I ranked the 38 best John Danaher instructionals (+ the free one)

The single best resource for learning how to escape bad positions in gi BJJ. Danaher breaks every pin escape down to two core principles – knee escapes and elbow escapes – and it clicks immediately.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 10h 52m across 8 volumes (99 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2019
• 🥋 Gi (principles apply to no-gi)
• 🎯 White belts & blue belts
• 🎛️ Escapes & Defense

What It Covers

Eight volumes that systematically dismantle every major pin position. Volumes 1–2 cover escape philosophy and mount escapes, including bridge-based Upa, seven elbow escape variations, and kipping escapes. Volumes 3–4 handle side control through both elbow and knee escape frameworks. Volume 5 builds out framing theory, Volume 6 introduces Danaher’s 6-step escape methodology, Volume 7 tackles north-south, and Volume 8 finishes with rear mount and turtle escapes including makikomi, shoulder rolls, and the peek-out. The key insight is treating your frames as "a series of wedges reinforced by the floor and their body weight."

What Makes It Stand Out

• Reduces all pin escapes to two simple concepts (knee escapes and elbow escapes) that you can actually remember during live rolls
• Teaches you to escape into attacking positions, not just back to neutral – a mindset shift that separates this from every other escape resource
• This is arguably the best BJJ instructional for pure beginners.

What the Community Says

"I can’t recommend his Pin and Turtle Escapes DVDs enough. It’s a must watch for every white and blue belt."

u/GreatTimerz on r/bjj

"This was probably the most influential instructional through my first year of BJJ."

u/BJJBean on r/bjj

Weakness

At 10+ hours for fundamentals, this is a serious time investment. The pacing is slow even by Danaher standards. Many practitioners feel Lachlan Giles’ escape content is better organized, and Danaher’s own New Wave Positional Escapes has partially superseded this material with tighter instruction.

My Recommendation

Best for: White and blue belts who spend most of their rolls stuck under side control or mount and need a systematic framework to stop surviving and start escaping.

Avoid if: You’re a purple belt or above who already has reliable escapes from every major pin. The pacing will frustrate you.

Pairs with: Guard Retention – Go Further Faster to complete the defensive side of your game with guard recovery after you escape.

Cheaper alternative: Grilled Chicken Guard Retention by Priit Mihkelson

See GFF bundle

Danaher’s most practical instructional. Instead of memorizing 50 guard techniques, you learn how guards get passed and build your retention around those principles. Five hours that actually change your rolling.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 4h 29m across 8 volumes (40 chapters)
• 📅 Released: March 2024
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Guard Retention & Defense

What It Covers

This is a position-agnostic framework for guard retention. Volume 1 gives you 12 essential solo drills to build the movement patterns. Volume 2 lays out the theory: five stages of a guard pass, three danger zones, and three passing directions. From there, Volumes 3–4 cover distance passing and toreando defense, Volume 5 handles body lock counters, Volume 6 addresses scoop and knee cut defense, Volume 7 focuses on half guard retention specifically, and Volume 8 ties it all together with crossface prevention.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The framework approach means you learn to defend passes you’ve never seen before, not just the ones Danaher shows you
• At roughly 5 hours, this is short by Danaher standards. You can watch the whole thing in a weekend and start applying it Monday
• The 12 solo drills in Volume 1 are genuinely useful for warming up before class and building guard recovery muscle memory

What the Community Says

"I really like it. The videos he’s been putting out recently are more practical. I have GFF and it seems more encyclopedic rather than practical."

u/ComeFromTheWater on r/bjj

"It’s probably the most ‘practical’ approach Danaher has taken to teaching. It’s nowhere as dense as his/Gordon’s/Lachlan’s other works, but it’s so you can get the high yield moves/techniques quickly without falling asleep."

u/SartorialRounds on r/bjj

Weakness

The brevity cuts both ways. If you want deep, position-specific retention details, Lachlan Giles’ Guard Retention Anthology or Gordon Ryan’s guard work goes significantly deeper. This is the 80/20 version, and some people want the other 80%.

My Recommendation

Best for: Anyone whose guard gets passed constantly and wants a quick, high-yield framework they can apply immediately rather than a 30-hour deep study.

Avoid if: You already have solid guard retention and want advanced, position-specific counters. This won’t give you enough depth.

Pairs with: The Fastest Way: Guard Passing to understand both sides of the guard passing battle. Knowing how passes work makes you better at stopping them.

Cheaper alternative: Guard Retention Anthology by Lachlan Giles & Ariel Tabak

The best single-resource guard passing instructional out there. Five passing systems that mirror what Danaher currently teaches his competition team, organized so a beginner can pick it up and a black belt can sharpen their game.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 7h 31m across 8 volumes (79 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2023
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Guard Passing

What It Covers

Five complete passing systems across eight volumes. Volume 1 covers passing philosophy and closed guard breaking. Volumes 2–4 build out the toreando/camping and float/scoop passing game. Volume 5 introduces the tripod passing system and surfing butterfly hooks. Volume 6 covers body lock passing – the dominant passing style in modern no-gi. Volume 7 handles half guard passing with chest-to-chest pressure. Volume 8 ties everything together with an integration framework so you can chain passes when one gets shut down. This is essentially the passing curriculum Danaher runs with his current competition squad.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Covers five distinct passing systems that chain together, so when your toreando gets stuffed you flow into body lock, then into half guard pressure
• The body lock passing section alone is worth the price. This is the pass that dominates modern no-gi competition, and Danaher’s breakdown is excellent
• Unlike many Danaher releases, this actually lives up to its name. Multiple users report measurable improvement within weeks, making it one of the best BJJ instructionals for immediate results

What the Community Says

"It is probably the best one-stop guard passing instructional there is."

u/Subtle1One on r/bjj

"It’s maybe my favorite instructional. Shit melts guards and lives up to its main selling point (works at highest levels, but easy for a beginner to pick up)."

u/Fluttertree321 on r/bjj

Weakness

The tripod/surfing butterfly section is the weakest part. Jeremy Skinner has pointed out that Jozef Chen’s specialist content on tripod passing is significantly better. The floating pass concepts can also be hard to apply for less athletic grapplers. Some overlap exists with New Wave Guard Passing if you own that already.

My Recommendation

Best for: Anyone who struggles to pass guard in no-gi and wants a complete system rather than random techniques. Works at white belt through black belt.

Avoid if: You already own New Wave Guard Passing and are happy with your passing game. The overlap is significant enough that the marginal value drops.

Pairs with: The Fastest Way: Unpassable Guard so you understand both sides of the guard battle. Knowing retention concepts makes your passing sharper.

Cheaper alternative: The Body Lock Pass by Lachlan Giles

The instructional that started the Danaher instructional era. The Straight Jacket system for back control changed how an entire generation thinks about the back position, and the concepts here still hold up years later.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 8h 17m across 8 volumes (67 chapters)
• 📅 Released: July 2018
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate to advanced
• 🎛️ Back Control & Submissions

What It Covers

The opening volumes are all conceptual: Danaher builds his case for why the back is the highest-percentage finishing position and introduces the Straight Jacket system (glue your body to your opponent’s back using diagonal control). From there, he covers back take entries from turtle, side control, closed guard, mount, butterfly, and arm drags. The finishing section breaks down RNC mechanics through the strangle hand vs. control hand framework. The final volumes cover auxiliary systems: rear triangle, top lock, back crucifix, and cross body ride. Danaher himself recommends starting with this volume before the other ETS releases.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The Straight Jacket concept alone is worth the purchase. Once you understand diagonal back control and the strangle hand vs. control hand distinction, your back game changes permanently
• Covers back takes from virtually every position, giving you a complete system rather than isolated techniques. One 45-year-old blue belt reported getting 4 submissions in live rolling after just 30 minutes of study
• The auxiliary systems (rear triangle, back crucifix, cross body ride) give you options that most back attack instructionals skip entirely. If you like this approach, check out how Craig Jones builds on similar back attack principles

What the Community Says

"The back attack series is my favorite one. It helped me understand some key concepts that I had been missing for a long time."

u/GreatTimerz on r/bjj

"You really only need 2. Danaher’s TFW to increase submission rate (this goes over many many roads to get to the back) and Danaher’s ETS Back Attacks (this covers back control, retention, and attacks)."

u/Silky_Seraph on r/bjj

Weakness

The first several volumes are pure concepts with zero techniques shown. If you want to drill something on day one, this will test your patience. The audio quality is notoriously bad and makes Danaher sound like he’s recording in a basement. The Fastest Way: Submission Percentage has largely superseded this with better pacing and more back take entries, though it lacks the auxiliary systems covered here.

My Recommendation

Best for: Grapplers who want the deepest possible understanding of back control mechanics, including the auxiliary positions (crucifix, cross body ride) that most instructionals ignore.

Avoid if: You need quick, applicable techniques without sitting through hours of conceptual setup first. The Fastest Way version below is a better fit for you.

Pairs with: The Fastest Way: Submission Percentage for additional back take entries and a more efficient presentation of the core concepts.

Cheaper alternative: Back Attacks No-Gi by Lachlan Giles

See ETS bundle

Danaher’s thesis is simple: the fastest way to submit people is to take the back and finish with rear strangles. This instructional builds an entire system around that idea, with back takes from every position on the mat.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: November 2023
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Back Takes & Submissions

What It Covers

Back takes from literally every position: open guard, closed guard, half guard, leg entanglements, mount, side control, standing, and even inferior positions. The arm drag system is a major component and gets thorough treatment. Danaher teaches three visual cues for recognizing back exposure: head position, elbow position, and space between the knees. Finishing covers RNC, back kata gatame, rear triangle, and the north/south strangle. If you already know the ETS Back Attacks material, think of this as the expanded and better-organized version of the back take entries, with the Straight Jacket and chest expansion RNC concepts carried forward.

What Makes It Stand Out

• More back take entries than ETS Back Attacks, with significantly better pacing and organization. The community consensus is clear: if you’re buying one Danaher back attack instructional, this is it
• The three visual cues for back exposure (head, elbows, knee space) give you a scanning system you can run during live rolls to spot openings in real time
• The arm drag system alone could be its own instructional. It gives you reliable back take entries from positions where most people are stuck playing guard. For more back-focused systems, see our Gordon Ryan instructionals roundup

What the Community Says

"Fastest Way. I’ve watched both and I would say it covers the main value points of ETS (Straightjacket, chest expansion RNC) more efficiently while also including more useful material."

u/PattonPending on r/bjj

"Fastest Way is better. It has a better pacing and a better organization of the techniques."

u/HB_SadBoy on r/bjj

Weakness

Less finishing depth than ETS Back Attacks. If you specifically want the crucifix, cross body ride, and other auxiliary back control positions, those aren’t here. There’s also meaningful overlap with ETS if you already own it, so buying both gives you diminishing returns on the core material.

My Recommendation

Best for: Anyone who wants to build their entire submission game around back takes and rear strangles. This is the best single instructional for that goal.

Avoid if: You already own ETS Back Attacks and are happy with your back game. The core concepts overlap heavily, and the new material (extra back take entries) may not justify the cost.

Pairs with: Back Attacks – Enter The System only if you want the auxiliary systems (crucifix, cross body ride, rear triangle depth) that this version skips.

Cheaper alternative: The Catch Wrestling Formula by Neil Melanson

The instructional that changed competition jiu-jitsu forever. Danaher’s first release laid out the entire leg lock system that produced Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and the rest of the Danaher Death Squad.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h 45m across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: May 2018
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
• 🎛️ Leg Locks / Ashi Garami

What It Covers

Danaher builds the leg lock game from first principles: lever and fulcrum mechanics, three families of ashi garami (straight, cross, and reverse), and 10 core principles that govern lower body attacking. Early volumes drill inside control and pummeling before moving into heel hook mechanics and grip combinations. Later volumes cover cross ashi (the “honey hole”/inside sankaku), reverse ashi for kneebars and toe holds, and a full catalog of entries from bottom positions like front headlock, deep half, and shin-to-shin.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Historically, this is THE set that democratized the modern leg lock game and forced the entire sport to adapt
• The systems-based approach (control first, submission second) holds up years later and forms the backbone of what you see at the highest levels of no-gi competition
• The entry catalog in volumes 7 and 8 is still one of the most thorough available, covering transitions from nearly every bottom position

What the Community Says

“I recently was able to get a couple of the Danaher dvds, and I gotta say despite my earlier cynicism they really are a cut above.”

u/trustdoesntrust on r/bjj

“The Enter the System series may be the best series of jiu jitsu instructionals ever created IMO. I would contend that if any person practiced everything he taught in those they would be at least a purple belt skills wise.”

u/Bjj-black-belch on r/bjj

Weakness

This was Danaher’s first instructional, and it shows. It’s widely considered his most tedious and repetitive release. The production quality and pacing improved dramatically in later series. Much of the material has since been refined and presented more efficiently by Gordon Ryan’s leg lock instructionals and Lachlan Giles on Submeta.

My Recommendation

Best for: Grapplers who want to understand the foundational system behind modern leg locking, especially if you enjoy theory-heavy, principle-driven instruction.

Avoid if: You have a short attention span for lecture-style teaching or want a more concise, updated treatment of leg locks.

Pairs with: Triangles: Enter The System to round out your ETS collection with another high-percentage submission system.

Cheaper alternative: Leg Lock Anthology: 50/50 by Lachlan Giles

See ETS bundle

Most escape instructionals teach you to survive. This one teaches you to escape into immediate counter-attacks, turning your opponent’s aggression into your own offense.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 11h 5m across 8 volumes (83 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2021
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Submission Defense & Escapes

What It Covers

Danaher breaks down escapes from guillotines, armbars, triangles, kimuras, heel hooks, and various ashi garami entanglements. The core idea running through every volume: when your opponent attacks a submission, they have to extend themselves and create openings. The moment you clear the danger, you counter-attack, usually by entering into leg entanglements. Each escape chains directly into offensive sequences rather than resetting to a neutral position.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The “escape to counter-attack” framework is a genuine shift in how you think about defense, not just a collection of techniques
• Accessible even for newer grapplers. Multiple community members note this is one of the more beginner-friendly New Wave releases
• Pairs naturally with the Positional Escapes set to give you a complete defensive system

What the Community Says

“I really like it. He ends the escapes with counter attacks (usually entering the legs). One of the concepts is that when your partner attacks they have to extend themselves.”

u/atx78701 on r/bjj

“Most of Danaher’s New Wave instructionals are clear even for beginners. The Positional and Submissions Escapes sets in particular would be good for anyone new to BJJ.”

u/severiansolar on r/bjj

Weakness

The triangle and back defense sections are noticeably weaker than the rest of the set. Because most counter-attacks funnel into leg entanglements, you’ll get less out of this if you don’t already have a working leg lock game.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate grapplers tired of just surviving submissions and wanting to turn defense into offense.

