique for striking arts.
  
  EDIT: I can't believe I forgot this one...
  
  
• The Little Black Book of Violence by Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder (Amazon) - Fantastic book about situational awareness, what happens during fights, and the aftermath. LOVED this book.
  

It all depends on what you are looking for in Tai Ji Quan. The Americanized version extols the meditative and health aspects of the form, but the original Chinese form is an extremely competent style of internal boxing.

If you are looking to become an internal boxer (a classification of Chinese Gong Fu "soft" martial arts; namely: Xingyi Quan, Ba Gua Zhang, and Tai Ji Quan), then Tai Ji is a long hard road. Competency in this style takes somewhere around twenty years of practice.

Here's the thing: if you are looking for the health aspects, in my experience, the path of the internal boxer is best. Training a soft style with martial intention teaches you the subtle body mechanics that strengthen your joints and better relax the tissues around your spine, among other things.

If you aren't interested in the martial aspect, but you still really want the health benefits, take disturbedandsexy's advice and look into Qi Gong. It is a moving meditative practice that unlocks some pretty cool physiological benefits. I have experience with the Wang Ji Wu Longevity Exercises and find them to be great introductory material. It's also a good Nei Gong you can teach to your grandmother to keep her joints healthy through daily exercise.

If you are looking for good reading material on Ta Ji, avoid the books targeted toward an American consumer. They tend to follow the McDojo philosophy toward transferring traditional knowledge. Instead, try consulting Chang Man Chi'ing, or for an easier read, his student T.T. Liang. Both come from the a taiwanese tradition of Yang style Tai Ji, America's first widespread experience with the internal arts, being as the Communists drove all of their artists underground.

A word of caution, there are a lot of bad teachers out there. Even if they are very skilled personally, use a discerning eye. The hall mark of a great teacher is a skilled group of students. Looking at the senior students in the class and ask yourself if that is where you want to be in 5-6 years.

Personally, I would recommend the North American Tang Shou Tao schools, but I am biased as I am an instructor with them.

Best of luck in your pursuits.

I should update this at some point but anyway:

Here's an Abridged version of my book recommendation list.


Firstly, for Greco, I'd have to suggest Martell's Greco-Roman Wrestling

However, Martell is more suited for those who have a folkstyle background. For those who don't (and even those who do) I would recommend Randy Couture's The Natural Way as it builds up from wrestling basics into freestyle and, following that, into Greco.

For an interesting look at the transitional period between Catch and American Folkstyle I would recommend Leonard's A Handbook of Wrestling that can be found free here especially for those with a self-defense interest as it includes techniques now illegal in American Folkstyle while still teaching the positionally dominant wrestling basics. Some techniques are more a product of the times though.

For boxing I have to recommend two books, though they are more or less one book. Haislet's Boxing is one of the most comprehensive guides to the various aspects of Queensbury boxing without having a specific bias toward any one style. The U.S. Navy's boxing uses the text from Haislet in it's technical segments, but is more structured around teaching a large class, complete with lesson plans and coaching tips.

For specific ground-fighting tactics and techniques, Jackson's The Ground Game is probably the best overview of that phase, complete with both striking and submissions and used by the best in the world.

For a self-defense focus, I would suggest two boxing-related texts. The first is The art of Infighting by turn of the century era boxer Frank Klaus. The second is Banned from Boxing which is an academic and technical work on the use of grappling in Bareknuckle-era boxing, complete with hair pulling and even standing chokes. Both of these present great options for dealing with physicality in limited space and applying "dirty boxing."

Finally, for a very specific recommendation, B.J. Penn's MMA Book of Knowledge as it has a comprehensive guide to fighting against the cage, which also applies to fighting against walls and other barriers one might encounter in life. There are relatively few texts that do this in-depth, so if one is interested this is the book to get.

Also, Wikitenauer has been mentioned already, but I specifically recommend Auerswald's Treatise on Wrestling. Blades really aren't my field, but The Fellowship of Lichtenauer is my go-to source for dagger and short-blade fighting at least.


I've posted this a couple of times, but I can say that there are a number of quality pieces by fighters. However, despite many of them containing basic techniques, they are far more valuable to someone already proficient trying to pick up new tricks or strategic information than to the novice.

The short answer is no, I would say that is not how Judo is usually taught. It could be that the instructors are inexperienced, or they may not try to invest too much time into new people until they are sure that you'll stick around. It's unfortunate but sometimes clubs do this because this sport is difficult and rough physically, so the turnover rate is a little high. That said it probably isn't grounds for leaving the club, as it may have a lot to offer. Try asking the instructors specifically what you want to work on, maybe they'll be more likely to help you.

Here are some resources to help you along. If you find a technique that looks interesting, write down the name so you can ask your instructor in class on how to do it.

The Difficult Way is a blog that has some really helpful stuff for beginners/intermediates.

JudoInfo Has a few basic resources such as lists of throws, descriptions and pictures of techniques and etiquette.

Here's a section on Basic gripping from Mike Swain, though the whole video is good. If you want more advanced gripping techniques, you should check out Jimmy Pedro's Grip like a World Champion DVD.

Edit: Also if you want more help in Ne-Waza (Ground Play) I would recommend the book Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro, as it's very comprehensive.

Two books to buy:

1. The Supple Leopard. It is the best thing anybody involved in physical activity can own. You will get your money's worth x10. He says 10 minutes a day of mobility work is what you need.
   
   One of the best things you could probably do for yourself is start increasing your motor control and mobility. It helps tremendously to learn how to brace your spine and position your shoulders into a stable position. Once you learn that you will understand how to create the most force off your movements through torque and maintaining tension in your body.
   
   A lot of "good technique" in bjj or lifting or any sport starts with good bone/joint/spinal/body positioning. When you start practicing these proper body position and maintaining them through a full range of movement (i.e. the basic squat), you learn where your joints/muscles/spine need better range of motion and how to train that--your bjj technique will probably improve. An understanding of basic human movements translates into any physical activity through better performance.
   
   
2. Jiu Jitsu University Saulo Ribeiro breaks down the foundations of learning bjj in steps. Aka, learn how to survive first.
   
   That being said...I would say you don't really need weights or kettlebell swings until you've built a good base of physical strength/conditioning. Start with some general physical preparedness (GPP), bodyweight squats, pushups, situps, planks, chinups and pullups + add a little bit of good form running.

Might be a little bit late on this one, but the books are generally very entertaining. The humor can be admittedly a little juvenile, but he has a kind of sarcastic self-deprecating humor that I found funny. You get a pretty good feel for his sense of humor from the video. This is the book I liked best personally.

You did say each of my wishlists, right?

