Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

17 Jun 2021


Summary
Belgium black belt Wim Deputter might just be one of the best-kept secrets in the world of online jiujitsu tutorials. He has a highly impressive cv - 20 years of BJJ training, over 600 grappling and MMA matches more than 500 of which he has won. He puts together this wealth of experience plus his training in other disciplines (mainly wrestling) to offer a wide variety of novel concepts and methods for use in BJJ. This report takes a look a some of his best tutorial work...

byMeerkatsu
in ,
June 17, 2021

Instructional Review: Wim Deputter

Summary Belgium black belt Wim Deputter might just be one of the best-kept secrets in the world of online jiujitsu tutorials. He has a highl...
Read More

27 Jun 2020



Summary
The reverse kimura grip from guard offers a very effective way to control, attack and reduce options for your opponent. While the grip concept in this half guard set is the same as Drew Weatherhead’s previous closed guard tutorial, using it from half guard offers a different set of opportunities – notably the ability to transition to better attacking positions such as back control.


Info:
Available at: www.reversekimura.com
Price: $79.99


INTRODUCTION
Following the success of his previous tutorial, BJJ black belt Drew Weatherhead turns his attention again to the Reverse Kimura – but this time working from the half guard.

From my personal experience using reverse kimura techniques (and indeed any techniques) from the half guard, this position has been a bit more successful compared to the same from closed guard. There is a better angle of attack from the half guard (albeit one-sided), and there is much more mobility and opportunity to transition to other positions from half. That’s not to suggest the closed guard version isn’t as good – it’s definitely a solid position to work techniques. It is just that I personally prefer to work attacking moves from the half guard than closed. If that’s also the case with your game, then this tutorial might suit you better.



CHAPTER LISTING

1. FUNDAMENTALS: dynamic tension and half guard basics
2. FUNDAMENTALS: what is and what isn’t half guard
3. FUNDAMENTALS: getting the grip
4. FUNDAMENTALS: Beating the punch pass
5. TRANSITIONAL OPTIONS
6. PROPER HALF: Peel over back take
7. PROPER HALF: arm-in guillotine
8. PROPER HALF: sit-up calf slicer
9. PROPER HALF: truck roll
10. PROPER HALF: modified John Wayne sweep
11. LOCKDOWN: Twister
12. LOCKDOWN: Stomp to half butterfly/elevate to saddle
13. KNEE SHIELD
14. HIP CLAMP: setting up
15. HIP CLAMP: roll-over armbar
16. HIP CLAMP: sit-up arm drag
17. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to turtle/log-roll backtake
18. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to leg staple/dope mount
19. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to rolling rear triangle
20. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to D’arce
21. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to Peruvian necktie
22. EMPTY DOGFIGHT: to crucifix
23. LONG RANGE REVERSE KIMURA
24. CLOSING


PRODUCTION, VIDEO & USER NAVIGATION

Just as with Drew’s previous tutorial, this set offers a neat picture-in-picture viewpoint so you never miss an angle. Audio quality is excellent thanks to the lavalier mic that Drew uses. This title is only offered in digital form via the Reversekimura website, you cannot download individual chapters for later viewing. The website marks your viewing progress, making it easy to pick up where you last left off. Drew does a great job explaining the moves without over verbalising. Each chapter is around 3 to 4 minutes long – perfect for going back for quick reminder viewings.


TECHNIQUE DISCUSSION
This tutorial was released during COVID-19 lockdown. I haven’t been able to test any of these techniques out with a partner. My opinions here are based solely on my own experience using reverse kimura and my experience as a black belt in general…

The first question you may ask is – do I need to see the first Reverse Kimura (closed guard) tutorial before getting this half guard one? The short answer is no as Drew does cover the basics of reverse kimura in both sets. The longer answer is it depends on your experience level. If you are fairly new to BJJ (ie white and new blue) I’d suggest getting the closed guard set first. In that set Drew goes into more detail on how to set up and use the reverse kimura itself (regardless of the guard). Building up this skillset will serve you well when applying it in the half guard. That being said, it is probably ok for you to go straight to this half guard set but only if you already know half guard is a position that you are comfortable with.



Drew opens the teaching component of this set with a refresher on the actual reverse kimura grip. As I mentioned in my previous review, his open version of the grip was a real game changer for me. Previously I used to form a figure four grip to achieve the reverse kimura, which was rather limiting. Drew’s open grip version is much more versatile plus it relies less on strength and more on tracking your opponent's attempts to withdraw his arm. Drew also runs through the basics of the half guard itself – he cites 5 different forms (‘proper’ half guard, lockdown, half butterfly, knee shield and hip clamp). An alternative way to view these half guard variations is to see them as close-range, mid-range and long-range.

