I’ve watched every Giancarlo Bodoni instructional and in this ranked review I’ll tell you which is worth your time. Start with my top 3 picks or the 30-seconds quiz to quickly find the best Bodoni instructional for you 🙂
✓ Black belt reviewer • ✓ ~50+ hours watched • ✓ Tested on the mat
Essential Connections Bundle
Get Bodoni’s full ADCC-winning system in one package. Back takes, front headlocks, pins, and passing — everything connects so you can attack with confidence.
Chest To Back – Behind The Elbows
Take the back like Bodoni did to win ADCC gold. Step-by-step chains from turtle and scrambles that lead straight to rear naked chokes.
Leg Lock Defense: Survive & Escape
Stop getting heel-hooked. Learn safe escapes and smart defenses so you can train hard without fear and build confidence against leg-lockers.
How did I rank these?
I watch every instructional myself and my rankings are always based on:
- Impact on my game & teammates’ game (50%)
- Community feedback from Reddit & BJJ forums to check blind spots (30%)
- Value for money — if it’s outdated or inside another series, I rank it lower (20%)
1. Essential Connections: Chest To Back – Behind The Elbows
A complete, pressure-tested back‑take chain from turtle to rear mount
Quick Facts
- 🎯 All levels
- 🎛️ Back Takes / Turtle
What It’s About
Layered entries from turtle and 4‑point to secure hooks, seatbelt, and finishes. Strong focus on ‘behind the elbows’ hand‑fighting and shutting down stand‑ups. Concepts map cleanly to the gi (collar & sleeve substitutes for wrist control).
Why I Like It
- Back takes and RNCs win at the highest level; Bodoni finished the ADCC 2022 -88kg final by rear naked choke vs Lucas Barbosa, and in the same event he took Isaque Bahiense’s back twice to win 6–0 — this set teaches the exact style of sequences that show up against elite opposition.
- Clear progression: turtle breakdown → hook insertion → strangles, with strong anti-escape layers.
- Easy to integrate with front headlock and wrestle‑up games.
My Recommendation
Best for: Anyone who wants a reliable, competition‑ready path to the back from turtle/scrambles (no‑gi or gi).
Avoid if: You want an encyclopedia of every back detail or you need pure beginner fundamentals first.
Pairs with: Essential Connections: Chest To Back – In Front of the Elbows (Front Headlocks) Front headlock entries that feed directly into the back.
2. Essential Connections: Chest To Back – In Front of the Elbows (Front Headlocks)
Front headlocks that survive hand‑fighting and convert to back takes
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Front Headlock / Takedowns
What It’s About
Standing and ground front‑headlock control: snap‑downs, guillotines, anacondas, and transitions to rear mount. Emphasis on hand‑fight discipline so the headlock holds up against stubborn grips. Works in the gi (guillotine and collar‑snap options) and no‑gi.
Why I Like It
- Front headlock → back take is one of Bodoni’s signatures; his ADCC title runs (2022 and 2024) underscore how valuable this pathway is in modern no‑gi.
- Actionable, competition‑ready sequences rather than scattered techniques.
My Recommendation
Best for: Beginner‑to‑intermediate grapplers who want a robust front‑headlock they can use to finish or take the back in no‑gi and the gi.
Avoid if: You never attack the head or you only want pure guard‑bottom material.
Pairs with: Essential Connections: Chest To Back – Behind The Elbows Finish the cycle: front headlock to the back, then RNC.
3. Essential Connections Bundle
Best value if you want Bodoni’s core A‑game in one buy
Quick Facts
- 🎯 All levels
- 🎛️ Bundle / Systems
What It’s About
Back from front & behind the elbows, plus chest‑to‑chest pinning and half‑guard passing. This is the cohesive, modern no‑gi stack Bodoni used while winning ADCC -88kg twice (2022, 2024).
Why I Like It
- It mirrors high‑leverage modern meta: front headlock ↔ back takes ↔ chest‑to‑chest pins.
- Cheaper than buying piecemeal and gives you both top and back‑attack frameworks.
My Recommendation
Best for: Serious learners who prefer a full system over isolated positions.
Avoid if: You want a single, short set to test the waters.
Pairs with: Forging the Guard: Wrestle Ups Adds high‑percentage reversals that plug right into the back.
4. Forging The Guard: Mastering The Foundations of Butterfly Guard
A practical, drill‑heavy butterfly you can use tomorrow
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Beginner to Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / Seated
What It’s About
Why butterfly ‘dies’ in sparring and how to fix it: timing drills, off‑balance sequences, and seamless links to X‑guard and single‑leg wrestle‑ups. Works in the gi too (collar drags & sleeve control variants).
Why I Like It
- It bridges theory to live timing; the wrestle‑up integrations make it scoreable in comp rounds.
