Beginner-friendly deep-half and single-leg half guard that wins with pressure and clear grips.
The Bottom Line
You will learn a simple deep-half and single-leg half plan. You will understand how to pull half and connect to your best sweeps. You will not get modern knee-shield and clamp variations in depth.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: New half guard players
Skip if: You avoid gi grips
Tech focus: Deep Half, Single Leg Half
Biggest takeaway: Keep pressure, finish
📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)
What You'll Learn
Bernardo Faria teaches a pressure-first half guard with deep half, single-leg half and waiter sweeps. It is beginner-friendly and emphasizes entries from standing too. If you need a simple, repeatable plan with clear grips, this is it.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Deep Half
- Single Leg Half
- Waiter Sweep
- Half Guard Entries
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Technique Collection
- Skill level: Beginner
- Format: Gi
- Runtime: 3 hours and 8 minutes
Should You Buy It?
Buy it now. I recommend this to beginners because it reduces options to high-percentage sweeps you can drill immediately.
Why Bernardo Faria?
Bernardo Faria is a five-time IBJJF black belt world champion known for deep half and single-leg half guard.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Great starting point; made half guard finally click for me.
- Simple, repeatable sequences that scale well at lower belts.
- Bernardo’s teaching style is direct and easy to absorb.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Very gi-grip focused in places; no-gi players need adaptations.
- The style is pressure-heavy; flexible players may prefer knee-shield games.
- Less breadth than modern anthology sets.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- No Gi Half Guard – Same fundamentals translated to no-gi.
- Battle Tested Pressure Passing – Pair with half guard to round out top pressure.
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View The Battle Tested Half Guard on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