Here I go:

• One of my highest items are these light bulbs. Why? We moved into a house during Thanksgiving weekend last year. One by one each of our light fixtures have blown their bulbs. We've been getting bulbs as we can, but we still need about 40 bulbs to be able to say we have light everywhere we need it.
  
  
  
• Another highest priority item is this Kindle. It's for our 13 year old daughter, who has ADHD and is bipolar. She had another one that she very accidentally dropped on her way to school (she has special permission from her principals and teachers to have it at school. It helps calm her down, and her teachers have told us since having it at school her GPA has gone from a 2.0 to a 3.5) two weeks ago. We taped it up and put more screen protectors on it so she wouldn't hurt her fingers on the glass which was shattered but still usable. Last week she put it on her bike to come in and get something, and her youngest sister sat on her bike, effectively shattering the glass the rest of the way and we had to throw it away. I did take this pic of it before we threw it away. I snapchatted the pic as well when it happened. Since she first dropped it, it hadn't been charging like it should. She had had it for a couple years. Hers was a first generation Kindle Fire. She carried it everywhere, and we can't afford a new one for some time. She is devastated, her grades are dropping, and she's getting in trouble at school now because she can't calm down when someone bullies her without it. She has breathing exercises and medication she takes, but her Kindle helped her out tremendously. When we moved here, she started a new school, and her old school never allowed her to bring her Kindle like this school does. Her grades suffered so much, and she always got in trouble. It breaks our hearts to see her heading down that same path at her new school again.
  
  
• Then I have some headphones on another wishlist that are high priority. My girls have been taking mine and essentially breaking them from so much overuse. I can't wear the earbuds, they mess with my ears too much, so I have to have good ol' fashioned headphones.
  
  
• This blanket because I am always super cold in our house.
  
  
• This watch on another of my wishlists. These are so cheap that I want to get one for me and one for each of my daughters in different colors.
  
  
• This book for my husband. We had it once, and lost it in our cross country move. He's wanted it again for years.
  
  
• This video game for my husband because he is kicking himself in the bahooky for not buying the download when it was $15 right before and during the Super Bowl. Plus, I wouldn't have to keep watching him play COD: MW3 all the time!
  
  
• This pan because with 7 of us in our family, we can always use another big pan to cook in.
  
  
• This pet shampoo because once our dog and cat get bathed in it, they smell wonderful for weeks. It says "Puppy Shampoo", but we use it on our long haired cat too, and he loves it as much as the dog does.
  
  
• Another high priority movie on my list besides the one I received from PBG. Because I <3 Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. I also haven't seen this movie.
  
  Thank you for this discussion. It's helped me get a bit off my chest. I hope you don't mind.

The first rule of being a jiujitsu beginner- and make no mistake, I am still very much a beginner- is to make your parameter for success showing up to class.

I cannot emphasize this enough. If you make it to class, great! Everything else is gravy. I would probably try to keep this outlook through to your blue belt, although it will definitely be a difficult attitude to maintain (but hey, you're in this to learn discipline, in my best Eric Cartman voice, right?).

Part of the reason for this is because you've got a long, frustrating road ahead of you, and you want to make the long haul. On the wall of my gym are HUGE letters spelling out, "a black belt is a white belt who never quit." At first I thought that was kind of cheeky, because, like any gym, my not quitting is lining someone's pocket... but now I get it; training is always frustrating, at any level. You think the frustration ends at blue belt? Well, now you have purple belts kicking your ass in ways you don't even understand yet. You think after purple the road is clear? A black belt will LOL at you. Part of what makes the experience and the journey so incredible is learning to deal with the frustration.

You'll have great classes, where you walk out with a goofy smile on your facing thinking, "I'm finally getting it!" ... and then the next class you feel like it's your first day again. You'll have to endure long periods of stagnation, or seeing people who joined after you progressing faster. But did you make it to class? Mission accomplished.

Even in the short time I've been at my school I've seen guys come and go within the amount of time you've been training (three to four weeks). I totally understand this; one month is just about the honeymoon period where you've picked up the basics, feel a little shine, and then see the long road ahead of you and say FUCK IT.

This will not be you. Why? Because your parameter for success is getting to class.

Try to find value in your shitty moments. You get thrown around for a half hour by a college wrestler (cheating bastards, that's NO FAIR lol), and a judoka who started BJJ to kick even more ass- which was my Friday night- embrace it. In the very least, getting your ass kicked makes you a tougher son of a bitch in the long run. Can't get a new technique down? I'm just starting to feel confident in my arm-bar/triangle/omoplata skills and it's been six months and 5-6 classes where we covered it. Very few people learn a new technique once and can implement it in rolling, much less remember it the next day.

Here are a few odds and ends off the top of my head:

• Rolling for you right now is learning survival and feeling comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Learn how to survive in mount/side-control, and even if you can't get out, you're developing a comfort in being under someone and having their weight on you.
  
  
• Buttttt, if you want to get out, start by learning one go-to escape for each position: mount, side-control, half-guard, and guard. Not that you shouldn't know more, but be sure to have HAVE really solid escape for each position in your arsenal.
  
  
• A good, highly regarded book for this is jujitsu university, but there are also countless YouTube channels like Chewjitsu (I happen to like his style).
  
  
• Tap often and early, which is a kind of meme on this subreddit for a good reason. At this stage in the game, the most you can do is defend, so you'll feel inclined to tap only when it's your VERY LAST OPTION- or, you know, rolling will be all of 30 second spurts of brutalization. I felt the exact same way, and kind of wanted to "earn the respect" of my partners by toughing certain grey area submissions out. This is stupid- for one, you earn their respect by showing up to class, and two, you will get injured that way. Whomever said this is "the injury free martial art" is clearly unfamiliar with BJJ, and since injuries are going to happen anyway, you don't want to encourage them. I usually tried to make my partner earn their choke on me, and if it wasn't under the chin, sunk in deep, I'd tough it out, and now there's this weird click when I open my mouth wide. Is that a huge deal? No. But it was my own damn fault, and totally avoidable.
  
  
• Get to class early and drill with your classmates. BJJ is all muscle memory, and being diligent with your submission/escape drills will pay off huge in the long run.
  
  
• Keep a journal. Seriously. Write down how your class went, what you did well with, what you struggled with, questions you may have, and the techniques you did that night (if you can, a step-by-step "how to" for each). I'll admit, I don't do this as much as I should because when I get home from class I'm usually wiped, but it really will pay off big time.
  
  I hope this helped! Good luck, and feel deep, horrifying shame if you quit! :)
  

For anyone curious, I have read his first book Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat and it was unsurprisingly fantastic. Just pure Forrest through and through. But I need to check out Be Ready When the Sh*t GOes Down: A Survival Guide to the Apocalypse. Christmas list, boom.