- Clear troubleshooting for common shut‑downs.
My Recommendation
Best for: Beginners–intermediates building a seated guard that funnels to back takes and leg entries.
Avoid if: You already have a mature butterfly/X game and want edge‑case details.
Pairs with: Forging the Guard: Wrestle Ups Turn off‑balances into finishes.
5. Forging the Guard: Wrestle Ups
Make your sweeps count by standing up
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / Sweeps / Wrestle‑ups
What It’s About
Low‑effort wrestle‑ups from butterfly, DLR/RDLR, and half‑butterfly to singles and finishes. Built to connect with front headlock and back‑take chains.
Why I Like It
- It fits Bodoni’s proven comp formula: wrestle up → front headlock or back.
- Crystal‑clear finishing mechanics after the stand‑up (a common missing link).
My Recommendation
Best for: No‑gi players and anyone who struggles to finish sweeps without standing.
Avoid if: Your ruleset forbids stand‑ups in the guard.
Pairs with: Chest To Back – In Front of the Elbows Head‑snaps and guillotines when opponents sprawl on your wrestle‑up.
6. Essential Connections: Chest To Chest – Submissions & Pin Transitions
Hold dominant positions and finish more from the top
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Top Game / Pins / Submissions
What It’s About
Chest‑to‑chest pinning, transitions, and submissions from side control, north‑south, and mount. Emphasis on connection so opponents can’t hip‑escape or kipp out. Easy lapel‑grip upgrades in the gi.
Why I Like It
- It solves the classic problem: getting mount/side and then losing it.
- Pairs naturally with back‑take systems when opponents turtle.
My Recommendation
Best for: Intermediates who get to dominant positions but can’t keep them.
Avoid if: You want a dedicated passing‑entries course first.
Pairs with: Essential Connections: Chest To Chest Half‑Guard Passing Force half guard and connect right into stable pins.
7. Essential Connections: Chest To Chest Half‑Guard Passing
A step‑by‑step passer’s roadmap that forces your positions
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
- 🎛️ Passing
What It’s About
Forcing half guard, establishing chest‑to‑chest, and finishing passes through common counters. Great for no‑gi; gi players can layer in cross‑collar grips.
Why I Like It
- It teaches you to impose the pass rather than react.
- Troubleshooting is thorough for common half‑guard frames and underhooks.
My Recommendation
Best for: Beginner‑to‑intermediate passers who want a structured plan.
Avoid if: You already play a deep body‑lock system and want only edge cases.
Pairs with: Butterfly Guard (bottom) Understand both sides of the half‑guard battle.
8. Countering Leglocks
Beat ashi with proactive counters — not just escapes
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
- 🎛️ Leg Lock Defense / Counters
What It’s About
Counter‑attacking from outside ashi, cross ashi (saddle), 50/50, and backside positions. Includes ashi‑to‑back transitions (huge for scoring).
Why I Like It
- Bodoni’s own career arc shows deep understanding of defending and turning the corner on leg‑lockers at ADCC level.
- The ashi‑to‑back conversions align with how he wins big matches.
My Recommendation
Best for: Blue‑belt and up who face leg‑lockers regularly.
Avoid if: You haven’t built late‑stage survival mechanics yet.
Pairs with: Leg Lock Defense: Survive & Escape Lay your safety foundation first.
9. Leg Lock Defense: Survive And Escape
A pragmatic blueprint to stop getting heel‑hooked
Quick Facts
- 🎯 All levels
- 🎛️ Leg Lock Defense
What It’s About
Understanding attacker goals, safe pummeling, and layered escapes across cross ashi/saddle, outside ashi, and 50/50. Designed to keep you training safely while you level up.
Why I Like It
- Clear threat assessment and decision‑making under pressure.
- Immediately applicable in no‑gi; gi players benefit too (less heel exposure but same pummeling rules).
My Recommendation
Best for: Anyone being tapped by heel hooks or kneebars and needing a system fast.
Avoid if: You already have ironclad leg‑lock defense and want obscure positions only.
Pairs with: Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami Understand both sides of the exchange.
10. Forging The Guard: Mastering The Foundations of Closed Guard
A fundamentals staple with modern grip‑fighting detail
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Beginner to Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / Closed (gi & no‑gi)
What It’s About
System over technique‑lists: structured posture breaking, angles, and chains (armbar/triangle/omoplata), with tips for no‑gi and gi (cross‑collar setups).
Why I Like It
- Makes closed guard proactive instead of ‘hold and hope’.
- Great starter set for newer grapplers.
My Recommendation
Best for: Beginners/intermediates who want a coherent closed‑guard plan.
Avoid if: You only train no‑gi and never close your guard.
Pairs with: Butterfly Guard Open up to seated guards once opponents stand.
