Best BJJ Instructionals for Purple Belts (2026)

The guard passing bible. Gordon maps every guard configuration to a systematic response, building a complete decision tree that turns passing from pattern-matching into a science. BJJ World rated it 5/5.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ 8+ hours across 4 volumes (expanded to 8 in 2.0)
• 📅 Released: 2019 (2.0 updated version available)
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Purple belts and above
• 🕸 Guard Passing

What It Covers

The system starts from “position zero” – Gordon’s split squat stance that gives you inside leg control. From there, every guard variant gets a mapped response: closed guard openers, rubber guard counters, RDLR neutralization, knee shield destruction, lasso guard counters, and the half-butterfly masterclass that made Gordon untouchable from top position at ADCC.

Volume 2 alone covers backstep passing, d’arce choke setups from passing sequences, and the toreando/high-step trilemma that forces guard players into lose-lose choices. Volume 3 addresses bodylock passing, over-under mechanics, deep half counters, Z guard, and lockdown escapes.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Decision tree structure: Every position branches into clear if/then choices rather than “here are 5 passes, pick one”
• Split squat framework: A single starting position that connects to every passing pathway
• Counter-to-counter chains: Gordon shows what opponents do to stop each pass, then how to use their counter against them
• Live rolling breakdowns: Narrated competition footage showing the system in real-time application

What the Community Says

“I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this instructional. The system is flawless in technical execution.”

BJJ World review (5/5 rating)

“Excellent learning material with unique and revolutionary concepts that are precise and detailed.”

Jiused Life review of the 2.0 version

Weakness

The sheer volume is the main challenge. At 8+ hours (even more in the 2.0 version), you can’t absorb this in a weekend. You’ll need to study it section by section over weeks, drilling each component before moving on. If you want a quick fix for your passing, this isn’t it – it’s a full curriculum.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who want a complete no-gi passing system they can build their entire top game around for years.

Avoid if: You primarily train in the gi and want gi-specific grip-based passing. Also skip if you need a quick 2-hour instructional – this demands commitment.

Pairs with: Gordon’s “Systematically Attacking The Back” for what to do after you pass into back control.

Price: ~$197 regular, typically $100-$130 with BJJ Fanatics discount codes (they always have them).

The most complete guard retention system ever released. ADCC medalist Lachlan Giles and guard retention specialist Ariel Tabak deconstruct the science of not getting your guard passed, then teach you to counterattack from every defensive position.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ 10+ hours across 8 volumes (16 total in bundle)
• 📅 Released: 2021
• 🥋 Gi and No-Gi versions included
• 🎯 Blue belts through black belts (purple belt sweet spot)
• 🕸 Guard Retention & Defense

What It Covers

The anthology is split into two main series: “Around and Under” (defending toreando, leg drag, and around-the-legs passes) and “Through The Legs and Close Range” (defending stack passes, pressure passing, and tight passes). Each series builds from general concepts through specific scenarios to counterattack sequences.

The core framework teaches three “don’ts” of retention: don’t let your opponent hug your head, don’t let them pin your leg, and don’t let them into your inside space. From there, Lachlan builds layers of defense – hip movement, frames, posture management – and shows how each defensive action creates an opening for guard recovery or counterattack.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Layered defense model: Not just “do this when they pass” but a multi-layer system where each layer feeds the next
• Both gi and no-gi: Separate versions mean the grips and frames are tailored to each context
• Ariel Tabak’s specialization: A guard retention specialist brings a different perspective than most instructors who focus on attacks
• Narrated rolling: Real-time application with Lachlan explaining his retention decisions during live rolls

What the Community Says

“Lachlan proves why he is one of the best coaches of today…a real masterpiece, completely deconstructing one of the most fundamental aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”

BJJ World review

“Chapter one alone improved my guard. It made my guard almost impossible to pass at my gym.”

r/bjj community feedback

Weakness

This is not a casual watch. The material is dense and the 16-volume bundle can feel overwhelming. Some sequences require good hip mobility that older or less flexible practitioners may need to adapt. Danaher’s “New Wave: Positional Escapes” covers similar defensive territory in a more theoretical framework if you prefer that teaching style.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts whose guard gets passed by aggressive pressure passers and want a systematic defensive game. If your guard attacks are decent but you can never get to them because your guard keeps getting smashed, start here.