The key to making half guard an effective attacking position is to undertand that it allows the player  to move to other (arguably much better) attacking positions. In this set, Drew spends much time focusing on transitioning from half guard to back control. Using the reverse kimura grip gives you the advantage of taking your opponent off his centre line and offering openings to take the back. I feel it's very similar to how a cross sleeve grip or a sleeve drag might also perform the same task, except with the reverse kimura you get a bit more control over the opponent's arm.
The peel-over back take, empty dogfight, sit up arm drag, the truck…these moves are all very effective at taking the back and follow on nicely from the reverse kimura grip.



Drew also shows a variety of submissions from the half guard where the reverse kimura grip really helps set up the attack – the Peruvian necktie in particular is a favourite of several members of my club so this one will definitely pique their interest.

One area Drew only touches upon is the knee shield half guard. He states that he uses it only for setting up the reverse kimura grip, but then switches to one of the other half guards. Me personally I prefer sticking with the knee shield for as long as I can and try to work something from there. The problem with that however is that being relatively far from my opponent means I’m less effective at maintaining the reverse kimura. In such cases, I’ll switch grips to collar and sleeve control and variations thereof. When I am back to full training, I'll be able to play with this position some more.

Other useful techniques that Drew showcases where the reverse kimura grip adds to the success of the move include getting to the Lockdown, the Twister and the Saddle. These aren’t positions I’ve spent much time playing with in the past. Perhaps I’ll give them a go now that I’ve studied this set and seen how they’re a bit more achievable if I use the reverse kimura grip set ups.



CONCLUSION
The half guard position in general offers advantages as well as disadvantages. From here you have a great angle of attack as well as being much more mobile compared to the closed guard. The main problem however is that you don’t get to control your opponent as much and there’s the added problem of your opponent bearing down on you and trying all sorts of things. Adding the reverse kimura grip is a handy tool as it nullifies your opponent’s ability to use his nearside arm against you. This then grants you a bit of space and time in order to move onto another position (or attack from within half).


The Reverse Kimura: Half Guard set offers a well taught set of movements based off a very easy to use gripping concept. I recommend this set to anyone, but perhaps would be of more use to those already happy using the half guard itself.



Trailer video:








.
byMeerkatsu
in
June 27, 2020

REVIEW: HALF GUARD KIMURA by DREW WEATHERHEAD (Because Jitsu)

Summary The reverse kimura grip from guard offers a very effective way to control, attack and reduce options for your opponent. While ...
Read More

19 Mar 2020


Summary
Protective eyewear with stylish looks and malleable frames reasonably functional for use drilling BJJ techniques but not for sparring.


Introduction
If like me you are short-sighted and train in a grappling or combat sport then options to see clearly while working out are in short supply. Contact lenses would be an obvious choice but not everyone can wear them (I've tried but my dry eyes won't take to them) and even contacts fall out if the eye socket receives an impact. Sports protective spectacles offer an alternative to contacts and whilst not the perfect solution there are at least a number of models one can choose from.

I previously wore Progear spectacles - read about my write-up here. Over the past 8 years I've worn those glasses to every BJJ class. It's important to state, I do not spar with these glasses on and I won't spar with the new Morpheus 2 glasses. I use these spectacles to see my coach when he teaches, I use them when drilling techniques and I use them when I myself am teaching class. These protective glasses are designed to withstand impact so I can just take them off, throw them to the side, embark on some rolling, then put them on again without fear someone will step on them and break them.

My old ProGear specs broke!

Time has not been kind to my eight year old Progear specs. The rubber guards that line the earpieces have fallen off and the rubber corner pieces that are found on the outer edges of the frame are coming away. Much of the paintwork has rubbed off and most worryingly, the corner of the frame that encases the lens has broken. You can see the crack in the photo above. Finally, the prescription is 8 years out of date so I figure it was a good time to replace these with a newer model.


Rec Specs Morpheus 2
I chose this brand and this model of spectacles mainly because I was impressed with how bendable there are. In the video below the person demonstrates by warping and bending the frames with quite a lot of force.



I also liked that it was reasonably free from rubber impact strips which look tatty on my old pair.

I bought my pair from www.sportsprescriptionglasses.co.uk for £168 which includes prescription lenses and shipping. That's much cheaper than what I paid for my old Progear glasses (which were ordered through a high street optometrist). The website is easy to use and gave me options to input my prescription details, choose frame size and frame colour as well as add any other notes about my needs.



Prescription lens orders normally take up to two weeks warn the website but I was immensely impressed that my order was dealt with immediately and completed within two days!


