Why and How to Incorporate Wrestling in your BJJ Training - Coach Zahabi 

Wrestling is effective because it puts you in an advantageous position BEFORE the ground game. If a fight is like a chess game, wrestling is like the opening and the middlegame while BJJ is the endgame.

You’re flow is insane. You make it look like you’re not even trying. #lifegoals

Your absolutely right. Having Wrestled for almost 2 years, I feel like this is the basis for any Grappling Art in general.

Everything you said is exactly how I feel about BJJ and wrestling. I started off learning wrestling and judo in the late 80s and when I transitioned to jiu jitsu nobody was teaching takedowns. So when I opened my gym I started incorporating takedowns and throws. Now it seems like you guys work takedowns much more than we do but maybe I'll start running our our no gi class more like what you're doing there at TriStar. Like a lot of your videos too.

powerful demian maia is a good example of why you incooperate wrestling into your jiu jitsu

Need more gyms like this..most bjj gyms focus on sport bjj and not much takedowns or heel hooks

I didn't know any other way to train. How can you do bjj if you can't take the fight to the ground?

Firas, you the best! I went to a submission wrestling advance class today after watching this, and it turned out they were doing just much wrestling as ground work. With some punching defense on the ground as well. So much fun! Even though I've never been this tired before in my life.

These transitions are so smooth and beautiful to watch. Keep the great content coming, very much appreciated!

I grew up wrestling (freestyle&greco) and was initially introduced to bjj thru the army. Firas is right on when he says its so much fun to roll when you mesh the 2 disciplines. Thanks for the great content brother!

Absolutely beautiful grappling, I love seeing the seamless transitions and nonstop hunting for submissions.

We have wrestling class on Wednesday nights at my gym, and it's my favorite class, I honestly always look forward to it.

Sparring commentary is the one of the best forms of learning IMO, you get to see techniques being applied organically plus you can explain while it happens. Great content Firas! Really digging the smooth 60 frames per sec ;)

wrestling is a super important part of a well rounded skill set great video very informative.

I love all the philosophy behind these videos! thank you so much, Coach!

Can't wait for more. About two weeks ago, we did wrestling for one of the first times in BJJ class, and I was absolutely buzzing after that. The week even before that, some random guys were "wrestling" (they were totally untrained) at a party. I knew if it went to the ground I could kill them, but even then, I realized how I would probably have to have pulled guard in the beginning and there was no way I could have started on the feet with them and not been humiliated because they were just so much more athletic and drunk. I've been wanting to do wrestling so badly ever since, and the release of this video was so fortuitous.

I wanna see Firas vs Rener on EBI

Love your videos as always! Excellent video quality!!

I believe that long ago in time every grappling art was all one together. Wrestling, bjj and judo all flow so amazing together

at 4:08 you fell back into inside sankaku off a failed uchi mata, I'm in love with that move. Definitely going to practice that.

Thank you Firas for posting this video. As a wrestler who trasfered to jiu jitsu. I try telling my teammates of you work your takedowns you will be a better grappler overall.

Keep it coming Coach! These are so valuable

great insight, I'm not a skilled wrestler but I love it and it adds so much to my grappling game.

great video firas! totally agree with you, i train in the gi and we also start standing. obviously as a white belt I'm not as advanced as the fighters in this video but I hope to get there someday. Best of luck firas!

nice Z, really enjoyed it, originally started greco roman & freestyle wrestling myself but we always implemented jiujitsu, eventually stopped wrestling from stand up as much as i would of normally would of but you're right it should always be mixed together "one day takedowns, one day submissions etc" awesome video!

Great advice man I'm a lifelong Ressler and just started Brazilian jujitsu for the first time at 28 years old, it's a whole different ballgame, but it's been an interesting learning curve. I still prefer wrestling for now because you can pin someone, it's hard for me to get the concept of this defensiveness.

Awesome video and philosophy! Loved it! Haha, and the Garry-Ralek kneebar setup too at the end :)

This was great. Thanks and looking forward to the next video!

Pretty much every jiu jitsu school I know incorporates basic wrestling takedowns, but there are still some schools that don't which is an absolute scandal because it makes you unable to apply your BJJ in self defense!

Awesome video! Definitely would love more of this. Thank you very much!

Firas has got a very nice flow and complete game

I can relate to this video because even though I am a bjj brown belt my biggest weakness has always been my takedowns. I'm comfortable doing kickboxing and even strikes on the ground but wrestling has always been the thing I've tended to neglect the most. I like the idea in this video of simply making it an extension of your jiu-jitsu. I think going into it with that mindset will make it more fun like coach Zahabi is stating

it's the same with bjj and judo... i train both now and it gives me sooo much. next year i start luta livre in our school. i love it. just do as much as you can... learn learn learn. your body WANT'S IT!!!

really love you videos coach , keep them up im a true fan, hope someday i can go and train there!!

Everything you can learn will just make you better. Great vid

3:15 that transition to darce was beautiful

firas is a wizard at grappling. amazing. at my school, a gracie academy, we nearly always start on our feet when we roll and we only start on the ground for positional work. makes us newbies have a chance to use wrestling and athleticism to keep up. once it's on the ground any purple or high level blue ends up subbing me almost every time!