Avoid if: You primarily play top game and rarely pull guard. Your money is better spent on passing or top control instructionals.

Pairs with: Any guard attack instructional (Mikey Musumeci’s systems, Marcelo’s butterfly guard). Retention makes all guard attacks viable.

Price: ~$197 for the bundle, ~$127 per individual part. Almost always 40-50% off with BJJ Fanatics codes.

Craig Jones argues we’ve been pinning wrong in BJJ. Instead of passing to side control and mounting, pin like Khabib – stay on the legs, ride the body, and use wrestling-style control to break people. BJJ World gave it 10/10 across all categories.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ ~4 hours across 6 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi (principles applicable with gi)
• 🎯 Purple belts and above
• 🕸 Top Control & Pinning

What It Covers

Volume 1 lays the theoretical foundation: why traditional BJJ point-scoring positions (side control, mount) aren’t always the most effective control positions. Volumes 2-3 cover the actual riding mechanics: turks, shelf positions, rear mount variations, claw rides, and the Dagestani handcuff. Volume 4 tackles turtle breaking with diagonal rides and crab hooks. Volume 5 integrates everything into standard BJJ positions. Volume 6 adds submissions from the riding system – the belly-down RNC and rear arm-in Ezekiel choke that become high-percentage from Jones’ control framework.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Genuinely novel for most BJJ players: Wrestling-style riding is barely taught in BJJ academies, so this gives you techniques your opponents have never encountered
• Challenges scoring orthodoxy: Craig makes a compelling case that controlling legs is more dominant than traditional side control or mount
• Compact runtime: 4 hours means you can study and implement this in weeks, not months
• High submission rate: The control positions naturally feed into back takes and chokes

What the Community Says

“One of the best Craig Jones Jiu-Jitsu instructionals ever. It bridges wrestling and BJJ systematically, addressing a gap in modern grappling knowledge.”

BJJ World review (10/10)

“Power Ride is Craig Jones’ best instructional. It’s extremely good. My recommendation is to buy it now.”

BJJMore.com review

Weakness

If you compete under IBJJF rules, some of the riding positions don’t score points the way traditional pins do. The system is built for ADCC-style and submission-only rulesets. Also, if you’ve never wrestled, the leg riding concepts may take more drilling time to feel natural compared to someone with a wrestling background.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who want a competitive edge in no-gi that most opponents haven’t trained against. Tournament competitors in sub-only or ADCC-rules events will get the most immediate benefit.

Avoid if: You only compete under IBJJF points rules and want to maximize point-scoring positions. Also skip if you’re still working on basic guard passing – you need to get past the guard before you can ride.

Pairs with: Gordon Ryan’s “Systematically Attacking The Guard” for a complete top game: pass the guard with Gordon’s system, control with Craig’s riding.

Price: ~$127 regular, often $65-$80 with discount codes.

The instructional that changed how the entire sport thinks about leg locks. Danaher treats ashi garami positions as a control hierarchy – not a scramble-and-grab game – with systematic entries, progressive control, and high-percentage finishes built on ten core principles.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ 9+ hours across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2018
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Blue belts through black belts
• 🕸 Leg Locks & Lower Body Submissions

What It Covers

Danaher builds the leg lock system from first principles. The ashi garami hierarchy moves from outside ashi (least control) through inside ashi, 50/50, cross ashi, and into the backside 50/50 (maximum control). Each position builds on the last, and Danaher teaches you to guide opponents through this hierarchy toward the inside heel hook – the highest-percentage finish in the system.

Beyond the positions, Danaher identifies ten core principles and six essential skills. The principles govern decision-making (when to enter, when to transition, when to finish), while the skills cover the mechanical requirements (hip positioning, knee line control, heel exposure, breaking mechanics).

What Makes It Stand Out

• Principle-based system: You learn the “why” behind every position, making it possible to improvise in live situations
• Control hierarchy: Leg locks become a positional game, not a 50/50 scramble gamble
• Proven at the highest level: This system produced the Danaher Death Squad’s ADCC dominance
• Scales with your development: The concepts work at purple belt and remain relevant through black belt and competition

What the Community Says

“If you’re looking to develop a deadly leg locking game to beat any opponent, this is the product for you.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

Released in 2018, some of the entries feel dated compared to modern leg lock meta (K guard entries, matrix transitions). The core system is timeless, but you’ll want to supplement entries with more recent material. Lachlan Giles’ 50/50 system and Mikey Musumeci’s K Guard offer modern entry pathways that feed directly into Danaher’s control hierarchy.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who want to build a complete leg lock system from the ground up. If your current leg lock game is “grab a heel and hope,” this replaces that with a systematic approach.

