I Suck At Jiu Jitsu Show

Josh McKinney
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Jiu-Jitsu is hard. Join host Josh McKinney on his forever quest to "suck less at jiu-jitsu." Learn from high level black belts, in depth conversations, and off the wall rants by the host himself. It is guaranteed that each episode will help you suck just a little less at jiu-jitsu, or your money back. Josh McKinney is an accomplished adult black belt competitor with a "suck-less" mindset that can help anyone progress

  1. #366 I Ranked EVERY GUARD PASS | Guard Passing Tier List

    1D AGO

    #366 I Ranked EVERY GUARD PASS | Guard Passing Tier List

    I ranked every major guard pass in jiu jitsu from useless to essential based on what actually works when you’re trying to pass against good people. In this episode of the I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show, I break down the best guard passes in grappling using three criteria: risk, finishability, and versatility. If you’ve ever felt stuck inside someone’s guard, constantly getting swept, submitted, or forced into bad decisions just trying to pass, this will help you see things a lot more clearly. This isn’t just a list of flashy passes. I’m talking about what actually holds up in real training and competition. Which passes are worth building your game around, which ones are more situational, and which ones probably aren’t worth your time right now. I cover passes like the knee cut, torreando, leg drag, side smash, leg weave, float pass, tripod pass, body lock pass, long step, over under, double under, single under, X pass, Sao Paulo pass, cross pant grip passing, back step, reverse knee cut, knee staple, surfer pass, hip switch, cross body half guard passing, and more. If you’re newer and trying to figure out where to focus, or you’ve been training for a while and want to tighten up your passing system, this should give you a solid direction. And if you think I got something completely wrong, I want to hear it. Drop your hottest take in the comments. Subscribe for more jiu jitsu breakdowns, seminars, competition insights, and gameplans. Greatest Guard Passing Seminar Ever: https://youtu.be/aDAwqBVoDP4 Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/  The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp 0:00 Intro 0:17 Why This Episode Will Change Your Guard Passing 1:47 The Tier List Criteria 5:50 Risk in Guard Passing 8:13 Finishability 10:04 Versatility 12:23 Torreando Pass 14:41 X Pass 16:08 Leg Drag 17:17 Cartwheel Pass 18:57 Datsusara Sponsor Break 20:24 Single Under Pass 21:58 Knee Cut Pass 24:59 Reverse Knee Cut 26:06 Back Step Pass 29:25 Over Under Pass 32:03 Competitor’s Journey Ad 33:24 DLR Stepover Pass 34:27 Double Under Pass 35:28 Body Lock Pass 37:22 Side Smash / Folding Pass 40:00 Near Side Underhook Pass 41:34 Leg Weave Pass 43:20 Knee Weave / Dope Mount 43:49 Smash Half Guard Pass 44:46 Float Pass 46:00 High Step Pass 47:23 BJJ Mental Models Sponsor Break 48:36 Sao Paulo Pass 50:09 Tripod Pass 51:06 Long Step Pass 52:56 Knee Staple Pass 54:45 Cross Pant Grip Pass 55:40 Surfer Pass 57:13 Double Under Lapel Pass / Squid Pass 59:42 Reverse Leg Drag 1:01:26 Hip Switch vs Crossbody Half Guard Pass 1:03:14 Crossbody Half Guard Pass 1:04:04 How to Build Guard Passing Combos 1:04:56 Torreando Combo 1:05:54 Leg Drag Combo 1:07:21 Knee Cut Combo 1:09:20 Knee Weave Combo 1:10:35 Why Stack Passes Ranked Lower 1:13:12 Final Thoughts on the Tier List 1:14:16 951 Hot Take + Guard Passing Seminar 1:14:57 Why the Tier List Trilogy Ends Here

