After reconnecting with Master Rickson Gracie for a private session in Vero Beach, Alan Baker reflects on the depth of Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals, invisible mechanics, lineage, and why a living art must continue to grow with the practitioner.
Master Pedro Sauer teaching Sifu Alan Baker Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Sifu Alan Baker training with Master Pedro Sauer in Savannah Georgia.
Master Pedro Sauer demonstrating Gracie Jiu-Jitsu entry and off-balancing.
Sifu Alan Baker with Master Pedro Sauer and Jeff Curran.
Private Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lesson with Master Pedro Sauer.
Master Pedro Sauer teaching Sifu Alan Baker Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Sifu Alan Baker training with Master Pedro Sauer.
Master Pedro Sauer demonstrating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu lesson with Master Pedro Sauer and Sifu Alan Baker.
Day one of the CSW World Conference was packed from the start. I had already been in town training throughout the week, but this was the main reason for the …
When we teach submissions from side control, the first two attacks many students learn are the Americana and the Kimura. They are common techniques. Most grapplers have seen them. Many …
At our annual Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu conference, we spent time working on one of the most important areas of grappling development: the mechanics of control. Submissions are exciting. They are what …
After 47 years in the martial arts, people often ask me why I still train. The answer has very little to do with fighting. Over time, I came to realize that the martial arts are far more than a system of self-defense. They are a vehicle for physical development, self-education, personal responsibility, and lifelong growth. In this article, I share some of the lessons the martial arts have taught me and why they continue to play such an important role in my life today.
In this seminar highlight, Sifu Alan Baker breaks down the backdoor escape and explains why some grappling habits can become a liability in more hostile environments. This is not just about escaping bottom position. It is about understanding posture, access, movement, awareness, and why staying flat can cost you when the environment changes.
In this segment, Professor Sauer breaks down subtle but powerful mount adjustments that make submissions from the top position far more effective. From elbow placement and weight distribution to proper foot positioning for armbars, these small details prevent escapes and make transitions feel effortless.
In this seminar session in Cleveland, Tennessee, we’re working through half guard sweep concepts and how to create the reaction needed to make those sweeps work.
Instead of forcing techniques, the goal is to build an environment that makes your opponent uncomfortable and forces them to react. Once that reaction happens, the sweep becomes available.
