Book Reviews: Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard and Mastering the Twister
When Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard (MTRG) was released a year ago, a new standard was set for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu books. Since then, fans of MTRG have been eagerly awaiting the second book to the set, Mastering the Twister (MTT). Together, these two books form the core of Eddie Bravo's unique no-gi jiu jitsu game taught at his 10th Planet Academy in Hollywood, California.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Eddie Bravo, he is a black belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu under Jean Jacques Machado, and he is known for his unique style of submission grappling. He became famous as the first American to tap out a Gracie when at ADCC 2003 he triangled the previously undefeated Royler Gracie (as a side note, all of the techniques and transitions he used to defeat Royler are shown in MTRG: jailbreak to escape side control and transition to butterfly guard, to transition to the pyramid to transition to a triangle).
Let's take a closer look at these books.
First, it is important to note that MTRG is much more than just Eddie's unique rubber guard game; it is actually his entire bottom submission grappling game: half guard, butterfly, and rubber guard. Likewise, MTT is a book that goes far beyond Eddie's twister submission; it is actually his entire top game: twister side control, the truck, mount, back, sprawl attacks and numerous transitions.
Mastering the Rubber Guard is the first jiu jitsu book that actually walks someone through an entire, linked system of grappling. Starting with stretching basics (good flexibility is obviously helpful), we are presented with Eddie's powerful halfguard game (which includes techniques, sweeps, and other details) and its transitions to other positions such as x-guard, the dogfight, and butterfly guard. In each of these positions, we are shown multiple flowing techniques. Naturally, Eddie's entire rubberguard game is taught, from the philosophy of clinching and breaking your opponent down, to achieving the more offensive positions such new york, invisible collar, and the pyramid. MTRG has multiple unique submissions and from a variety of positions, including an entire section devoted to finishing an armbar from the spiderweb position (seven finishes). The book also includes very helpful sections on troubleshooting, as well as innovative escapes back to the guard from mount, and side control, and the back. We know that these escapes are not only creative, but also effective - simply watch Eddie's match with Royler to see him replace his guard a number of times using these moves.
Mastering the Twister continues where MTRG left off, explaining the details behind twister side control, which is a powerful offensive position not only for potential twister attacks, but also for other setups and techniques. A number of transitions to the truck position are presented, followed by a complete arsenal of submissions including leg locks and all of the important steps involved in finishing a perfect twister - exactly the same way Eddie teaches in person. MTT also has Eddie's entire system of mount and back attacks, both which include flowing transitions to other positions of strength. These will completely give your game from the mount and back a systematic offensive approach - a purpose rather than just moves or techniques. Positioning, what you're trying to achieve, and the finishing attacks and transitions - it's all there. Further, the attacks shown from the sprawl position should really add a new collection of weapons to your overall game. The goal is to become very dangerous in a wide variety of positions. MTT also has an assortment of other transitions to the twister from a number other positions.
To better explain and link these techniques together into an integrated game, both books contain the following flowcharts (posted here in pdf form):
Effectiveness: Eddie Bravo's techniques have been refined and tested over and over as a standalone no-gi system. The only other person who has such a complete game for no-gi is Marcelo Garcia, and as you can see, Eddie incorporates several important elements of Marcelo's game into his system. Also, it is important to note that most of the 10th Planet system was designed not only for its use without a traditional gi, but also for its adaptability to fighting with strikes in mixed martial arts.
Design & Production: The production of the books is fantastic. There are multiple photo angles for most of the techniques and they are all in full color (MTRG has over 1400 full color photographs and MTT has over 1200 full color photographs). The organization is logical and sections are color coded as a bonus. The flowcharts tie everything together. We must continue to stress the extreme value of this gameplan style - roll with Eddie Bravo and you will see that this is actually his entire jiu jitsu game. This is the system and these are the moves he actually teaches and uses everyday - broken down into the very same steps that you will see in these books. We have never seen any other jiu jitsu star do this.
