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If there's one submission every white belt learns in their first few weeks, it's the armbar from closed guard. It's simple enough to drill on day one, but the details separate a "close call" from a finish that works against a resisting opponent. Here's what to focus on.

Walk into our academy on any given evening and you'll see something interesting: a nine-year-old drilling an escape next to a forty-five-year-old rolling with a teenager. Jiu-Jitsu has a way of bringing people together across age and ability — and the benefits go far beyond learning to fight.For KidsJiu-Jitsu teaches children discipline in a way that sticks. Every class requires listening, patience, and respect for a partner's safety, and those habits carry over into the classroom and home. Kids also build real confidence — not from bravado, but from knowing they can handle a tough spot, whether that's a physical struggle on the mat or a hard moment off it. And because BJJ is fundamentally about problem-solving under pressure, it sharpens focus and resilience in a way few other youth activities can match.For AdultsFor grown-ups, Jiu-Jitsu offers a rare combination: a serious workout and a mental reset in the same hour. It's a full-body strength and cardio session disguised as a game of human chess. Many students say the mat is the one place they can't think about work — because if your mind wanders, your training partner will happily remind you. Beyond fitness, it builds a genuine sense of community. Progress is slow and shared, and that turns training partners into real friends.For EveryonePerhaps the biggest benefit is the built-in feedback loop. Jiu-Jitsu doesn't let ego go unchecked — the mat has a way of humbling you and teaching patience with the process. Students learn to lose gracefully, adjust, and come back sharper. That mindset is as useful in life as it is in competition.Whether you're looking for a confidence boost for your child, a new way to stay in shape, or a community that keeps you accountable, there's a place for you on our mats. Come try a class — no experience necessary.

Just because you end up in the top position doesn't necessarily mean the fight is over. If you have a bigger, stronger opponent below you, keeping the mount can be a seriously tough task. The threat of being bucked off or bench-pressed to the side is very real, and you're not going to have the same level of strength to resist with force. Watch Rener and Ryron Gracie teach the proper way to maintain your dominant position using Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals, no matter how much larger or stronger your attacker may be.

This is why we do Jiu-Jitsu! Watch a trained bystander spring into action when a would-be kidnapper attempts to abduct a young girl eating lunch with her mom in broad daylight! Rener and Eve Gracie also offer some tips on how to prepare yourself and your child for the worst-case scenario.

​Many dismiss the value of cross-chokes for self-defense, seeing as the standard variation doesn't work with an opponent in a t-shirt. While the standard cross-choke works great for any bad guy wearing a jacket, coat, or other top with 2 thick, grip-able lapels, there are many ways to modify the choke for use with a t-shirt. In this highlight from a Gracie Street Choke Seminar, Rener and Ryron show how to perform a killer ezekiel-style choke variation from the bottom of Guard, with an opponent wearing a tee.

​Watch Rener narrate his sparring session with 4 black belts after his super-seminar in South Korea.