    1h 17m
  2. #365 The Submission Tier List | Top 66 Submissions RANKED

    MAR 12

    #365 The Submission Tier List | Top 66 Submissions RANKED

    I ranked 66 submissions in Jiu-Jitsu from F Tier to SS Tier (completely useless to absolutely unstoppable) Some of these finishes are guaranteed taps at the highest levels of grappling. Others… shouldn’t even be taught. In this video I break down the most effective submissions in jiu jitsu, the most overrated techniques in grappling, and the finishes that still dominate modern gi, no-gi, and mma. ⚠️ Fair warning: This list is going to make some people angry. Armbar Masterclass: https://youtu.be/08T8lHD_FSk  "For the Art" Song: https://open.spotify.com/track/341V8L79iVzoh90H3JVikH?si=753bc99c4f4745c2  Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/  The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp 8:22 Americana – Still One of the Most Reliable Submissions 10:32 Inside Heel Hook – The Submission Everyone Fears 11:41 Americana From Closed Guard – STOP 12:06 Loop Choke – The Sneaky Attack That Keeps Working 13:58 Rear Triangle – The Back Attack People Forget About 16:04 Banana Split – Looks Crazy… But Does It Work? 17:59 D’Arce Choke – A Modern Grappling Staple 19:36 Head Scissors – Hilarious 21:17 Sponsor Break – Datsusara Gi 22:59 Knee Bar – The Straightforward Leg Lock 24:33 Bow & Arrow Choke 25:18 Straight Arm Lock / Shoulder Crunch – Underrated Control 27:10 Diesel Squeezel – The Weird Submission That Actually Works 31:11 Anaconda Choke 32:30 Kesa Gatame Pressure – Can Pressure Be a Submission? 34:45 Armbar From Bottom – The Classic Everyone Learns 36:40 Ninja Choke 37:29 Cross Collar Choke – The Most Traditional Gi Finish 38:20 Gogoplata – Flashy or Functional? 39:24 Electric Chair 42:04 Rear Naked Choke – The King of All Submissions? 45:26 Peruvian Necktie – The Wild Front Headlock Attack 45:41 Aoki Lock – The Submission That Shocked the Gi World 48:48 Bicep Slicer – Painful But Rare 49:44 Clock Choke – A Brutal Gi Finish 51:24 Tarikoplata – The Modern Shoulder Destroyer 52:31 Twister – The Eddie Bravo Special 53:38 Armbar From Top 55:01 Guillotine – The Fastest Submission in Grappling 57:16 Monoplata – The Hidden Shoulder Attack 58:03 Outside Heel Hook – The Other Dangerous Leg Lock 59:03 Hammerlock – Old School Control Move 59:47 Bulldog Choke – The Wrestling Surprise 1:02:36 Brabo Choke – The Gi Version of the D’Arce 1:05:02 Toe Hold – The Most Common Leg Lock 1:05:49 Wrist Lock – The Most Hated Submission 1:07:11 Calf Slicer – Painful and Underused 1:09:06 Zipper Choke – One of the Meanest Gi Attacks 1:10:05 Triangle From Guard – The Most Famous Submission 1:11:20 Suloev Stretch – The Hamstring Destroyer 1:14:20 Buggy Choke – The Internet’s Favorite Submission 1:17:08 Mounted Triangle – A Powerful Variation 1:18:53 Paper Cutter Choke 1:19:51 Mir Lock – A Rare Shoulder Attack 1:21:06 Japanese Necktie – The D’Arce’s Cousin 1:22:41 Von Flue Choke 1:23:27 Canto Choke – A Deep Gi Cut 1:24:18 Straight Ankle Lock – The Original Leg Lock 1:25:40 Muffler – The Sneaky Back Attack 1:27:34 Texas Cloverleaf – The Wrestling Throwback 1:28:18 Arm Triangle – The Most Dominant Mount Finish 1:29:29 North-South Choke – The Slow Suffocation 1:30:17 Kesa Gatame Armbar – The Hidden Arm Attack 1:31:18 Baratoplata – A Very Strange Shoulder Lock 1:32:29 Z Lock – The New Leg Lock People Are Learning 1:33:28 Estima Lock – The Foot Lock That Changed Gi Grappling 1:34:07 Reverse Triangle – The Inverted Classic 1:35:16 Woj Lock – The New School Foot Lock 1:37:13 Scorpion Death Lock – Does This Even Work? 1:38:21 Teepee Choke – The Tight Triangle Variation 1:39:27 Ezekiel Choke 1:41:54 Baseball Bat Choke – The Sneakiest Gi Trap 1:45:20 Guillotine From Bottom Side Control – A Risky Move 1:46:24 Homer Simpson Choke – Yes, That’s a Real Submission 1:48:10 Omoplata – The Shoulder Lock That Never Goes Away 1:51:08 Kimura – The Submission Everyone Must Know 1:51:40 Choi Bar – The Modern Armbar Upgrade

