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The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan reviews

The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan has 276 customer reviews in this archive, averaging 4.97 out of 5. 97% are five-star and 0 are one or two stars. Reviews run from April 18, 2022 to October 23, 2026. All of them are published below in full, unedited.

Who reviewed The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan

105 of these reviewers gave their belt rank when they submitted the review. BJJ Fanatics asks for rank, age and years training at the point of review, so this breakdown is self-reported by the customer.

Where to buy it

The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan is currently listed on the BJJ Fanatics storefront at $349.00 USD. View The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan on BJJ Fanatics

The reviews

• best defensive instructional

  Gordon's best escape instructional

  Jon B.October 23, 2026United StatesVerified buyerBrown belt16 yrs training

• Pin Escapes

  Learning so much. It shows all of the what if scenarios. A dense study that you can immerse yourself in all these positions.

  Ade O.September 30, 2026Verified buyerPurple belt4-6 yrs training

• The king does it again !

  My pin escapes have drastically gone up listening to Gordon’s instructional !

  Samuel G.September 13, 2026Verified buyerBlue belt4-6 yrs training

• Great Instructional

  Great Instructional - more excellent material by Gordon Ryan

  Cameron F.August 1, 2026Verified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Excellent

  Great

  Shong L.June 13, 2026Verified buyerBrown belt7-9 yrs training

• The great Escape

  Excellent product

  Shong L.June 13, 2026Verified buyerBrown belt7-9 yrs training

• Pillars of Defense Pin Escapes

  Excellent Instruction!

  Raki G.June 5, 2026United StatesVerified buyerBrown belt16+ yrs training

• エスケープ

  抑え込みからのエスケープが上手になりました。

  一真 福.June 3, 2026JapanVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Extremely detailed and pract

  Bar far the positional escape I've seen

  Laurence C.May 10, 2026United StatesVerified buyerPurple belt

• Definitely worth the price!

  Great instructional. Immediately deployable techniques and conceptual explanations that will elevate any game.

  Thomas T.April 12, 2026United StatesVerified buyerBlack belt16+ yrs training

• Gordon’s Best

  This is a must have for any no-go grappler.

  Brandon G.March 28, 2026United StatesVerified buyer

• Details

  So so detailed

  Eric B.March 21, 2026United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt

• Pillars of defense

  Must have for those wanting to be competitive

  Mitch T.February 23, 2026United StatesVerified buyer

• Pullers of defense

  Must have for competition focused people

  Mitch T.February 23, 2026United StatesVerified buyer

• Pillars of defense

  Must have for competition focused people!

  Mitch T.February 23, 2026United StatesVerified buyer

• NoGi: The Escape Series — Pillars of Defense* by Gordon Ryan**

  Absolutely amazing instructional. *Pillars of Defense* genuinely changed how I see the battle happening beneath the surface of grappling. Instead of treating escapes as desperate reactions, this series reframes defense as a structured system built on understanding where control actually lives — and how to remove it piece by piece. One of the biggest takeaways for me was learning to identify **what truly gives an opponent control**. Rather than chasing random escape movements, Gordon breaks down the positional hierarchy and shows how small adjustments in framing, posture, and awareness shift the entire exchange. It feels less like memorizing techniques and more like learning a language — you begin to see why positions succeed or fail. The focus on returning to guard, wrestling up, **or even transitioning directly into submissions from defensive positions** was eye-opening. Instead of viewing bad positions as purely survival moments, the series shows how to turn being pinned into a launch point for offense. You’re not just escaping — you’re redirecting the exchange. There’s a strong emphasis on recognizing the instant your opponent’s control weakens and using that window to attack, shifting from being dominated into a fully offensive threat. What stood out most is how conceptual the material is without losing practicality. It encourages you to slow down mentally, recognize where the real control points are, and dismantle them with intention. After studying this, I found myself calmer in bad positions because I could clearly see the steps needed to rebuild structure, regain initiative, and even hunt submissions mid-transition. For anyone serious about NoGi — especially those who feel stuck under pressure or pinned too often — *Pillars of Defense* feels less like a collection of moves and more like a blueprint for survival, reversals, and counter-offense. It’s one of those instructionals that doesn’t just add techniques to your game — it upgrades how you think about grappling itself.

  Marcus A.February 21, 2026United StatesVerified buyerBrown belt10-12 yrs training

• it's a good content

  I do gi-jujitsu, but I got a good idea through this content. It was good that there was a part that could be used not only in Nogi but also in gi.

  jihoon H.February 4, 2026Verified buyerPurple belt7-9 yrs training

• it's a good content

  I do jujitsu, but I got a good idea through this content. It was good that there was a part that could be used not only in Nogi but also in Ki.

  jihoon H.February 4, 2026Verified buyerPurple belt7-9 yrs training

• it's a good content

  This lesson also applies to gi jiu-jitsu. I gained many ideas from it, and it helped my strategy a lot.

  jihoon H.February 4, 2026United StatesVerified buyer

• Very detailed

  Very informative

  Jacob D.January 9, 2026United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Helped my escapes

  I’ve been getting stuck under bigger guys in side control. This series really helped me

  Taylor N.December 6, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Excellent

  Excellent details

  Young S.November 29, 2025United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Best in the game

  most practical and systemic approach to pin escapes.