That aside, whenever I see something posted about Forrest, I can't help but stop and take a moment for what Forrest was both able to do in the sport, and for the sport. He is not only a member of the original TUF cast, not only part of the fight that launched UFC mainstream, but he's the one who win's the fight and comes out on top of it all. He then goes on to prove low legit the competitors from that show were by winning the god-damned UFC belt from Rampage, after submitting Shogun Rua to get his shot.

He was never the most-skilled or the most-technical, but god-damned did that dude put his heart on the line every time he got in that cage and that proved to be enough to win him the belt. One of my favorite fighters of all time and a true American bad-ass.

You're right that Putin didn't force anyone to do anything - he encouraged it. Putin is a devoted follower of judo, the art of adding to your enemy's own momentum in order to defeat him. He wrote a book about it. So when Bush does something that makes people distrust us, Putin does everything he can to maximize the effect.

>the unpopularity for the war came from very different political and social parties.

That's how you know an external force was behind it. When you're trying to destabilize your enemy, you don't fund only his right wing, or his left wing - because your goal isn't to make him right-wing or left-wing - you fund extremists on both right and left. The goal of destabilization is to divide and paralyze your enemies, so they can't stop you from doing something like invading Ukraine, for example. Russia does that in the US too - in 2016 they supported not only right-wingers like Trump, but also extreme leftists like Jill Stein. Anything to encourage our instability.

No, I wasn't in Europe at that time, but it's still true.

Edit: quote from Putin's book:

>This decisive victory gave judo's creator the chance to confirm that he was right about the importance of a set of techniques - like kuzushi - for putting an opponent off-balance in preparation for a throw. Any novice judoka knows that today. But at the time, for many people, the technique was a revelation. Jigoro Kano himself maintained that kuzushi was an important stage of a throw, since an opponent, even a more powerful one, can be overcome without too much effort after being properly off-balanced.

Nah man, just get the tap if you can get it. Just don't over think it. As a white I also tapped a lot of people who, as a blue now, I can't tap anymore. They lowered their game to allow me to develop my own. No more playing now, however.

When I started out, the first 3 months were hell while rolling. If you are doing better, that's good for you man! I just remember from my own experience that I had to survive against everyone but the higher belts gave me advice to get better. You should not give up on offence but you should also built a great foundation of defence. http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434 Is a great book. The white belt chapter is completely about surviving. I like it a lot. I believe Slideyfoot (look at the faq) has a complete review.

Depending on what she means by "slight idea of what's going on", that can be completely normal. Unless your academy has a special beginners program, it can often feel like you are being thrown in the deep end of the pool. With blinders on.

How do you keep going? Well, if you find it fun, that's a son enough, even if you have no clue what's going on. However, it might also help if you treat it a bit like a mystery where you slowly uncover clues and piece the big picture together in your head. Each little revelation can be a little reward in itself.

It may also help to pick up a book like Jiu Jitsu University so you can do a bit of study at home.

Slow down. When you train, challenge yourself to move smoothly, instead of quickly. You'll train a faster response by learning to move smoothly through your techniques than by rushing through the individual strikes and then having to pause and reset between each component. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Internalize that. Learn to slow things down.

Read. Pick up some Krav books if you haven't already; they're invaluable for reference. I use Complete Krav Maga and Black Belt Krav Maga by Worldwide, but there are several variations out there. Pick up Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller, as well. His insights are sobering and will help you learn to be a better fighter. It'll also strip away some of the ego you will inevitably start to develop a few months in.

Train with people who are better than you are, regardless of size or gender, as frequently as you can. You probably already know who these people are. Train also with people who are bigger and stronger than you are. Understand the difference between the two, and learn how it changes the dynamic.

And take care of your body. We don't talk about this enough, but your technique means nothing if your body is too weak from overtraining or undertraining or poor diet or lack of sleep to keep going to class. Make sure you're fueling your body so you're not getting injured.

And welcome to Krav.

I wouldn't bother too much with books at this stage. If you must get something interesting to read, I suggest the following -

• "Falling Hard" by Mark Law: it's a nice little travelogue into the world of judo
  
• "The Way of Judo" by John Stevens is a great historical re-account of the formation of judo
  
• "Judo Unleashed" by Neil Ohlenkamp makes a nice technical manual / coffee table book.
  
  
  You can get some other ideas here...but these are likely too technical at this stage for you
  
  http://www.bestjudo.com/page/1361/judo-book-reviews-rating
  
  
  If you absolutely must get something to watch, I recommend these for beginners.
  
  ​
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Judo-Combinations-Marc-Verilotte-D/dp/B0007Y4SSO
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zhqjkjgE9o
  
  ​
  
  They're basic enough to be helpful and interesting/complex enough to inspire you...but the English translation leaves sometimes is wanting.

Athletic tape is always a good choice for jiu jitsu. Also Rash guards (long sleeve) would be a good option if they told you a shirt size. Since they like intellectual interesting people maybe they would enjoy a book?

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Judo: Kashiwazaki, Fighting Judo (very expensive, but there's a pdf floating around online). Kashiwazaki was a Judo groundfighting specialist, so a lot of his throws are good entries to the ground.
If you have a favorite throw, the Masterclass series is pretty good series of books on a particular throw(https://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/R1V79SXX8HTVQD). If you like O-soto-gari, I recommend not only the Masterclass o-soto-gari book, but Yamashita's book "The Fighting Spirit of Judo" (https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Spirit-Judo-Yasuhiro-Yamashita/dp/1874572151).

Really solid read and yeah I mostly agree.

I'm just interested in what's effective. I think personally if you want to incorporate TMA into your style you should train, mma, Boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ, judo etc first then just pick out the nuggets of TMA you want later. Or you could find a fighter/trainer that has already mixed them like Duke Rufous or Rafael Cordeiro.

Like I don't need to be a 3rd degree TKD black belt to have a solid side kick or spinning heel hook kick.

Theres also the issue that not all TMA are created equal, like you're probably gonna have an easier time incorporating Kyokushin into your actual fighting than say Wing Chun because it's just more realistic.

Also would reccomend this and really anything written by Erich Krauss. Specifically his books covering Eddie Bravo.

I'm not 300 pounds, but I'm a bigger guy. Just a few points:

If you like o-soto and o-uchi, try harai and uchimata (as other people have pointed out). Yamashita's book might have some good tips for you: https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Spirit-Judo-Yasuhiro-Yamashita/dp/1874572151 . It's kind of expensive these days, but you might like similar things (since he's another big o-soto specialist).

The other part of that is that if you've been trying judo for three weeks, you have plenty of time to explore all sorts of throws. Yes, it's true that between seio-nage and o-goshi, seio-nage is probably the one you'll see more in contest. However, part of finding your judo is trying pretty much all the major throws and seeing how you like them.