Avoid if: You already have a solid leg lock framework and just need specific entries or finishing details. In that case, look at Lachlan Giles’ Leg Lock Anthology for more granular technique work.

Pairs with: Mikey Musumeci’s K Guard for modern entries, Garry Tonon’s Unifying The Systems for connecting leg locks to upper body attacks.

Price: ~$217 regular, typically $110-$140 with codes.

The missing link in the Danaher Death Squad system. While Danaher teaches individual submission systems in isolation, Tonon provides the transitions between them – the attack chains that make your submissions inescapable because they flow into each other.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ ~8 hours across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2020
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Purple belts and above
• 🕸 Submission Transitions & Attack Chains

What It Covers

Each volume focuses on one submission system and maps the transitions from that system to every other system. Kimura grip leads to armbar leads to triangle leads to back take leads to leg lock entries. Tonon covers front headlock chains, guillotine-to-darce-to-anaconda sequences, armbar-to-triangle-to-omoplata loops, and kimura trap transitions that connect upper body and lower body attacks.

The critical insight: when an opponent defends one submission, their defense creates the opening for the next. Tonon maps these defensive reactions to specific transition points, so you’re always one step ahead.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Fills a real gap: Most instructionals teach submissions in isolation. This teaches how to chain them into dilemmas
• Pressure-tested at the highest level: Tonon’s style of constant transitioning earned him ADCC medals and elite victories
• Compatible with existing knowledge: You don’t need to learn new submissions – you learn how to connect the ones you already know
• One volume per system: Clean organization makes it easy to study the areas most relevant to your game

What the Community Says

“Tonon connected everything, providing the transitions that were sorely missed between all the submission systems.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

This instructional assumes you already know the individual submissions. If your armbar, triangle, and kimura aren’t at least decent, the transitions won’t make sense. It’s a connector between existing skills, not a foundational instructional. Also, Tonon’s explosive style can be hard to replicate for older or less athletic practitioners – focus on the concepts rather than matching his pace.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who know their individual submissions but struggle to chain attacks in live rolling. If opponents consistently escape your first submission attempt, this teaches you to make that escape feed your second attack.

Avoid if: Your individual submission technique is still rough. Perfect your armbar and triangle mechanics first, then come back to learn how to chain them.

Pairs with: Danaher’s Enter The System (any volume) for the individual submission systems that Tonon then connects.

Price: ~$127-$197 regular, typically $65-$100 with codes.

Danaher’s most refined passing system, developed at the New Wave Jiu Jitsu academy with B-Team and New Wave athletes. More theoretical than Gordon’s approach, focusing on the conceptual framework behind passing decisions rather than specific sequences.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ 8+ hours across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Blue belts through black belts
• 🕸 Guard Passing

What It Covers

Danaher structures passing around three main modalities: toreando (around the legs), body lock (through the legs), and over-under (between the legs). The headquarters concept serves as the neutral position from which you select your passing pathway based on your opponent’s guard structure. Each modality gets complete coverage: entries, progressions, counters to common defenses, and transitions between modalities when one pathway gets blocked.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Conceptual depth: Danaher explains the principles behind passing in a way that lets you adapt to any guard, including guards that don’t exist yet
• Three-modality framework: A simple mental model (around, through, between) that organizes all passing into three clear categories
• Updated for modern guards: Covers responses to K guard, matrix, and modern open guard systems that the 2018-era instructionals missed
• Teaching quality: Danaher’s ability to explain complex concepts in clear, logical progressions is unmatched

What the Community Says

“Straightforward, efficient, and overwhelmingly effective – every grip leads to an off-balance, and every off-balance leads to a submission threat or positional advancement.”

Open Note Grappling review

Weakness

If you’ve already bought Gordon Ryan’s passing instructional, there’s significant overlap in concepts (Gordon learned from Danaher, after all). The difference is teaching style: Danaher is more theoretical and systematic, Gordon is more practical and competition-oriented. If you learn better from concepts, pick Danaher. If you learn better from “watch me do it, now copy,” pick Gordon. Buying both is redundant for most purple belts.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who prefer a conceptual teaching style and want to understand the theory behind passing, not just the techniques. Strong choice for analytical thinkers.