  JeongNovember 26, 2025South KoreaPurple belt4-6 yrs training

• Pillars of Defense

  Great in depth defense theory from the best!

  Cole A.November 16, 2025United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt

• Highly technical but worth it

  Great insight from the goat

  simon m.October 5, 2025United KingdomVerified buyerBlue belt4-6 yrs training

• Fantastic

  I love the idea of going straight from a defensive position to an attacking position instantaneously. This really helps my game

  Ryan W.September 24, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt4-6 yrs training

• Great details

  I love the approach to many of the conventional pins . I really do love the level of detail .

  AnonymousSeptember 19, 2025United KingdomVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Neccesary

  You need this if you want to escape with high level grapplers

  Alejandro L.September 8, 2025United StatesVerified buyerPurple belt4-6 yrs training

• A great introduction to pin escapes

  I learnt a lot from this video, to the extent that I now know what to do in every pinning situation. Gordon is not only a great grappler, but also a methodical and systematic teacher. He is also an excellent communicator, which is hardly surprising given that he is the master of the subject! Thank you!

  Igor J.September 2, 2025GermanyVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• my main go to pin escape instructional

  my main go to pin escape instructional

  James D.September 1, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlack belt16 yrs training

• detailed and structured

  detailed and structured

  weijiu w.August 23, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Pin escapes gordon

  Insanely reliable for pin escapes

  Bertram P.August 23, 2025DenmarkVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Good

  Very good, i can learn as a white belt general ideas, and revisit this instructional even years later, because it cover all the details

  Nick J.July 27, 2025UzbekistanVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Pin escapes

  Great content!

  Lane R.July 20, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Pin escapes

  Great!

  Lane R.July 20, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• fantastic

  fantastic

  AnonymousJuly 17, 2025SpainVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan

  Exceptional like all other Gordon Ryan Instructionals

  Vito F.July 2, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• Pin escapes - Gordon Ryan

  He’s fantastic explaining concepts and why positions work or fail

  Ian Y.June 24, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBrown belt

• well worth it

  excellent material that is usable quickly

  Peter M.June 5, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt4-6 yrs training

• Insightful and detailed

  Covers details not covered by other instructional.

  Laurence C.May 17, 2025United StatesVerified buyerPurple belt16+ yrs training

• h

  j

  Andrew E.May 16, 2025United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Pin Escapes

  Improved my escapes

  Jesse D.May 10, 2025United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Everything you need

  This is probably the most important video you need to develop a high level defensive cycle.

  AnonymousMay 7, 2025United StatesVerified buyerPurple belt4-6 yrs training

• Great start

  Great start to my jiu jitsu career

  AnonymousMay 7, 2025NorwayVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• 🤯 Every detail

  If you are the what if this happens guy at your gym and I am. This introductional is for you. Gordon leaves nothing unexplored. Highly recommended for all belt levels

  Ian B.May 6, 2025United StatesVerified buyerWhite belt1-3 yrs training

• Super useful

  Great tips from GR

  Ewald N.May 3, 2025South AfricaVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles Gordon Ryan

  Gordon Ryan’s The Pillars of Defense: Pin Escapes – Defensive to Offensive Cycles is hands down one of the most useful instructionals I’ve ever studied on escaping pins. Escapes are often overlooked or treated like a scramble, but Gordon breaks everything down into logical, repeatable frameworks that make the chaos of bottom position feel a lot more manageable—and even winnable. What really sets this apart is the emphasis on defensive structure leading into offensive transitions. It’s not just about getting out—it's about getting out and turning the tide. Gordon explains the underlying principles—elbow positioning, frames, timing, and how to control space—in a way that’s both beginner-friendly and deep enough for advanced grapplers to refine their game. Why it’s worth it: You’ll actually understand why your escapes fail—and how to fix them. Focuses on transitioning from defense to offense, not just surviving. Ryan’s methodical teaching style gives you a complete system—not just isolated moves. Great for anyone tired of being pinned and “just bridging and hoping.” Whether you're a newer student struggling from bottom or an experienced grappler looking to upgrade your survival game, this instructional gives you a plan—and confidence. One of the best escape-focused resources available, period.

  Scott K.May 1, 2025United StatesVerified buyerPurple belt4-6 yrs training

• Top

  This series made me so much better in such a short amount of time - it feels like cheating. Very good and very enjoyable. Additionally, it was great to see that Gordon Ryan admits at some positions that he doesn't have an answer to them instead of just not mentioning them. That it's worth a lot for the viewer.

  Eugen D.April 27, 2025GermanyVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• The Pillas of Defense: Pin Escapes - Defensive to Offensive Cycles by Gordon Ryan

  Really solid explanation of fundamental defensive pin escapes necessary for the beginner to master.

  Austin A.April 18, 2025United StatesVerified buyerBlue belt1-3 yrs training

• 👍

  👍

  Nicholas P.April 18, 2025United StatesVerified buyer

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