Customer Reviews

Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu: Revolutionizing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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2 star:		(1)
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Dave Camarillo provides an excellent bridge between Judo and Jiu-Jitsu in this innovative instruction manual. This isn't your traditional, "My take on jiu jitsu" book - it shares insights of the few practioners to reach world class levels in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As such, it has more Gi standup material than most books, and successfully integrates the Judo throws into submissions from transition. Camarillo also shows "flying" attacks, integrating submissions to the stand-up game. He's uniquely qualified to present these integrations.

Positives noted, this book isn't for everyone. It isn't aimed at detailing basics and fundamentals - there are much better books out there that specialize in jiu jitsu 101. It's also not encyclopedic. There are other books that do a better job cataloguing all the moves out there. That said, Camarillo certainly has enough knowledge to put out a sequel or two. I hope he has time to write them.

First off, let me note that I have grappled all my life. I was an All-American in collegiate wrestling, earned a black belt from the Kodokan in Japan, and I have trained in BJJ with dozens of the top instructors in the US. No one, and I mean no one, teaches grappling like Dave Camarillo. From BJ Penn to top UFC and PRIDE fighters, those in the know go to David when they want to combine throws/takedowns with submission. Dave has finally put together a book detailing his unique combination of judo and BJJ, and the teaching is crystal clear. Unlike most books that read like a random combination of techniques, his presentation is logical and allows the student to retain and use his principles from day one. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. One class with Dave is like 10 with anyone else, and this book is like having him as your personal trainer. Buy it before your competition does!

This book was put out by Victory Belt Publishing, which is fast becoming my favorite martial-arts publishing company. Dave Camarillo have been practicing Judo since before his teens, and is a world-class competitor. He combines years of experience in this sport with the techniques of BJJ, creating a system of gi-based grappling that is more than the sum of its parts.

The book begins with Camarillo sharing his philosophy of judo and BJJ, and giving a brief biography of events relavent to the creationg of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu. After that, he begins the technical work of the book, which is split up into three parts. The first part, "Incorporating Judo and Jiu-Jitsu", is by far the longest section. In itself, it might almost be a complete book of introductory judo. Dave starts by giving basic instruction on rolls and falls. Next he covers grips, both how to establish them and how to break the opponent's grip. The next bit is on the basic judo throws, such as Ouchi-Gari and Seoi-Nage. He finishes up the first part by showing how to mesh the standing techniques of judo and BJJ, and how to find opportunities for Judo throws in BJJ competitions.

The second part of the book is how to transition from throws to submissions. Dave first shows a series of drills to increase one's odds of tapping an opponent out after the throw. He then continues this section by showing the "impact control" possition and a number of variations. The chapter is rounded out by showing other throw-lock combinations.

The third part is on the very flashy flying attacks. This is Camarillo's specialty, and I can think of no one more qualified to write on them than him. Dave shows a number of flying attacks, including triangles, armbars, and omaplatas, and gives the reader options on how to defend against flying attacks.

I have two minor complaints about the book; both regard its readership. First, one must have a working knowledge of the ground game, because the basics are skipped over in this text. Second, I'm not certain how easy it would be to pull off some of these flying attacks against a trained opponent.

Overall, this is a very good book. The picture quality can't be beat, the subject matter is relavent to the competitions, and the reading style, like most books where Erich Krauss is author or co-author, is easy to read. This book was written so that BJJ students could incorporate judo into their arsenal. The section on grip-fighting is invaluable, and the way the author sets up his flying attacks gives these flashy moves a higher percentage of success. I'd recomend it mostly for BJJ competitors, but I'm sure Judo and Sambo competitors could learn from it, too.

being an avid Judo player im always looking for new technique, when i was introduced to mma and Brazilian jiu jitsu, I started it, having heard previous rumors, hoping for a leg up on ground technique, 3 years later, here I am practicing both but being unable to put them together, in jiu jitsu i would never land judo throws, in judo never an armbar from guard, but then i read this book. This book incorporatyes judo basic , and explains there uses and effectiveness, aswell as scenarios to apply them, it shows Jiu jitsu techniques, and how to use them in judo, (a la flying attacks) then incorporates them into one , practically unbeatable art.

Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu beautifully weaves together Dave's judo experience, his jiu-jitsu experience, his political philosophy, and his new, integrated grappling system. This isn't just a cutting-edge instructional book; it's also the fascinating story of the birth of a new art and the development of the mind that produced it. If you're serious about your grappling game, you have to have this book.

I first started training jiu jitsu at a Ralph Gracie school and even though Dave Camarillo had already been at AKA for several years the grizzled veterans still loved to swap stories about Camarillo's legendary jiu jitsu (even the newer students were well aware of his legendary exploits at the academy - I was once kicked in the face by a blue belt attempting to hit a flying triangle that he'd seen Camarillo pull off!). The introduction alone was practically worth the cover price for the detailed description of the BJJ scene in the Bay Area circa 1990s.

