Review - Progressive Jiu Jitsu by Nic Gregoriades and Oli Geddes

Summary
Two black belts under Roger Gracie - Nic Gregoriades and Oli Geddes combine to offer this 'greatest hits' package of assorted BJJ techniques designed to offer in depth tips that have personally helped the instructors themselves during their BJJ careers. Production quality and technical instruction is excellent and the set will offer help to beginners and advanced students alike.

Information:
Available to purchase as a digital download from the Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood webstore.
Price £31




Nic Gregoriades and Oli Geddes are two black belts under Roger Gracie. Nic is also known under his Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood alter ego while Oli is a highly active competitor and referee on the tournament scene around the world. They have collaborated together on this instructional video called Progressive Jiu Jitsu, which comprises of 27 techniques (13 from Nic and 14 from Oli) spanning a total viewing time of just over one and a half hours.

Here are the chapter listings:

Production quality is excellent. The main camera viewpoint captures Oli and Nic executing techniques against a plain dark floor and background. Details within the instruction are picked out and shown close-up for a split second without interrupting the flow of the instruction. Once the technique has been shown and explained for the first time, the footage shows Nic or Oli repeating the same move two further times at regular speed, each from a slightly different angle. The picture quality is HD and the sound is perfectly clear, although on occasion, it loses volume for a second as the instructor’s mouth becomes obscured by a maneuver. Both Nic and Oli are experienced instructors, so their explanation of techniques is superb.

The techniques covered are a completely random selection. It is very much like having a seminar with both Nic and Oli where they have chosen a couple of dozen of their favourite techniques. This contrasts with more lengthy, concept driven single themed instruction sets such as those offered by Ryan Hall or the sets offered by Digitsu. This is not a problem per se, there is after all no reason an instructional has to follow convention, but some may find the lack of an overall theme means the collection of techniques offered could be hard to remember as a whole.

The techniques offered by Nic Gregoriades range in complexity from reasonably basic level to a more complex. Regardless of the technique, Nic breaks down each component of the technique that allows the viewer, whatever their level, to easily digest and understand the move.

Oli Geddes is also adept in the manner with which he breaks down a technique. His selection of moves are arguably a little more advanced than Nic’s. On a couple of occasions, Oli references a previous technique, but overall, there it is not necessary to view these in any order.

Here is an official excerpt from the instructional: