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- 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