Avoid if: You have zero leg lock knowledge. The counter-attacks assume familiarity with ashi garami positions.

Pairs with: New Wave Jiu Jitsu: A New Philosophy of Positional Escapes for a complete escape system covering both positional and submission defense.

Cheaper alternative: Submission Escapes Masterclass by Priit Mihkelson

See NW bundle

One of Danaher’s most praised releases. The central idea is simple but powerful: the energy required to escape a pin to guard is the same energy required to escape directly into a submission. So why settle for guard?

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 51m across 8 volumes (65 chapters)
• 📅 Released: March 2021
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
• 🎛️ Positional Escapes / Defense

What It Covers

Danaher starts with pin mechanics and the concept of “satisficing” before working through escapes from mount (built around his kipping escape system), rear mount (hand fighting and body triangle theory), knee on belly, side control, north-south, and turtle. The kipping escape from mount is the standout technique and gets praised repeatedly by the community. Turtle defense borrows from wrestling with the “peek out” and includes sumi gaeshi counters. Volume 8 ties everything together with overarching system principles.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The kipping escape system alone is worth the price. It fundamentally changed how many grapplers approach mount escapes
• The “escape to attack” philosophy means you stop playing a purely defensive game when stuck on bottom
• This is consistently rated as one of Danaher’s best releases across Reddit, forums, and review sites

What the Community Says

“It’s the cutting edge IMO but you’re going to have a difficult time digesting the material if you’re not at least competent with the modern leg lock game.”

u/cognitiveflow on r/bjj

“Its a very good dvd and covers the modern escapes that are used in jiu jitsu right now.”

u/lord-yuyitsu on r/bjj

Weakness

You need a working understanding of leg locks to get full value from the counter-attacks. Volume 8 feels like filler compared to the rest. If you’re a beginner, start with the Go Further Faster Pin Escapes instead. Some grapplers prefer Gordon Ryan’s escape material for a more concise presentation.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate to advanced no-gi grapplers who already have leg lock familiarity and want a modern, attack-oriented escape system.

Avoid if: You’re brand new to jiu-jitsu or don’t have any leg lock knowledge yet. The escapes often transition into ashi garami entries.

Pairs with: Pin Escapes & Turtle Escapes: Go Further Faster as the beginner-friendly foundation before graduating to this set.

Cheaper alternative: Escapology by Priit Mihkelson

See NW bundle

The guard passing system behind Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and Nick Rodriguez. Danaher breaks no-gi passing into four clear scenarios and gives you a game plan for each one.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: January 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Guard Passing

What It Covers

Danaher organizes guard passing around four scenarios: opening the closed guard, passing the seated guard, passing the supine (on-back) guard, and passing half guard. His preferred strategy is to force the opponent into half guard, get chest to chest, and pass from there. Key techniques include torreando footwork, pummel passing, body lock and tight-waist passing, and half guard passing with the king knee positions and a 4-step sequence. This is the system that earned a 457-upvote summary post on r/bjj.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The four-scenario framework gives you a clear decision tree for any guard you encounter, which is rare in passing instructionals
• The half guard passing section is excellent and builds a repeatable sequence you can drill immediately
• This is the actual system used by some of the best no-gi competitors in history

What the Community Says

“I’ve been working through his guard passing and mount instructional for the past month or two… I have to say that Danaher’s New Wave series is fantastic.”

u/TeddMegAmitKell on r/bjj

“Watch The Fastest Way by Danaher to get familiar with everything, then watch Gordon’s to connect the dots. Watching Gordon after watching the fastest way made everything click and made my passing insane.”

u/FireUbiParis on r/bjj

Weakness

Very talk-heavy, even by Danaher standards. There’s significant overlap with the GFF Guard Passing set, and much of this material has been updated and refined in The Fastest Way to Become an Effective Guard Passer. The pummel passing sections have aged less well as the meta has shifted. If you’re only buying one Danaher passing set, The Fastest Way is probably the better starting point now.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi grapplers who want a systematic, scenario-based approach to passing every type of guard they’ll face in competition.

Avoid if: You already own The Fastest Way guard passing set. The overlap is substantial and TFW is more refined.

Pairs with: The Fastest Way to Become an Effective Guard Passer as the updated “1.5 edition” that fills in the gaps.

Cheaper alternative: Unity Passing System by Murilo Santana

See NW bundle

Danaher’s gi-focused closed guard system built around his “Six Vulnerabilities” framework. If you train in the gi and want a structured, principle-based closed guard, this is one of the best options available.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 37m across 8 volumes (71 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2019
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 Beginner to Intermediate
• 🎛️ Closed Guard

What It Covers

The entire system revolves around Danaher’s “Six Vulnerabilities” concept, which gives you a framework for reading your opponent’s posture and choosing your attack. From there he covers the side scissor position (wrist sweep, elbow sweep, rolling armbar, flower sweep), the top lock/high guard for armbars, the clamp position from catch wrestling for trap triangles, and a full volume on handling the standing opponent with scooping sweeps, handstand sweeps, and double ankle sweeps. Key submissions include armbars, triangles, kimuras, omoplatas, and back takes off failed sweeps.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The Six Vulnerabilities framework turns closed guard from a collection of random moves into a readable, decision-based system
• The sweep catalog is massive and covers standing, kneeling, and postured opponents with specific answers for each
• Part of the GFF series, which multiple black belts have called “formidable” if you master the full curriculum

What the Community Says

“If you were skilled in all of the GFF series, you’d be a formidable black belt in the gi. You’re a blue belt. Don’t overestimate how much you know.”

u/cognitiveflow on r/bjj

“Unbelievably worth it. Danaher is in my opinion the best instructor in the world.”

u/BJJnoob1990 on r/bjj

Weakness

Gi-only, which limits the audience in an increasingly no-gi world. It’s verbose even by Danaher standards, so plan on watching at 1.25–1.5x speed. Volume 7 (the clamp) feels less developed than the rest. Some practitioners prefer Roger Gracie’s more direct, less theoretical approach to closed guard.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi players from white to purple belt who want a structured, principle-driven closed guard built on clear decision-making rather than memorized sequences.

Avoid if: You only train no-gi, or you prefer a less lecture-heavy, more “just show me the moves” teaching style.

Pairs with: New Wave Jiu Jitsu: Closed Guard for the no-gi version of Danaher’s closed guard thinking, giving you a complete system for both rulesets.

Cheaper alternative: Black Magic Closed Guard by Dan Covel

See GFF bundle

The broadest guard volume in the GFF series, covering everything from butterfly to collar-cuff to X-guard. Danaher organizes the material by opponent posture – kneeling, half-kneeling, or standing – which makes it far more useful in live rolling than the typical "here’s spider guard, here’s lasso guard" approach.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h across 8 volumes (100 chapters)
• 📅 Released: January 2020
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Open Guard (Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes that walk you through open guard play organized by what your opponent is doing. Volumes 1–2 lay out guard fundamentals – grip mechanics, kuzushi, the "double trouble" principle, and the offense/defense tension of maintaining guard while attacking. Volumes 3–4 cover responses to kneeling opponents, including butterfly guard, ken ken principles, and a thorough breakdown of Sumi Gaeshi variations from both seated and supine positions. Volumes 5–6 shift to standing and half-kneeling opponents with ankle picks, Tomoe Nage, De La Riva transitions into Ashi Garami, and a detailed collar-cuff/biceps guard case study covering triangles, omoplatas, and armbars. Volumes 7–8 finish with X-guard connections to Ashi Garami positions and the double kouchi gari sweep with five answers to the headquarters passing posture.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Organized by opponent posture (kneeling, half-kneeling, standing) rather than by guard name, which matches how actual rolling works – you react to what your opponent does, not the other way around
• Integrates judo throws like Tomoe Nage, Hiza Guruma, and Sumi Gaeshi into the open guard system in a way that most BJJ instructionals completely miss
• Bridges traditional gi guard play with modern leg lock entries by connecting De La Riva and X-guard directly to Ashi Garami positions

What the Community Says

“His lower left shift video was worth the entire price in my opinion. That was the piece I was missing in the Lucas Leite style sweep.”

u/myoutlet101 on r/bjj

“As you get more advanced there is a tendency for you to rely on instinct without having to figure out why a move or guard works. It opened my eyes to a few details that were keeping me from executing the moves against actually top guys.”

u/PesadeloPantaneiro on r/bjj

Weakness

Reviewers noted this was "a little less organized than the others" in the GFF series. Being the 5th release, it feels slightly less polished than earlier volumes. At 10 hours, some of the material is repetitive, and several Reddit users pointed out that Jon Thomas’s free YouTube content on open guard covers similar conceptual ground without the cost. This is also entirely gi-specific – collar-cuff, De La Riva, and spider guard material won’t transfer to no-gi.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi practitioners at any level who want a structured open guard system organized around what their opponent is actually doing, rather than memorizing isolated guard techniques.

Avoid if: You primarily train no-gi. Danaher’s New Wave Open Guard series is a much better fit for you.

Pairs with: New Wave Open Guard Vol. 1 – Foundations to translate the gi concepts into no-gi open guard play.

Cheaper alternative: The Systematically Attacking from Open Guard Encyclopedia by Jon Thomas

See Go Further Faster bundle

Danaher’s first gi release in the GFF series tackles bottom half guard with a heavy emphasis on the underhook, the rollthrough sweep, and solving the whizzer problem. Solid fundamentals, but this one divides the community more than any other GFF volume.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 8h 8m across 8 volumes (58 chapters)
• 📅 Released: September 2019
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Half Guard (Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes working from half guard philosophy through practical attack sequences. Volumes 1–2 establish the fundamentals – the alignment paradox of being half-under and half-escaping, kuzushi from bottom, and grip placement priorities. Volumes 3–4 build the attack game around half butterfly (scoop grip variations) and the dominant underhook/tight waist position with rollover sweeps. Volume 5 contains what reviewers call "the single most important section" – the 90-degree rule, knee lift and hip shift principles, the law of the elbow, and back take mechanics. Volume 6 addresses the five most common whizzer counters your opponent will throw at you, with a distinct answer for each. Volumes 7–8 cover gi-specific lapel attacks and the knee lever technique over the trapped leg.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The rollthrough sweep system Danaher presents as the primary half guard sweep is a revelation if you’ve only been hunting dogfight/knee tap sequences
• Volume 5’s "rules and laws" section crystallizes half guard principles so you can troubleshoot problems mid-roll rather than just memorizing set sequences
• Five distinct whizzer counter solutions in Volume 6 address the single most common problem half guard players face, giving you options instead of a single answer

What the Community Says

“I bought it a few days ago too and am in the middle of vol 2 right now. So far I’ve liked it. I feel like he repeats himself a lot but for me so far it’s helped me internalize the information. Rolling this week I was a lot more focused on getting the underhook and was able to hit the roll through.”

u/Gimme_The_Loot on r/bjj

“I’m only on the third volume but already in the first two, he talks about how important the underhook is in half guard which is so fundamental but explained in such detail.”

u/konying418 on r/bjj

Weakness

This was Danaher’s first gi release, and it shows. The repetition is heavy even by his standards – one reviewer with 17 upvotes said he has "no idea how people sit through Danaher’s stuff" compared to Lachlan Giles’ better-organized Half Guard Anthology. Multiple Reddit users said the content could have been condensed significantly from its 8+ hour runtime. The gi-specific lapel material in Volume 7 also limits usefulness for no-gi practitioners.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi half guard players who want Danaher’s conceptual framework and don’t mind the slower pacing. The rollthrough sweep system and whizzer solutions alone can reshape your bottom game.

Avoid if: You need concise, fast-paced instruction. Lachlan Giles’ Half Guard Anthology or Paul Schreiner’s half guard work will serve you better.

Pairs with: New Wave: No-Gi Half Guard – 3 Directions of Attack to translate the fundamentals into no-gi tactics.

Cheaper alternative: Half Domination by Tom DeBlass

See Go Further Faster bundle

This instructional reframes the kimura from a single shoulder lock into a complete positional control system. The T-Kimura concept alone – using the grip as a gateway to back takes, armbars, and leg attacks – is worth the price of admission.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 8h 30m across 8 volumes (84 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2018
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
• 🎛️ Kimura System

What It Covers

Eight volumes treating the kimura as a full attack system from every position. Volume 1 establishes the mechanics – thumb vs. no-thumb grip, rotational power lines, and the roll-through variation. Volume 2 focuses on the classical dorsal kimura with heavy emphasis on breaking locked hands (the #1 problem kimura players face) and leg-based finishing methods. Volume 3 introduces the T-Kimura concept, connecting the grip to back takes, armbars, triangle entries, Ashi Garami attacks, and biceps slicers. Volume 4 applies the system from side control and top half guard with live rolling "classroom commentary" footage. Volume 5 covers kimura-based guard passing against butterfly guard and from turtle. Volumes 6–7 build the bottom-position kimura game from closed guard and half guard, including Sumi Gaeshi variations, T-Kimura applications, and standing kimura options. Volume 8 finishes with unconventional setups like the reverse oomoplata, the "Trimura," and head-and-arm kimura variations.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The T-Kimura concept (Volume 3) teaches you to use the kimura grip as a positional hub – not just a shoulder lock, but a launching pad for back takes, armbars, and leg attacks
• "Classroom commentary" sections starting in Volume 4 show techniques applied in live rolling, bridging the gap between drilling and sparring in a way most instructionals never attempt
• Equal coverage from top and bottom positions. Most kimura instructionals focus on top-side applications; Danaher gives two full volumes to bottom-side kimura attacks from closed guard and half guard

What the Community Says

“My coach is widely known for his Kimura on a continental level to the extent that people gave him a fight name which features it. After watching the DVDs he was seriously impressed and stated that he thought he understood it before, but Danaher made him feel like he had it all wrong.”

u/vandaalen on r/bjj

“I loved Danaher’s DVD as it addresses some of the struggles and the problems and the counters rather than just saying here are all the positions and entries.”

u/Heelhooksaz on r/bjj

Weakness

Danaher sometimes demonstrates critical details without verbally calling them out. You have to watch the physical demonstrations very carefully or you’ll miss important gripping nuances. The early ETS production quality is also noticeably rough – the "Motorola Razr recording" meme exists for a reason. And while top-side kimura coverage is extremely detailed, some bottom-position applications feel rushed by comparison.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate to advanced grapplers who already use the kimura grip and want to turn it into a complete positional control system with connections to back takes, leg locks, and armbars.