11. Forging The Guard: Mastering The Foundations of Half Guard (bottom)
A clear half‑guard starter that slows the game and builds offense
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / Half
What It’s About
Frames, pummels, and entries to underhook/half‑butterfly, with sweep lines to X‑guard or ashi. Strong no‑gi utility; gi players can add lapel anchors.
Why I Like It
- Prioritizes control criteria and recovery sequences before attacks.
- Pairs naturally with his chest‑to‑chest half‑guard passing to learn both sides.
My Recommendation
Best for: Early‑stage half‑guard players who want structure and live‑ready recoveries.
Avoid if: You want an exhaustive half‑guard encyclopedia.
Pairs with: Chest To Chest Half‑Guard Passing (top) Understand the top‑bottom fight.
12. Forging The Guard: Mastering The Foundations of X‑Guard
Make a classic position work in today’s no‑gi
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / X‑Guard
What It’s About
Modern X‑guard that funnels to leg entanglements and singles. Good translation to the gi with pant‑grip variants.
Why I Like It
- Clean integration with leg entries and wrestle‑ups makes X‑guard relevant in the current meta.
- Great add‑on if you already play butterfly.
My Recommendation
Best for: Players who like seated‑guard chains and want X ↔ leg‑entry flow.
Avoid if: You rarely stand opponents or attack legs.
Pairs with: Butterfly Guard X‑guard is the natural extension.
13. Efficiently Executing Ashi Garami
A streamlined on‑ramp to modern leg entanglements
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
- 🎛️ Leg Entanglements
What It’s About
Core ashi positions (outside, cross ashi/saddle, backside) with control before submission, plus transitions to sweeps and back‑takes.
Why I Like It
- Gives you the shared vocabulary to combine with his counters and defense.
- Focus on control makes it safer for the room.
My Recommendation
Best for: Intermediate no‑gi players who want to add structured leg attacks without drowning in theory.
Avoid if: You’re already a leg‑lock specialist seeking edge‑case details.
Pairs with: Leg Lock Defense: Survive & Escape Learn to attack and defend the same positions.
14. Forging The Guard: Mastering Foundations of the Clamp
An underused guard that creates simple, nasty dilemmas
Quick Facts
- 🎯 All levels
- 🎛️ Guard / Clamp
What It’s About
Clamp control from seated and closed‑guard style entries with tight triangle/omoplata trees. Good crossover to gi (collar tie and sleeve‑pin variations).
Why I Like It
- Gives you a surprise‑factor hub that many training rooms under‑defend.
My Recommendation
Best for: Players who want a unique attacking hub with high triangle/omoplata payoff.
Avoid if: You need fundamental seated‑guard mechanics first.
Pairs with: Closed Guard Clamp dovetails with classic closed‑guard attacks.
15. Forging The Guard: De La Riva
Classic gi‑first guard, adapted for modern no‑gi
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Guard / DLR (gi & no‑gi)
What It’s About
DLR leg positioning, weight shifts, and off‑balances with options to wrestle‑up or enter legs. Stronger in the gi (pant & sleeve grips) but usable no‑gi with ankle/knee controls.
Why I Like It
- Gives DLR a clear role in a no‑gi‑heavy game by pointing it toward singles and leg entries.
My Recommendation
Best for: Gi‑primary players who want Bodoni’s systematic take.
Avoid if: You rarely play with pant/collar grips.
Pairs with: Reverse De La Riva Cover both sides of the DLR tree.
16. Forging The Guard: Reverse De La Riva
RDLR as a connector to higher‑value positions
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate to Advanced
- 🎛️ Guard / RDLR
What It’s About
No‑gi‑friendly RDLR using knee posts and shin wedges to expose singles, X‑guard, or backside entries.
Why I Like It
- Treats RDLR as a transition hub — not a place to camp — which fits modern scoring.
My Recommendation
Best for: Open‑guard tinkerers seeking more entries to X‑guard/legs.
Avoid if: You don’t play shin‑on‑shin or knee posting games.
Pairs with: De La Riva (standard) Round out both DLR variants.
17. Forging The Guards Bundle: The De La Riva Guards
Only buy this if DLR is central to your (mostly gi) game
Quick Facts
- 🎯 Intermediate
- 🎛️ Bundle / Guard
What It’s About
Both DLR and RDLR in one purchase — useful if you’re building a gi‑first open‑guard specialty.
Why I Like It
- Saves money if you already planned to buy both and you play a lapel/pant‑grip game.
My Recommendation
Best for: Gi‑focused open‑guard players committed to DLR/RDLR.
Avoid if: You train mostly no‑gi.
Pairs with: Butterfly Guard Blend seated guards when DLR grips aren’t available.
Also read: The 10 Best BJJ instructionals (on BJJFanatics, Submeta & More)
