- Sakara Looking for Three in a Row on March 21stMartins Denis, UFC - Every fighter that steps into the Octagon has a particular quest inside his mind, and even if climbing the mountain to earn a fight for the title is a mutual goal, each combatant still has his own formula to grab it. […]
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- Kimbo Returns at UFC 113 on May 8thThomas Gerbasi, UFC - Canada will get their first dose of the Kimbo Slice phenomenon on Saturday, May 8th, when the Ultimate Fighter alumnus looks to make it 2-0 in the Octagon on the UFC 113: Machida vs Shogun 2 card at the Bell Centre in Montreal. […]
- Thank You, Jens PulverThomas Gerbasi, UFC - Just a couple quick ones about Jens Pulver… Nothing about his 22 pro wins, his reign as the first UFC lightweight champion, or his legacy as the man who put the lighter weight classes on the map here in the States; we'll save that for later. […]
- Ben Saunders and dreams of Madison Square GardenChuck Mindenhall, UFC - When you're 6-foot-3 and cold as hell in the welterweight division, you can have a little bit of empathy for your opposition heading into a fight. Ben Saunders does. For starters, he knows there aren't a lot of clones out there to emulate his strong gangly frame. He suspects his latest victim, Marcus Davis, didn't have […]
- Rodney Wallace -The Return of ShoNuffRhett Butler, UFC - In 1985, the film The Last Dragon debuted to the rare mix of horrible critiques by the movie critics and impressive box office sales. As one of the rare oxymoronic pieces of cinema, it became a cult classic with the timeless tale of naive good versus conscious evil. Lead character Leroy Green, referred to colloquially as Bruce Leroy, so […]
- Cruz Wins WEC Bantamweight Title; Benavidez Tops TorresFrank Curreri, WEC - Those who labeled Dominick Cruz to be a light puncher must eat their words following his masterful performance Saturday night against WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles. The 4-to-1 underdog battered Bowles over two rounds with crisp punching combinations and leg kicks, and Bowles went back to his corner at the end of round two and di […]
- Painful lesson: Osipczak helped Matthew Riddle shape upChuck Mindenhall, UFC - There was a time not that long ago when Matthew Riddle was working at The Bon-Ton department store, eating bad freezer foods and wondering what he was going to do in life. That was all the way back in 2006ish. From there he became a video clerk, before taking his "least favorite job of all" as a roofer. He was also watching […]
- Bowles Braces for First Title DefenseFrank Curreri, WEC - To become champion, Brian Bowles upset a legend regarded as one of MMA's most aggressive fighters. To keep the title, he must defeat a 4-to-1 underdog who just might be the most elusive fighter in the game aside from Lyoto Machida. […]
- Official WEC Weigh-In ResultsBelow are the official weigh-in results for Saturday's WEC event, which features the WEC bantamweight title bout between Brian Bowles and Dominick Cruz, as well as the return of Miguel Angel Torres against Joseph Benavidez, and the featherweight clash between Jens Pulver and Javier Vazquez. This card will air live on Versus (10pm ET / 7pm PT) from the N […]
- ISBN13: 9780977731503
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
The X-Guard: For Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, No Gi Grappling, and Mixed Martial Arts
Have only read the first half and flipped through the second, but Marcelo does a great job showing his X-guard. If you liked the Eddie Bravo books you will really like this.
Rating: 5 / 5
If you want to add new dimension to your game, get this book. Better yet get his DVD as well.
Rating: 5 / 5
I have flipped thru this book several times and came up with a major problem.
This book is most definitely not for MMA. My class have tried the X-Guard and found it to be worthless. The setup for it is too long and leaves you too exposed to punches and kicks to make it feasible.
If the title were changed to “The X-Guard: For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and No Gi Grappling.” I think it would be an excellent book for such.
Truly none can deny that Marcelo Garcia is one of the best in the world of jiu-jitsu. And after reading some of the book have found the submissions to be excellent. But the X-Guard itself is too open for counters in MMA especially from a striker.
I recommend this book for jiu-jitsu competition only.
Rating: 2 / 5
This is a must have for anyone willing to think outside the box when it comes to BJJ. The introduction itself is worth its purchase. Marcelo defines what it means to sacrifice for any goal or passion we all have inside. The detailed pictures and explaination leave no room for error. Get this ASAP.
Rating: 5 / 5
It’s no secret that I really enjoy Victory Belt’s books. I think they’ve nailed the format for describing individuals’ games and their specialities. They are definitely the market leader in the arena of working with a fighter to extract the information they need and put it into print.
It shouldn’t surprise any readers, then, that I really liked the X-Guard by Marcelo Garcia.
The book has all the hallmarks of Victory Belt’s previous works. The large format and detailed colour photography don’t disappoint and actually go one better with this edition.
Not resting on their laurels, the guys at VB have introduced detailed inset photos where warranted. This is not a completely original concept by any means, but it is done as well here as with any other publisher.
One of the problems I thought I might have with the book is that I wouldn’t be able to identify with Marcelo and the X-Guard. This was an issue with Eddie Bravo’s books on the Rubber Guard. I don’t really use the Rubber Guard and am not built well for it. I pretty much have had the same problem with the X-Guard.
That was until I read through this book. You see, my butterfly guard is a little…… agricultural. And that, it seems , is my problem with the X-Guard. Not my long legs and extraordinary height – my previous excuses.
The book is split into two sections. The first is on the butterfly guard and the second on the X-Guard, itself. Both are split into three subsections each. The butterfly guard section is the most detailed treatment I’ve seen of the topic in a book. The three subsections are titled “Basic Positioning & Grip Defense”, “Sweeps & Transitions” and “Submissions”.
Now, Marcelo Garcia can work his butterfly guard in a way I find amazing. It’s something I’d never been able to do terribly well. I could work it well enough against white belts, but always had to let it go against people nearer my own skill level. This book, though, gives solutions to most of the problems I’d encountered in the past.
I had the same problem with the X-Guard. There was just no way known I was ever going to get my giant legs in position. It shouldn’t surprise you to find I was doing it wrong, though. The details shown for the X-Guard helped me a great deal, but I believe it’s my better understanding of the butterfly guard that has ealed the deal for me.
The X-Guard section is is split up in a similar way to the butterfly guard section with subsections called “Establishing the X-Guard”, “Sweeps” and “Submissions”.
All-in-all, I’d say this is one of those rare $24 books that have made a heck of a lot more than $24 worth of effect on my game.
It just keeps getting better, too. Erich Krauss and Glen Cordoza have been getting steadily better at writing, too. In the past, I’ve criticised their spelling and grammar in the introduction sections. Is it better in this book? The truth is, I don’t know. I got so engrossed in Marcelo’s story, I never bothered to check.
That’s got to be a big tick in the box.
After a review like this, I like to put a little disclaimer to it……
I am no Marcelo Garcia fanboy. I’ve not watched his DVDs all the way through and I’ve seen maybe three of his matches. I have also been known to give Victory Belt some very pedestrian reviews, but they do impress me with their ability to improve with each publication. This book is the second of their catalogue to go in the Best of the Best category, but probably not the last if the quality continues this way.
Rating: 4 / 5