Avoid if: You rarely find yourself in positions where you can access the far arm. The kimura system demands certain positional prerequisites that beginners may not reach consistently.

Pairs with: Back Attacks – Enter The System to capitalize on the kimura-to-back-take transitions that Danaher emphasizes throughout.

Cheaper alternative: The Cradle of Filth by Neil Melanson

See Enter The System bundle

Most triangle instructionals only cover the front triangle. Danaher covers five – front, opposite (hantai sankaku), rear, side (yoko sankaku), and reverse – and the "trap triangle" concept in Volume 2 will fundamentally change how you set them up.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 8h 1m across 8 volumes (84 chapters)
• 📅 Released: January 2019
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
• 🎛️ Triangle System

What It Covers

Eight volumes covering five distinct triangle variations. Volume 1 lays out "multiplicity theory," triangle mechanics as both submission and control, solo/partner drills, and the overview of all five types. Volumes 2–4 are an exhaustive treatment of the front triangle – the "trap triangle" setup concept, entries from sitting guard with 2-on-1 grips, overtie/overhook setups, kuzushi principles, clamp guard entries, reactive catches mid-pass, mounted triangle mechanics, and connections to omoplatas, armbars, and heel hooks. Volume 5 covers the opposite triangle (hantai sankaku), an underutilized position with kimura, American lock, and sweep options. Volume 6 handles rear triangles from back, side control, and mount. Volume 7 presents the side triangle (yoko sankaku) – described as groundbreaking for its versatility as a backup when front triangle attempts fail, with entries from turtle and guard passing. Volume 8 finishes with the reverse triangle from inferior positions like bottom side control.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Five distinct triangle variations means you have triangle options from positions most people never consider – the side triangle as a backup to failed front triangles and the reverse triangle from bottom side control are genuinely novel for most practitioners
• The "trap triangle" concept in Volume 2 teaches you to establish a preliminary control position that funnels your opponent into the triangle, rather than hunting the submission directly
• Danaher demonstrates flying triangles at age 51 with hip and knee replacements, which speaks to the mechanical efficiency of the approach he teaches

What the Community Says

“Danaher triangle is by far the best take I have ever seen on the technique. The regular triangle and the opposite side one (hantai) are awesome. The biggest trick you have to remember to make it work is that you have to invert more than you think to hit it.”

u/YogaPorrada on r/bjj

“It is probably my favourite of them all so far and I am just half way through.”

u/BrothOfSloth on r/bjj

Weakness

The first 90+ minutes are heavily theoretical. Volume 1 is over 90 minutes of philosophy and mechanics before you see a single practical entry – some users reported losing focus entirely. The opposite triangle that Danaher teaches extensively is genuinely difficult to execute in live rolling, and several practitioners reported never landing it despite understanding the concept. There’s also an ongoing debate about Danaher’s triangle locking mechanics – even Keenan Cornelius (u/fritzdagger, 224 upvotes) weighed in that the behind-the-knee lock is more secure but produces less strangling force against high-level opponents.

My Recommendation

Best for: Triangle-oriented guard players at blue belt and above who want to expand beyond the standard front triangle into a multi-variation system with entries from every major position.

Avoid if: You struggle with the standard front triangle already. Start with Ryan Hall’s Modern Triangles for a cleaner, more accessible foundation before tackling Danaher’s full system.

Pairs with: Front Headlock System to cover the guillotine and arm-in strangle families alongside your triangle game.

Cheaper alternative: The Science of Filthy Triangles by Neil Melanson

See Enter The System bundle

The final and most polarizing entry in the Enter The System series. The 6-phase armbar framework (entry, control, orientation, configuration, separation, breaking) is a genuinely useful diagnostic tool, but this is widely considered the weakest ETS volume due to extreme repetition.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 11h 43m across 8 volumes (94 chapters)
• 📅 Released: March 2019
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
• 🎛️ Armbar System

What It Covers

Eight volumes covering the armbar (juji gatame) from every position through a 6-phase framework. Volume 1 establishes the speed armbar vs. control armbar distinction and the six phases: entry, control, orientation, configuration, separation, and breaking. Volumes 2–3 handle finishing mechanics – foot positioning (crossed vs. uncrossed), grip breaks, rolling finishes, and the often-neglected separation phase with cross-chest positioning and five hand-positioning progressions. Volumes 4–5 cover bottom-position armbars from closed guard and seated positions, including the "critical armbar law," three-quarter armbar, belly-down variations, and seven progressive seated entries. Volumes 6–7 are the top-position material – including the infamous hour-long Volume 6 devoted entirely to the armbar from mount, plus side control entries and the "most important drill for armbar mastery." Volume 8 connects armbars to leg locks (kneebars, toeholds, heel hooks) with five rolling armbar setups and back position entries.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The 6-phase framework gives you a diagnostic tool for figuring out exactly which phase of your armbar is breaking down – instead of just "doing an armbar," you can identify whether your problem is entry, separation, or configuration
• Volume 8’s connection of armbars to leg locks is unique and forward-thinking – understanding how armbar defense creates leg lock opportunities (and vice versa) is something most instructionals completely ignore
• The separation mechanics in Volume 3 cover arguably the most overlooked phase of the armbar, the critical step of separating the arm from the body that most people neglect in favor of entry and finishing

What the Community Says

“Its simultaneously true that there is very helpful material in there and that John stretches things an absurd amount.”

u/Emergency_Noise3301 on r/bjj

“I have to politely disagree… I found this to be one of the better of his DVDs. Fewer crutch phrases, he talks a bit faster, it’s well organized, and content wise it’s excellent.”

u/eAtheist on r/bjj

Weakness

This is widely considered the weakest entry in the ETS series. The repetition problem is at its worst here – one reviewer with 94 upvotes said "armbar from guard has like 2 discs of content and could have been 45 minutes tops." Volume 6 spending an entire hour on just the armbar from mount became a meme on r/bjj. The original post calling it out got 181 upvotes. Lachlan Giles’ Straight Armlock Anthology is frequently recommended as better organized and more concise, and Gordon Ryan’s armbar content delivers the Danaher Death Squad approach without the 11+ hours of padding.

My Recommendation

Best for: Practitioners who want a diagnostic framework for why their armbars fail. The 6-phase system and the armbar-to-leglock connections in Volume 8 are genuinely valuable if you can tolerate the pacing.

Avoid if: You have limited study time. Lachlan Giles’ Straight Armlock Anthology or Gordon Ryan’s armbar material will give you more practical value per hour invested.

Pairs with: Triangles – Enter The System for the classic armbar-triangle synergy that makes both submissions more dangerous.

Cheaper alternative: Arm Bar Legion by Chris Paines

See Enter The System bundle

Widely considered the best release in the Enter The System series, this instructional treats the front headlock as a full positional system – not just a collection of guillotine finishes. Danaher’s refined guillotine classification (6 variations organized by low/high wrist position) will change how you think about choking from the front headlock.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 7h 10m across 8 volumes (71 chapters)
• 📅 Released: September 2018
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Front Headlock / Guillotines

What It Covers

Eight volumes covering the front headlock from every context. Volume 1 establishes four main scenarios, the four points of control concept, and a 4-step systematic framework. Volume 2 handles standing entries – proactive vs. reactive theory, entries from single legs, snap-downs, overhooks, and two-on-one ties. Volumes 3–5 form the core of the instructional with front headlock attacks from the knees: centerline shift mechanics, six guillotine variations (well beyond the standard arm-in vs. high elbow split), the anaconda choke system (katagatame), the D’arce choke (reverse katagatame), cradle series, and headlock combinations. Volumes 6–7 flip the position to bottom attacks with snap-down entries, guillotines from seated guard, hip heist movement, and counter-countering sequences. Volume 8 integrates guard passing with front headlock control, including four half guard passing variations that connect directly to headlock entries.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Covers the front headlock from top, bottom, standing, and guard passing contexts – every other guillotine instructional only teaches finishes from one or two positions, making this the most complete single resource on the position
• The six guillotine variations organized by low/high wrist position give you a more refined classification than the standard two-category system, and the choking principles carry over to anacondas and D’arces as well
• Multiple reviewers (including BJJ World) specifically call this Danaher’s best Enter The System release, with better organization and more novel information than the earlier ETS titles

What the Community Says

“I recently was able to get a couple of the Danaher dvds, and I gotta say despite my earlier cynicism they really are a cut above. Lots of other good stuff out there as well of course, but somehow I was surprised by the legit quality and depth of Danaher’s instruction. His systematic approach is something else.”

u/trustdoesntrust on r/bjj

“The Enter the System series may be the best series of jiu jitsu instructionals ever created IMO. I would contend that if any person practiced everything he taught in those they would be at least a purple belt skills wise.”

u/Bjj-black-belch on r/bjj

Weakness

The guillotine, anaconda, and D’arce sections contain repeated instruction that is nearly identical. Danaher covers the same setups and principles multiple times across volumes with only slight variations, and many community members report this is the most bloated of the ETS series in terms of re-explained content. At 7+ hours, you need real commitment. Several commenters also pointed out that Marcelo Garcia’s MG InAction covers front headlock material that the DDS system was modeled on, and competitors like Lachlan Giles (High Percentage Chokes) and Gordon Ryan have since released strong alternatives at shorter runtimes.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi grapplers who want a full positional system around the front headlock – not just guillotine finishes, but entries, control, transitions, and attacks from every direction including bottom position and guard passing.

Avoid if: You just want to sharpen your guillotine finish without the full system. Lachlan Giles’ High Percentage Chokes or Gordon Ryan’s guillotine material will give you better chain-wrestling between front headlock submissions in less time.

Pairs with: Triangles – Enter The System to cover arm-in strangle mechanics from guard alongside your front headlock game.

Cheaper alternative: The Head & Arm Choke System by Lachlan Giles

Enter The System bundle

If you pass guard and land in side control with an underhook, this instructional gives you a clear pathway from pin to finish. Danaher builds the side crucifix as a submission hub connecting kimuras, armbars, and triangles – all from a position that relies on leverage rather than athleticism.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 3h 24m across 6 volumes (37 chapters)
• 📅 Released: March 2025
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Side Control / Crucifix

What It Covers

Six volumes that develop the underhook-based side crucifix as a positional control hub. Volume 1 lays out the principles behind the side crucifix and its relationship to standard side control. Volume 2 covers entries – transitioning from standard side control to the side crucifix via underhook pathways and chancery control. Volume 3 focuses on control mechanics: shin-pin options, trapping both arms with maximum leverage, and the overlooked details that make the position sustainable against escape attempts. Volumes 4–6 build the attack game with kimura setups and T-kimura connections, armbar transitions, and triangle setups from the crucifix. Volume 6 also links the side crucifix to the back crucifix as a two-direction attack system.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Turns your side control underhook into a submission machine rather than just a pin – you get a clear pathway from control to multiple high-percentage finishes (kimura, armbar, triangle) from a single position
• The position works off fundamental leverage rather than speed or flexibility, making it ideal for older grapplers or anyone who plays a pressure-based top game
• Designed to pair with the Back Crucifix MTM title so you have crucifix attacks from two different directions – side control approach and back/turtle approach – creating a system that opponents can’t easily escape in one direction

What the Community Says

“Danaher’s back crucifix is decent. Combine this one and the Side Crucifix and it is very helpful.”

u/SimpleCounterBalance on r/bjj

“After you get through [the American Lock], pair it with Side Crucifix.”

u/fishNjits on r/bjj

Weakness

The biggest issue: Danaher’s top athletes don’t specialize in the crucifix. Unlike leglocks or back attacks where Gordon Ryan and the DDS crew have proven the system in competition, this is a position Danaher teaches from theory rather than one battle-tested at the highest levels by his own students. Several Reddit threads recommend Brad Schneider, Darragh O’Connail, or Tameem’s free YouTube seminar over Danaher’s crucifix material, specifically because those guys live in the position. There’s also the price-to-content ratio concern – at 3.5 hours, this is a short instructional for the Master The Move price point.

My Recommendation

Best for: Top-game players who already pass guard effectively and want a reliable submission pathway from side control that doesn’t require athleticism or speed.

Avoid if: You want battle-tested crucifix instruction from someone who actually uses it as their primary weapon. Brad Schneider or Darragh O’Connail will serve you better.

Pairs with: Master The Move: The Back Crucifix to build a complete two-direction crucifix system.

Cheaper alternative: Darragh O’Connail’s crucifix instructional – multiple Redditors call it the best overall crucifix resource at a fraction of the price.

The companion piece to the Side Crucifix, approaching from the opposite direction – behind the opponent via turtle and back control. The wedge-hook-prop principle Danaher introduces here is the central mechanical concept, and even if you never use the back crucifix itself, his explanation of why back control works will sharpen your entire rear attack game.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 4h 17m across 7 volumes (30 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2025
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Back Control / Crucifix

What It Covers

Seven volumes building the back crucifix from foundational theory through finishes. The opening volumes establish the logic of back control in jiu jitsu and why the back crucifix works as a dominant position despite not scoring competition points. The central mechanical concept is the wedge-hook-prop principle for trapping both arms, with detailed focal points of control. Entry volumes cover the primary pathway from top turtle – entering behind the elbows, entering in front of the elbows, and troubleshooting – plus less conventional entries from top guard that expand where you can access the position. Finishing volumes split into strangulations and joint locks, with T-kimura connections, triangle setups, and the critical link between back crucifix and side crucifix that creates a two-direction attack system.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Fills a genuine gap in the back attack game – when you can’t finish from standard rear mount, the back crucifix gives you a secondary control position with its own submission set, making your overall back game harder to defend
• The wedge-hook-prop principle and focal point concepts clarify the mechanics of all back attacks, not just the crucifix – even practitioners who never use the position report that the theory improved their overall back control
• Covers entries from top guard position as well as turtle, which gives you more opportunities to reach the crucifix than the standard turtle-only approach most instructionals teach

What the Community Says

“Danaher’s back crucifix is decent. Combine this one and the Side Crucifix and it is very helpful.”

u/SimpleCounterBalance on r/bjj

“Beyond the fact that it’s revenue for him, I don’t think he assumes that everyone has every previous instructional. Some moves like American lock are covered in his broader instructionals, but if you don’t have that and want a deep look into that specific move it’s a solid instructional.”

u/severiansolar on r/bjj

Weakness

Same athlete credibility problem as the Side Crucifix – Danaher’s top students are not known as crucifix specialists, so this is a position taught from theory rather than proven at the highest levels by his own team. As u/porradamufasa put it: “Danaher separates crucifix into two instructionals. He could have made one 8 hour as he used to do.” Splitting side and back crucifix into separate products feels like a cash grab when a single volume at the ETS-era length would have been the natural format. The theory-rich, slow-delivery style also means a substantial time investment for a niche position many grapplers will use only occasionally.

