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How to Defend Against Ground and Pound

November 18, 2021 By Self Defense Tutorials

Ground and Pound Defense in MMA and Self Defense

One of the central concepts of using the guard for self defense is to either keep your opponent very close or very far away. When he's very close it's hard for him to generate enough power for a knockout shot. And if he's very far away then his punches simply can't reach you. It's the middle ground that gets you killed. This is where punches reach their full KO power, … [Read more...]

BJJ vs Boxing

November 13, 2019 By Stephan Kesting

trapping the hand during ground and pound

A question came up on a recent Instagram Live Q&A I did about a streetfight video in which a 'boxer' beat up a 'jiu-jitsu guy'. This was a great entry point into a really interesting discussion about the street applicability of BJJ, the importance of cross training in today's martial arts environment, and specific drills BJJ guys should be doing if they want their art to … [Read more...]

Kicking from the Ground – How to Do It Properly!

March 12, 2019 By Stephan Kesting

sidekick from the ground

Many self defense systems teach that if you get knocked down to the ground you should get into a defensive position on your side. From there you should then lash out at your opponent with sidekicks to keep him away. In this article and video I'll show how staying on your side when you're knocked down is mostly an outmoded technique and that there are much better options … [Read more...]

The Simplest Guard Pass for Self Defense and MMA

February 1, 2019 By Stephan Kesting

Fedor Guard Pass and Smash

In the old days, two guys fighting would typically back up, square off, and swing for the fences until one of them went down. The whole idea of taking the fight to the ground, passing the guard, securing a good position, and using ground and pound to finish a fight or set up a submission would have been considered ludicrous. But the popularity of MMA and BJJ have done a … [Read more...]

The BJJ Guard for Self Defense… on Your Phone!

January 14, 2019 By Stephan Kesting

The Self Defense Guard in an iPhone

I've just released the Self Defense Guard as a 2 module instructional for iPhone and Android. It covers the techniques and strategies from the bottom of guard that are most useful in a real fight.  From defending yourself against strikes, to getting back to your feet, to choking your opponent out or sweeping him and getting on top, it's all covered here. (Watch the video … [Read more...]

BJJ Punch Defense Using a T Shirt Grip

August 28, 2018 By Stephan Kesting

defending punches with the t shirt grip

I've said it many times... BJJ is a great sport, a fun fitness activity and a fantastic way to make friends, but at it's core it's a martial art! And one of the things that 'martial art' means is being able to defend against punches. And one of the most important places to defend punches from is when you're on the bottom, in the guard. Why the Guard? On the ground it's … [Read more...]

Getting Back to Your Feet From the Ground

June 2, 2018 By Stephan Kesting

getting back to your feet from the ground

If you're talking about sport jiu-jitsu tactics then pulling guard and fighting an entire match from the bottom position can make total sense. But in a real fight, where punches, kicks, and stomps are being used, you definitely DON'T want to spend one second more than necessary in the guard position. You want to submit, sweep or standup as fast as possible! Today's … [Read more...]

New Release: The Self Defense Guard with Elliott Bayev and Stephan Kesting

May 26, 2018 By Stephan Kesting

Self Defense Guard Trapsheet with Elliott Bayev

I've been working on it for a LONG time, but the 'Self Defense Guard' is finally live at Self Defense Tutorials! This is a really in-depth instructional about how to use the guard in a self defense situation. In a real fight there is always the chance that you're going to end up on the bottom.  And if that happens the guard could save your life. But fighting off your … [Read more...]

The Fastest Way to Stay Safe on the Ground

May 23, 2017 By Stephan Kesting

How to learn BJJ Fast

If you’re interested in self defense in the modern era  then it’s absolutely essential to have at least some BJJ skills. While no one wants to start a fight on the ground, the fact is that ground happens. A larger opponent could tackle you to the ground… A wannabe tough guy who has watched too many UFC fights might take you down… You could get your legs kicked out from … [Read more...]

5 Most Important Self Defense Lessons from Jiu-Jitsu

December 2, 2016 By Stephan Kesting

Grappling for self defense

Why You Need a Basic Knowledge of Grappling Of course there's more to self defense than grappling, but at the same time if you're interested in self defense in the modern age then you absolutely must have a basic understanding of the ground game. In addition to grappling you also need to understand striking ranges, the basics of weaponry and weapons defense, situational … [Read more...]

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SELF DEFENSE TUTORIALS

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Recent Articles

Illegal but Effective Combat Sports Techniques

Too Deadly for Boxing, MMA and BJJ: Illegal but Effective Combat Sport Techniques

Many people learn martial arts to learn how to handle themselves in a real fight. But many martial arts are sports and sports have rules while street fights don’t. That means many things happen in fights that aren’t allowed in certain martial arts. Although it started out as “no-holds-barred”, mixed martial arts has rules today. […]

The 4 Deceptions to Set Up Your Knockout Strike

If you want to knock people out then you’ve got to use deception, duplicity, and subterfuge to set those big fight-ending shots. In fact having good strategies to set up your attack can go a long way to compensate for many physical deficiencies. It’s exactly what the famous world full contact Karate champion Bill ‘Superfoot’ […]

Is the black belt sacred?

It’s Just a Belt Folks….

This is just your daily reminder that a black belt is a symbol of the amount of training someone has put into a martial art. But just because something is a symbol does not mean it’s a sacred object. It’s just a piece of cloth. Furthermore, the fact that a person has a black belt […]

The skip knees on wall drill

A Drill to Make Multiple Knee Strikes Powerful and Instinctive

The knee strike is one of the most powerful shots you can throw. A good knee to the groin, the torso, or the head can drop any attacker. But if one knee is good then more are better! The classic Muay Thai ‘skip knee’ attack involves you throwing multiple knee shots in quick succession until […]

Recent Articles

  • Too Deadly for Boxing, MMA and BJJ: Illegal but Effective Combat Sport Techniques
  • The 4 Deceptions to Set Up Your Knockout Strike
  • It’s Just a Belt Folks….
  • A Drill to Make Multiple Knee Strikes Powerful and Instinctive
  • Five Rear Bearhug Counters

ARTICLE INDEX

  • Advanced Tutorials (2)
  • Conditioning (11)
  • Featured (117)
  • Firearms (3)
  • Grappling (43)
  • Lethal Force (6)
  • Martial Arts Mythbusting (7)
  • Mindset (22)
  • Product Reviews (2)
  • Self Defense Basics (90)
  • Self Defense Tutorials (6)
  • Striking (50)
  • Weapons (19)

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