Yamashita wrote that when he was training his coaches told him to avoid makikomi and sutemi-waza; they wanted him to be a heavyweight who fought like a middleweight. I have tried to avoid makikomi and sutemi-waza for these reasons and I think it's been helpful. Likewise if you have a hard time getting your hips in, tall people tend to like a drop knee seionage, but that can give you bad habits too.

Saulo Ribiero and Kevin Howell's Jiu Jitsu University is almost required reading. Click on "Search inside this book" under the book's cover pic to check out the contents.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Theory and Technique (by lots of big names) is also very well done.

Online, Stephan Kesting's Grapple Arts BJJ Techniques are very diverse and broken down incredibly well.

Cane Prevost's 20 week curriculum is some of the best fundamentals instruction I've seen. The focus on and details about posture alone are worth it for people of any rank.

In the end though, ask your instructor. He/she can explain it and then hopefully tell you how to drill a technique to integrate it into your game.

Side Note:

>Ari Bolden is a proven fraud

His early videos were a source of controversy. His newer videos feature big names (Keith Owen, Piet Wilhelm, others) and good technique breakdowns. I'm not defending his earlier actions in the least (I do not like people who misrepresent themselves either intentionally or through a smoke-screen), but I'm also willing to give him a some credit if his recent material is honest and productive for the community as a whole. The BJJ community never forgets, but that shouldn't get in the way of Keith Owen sharing his immense knowledge to a large existing audience. I'll defer to Keith if he has made the decision to give Ari some leeway.

/Side Note

Side Note 2: I just had a delicious sandwich.

That's a good recommendation. I’ve liked all of Beneville’s work, but his first book, “Passing the Guard,” remains my favorite. It was impossible to get until he came out with the second edition reprint.

While putting together this list, I was surprised by how many BJJ books from the past 10 years are out of print. Half of Kid Peligro’s books are unavailable, and you’ve probably seen used copies of “The Gracie Way” going for $50-100 on Amazon. Talking with Marshal Carper, a writer for Victory Belt who did Marcelo’s new book, he talked about how little longevity martial arts books get and how rare reprints are.

I am putting together a similar list of recommendations for DVDs, but there are so many advertising “from white to blue belt” that it’s going to take me a while to sort through them and make my final decisions. Roy Dean’s set is good though, and what I’ve seen of Kesting’s Roadmap DVDs is good too, but they are out of stock now.

haha. welcome to the grind my friend. there is so much to learn. yes, your experience is totally normal. get a copy of BJJ University.

it's a great book to help you get started.

Just take up another hobby and try not to obsess about mat time you're missing out on. I started playing DnD, that is a great time. I read BJJ University. I've been back about 2 months now. Just being patient and diligent about physical therapy is tough. I've since transitioned to more of a overall strength and conditioning focus. There is this magical time after you get going at physical therapy where you'll feel really good. You'll be back to drilling and it'll be going great, you'll have all your range of motion back and you'll probably feel like you can do a light round. Just take it slow dawg.

PS. The time off actually I think has helped my game. Time off isn't so terrible.

Came here to make sure this was mentioned. Derp, of course it is. It's a nice big book, textbook size with clear photos and great techniques.

Good deal on Amazon, 22 bucks and change. https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Someone mentioned a book by Neil Ohlencamp as being really good for improving one's Judo/Sambo game and being an all-around great read in regards to technique with principle.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Judo-Unleashed-Essential-Techniques-Intermediate/dp/0071475346

​

Also the Judo Master Series many have said are very Good Books for Judo/Sambo/Grappling.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Ups-Masterclass-Techniques-Robert-Walle/dp/1874572100/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=judo+pick+ups&qid=1556987181&s=books&sr=1-1-spell

Get ready to feel like you've been dropped in molasses. But once you get over the initial frustration you'll hopefully start enjoying the technical gripping game, and the chokes of course. Gi training is also helpful if you train with self defense in mind.

Book wise, Saulo Ribeiro's Jiu-Jitsu University is a really good blueprint.

Yes, buy a foam roller.

Also, doing jiu jitsu specific drills will certainly help in live rolling. Consider picking up

Andrew Galvao: Drill to Win: 12 Months to better Jiu Jitsu

I'd agree. I don't think anyone would be perfect at a low level. Specifically at level one we're even instructed that aggression can make up for a deficiency in technique. And of course after the 2 hour workout and the hour plus of drilling before we test, well, things can get a little sloppy... I really don't think you start seeing 'perfect' until the brown/black level, and I'd venture that holds across disciplines-not just for krav.

I can't say at what point my instructors would or wouldn't fail anyone, but perhaps KMW has a different standard for their level one students? Or maybe it is a different curriculum for that test?

I would be interested in seeing the list of techniques your organization (which is it, by the way?) tests for at level one. Ours is pretty much exactly what's in the yellow belt section of this book (great book by the way, I'd definitely recommend it): http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Krav-Maga-Self-Defense-Techniques/dp/1569755736

There's also a printed sheet my studio makes for each level that I have lying around somewhere... (I'll try to dig it up tomorrow).

Two resources that helped me, and continue to help me are:

Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro: When I started out, I read this a few times a week to make sure that my defensive posture was right, and it's helped prolong a lot of my rolls. Even as a blue belt my sub game is still pretty dire, but I feel confident in my ability to defend against people at my level.

Blue Belt Requirements by Roy Dean: This probably won't be of much help for someone starting out, but this helped supplement what I had learned in class in an easy-to-digest video. I bought this as a rough guide for training after my first comp at white belt, and it helped me realise some holes in my game to work on.

> What YouTube channels/books do your recommend/trust?

The holy bible of Jiu Jitsu

/u/StephanKesting has run GrappleArts and is a /r/bjj fan favourite around here - his blog and videos are very beginner-friendly.

Just be careful about devouring new stuff at the beginning. It's not easy to filter the good and the bad stuff at first.

> Would it be better to go bottom and work on my guard?

Honestly, when you're training with upper belts, you won't get much of a choice haha. Focus on learning proper movement, how to survive and control each position, and transition between them. Saulo's book has a phenomenal preamble to the white belt chapter that talks about how it's all about learning survival, and it rings very true.