The ashi garami to back take sequence at 4:58 is amazing, I'd love to see more details on that one. When would you go for it, what are the counters and counter counters etc. It seems to be that would be a great way to go after a failed straight ankle lock (e.g. his grip on your gi is too strong). Please make a video on it!

Hi Coach Firas, I love that you came out with this video. I just wanted to share my experience as this video has is very relevent to my own journey in jiu-jitsu and martial arts. I am an athlete that recently got into Jiu-jitsu 1 year and 7 months ago. My coach is a big believer in wrestling as a key aspect of grappling. We also we have a former collegiate wrestler who does jiu-jitsu teaching wrestling for jiujitsu once a week. I have learned Jiu-jitsu along wrestling from the beginning of my instruction and I have noticed my grappling style is completely different from a lot of pure jiu-jitsu guys. I started being an active competitor 3 months into my training (I am still a white belt) and the wrestling aspect of my game has been a huge advantage against my opponents. My first tournament I got second, losing to another guy at our gym who got his blue belt right after, purely on wrestling. My jiu-jitsu was terrible (still is haha) I've done very well in tournaments since, with wrestling and wrestling styled grappling being a key aspect of my jiu-jitsu (I like to say i wrestle-jitsu). Everything you mention in this video is spot on. A lot of jiu-jitsu guys I have encountered have out right said to me that they don't think wrestling is that important. But I couldn't disagree more. It has helped add such a fundamental aspect to my game in terms of takedowns, understanding positions, and where to place pressure in those positions. One complaint I also hear a lot is that wrestling is too intense and causes injury. I don't know your thoughts on this but I believe that wrestling done with proper technique can be done with minimal impact and/or strain on the body and its joints. You can wrestle hard and be very strong. But you can also wrestle smoothly and flow like water. I don't think people understand how technical wrestling can get. I could be wrong though. I hope this video encourages more people to at least explore wrestling. It is incredibly fun and incredibly useful to grappling overall. Awesome topic and thank you for uploading all the awesome videos.

More sweep vids please, the pendulum from guard vid was awesome

Hey I just wanted to say, great video. I was a wrestler from the eighth grade I'm almost 30 now. I'm a blue belt in jujitsu. But one thing that I found is that most people who only know jujitsu do not understand some of the takedowns that I use. Again awesome video keep it up

I couldn"t agree more with this video. My first tournament i basically just stood there waiting to get taken down since i had no go to take downs

Ive never wrestled in my life until now. Did bjj first and wanted to become a better grappler. Since im not able to come to all bjj classes, my coach recommended i join the mma class that teaches wrestling. I. Am. Blown. Away. My bjj got way way better since then. And you are absolutly right, wrestling is so much freakin fun

Damn, now I need to find a school that incorporates wrestling. Loved this video, thanks as always.

Looking forward to these videos. If I remember right you had a couple wrestling with jiu jitsu videos that got taken down. One that went over sprawling and a takedown when a wrestling drives up and then one on dropping into leg attack when your opponents shit a double. Those were two of my favorite videos you have put out. I wish they were still up

Absolutely, you are very right, wrestling is very effective And powerful

This was fantastic

I've started getting into wrestling a lot recently, I still suck but damn I like it. I really wish I had gotten into it earlier. Awesome sport, nothing but respect for my fellow wrestlers out there, our sports benefit eachothers.

This is freakin' awesome! I'll be waiting for this videos like a kid waits for his Christmas present :) Please add also a double leg technique for mma/wrestling tutorial in one of those videos.

The opponent in the red Tristar shirt has the right idea. I like his guard pulls and attacks off takedowns

thanks a lot for your videos. it's very helpful

as always, looks like fun, thank you

I love these videos. You are very highly skilled in all aspects stand up, ground, etc. What do you think of Judo in terms of the throws? Do you practice them as well? I am very impressed with your skills and overall knowledge. Thank You

I recently added wrestling in once a week in addition to traininn bjj 4 times a week. Wrestling is a whole new level of intensity!

Oss, thanks professor awesome video!! Any advice for wrestling with the Gi?

Catch wrestling is legit! Definitely a good thing to add to your arsenal.

I love this all jiujitsu should have wrestling and judo takedowns part of their curriculum it's insane if your not doing it as well , firas the Jedi master !

I've always loved wrestling, it's a beautiful thing. That's one of the things I've practiced the least is takedowns and stuff.

Thank you for the information..

Great video...former wrestler...six months into BJJ. I can definitely feel an advantage on my feet against a BJJ guy. I think the problem is wrestling requires more space and on busy nights my BJJ gym, they could not accommodate everyone starting from feet. Rolling from knees is only so useful, but you can work with less space and I do think it helps to prevent injuries from takedowns. You mention wizer in the other video. I use it all the time and BJJ guys don't even know the technique. They should.