Morpheus 2 in action:
The main things I wanted to test on these glasses were:
1. Comfort and fit
2. Fogging
3. Ability to withstand accidental impact



As stated above, I don't roll wearing goggles. The reason is that for me, wearing goggles just gets in the way during the close contact nature of grappling and they get fogged up quickly. That being said, I notice there are models of spectacles offered by the website above that is designed for judo players. If you do want spectacles for rolling in, then you'll need the models which do not have rigid arms but have an elastic strap instead. Such close fitting models tend to also have more rubber on the inside of the frame which can absorb impact better then just a rubber nose bridge which is what I have on my model. Me personally I think you'll always find these to be awkward to wear during grappling. If you can find a pair to try on before buying then that would be ideal.

The Morpheus 2 needs to be worn with the elastic strap, which attaches to the ends of the earpieces. Without the strap, the glasses are just too loose to fit on my securely. It's not a major hassle though, the strap is adjustable and once I put them on my head, they feel no different to wearing my regular pair of glasses.

But there is one annoying flaw with the strap...


Can you see how the strap touches the back of my gi collar? I only have to hunch my shoulders a little bit and the strap catches onto the collar and tugs the frame on my face, moving it off the bridge of my nose. It's really annoying and I find I have to consciously not hunch my shoulders - hard to do.

Apart from the strap problem, the spectacles overall do the job of helping me see things clearly while drilling and teaching techniques. Unfortunately they're just too annoying to use while sparring so I simply take them off and throw them to the side. Being made of very robust material I don't mind if someone accidentally steps on them (see the bending video above).



Conclusion
Contact lenses aren't for everyone, nor is laser surgery and the risk of damaging everyday glasses is too high in a busy BJJ gym so a pair of sports goggles is a good choice. From my experience wearing the ProGear for 8 years and the Rec Specs for about two months, I'd say they're both decent goggles. I would conclude however that the ProGear is more comfortable to wear although it is noticeably heavier than the Rec Specs.






byMeerkatsu
in
March 19, 2020

Eyewear: Rec Specs Morpheus 2 by Liberty Sport

Summary Protective eyewear with stylish looks and malleable frames reasonably functional for use drilling BJJ techniques but not for spa...
Read More

4 Mar 2020



Summary
The Reverse Kimura is an instructional created by black belt Drew Weatherhead, owner of the very popular BJJ humor Instagram site Because_Jitsu. I personally use the reverse kimura quite a lot whenever I am playing half guard or closed guard but Drew’s tips have helped me convert what was once a bit of a stalling grip into something far more attack oriented.

Details 
Available at: www.reversekimura.com
Free trial: Yes sign up to receive 3 free lessons from the set
Price: $79USD
Number of techniques: 36 chapters
Jump to chapter? Yes
Downloadable? No

Introduction 
Drew Weatherhead is an interesting chap. He’s the creative genius behind Because_Jitsu the hilarious BJJ meme channel on social media. But he’s also a BJJ black belt and owner of his own academy in Alberta Canada. Judging from this instructional and his many free to view videos on Youtube, he’s a very good instructor too. So it was no surprise to see how much I enjoyed viewing and learning from this, his first instructional to buy, The Reverse Kimura From Closed Guard.



For me, the reverse kimura is a grip hold that I play with a lot, especially from half guard but also closed guard. I like it because it really messes with your opponent’s centre line, their posture and their ability to open up your guard. But what I haven’t really been doing is progressing from this grip towards hitting sweeps, back takes or submissions…until now that is.

In the opening fundamentals chapter, Drew explains how to hold the reverse kimura, surprisingly it's not exactly like the regular kimura.

Chapter listing and production notes
Welcome
Introduction
Fundamentals - Setting up the grip
Fundamentals - the one arm or cheater grip
Fundamentals - Trouble shooting the entry
Ranges of use - Middle range use
Ranges of use - Close range use
Ranges of use - Long range use
Common reactions - Stripping the cross wrist grip
Common reactions - Straightening the arm
Common reactions - Combat base
Common reactions - Pull back to the side
Common reactions - Try to stack you
Common reactions - Pull straight back
Common reactions - Force themselves to square up
Close range - Peel over to back take
Close range - Pull over back take
Close range - Hip bump
Close range - Flower roll
Close range - Scissor sweep
Close range - One arm kimura
Close range - Twister Wrister
Close range - Side arm triangle
Close range - loop choke
Close range - rolling bow and arrow choke
Middle range - box lock
Middle range - slicer
Middle range - omoplata
Mixed range - sumi gaeshi sweep
Mixed range - Mir lock
Long range - Roll over armbar
Long range - Triangle
Long range - Far side armbar
Long range - Baratoplata
Long range - Meat hook arm stretch
Long range - Carnie
Long range - Darc-o-tine
Final thoughts.