How early are we talking? Helio wrote a book, but it's incredibly expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Gracie-Jiu-Jitsu-Helio/dp/0975941119

I like Renzo and Royler's book. It's the first BJJ book I bought, and while I think it's poorly organized, the details are solid, but not overwhelming. My favorite part about the book is John Danaher's preface. Worth getting.

http://www.amazon.com/Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-Theory-Technique/dp/1931229082

Not written by a Gracie, late or early, but the best intro to BJJ I have found:

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Here are a few good titles that come to mind. Some are older:

• Nei Jia Quan by Jess O'Brian
  
• Way of Hunyuan by Chen Zhonghua
  
• T'ai Chi's Ancestors translated by Douglas Wile
  
• Lost T'ai Chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty translated by Douglas Wile
  
• Xing Yi Quan Xue The Study of Form-Mind Boxing by Sun Lu Tang
  
• Xing Yi Nei Gong Xing Yi Health Maintenance and Internal Strength Development by Dan Miller and Tim Cartmell
  
• Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua by Lu Shengli
  
  They are fun to read, but no replacement for a good teacher.
  
  Enjoy!

Oh I’m sorry. I wasn’t clear I was referencing Drill to Win by Andre Galvao

Drill to Win: 12 Months to Better Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981504485/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d62GDbCB9BCB3

1)

• class is practice, not fighting. your primary goal should be to not get injured and not injure your training partners.
  
  
• be respectful.
  
  
• wash your Gi after every class
  
  
• never step off the mat barefoot
  
  

• Yes. Higher the belt the better.
  
  
• IMO you shouldn't even be rolling with white belts unless you're both 3+ stripe.
  
  3)
  
  >Mobility:
  
  
• All things Kelly Starrett
  
  
• https://www.youtube.com/user/sanfranciscocrossfit
  
  
• Limber 11
  
  
• http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask-joe/44-flexibilitymobility/302-joe-ds-qlimber-11q-flexibility-routine.html
  
  
• Ginastica Natural
  
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO-cTKL52Rk
  
  
• Yoga for MMA
  
  
• http://www.doyogawithme.com/yoga_programs
  
  >Conditioning:
  
  
• http://www.grapplearts.com/Blog/2012/03/conditioning-for-the-bjj-fighter/
  
  
• Anything Joel Jamieson
  
  
• http://www.8weeksout.com/
  
  >Study
  
  
• Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395885167&sr=8-1&keywords=jiu+jitsu+university
  
  
• The Path to the Black Belt by Rodrigo Gracie
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395885167&sr=8-1&keywords=jiu+jitsu+university

For entertainment value I recommend Don't Wear Your Gi To The Bar - interesting real world accounts & anecdotes especially good for the overzealous white belt

The techniques behind Lachlan and Danaher's insanely tight triangles definitely have some universal principles. Ryan Hall also popularized the hamstring curl method. However I think Neil Melanson's book Mastering Triangle Chokes covers their variations in really great detail. It won't break the bank like Danaher's dvd. It also came out in 2013 so it goes to show that this information has been out for a while now.

Everyone always recommends Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro http://www.amazon.com/dp/0981504434/
I don't have it myself but I was able to get it from my local library once (people always have it on hold), and it's pretty great.

Not being a dick, but how many fuckin books do you think Forrest Griffin has written?

The answer... two. And one of them is a "Suvival Guide to the Apocalypse" so I think you can guess which one it was. Lol :)

Edit: ok since that might have been a tad dickish I'll answer your question as well. The book is called Got Fight, 50 Zen principles of hand to face combat. Coauthored by Erich Krauss

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061721727/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_d_pO3jxb049PJ2A

The first thing I think of when I hear about people getting nauseous is dehydration. If you are not drinking in the 6-7 hours before class then you are certainly going to be dehydrated. Try drinking a lot more water during the day (I keep a glass next to me at work). And yeah, eat closer to class.

For reading: the go-to recommendation is always Saulo Ribero's Jiu Jitsu University: http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Best of luck!

Here.

As far as these things go, it's a pretty good book. He breaks down virtually all of the tangibles in his fighting system with decent written description together with exhaustive photos. What you won't get, and what I think you can't really get from a book, are the intangibles that allowed him to link it all together into a seamless whole. But take it for what it's worth. I feel like I definitely gained from it.

There's a book out there called Passing the Guard. It's excellent and is absolutely worth the money. The authors talk a lot about theory and the finer points of technique, and there are some obscure techniques in there that most people probably haven't seen.

I think that like everything else, the best choice is going to depend on your build and style and what he's used to defending against. Also, is this gi or no gi?

Good resources for white belts:

Free Books:
Stephan Kesting's A Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Free Videos:
Learning Strategies for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Stephan Kesting's 16 Most Important Techniques for the BJJ Beginner
John B. Will's 36 Core Techniques
Matt Serra's four-volume BJJ Basics

For Pay Books:
Saulo Ribeiro's Jiu-Jitsu University

For Pay Videos:
Jason Scully's Grapplers Guide
Rener and Ryron Gracie's Gracie Combatives
Roy Dean's Blue Belt Requirements, Samples Here

Nice! You won't regret it.

You might check out /r/bjj as well its got some nice resources for beginner's. If you think you might stick with it then I would look into buying this

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331152649&sr=8-1

It's pretty much the bjj bible.

I started BJJ a few months ago and recently discovered this sub. This is the first I'd heard of this book, so thank you for sharing, /u/Khulo! A quick search for it revealed a lot of praise, so I ventured over to Amazon and ordered it immediately. For others interested, the paperback version is currently at its lowest price ever on Amazon ($20.27). Figured that was worth mentioning!

Jiu Jitsu University not written by a Gracie but a fantastic "first BJJ book", pretty much a must have

Hello new convert, have you read the good book? It's a great place to start when you want to save your sweet neck from being strangled by sweaty strangers.

Keep your arms close to your body and learn to shrimp like a mofucka. Also, take tips/advice from other whitebelts with a grain of salt, except for me of course.

Mentions Danaher has a PhD from Columbia
http://fightland.vice.com/blog/in-the-racket-the-mystery-of-danaher

Book bio on Amazon mentioned Danaher has a PhD from Columbia
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Jujitsu-Martial-Arts-Series/dp/0736044043

My instructor received his black belt with Danaher and constantly speaks of his philosophies on strategy and branching in Jiu Jitsu. My instructor still trains with Danaher, GSP, and other Renzo team members and was a coach for GSP and Danaher during season 10 of TUF.

Yes, I agree with OP in a sense that you are learning how to solve puzzles and through drilling and muscle memory making decisions under duress that are inline with the strategy you have planned and are attempting to implement while changing and adjusting tactics. Is Nick Diaz a scholar? No, but he does have a high fight IQ and understanding of his sport, just like an illiterate person could be a very talented musician. Just like how a chess master may have a high IQ, but low emotional or social IQ.

There's no definitive source of fundamentals, b/c you'll never get a variety of people to agree on what constitutes fundamentals.

That said, Jiu Jitsu University is a good place to start.

Also, you can do searches on youtube for things like "jiu jitsu mount basics", "jiu jitsu guard basics", etc.

The best answer is to ask your instructor what he/she thinks are the fundamentals.

Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro

Almost a must read for any new student imo. The focus on positional postures and whys is especially under taught imo.

Also you can take it to the mats and look at it while drilling. Also it's pretty cheap compared to DVD series.

If I had to recommend one DVD series it would be Demian Maia's Science of JiuJitsu. (Saulo also had a really amazing gi series, whose name I forget.)

Wheres slideyfoot?

I read "Jiu Jitsu on the Brain" by Mark Johnon before I started. It will give you great framing for the mindset you will need in the world of bjj. Its also a short read that you can surely finish over holiday (probably on the plane).

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Brain-Mark-Johnson-ebook/dp/B006V5AFYE

When I first started I bought this book to help me get past the awkwardness of being a noob.

A few key points I took away, that have really helped me:

Each belt has a purpose, white you learn to be invincible. You focus on learning out to defend each position. Then you learn to escape those positions. So you should be focused on survival.

Learn to get comfortable in uncomfortable positions.

Learn to tap early, and tap often. There's no sense hurting yourself.

And outside of sparing, never be afraid to ask questions. Even during sparing you can say, "hey that was awesome, can you show me that after class?"

Try to get a curriculum list, which you can then use to look up youtube videos that demonstrate each listed technique. Sometimes you'll find a video from a different federation which will offer a variation on how your federation does a particular defense, which is always cool.

For KMW there is a book. The curriculum was heavily updated recently, so I would expect to see a new edition soon with all the updates. Still most everything KMW tests on is in it.

I'll sometimes browse through it at night to recap a technique we did that day, or to look up something I haven't done in awhile.

Not much else though. The best stuff is on Youtube, like AJ Draven's series he does for KMW.

Focus on the basics, you won't be able to get the advances fancy stuff until you master the basics.
Pick up Jiu Jitsu Univeristy by Saulo Riberio. It's $25, and will the best thing to ever happen to your BJJ game. The white and blue belt section will be helpful RN and will save frustration. It'll tell you how to position your body so that you can survive (bc you will be on bottom a lot), tells you common mistakes to avoid, and then goes into escapes. http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Drill a lot, drill what you learn in class, (hopefully your school has a beginner program, so you'll be learning relevant stuff to your skill level) Ask for feedback after every roll, anything you could work on, or ask them watt they felt that you did good.
Roll with higher belts, ask for help. They've been doing this for a while, pry their knowledge and maybe ask what some basic escapes are from a certain position that you keep getting stuck in.
Go to Open Mat. Open mat is the best time of the week, you get to roll for 2 hours straight. You can drill, roll, or just hang out for a couple hours, working on some part of your game. This is probably where the most improvement will happen as you are putting in some solid mat time here.
For Gis? Don't go all out and buy the $420 Lucky Hemp Gi. http://luckygi.miiduu.com/lucky-gi-hemp-tzar
Hell, don't ever but that actually.
Stay cheap, if the academy has an affiliate or a school GI, ex. Gracie Barra, then you should buy that, if not then I can recommend Killer Bee GIs. They are cheap, high quality, great customer service.
http://www.killerbeegi.com/
I recommend the Scutellata GI Top, and the Drill Cotton Gi Pants. For a total that will be $125. That's a steal considering the quality of the GI, also Jessi usually has some sort of promotion going on, so you can find a coupon code for some even extra cash off.
Overall, just keep showing up to class, more mat time equals more improvement RN. Don't be a spaz, and slam someone in guard..

It's called Gracie University. Sounds like a reasonable plan.

Alternatively, you could get a great video or book and follow the lesson plan in that. Something like Jiu Jitsu University or the Gracie Barra Fundamentals video ($50 for a 16 week curriculum on 4 DVDs).

Check out the Jiu-Jitsu University book, it has a whole section on survival and what to do (and what not to do) in situations

EDIT: Link to book https://www.amazon.com.au/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Woo the price has certainly increased, it used to be like $25

Galvao has a book which includes both solo and partner drills - http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Win-Months-Brazillian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/0981504485

Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood has a video of solo "animal" movements that I love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJk_OEO5MU

The other thing I do when I'm off the mat for awhile is to keep watching videos of the basics/fundamentals while I'm out so at least I have rehearsed in my mind what all the details are for the stuff I already know how to do. I really like the videos by Saulo Ribeiro, Xande Ribeiro, and Ze Mario for this purpose, but there's plenty of free stuff on YouTube if you're not looking to invest in a DVD set.

i hope you get back into it in some way. The Martial Arts subreddits here are quite helpful.

A book also recently came out which you might find interesting.

Consider the book Pick-ups (Judo Masterclass Techniques) by Robert van de Walle. I haven't read this particular one but I've enjoyed others in the series. They're quite well made.

Could I get one or two more recommendations? I'm still on the fence...



Just kidding. I'm buying the book today. It sounds awesome. Link for anyone else interested: The book

I re-read your original comment -- "zero grappling experience" and "I don't always know what I'm looking at or what it means."

You should buy Jiu-Jitsu University.

You start with survival. Get through your training rounds without tapping (i.e., without getting caught; if you get caught, tap of course!). Keep your elbows tight, protect your collar, keep your back to the mat.

But that book -- Jiu-Jitsu University -- will really help you.

I just got Jiu-Jitsu University and absolutely love it. And you are correct, the white belt section is just survival positions.

I don't really know what the other sections are focused on as I am not going to read them until I have the corresponding belt.

Like what do you mean by angles? It might have been evident to you but the description you provided is hard to offer advice.


A book since you asked
https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

It's awesome imo

• Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro
  
• Drill to Win: 12 months to better BJJ by Andre Galvao
  
• Mastering Jujitsu by Renzo Gracie and John Donaher
  
• Passing the Guard by Ed Beneville
  
• Marcelo Garcia video clips

Practice makes perfect. As you said you only have 2 lessons behind you, upper belts having their way with you is par for the course. If you keep going you will get better. In the meantime order this book, it'll point you in the right direction.

Some books:

• Jingwu
  
• Chinese martial arts from antiquity
  
• Sword polisher's record
  
• Research of martial arts
  
• Chinese martial arts manuals
  
• The Shaolin Monastery
  
  
  Fairly sure that Qi Magazine can now be accessed online for free, and the Journal of Baguazhang.

They just did a new printing and it's like 27 bucks now. I grabbed it just because I know at some point I'm going to want to get dope with it, and this is the cheapest it's gonna get. Did finish my first triangle in ages though, so thumbs up.

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Triangle-Chokes-Submission-Grappling/dp/193660809X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496117512&sr=8-1&keywords=mastering+the+triangle

The whole asshole thing is possible. I'm super friendly, but I'm sure there's a handful of people who only took away negative impressions of me from short interactions, and if I was famous they'd remember "Oh yeah so and so is a dick," whenever I was mentioned.

spoiler alert... this book is a great reference but won't give you that boost that you're looking for.

