Learn to shut down modern passes with simple cues for head, shoulders, and hips.
The Bottom Line
This course gives you a working model for never giving up dominant pins. You will learn when to frame, invert, or wrestle up, and how to reset lines fast. It is no-gi focused and assumes basic guard knowledge; absolute beginners may want a primer first.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Guard-first players
Skip if: You hate conceptuals
Tech focus: Head Position, Shoulder Line, Hip Heist, Knee Shield Retention, Pummel Recovery, Invert To Regard, Shin Shield
Biggest takeaway: Lines beat grips
📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)
What You'll Learn
Gordon’s no-gi retention framework to stop knee cuts, torreandos, stacks, and tight passes. Emphasis on head position, shoulder lines, and re-guard timing.
Retention is a skill multiplier; this set makes your guard harder to crack immediately.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Head Position
- Shoulder Line
- Hip Heist
- Knee Shield Retention
- Invert To Regard
- Underhook Denial
- Shin Shield
- Pummel Recovery
- X Guard Entries
- Reguard Timing
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual, Footage Breakdown
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: No-Gi
- Runtime: 11 hours and 3 minutes
- Volumes: 8
- Released: 2021
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I saw retention jump after tracking a single rule per round, like winning the shoulder line first.
Why Gordon Ryan?
Gordon’s retention aligns with his passing: solve central problems with simple rules. His ADCC resume proves the concepts under pressure. Expect priority hierarchies, counters, and re-guards explained with rolling examples.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Several users said their guard improved almost overnight.
- Advanced, details heavy material that rewards review.
- Simpler solutions than other massive retention anthologies.
- Strong nogi focus with clear priorities and counters.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Delivery style can grate on some viewers.
- Lachlan and Tabak’s anthology may be more comprehensive for deep study.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Guard Retention Anthology: Through The Legs and Close Range – Deeper situational coverage when you want more branches. (Price: $127.00, 8 vols)
- The Fastest Way: To Develop An Unpassable Guard – Concept-first retention path from Danaher; pairs well here. (Price: $197.00)
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View They Shall Not Pass (Guard Retention) on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
