I recently got the chance to have a private lesson with 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt, Erwann “100%” Marshall.  It was pretty exciting for me as I’ve been following Eddie Bravo’s Jiu-Jitsu system since I first discovered it by reading his books and watching as many videos as I can.  I’ve also been experiment a bit with the Rubber Guard and the 10th Planet Half Guard system to some success.  Unfortunately, living where I do, I don’t have access to any of the 10th Planet schools.  As soon as I saw that Erwann would be in New York, I had to schedule some lessons.

Actually getting to work with a 10th Planet  instructor was incredibly enlightening as to what I was missing.  With the Rubber Guard for example, I’ve been under the impression that it was just about keeping the opponent’s posture broken down.  Keeping my partner from posturing up was helpful, but he could still move laterally which is usually how my Rubber Guard was defeated.  

Being caught in Erwann’s guard was a whole other story.  I felt like I was in a vice and could barely move.  He then explained that most people wrongly think the Rubber Guard is overly dependent on flexibility when in reality, the key to most of the 10th Planet system is to develop squeezing pressure.  

I had a 2nd lesson scheduled, but unfortunately I was snowed in.  Next time, I will definitely have a ton of time alloted.  Erwann was a great teacher who moved quickly but explained the techniques in such a way as to be easily absorbed.

I’ve always had thought that Eddie Bravo’s Jiu-Jitsu could change MMA, but now I completely believe it.