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Every martial artist knows “That Guy”. The guy you train with only if you absolutely have to. The guy whose smell hits you before anything else. Being “that guy” is never a good thing as it typically implies that your teammates don’t or won’t train with you. So, how do you avoid being “that guy’”? 1. Clip your nails If your partners look like they just went a round with Wolverine, it may be time to whip out your trusty pair of nail clippers. Getting cuts from someone's nails is not only unpleasant during your BJJ training, it’s also unsanitary...

A question that comes up in many BJJ circles, especially within the last few years: should you have to pay for your belt promotions? To many, that answer is a resounding “No” - and we in the XMARTIAL family strongly agree. Unlike most other martial arts that have a belt ranking system, most academies don’t hold tests and give the student a belt by surprise, once he earned it by “pouring his blood, sweat and tears” on the mats. This idea supports the fact that most individuals spend hours a week at the gym, pay their monthly dues and bring...

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that has been taking the nation by storm and is becoming more and more popular among law enforcement officers. Why is this? Because it’s applicable in the gym and in full gear. Here’s an inside look into BJJ in and out of the gym and why it has become a valuable asset to law enforcement agencies across the country – and perceived as the most effective martial art for policemen.  First, what is BJJ? Brazilian Jiu-Jitu is a ground based martial art which focuses on utilizing submissions to subdue your opponent. It has...

Strength training is one of the most important keys in BJJ. When you know you're stronger, you open yourself up to more opportunities. You can be confident in your skills on and off the mat.  But training never stops. It's a continuous process. Build your strength and muscles with these tips from Joey Szatmary. Joey is a 6’2 242 (105kg) strength sport athlete. He's well-known for participating in different competitions. From CrossFit, Olympic Lifting, to Strongman competitions, Joey has done it all. Most of all, he's a BJJ practitioner and competitor. Check out how he trains in the video below.   ...

BJJ weight classes are used in competitions to make the matches more fair. It also makes the matches more exciting for both the competitors and the audience. However, because there are a lot of different organizations holding BJJ and grappling tournaments, there can be some confusion on their weight classes. In this article, we will feature a BJJ weight classes guide including IBJJF weight classes and ADCC weight classes. Keep in mind that this information should only be used as a guide. It’s important to always double check the weight divisions directly from the organizations. Do this before you sign...