Avoid if: You already own Gordon Ryan’s passing instructional. Also skip if you prefer more practical, competition-focused teaching over theoretical frameworks.

Pairs with: Danaher’s New Wave Positional Escapes for a complete defensive complement.

Price: ~$197-$249 regular, typically $100-$130 with codes.

Gordon’s complete back attack system, developed with Danaher. 10 hours covering back control, hand fighting, grip management, and submission chains from rear mount – the position that produced five strangles at ADCC 2019.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ 10 hours across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2020
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Purple belts and above
• 🕸 Back Control & Attacks

What It Covers

The system covers the complete back attack cycle: taking the back (from various positions), establishing control (seatbelt, body triangle, hooks), hand fighting and grip management (what to do when they strip your grips), and finishing sequences (rear naked choke variations, arm locks from back, triangles from back, and transitions to crucifix).

Gordon puts significant emphasis on the hand fighting and elbow fighting aspects that separate recreational back control from competition-level back attacks. Most purple belts can take the back but can’t finish because they lose the grip battle – this solves that problem.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Hand fighting depth: The grip management material alone is worth the purchase for purple belts who take the back but can’t finish
• Multiple submission chains: RNC, arm triangle, armbar, and crucifix transitions from the same control position
• ADCC-proven: This exact system strangled five elite black belts in one tournament

What the Community Says

“If you have the patience to use both the back system and Danaher’s material, your back attack game will become unstoppable.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

At 10 hours, this is another massive commitment. If your primary problem is getting to the back rather than finishing from the back, the first half of this instructional (entries) is less comprehensive than dedicated back-take instructionals. Consider Danaher’s Enter The System: Back Attacks for a more entry-focused approach.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who can take the back but struggle to finish. If you’re getting to rear mount in 3 out of 5 rounds but only finishing 1, the hand fighting and submission chain material will fix that.

Avoid if: You rarely reach the back. Work on your sweeps and guard game first.

Pairs with: Craig Jones’ Power Ride for an alternative top control when back takes aren’t available.

Price: ~$197-$249 regular, typically $100-$130 with codes.

Four-time gi World Champion Mikey Musumeci breaks down K guard as the launchpad for matrix back takes, baby bolo entries, and a complete bottom game that’s virtually impossible to shut down once you understand the mechanics.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ ~8 hours across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2023
• 🥋 Primarily Gi (K guard concepts transfer to no-gi)
• 🎯 Purple belts and above (confirmed by BJJ World)
• 🕸 Guard Systems & Back Takes

What It Covers

Mikey spends the early volumes on K guard fundamentals: posture requirements, balance rules, and the drilling structure you need before attempting the system live. From there, he builds into matrix hook entries, baby bolo mechanics, and the back take sequences that made him the most successful gi competitor at his weight class.

What sets this apart from other K guard material is Mikey’s obsessive attention to the details that make or break each entry. Small adjustments to hip angle, grip placement, and timing that most instructors gloss over become the focus of entire chapters.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Competition-current: Mikey is actively winning world titles with this system right now
• Detail obsession: The micro-adjustments that most instructors skip are Mikey’s primary focus
• Systematic progression: Foundations first, then layered complexity – exactly how purple belts should learn

What the Community Says

“Starting from volume three, only advanced grapplers can follow Mikey. The Matrix style back takes from K guard seem way too advanced for beginners.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

This is primarily a gi system. While some K guard concepts transfer to no-gi, the grip sequences are gi-dependent. If you only train no-gi, look at Lachlan Giles’ leg lock entries from 50/50 for a comparable bottom game system. Also, Mikey’s body type (very flexible, lightweight) means some movements may need adaptation for larger or less flexible practitioners.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who compete in the gi and want a cutting-edge bottom game that produces back takes and sweeps from a single guard position.

Avoid if: You train exclusively no-gi or prefer a more traditional guard game. Also skip if you haven’t solidified basic guard retention first.

Pairs with: Lachlan Giles’ Guard Retention Anthology – retain guard long enough to enter K guard, then attack with Mikey’s system.

Price: ~$127-$197 regular, typically $65-$100 with codes.