My Recommendation

Best for: Back attack specialists who want a secondary control position when the standard rear mount stalls, and anyone whose game revolves around attacking turtle.

Avoid if: You want proven, competition-tested crucifix instruction. Brad Schneider, Darragh O’Connail, or Tameem’s free YouTube seminar come from practitioners who actually build their games around this position.

Pairs with: Back Attacks: Enter The System to expand crucifix attacks into a broader back submission arsenal.

Cheaper alternative: Tameem’s free YouTube crucifix seminar – community favorite and consistently recommended as the most complete free resource on the position.

The only instructional that treats the arm drag as a complete system rather than a single technique from one position. The defensive arm drag section – including the “double pits position” concept – covers material you genuinely will not find anywhere else. Rated 10/10 by BJJ World.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 4h 45m across 8 volumes (66 chapters)
• 📅 Released: July 2024
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Arm Drags / Transitions

What It Covers

Eight volumes covering the arm drag from every conceivable position. Volume 1 establishes the 10 principles of arm drags – a full hour on grip placement, lower body connections, dragging directions, stance, head positioning, and follow-up opportunities. Volume 2 covers seated arm drags with transitions to double legs, snapdowns, and leg entanglements. Volume 3 builds the supine guard arm drag system from butterfly, reverse De La Riva, and seated guard with slides, trip attacks, and ankle picks. Volume 4 addresses high-hand positioning issues specific to butterfly and butter-half guards with shoulder crunch sweep variations. Volume 5 introduces defensive arm drags – the “double pits position,” front headlock arm drags, and wrestling-based defensive principles. Volumes 6–8 handle standing applications: wrist control and body mechanics from the feet, inside tie grip entries with open stance variations, and single/double knee drop arm drags with underhooking alternatives.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Covers arm drags from seated, supine, butterfly, standing, and defensive positions – no other instructional treats the arm drag as a system that works across all these contexts rather than isolating it to one position
• The defensive arm drag section (Volume 5) is unique material you will not find elsewhere – using arm drags to escape bad positions and the “double pits position” concept alone set this apart from every other arm drag resource
• Volumes 6–8 on standing arm drags integrate wrestling and judo principles in a way that makes sense for grapplers without a wrestling background, with the knee drop arm drag material being particularly practical for competition

What the Community Says

“I armdrag all the time, and I didn’t know this detail. Was this common knowledge to the rest of you?”

u/Federal-Challenge-58 on r/bjj

“It’s a good instructional, but ultimately it depends on your current skill level and what you want to focus on right now. The instructional is hyper focused on arm drags from many different positions. If that is what you are looking for, then it might be worth it to you.”

u/xxwomb_raiderxx on r/bjj

Weakness

There is significant content overlap with Danaher’s own other instructionals – arm drag sections already exist in his “Increase Your Submission Rate” and “No-Gi Stand Up” releases, so if you own those, expect repeated material. The community is also genuinely split on whether 5+ hours on the arm drag is necessary. As u/invisibreaker put it (198 upvotes): “He has 7 hours on the arm drag. We are well beyond milking things at this point.” The format includes repetitive drilling – Danaher now has training partners drill each technique 3 times each on camera, which pads the runtime. And Marcelo Garcia’s competition footage remains the gold standard for arm drags in action, available for free.

My Recommendation

Best for: Grapplers who want to build a complete arm drag game from scratch across all positions – seated, standing, supine, and defensive. The 10 principles framework is particularly valuable if you use arm drags sporadically and want to systematize them.

Avoid if: You already use arm drags from a couple of positions. The arm drag sections in Danaher’s broader instructionals (Increase Your Submission Rate, No-Gi Stand Up) are probably sufficient. Also skip this at full price – wait for sales.

Pairs with: Back Attacks: Enter The System to build a complete back attack system after learning to enter with the arm drag.

Cheaper alternative: Marcelo Garcia’s competition footage on YouTube – the arm drag GOAT in action, and multiple Redditors recommend it over buying a dedicated arm drag instructional.

Not a collection of sweeps and techniques – this is Danaher’s complete conceptual framework for understanding why guard works. The central thesis: the two foundations of guard play are guard retention and leg entanglements, and his knowledge/denial model for retention alone is worth the price of admission.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 10h 43m across 8 volumes (65 chapters)
• 📅 Released: July 2021
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Open Guard (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes split into two halves: guard retention (Volumes 1–4) and attacking (Volumes 5–8). Volume 1 establishes the central thesis – dynamic energy theory, the knowledge/denial model, and why targeting the legs is the most reliable offensive strategy from open guard. Volumes 2–4 build the retention game: grip theory, connection theory, the six elements an opponent needs to pass your guard (deny even one and the pass fails), practical movement drills, guard recovery techniques, and applied retention against specific passing styles. Volume 5 shifts to offense with the push-pull dynamic for playing guard aggressively. Volumes 6–8 cover leg entanglements – entries into ashi garami, cross ashi, and backside 50/50 using a dilemma-based approach (upper/lower body dilemma, over/under dilemma), X-guard as the primary vehicle for leg attacks and sweeps, and advanced applications against kneeling and standing opponents ending with double Kouchi Gari.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The knowledge/denial model reframes guard retention as a denial framework – your opponent needs six things to pass, and if you take away even one, the pass fails. This gives you a diagnostic tool instead of just memorized retention sequences
• Frames retention and leg entanglements as two pillars of a unified system, showing how defensive guard play naturally feeds into offensive leg attacks – this connection is what made the New Wave team so dangerous from bottom
• For anyone transitioning from gi to no-gi, this provides the mental model for understanding what changes and what stays the same about open guard play without grips

What the Community Says

“Some people see leg entanglements as separate from guard. The purpose of guard is literally to make and maintain strong connections to manage distance and destabilize. Leg entanglements are key to the guard. This instructional is heavy on leg entanglements. He also covers all major guard positions.”

u/Zeenenaur on r/bjj

“I’d recommend either Gordon Ryan’s Thou Shall Not Pass dvd, or if you can comprehend it, Danaher’s new wave open guard volume 1 dvd to be higher on your list. I think Gordon’s is much easier to digest for newer people, and his guard retention ideas are easy to remember.”

u/wishmeluck- on r/bjj

Weakness

This is heavy on leg entanglements and light on sweeps. If you want a complete open guard game with sweeps, reversals, and stand-ups, you need Open Guard Vol. 2 to fill that gap – the “two foundations” title is accurate, and those foundations are retention and legs, not everything. Lachlan Giles & Ariel Tabak’s Guard Retention Anthology is frequently recommended over this for pure retention, with more practical, immediately applicable frameworks. The theory-first approach can also overwhelm white and blue belts despite being labeled intermediate – the knowledge/denial model is powerful but takes time to internalize. And at 10+ hours with single-camera production and no on-screen annotations, this is a massive time commitment.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate no-gi practitioners who want to understand why guard works from first principles, and who want their retention game to naturally feed into leg lock entries rather than treating them as separate skills.

Avoid if: You need immediately actionable guard retention drills. Lachlan Giles’ Guard Retention Anthology or Gordon Ryan’s They Shall Not Pass are more practical and easier to digest.

Pairs with: New Wave Open Guard Vol. 2 – Sweeps & Reversals to turn the foundations into a complete open guard game with scoring options.

Cheaper alternative: No-Gi Open Guard by Lachlan Giles

See New Wave bundle

The offensive half of Danaher’s open guard system. Where Vol. 1 taught you to retain, Vol. 2 teaches you to attack – turning wrestling reversals, tripod sweeps, X guard entries, and sumi gaeshi into a coherent bottom game that actually gets you on top.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 10h 57m across 8 volumes (77 chapters)
• 📅 Released: September 2021
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Open Guard / Sweeps (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes that transform open guard from a survival position into an attacking platform. The first two volumes establish a wrestling-for-BJJ framework – seated shots, ankle picks, knee pulls, and the fundamental 3-step pattern behind all wrestling reversals. Volumes 3–5 cover tripod sweeps, shin sweeps, and a full X guard system (heist reversals, scissor entries, double leg X guard). The real highlight is Volumes 6–8: an extended sumi gaeshi study that Danaher treats as his principal attack against kneeling opponents, with collar-and-elbow, double triceps, double overhook, and arm trap variations. The set closes with upper body submissions from guard – triangles, arm bars, and guillotines – all organized through his signature dilemma-based framework (upper/lower body dilemma, over/under dilemma).

What Makes It Stand Out

• Adapts traditional wrestling takedown concepts into no-gi guard reversals, giving you a coherent system for getting on top from bottom instead of just playing retention
• The extended sumi gaeshi section is unusually thorough – most instructionals barely touch this technique, but Danaher presents it as a primary weapon with dozens of variations against a kneeling opponent
• Everything connects through conceptual dilemmas so you understand why the sweeps work, not just the mechanics. When they defend one direction, you already know the counter-attack

What the Community Says

“The New Wave stuff is fantastic as I mainly train without a gi. I haven’t seen all of them, I picked and chose more so for my own game and interests.”

u/LT86204 on r/bjj

“I’d probably go with the New Wave bundle, as the no-gi techniques are going to be largely applicable to Gi as well. I am a Gi only guy, but I’ve gotten a lot of value out of Gordon’s instructionals since a lot of the positional stuff applies across both.”

u/GrandExpress2418 on r/bjj

Weakness

This is Vol. 2 and it assumes you already understand the retention philosophy from Vol. 1. If you skip the first set, references to frameworks established there will leave you confused. The wrestling reversal sections (seated shots, ankle picks from bottom) also have a steep learning curve for pure BJJ practitioners who have never drilled those movements. And Danaher’s verbosity is on full display – expect long conceptual lead-ins before you get to actual technique.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate no-gi players who already understand open guard retention and want to turn their bottom game into an attacking position with real sweep and reversal options.

Avoid if: You haven’t watched Vol. 1 yet, or you’re a beginner who needs to learn guard retention before worrying about sweeps. Start there first.

Pairs with: New Wave No-Gi Guard Passing to complete the full guard battle loop – sweep to top, then pass.

Cheaper alternative: No-Gi Open Guard by Lachlan Giles

See New Wave bundle

Danaher’s 4-step method for side control: pin, pressure, separate the elbows, submit. Four distinct control positions (seated head and arm, dorsal pin, side crucifix, elbow trap) give you a decision tree instead of random submission hunting.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 32m across 8 volumes (62 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Side Control Attacks

What It Covers

The first two volumes establish the philosophy and the 4-step system: pin your opponent, build pressure, separate their elbows from their body, then submit. Volumes 3–4 teach the seated head and arm series with transitions to rear strangles, mount, and armbars. Volume 5 covers the dorsal pin – kimuras, yoko sankaku (side triangle), and back-take entries. Volume 6 is dedicated to the side crucifix with scissor variations, reverse triangles, and multiple finishing options. Volume 7 introduces the shin pin crucifix and mounted head and arm attacks. Volume 8 rounds out the system with the elbow trap series and – in a Danaher twist – leg lock entries directly from side control. The entire set is built around moving between these four control positions rather than parking in one spot.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The 4-step system (pin, pressure, separate elbows, submit) is genuinely simple to remember and gives you a clear path from any side control position to a finish
• Emphasizes dynamic movement between four control positions rather than static holding – a more modern and effective approach that mirrors how top competitors actually play side control
• Explicitly teaches side control to mount transitions as part of the system, not as afterthoughts. Most side control instructionals ignore this entirely

What the Community Says

“As you are a beginner I recommend the New Wave Side control. Danaher does comprehensively cover the side crucifix as well as other positions in side control and will give you a nice solid base and understanding.”

u/ThorJHB on r/bjj

“Get the New Wave ones for no gi, Fastest Way series is also good. GFF is great but it’s outdated for modern no-gi and there are a few missing fundamental pieces that he explains much better in his modern videos.”

u/YugeHonor4Me on r/bjj

Weakness

The side crucifix material overlaps significantly with Danaher’s standalone Side Crucifix (Master the Move) instructional. If you already own that one, Parts 6–7 will feel redundant. Eight volumes of side control is also a lot to absorb, and the system assumes you can reliably get to side control in the first place – guard passing is not covered here.

My Recommendation

Best for: Top-game players who keep arriving at side control but stall there without finishing. This gives you an actual attack plan.

Avoid if: You primarily play guard and rarely arrive at side control, or you already own Gordon Ryan’s side control system (several Reddit users rate Gordon’s version as slightly more direct for application).

Pairs with: New Wave Mounted Pin Attacks (4×4 Mount System) so you can chain side control attacks directly into mount finishes.