This book impacted my judo more so than the Kodokan Judo book: https://www.amazon.com/Judo-Unleashed-Essential-Techniques-Intermediate/dp/0071475346/ref=pd_day0_b_14_4/147-9403292-3359160?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0071475346&pd_rd_r=74bde955-5aee-11e9-93ae-4b1193112941&pd_rd_w=lgbd7&pd_rd_wg=Ydmns&pf_rd_p=b21f843a-654c-40f8-899e-282283dbe728&pf_rd_r=Y9GJ0NH6EDCV7XJ73F1T&psc=1&refRID=Y9GJ0NH6EDCV7XJ73F1T

hmmm. Not sure about videos for beginners, but this is what I give all of my friends I convince to start BJJ https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Books could be cool.
Jiu-Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro is relatively cheap and a great resource.
http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Immutable-Principles-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/1514109328

Great read with several metaphors to consider (IE rolling as a chess match) as well as breakdowns of different core principles (position, posture, pressure)

Jiu Jitsu University is a great starter book as many have suggested, then i'd highly recommend going on to the Guard series by Ed Beneville and Joe Moreira. They are comprehensive and incredibly detailed, the only trouble is finding them on sale at a decent price.

http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Guard-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-Techniques/dp/0972109765/ref=pd_sim_b_2

Check out Neil Melanson’s book “Mastering Triangle Chokes”.

His setups are awesome, but the biggest take away for me - and this applies to all sub setups, not just triangles - is his philosophy of giving your opponent a problem to solve. Their reaction to solving that problem will have them give you the setup.

Here’s Neil demoing this - hand choke setup for the triangle.

Ryan Hall calls this “your money or your life”. The hip bump triangle is an example of this. The hip bump forces them to post, to prevent getting swept. Posting puts their arm a long way from their body, giving you the leg-through triangle setup.

Anyone who has been doing bjj for more ham a few months will recognize undisguised and unforced setups a mile away, and shut them down.

Bruce Lee pretty much invented MMA. His style was called Jeet Kune Do. He took the best parts about each form of fighting and incorporated it into one style. https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Jeet-Kune-Do-Expanded/dp/0897502027

Jonathan Bluestein put together Research of the Martial Arts a few years ago, which looks pretty interesting:

https://www.amazon.com/Research-Martial-Jonathan-Bluestein-Shifu/dp/1499122519/

I highly recommend Galvao's book on movement and strength drills. http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Win-Months-Brazillian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/0981504485

While you'll need some coaching from upper-belts at your school to critique your movement (it's hard to see/feel if you're doing them right), you'll be able to design a script of drills for yourself to fix all of your jiu jitsu shortcomings.

As a Christian, I am obligated to mention the Bible.

Complete Krav Maga is very good as well: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Krav-Maga-Self-Defense-Techniques/dp/1569755736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334774982&sr=8-1

This is a good read for first timers humorous and informative
http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Brain-Mark-Johnson-ebook/dp/B006V5AFYE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

A couple ideas:

Jiu-Jitsu University ~$25 ( http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434 ) One of the best overall BJJ books around. Very detailed, and useful at a number of levels of the game.

If you know what size your person is, you could go the mystery rashguard route: ( http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=32101&cat=417&page=1 )

You can also keep an eye on bjjhq.com - sometimes they have sick deals on rashguards or other bjj related accessories.

Paulo Guillobel book is awesome! Paulo Guillobel

Mark Hunt: Born to fight

Forrest Griffin: Got Fight?, Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down

John McCarthy: Let's Get It On!

Stich Duran: From the Fields to the Garden

Chuck Liddell: Iceman

John Kavanagh: Win or Learn

Brian Stann: Heart for the Fight

Chael Sonnen: The Voice of Reason

Bruce Buffer: It's Time!: My 360-Degree View of the UFC

GSP: The Way of the Fight

Jeremy Stephens: Who the fook is that guy?!

Thanks for the advice, and as for learning Krav on your own-- There is a book available written by Darren Levine, called Complete Krav Maga that I have have, which is great; especially for review. Darren does a great job thoroughly going through the curriculum, but like anything else, could never match having an instructor. I'm sure teaching yourself some of the level 1 techniques, such as basic combatives and proper fight stance correctly is possible. However, any of the more advanced techniques such as ground fighting and especially weapon defenses/combatives, having a teacher's supervision is crucial.

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367553325&sr=8-1&keywords=saulo+ribeiro

It's a great book, although it's entirely gi-focused (I do no-gi roughly three to five times as much as I do gi). Chapters are broken down into belts, and each belt is themed.

White Belt is survival.
Blue Belt is the guard.
Purple Belt is sweeps.
Brown Belt is top game or something.
Black Belt is submissions.

Obviously Jiujistu isn't really taught like that in class (if you don't learn sweeps until purple belt, you are probably not at a good gym), but I think that the way the book is organized nicely outlines Saulo Ribeiro's philosophy on what to prioritize in each skill level.

What I find helpful:

http://www.bjjlegends.com/maps/whitebeltmindmap_files/whitebeltmindmap.html

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

http://secure.gracieacademy.com/categories/dvds/GSD-GCDVD.html (they catch a lot of flak for various reasons, but I like this a whole lot to supplement class).

Are there any Krav Maga books that you would recommend?

I used to do Tae Kwon Do (for fitness, flexibility etc not self defense) I am looking to get back into something but with more of a focus on self defense.

How about:

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1569755736?tag=kramagtorfigf-20&camp=213385&creative=390985&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1569755736&adid=0FEAABCS2DVJZEMH21MH&

Saulo Ribiero's Jiu Jitsu University is a great resource for all things BJJ. It goes through many many individual moves, and also covers the general theory so you can adapt to whatever situation arrises.

He's quite well-known for judo- he has been a black belt since 1970, is a former champion and has co-authored a judo manual.

Like /u/farkoman noted, high dans are about politics and general "life achievement", probably. Putin is a very visible character and widely known of practicing judo, so that alone probably would count. I think he also has written a few books about self-defense, amongst them at least this book about judo. (Yes - he's not the only author, so there is a chance he's the first author for celebrity power.)

I recommend as well. Here it is on Amazon

Pick up a book called BJJ university. Its fantastic and will give you all the essentials you need to survive on the ground.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jiu-jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Boy, do I have a surprise for you.

The Jiu-Jitsu University is the most comprehensive book to date on BJJ.

Touching many topics of Newaza along the way.

Free: Stephan Kesting's Roadmap to BJJ e-book (requires newsletter sign-up)

For monies: Jiu-jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro

Complete Krav Maga is the book that I have, and very good it is too.

