Self Mastery: Solo BJJ Training Drills by John Danaher
1,973 reviews · 4.97 / 5
John Danaher · Combo
Half Guard: BJJ Fundamentals - Go Further Faster by John Danaher has 377 customer reviews in this archive, averaging 4.98 out of 5. 98% are five-star and 0 are one or two stars. Reviews run from September 22, 2019 to August 30, 2026. All of them are published below in full, unedited.
Guard Retention was always such a mystery. If you're not in closed guard, it feels like they're chest to chest on you in seconds. This set of videos takes what feels like a chaotic situation and breaks it down into recognizable scenarios so that you can see what's happening and act.
I've been using many of the techniques presented with great success on the mats.
This is the second instructional I would recommend for beginners. Get Mr Danaher’s Pin Escapes and Turtle escapes first then get this. I didn’t really understand half guard and avoided it until I studied this instructional. Since then it has been my go to guard and training has become much easier/more enjoyable as a slightly older practitioner. I feel half guard is also a safe starting guard to train to help you avoid injuries from partners who may be less coordinated with their body movements or before you know how to safely negotiate being stacked. Half guard will also allow you to slow down and control the pace of the match. The techniques and concepts you learn will give you some closely related defensive and offensive skills to complement your escape skills. If you master your escapes and then master the skills Mr Danaher teaches in this instructional you will surprise a lot of higher belts with your ability to escape and threaten with sweeps, take downs and back takes. From half guard I have taken down training partners from white belts to black belts with the “Outside hook circle”, the look of shock on their face alone is worth the price of the instructional :joy:. If you are an aspiring competitive athlete I would just save money and buy the go further faster bundle when you can get a good discount as you will want all of them.
For me JD is the best
I keep coming back to all the videos of this series and I feel that they definitely give me an edge over my peers. The half-guard system is awesome, and I learned a new word, the trilemma which is trying to create for my opponents on the mat
As a halfguard guy i really liked this one for sure ! Helped me alot with my game ! :)
When learning Jiu Jitsu I was told Half Guard means that Im bad at elbow escapes. I found myself getting there so I purchased this to learn how to attack as I only learned a few moves in my school. I have since learned you can attack from Half Guard. I recommend this for any short guy, old guy and underweight guy. If you have a strong half guard your life in jiu jitsu has been extended to your golden years.
Big fan of Danahers Fantastic attention to detail, really helping me understand the position as a blue belt
Really built out a solid half guard game from this. Knew a few of these sweeps really well but allowed me to have a full system and now try to play half guard as much as possible. Highly recommend
Awesome class and technique! His master class's is always worth paying 5 times!
Very long winded.
I was never a big half guard player. I'd only use it for guard retention. I really started trying to play half guard as a main guard after studying the material here - and got it to work ! I continued learning with Gordon's video (butterfly half and more knee shield) and New Wave (interplay of leg locks from half guard), but this video really got me started enjoying the half guard position.
John Danaher is considered the best for a reason. Top level details and explanations.
I find myself always going back and reviewing sections from this instuctional. I like how John explains the basics very clearly. I taught a kids class the other week and explained some concepts by parroting some of what John says and they got the techniques pretty fast. Great stuff.
Excellent resource for building knowledge on the fundamentals off half guard. I've been training for 2 years now. I'm 30 and feel that half-guard will be solid place to build my game around. I loved this instructional series. It's comprehensive and the level of detail is phenomenal. I highly recommend this.
I have always felt stuck in this position. Now I’m feeling more and more in control!
I have many of Danahers instructional and while they have all been phenomenal, this one really helped me sink it in and made me even more receptive to his others after further loom throughs. I was not happy being a half guard player, though this instructional has helped me drastically improve and own it.
A detailed and comprehensive course on bottom half-guard. With practice, it should help you to develop a very effective holding and sweeping strategies from the bottom position.
t
Being an older (60yrs) practitioner with lots of wear and tear from decades of martial arts, this series is one many people have encouraged me to get good at, for all the reasons Prof. Danaher explains. This instructional is brilliant in that it teaches the "why" as much as the "how". All the subtle details of body mechanics, positioning and timing are beautifully explained. From the standpoint of tactics and strategy, Prof Danaher explains all the likely responses that may occur if you're playing half guard or in someones half guard. Another aspect that I found useful is the explanations of why you "wouldn't do this or that". As a new practitioners some things are counter intuitive and I often find myself in an "oh s#@t" situation. I know I make a wrong move but not always sure why. This series explains all of those common scenarios with detail and clarity. I highly recommend it!
Professor Danaher has a very systematic and detailed approach to his teaching. This approach allows for you to look at the options available to you in half guard and how to be in positions that are beneficial to you. Highly recommend for all levels for developing and/or working on improving your understanding of this position.
I noticed an immediate benefit from this video. Half go has become a position that I feel more comfortable using when rolling after watching this instructional video!
this app is put together as a great reference archive.
John's the man, he's the greatest BJJ coach in the world, by far and away. Watching him your getting an education in BJJ rather than just some random moves.
Thank you!!
Best purchase ever
buy all of his stuff folks
Excellent half-guard instructional. Very detailed explanations. Techniques can be incorporated immediately
Are you a little older, a little slower, maybe not as strong and agile as you used to be? Well here is the solution for you. The half guard is the perfect position for us older players. This instructional will change your game 100%. Everything you need to know about the half guard is coveted in this excellent instructional. It is literally so good I am using this chapter outline to structure my classes. Every step is covered from offense to defense. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy just straight forward instruction. You will be amazed with the results.
Details are so good you can interpret good ways to pass against half guard as well.
If you are serious about becoming a better grappler, this is a must have.
.
so glad I got this
This has been great for me as a white belt. I love the way it links up with John's other instructionals so that you been selectively build a gameplan.
After watching this course several times, I have grown to love the half guard position. I find myself working more from half guard now more than any other position.
I've always used my strength and size to dominate half guard, this series changed this!
Very detailed and easy to understand approach. Covers lots of foundational problems and have already started to see the payoff when rolling.
k
nn
You will feel like Neo looking the matrix
As a fairly new white belt I appreciated the thoroughness of his explanations
Danaher is a master. If you get this video, study the material, and apply it to your game…. You will get better. Period.
Danaher is a master!! Very happy with my purchase! I’m adding this to a growing collection (pin escapes, guard retention, and now Half guard bottom)
This is a big reason half guard is my go to guard! That and I have short legs!
Best harf guard solution
As always JD's videos are as good as it gets
Always greatly detailed and lots of information. Great material for all with plenty of tools for all belts.
As ever, Prof. Danaher’s presentation is tremendous. He explains the broad overarching approach in his introduction overview and then dives into the details and explanations in tremendous detail. As Must for any half guard player.
It’s so much more than fundamentals
As with all of his instructionals, Danaher puts out solid information. Sometimes he can be a little long winded, but he's giving details that are important to the techniques he's teaching. Cool Easter Egg in Vol 6 of this series towards the end- Danaher farts and blames it on his training partner. Guess he's human after all.
1,973 reviews · 4.97 / 5
914 reviews · 4.98 / 5
656 reviews · 4.98 / 5
554 reviews · 4.97 / 5
522 reviews · 4.98 / 5
452 reviews · 4.99 / 5