Jiu-jitsu Unleashed: A Comprehensive Guide to the World's Hottest Martial Arts Discipline [Paperback]

Not a book for a beginner, but if you know what you're doing already then this is a great book to get some tips to advance your game. Been trying out some of the techniques & they are top notch - although you need to be insanely flexible to pull some of them off :)

For those who have never seen or studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it is a formidable grappling art, where a player's goal is to gain dominant position on his/her opponent and strive to finish by submitting them ( or accumulating more points than there adversory.) As tried and tested as the art is, often when watching Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)or No Holds Barred (NHB) event, you will often see truly world class Jiu-Jitsu guys having difficulty achieving either good position, or submission. This, as Eddie repeatedly points out, is all due to the standard use of the gi/kimonoe. Bravo refers to the gi as "the problem." It is all well and good if you train jiu-jitsu with the gi, and have no designs on entering MMA or no gi grappling competitions. But if your intention is to fight in those such events, then it is imperative to your game that you lose those "bad gi habits." If your opions are training with the gi, or not training at all then obviously the former is preferable, however, if all your set-ups for sweeps, transitions and submissions are based around clinging ( and it is clinging ) onto your opponents gi, then what will you do when you enter that cage or squared circle, and the guy across from you isn't wearing a jacket? All your leverage goes out the window, and you are forced to play a defensive game. In my opinion no fighter should want to approach a fight defensivley. It's contrary to the whole idea of a fight. Of course you must have good defense as part of your repitiore, but only resort to it when absolutely neccesary. As competitors we should be looking to always finish. this is essential for a few reasons. Firstly if you are competing in an elimination tournament, then you want to progress through the rounds as quickly as possible to conserve precious energy. Or if you intend to fight in MMA/NHB, then with the rate the sport is picking up momentum, promoters want exciting fighters, finishers, or at the very least a guy looking to finish the fight.
Eddie Bravo's book takes you through an array of sweeps, set-ups, transitions, and naturally submissions. Eddie also provides insight on retaining positions such as the mount. A lot of smaller jiu-jitsu guys find attaining the mount extremely difficult, but find retaining it a living nightmare. If this sounds like you, then have no fear, Eddie will show you the way to overcome this persistent problem, and transform your top game into something you had only once dreamed of.
The book has a wonderful forward by Joe Rogan, presenter of "Fear Factor" and "Ultimate Fighting Championship" (UFC) commentator. As well as a very insightful inroduction from Eddie Bravo. Detailing his reasoning for firstly getting involved in the martial arts world, and why he felt it vital to elevate Jiu-Jitsu beyond the gi, and make it MMA and street ready.
If you are looking to improve your Jiu-Jitsu at all, then I really cannot stress enough how important this book is. The techniques described in this book are not just an alternative way of looking at the art, or simply a little bit better, they are a lot better. If studied diligently, your game will shoot through the roof. It is nothing short of essential reading. This guy tapped out Jiu-Jitsu legend Royler Gracie. What more proof of it's authenticity do you want? If you refuse to acknowledge this information, then it is your loss. Alternatively you can embrace it and find yourself on the road to being a very deadly submission expert.
Another thing I would just like to point out is the cover of the book as pictured on the web-site is bogus. Your guess is as good as mine as to who those guys are. I'm not entirely sure why it appears like that. The total irony is that they are wearing gis. Plus there is no way that Eddie would ever allow you so much room to manoeuvre whilst attempting submission.
In closing, buy it!

After reading this book I reckon I could tap out Eddie Bravo No problem.

Book is well illustrated, shame its not really in colour.

Eddie Bravo is the Master