Cheaper alternative: Side Control Masterclass by Fabio Gurgel

See New Wave bundle

Four steps to four submissions – the entire system fits on an index card. Danaher takes mount from a position most people fumble around in to a methodical finishing machine: get the underhook, separate the elbow, establish a control grip, pick your submission.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: March 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Mount Attacks

What It Covers

Volumes 1–2 cover the theory of pinning in submission grappling, why mount is superior to other pins, three methods for getting mounted (knee drive, stepover, double underhooks), and mount retention against the most common escape attempts. Volume 3 builds the first three steps of the 4×4 system: getting an underhook via cross-wrist pin, separating the elbow past the shoulder line using a ratchet method, and establishing one of four control grips (single chest wrap, far trap underhook, double chest wrap, or arm wrap/figure 4). Volumes 4–7 each dedicate a full volume to one of the four submissions: kata gatame (arm triangle), rear strangle (back take from mount), juji gatame (armbar), and mounted triangle. Volume 8 handles system recovery – what to do when the 4×4 fails and how to remount after partial escapes.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Remarkably simple by Danaher standards: 4 steps leading to 4 submissions. The entire decision tree fits on a note card, and multiple Reddit users confirm it’s easy to remember during live rolls
• Works well for solo drilling with a grappling dummy because the positions are stable enough to practice the steps without a training partner
• Teaches how to create panic reactions without strikes by attacking breathing and using chest-to-face pressure – a suffocating, demoralizing approach that most mount instructionals barely address

What the Community Says

“I’ve watched quite a few instructionals, and in my opinion this is the best one I’ve ever watched. Not only do you learn how to properly move from side control to mount, the 4×4 mount system logically makes a lot of sense, and is quite simple.”

u/Rfalcon13 on r/bjj

“What I like about this is that due to the simplicity and the set of explicit goals, you can turn this into segmented sparring games really easily.”

u/getchomsky on r/bjj

Weakness

The cross-wrist pin method for getting the underhook (Step 1) is technically demanding. Multiple Reddit users report losing mount when attempting it because they lean too far forward and get shrimped to half guard. The system is also overwhelmingly top-mount focused – the recovery material in Volume 8 is thin compared to the attack content. If you lose mount, you are somewhat on your own.

My Recommendation

Best for: Anyone who gets to mount but doesn’t know what to do there. This is one of Danaher’s most universally praised instructionals, and the simple structure makes it genuinely useful from blue belt through brown belt.

Avoid if: You exclusively play a leg-lock-centric game and never pursue mount, or you already own Gordon Ryan’s mount attacks (same system, Gordon just adds more advanced nuance).

Pairs with: New Wave Side Attacks because side control and mount should evolve together as connected top-game systems.

Cheaper alternative: The Mount Attack Encyclopedia by Fabio Gurgel

See New Wave bundle

A no-gi closed guard system that actually works without collar grips. Danaher builds the entire position around four control platforms – side scissor, clamp, top lock, and high cross – that connect into one attack map with clear submission routes from each.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 41m across 8 volumes (88 chapters)
• 📅 Released: July 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Closed Guard (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Volume 1 introduces closed guard advantages and disadvantages, the battle for posture (the central concept of the entire set), and four methods for entering the side scissor position. Volume 2 expands the side scissor into a full tactical framework – the battle for the elbow, height and angle management, and the “side scissor trilemma” that forces your opponent into three losing choices. Volume 3 covers the clamp series for when you lose the elbow battle: clamp triangle, inverted armbar, the trimura (triangle-kimura hybrid), and omoplata rollovers. Volume 4 teaches double underhook entries with a dedicated section on adaptations for shorter athletes. Volumes 5–6 build the high cross, side sit-up, scoop handstand sweep, and top lock series. Volume 7 handles trap triangle variations, and Volume 8 finishes with leg lock entries from closed guard when opponents stand – bridging two positions that most instructionals treat as completely separate.

What Makes It Stand Out

• One of the few closed guard instructionals built specifically for no-gi. Most closed guard material assumes you have collar grips; this system replaces them with the side scissor, clamp, and top lock
• Volume 4 includes dedicated adaptations for shorter athletes – genuinely useful since closed guard is often dismissed for anyone without long legs
• Integrates leg lock entries from closed guard (Volume 8) as a natural branch of the system, not a separate topic. When opponents stand in your guard, you transition directly to ashi garami

What the Community Says

“For no gi, I really prefer Danaher’s New Wave set. I have his and Gordon’s but I prefer Danaher’s in this instance. If you want one that has mechanics that translate gi and no gi, I like Dan Covel’s black magic closed guard set.”

u/cognitiveflow on r/bjj

“I’d probably go with the New Wave bundle, as the no-gi techniques are going to be largely applicable to Gi as well.”

u/GrandExpress2418 on r/bjj

Weakness

At least one Reddit user argues the core techniques (side scissor, clamp, pendulum sweep) are available for free on YouTube. The real value is Danaher’s systematic organization and how he connects the positions, not necessarily novel techniques. Eight volumes on closed guard can also feel like overkill for practitioners who view the position as less dominant in modern no-gi competition. If you own the GFF Closed Guard (gi version), there is significant conceptual overlap, though the grip details differ.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi players who want a real closed guard system and are tired of breaking posture with no plan. Also surprisingly good for shorter grapplers thanks to the Volume 4 adaptations.

Avoid if: You only play open guard and wrestle-up games, or you already own Gordon Ryan’s closed guard (Reddit users note high similarity between the two systems).

Pairs with: Closed Guard – Go Further Faster (Gi) to cross-train the gi version and understand how collar grips create additional options from the same positions.

Cheaper alternative: No-Gi Closed Guard by Lachlan Giles

See New Wave bundle

Danaher organizes half guard into three clear attack directions – sweeps, back takes, and leg locks – so when your opponent shuts down one path, you already know where to go next. The “half guard paradox” explanation alone changes how you think about the position.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 11h 6m across 8 volumes (102 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2021
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Half Guard (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Volume 1 lays the conceptual foundation: the half guard paradox (why the position is simultaneously dangerous and advantageous), three key insights about New Wave guard play, and the three directions of attack explained in full. Volume 2 covers defensive mechanics – knee shield essentials, elbow escapes, arm frames, and two kuzushi (off-balancing) methods. Volumes 3–4 handle the first two attack directions: tight waist sweeps (lower leg shift, roll through, ankle pick variations, dogfight entries) and back takes through circle body lock, uki goshi responses, and single-leg techniques. Volume 5 covers knee lever attacks and transitions. Volume 6 introduces ude gatame (straight armbar) variations, triangle entries, kimuras, and the scoop scorpion series. Volumes 7–8 focus on the third attack direction – leg locks – with kani basami entries, butterfly insertion to ashi garami, heel hook entries from knee shield, and deep half guard transitions directly into the leg lock system.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The “3 directions” framework is genuinely clarifying: sweeps, back takes, and leg locks give you a decision tree instead of a random grab-bag of half guard moves. When they defend one direction, you attack another
• Builds ashi garami entries directly into the half guard system as the third attack direction – unlike older half guard instructionals that treat leg locks as a completely separate game
• Danaher’s extended treatment of the half guard paradox is one of his best conceptual contributions. It reframes the position from “bad guard I got stuck in” to “position with unique offensive advantages”

What the Community Says

“I think john danaher new wave half guard nogi covers the basics pretty good. I have watched many half guard dvds but i come back to this dvd the most.”

u/lord-yuyitsu on r/bjj

“If you’re doing NoGi, Danahers is flawless. If you’re doing Gi, Jake Mackenzie or Lucas Leite.”

u/svenfux on r/bjj

Weakness

Lachlan Giles’ Half Guard Anthology is the consensus pick on Reddit for best half guard instructional overall, with significantly more upvotes and recommendations. Lachlan is more concise and covers a wider range of situations in less time. Danaher’s verbose teaching style is a genuine barrier here – as one Reddit user puts it, he “takes 15 minutes to explain something that could be covered in 15 seconds.” The gi-to-nogi distinction also matters less for half guard than other positions, which makes the “New Wave is for no-gi” differentiator less compelling.

My Recommendation

Best for: Intermediate no-gi players who want a structured decision tree for half guard rather than a collection of isolated techniques. Especially useful if you want to integrate leg locks into your bottom game.

Avoid if: You prefer concise instruction – Lachlan Giles’ Half Guard Anthology covers similar ground in less time and is the more popular recommendation on r/bjj.

Pairs with: Half Guard – Go Further Faster (Gi) to transfer the same concepts into gi with grip-specific details.

Cheaper alternative: The Half Guard Anthology by Lachlan Giles

See New Wave bundle

The most encyclopedic no-gi takedown resource Danaher has produced. Ten volumes cover everything from basic stance and hand fighting to single legs, double legs, body locks, and ashi waza – all filtered through BJJ-specific concerns like back exposure and guillotine risk that pure wrestling instructionals ignore.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 13h 18m across 10 volumes (134 chapters)
• 📅 Released: September 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Takedowns / Standing

What It Covers

Ten volumes building a complete lower-body and general takedown system from scratch. Volumes 1–2 lay the foundation with stance selection (left vs. right), motion, contact, and nine principles of hand fighting. Volume 3 is a deep study of the snap down – twelve variations from rear hand snap to 2-on-1 snap, plus a 4-step pattern (setup, catch, tighter connection, completion) for converting snap downs into front and rear takedowns. Volumes 4–5 cover double legs (including the elbow deep double featuring GSP’s technique) and single legs (high single mechanics and finishing strategies). Volume 6 delivers an exhaustive single leg finishing catalogue: kneeling cutback, running the pipe, thigh pry, foot trip, and single-to-double transitions including the Barzegar finish. Volume 7 handles high leg finishes with De Ashi Harai, Harai Goshi, and tree topping. Volume 8 covers body lock takedowns with four distinct methods (two-step, rotational, lifting, knee sweep). Volumes 9–10 round out the system with knee picks (Kuchiki Daoshi), ankle picks (Kibisu Gaeshi) from six different setups, and ashi waza including Kouchi Gari, Ouchi Gari, De Ashi Harai, and Sasae Tsuri Komi Ashi.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Assumes zero wrestling knowledge and builds from absolute basics – stance, motion, grip – before introducing a single takedown, making it genuinely accessible to pure BJJ players who have never trained standup
• Every technique is evaluated through BJJ-specific risk factors (back exposure, neck exposure for guillotines, guard pull counters) that wrestling and judo instructionals never address
• The snap down volume alone contains twelve variations with a systematic 4-step finishing pattern, giving you more depth on this single technique than most complete standup instructionals offer overall

What the Community Says

“Standing2ground by Danaher is seriously amazing and I think both are great, but Standing2Ground 1 and 2 have waay more techniques, I think the first is 10 volumes of moves, and way greater detail.”

u/picklethegrappler on r/bjj

“Upper body takedowns for Danaher is good also, it’s basically a beginners Greco judo hybrid, so if you hate shooting or have a shit stance it’ll give you the basics.”

u/youplayedyourself1 on r/bjj

Weakness

At 10 volumes, this is a massive time commitment that competes with actual wrestling classes. You won’t see a single takedown until Volume 3 or 4 – the conceptual buildup is extreme even by Danaher standards. Multiple Reddit users point out that actual wrestlers like Joseph Breza, Cary Kolat, and JFLO produce takedown content from genuine competitive experience on the feet, which Danaher lacks. All demonstrations are on compliant partners with no live sparring footage, which makes it hard to gauge how these techniques hold up against real resistance.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi grapplers who want an encyclopedic takedown reference built from the ground up, and who are willing to invest months studying it systematically rather than grabbing a few quick techniques.

Avoid if: You want a quick-start takedown system. Danaher’s own Fastest Way: Effective in the Standing Position condenses the best techniques from the entire S2G series into a fraction of the runtime.

Pairs with: Standing2Ground Vol. 2 – Upper Body Takedowns to add clinch-range attacks that don’t require shooting.

Cheaper alternative: The Fastest Way: Effective in the Standing Position by John Danaher

Standing2Ground bundle

Built for grapplers who hate shooting. Eight volumes of clinch-range takedowns – underhook uki goshi, overhook attacks, cow catchers, sacrifice throws – that work from standing without ever dropping your knees to the mat. Particularly useful if you’re older or less explosive.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 2m across 8 volumes (85 chapters)
• 📅 Released: January 2023
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Takedowns / Upper Body

What It Covers

Eight volumes focused entirely on takedowns from clinch range and above the waist. Volume 1 establishes why upper body takedowns offer unique advantages in submission grappling and identifies the highest-percentage techniques for taking down talented opposition. Volume 2 builds the underhook offense with Uki Goshi and its variations. Volume 3 handles overhook and pinch headlock attacks. Volumes 4–5 are a special study on the cow catcher – an underutilized takedown that Danaher gives exhaustive treatment with multiple setups, entries, and high-percentage variations. Volume 6 covers Uki Waza (the floating sacrifice throw) adapted for no-gi grappling. Volume 7 presents Sumi Gaeshi (corner reversal) from various grips with no-gi adaptations. Volume 8 ties it together with body lock takedowns from upper body positions, including the slide by to back takes.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Everything works from standing clinch range without dropping your knees to the mat, which eliminates sprawl and front headlock risk – a genuine advantage for grapplers who find shooting dangerous or exhausting
• The cow catcher and Uki Waza special studies (3 volumes combined) cover genuinely underutilized techniques with a level of detail that simply does not exist elsewhere in BJJ instructional content
• Explicitly designed around timing and leverage rather than explosiveness, making it the S2G volume that translates best for older and less athletic grapplers

What the Community Says

“The differences between grips is super interesting. When I first saw his O Uchi from collar tie, I thought he was doing a very weird variation of it. In the version with the underhook, it’s a much more classic O Uchi. His explanations also make a lot of sense on why he does what he does.”

u/Hellhooker on r/bjj

“Upper body takedowns is about having your arms locked around them from the front. Takedowns and standing skills for jiu jitsu is for takedowns from neutral aka both people facing each other.”

u/Fearless_Inside6728 on r/bjj

Weakness

Danaher’s lack of personal wrestling or judo credentials is felt more here than in Vol. 1. He is teaching adapted Greco-Roman and judo clinch techniques without having competed in either, and some practitioners prefer learning this material from actual judoka or Greco wrestlers like Shintaro Higashi. There is overlap with Vol. 1 – body lock takedowns appear in both volumes, which feels redundant if you buy the bundle. This is also no-gi only; if you train primarily in the gi, Feet to Floor is the better choice for clinch work.

My Recommendation

Best for: Grapplers who avoid shooting and want a complete clinch-to-takedown system that relies on timing and leverage rather than athleticism. If your current standup is "grab a body lock and hope for the best," this gives you actual structure.

Avoid if: You already have a strong wrestling base with reliable shots. The techniques here fill a gap that active wrestlers don’t have.

Pairs with: Standing2Ground Vol. 1 – Takedowns & Standing Skills to combine lower-body shots with upper-body clinch attacks for a complete standup game.

