A practical half-butterfly system with clear decisions and sweeps that work fast.
The Bottom Line
Glick breaks half-butterfly into repeatable choices that suit everyday athletes. You learn sumi, knee-lever, pinch-headlock, and leg entries with explicit cues. If you want full seated butterfly first, pick Wardzinski or Marcelo and circle back here.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Everyday athletes
Skip if: You never play half-butterfly
Tech focus: Half Butterfly, Sumi Gaeshi, Knee Lever, Pinch Headlock, Kimura, Clamp, Triangle
Biggest takeaway: Inside position drives sweeps.
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What You'll Learn
Glick’s 4-volume set is the cleanest half-butterfly system we found: sumi gaeshi chains, pinch-headlock, kimura threats, and leg entries with explicit decision points. The product page lists a full chapter map across four volumes, plus an executive summary volume. It shows how to reach half-butterfly from closed, seated butterfly, RDLR, mount escapes, and turtle. The teaching emphasizes minimal athleticism and using inside position and head control to sweep or enter the legs. Many hobbyists report immediate results from the knee-lever and sumi sequences.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Half Butterfly
- Sumi Gaeshi
- Pinch Headlock
- Kimura
- Knee Lever
- Leg Entanglement
- Arm Drag
- Triangle Link
- Clamp
- Executive Summary
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 4 hours and 51 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I appreciate how the executive summary compresses the system for faster drilling.
Why Brian Glick?
Brian Glick is a black belt under John Danaher with decades of coaching experience. He is known for clear pedagogy and building decision-based systems that are easy to retain. His YouTube catalog previews half-butterfly sweeps, sumi fixes, and leg entries. BJJ Heroes profiles his lineage and coaching footprint in New York. On r/bjj, he is often praised for practical sequencing and accessible instruction.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Often praised for the clearest step-by-step half-butterfly decision tree.
- Great for smaller or older athletes needing leverage and timing.
- Transitions from half to full butterfly feel natural.
- Executive summary helps retention after first watch.
- Knee-lever and sumi entries are cited as quick wins.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Focuses on half-butterfly rather than full seated butterfly.
- Premium price compared to budget options.
- Some want more standing opponent entries.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Simplify The System: Sumi Gaeshi (The Butterfly Sweep) – Focused reps for the key sweep in multiple ties. (Price: $197.00)
- The No Gi Butterfly Guard Rediscovered – If you want more full butterfly in no-gi. (Price: $79.00, 3 vols)
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View Under Pressure: Half Butterfly Mastery on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