Audio quality is excellent. Drew uses a lavalier mic so his vocal instruction is caught very clearly while performing moves on camera. You do hear the odd muffle noise as the gi material rubs against the mic but it’s a minor observation. The visual is excellent too and I especially love the picture-in-picture box. Whenever Drew needs to show an aspect of the technique which falls out of view, the camera angle switches so the main picture shows what he is doing while the PIP part shows the other side. It’s all edited seamlessly and without interruption. Drew himself keeps the verbal delivery short and succinct – no lengthy monologues and over-explanations – just the right amount of delivery. I also really like how each chapter begins by showing the whole technique before he begins to break it down and explain things. This is the same format as David Avellan in his excellent Kimura Trap series. It means when you need to go back to stuff you’ve watched already, you don’t have to fast forward through 10 minutes of stuff just to get to the technique recap.

The 'Twister wrister' is a neat little surprise submission. Notice also the cool picture-in-picture inset.

Technique highlights
If you’re fairly new to BJJ then I think this instructional is perfect for you. It is just a way to grab and hold onto your opponent’s arm from the closed guard. There’s no big trick or hard to learn part to it. But the key tip that Drew showed in NOT connecting your hands together (ie as you would for a true kimura grip) was a very big help to me when I was testing out his techniques in sparring. Using the grip patterns he suggested helped me keep hold of the reverse kimura for longer and I was able to transition to subsequent positions with greater success.

This set is roughly divided into three phases of the reverse kimura – short range grip, middle range and long distance variants. Each ‘version’ of the reverse kimura offers its own advantages and disadvantages and to be fair, which variant you get to use will often be dictated by how your opponent reacts. For me, the middle range and longer range were more common in sparring that the tighter close range version.

I used the reverse kimura exclusively in every sparring round for a whole week (4 sessions). The initial grip was very easy to get – often my opponent wasn’t aware I was setting it up and when they did realise they found it hard to extract their arm (again, thanks to the tip in the opening chapter of this set). I observed that for most of my training partners, the grip led to a lot of activity where they were trying to extract their arm or find a way to prevent my subsequent technique. All this effort meant they were defending and not trying to escape.

The specific techniques I found that worked best for me during my week’s experiment were the basic back takes and the rolling armbar. The latter was a surprise to me because I don’t normally get this to work normally but I was able to hit it again and again, all thanks to the way Drew explained the grip and arm switch patterns involved.

The rolling armbar from the reverse kimura was a fun move that I used quite a lot.


Final thoughts
Sometimes simpler techniques (and the reverse kimura is very simple) might get overlooked by more advanced and trendy ones. But the reverse kimura is so solid and easy to use that’s it is well worth everyone adding to their arsenal. At the very least, it offers the user another grip to use when playing closed guard as opposed to the rather predictable collar and sleeve grip.

In this instructional Drew pretty much covers all the cool things you can do with it and all the likely reactions you’ll get from your opponent. I’m keen to see if he will add more to the website – perhaps reverse kimura from half guard and also similar related techniques such as the Great White Grip (from Kit Dale) or the two-on-one grip from butterfly guard (ala Marcelo Garcia) or even the wrestler’s Russian Tie. For now, at the very modest cost of $79USD, you’ll get an excellently taught instructional that is loaded with techniques you can use with success the very moment you try them next class.











.
byMeerkatsu
in ,
March 04, 2020

Review: Reverse Kimura System (closed guard series) by Drew Weatherhead

Summary The Reverse Kimura is an instructional created by black belt Drew Weatherhead, owner of the very popular BJJ humor Instagram si...
Read More

15 Feb 2020



I was given access to view BJJ instructional content on a newly launched website called Techniqly.
So far there are four choices:
Death by Arm Triangle by Tom Barlow,
Master of Leglocks by Masakazu Imanari,
Spaghetti DelaRiva by Tommi Pulkkanen,
X-Guard and Leglocks by Tom Halpin.
Each of the titles is offered for video on demand viewing only and priced at £29.99 - although the Imanari one is FREE to those who sign on to the Techniqly newsletter.

Use Tech15 at checkout for a 15% discount.

I pick out highlights from each of the above videos and compare Techniqly to other popular on demand BJJ instructional websites such as BJJ Fanatics, Digitsu and BudoVideos.


Techniqly Website
Overall the website is very clean and easy to navigate. Signing up was straightforward and so far, my inbox isn't cluttered with dozens of spam messages. Currently, there is a choice of just four instructionals but the Imanari one is free and is definitely worth viewing.

All the videos are available to view on demand, but you can't download them. This contrasts with BJJ Fanatics and Digitsu which does allow low-resolution copy for you to download yourself. Budovideos also annoyingly doesn't allow downloads. To be honest, it doesn't take much Google searching to discover easy ways to download VOD content to your computer or phone - a very useful feature because when watching while I am out and about I'm not always in places with decent reception. Having videos downloaded to my phone is, dare I say - a vital feature.

