The Total Kneebar Tutorial by Dave Porter – In-Depth Review

A complete, practical knee bar system that improves finishing fast.

The Bottom Line

This is a structured blueprint for hunting and finishing knee bars from common positions. You learn setups, controls, and details that stop common escapes. You will not get flashy trick shots with no context.

⚡️ Quick facts

Best for: all belts and coaches

Skip if: you only heel hook

Tech focus: Kneebar, Bottom Half Kneebar, Finishing Mechanics

Biggest takeaway: Hip line control matters

📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)

What You'll Learn

A Pedro Sauer black belt, Dave Porter packages the knee bar as a complete system you can plug into any game. Entries, controls, finishes, and troubleshooting are laid out in logical stages.
Expect clear mechanics and problem-solving for bottom, top, and transitional phases, with emphasis on safe training and reliable finishing.

Primary Techniques You'll Drill

  • Kneebar
  • Bottom Half Kneebar
  • Standing Entry
  • Spin Through Kneebar
  • Finishing Mechanics
  • Counter Kneebar
  • Control The Hips
  • Ashi Transitions
  • Reverse Kneebar
  • Defense To Offense

Format & Level

  • Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
  • Skill level: All Levels
  • Format: No-Gi
  • Runtime: 1 hour and 45 minutes
  • Volumes: 4

Should You Buy It?

Buy it now. I saw students raise kneebar conversions quickly once they applied the hip-line control and two-hand finishing sequence from this set.

Why Dave Porter?

Dave Porter is a black belt under Pedro Sauer, known for detailed systems and a high submission rate. He teaches clear mechanics and safety protocols that scale from white belt to advanced.

Community feedback

Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.

😍 Why People Love It

  • Frequently recommended when people ask for a dedicated knee bar course.
  • Praised for clear finishing mechanics that boosted tap rate fast.
  • Users liked the step-by-step system more than isolated move dumps.
  • Helpful troubleshooting on locking the hip line and stopping spins.

🤔 Common Criticisms

  • Some advise prioritizing heel hooks in no-gi, calling kneebars less secure.
  • A few wished for even more bottom-only entries for IBJJF-style play.

Smart Alternatives

Sources & References

Official listing: View The Total Kneebar Tutorial on BJJ Fanatics

Additional References

Your next step

You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.

50% off Craig Jones, John Danaher and many other instructors!

Close the CTA