As for the content itself, Camarillo provides a great explanation of how the rules in judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu have lead the two arts to diverge to the point where one could train for several months in BJJ without learning basic forward rolls, throws, and breakfalls (as I did), or earn a black belt in judo and possess lesser ground skills than a BJJ blue belt (though of course many judokas have wicked ground games, albeit not necessarily ones well-suited to jiu jitsu). I agree with other reviewers that the book assumes some prior knowledge of BJJ. At the same time, it assumes virtually no knowledge of judo, which was perfect for me. The book became a great way to tighten up my technique on moves that I hadn't extensively drilled due to my BJJ-focused background. And by this I mean basic, basic things (forward rolls, grip fighting, ippon seioinage, osoto gari) that most judoka do in their sleep. Most of the introductory sections are essentially "judo for dummies," which was exactly what I needed to develop some semblance of a standup game in jiu jitsu.

My one caveat is that, though the book contains relatively few actual techniques, the level of assumed mastery increases fairly rapidly. For example, I have yet to read through the impact control section in great detail because at this point I am still trying to solidify my ability to establish basic grips and execute simple throws. Similarly, I imagine that the flying attacks section will be much more relevant once one has established a strong gripping/throwing game.

In sum, this book is a terrific resource for BJJ players who might need to fill in some gaps in their knowledge, as well as judokas looking for good ways to translate their skills into quick submissions in the context of BJJ. At the very least, you should develop some good alternatives to simply pulling guard every time you find yourself on your feet.

Dave Camarillo is known for his amazing flying attacks in both BJJ and Judo competitions and is not only a black belt in both arts but an active competitor and excellent instructor. He's one of those rare coaches with a knack for explaining something thats pretty technical in such a way that it makes sense to everyone.
The main strength of this book is introducing BJJ players to some solid Gi-based stand-up techniques and principles (although he does also relate them to no-gi as well). Theres an excellent section on grips and grip fighting, something realy neglected in a lot of BJJ schools, a collection of solid throws, combos, follow ups and counters and then of course an intro to some of Mr.Camarillo's flying techniques.
An excellent book both in content and quality by Victory Books.

With advocates like Josh Koscheck, Forrest Griffin, and BJ Penn, there is no doubt the training and instruction of Dave Camarillo works. Bridging the gap between his extensive judo experience and his later love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has created an innovative fusion Camarillo calls Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu, a study of the flaws in each practice that, when linked, create a superior fighting style..

A brief introduction invites readers into Camarillo's life, his competition domination, and his legendary flying attacks. Knowing beforehand the author's experience and skill has been vetted in the gi and on the mat makes it easier to dive into the primary content - called "Incorporating Judo and Jiu-Jitsu" - that starts out with some very simplistic movements like rolls, falls, grips that appear trivial upon first glance. If, however, these fundamentals led to Camarillo's success, then who's to argue?

After the first section, the next two sections cover submissions and flying attacks; respectively, the latter being Camarillo's claim to fame. If you'd like to learn some of the basics of armbars, triangles, and various BJJ-oriented submissions, this may be a perfect supplementary addition to your resources. If you're looking for the absolute basics, however, this book may not be the best option. Absolute BJJ basics like the guard are overlooked...which is to be expected when a beginner wouldn't get into Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu.

Nonetheless, this book is packed with useful information, is from an impeccable source, is relevant for both judo and BJJ practicioners, and has tons of full color photos to demonstrate each move in easy to follow steps. Highly recommended for those interested.

The review title is both a joke and a nod to one of the most shocking finishes in MMA history.

Before I begin I want to say what a wonderful time we live in for MMA. Truly MMA is living up to it's title(MIXED martial arts)and this book will most definitely help you to mix your martial arts.

The book begins with an overview of Dave Camarillo, one of the best jiu-jitsu instructors in the world. And explains how he took the two sports he loved(judo was first till he turned 19 and was introduced to jiu-jitsu)and meshed the two together. In such a way that the resulting style is not only simple but incredibly effective.

The photos and layout are, usual with the latest Victory Belt publications, of excellent quality and design. Multiple angles, full color photos, and step by step instruction are just about everything you need. If you are new to either judo and/or jiu-jitsu you will be just as surprised, and delighted, to find training exercises to help you hone your skills when not working with a partner.

I can't forget to mention the "Flying Attack" section. Want to know how to do those crazy mid-air submissions? You can find out how! And how to defend against them too.

Overall, the instruction and concept are excellent. Mixing both judo and jiu-jitsu is fantastic and fun. This book is excellent and if you practice either style you will learn alot. For the beginner, let me ask you this question, how would you like to be setting up that armbar before you even clinch? Exactly, buy the book and find out.

To quote Dave Camarillo in the opening of this book,"Judo is more technical on grip fighting and throws, and its players develop strength and speed. Jiu-jitsu is far more technical on the ground. If you combine the two, you plug the holes in each. Having the ability to chuck and out-grip your opponent certainly won't hurt you in a jiu-jitsu competition, nor will being able to pull out technical submissions during a judo match. At the very least, it gives you options."

Overall, I found this to be an excellent addition to any grapplers library. I think BJJ needs to have more emphasis on the standup portion of the game and this book certainly helps fill the void. The pictures were clear, easily understood as was the text. Both participants wore different colour uniforms so it was easy to differentiate them (a problem when everyone wears a white gi). I had given this book 4 stars but as I read it again and again my opinion keeps going up. Excellent book worthy of 5 stars!