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Crackkkkkkk! Kid Peligro has done it again! It's starting to sound like a broken record (or baseball bat). Kid has been a tear for the last couple of years cranking out great book after great book. This time Kid teamed with Rodrigo Gracie to cover No Holds Barred (NHB or Vale Tudo) fighting and the result was the same - a great book! Kid has set the mark very high with his previous books and does not disappoint with this one. Like all of his books, this one is in full color and on high quality paper. You have clear photos with lots of angles to make the moves easy to understand. Kid adds a lot of text with each photo to clearly guide you through each stage of a particular move. If you have any of Kid's other books, you already know all of this. The book opens with a 23 page discussion about the realities of NHB fighting. The whole book assumes that you will be in the ring in an event like the UFC or Pride. This introductory section has the feel of a stream of conscience discussion with Rodrigo about what it is like to fight for a living. What you get is a real world look at what it is like to sit in the locker room before a fight. Rodrigo covers mental preparation, conditioning, sparring, having a team you can depend on, and developing a fight strategy. He also gives you his philosophy on teaching NHB fighting and how he adapts grapping techniques for NHB fighting. The rest of the book covers 94 different NHB fighting techniques which starts with 8 pages on how to judge the distance between you and your opponent. The techniques are broken down by position as follows: 30 stand-up, 11 closed guard, 9 open guard, 17 passing the guard, 15 side-control, 7 mount and back attaches, and 5 Knee-on-stomach techniques. Each section has a brief description of that positions and its importance to your NHB fight plan. Each technique has an introduction that puts the move in context and lets you know why you are doing the move. In this same section you might also be referred to other moves in the book depending on how your opponent reacts. This is one of the best parts of the book. By linking the moves together, this book rises above just being a catalog of cool moves. Each technique is broken down into a series of clear photos that each has detailed and accurate descriptions walking thought the move. Often there is another set of photos that shows you the same move from a revere angle. All in all the moves reflect Rodrigo philosophy of keep it simple. There are no fancy moves in this book. It is a great collection of "bread and butter" moves that anyone fighting NHB or Vale Tudo fights need know. If you knew and could execute the moves shown in the book, you would have a pretty good NHB fight plan. You have most important takedown, submission and counters are all covered. The only minor flaw with this book is that both Rodrigo and his opponent are both wearing black short and blue gloves. Occasionally, I had to look closely to see whose hands were whose. This is minor, but worth noting for future books. The being said, each section of the book is color coded. This is something I recommend to other publishes as it helps the reader to find a particular moves much quicker. I could see some people be a little critical of this book as being too focused on offense and not enough on defensive moves. While this book does cover many escapes and counters, I could see a second book that fleshes out more of the defensive side of NHB fighting. For example, this book does not cover one mount or headlock escape. I point this out for those looking to expand their defensive game. This book will help you, but it's main focus is on offense. Bottom line:
Like all of Kid Peligro's books, this one is worth getting. If you are thinking of training in NHB or Vale Tudo this book is an excellent resource. In one book you have essentials of NHB fighting condensed down in one place. You also get a set of moves that you know work and can be relied on. Is there room for another book covering more material? Yes, but while we are waiting for the next book to come out, you can be leaning a lot from this one. Who is Rodrigo Gracie?
Rodrigo Gracie is a member of what you might call the "next generation" of Gracie fighters. He is the son of Reylson Gracie and the grandson of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founder Carlos Gracie He is also a BJJ Black Belt under Renzo Gracie.
Bill Lewis BJJ33@aol.com
© Copyright Bill Lewis 2005 all rights reserved.