Everyone thinks they have the easy answer to defending themselves. Ask the average person (and even a lot of trained martial artists) how they’d stop an attacker and the standard answer you’ll get is:
Gouge the eyes and kick to the groin.
In a perfect world that’d be all you needed.
But this isn’t a perfect world and here’s the problem: If your four-year-old nephew and your 90-year-old grandma could have come up with that, you can be sure the bad guys have too—and they’re ready for it. Your assailant will put protecting …

While the grappling in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu may not be as glamorous as the high flying kicks or one punch KO’s of other martial arts, it represents an unavoidable reality that you need to accept if you want to truly be able to fight and defend yourself. The flashy moves fall away in the heat of a real fight and the winner is rarely decided by a spectacular karate chop or Steve Seagal-style wristlock. In the real world, the victor is usually whoever is able to protect themselves while gaining control …