One final word on the navigation, the chapter breakdowns are very useful, I can click and skip straight to the part I want to view without needing to use the forward or rewind button. This facility is also shared with BJJ Fanatics and Digitsu but not Budovideos nor on Tom Barlow's original content from his website...more on that below:



Tom Barlow - Death by Arm Triangle
I've got a few of Tom's instructionals from his own website - TomBarlowOnline - and they've all been excellently taught and very useful for my own game. I've also attended some of his seminars and he's an excellent instructor. One annoying aspect to Tom's downloadable content is that he sends you a whole video and it's a pain to have to skip forward or back as there are no chapter markers. Death by Triangle, however, benefits from chapter markers so I hope he continues to produce new content using the Techniqly platform rather than his own.

Not surprisingly, with Death by Arm Triangle, Tom puts out another stellar instructional. He's such a good communicator and explains things really well without going overboard. Tom covers all the basic set-ups and entries plus a couple of common reactions one can expect from the opponent. For me, I don't use the arm triangle very much so it was refreshing for me to watch and be inspired by Tom's video to add it more into my game - especially now that I've watched Tom's helpful tips on how to sink in a truly effective arm triangle as opposed to just cranking the neck harder.

As an hour-long introduction to the arm triangle, there's more than enough content here to satisfy beginner and intermediate players and even more experienced folk can pick up tips thanks to Tom's extensive experience in competition. If this subject really fascinates you then I can also recommend Ryan Hall's Arm Triangles DVD which takes this topic and adds further layers of detail.



Master of Leglocks by Masakazu Imanari
Imanari is a legend on the combat fighting world and is particularly famed for his devastating leg attacks. In this video, Imanari runs through at rapid pace his favourite heel hook, toe hold and straight ankle techniques. Although he speaks in Japanese, the subtitles are ample enough information to understand what he is saying, mind you, he is not a man of many words, so you could even just skip reading the subtitles and learn by observing. The highlight for me is his eponymous 'Imanari Roll' which he demonstrates from the ground against a standing opponent.
Overall, it's very brief (running time just 15 minutes long) but since it's free (if you sign up) then you can't really complain.



 Spaghetti DelaRiva by Tommi Pulkkanen
Since I am predominantly a gi person, I was looking forward to learning from Tommi's video the most and he doesn't disappoint! His instructional's central theme involves using the DLR to take the back. Thre are just 8 different techniques but spread out over 45 minutes, Tommi adds in a lot of detail and explanation so you really get a good sense of how to make them work successfully. The highlight for me is one of my favourite 'surprise' submissions - the Caio Terra footlock. I thought I knew how to do this technique but Tommi adds a few more snippets of information that was new to me and hopefully will help me get an even better success rate with it.

At this stage, it's worth giving a mention to the production quality. I really like how Techniqly uses a handheld camera operator. He gets to walk around, zoom in or out and pan around as and when needed. There are no fancy gimmicks or video effects, it all just works nicely. There isn't much to say in the way of lighting, it looks like it was all filmed in someone's BJJ club so the lighting is just whatever is there - unlike say Caio Terra's Modern Jiu Jitsu videos, which have crazy high-end lighting and production quality...Techniqly's basic lighting doesn't bother me, I can see what is needed to be seen. One huge positive that I like is the audio which is really well captured. I hadn't really thought audio quality was much of a big deal, as long as I could hear the instruction, but the Techniqly videos seem to capture it really well, it feels like you are having a private tutorial and the instructor isn't having to shout to get his voice across.





X-Guard and Leglocks by Tom Halpin.
Ireland's Tom Halpin serves up a very tight tutorial focusing on a single themed set-up: x-guard to saddle to leg attack. It's a popular and high percentage 'modern game' combo.
Tom begins the first portion of the set outlining the kneebar and heel-hook finishes that he favours. The main portion then looks at setting up these attacks by getting to the saddle position using x-guard as the entry point. The final portion of the set shows Tom's x-guard set-ups. In some ways the sequence Tom chooses is backwards to how most people teach - he shows the end finish first then works backwards. I've heard some instructors mention that they favour this method rather than a sequence in chronological order. The reason is that students like to know what their objective is first of all and then learn how to achieve that objective. It's an interesting take on teaching methodology that I might try myself (I'm usually the chronological sequence kinda guy).
Overall a great set taught really well by Tom, this would serve as a very good beginner's guide to the submission grappling non-IBJJF style of jiujitsu ruleset.