Cheaper alternative: The Fastest Way: Effective in the Standing Position by John Danaher

Standing2Ground bundle

The most unique volume in the Standing2Ground series. While Vol. 1 covers neutral-position takedowns and Vol. 2 covers clinch attacks, Vol. 3 focuses on getting behind your opponent – arm drags, duck unders, slide bys – and converting positional dominance into finishes. Also the only S2G volume that covers takedown defense.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 10h 14m across 8 volumes (113 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2022
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 Intermediate
• 🎛️ Positional Dominance / Wrestling

What It Covers

Eight volumes covering positional dominance from the feet, takedown defense, and scrimmage wrestling methodology. Volume 1 establishes why back exposure is the primary goal from standing. Volume 2 breaks down arm drag mechanics and conversions to back takes and takedowns, with chain wrestling sequences. Volume 3 covers duck unders from various tie-ups into back control. Volume 4 handles throw bys and slide bys to back takes with combination entries. Volume 5 is a special study on the 2-on-1 tie (Russian tie), covering attacks, setups, and transitions from this dominant clinch position. Volume 6 addresses front headlock short offense – body locks from front headlock, reshots, go-behinds, and short offense takedowns. Volume 7 is a special study on takedown defense: limp legs, the sprawl and its variations, and standing submission offense as a defensive strategy. Volume 8 presents scrimmage wrestling – competitive drilling methodology and positional sparring frameworks for standing work.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Arm drags, duck unders, and slide bys are the highest-percentage path to the back from standing in BJJ competition, and this volume gives you a complete system for all three with chain wrestling connections between them
• The 2-on-1 tie special study fills a real gap – this is one of the most dominant clinch positions in grappling and Danaher gives it an entire volume of dedicated attention that you won’t find at this depth elsewhere
• The only S2G volume that covers takedown defense, including the limp leg special study and sprawl variations that Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 largely skip

What the Community Says

“Positional dominance is about takedowns from non neutral positions aka you’re behind the person with your arms around them.”

u/Fearless_Inside6728 on r/bjj

“My biggest problem with him is that while his criticism from a wrestling point of view is valid, I feel like he neglects a lot of variables that can occur in a submission grappling context.”

u/deephalfer on r/bjj

Weakness

This is the least standalone of the three S2G volumes. It assumes familiarity with the stance, motion, and hand fighting concepts from Vol. 1 and the clinch positions from Vol. 2. Buying it alone means missing foundational material. The scrimmage wrestling section in Volume 8 feels underdeveloped compared to the technique volumes – some users expected a more structured drilling methodology and were disappointed. And the same core criticism of the series applies: Danaher is not a competitive wrestler, so practitioners who want to learn arm drags and duck unders from someone who has used them in high-level competition may prefer actual wrestlers’ instructionals.

My Recommendation

Best for: Grapplers who already own Vol. 1 or Vol. 2 and want the complete S2G system, especially the back-taking and takedown defense material that the other volumes lack.

Avoid if: You don’t already own at least Vol. 1. This builds on concepts introduced earlier, and buying it in isolation means missing too much foundational material.

Pairs with: Standing2Ground bundle – if you are going to buy any of these, the bundle is the way to go since the three volumes build on each other.

Cheaper alternative: The Fastest Way: Effective in the Standing Position by John Danaher

Standing2Ground bundle

Danaher’s gi-specific takedown system – and the only one that treats guard pulling as a legitimate technical skill worth studying. Forty-six hours across three volumes covering grip fighting, judo throws adapted for BJJ concerns, sacrifice throws, foot sweeps, and guard pull-to-sweep sequences you literally cannot find anywhere else at this depth.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~46h total across 24 volumes (3 releases, 8 volumes each)
• 📅 Released: October 2020 – January 2021
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Takedowns / Standing (Gi)

What It Covers

Volume 1 – Fundamental Standing Skills: Eight parts starting with stance principles and gi grip fighting, building through Danaher’s "six levels of dominance" in grip establishment, the "puppet principle" for balance disruption (kuzushi), collar drag mechanics with five prerequisites, ankle picks, doubles and singles adapted for the gi, snap downs with judo grips, and finishing with his golden rules for self-defense (drawn from actual bouncer experience).

Volume 2 – Throws: The "3 Kings" of sacrifice throws – Tomoe Nage, Sumi Gaeshi, and Uki Waza – all adapted for BJJ grips rather than standard judo grips. Plus foot sweeps (Sasae Tsuri Komi Ashi, De Ashi Harai, Ouchi Gari, Osoto Gari, Kouchi Gari) set up from grips that are bad or illegal in judo but perfectly legal and easier to get in BJJ.

Volume 3 – Guard Pulling, Defense & Mat Returns: Guard pull mechanics into Ashi Garami, X-guard, half guard, and butterfly guard with immediate sweep chains. Guard pulls to dominant positions and submissions (leg locks, flying triangles, armbars). Takedown defense covering upper-body throw counters and sprawl variations. Mat return techniques for maintaining control after takedowns.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The grip fighting material is genuinely revelatory – multiple reviewers said the grip fighting sections alone changed their standing game, covering strategic concepts that are "intuitively obvious to people who have wrestled for decades" but never explicitly taught in BJJ
• Evaluates every takedown through six BJJ-specific selection criteria (back exposure, neck exposure, belt exposure, weight exposure, roll-through exposure, learning difficulty) that filter out high-risk judo throws while prioritizing safer options like collar drags and ankle picks
• Volume 3’s treatment of guard pulling as a technical skill – with direct connections to sweeps, submissions, and dominant positions – is content that does not exist at this depth anywhere else

What the Community Says

“It’s fucking brilliant if you’re in the gi.”

u/fishNjits on r/bjj

“If you train mainly in the Gi then I don’t think this [Fastest Way] is worth it. Honestly the best standing series for the Gi is Danaher’s Feet to Floor trilogy. But my god is it dense. I’ve owned all three volumes for years now and still have yet to make it all the way through all the content.”

u/No-Condition7100 on r/bjj

Weakness

Forty-six hours is staggering. Multiple users admit owning it for years without finishing, and you won’t see an actual takedown demonstrated until Part 4 of Volume 1 – that’s roughly 3–4 hours of conceptual foundation first. Volume 3 devoting significant time to guard pulling may feel like bait-and-switch if you bought this strictly to learn takedowns, especially since guard pulling is still controversial in the BJJ community. The price of the full bundle is a significant investment that, combined with the time commitment, only makes sense for people serious about developing a complete gi standing game over months or years.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi competitors and coaches who want the most complete gi standing system available and are willing to invest months studying it. If you train primarily in the gi, this is the Danaher standing instructional you want – not Standing2Ground.

Avoid if: You only train no-gi (get Standing2Ground instead), or you want something you can watch in a weekend (get Fastest Way instead). Also skip if verbose Danaher pacing drives you crazy.

Pairs with: Standing2Ground bundle (No-Gi) for a parallel no-gi path from the feet.

Cheaper alternative: The Higashi Method For BJJ by Shintaro Higashi

Vol. 1 – Fundamental Standing Skills

A gi bottom game built around energy efficiency and the cross collar strangle. Every technique is chosen because it works without speed, flexibility, or explosiveness – and the knee shield half guard emphasis alone makes this worth studying for any gi player over 30 who keeps getting smashed by younger training partners.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 9h 32m across 8 volumes (78 chapters)
• 📅 Released: July 2023
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 All levels (30+ focus)
• 🎛️ Bottom Game / Longevity (Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes building an energy-efficient gi bottom game for older and less athletic grapplers. Volume 1 establishes why older grapplers need a different approach and introduces the concept of playing to isometric strength advantages. Volume 2 covers guard pulling methods optimized for energy conservation – pulling directly into ashi garami, X-guard, and double elevator guard. Volume 3 rebuilds closed guard around posture breaking without hip flexibility, with the cross collar strangle (Juji Jime) as the central offensive weapon. Volumes 4–6 form the half guard core: Volume 4 makes the case that knee shield is the single most important guard concept for older grapplers and gives it exhaustive treatment; Volume 5 covers the tight waist series, deep half entries, knee levers, and underhook game; Volume 6 connects half guard to submissions, cross collar strangle setups, and back takes. Volume 7 addresses open guard for older grapplers with X-guard entries, double elevator guard, ashi garami entries, and butterfly adaptations. Volume 8 handles pin escapes and guard recovery techniques that don’t require athleticism.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The knee shield half guard emphasis is genuinely valuable – Danaher makes a compelling case that it is the single most important guard for older grapplers and gives it more dedicated attention than any other Danaher instructional, including GFF Half Guard
• The cross collar strangle (Juji Jime) runs through the entire instructional as a unifying offensive theme from closed guard, half guard, and open guard – having one dominant submission that ties your whole game together is exactly what older grapplers need
• Every technique has been filtered through an "athleticism cost" lens: no berimbolos, no dynamic inversions, no explosive guard recoveries – just positions that reward patience and structure

What the Community Says

“Every Danaher instructional I have gotten has massively improved my game overall not just in the specific topic being taught.”

u/BJJnoob1990 on r/bjj

“It’s not bad. His assumption is the viewer doesn’t have a wrestling background, so he shows fundamental concepts and principles that are broadly correct. Against other jiu jitsu guys, it’s a very good starting point for someone with no wrestling experience.”

u/superhandsomeguy1994 on r/bjj

Weakness

If you’re under 30 and athletic, most of this content won’t be relevant – the technique selection deliberately avoids dynamic movements that younger grapplers thrive on. There is likely significant overlap with GFF Half Guard if you already own it, since knee shield and underhook half guard are central to both. This is gi-only; if you split time between gi and no-gi, you’d need the separate no-gi version for grip-specific adaptations. Community feedback is also thinner than for the Standing2Ground or Enter the System series, making it harder to find independent validation of the material.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi practitioners over 30 who are tired of getting outpaced by younger training partners and want a complete bottom game built around energy efficiency, knee shield half guard, and the cross collar strangle.

Avoid if: You’re young, athletic, and want a dynamic guard game. Also skip if you already own GFF Half Guard and are happy with your half guard system – the overlap may not justify the price.

Pairs with: Ageless Jiu Jitsu: Top Game (Gi) to complete the "older grappler" system with chest-to-chest passing and pinning.

Cheaper alternative: Old Man Jiu-Jitsu by Tom DeBlass

Ageless Jiu Jitsu bundle

The foundation of the Ageless series builds your entire bottom game around half guard as the universal hub. Danaher starts with survival – mount escapes, rear mount defense, side control endurance – before funneling everything into half guard sweeps and submissions that reward patience and tight connections over speed.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 7h 29m across 8 volumes (65 chapters)
• 📅 Released: March 2023
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels (30+ focus)
• 🎛️ Bottom Game / Longevity (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes that take you from survival to offense without requiring athleticism. Volume 1 lays out the "Theory of Funneling" – what you lose as you age (speed, flexibility, explosiveness), what you keep (isometric strength, patience), and how to build a game around those realities. Volume 2 is entirely survival: mount escapes, rear mount defense, side control and knee on belly survival, and turtle recovery. Volumes 3–4 funnel everything into half guard – elbow escapes from mount to half guard, side escapes, ankle catches, pulling half guard on standing opponents, and transitions from butterfly and closed guard. Volumes 5–6 build the offensive half guard game with the knee shield as the first line of defense, tight waist sweeps, the roll-through sweep, 2-on-1 series, deep half entries, and overhook attacks. Volumes 7–8 cover bottom submissions: kimura variations, ude gatame, hiza gatame, arm-in guillotine, seated kata gatame, and anaconda from bottom positions.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Starts with survival, not offense – an entire volume on escaping bad positions before you learn a single sweep, which is exactly the order older or less athletic grapplers need to follow
• The funneling concept gives you one position (half guard) to master deeply rather than spreading thin across butterfly, de la riva, and closed guard – a realistic approach for anyone with limited mat time
• Functions as a condensed "greatest hits" of Danaher’s Pin Escapes and GFF Half Guard instructionals, packaged specifically for no-gi with a clear game plan connecting each piece

What the Community Says

“In my opinion the best series he has put out is his ageless jiu-jitsu series. I’m not even old but, he presents more simplified systems that don’t require you to watch 10 hours to pick up a few techniques.”

u/SpellingMistape on r/bjj

“I think the best thing to watch when you are starting out is Ageless Jiu Jitsu: Winning When You’re Older Or Less Athletic: Bottom Game video TWO. This is the ‘Survival’ video, how to not get submitted right away in bad positions so you have time to think about your escapes before it’s too late.”

u/maxdemarzi on r/bjj

Weakness

The bottom game here is essentially a condensed version of Danaher’s Pin Escapes + GFF Half Guard instructionals. As u/Zealousideal-Call655 put it, it’s a "short hand combination" of those two. If you already own both, the technical overlap is significant – maybe 60% repeated material. Volume 1’s theory-heavy philosophy section (what you lose, what you keep, the funneling framework) is useful once but will feel slow on rewatches. The guard game is also almost entirely half guard by design – if your preferred bottom game is butterfly, de la riva, or closed guard, this instructional offers very little for those positions.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi grapplers over 30 (or anyone who gets out-athleted regularly) who want a complete bottom game system they can learn from a single instructional, built around survival first and half guard offense second.

Avoid if: You already own Danaher’s Pin Escapes and New Wave Half Guard. The overlap is too high to justify the purchase.

Pairs with: Ageless Jiu Jitsu: Top Game (No-Gi) to complete the no-gi game plan with passing, pinning, and submissions from top.

Cheaper alternative: Half Guard Anthology by Lachlan Giles

See Ageless Jiu Jitsu bundle

The companion to the Bottom Game builds a complete top-game system in one package: force half guard, clear the knee shield, pass methodically, pin exhaustively, then finish with low-risk submissions chosen specifically because they do not require speed or explosiveness.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 8h 36m across 8 volumes (58 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2023
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels (30+ focus)
• 🎛️ Top Game / Longevity (No-Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes building a sequential top game from guard passing through submissions. Volumes 1–2 establish half guard top as the central passing hub – entries via toreando, scoop knee drive, bodylock, and over/under, then clearing the knee shield (including dealing with an "unbreakable" knee shield). Volumes 3–4 cover the upper and lower body battles: pinning head and shoulders, three directions of passing from half guard, getting to quasi mount, leg riding, passing half butterfly, and a tactical overview for older athletes. Volume 5 is dedicated entirely to pinning – dynamic pinning theory, side pin variations, stabilizing mount, and stabilizing rear mount. Volumes 6–8 deliver the submission curriculum: the Americana (with a full case study on why it suits older grapplers), kimura mechanics and rolling variations, north-south strangle with three setups and troubleshooting, east-west strangle, kata gatame (arm triangle) with multiple entries, and rear strangles from back control.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Covers passing, pinning, AND submissions in one sequential system – most instructionals only cover one of these phases, leaving you to stitch together a game plan from multiple sources
• The funnel-to-half-guard passing philosophy gives you a single passing pathway to master, rather than the 10+ different passes most guard passing instructionals throw at you
• Every submission was chosen because it works without explosive movement – Americana, kimura, north-south choke, arm triangle, and RNC are all high-percentage finishes that rely on pressure and mechanics over athleticism

What the Community Says

“In my opinion the best series he has put out is his ageless jiu-jitsu series. I’m not even old but, he presents more simplified systems that don’t require you to watch 10 hours to pick up a few techniques.”

u/SpellingMistape on r/bjj

“Danaher recommends that people start with defensive skills first, then guard retention, then half guard, then do whatever you want.”

u/ClassicPhilosopher36 on r/bjj

Weakness

The passing game is intentionally narrow. If your opponents play de la riva, lasso, or other modern open guards, you get limited tools for dealing with them before reaching half guard. The submission sections will also feel familiar if you own New Wave Side Attacks, which covers Americana, kimura, and arm triangle in much greater detail. And the pacing is slow even by Danaher standards – expect extended lectures on the philosophy of pinning before you see a technique demonstrated.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi grapplers who want a complete top-game blueprint – from guard pass to finish – in a single instructional, without needing to buy separate passing, pinning, and submission sets.

Avoid if: You already own New Wave Guard Passing and New Wave Side Attacks. The Ageless Top Game is essentially a condensed version of those two combined.

Pairs with: Ageless Jiu Jitsu: Bottom Game (No-Gi) to complete a full no-gi game for the less-athletic grappler.

Cheaper alternative: Systematically Attacking from Top: Pins & Submissions by Gordon Ryan

See Ageless Jiu Jitsu bundle

The most complete of the four Ageless titles and one of Danaher’s best gi-specific offerings. It starts with standing grip fighting and four takedowns, builds through over-under, long step, and knee cut passing, then finishes with an extensive collar strangle curriculum that rewards technique over athleticism.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~10h across 8 volumes
• 📅 Released: September 2023
• 🥋 Gi
• 🎯 All levels (30+ focus)
• 🎛️ Top Game / Longevity (Gi)

What It Covers

Eight volumes spanning standing to submissions – the broadest scope of any Ageless title. Volume 1 covers the standing game: same-side and opposite-side grip fighting (ai-yotsu and kenka-yotsu), plus four takedowns adapted for older grapplers – snap down, ankle pick, knee pick, and collar drag. Volumes 2–3 deliver the passing curriculum: over-under passing, double under, the plow position, long step passing with multiple finishes (leg drag, walk around head), and applications against reverse de la riva, lasso, and de la riva guards. Volumes 4–5 cover knee cut passing fundamentals, half guard passing rationale, the critical task of freeing the knee, half kata gatame pass, lapel cross face, and a complete passing tactics overview. Volume 6 handles pinning and transitions – side pin stability, mount and rear mount stabilization, knee on belly transitions, top turtle breakdowns with lapel tight waist, power half nelson, and claw breakdown. Volumes 7–8 are the gi submission encyclopedia: sliding collar strangle (okuri eri jime), clock strangle, crucifix strangle, cross collar from mount and side and turtle, Ezekiel strangle variations, side skirt strangle, and figure-4 ude gatame.

What Makes It Stand Out

• One of the few places Danaher covers gi standing in a self-contained, accessible way – four takedowns with grip fighting from both ai-yotsu and kenka-yotsu stances, specifically adapted for grapplers who lack wrestling or judo backgrounds
• The collar strangle curriculum in Volumes 7–8 is the most thorough in the Ageless series: sliding collar, cross collar, clock, crucifix, Ezekiel, and baseball bat choke from multiple positions – all high-percentage finishes that rely on grips and angles, not speed
• Bridges the gi instruction gap for Danaher followers – if you train gi and can only buy one Danaher set, this covers standing through submissions in a single package

What the Community Says

“I love JDs gi ones and wish he would do some more.”

u/GiantSpookMan on r/bjj

“Instead of going to buy all the NW series or GFF series. The Ageless series (gi & nogi) is also good mixture of all topic bundled into 4 volumes of gi & nogi, top & bottom. Just look into the directory if the topic fits.”

u/ShunKenRock on r/bjj

Weakness

At 10+ hours, this is ironically one of Danaher’s longest individual instructionals for a series marketed as "simplified." The guard passing volumes (2–5) overlap substantially with Go Further Faster guard passing and New Wave guard passing – if you own either of those, you will see many repeated techniques. The standing game in Volume 1 is solid but limited to four takedowns and basic grip fighting; Feet to Floor goes far deeper if standing is your primary weakness. And the collar strangle material assumes you can regularly achieve mount, back control, or top turtle – if you struggle to get to those positions, the submission content is ahead of where your game is.

My Recommendation

Best for: Gi practitioners over 30 who want one instructional covering standing, passing, pinning, and gi-specific submissions in a single cohesive system. Especially valuable if you do not own any GFF or Feet to Floor titles yet.

Avoid if: You already own GFF guard passing and Feet to Floor. The overlap is too high to justify this as a standalone purchase.

Pairs with: Ageless Jiu Jitsu: Bottom Game (Gi) to complete the gi-specific Ageless system with half guard sweeps, escapes, and bottom submissions.

Cheaper alternative: Pressure Passing Encyclopedia by Bernardo Faria

See Ageless Jiu Jitsu bundle

A crash course for BJJ practitioners with zero wrestling background. Danaher strips down the standing game to its essentials – stance, hand fighting, the high single leg as the primary attack, back exposure as the secondary plan – and gives non-wrestlers a realistic path to competence on the feet.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 6h 50m across 8 volumes (89 chapters)
• 📅 Released: May 2024
• 🥋 No-Gi
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Takedowns / Standing

What It Covers

Eight volumes building from first contact to takedown finishes and defense. Volume 1 covers the absolute basics: finding your stance, four methods for making initial contact (forehead-to-forehead, rear hand reach, front hand reach, head post), the push-pull dynamic, head position, and asymmetric gripping. Volume 2 introduces hand fighting goals, foot fighting goals, and the high single leg takedown with four entry variations (outside step/outside reach, outside step/inside reach, inside outside step, two hands to a leg). Volume 3 is the setup encyclopedia – twelve different setups for the high single including collar and elbow, arm drag, underhook, 2-on-1, and head post entries. Volume 4 covers finishing: single leg dumps, te-guruma, de ashi harai sweeps, and double leg finishes. Volume 5 handles transitions when things go to the ground – getting to leg on two knees, guillotine defense, transitions to bodylock, knee pick, and pinch headlock. Volume 6 teaches positional attacks to the back: snapdowns, duck unders, arm drags, throw bys, and dealing with the whizzer. Volume 7 is defensive skills: defensive stance, down blocking, sprawling on singles and doubles, and the defensive whizzer. Volume 8 ties everything together with step-by-step demonstrations.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Built for people who have never wrestled a day in their lives – starts from scratch with stance and how to make initial contact, assuming zero background knowledge that most wrestling instructionals take for granted
• Centers everything around the high single leg as one takedown to master deeply, with twelve setups and multiple finishes – rather than the typical approach of throwing 20 takedowns at you and hoping some stick
• Dedicates an entire volume to takedown defense (sprawling, whizzer, down blocking), which is arguably more immediately useful for guard-pulling BJJ players than the offensive material

What the Community Says

“Fastest Way concentrates almost entirely on single legs, uki goshi off an underhook, and snap downs/back takes. I will say it’s given me a real plan of attack and I feel pretty confident I’ll win stand up against another non-wrestler.”

u/fishNjits on r/bjj

“I think it is very effective in what it sets out to cover: teaching the highest percentage, safest fundamentals to an audience that is assumed to have little to no prior experience.”

u/CPA_Ronin on r/bjj

Weakness

This is purely a no-gi instructional. Multiple Reddit users emphasize that the gripping strategies and single leg setups do not translate to gi, where grip dynamics are fundamentally different – as u/No-Condition7100 bluntly said (16 upvotes): "If you train mainly in the Gi then I don’t think this is worth it." Real wrestlers will still dominate you; this makes you competitive against other BJJ people with bad standup, not actual wrestlers. There is also heavy overlap with Standing2Ground Vol. 1 – if you already own that, The Fastest Way covers much of the same ground in a more condensed format. And the single-leg focus, while a strength for beginners, means limited takedown variety for anyone with an intermediate standup game.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi practitioners who have never wrestled and want a focused, manageable system to stop being helpless on the feet. The high single leg emphasis gives you one real weapon with enough setups to make it work.

Avoid if: You train primarily in the gi (get Feet to Floor instead) or already own Standing2Ground Vol. 1 (the overlap is too high).

Pairs with: Standing2Ground Vol. 1 – Takedowns & Standing Skills to expand once you have the essentials down.

Cheaper alternative: Wrestling for BJJ by Joseph Breza

See Standing2Ground bundle

The shoulder crunch solves the biggest problem in no-gi guard play: controlling posture without collar grips. Danaher builds a complete attack system around locked-hands shoulder control that feeds into sumi gaeshi sweeps, triangles, armbars, and ashi garami entries – the same position Gordon Ryan and Giancarlo Bodoni use at the highest level.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 4h 24m across 8 volumes (33 chapters)
• 📅 Released: August 2025
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Sweeps / Control

What It Covers

Eight volumes dissecting one guard control position and everything that branches from it. Parts 1–4 cover shoulder crunch foundations: the theory of locked-hands wrist-to-wrist gripping as a gi-grip replacement, torso control mechanics (controlling the hip-to-shoulder line, not just the head), proper elbow positioning, foot placement on hip, getting the opponent’s hands to the mat, the underhook with elbow behind the shoulder, transitioning from pinch headlock to shoulder crunch, and core sumi gaeshi mechanics and variations. Part 5 handles the two most common defenses to the sumi gaeshi (elbow slip and rock back) and the counter-attacks they open up: triangle, ude gatame, juji gatame, and hiza guruma. Part 6 covers what happens when the opponent posts a leg or stands – ashi garami entries to outside heel hooks, kani basami, sweeps into heel hooks, and ankle pick to cross ashi. Part 7 is the pinch headlock series: hiza guruma from two knees, sumi gaeshi variations from pinch headlock, ude gatame, and tight waist transitions. Part 8 covers the high lock series (sumi gaeshi from high lock, high lock to standing bodylock) and integrates the full system.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Addresses the #1 challenge for no-gi guard players head-on – how to control a stronger opponent’s posture when you have no collar grips – with a systematic answer that actually works against resistance
• Creates a dilemma-based attack tree: resist the sweep and give up submissions, post and give up leg attacks, try to stand and give up ashi garami entries – every opponent reaction feeds your next attack
• Bridges guard play and leg locks in a way most guard instructionals ignore entirely – Part 6 connects upper body shoulder crunch control directly to heel hook entries and ashi garami positions

What the Community Says

“I am watching the shoulder crunch one right now. It’s incredibly how good Danaher is.”

u/Hellhooker on r/bjj

“Like all of the master the move videos there is one or two great things in there (he moves the position of your hands slightly from the traditional setup but it’s huge), one or two good things (a couple good setups) but it takes 8 hours for him to say them.”

u/amosmj on r/bjj

Weakness

Eight volumes on a single guard control position is excessive for many people. The core concepts can be reduced to a short list of principles – get hands to the mat, get the underhook with elbow behind the shoulder, alternate between seated and supine, use the non-butterfly leg to take out the posting leg – and Danaher spreads that across 4+ hours. The shoulder crunch was already covered in his GFF Half Guard, New Wave Open Guard Vol. 2, and Ageless Bottom Game; this MTM version goes deeper but the core technique is not new if you own previous sets. This is also part of the broader criticism of the MTM series as stretched-out single topics at full price – multiple Reddit users feel the novelty does not justify the cost. Requires existing guard competence; this is not a beginner guard instructional.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi guard players at blue belt and above who want to turn the shoulder crunch into a complete attack system with sweeps, submissions, and leg lock entries branching from one control position.

Avoid if: You already own New Wave Open Guard Vol. 2, which contains significant shoulder crunch and sumi gaeshi material. The MTM version adds depth but the core overlap is real.

Pairs with: New Wave Open Guard Vol. 1 – Foundations to build the broader seated and butterfly guard framework that the shoulder crunch plugs into.

Cheaper alternative: The Butterfly Guard Re-Discovered by Adam Wardzinski

Danaher makes the case that the ude gatame – the straight arm bar – is statistically the most used submission in grappling history, yet almost nobody trains it deliberately. This focused 3.5-hour set builds a full attack game around cutting and shotgun armbar variations, then chains them with the juji gatame and kimura for a submission cycling system.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 3h 36m across 6 volumes (44 chapters)
• 📅 Released: September 2024
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Armlocks

What It Covers

Six volumes covering the ude gatame from every angle. Parts 1–2 establish upper and lower body mechanics – underhook and overhook entries, elbow positioning drills, seated and supine setups, plus triangle transitions from the ude gatame position. Part 3 shifts to strategic hunting: using your opponent’s defensive reactions against them, sumi gaeshi sweep variations, and shoulder crunch transitions. Part 4 is where the real value lives – the relationships between the straight arm bar, juji gatame, and kimura, giving you a submission cycling system from half guard and rolling transitions. Part 5 breaks down five distinct te gatame (short arm bar) leg configurations, each with specific usage principles. Part 6 covers top-position setups and, unexpectedly, ashi garami connections from ude gatame positions.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Part 4’s cross-submission cycling between ude gatame, juji gatame, and kimura gives you a genuine attack system rather than a single isolated technique – this alone justifies the purchase
• At 3.5 hours, this is one of Danaher’s most digestible instructionals with noticeably higher information density than his 8–10 hour releases
• The five te gatame leg configurations in Part 5 are genuinely unique content you won’t find in any other armbar instructional, including Danaher’s own Enter The System set

What the Community Says

“Danaher’s master the move armbar is specifically more about the cutting and shotgun armbar and having a game built around it.”

u/mythril_07 on r/bjj

“I have all 3 and the bad news is they are all good. Gordon has the best grip breaking options and he has the added bonus of rolling plus commentary… Danaher seems like a longer instructional but goes over more detail on the ude gatame specifically.”

u/Mossi95 on r/bjj

Weakness

If you already own Enter the System: Armbars, there’s meaningful content overlap on finishing mechanics. This title deliberately excludes the standard juji gatame, so it’s not a complete armbar instructional – Gordon Ryan’s Systematically Attacking Armbars or Lachlan Giles’ Straight Armlock Anthology cover more ground. The ude gatame is also genuinely less common in competition than the standard armbar, so 3.5 hours on it may feel like a lot for a technique you won’t use every round.

