Turn knee shield into a full system for survival, sweeps, and submissions.
The Bottom Line
This is Craig’s knee-shield masterclass. You will build frames, get reliable underhook and overhook attacks, and learn counters to common knee-shield passes. If you already like half guard, this makes it dangerous and much harder to smash.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Half-guard lovers
Skip if: You never play half
Tech focus: Z Guard, Underhook Game, Hipswitch Sweeps, Triangles From Half, Entries To Saddle, Knee Shield Retention, Backtakes From Half
Biggest takeaway: Z guard is a full offense.
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What You'll Learn
Craig’s signature knee-shield system shows how to build Z guard for offense and survival. You learn entries, counters to common passes, sweeps, submissions, and how to reverse-engineer others’ knee shields.
It is a thorough half-guard blueprint that doubles as anti-knee-shield training.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Z Guard
- Knee Shield Frames
- Underhook Game
- Overhook Whizzer
- Hipswitch Sweeps
- Backtakes From Half
- Triangles From Half
- Arm Drag Series
- Entries To Saddle
- Knee Shield Retention
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Technique Collection
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: No-Gi
- Runtime: 5 hours and 4 minutes
- Volumes: 6
- Released: 2022
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I realized the knee shield is a hub: build it right and you can wrestle up, sweep, or enter legs without exposing yourself.
Why Craig Jones?
Craig Jones is a two-time ADCC silver medalist and B-Team cofounder with a reputation for clean, teachable systems. He broke out at ADCC 2017 with headline submissions. Under coach Lachlan Giles, Jones refined half-guard innovations and modern leg entries. His instruction balances humor with highly actionable details. He is also an active promoter and team leader.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Best place to learn Z guard; tons of nuance and structure.
- Small adjustments made my half guard effective quickly.
- Fun delivery keeps attention while covering deep details.
- Doubles as a playbook to beat others’ knee shields.
- Thorough and practical for hobbyists and competitors.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Overlap with earlier Z-guard releases; some redundancy.
- Dense for true beginners without half guard fundamentals.
- Some prefer other half-guard styles or octopus variations.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Connected Reaction: No Gi Passing by Paul Schreiner – Great answers to beat knee shields with pressure. (2020)
- Leglocks: Enter The System by John Danaher – Pairs well if you use Z guard to enter legs.
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View Make Z Guard Great Again on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