I train gi, and no gi Jiu Jitsu, also Judo, but some of my training partners were collage wrestlers. So lucky to train with high level practitioners. One sensi taught, think as a meta grappler, think in systems. Let’s roll!

I did folkstyle wrestling, bjj, then combat submission wrestling then 10th planet jiu jitsu, I love grappling and being well rounded in it

Solid advice.

The guy in the red shirt is a good training partner. Him and Firas flow well

they both work well together if you know what your doing

Incredible video. What is your favorite variation of single leg takedown? How do you avoid getting countered by the kimura? Always seems to happen to me ;) Thank you!

That short darce grip is blowing my mind a little.

Hi Firas, Fantastic video. I recently read your article on why beginners should train no gi due to an overly heavy reliance on gi grips when training in the gi. My academy trains gi with very little sleeve or pants grips and I feel our style complements no gi very well. What is your opinion on this method of gi training and where do you think the sweet spot is when incorporating more sport oriented gi techniques while still preserving a self defense oriented approach?

Fantastic

Been doing bjj for a while, at least 6 months out of the year(while cutting, other 6 months is for clean bulking at a gym instead) but I wanna try a walk on for wrestling tryouts for college. Hoping I can translate my experience my best into wrestling. Most wrestling I’ve done before was just my senior year in hs

Hi Firaz, I am really enjoying your videos and hope to come train at Tristar one day. I wanted to ask you a question. I noticed you grab high up on your wrist and don't go all the way into a figure four when you do dars chokes. Is this a conscious choice to make it more powerful or is it just the way it lands? Other than that thank you for the videos. I am incorporating a lot of this stuff with my training and my teachings. Keep'em coming Best Amiram

No one would argue that point... I hope

Im sold i want to learn more wrestling

Thanks Firas, super video. One question please : before, you told us to register at your website page and we'll receive some content. Is it cancelled or you're still working on it ?

Hi Firas, big fan of your work as a student and as a teacher, I wanted to ask you something is it me or sometimes you close the darce on the forearm instead of the bicep? if so do you do this because of your opponent's shoulder width or you do it regardless??

Thank you

wrestling also emphasizes things like urgency, if your in a fight you need to keep time and factors in check, you cant just do things like sit in guard if his buddys are trying to come kick you in the head etc

Hey Coach, I love the concept of doing wrestling with BJJ. How do you deal with snazzy white belts/beginners though? I've learned to deal with them when we start from knees but how can you deal with them from feet?

Coach you finish the darce on the wrist instead of the bicep I’ve never seen this before. Is it an easier grip to get to? Osss you’re a genius

Coach Firas, question: What is your opinion of using the same approach with Judo & or whatever takedowns one practices?

we train like this at our gym, even in the straight no gi classes they allow us to stand if we both want to in a roll.

I'll ask my partners to start standing and try to stand up at every opportunity. my stand-up sucks, I've been developing my bottom game a lot... but my top game has been getting neglected. lately I've been trying to work my passing, side control, mount, but I'm gonna try this next class.

Beautiful wrestling.

I never saw the darce where you hold your forearm, normally I thought your hand should be in biceps. Did I learn it wrong or is it just the way you like it more? Thanks for the video, I agree that wrestling is very important.

Coach Zahabi, could you make a video addressing defending guillotines and other chokes when attempting takedowns?

Is that Eric Spicely in the background at 6:32?

Wow i need to wrestle alot more

Hi Coach Firas, I'm curios to know, since you love wrestling as well, what do you think of incorporating catch wrestling into your game?

Is this footage from Tristar in Montreal or the one in Gatineau? I'm thinking of joining the one in Gatineau, just curious what it looks like inside.

I noticed you went for a lot of arm-in chokes with a modified forearm grip. I have short arms, could you do an instructional on finishing D'arces and Anacondas with that grip?

Mr. Zahabi, will you have an online training site covering Mma and Brazilian jiu jitsu?

Really nice smooth flow in these rolls. I would love to train like this all the time. Gotta have great partners though

And I always wanna practice takedowns every session but sometimes it’s a big clsss and too crowded to start on the feet lol

Hey Firas, hope you will read this as this is a old video. But what do you think of the Kimura trap as a counter to wrestling.

Hey Firas! Could you suggest some good stand up wrestling basic moves which you would recommend for a start to drill? Since my goal is to never feel uncomfortable when I'm standing up :)

Firas, Id be interested to hear, what's your stance on the use of neck cranks?, 1.do you believe that they're effective even given the fact that they've seen limited use in the UFC?, and 2. Should they be trained more often by grappling practitioners? Thx.

Still waiting your Gi vs No Gi Video and gym ball strengthening video!

I wanna get into mma, but is it better to take for example: jiu jitsu and kickboxing, get good at it and transition to mma or begin with mma. thanks, your videos are very informative.

Firas, what is your opinion on Judo? Specifically Judo standup and takedowns? Also do you cater come classes towards those who prefer takedown defence for striking and those who want the fight to go to the ground?

I did jiu jitsu for three months, towards the end of those three months I got to go to a few wrestling classes, wrestling is definitely harder.