Final thoughts
Techniqly have made a great start with the launch of four very good instructionals - one of which is free. I'd personally like to have the option of downloadable content, ideally by downloadable by chapter like I can on the Digitsu platform. This might seem trivial to some, but to a London underground traveller like me, there are vast moments during the day where I have zero reception. And I only have time to watch content when I'm travelling, not when I'm home on my desktop. I'd also like some sort of app for my phone - like how Digitsu have an app, Grapplearts (although that's very clunky) or the very excellent Lapel Encyclopedia app, although I guess accessing the website on the mobile is acceptable at this stage.
Other than that, the platform shows great promise for the future as its inventory expands.








.

byMeerkatsu
in ,
February 15, 2020

Review: Techniqly (Tom Barlow, Masakazu Imanari, Tommi Pulkkanen, Tom Halpin)

I was given access to view BJJ instructional content on a newly launched website called Techniqly . So far there are four choices: Dea...
Read More

29 May 2017


Summary
A concise yet highly detailed overlook at a variety of yoga and mobility movements designed specifically for jiu jitsu practitioners (and other grappling arts). In a manner consistent with his approach to his BJJ technique videos, Nic Gregoriades takes a very concept based approach and shows the major exercises that he himself practices. Nic's personal approach and lengthy explanations to each drill mark his product differently to Sebastian Broche's Yoga for BJJ program. Unlike the latter (and Youtube yoga video in generals), Nic's set is not a 'follow me along' class video. Instead, it is more like a seminar where he shows techniques and how to do them, but you are left to repeat the flows and drills in your own made up routine.

Details
Yoga for Grapplers is available as an online purchase for £62 on this link here.
Video duration: 2 hours 36 minutes

byMeerkatsu
in
May 29, 2017

Review: Yoga for Grapplers by Nic Gregoriades, Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood

Summary A concise yet highly detailed overlook at a variety of yoga and mobility movements designed specifically for jiu jitsu practitio...
Read More

15 Jun 2011


Introduction
Mad Dog are a fightwear company based in Poland that specialise in limited run custom designed MMA and grappling clothing. The advantage of using their service is that they can produce bespoke fightwear in low numbers which contrasts with a conventional overseas factory who tend to only accept large run orders. I tried out the Mad Dog service by submitting my own vector artwork. The resulting product was very high quality and well constructed albeit with a few design-alignment issues. Overall, an ideal option for academies looking to obtain high quality fightwear branded with their own logos.


byMeerkatsu
in ,
June 15, 2011

Apparel review: Mad Dog Custom Designed Rash Guard

Introduction Mad Dog are a fightwear company based in Poland that specialise in limited run custom designed MMA and grappling clothing. T...
Read More

5 May 2011



Summary
Eagerly anticipated contest winning design entry finally arrives and is worth the wait. The cool grey gi fabric and novel stripey inner lining already make this gi stand out above the crowd. The pin up logo and subtle red trim add up to quite possibly one of the finest looking gis on the market today.

FULL DISCLOSURE
This gi is the product of a winning design from a contest that I devised last year and sponsored by Tatami Fightwear. I was among the judging panel that shortlisted this gi design, which was eventually voted most favourite by members of the public. I have not profited from this contest in any way and I am not sponsored by any company.

byMeerkatsu
in ,
May 05, 2011

Gi Review: Pin-Up Gi by Tatami Fightwear

Summary Eagerly anticipated contest winning design entry finally arrives and is worth the wait. The cool grey gi fabric and novel stripey...
Read More

22 Apr 2011


Summary
A funky little lightweight training hoodie styled for street wear casualness and gym wear cool.

byMeerkatsu
in ,
April 22, 2011

Fightwear Review: Nogi chevron Hooded Top

Summary A funky little lightweight training hoodie styled for street wear casualness and gym wear cool.
Read More

20 Apr 2011


Summary
Ultra comfortable, effective sweat wicking rash guard to use as undergi apparel or for nogi training.

Introduction
Continuing my theme this week of reviewing an entire set of Nogi Industries fightwear, this rash guard is nice compliment to the HD shorts I reviewed previously. I like long sleeve rash guards much better than short sleeves, even in summer. I'm not sure why the preference but it may be the internal thought that more of my skin is covered by a potential barrier against skin-contact infections. Or it may be just because I think they look better on me.


Style and Design
The Velox is dye sublimated printed - which means the dye molecules are locked in to the fabric and will not fade, peel or crack compared to screen printed rash guards. It also means designers can print the rash guard in any colour combination. Here, the Velox opts for the simpler combination of Nogi logo and contrasting linear elements, very similar in style to the HD shorts.



Construction and reinforcements
The panels that make up the rash guard components are stitched together with big fat contrast red stitching. It is an impressive level of reinforcement perhaps not seen on a lot of rash guards. Similar stitching is also incorporated along the sleeve cuffs and base fold.


