Open Lessons

Take this master class from Renzo Gracie where he shows a few attacks from the open guard. 

Watch this spectacular attack starting from the bottom of the mount position. Learn how to combine the escape from the mount with a foot lock!

Stay one step ahead of your opponents with this combo. Learn an efficient way to pull guard and how to combine it with a basic sweep.

Two things are taught here: a scenario of evolution, and how important your positioning is in order to prevent your opponent from knowing your true intentions.

São Paulo, março de 2022. Após dar um seminário para cerca de 60 atletas (a maioria faixas-pretas) na Gracie School, Renzo foi descansar um pouco antes da noite de autógrafos de sua biografia RENZO GRACIE: UMA VIDA HERÓICA, que seria lançada naquela noite (evento que reuniu mais de 300 atletas e fãs, ansiosos por um autógrafo e uma foto). 
Mas é claro que não houve descanso algum...
No cenário informal do apartamento do mestre Victor Faracini (faixa-preta pelas mãos de Ryan Gracie), um pequeno grupo de estudantes de Jiu-Jitsu pôde conversar com Renzo e lhe fazer perguntas, em um clima descontraído.
As respostas do mestre esclarecem pontos interessantes relacionados a uma série de aspectos da luta e do treinamento, e por isso as compartilhamos nesta série de vídeos.

PERGUNTA: É possivel prever os movimentos de um adversário?

RENZO: É uma coisa engraçada: quando você se torna um bom lutador, você consegue ler as pessoas de um modo completamente diferente... Você enxerga coisas que as pessoas normais nunca vão ver.

Uma conversa informal com o mestre em um apartamento em São Paulo, em março de 2022.

PERGUNTA: Qual a diferença entre o Jiu-Jitsu para autodefesa nas ruas e o Jiu-Jitsu competitivo no tatame?

RENZO: A diferença é o instinto, a intensidade, o espírito de luta. Numa briga nas ruas, sua vida depende disso, a vida de pessoas que você ama dependem de você... Raras vezes eu vi pessoas num ambiente de competição com a mesma atitude necessária em uma situação real.

Uma conversa informal com o mestre em um apartamento em São Paulo, em março de 2022.

PERGUNTA: Como ajustar o mindset antes de uma competição?

RENZO: O mais importante é adotar uma postura dominante. Quando você impõe um jogo dominante, seu oponente começa a enfraquecer mentalmente...

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: Have you ever had to change your strategy in the middle of a fight?
 
RENZO: You always need to be prepared and open to changes in strategy during combat. You come in with a plan and the opponent doesn't act as you imagine... If you don't open your mind, as happened recently with one of my nephews... He hasn't changed, he hasn't adapted. And that cost him the fight.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: Should I train every day?
 And weight lifting, is it important for a Jiu-Jitsu fighter?
 
RENZO: Training every day is extremely important - because then fighting becomes a natural thing for your body. You will create a body design structurally prepared to face any challenge. And about bodybuilding: it changed my game on the mat and it changed my life too. I owe a lot to weight lifting.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: Could you give me some tips on how to make my game improve faster?
 
RENZO: The fastest way to become a better fighter is to pass on what you know to other students; is to help those who know less than you. Transmitting knowledge, helping others - this is one of the key points for rapid evolution.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.

QUESTION: You were never a fan of trash talking before your fights. What do you think of this strategy of psychological destabilization of the opponent?

RENZO: Respect is everything. You need to get people's attention for your talent. Weak men are the ones who like to talk nonsense the most...

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: Can a person start training Jiu-Jitsu after age 40? 
 
RENZO: I have students who started at 70 and who are still in the gym, loving being on the mat... The beauty of Jiu-Jitsu is that you're never old enough that you can't train and thereby improve every aspect of your life.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: After a lifetime dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu, do you still discover new possibilities, strikes and techniques?
 
RENZO: Jiu-Jitsu is something very complex... I thought that the day I received my black belt, I would know everything! In fact, I only really started to understand the art after that moment... It was only after black belt that the real learning started for me.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: What do Jiu-Jitsu and running a business have in common? 
 
RENZO: The complexity of Jiu-jitsu transcends everything that exists in terms of business management. That's why a good fighter can run any kind of business with great efficiency.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: What are the main differences between Jiu-Jitsu with and without gi?
 
RENZO: You will be a better fighter if you train in kimono. Because it will make things more difficult for you - and when you go to fight without the gi, it will be as if you have an open avenue in front of you...

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: How to regain self-confidence after a defeat?
 
RENZO: After a defeat, some athletes give up, they never compete again... This is a very naive attitude. I do not accept defeat. I understand that defeat is just a lesson that life gives me, and that I needed to learn at that moment in my trajectory.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: How do you know when to defend and when to attack?
 
RENZO: When your defense improves, your self-confidence grows amazingly. And that's when you free your game to seek a submission.

An informal conversation with the master in an apartment in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2022.
 
QUESTION: How can someone with a limited technical repertoire beat a more experienced opponent?
 
RENZO: The only way is through the right strategy, combined with an absolutely focused mind.

Professor Luca Atala demonstrate specific situations from the closed guard

When your opponent uses one grip tight on the collar and another grip on your pants. Professor Luca Atala shows strategies to brake the grip and advance the position

When your opponent control your hips with tight parallel grips. Professor Luca Atala shows strategies to deal with this particular situation.

Professor Luca Atalla shows strategies to deal with the opponents collar and pants grips while inside the closed guard.

Professor Luca Atalla shows strategies to deal with the opponents collar and pants grips while inside the closed guard.

When your opponent is controlling with two grips on the collar and is only looking for stall the game. Professor Luca Atalla shows you a move to advance the closed guard position.

Following up the situational training from the closed guard professor Luca Atalla demonstrate the attack possibilities from the strategic progression of the closed guard.