Read the book: Jiu-Jitsu on the Brain by Mark Johnson. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006V5AFYE.

I got my copy on kindle. Inexpensive and insightful. It explains a lot of what to expect when you start training, including some really good etiquette advice.

Here's another short one that makes for good beach/vacation reading and slow mental marination: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Immutable-Principles-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/1514109328/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D0DXFH28CDMJWW032VEG

That White Belt to Blue Belt book helped me form some good training habits (like keeping a journal); this one articulates core principles in BJJ. For me this was important, because it's hard for me to remember all the details of every move and technique that the prof. teaches in class, and this book provided the skeleton on which all these techniques hang. Often before, I wouldn't understand the point of certain details of techniques and sequences, but after reading this, I had a much more solid conceptual framework that helped me "fill in the blanks" on things that I didn't understand before or details that I straight up forgot from other techniques.

So it's helped me make more sense of a lot of stuff that I've seen, specific, actionable areas in which I was/am weak, and understand new stuff much faster.

Here you go, video source

Forrest's books:

Got Fight?

Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down

You need to buy Saulos book:
http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

It will explain a lot. It is a go to encyclopedia of bjj. I really wish I had bought it sooner. You should just study the first and second chapter for now.

Buy this book!

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

It seriously should be issued to all new white belts. It'll teach you techniques to survive when you first start. I found it extremely helpful!

fedor's is actually good.

fedor

here's a good one for grapplers

Checking it out now, thanks.

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

These are 3 Historical Picks, they're not amazingly entertaining.

Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) - https://www.amazon.com/Choque-Untold-Jiu-Jitsu-Brazil-1856-1949/dp/1491226366

Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil Volume 2, 1950-1960 (History of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1999) - https://www.amazon.com/Choque-Untold-Jiu-Jitsu-Brazil-1856-1949/dp/1491226366

The Toughest Man Who Ever Lived - https://www.amazon.com/Toughest-Man-Who-Ever-Lived-ebook/dp/B004ZLYX3A


Technique Book:

Jiu-Jitsu University - https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Links to amazon are strictly because they are usually the most universally available place and a trusted distributor, buy them wherever you can.

Jiu-jitsu University
by Saulo Ribeiro might be helpful if it's not a bit too stylistically specific.

For concepts, I liked Paulo Guillobel's
Mastering The 21 Immutable Principles Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1514109328/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

It's a short book all based on concepts

Yes, each technique is presented as a sequence of pictures, sometimes from two different angles. Take a look here. You can click on 'LOOK INSIDE' to see some sample pages.

People have been grappling since the beginning of time. This would be the intro volume. I recommend BJJ University

edit: grammar

I have and throughly recommend the following:

Jiu-Jitsu University

Drill to Win

Advanced Brazilian Jiujitsu Techniques

I highly recommend Jiu Jitsu University by Saulo Ribeiro. Practice what your instructors show you, but focus on the white belt stuff in the book daily. At this point, you're basically just wanting to learn to survive.
Focus on the [positional hierarchy] (http://www.beginningbjj.com/BJJ%20Roadmap%201.3.pdf) for strategy (thanks awesome redditor Stephen Kesting for the ebook,) hip escapes, re-guarding, and threatening basic submissions for like the first year, and you'll lose 80% of the anxiety

This is a wonderful book to have around. Very detailed information and pictures with nearly every throw, choke and armlock; as well as philosophical information, a brief history and some tips on solo training.

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Triangle-Chokes-Submission-Grappling/dp/193660809X

Ask, and ye shall receive. It was out of print when i first looked for it, but last week, this appeared in my Amazon feed. New editions, ~$26.

Sitting beside me while I'm in work today;

x1 Blue Belt.

x1 Ankle brace/sock thing.

x1 Manto Shorts.

x1 Grey Lidl (or maybe Aldi) Rashguard/Compression top.

x1 Black Lidl (or Aldi) Spats/Compression leggings.

x1 Red T-shirt.

x1 Black tracksuit pants

x1 Red Flipflops

x1 Gumshield

x2 Grip tape

x1 Padlock and key

x1 1L bottle of water

x1 Mastering Triangle Chokes

x1 Bag of Jelly babies.

x? Multiple plasters of various sizes

x1 Pair of runners

Only difference is if it's gi or (tonight) no-gi.

https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Immutable-Principles-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/1514109328/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502287280&sr=8-2&keywords=Jiu+jitsu+book


Mastering The 21 Immutable Principles Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Handbook for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Students

was a good read. Kinda quick but has a lot of decent info in there for us white belts.

bruce lee mentions this in his book. to truly achieve mastery of something you need to reach a point where there is no longer conscious thought of the action

I second corduroyblack's advice. If you want some reading material to review techniques between classes, I recommend Complete Krav Maga and Black Belt Krav Maga.

Again, nothing beats practice, and you won't learn by reading alone.

I really doubt it, Victory Belt was/is a pretty small publisher- for a while it was a hard enough to find an English version of some their books. Is there any Russian BJJ books? I am sure there is a shitload of good and bad Judo books in Russian written or not written by Putin.

https://amzn.com/1556434456

Jackson's MMA: The Stand Up Game

Jackson's MMA: The Ground Game

I have the Stand Up Game book, and the techniques are very well shot and explained. It includes striking, but also clinch work and takedowns. I imagine the Ground Game book would be of similar quality.

Neil Melanson's Mastering Triangle Chokes

​

Hopefullly its cheaper somewhere else then Amazon: https://imgur.com/a/5UExkq9

​

For those who dont want to hit the link:

Amazon has it listed for: 3,214.79

Jiu-Jitsu University By Saulo Ribiero has a very in depth guide to escapes and survival positions this book is a MUST for beginners

My go to books other than Kodokan Judo are the Canon of Judo by Kuyozo Mifune and Judo Unleashed by Neil Ohlenkamp.

I think it was the intro to this:

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Jujitsu-Martial-Arts-Series/dp/0736044043

https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Jeet-Kune-Do-Expanded/dp/0897502027

Yoink.

...I don't think it is - I just checked:

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?crid=SS7TAS1J1XCS&keywords=bjj+university&qid=1568894251&sprefix=bjj+un%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-1

as of posting, its $22.83

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

In before Saulo Ribeiro's Jiujitsu University

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

http://www.grapplearts.com/the-16-most-important-techniques-for-the-bjj-beginner/

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452780727&sr=8-1&keywords=university+of+jiu+jitsu

Get this book: Jiu-Jitsu University

https://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434/ref=sr_1_1?crid=A2PG8M8L4R5C

And practice everything in the white belt chapter. It is appropriately titled "Survival". The blue belt chapter is "Escapes".

The only thing I can think of to explain this at multiple levels is the intro in the book Jiu Jitsu University.