The collar is a simple round neck that is reasonably wide. some rash guards I have experienced in the past are a bit tight around the neck and can feel restrictive. Not the Nogi Velox however.

The armpit panels are perforated - presumably to aid the wicking away of sweat and allow some ventilation.


Comfort and fit
I must confess I don't have a lot to say about rash guards. I use them all the time under the gi and for this purpose, I'm as happy to wear these branded high tech rashies as I am the cheap sports store-bought version. For actual no gi training however, it is nice to wear something that is as ultra comfortable as this model. It reminded me a lot of the comfort of the Masaru rashguard (reviewed here.)


Summary
A nicely style,  comfortable and well constructed rash guard that complements other items from the Nogi range, especially the HD shorts.





:)
byMeerkatsu
in ,
April 20, 2011

Gear Review: Nogi Long Sleeve Velox Rashguard

Summary Ultra comfortable, effective sweat wicking rash guard to use as undergi apparel or for nogi training. Introduction Continuing m...
Read More

18 Apr 2011



Summary
A tough and incredibly well-thought out pair of fight shorts designed for both grappling action and on street cool. I was very impressed with the incredibly high quality or production and added functionality of these shorts.


Nogi contacted me a while back asking me to review a bunch of products from their new line up - this review is part one of three Nogi branded items that I will be reviewing over the coming week.

Introduction
HD is all the  rage these days. You cannot flick on a TV or watch a movie without having everything HD blasted into your face. So I suppose calling your fightwear brand HD - presumably to imply the term High Definition - is to keep the marketing on message with the kids of today! Regardless, the first thing I noticed when picking up these shorts was how solid it was. It is a hell of a lot heavier and thicker than all my other MMA shorts. These babies are obviously designed to take a pounding.

Design and Style
I must confess I really dig the nogi logo. It nods strongly to the gothic fonts typical of most MMA brands but is much smoother and less aggressive. The only criticism I would add is that the umlaut above the 'O' can make it look like the letter 'a', so the word reads 'Nagi'. Which in itself is a cool word I suppose.

Nagi? Nah, Nogi.

The overall look of these shorts is sophisticated black with white embroidered accents. It is minimal compared to a lot of fight shorts but in a way, that's what makes these stand out more. A really really cute touch are the branded drawstring tips.

Cute laces!




Good fit
The HD fight shorts are held up by a plethora of features. There is of course the frontal velcro, then there is the aforementioned branded drawstrings. To the sides along the inside hem are some rubberised strips that grip the hips and to the rear is an elasticated section. Combined together, these features ensure that these shorts WILL NOT COME UNDONE!!!

Tip - all this velcro will ruin your wife's bras in the wash


You want secure? We give you quadruple secure!

Stretchiness
Of course no company in their right mind would release fight shorts without the obligatory split side vents and stretchy lycra bits around the groin. It means you can Thai kick to the moon and back and not suffer one iota of a wardrobe malfunction. It's been years since I could kick above my own knee height and, as I do not train MMA, it's a feature that is lost on me sadly. And in any case, for no go grappling, I don't think side vents are that important. But it is nice to know that these shorts will easily stretch and pull during the ebb and flow of a typical grapple.

Stretchy lycra along the gusset

Side splits - not too big, which I prefer

Cool extra bits
I wore these shorts and completely did not know that tucked inside is a large pocket. I guess for keeping hold of a gumshield. But for me, I'm thinking, ooh, nice place to hold my wallet and keys!

Big sack
Speaking of the insides, I really like the idea of double lining the shorts with more shiny lycra type material. It's like wearing a rash guard for your bum :D

Inside lining, cool!

Rolling performance and summary
I rolled some nogi wearing these shorts and they felt superb to train in. I guess as I am mainly a gi player, I really prefer the feel of a good solid pair of shorts on my legs, rather than the thinner types. I will post photos of me rolling in the shorts in the next Nogi Review Post, where I review the Nogi long sleeve rash guard.

To summarise - these shorts are absolutely loaded with features and are probably the toughest fight shorts I have ever had the pleasure of wearing. I also like the fact they the design is subtle enough that you can wear it out and about without feeling like a dorky UFC fanatic (apologies to dorks).

I know, I should eat more!


Credits, disclosure and further information
My thanks to Nogi Industries for sending me these shorts for review. You can buy their stuff online here:
http://www.nogi.com/home.php

This review represents my own opinions. I am not an expert in textiles or clothing etc, just a regular BJJ student who likes to review stuff. I consider myself independent and impartial - I am not sponsored by any one company nor do I endorse any one brand. I have a close dialogue with a large number of gi makers and sellers, some of whom I collaborate with on various projects that are unconnected with this review. If you have any questions about this review, please feel free to email me (see About Me) or post a comment below. I hope this review was helpful. Join my Meerkatsu Facebook page for further feedback on this review and the chance to win prizes in my regular contests.

