A safe sitting turtle and panda blend that resists back takes and regains guard reliably.
The Bottom Line
You learn a sitting turtle structure that blunts hooks and strangles. You will connect to re-guards and stand-ups. You will not find submission chains here.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Back-take magnets
Skip if: You never turtle
Tech focus: Panda, Sitting Turtle, Regain Guard
Biggest takeaway: Hooks are optional
📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)
What You'll Learn
Priit blends the panda and sitting turtle to defend back attacks and pass pressure while creating safe transitions to re-guard and stand-ups. It complements turtle offense and running man.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Panda
- Sitting Turtle
- Back Attack Defense
- Hooks Defense
- Gi Choke Defense
- Seatbelt Defense
- Snap Down Passing
- Over Under Defense
- Regain Guard
- Active Turtle
Format & Level
- Instructional style: Conceptual, System Based
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 2 hours and 15 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I like it for building confidence to expose the back safely and recover positions.
Why Priit Mihkelson?
Estonian black belt; co-founder of Defensive BJJ; known for posture-based defense that scales to hobbyists.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Seminar feedback says baby bridge and turtle details help immediately.
- Users report integrating the system successfully.
- Links well to running man and panda cycles.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Some get stuck cycling without offense at first.
- A few worry about head-on-mat safety until coached.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- The Turtle Guard Revisited by Eduardo Telles – Classic turtle pathways for offense. (Price: $47.00)
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View The Sitting Turtle on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
