We ranked the best BJJ Fanatics guard retention instructionals using r/bjj sentiment, system quality, applicability across gi/no-gi, instructor pedigree, and production value.
Guard Retention Anthology Bundle
A complete, proven guard-retention roadmap that covers every common passing style.
Guard Retention: BJJ Fundamentals – Go Further Faster
A first-principles map of guard retention with deliberate drills.
Under Pressure: Retention, Recovery and Attacking From Guard
A pressure-tested clamp system that stops passes and creates attacks.
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🥋 #1 Guard Retention Anthology Bundle by Lachlan Giles & Ariel Tabak
Instructor: Lachlan Giles & Ariel Tabak
Style: System Based, Conceptual
Best for: All Levels
Format: No-Gi
Volumes: 16
Biggest takeaway: Two retention families, one roadmap.
Techniques: Guard Retention, Leg Pummeling, Inversions, Frames, Knee Cut Defense, Torreando Counters, Leg Drag Defense
- The Guard Retention Anthology: Around & Under – Get the core around-and-under family if you do not need the full bundle.
- The Guard Retention Anthology: Through The Legs & Close Range – Focus on headquarters, knee cut, smash and half-guard variants.
- Guard Retention: Go Further Faster – Alternate conceptual model if you prefer Danaher’s pedagogy.
This bundle stitches together two complementary retention families into one coherent system. You learn when to pummel, when to invert, and how to rebuild against knee cuts, leg drags, smash and headquarters. The narrated rolls make the timing transparent so you can translate lessons to sparring fast.
✅ Pros
- Cohesive system with principles that connect gi and no-gi.
- Covers early, mid, and late retention with clear heuristics.
- Narrated sparring accelerates timing and decision making.
⚠️ Cons
- Very long; requires deliberate study to digest.
- Some techniques rely on inversion mobility.
- Overlap with Submeta can feel redundant for subscribers.
💡 I would buy this first because it gives you a shared language to troubleshoot any pass. Recommendation: Buy it now.
🥋 #2 Guard Retention: BJJ Fundamentals – Go Further Faster by John Danaher
Instructor: John Danaher
Style: Conceptual, System Based, Drill Heavy
Best for: All Levels
Format: Both
Runtime: 8 hours and 4 minutes
Volumes: 8
Biggest takeaway: Distance and inside position rule.
Techniques: Guard Retention, Head Control, Knee Elbow Connection, Hip Escape, Granby, Leg Pummeling, Reguard
- Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes – Go Further Faster – Pairs well because failed retention becomes pin escapes.
- Guard Retention Anthology Bundle – Alternative model with extensive through-the-legs coverage.
- Under Pressure: Retention, Recovery & Attacking From Guard – Practical clamp framework against heavy pressure.
This course emphasizes why retention works before how. You learn to control distance and inside position, then rebuild guard with reliable sequences and drills. Expect a slow, methodical style that rewards repetition.
✅ Pros
- Strong conceptual base that scales to any style.
- Includes drills to build automatic reactions.
- Pairs well with pin escapes and open guard study.
⚠️ Cons
- High list price; best on sale.
- Delivery is long-winded for some viewers.
- Less gi-specific grip micro-detail.
💡 I use this to pressure-test my retention rules before adding tactics. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #3 Under Pressure: Retention, Recovery and Attacking From Guard by Brian Glick
Instructor: Brian Glick
Style: System Based, Drill Heavy
Best for: Intermediate
Format: Both
Runtime: 5 hours and 13 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Clamp turns defense into offense.
Techniques: Clamp Guard, Distance Management, Bodylock Counters, Knee Cut Defense, Triangle, Kimura, Omoplata
- Guard Retention: BJJ Fundamentals – Go Further Faster – Broader conceptual base to pair with clamp tactics.
- Guard Retention Anthology Bundle – Deeper coverage on through-the-legs rebuilding.
- Guard Retention Made Easy – Budget-friendly refresh of core retention reactions.
This course focuses on the clamp as a hub for retention and counter offense. You learn proactive setups from closed and half guard and reactive rebuilds from mount, side control and body lock pressure. The final volume compresses the material into a quick-reference format for faster review.
✅ Pros
- Highly applicable against modern pressure passing styles.
- Executive summary speeds up review and retention.
- Bridges defense directly to submissions and sweeps.
⚠️ Cons
- Some material mirrors broader Danaher frameworks.
- Best value during sales for most buyers.
- Less detailed gi grip work than gi specialists expect.
💡 I recommend this to anyone whose guard implodes under knee cuts and body locks. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #4 The Grilled Chicken Guard Retention System by Priit Mihkelson
Instructor: Priit Mihkelson
Style: Conceptual, System Based
Best for: All Levels
Format: Both
Runtime: 2 hours and 14 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Posture beats panic scrambles.
Techniques: Grilled Chicken, Inside Knee Down, Frames, Leg Drag Defense, Double Under Defense, Knee Cut Defense
- Sideways Open Guard – Companion posture if you like Priit’s defensive framework.
- Guard Retention Anthology Bundle – More exhaustive counters across pass families.
- Guard Retention Made Easy – Simpler drills to reinforce core reactions.
Priit’s method focuses on prevention through posture and angle, not moves. You learn to neutralize leg drags, double unders, and knee cuts without flexibility demands. It is defense-first and ideal for building confidence while you work on offense elsewhere.