    2h 5m
  3. #364 The Guard Tier List | 28 Different Guards RANKED

    MAR 5

    #364 The Guard Tier List | 28 Different Guards RANKED

    I ranked 28 different guards in Jiu-Jitsu from F Tier to SS Tier based on real effectiveness at the highest levels of grappling. Which guards are actually worth learning… and which ones are a complete waste of time? In this video I break down the best guards in Jiu Jitsu, the most overrated guards, and the positions that still dominate modern gi and no-gi competition. ⚠️ Some of these rankings may make you mad. Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck sportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK” Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/  The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp 0:00 Intro 0:16 I Ranked Every Guard in Jiu-Jitsu 3:32 Criteria for the Tier List 9:21 Quarter Guard 12:17 Donkey Guard / Reverse Closed Guard 17:04 X Guard 20:06 Lockdown 22:55 Knee Shield 23:54 Coyote Guard 25:50 Deep Half Guard 28:04 K Guard 29:31 Single Leg X Guard (SLX) 33:03 Seated Guard (Sit-Up / Koala Guard) 34:12 Reverse De La Riva (RDLR) 35:35 De La Riva (DLR) 37:32 Spider Guard 39:38 Collar Sleeve Guard 41:16 Lapel Guards (Overview) 41:40 Shallow Lapel Guards (early lapel / lapel lasso / lapel spider) 43:53 Deep Lapel Guards (worm / squid / etc.) 47:27 Hybrid Lapel Guards (lapel added to no-gi guards) 50:24 Open Guard (Disconnected) 51:25 50/50 Guard 53:45 Rubber Guard 55:22 Williams Guard 56:52 Shin-on-Shin 57:28 Inverted Guard 59:23 Smashed Half Guard 1:01:15 Turtle Guard 1:02:49 Lasso Guard 1:03:33 Butterfly Guard 1:05:05 Octopus Guard 1:08:48 Closed Guard 1:11:34 Final Tier List Recap (bottom to top) 1:16:19 SS Tier Reveal + Wrap Up

    1h 19m
  4. #363 I Asked for HOT TAKES at Open Mat...

    FEB 26

    #363 I Asked for HOT TAKES at Open Mat...

    I brought a mic to open mat at ISAJJx (The I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show Experience) and asked one simple question:“What’s your hottest jiu-jitsu take?”That’s it. That was the mistake.What started as a chill open mat at Headnod HQ turned into a full-blown mat-side debate about everything we pretend not to care about in jiu-jitsu… but absolutely care about. From disgusting mouthpiece etiquette to gym owner capitalism, from guard pullers to hoverers, from “flow rolling” lies to the eternal BJJ vs AJJ identity crisis, nothing was safe.We’ve got black belts calling people out, gym owners confessing what actually annoys them, competitors admitting the stress nobody talks about, and at least one take that was so hot it didn’t survive the edit.This episode is raw, live, and exactly what jiu-jitsu sounds like when you stop pretending it’s polite.If you train, you’ll recognize every personality in this video.If you don’t train, you’ll question why we do this to ourselves.Welcome to open mat with a microphone.Subscribe for more jiu-jitsu culture, comedy, and the stuff people only say when the round timer’s off.Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

    59 min
  5. #362 STOP GUESSING: Train THIS in 2026 | Feat. The Allen Bros

    FEB 19

    #362 STOP GUESSING: Train THIS in 2026 | Feat. The Allen Bros

    You’re training a lot. You know the names of the positions. You’ve watched the instructionals. You’ve saved the Instagram clips. And somehow… you still feel like you kind of suck at everything. That usually doesn’t mean you’re bad at jiu-jitsu. It means you’re training randomly. In this episode of The I Suck at Jiu-Jitsu Show, I’m joined by Bryce and Bryan Allen (the Allen Bros), and we break down how to stop guessing what to work on and start training with a real focus—even if you don’t control what your gym is teaching that week. We talk about how to choose the right thing to train when there are a million options online, how to let your rounds organically reveal what actually needs work.  We dig into why “did I win?” is a terrible metric for improvement, and how to build real self-coaching skills so you keep getting better no matter where you train. If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve learned everything… but I’m not good at anything,” this episode will help you fix that. Stop wasting rounds. Train what actually matters. I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience:  https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo") Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck sportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK” Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/  The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

    1h 21m
  6. #361 Kyle Watson & Andy Sabens: Returning From Injuries | Arresting WILD People

    FEB 12

    #361 Kyle Watson & Andy Sabens: Returning From Injuries | Arresting WILD People

    SHOCK WARNING - There are stories describing injuries and other content some listeners may find disturbing. Don't be fainting while driving and then blaming the I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Show. You've been warned. The episode is actually really good though. Coming back from injury isn’t just physical... it’s ego, identity, and expectations colliding at once. In this episode, we talk about what it actually takes to return the right way… and why most people sabotage themselves before they ever step back on the mats.Featuring Kyle Watson, Andy Sabens, and a special guest, this conversation drifts into crazy arrests, training as you age, competition(or lack their of), and some stories that you won't believe — but everything somehow comes back to leadership, pressure, and staying composed when things get unpredictable.Because the truth is: people don’t listen to 2-hour podcasts just to “solve a problem.” They listen to be entertained. If we can make it interesting, we can help you suck less. Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience: https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo")Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isucksportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK”Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

    2h 6m
  7. #360 I Interviewed Coaches After a BJJ Tournament...

