Win from knees and turtle, then pass open guards with pressure.
The Bottom Line
Real rooms start from knees and scramble to turtle. This course hands you reliable snaps, drags, and knee taps that feed clean passes. It is built for intermediate no-gi or mixed-rule gyms.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Mixed-rule room grapplers
Skip if: You only pull guard
Tech focus: Snapdowns, Knee Tap, Open Guard Passing, Turtle Counters
Biggest takeaway: Tie-ups decide passing before grips settle.
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What You'll Learn
A niche BJJ reality: you start on your knees or get stuck in turtle. Paulson gives crisp takedown options, then covers open-guard passes and turtle counters.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Snapdowns
- Arm Drag
- Knee Tap
- Open Guard Passing
- Turtle Counters
- Front Headlock
- Motion Drills
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Drill Heavy
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 1 hour and 53 minutes
- Volumes: 3
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I like how the snap-to-knee-tap feeds straight into staple passes before the guard player sets guards.
Why Erik Paulson?
Paulson’s wrestling-for-BJJ approach stresses hand-fighting and front headlock control. He uses motion drills to create timing for knee taps and arm drags, then transitions to pressure passing.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- People consistently praise his stand-up teaching and tie-ups.
- Practical for rolling starts and common room positions.
- Seminar reports mention useful hand-fighting concepts.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Some complain he shows too many variations at once.
- A few view parts as more MMA or sub-only oriented.
- Not a full wrestling curriculum for takedowns from the feet.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Filthy Grappling Takedowns by Neil Melanson – Aggressive tie-ups that pair with turtle counters.
- Crack The Turtle by Neil Melanson – Systematic turtle-breaking for back exposure.
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View Takedowns From The Knees, Turtles & Open Guard Passing on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