✅ Pros
- Accessible mechanics for less athletic players.
- Conceptual clarity reduces decision fatigue.
- Works in gi and no-gi without grip dependence.
⚠️ Cons
- Light on immediate attacking options.
- Production is older than recent releases.
- Some redundancy if you own other Priit sets.
💡 I use this as a safety net when I feel outmatched physically. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #5 Guard Retention Made Easy by Firas Zahabi
Instructor: Firas Zahabi
Style: Drill Heavy, Conceptual
Best for: Intermediate
Format: Both
Runtime: 1 hour and 23 minutes
Volumes: 3
Biggest takeaway: Simple cues beat complex chains.
Techniques: Stiff Arm, Granby Sweep, Ankle To Ankle, Lasso, Double Under Defense, Torreando Counters
- Guard Attacks Made Easy – Add submissions once your retention holds up.
- Guard Retention Anthology: Around & Under – Deep dive if you need a full system later.
- Under Pressure: Retention, Recovery & Attacking From Guard – Better vs heavy bodylock and knee-cut pressure.
This is a compact retention toolkit built on a few universal reactions. You get the stiff arm, granby, and ankle-to-ankle ideas applied to common passing paths. It is best as a quick-start or tune-up, not a full doctrine.
✅ Pros
- Short runtime and focused drills speed adoption.
- Excellent value when discounted.
- Great supplement to larger systems.
⚠️ Cons
- Limited depth compared to anthology-style sets.
- Not tailored for gi grip fighting.
- Impact varies by learner; some want more structure.
💡 I point beginners here for fast wins before tackling longer systems. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #6 The Encyclopedia of Guard Retention by Lucas Valente
Instructor: Lucas Valente
Style: Technique Collection, System Based
Best for: All Levels
Format: Gi
Runtime: 3 hours and 8 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Grip-based rebuilds still win.
Techniques: Stack Pass Defense, Over Under Defense, Toreando Defense, Leg Drag Defense, Knee Cut Defense, Half Guard Rebuild
- Classic Open Guard – Complement your retention with classic grip-based offense.
- Guard Retention Anthology: Around & Under – Cross-pollinate no-gi concepts into your gi game.
Valente packages tried-and-true gi defenses into clean progressions. You get rebuilds against stackers and over-under passers plus routes back to offense. Best if you favor collars, sleeves and classic open guard.
✅ Pros
- Solid gi-specific counters with structured progressions.
- Emphasizes safe rebuilds into offense.
- Great value price for a focused topic.
⚠️ Cons
- Limited no-gi applicability.
- Less conceptual than anthology-style courses.
- Some overlap with open guard basics.
💡 I recommend this to collar-and-sleeve players who face strong stack passers. Recommendation: Wait for daily deal.
🥋 #7 Beyond The Basics: BJJ Guard Retention by Thomas Lisboa
Instructor: Thomas Lisboa
Style: Drill Heavy, Technique Collection
Best for: Intermediate
Format: Gi
Runtime: 2 hours and 27 minutes
Volumes: 4
Biggest takeaway: Organize reps by pass type.
Techniques: Knee Cut Defense, Leg Weave Defense, Long Step Defense, Headquarters Defense, Leg Drag Defense, Half Guard Rebuild
- Guard Retention Made Easy – Shorter primer with immediate reactions.
- Guard Retention Anthology Bundle – Upgrade to a deeper, more conceptual roadmap.
Lisboa’s set groups counters by pass type, making it easy to drill. You will learn to avoid stack, over-under, knee cut, toreando and long step patterns. It is competent coverage, though less conceptual than the top picks.
✅ Pros
- Easy to structure drilling sessions.
- Covers many common passes succinctly.
- Budget-friendly list price.
⚠️ Cons
- Less depth and community validation.
- Primarily gi-focused examples.
- Fewer universal concepts than higher-ranked sets.
💡 I suggest this to white-blue belts who want pass-specific reps in the gi. Recommendation: Skip.
How we ranked these guard retention instructionals
Community reception on r/bjj carried the most weight, followed by how cohesive the system is, applicability to gi and no-gi, instructor pedigree, and production/pedagogy. We favored instructionals that teach a decision tree over isolated moves. As tie-breakers we considered recency and whether the approach adds something distinctive, like clamp-based pressure management or minimalist posture frameworks.
Should you learn concepts or reactions first?
If your guard gets passed quickly, train reactions first: stiff arm, knee-to-chest, ankle-to-ankle, and leg pummeling. Once your survival rate improves, add conceptual models (distance, inside position, angle) so you can choose the right reaction under pressure. Systems like Danaher’s and Giles/Tabak’s connect both layers so your reactions serve a broader plan.
Gi vs no-gi: does retention change?
The principles stay the same: manage distance, win inside position, connect frames and hips. In the gi, grips slow the passer and add collar-sleeve options; stack and over-under threats are more common. In no-gi, body locks, knee cuts, and float passing dominate, so clamp, leg pummeling and hip angle changes are critical.
A starter plan for beginners
Start with a short, practical set like Zahabi to get immediate reguards. Add Danaher or Giles/Tabak for a full system and language. If heavy pressure ruins your guard, layer in Glick’s clamp material. Drill 2–3 reactions per pass style for two weeks, then test in situational rounds from headquarters, knee cut and leg drag starts.
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