My Recommendation

Best for: Armbar players who want to add the ude gatame as a second weapon and build submission cycling chains between it, the juji gatame, and the kimura.

Avoid if: You want a complete armbar instructional covering all armbar types from all positions. This is intentionally narrow.

Pairs with: Enter The System: Arm Bar – the older, broader ETS version covers both juji gatame and ude gatame, giving you the full armbar picture.

Cheaper alternative: The Straight Armlock Anthology by Lachlan Giles

Danaher claims to have co-developed the anaconda strangle independently from Milton Vieira’s team at BTT in the early 2000s. Whether you buy the origin story or not, his “T position” framework for finishing the choke is the standout concept here – it identifies the exact body configuration needed to get the tap and then reverse-engineers how to reach it from every scenario.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 3h 39m across 8 volumes (38 chapters)
• 📅 Released: January 2025
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Strangles / Front Headlock

What It Covers

Eight volumes treating the anaconda as far more than just a front headlock submission. Parts 1–2 lay the foundation: front headlock positioning, the precursor strangle concept, and the two core problems most people face when trying to finish the anaconda. Part 3 is the meat of the instructional – four methods for getting to the T position from turtle (outside roll, inside roll, step-over, leg hook), with detailed breakdowns of the Olympic roll motion. Part 4 adds standing anaconda setups against single and double leg takedowns. Part 5 flips the script by using the anaconda threat as a guard passing tool from inverted North-South. Parts 6–7 cover mount, side control, and back control setups, including a creative anaconda-to-darce-to-guillotine submission chain. Part 8 addresses troubleshooting when the T position breaks down, plus guard pull-to-anaconda sequences.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The T position concept is the single best framework for understanding anaconda finishing mechanics – most instructionals show you the lock and the roll but never explain the specific body configuration that actually gets the tap
• Parts 4–5 expand the anaconda beyond just a submission into a tool for takedown defense, guard passing, and sweeping, which is genuinely novel
• The anaconda-to-darce-to-guillotine chain in Part 7 gives you a complete front headlock cycling system, not just one choke

What the Community Says

“In his front headlock series he talks about the Darce more. Says there was an inverted version of every move, and he realized there wasn’t one for the anaconda so that’s why he started working on the Darce. He called it an inverted Anaconda and then Joe became popular for it and it took on his name.”

u/matthew19 on r/bjj

“I am watching the shoulder crunch one right now. It’s incredibly how good Danaher is.”

u/Hellhooker on r/bjj

Weakness

You need decent front headlock fundamentals before this instructional will pay off. If you don’t regularly find yourself in front headlock positions, the anaconda-specific details will be hard to apply. The BJJ Fanatics YouTube channel already has multiple free Danaher anaconda clips, and the B-Team’s free content is also excellent – the question is whether Danaher’s systematic T-position framework adds enough over what’s available for free. Also worth noting: the r/bjj community is openly skeptical about his co-invention claims, which colors how some practitioners receive the material.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi players who already work from front headlock and want a systematic finishing framework plus anaconda-to-darce-to-guillotine chaining.

Avoid if: You rarely get to front headlock positions. Consider building that foundation first with Danaher’s ETS Front Headlocks set or the New Wave strangles instructional.

Pairs with: Enter The System: Front Headlocks – the broader front headlock system that covers guillotines, darces, and other submissions alongside the anaconda.

Cheaper alternative: B-Team anaconda content from Craig Jones and Nicky Ryan (free on YouTube) – less systematic but more concise.

The most polarizing entry in the MTM series. One r/bjj thread with 68 upvotes called it “the most blatant cash grab instructional” – then the practitioners who actually watched it started catching americanas they’d never landed before. The secret is a specific hand position change (thumbs-down orientation) that dramatically increases finishing leverage.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 4h 22m across 8 volumes (36 chapters)
• 📅 Released: November 2024
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Shoulder Locks

What It Covers

Eight volumes rehabilitating a submission most people write off after blue belt. Part 1 establishes Danaher’s preferred nomenclature and three fundamental grip positions, including the key thumbs-down hand orientation that changes everything. Part 2 identifies the three central problems (wrist-elbow alignment, arm extension overhead, elbow slip) and provides specific solutions for each: chest push, 10-finger entry, 2-arms-over, and sit-out methods. Parts 3–4 build the attack game from mount and half guard, then chain the americana into armbar and kimura dilemma sequences. Part 5 covers side control arm-opening techniques and crucifix position attacks. Part 6 connects the americana to triangle positions – rear triangle, reverse triangle, and ankle sankaku finishes. Part 7 introduces unconventional leg americanas, including the Mir lock from bottom. Part 8 extends americana principles to grip breaks, armbar finishes, counter-passing, and kata gatame transitions.

What Makes It Stand Out

• The grip detail is genuinely transformative – multiple Reddit users specifically report that the thumbs-down hand positioning made the americana work for them when it never had before
• Part 4’s americana-to-armbar-to-kimura cycling creates a top-position dilemma system, not just a single submission – your opponent escaping one lock feeds directly into the next
• The crucifix connections in Part 5 pair beautifully with Danaher’s Side Crucifix MTM title, giving you a complete side control to crucifix to americana pipeline

What the Community Says

“Danaher’s Americana instructional is excellent, and he teaches numerous small details that I never saw anyone else teach that make all the difference in either getting the submission or having it lead directly to another.”

u/Rfalcon13 on r/bjj

“As an old guy, I liked it a lot. It’s become a mainstay in my game. After you get through it, pair it with Side Crucifix.”

u/fishNjits on r/bjj

Weakness

The americana IS low-percentage at higher levels, and Danaher’s details don’t fully change that reality. Against skilled opponents who straighten their arm or roll, it remains hard to finish. This instructional is most useful for hobbyists and competitors who play heavy top pressure. It’s also body-type dependent – multiple users note it works best for heavier, pressure-oriented grapplers. At $197 retail, the price is hard to justify for americana instruction; wait for a sale, as multiple users report getting it for $20–50 with stacked coupons on BJJ Fanatics.

My Recommendation

Best for: Top-position grapplers (especially older or heavier practitioners) who want to rehabilitate the americana into a legitimate weapon with proper finishing mechanics and dilemma chains.

Avoid if: You play a speed-based or guard-oriented game. The americana is fundamentally a top-pressure submission, and lighter practitioners may find limited return.

Pairs with: Master The Move: The Side Crucifix – multiple users recommend getting both for a complete side control to crucifix to americana system.

Cheaper alternative: Free YouTube americana content is honestly abundant. The specific grip details are the differentiator, but much of the positional setup material is available for free.

Sumi gaeshi is the single most effective sweep in modern no-gi grappling – it powered Gordon Ryan, Giancarlo Bodoni, and Garry Tonon to ADCC gold. Danaher’s 5+ hour deep-dive goes beyond basic butterfly mechanics into clock theory for base disruption, ten grip variations, and – critically – two full volumes on breaking through common resistance patterns where most butterfly players get stuck.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ 5h 23m across 6 volumes (35 chapters)
• 📅 Released: October 2025
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Butterfly Guard / Sweeps

What It Covers

Six volumes building a complete sumi gaeshi system. Volume 1 establishes the essential mechanics: clock theory for understanding base disruption and the key mechanical fixtures of the sweep. Volume 2 catalogs grip variations – rear deltoid, elbow, overhook, and underhook entries, plus troubleshooting the crucial elbow grip. Volume 3 is the largest section with ten specialized applications: double underhooks, arm trap front and side variations, front headlock sumi gaeshi, head chancery, reverse overback, armdrag, overhead armdrag, scoop grip, and yoko sumi gaeshi from ashi garami. Volumes 4–5 are where the real value lives – breaking through postural resistance, hand posting, leg posting, elbow posting, weight stacking, and opponent standing-up scenarios. Volume 6 connects sumi gaeshi to armlocks, leg locks, and standing applications.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Volumes 4–5 dedicate two full sections to breaking through common resistance patterns (hand posts, leg posts, elbow posts, weight stacking) – this is the problem that actually stalls most butterfly guard players, and no other instructional covers it this thoroughly
• Volume 3’s catalog of ten grip variations from different positions is uniquely exhaustive – you get entries from front headlock, armdrag, double underhooks, and even ashi garami in a single volume
• The sumi gaeshi to double kouchi combination in Volume 5 is a high-level chaining detail that you see constantly at ADCC but is rarely taught explicitly

What the Community Says

“PSA: Don’t do what I did and wait until late-stage brown belt to develop a hook sweep/sumi gaeshi game.”

Popular r/bjj thread (87 upvotes)

“Beyond the fact that it’s revenue for him, I don’t think he assumes that everyone has every previous instructional. Some moves like American lock are covered in his broader instructionals, but if you don’t have that and want a deep look into that specific move it’s a solid instructional.”

u/severiansolar on r/bjj

Weakness

Five-plus hours is long even by MTM standards for a single sweep, and some of the ten grip variations in Volume 3 will feel excessive unless you train full-time. Butterfly guard itself is debated – a popular r/bjj thread with 242 upvotes argues it struggles against bigger opponents, and Gordon Ryan is rarely the smaller grappler when he uses it. If you own the GFF Half Guard, New Wave Open Guard Vol. 2, or the Shoulder Crunch Series, significant sumi gaeshi material will be familiar. Also worth noting: at least one r/bjj user reported that Brian Glick’s sumi gaeshi instructional clicked in practice when Danaher’s older approach hadn’t, suggesting Glick’s may be more immediately applicable for some learners.

My Recommendation

Best for: No-gi guard players who want to build or sharpen a sumi gaeshi game with every grip variation and resistance-breaking detail systematized in one place.

Avoid if: You’re a beginner still learning basic guard retention. Sumi gaeshi requires a foundation of butterfly guard skills, and the 5+ hours will overwhelm without that base.

Pairs with: New Wave Open Guard Vol. 2 – Sweeps & Reversals – the broader open guard sweeping system that puts sumi gaeshi into context alongside other sweep types.

Cheaper alternative: Simplify the System: Sumi Gaeshi by Brian Glick – Glick trained under Danaher, so the foundations are similar, but the presentation is more concise and reportedly more immediately applicable.

The knee cut accounts for roughly 25% of all guard passes at ADCC – about equal to body lock passing. Danaher’s newest MTM release (January 2026) breaks it into a 3-step system: establish position, create diagonal control via underhook plus opposite-side knee penetration, then recover base. The real value is in the passing combinations and the knee-cut-to-submission connections in later volumes.

Quick Facts

• ⏱️ ~4h across 6 volumes
• 📅 Released: January 2026
• 🥋 No-Gi (applicable to Gi)
• 🎯 All levels
• 🎛️ Guard Passing

What It Covers

Six volumes building the knee cut from first principles into a chained passing system. Part 1 establishes Danaher’s 3-step framework: set an advantageous starting position, create diagonal control through underhook and opposite-side knee penetration, and recover to base. Part 2 covers minimal-connection variations – collar and underhook, post, hand-to-hand, low-level hip and knee. Part 3 escalates to greater connection methods with reactive and proactive approaches for securing the underhook, plus chest-to-chest versus high-head variations. Part 4 is the largest and most valuable volume: knee cut to toreando, toreando to knee cut, knee cut to North-South, half guard passing to knee cut, and timing-based misdirectional chains. Part 5 builds the headquarters position with smash passing, knee hike, and skip step variations. Part 6 finishes with split squat applications and – the real payoff – knee cut to darce strangle and knee cut to T kimura submission connections.

What Makes It Stand Out

• Part 4’s passing combination chains – knee cut to toreando, knee cut to North-South, half guard to knee cut – are what separate this from free YouTube content. The knee cut in isolation is well-covered for free; the systematic chaining is the differentiator
• Part 6’s knee cut to darce strangle and knee cut to T kimura transitions connect your passing game directly to your submission game, which is where Danaher’s systems thinking genuinely shines
• The 3-step framework in Part 1 provides a troubleshooting model: when your knee cut fails, you can identify which of the three steps broke down and fix it specifically

What the Community Says

“All I know is part 1 will contain a 25 minute narration saying ‘if I could have one guard pass for the rest of life, it would undoubtedly be the knee-cut’.”

u/mrtuna on r/bjj (236 upvotes)

“I am watching the shoulder crunch one right now. It’s incredibly how good Danaher is. The knee cut is by far my favorite pass so I will 100% watch this one too.”

u/Hellhooker on r/bjj

Weakness

This is Danaher’s newest MTM title (January 2026), so there are no community reviews yet – we genuinely don’t know if it delivers on its promises. Andrew Wiltse’s Daisy Fresh Knee Cut content is free and excellent, and his paid Buzzsaw Passing instructional ($77) covers the knee slice as part of a broader, more explosive, competition-tested system. If you own Danaher’s GFF Passing or New Wave Passing, you’re paying for a focused extraction of material you partially already have. Strong reverse de la riva players can also make the knee cut very difficult in no-gi, and it’s unclear whether this instructional addresses that counter-meta.

My Recommendation

Best for: Guard passers who want Danaher’s systematic framework for the single highest-percentage pass in competition, especially the chaining with other passes and submission connections.

Avoid if: You already own Danaher’s New Wave Passing or GFF Passing, which cover the knee cut alongside other methods. Also skip if you prefer learning from active competitors – Andrew Wiltse’s material may resonate more.

Pairs with: New Wave: No-Gi Guard Passing – Danaher’s most complete passing instructional, which puts the knee cut into a broader system alongside toreando and body lock passing.

Cheaper alternative: Buzzsaw Passing by Andrew Wiltse – more explosive, competition-focused approach at $77 vs $197.