Technique Names:
Anyone who personally knows Eddie, understands that he has absolutely no ego - he will take on new techniques from visiting jiu jitsu athletes as well as his own student's adaptations. If something doesn't have a name, he will either name it or have his students vote on the best name. Don't be thrown by the odd sounding names of his moves, transitions, and positions - the utility of this is pretty obvious once you think about it for teaching or coaching.
Which would you prefer?
(1) "Lie beside him facing his legs with your ass on his shoulder, your top leg flared back, your bottom knee near his hip, your top hand blocking his far knee, and your bottom arm under his far armpit pinning it with your elbow.
Then, let him come up to his knees, lock your hands in a gable grip around his far leg and groin, fall back and pull him onto you, while at the same time make a hook around his far leg with your leg closest to his head, hook your other leg over your foot, and hook that second leg's foot under your opponent's trapped foot, straighten your legs, all the while maintaining control over his other leg with your gable grip.
Then switch control of his near leg to both hands, one gripping the top of his foot and the other the bottom of his shin.
Suddenly underhook his near arm with your closest arm while at the same grabbing the wrist of his same arm with your other hand. Then grip near his wrist with your underhooking arm's hand, while digging your elbow above and into his armpit.
Release your grip of his wrist with your underhooking arm's hand, and while doing a slight situp, pull his trapped arm around your head and swim your free arm around his head (you may need to slightly turn away from him and raise his body off the ground using your 'lockdown' - no wait, let me take that back. . . using your 'control of his far leg with your modified triangle around his legs'). Then wrap your hands around his head in an S-Grip and pull."
or
(2) "Start in Twister Side Control. Let him get to his knees, and use DeSouza Control to transition into the Truck. Get to Baseball Bat Control and finish the Twister."
Overall, these two book are such an amazing reference, it is very difficult to find any areas for improvement. If pressed, we would have to say that perhaps it would have been a bonus to have included sections on Eddie's passing game (although this is covered in Eddie's previous book Jiu Jitsu Unleased). Perhaps we can convince the publisher, Victory Belt, to include such sections in the corresponding DVD in the future. Also, we prefer the lighter background in the photos in MTRG as opposed to those in MTT. Keep in mind, we are stretching to think of some criticism in this review.
Overall, we give our highest possible book recommendation to Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard and Mastering the Twister books. There are literally no other books you absolutely have to own in brazilian jiu jitsu, except for these. If asked to rate these books on a scale of 1-10, we would have to give MTRG a ten and MTT a nine. Both are essential tools for any jiu jitsu practitioner. Don't be fooled into thinking you need to be ultra flexible to benefit - you don't, although, why not work on your flexibility if you are going to be training a sport where good flexibility is an advantage? What about if you only train with the gi? All of these techniques work, and some of them even work more effectively with the handles that the gi provides.
Buy both of these books without hesitation. Either you are interested in building your game with advanced techniques or you simply wish to learn more about what 10th planet grapplers are trying to do when competing against you - either way, Eddie Bravo holds nothing back and the cost of the books is certainly reasonable.
The publisher, Victory Belt, is a unique company. They have a devoted community of readers that clamor for future releases excitedly. We have read virtually every book that Victory Belt has published and we can clearly acknowledge that they are the leaders in instructional books for mixed martial arts. The experience the co-authors, Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza, have in martial arts is apparent in the layout and narration of the books - powerful, practical guides that you can actually learn from. The copyright on the phrase 'Knowledge is Power' died centuries ago, so our advice is that Victory Belt should adopt it for their own slogan. Some of their future releases include books by Fedor Emelianenko, Marcelo Garcia, Anderson Silva, and Minotauro Nogueira. If this doesn't excite you, then you are on the wrong website.
For further information on purchasing Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard or Mastering the Twister books, check out Victory Belt's website [click here for the link]. Let us know what you think by emailing us at mmaembrace@gmail.com or by commenting below.
Enjoy it.