The butterfly guard blueprint from the greatest butterfly guard player in history. 9-time ADCC/IBJJF champion Marcelo Garcia distills his entire butterfly system: upright posture, underhook clamp, arm drag entries, X guard transitions, and the back takes that defined a generation of grappling.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ ~6 hours across 4 volumes
• 📅 Released: 2020
• 🥋 Gi and No-Gi applicable
• 🎯 All levels (purple belts get the most from advanced volumes)
• 🕸 Guard Systems & Sweeps

What It Covers

Marcelo builds butterfly guard from the sitting posture through underhook control, two-on-one grips, and butterfly hook elevation. The system naturally flows into X guard when opponents post to stop sweeps, and from X guard into technical standup or back take sequences. Every pathway connects back to the core butterfly position, creating a closed loop where failed attacks return you to your starting point rather than a scramble.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Timeless concepts: Marcelo’s butterfly game has been competition-viable for 20+ years because it’s based on fundamental principles, not trendy techniques
• Gi and no-gi integration: The system works in both contexts with minimal modification
• Natural back take connections: Butterfly guard is the best guard for taking the back, and Marcelo shows exactly how to make that connection
• X guard as extension: Butterfly and X guard form one continuous system rather than two separate positions

What the Community Says

“The classic butterfly blueprint with durable concepts. Great for learning the upright posture and underhook clamp, with strong connections into X guard and back takes.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

If you’re already a strong butterfly guard player, this may not add much to your game – it’s more of a complete system build than a set of advanced details. For deep butterfly refinement, Adam Wardzinski’s butterfly material offers more situational detail for specific problems. Marcelo’s teaching style is also more demonstration-heavy and less explanation-heavy than Danaher or Lachlan Giles.

My Recommendation

Best for: Purple belts who want to build butterfly guard as their primary sitting guard, especially if they also want strong back take connections. Great for both gi and no-gi players.

Avoid if: You’re already competent in butterfly guard and need advanced troubleshooting rather than a system build.

Pairs with: Gordon Ryan’s back attack system for what to do after you take the back from butterfly/X guard transitions.

Price: ~$127-$197 regular, typically $65-$100 with codes.

Ryan Hall revisits defensive guard play with updated concepts for modern grappling. An 8-part instructional that builds an unpassable guard through shelling, framing, and counterattack sequences – taught by one of the most cerebral grapplers in BJJ history.

Quick Facts

• ⏰ ~6 hours across 8 parts
• 📅 Released: 2023
• 🥋 Gi and No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels (conceptual depth rewards experienced grapplers)
• 🕸 Guard Defense & Counterattacks

What It Covers

Hall addresses guard defense from a conceptual perspective: what makes a guard “unpassable” at a principle level, rather than drilling specific retention movements. He covers shelling (creating a protective structure), framing (directing force), and counterattacks (turning defense into offense). Hall explicitly addresses how his defensive guard approach has changed from his earlier instructional to adapt to the current meta of aggressive pressure passing and leg lock entries.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Conceptual teaching style: Hall teaches the “why” behind guard defense in a way that’s uniquely his – you see both the details and the big picture simultaneously
• Updated for modern grappling: Addresses modern threats like systematic pressure passing and leg entanglement entries
• Complementary to Lachlan Giles: Where Lachlan is mechanical and systematic, Hall is conceptual and philosophical – together they cover the full spectrum of guard defense thinking

What the Community Says

“The way Ryan Hall structures things and explains the material is very rare among BJJ instructors. He is a true wizard at teaching Jiu-Jitsu and making practitioners see both the details and the big picture at the same time.”

BJJ World review

Weakness

Hall’s teaching style is more abstract than most. If you prefer “do this grip, move this hip, pass this leg” step-by-step instruction, you’ll find Hall frustrating. His concepts work brilliantly for analytical thinkers but can feel vague for practitioners who learn through repetition. Lachlan Giles’ Guard Retention Anthology is the more practical alternative.

My Recommendation

Best for: Analytically-minded purple belts who want a conceptual understanding of guard defense that they can apply to any situation, even positions they’ve never encountered.

Avoid if: You learn best from step-by-step technique drilling. Also skip if you’ve already invested in Lachlan’s Guard Retention Anthology – there’s enough overlap that both may be redundant.

Pairs with: Any guard attack system (Mikey Musumeci, Marcelo Garcia) for the offensive complement to Hall’s defensive framework.

Price: ~$127-$197 regular, typically $65-$100 with codes.