Jon Thomas is a fantastic instructor and he regularly uploads content to his official YouTube channel that can help everyone from the newest white belt, all the way to a seasoned veteran competitor. One of his most recent videos is a fantastic introduction to the Collar guard, where he explains exactly why he believes that this is the most aggressive guard available to you in BJJ. As he explains:
“The Collar Guard is an absolutely essential guard in BJJ. All Jiu Jitsu matches start with a grip fight to establish position. The collar guard is one of the easiest guards to establish in jiu jitsu. It allows you to transition to so many guards and attacks (Berimbolo, X Guard, De La Riva, Collar Sleeve), but also you can attack directly from it with Collar Drags, Ankle Picks, Loop Chokes and more. This video I go over the foundations of understanding the position as well as set ups and transitions.”
As a black belt under Lucas Lepri and Romero Cavalcanti who has won several IBJJF World championships on his journey through the colored belt ranks, Jon Thomas is one of a select few coaches who are able to share secrets of the sport from the highest levels. In fact, his approach to Collar guard works perfectly in conjunction with what several other elite coaches recommend, like John Danaher’s approach to open guard in general.
