Adopt Turtle and Panda to survive, move, and re-enter offense from bad positions.
The Bottom Line
Priit’s signature defensive shapes are built for pressure. You learn how to protect vital levers, stall control, and create motion for stand-ups or guard recovery. Offense is minimal here; combine it with a separate attacking plan.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: You need last-ditch survival
Skip if: You need immediate attacks
Tech focus: Turtle, Panda, Frames, Stand Ups, Re Guarding, Pressure Management
Biggest takeaway: Shapes beat panic under pressure.
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What You'll Learn
If your ecological rounds start from bad spots, you need late-stage shapes that keep you safe and mobile. Turtle and Panda are those shapes.
This set translates cleanly into constraint-led classes: start in Turtle or Panda, limit grips, and explore stand-ups or re-guards.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Turtle
- Panda
- Late Stage Escapes
- Frames
- Stand Ups
- Re Guarding
- Pressure Management
Format & Level
- Instructional style: Conceptual, System Based
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I see the biggest gains when classes start in Turtle and rotate constraints for exits.
Why Priit Mihkelson?
Priit Mihkelson is known for defensive, posture-centric BJJ and frequent worldwide seminars. His material focuses on lever denial and survivability. Students often report improved confidence from bad spots. The approach integrates well with games-based classes and ecological practice design.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Seminar was fantastic; something to learn for everyone.
- Legit postures; a game changer for survival.
- Helped my turtle a lot; few core principles taught well.
- Competition-tested transitions between running man, panda, and turtle felt solid.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Critics say it lacks clear links back to offense.
- Some claim limited competition proof for certain postures.
- A few find parts rudimentary compared to other turtle instructionals.
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Smart Alternatives
- How to Defeat the Mount and Improve Your Game – Another posture-led survival set for bad spots.
- Protecting & Generating Dynamic Offense from Turtle – Adds offense pathways from the same shapes.
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View The Turtle & Panda on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