:)
byMeerkatsu
in ,
April 18, 2011

Gear Review: Nogi HD MMA Fight Shorts

Summary A tough and incredibly well-thought out pair of fight shorts designed for both grappling action and on street cool. I was very im...
Read More

8 Apr 2011



Summary
An affordable light weight uniform with a number of high quality features that helps it punch well above its weight. I like the bold yet balanced use of patchwork and found this gi to be light and comfortable during rolling. My sample fell slightly short along the sleeve length but full final production version will have longer arms. I rate this gi as very good value for money!

I was sent this gi directly from Submission Fight Company but they can also be purchased from BudoVideos.


byMeerkatsu
in ,
April 08, 2011

Gi Review: Submission Fight Company Light Gi

Summary An affordable light weight uniform with a number of high quality features that helps it punch well above its weight. I like the b...
Read More

31 Mar 2011



Summary
Much hyped replacement for the first generation of Black Eagle Predators, the MKII is claimed to be one of the lightest gis on the market and even more astonishingly, to be completely shrink proof. This review looks at the Predator MKII in detail and examines the bold claims - however due to lack of A1 sizes, the rolling, fit and comfort performance will have to wait for Part Two.

Introduction
UK martial arts uniform and fight gear company Black Eagle do not like to make low key announcements. During the testing and prototype phase prior to the release of this MKII kimono, the company were already making very confident claims chief among which were that this gi would be the lightest on the market, and will NOT shrink. They released a pre-release review here.

Their claims were too hard for me to resist so I nabbed a MKII the moment it landed on our shores - and challenged the company to a bet...


byMeerkatsu
in ,
March 31, 2011

Gi Review: Black Eagle Predator MKII - Part One

Summary Much hyped replacement for the first generation of Black Eagle Predators, the MKII is claimed to be one of the lightest gis on th...
Read More

28 Mar 2011


Summary
Ginormous bag made from hemp fibres which are a zillion times stronger* than puny cotton, this bag can fit two small children and three quarters of me. Pros: good for smuggling small children. Cons: not so good for smuggling adults. Oh and handy for transporting your fight gear when out and about.

This bag was sent to me for review by Europe's most awesome MMA store: Made4Fighters.

Introduction
When word got out on the forums that a new fight wear brand were marketing products made from hemp, everyone's ears pricked up. Hemp, as the publicity machine would have us believe, is much much stronger than cotton and is naturally microbial resistant. Their prototype BJJ gis have been floating around for a few months now and the full production models of their gis are currently just arriving at those who have pre-ordered. Hemp is cool, thin, light and very expensive to mass produce. That's why this bag costs a whopping £95!!

(* exaggerated for comic effect, actual strength factor is x4)

byMeerkatsu
in ,
March 28, 2011

Gear Review: Datsusara Pro Gear Bag (PGB-03)

Summary Ginormous bag made from hemp fibres which are a zillion times stronger* than puny cotton, this bag can fit two small children and ...
Read More

25 Mar 2011


Summary
A rare limited edition design from one of the most daring gi makers in the world, the Bull Terrier Limited Edition is aimed squarely at the extrovert with an eye for the outrageous. This Bull Terrier appeared to be cut a little smaller than many A1s I have sampled previously, it was still a very fun item to train in.

This gi was sent to me from www.BTfightgear.com via trendy UK fightwear company Scramble. UK buyers are able to purchase a select range of BT gear from the Official UK Seller for Bull Terrier (Facebook Group).

Introduction

I can just imagine a meeting at Bull Terrier head quarters going a little something like this:

BOSS: Guys we only have 1,634 different gi models, we need SOME MORE! I want ideas!
DESIGNERS: [shrugs shoulders]
BOSS: Come on darnit, must be something new no one has ever tried before?
LACKEY: How about silver foil lining? And make it one of only 100 ever made.
BOSS: I LIKE IT...PROMOTE HIM IMMEDIATELY!!

Yes, welcome to the world where loud is just not loud enough. Bold is simply not bold enough. The rare and soon to never ever be sold again Bull Terrier Limited Edition is one heck of a gi! Let's kick off with the stats...but I know, you don't care, you want to see the shiny silvery things right? We'll soon get to that bit...


byMeerkatsu
in ,
March 25, 2011

Gi Review: Bull Terrier Limited Edition

Summary A rare limited edition design from one of the most daring gi makers in the world, the Bull Terrier Limited Edition is aimed square...
Read More

 

© 2015 - Distributed By Free Blogger Templates | Lyrics | Songs.pk | Download Ringtones | HD Wallpapers For Mobile