    FEB 5

    #360 I Interviewed Coaches After a BJJ Tournament...

    A Few weeks ago at the Fuji Expo in KC, I (@thejoshmckinney) grabbed a mic at the end of a long tournament day and did what every exhausted coach should do: talk trash, tell stories, and give hot takes while the adrenaline wears off. You’ll hear from the Arias Bros (including a wild match story that ends in a heel hook attempt in the gi), plus more coaches breaking down what they saw on the mats, what tournaments get right/wrong, and the weird culture stuff we all pretend isn’t real (handshake etiquette, rulesets, coaching “disappointment,” and more). Thanks to all the coaches who jumped on the mic to chat. If you’ve ever coached all day, competed and got banged up, or just love the post-tournament parking-lot vibes—this one’s for you.  Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience:  https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo") Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck sportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK” Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/  The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp 00:00 – Live at the Fuji BJJ Expo 01:30 – Aras Bros interview & wild black belt match story 04:20 – Coaching all day, winning & losing at tournaments 06:00 – Fuji Expo thoughts & Midwest Jiu-Jitsu 08:00 – ISAJJ Show Experience & camp announcement 10:40 – Jiu-Jitsu injury insurance explained 17:45 – Tournament risk, injuries & gym owner responsibility 20:00 – Hot takes, sponsors & mat hygiene talk 23:30 – Coaching mindset, injuries & training updates 27:00 – Gi vs No-Gi & tournament formats 33:30 – Favorite matches & coaching disappointments 41:00 – Post-match etiquette & jiu-jitsu traditions 45:20 – Masters vs adult divisions & rulesets 50:00 – Spicy hot takes & culture commentary 57:45 – Final thoughts & wrap-up

    58 min
  8. #359 I Searched for HOT TAKES at a BJJ Tournament | Hot Takes Wanted Ep. 1

    JAN 29

    #359 I Searched for HOT TAKES at a BJJ Tournament | Hot Takes Wanted Ep. 1

    Everyone Has a Hot Take about BJJ… So We Gave Them all a Microphone This is the FIRST EVER episode of Hot Takes Wanted—and we didn’t hold back. I(@thejoshmckinney) grabbed as many people as possible and let them unload their most unfiltered jiu-jitsu opinions. No scripts. No safety nets. Just raw takes from the mats. Guard pulling? Gi vs No-Gi? Wrestling elitism? American Jiu-Jitsu? Barefoot tournament savages?? Yeah… it all came up. Some people think you can’t complain about guard pulling if you can’t pass a guard. Others say you shouldn’t guard pull if you can’t wrestle. Some swear No-Gi isn’t even Jiu-Jitsu—it’s just submission wrestling. Others say if you don’t train in the gi, you’re missing the point entirely. Then things got weird (in the best way). We got takes on: -Boxers vs Jiu-Jitsu in real fights -Why belt promotions are broken (or perfect) -Why American Jiu-Jitsu is its own thing -Why your toes should get stomped on if you walk barefoot at tournaments -And even why the infamous “r*pe choke” should be renamed Some takes are smart. Some are spicy. Some will absolutely make you mad. And that’s the point. 👇 Jump in the comments: Which take was the WORST? Which one was 100% correct? And what hot take should we put on blast in the next episode? This is jiu-jitsu culture—unfiltered. I Suck at Jiu Jitsu Experience: https://kick.site/rxi0b3vo ($100 OFF with Promo Code "Fuji Expo") Jiu-Jitsu for Imbeciles, feat. Rob Biernacki(FREE): https://www.bjjmentalmodels.com/isuck sportshygiene.com Promo Code “ISUCK” Datsusara 10% OFF with Promo Code “ISUCK”: https://www.dsgear.com/ The Competitor’s Journey: https://www.simplifyingjiujitsu.com/comp

    1h 5m
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About

Jiu-Jitsu is hard. Join host Josh McKinney on his forever quest to "suck less at jiu-jitsu." Learn from high level black belts, in depth conversations, and off the wall rants by the host himself. It is guaranteed that each episode will help you suck just a little less at jiu-jitsu, or your money back. Josh McKinney is an accomplished adult black belt competitor with a "suck-less" mindset that can help anyone progress

Information

  • Creator
    Josh McKinney
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    385
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Josh McKinney
  • Show Website
    I Suck At Jiu Jitsu Show

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