“I’ve been trying to tell people—that’s why I don’t sell anything. That’s why I don’t have any DVDs. That’s why, when BJJ Fanatics approached me multiple times, I said no. The thing is, you’re asking for a plug-and-play method that I know won’t work. I’m sorry, but I’m a principled guy. This stuff is hard to learn,”
Souders explains in appearance on Grappler’s perspective podcast.
In a pointed critique of high-priced instructionals, Souders used renowned instructor John Danaher’s content as an example.
“One of the most interesting things I’ve found about Danaher—because I’ve watched his material—is that he essentially gives you the entire eight hours of content in the first 5 to 20 minutes of his introductory speech. Everything else is just demonstrating different ways to do the four core principles he outlines in the beginning,”
he observes.
Souders particularly takes issue with lengthy instructionals that could be condensed into fundamental principles. Using Danaher’s leg lock instructional as an example, he states:
“Think about this craziness: you watch an eight-hour DVD about leg locks to learn that your feet either go outside, inside, or mixed. You place your partner’s leg on one side of your centerline or the other. Then, you use your rotation, their rotation, or both to gain heel exposure. I just saved you $400.”
Instead of selling instructionals, Souders advocates for a different approach:
“What I try to do instead is give away a free framework to change your perception of what’s happening. If we look at what’s going on when we entangle somebody, or when we grab a waist or shoulders, this gives everyone access to understanding.”
He emphasizes that universal technical details don’t exist, using world champion Gordon Ryan as an example:
“I use Gordon Ryan as an example—he knows this, no matter what he tells you, because he does it. If I put my hand under your elbow and tell you to walk your fingers up, and I pair a 145-pound guy with you, do you think walking his fingers up is going to stop you from pinning your elbows to your side? No, it won’t.”
For Souders, the path to mastery requires more than just watching instructionals:
“In the last two years, my phone is filled with notes. I’ve got two notebooks filled front to back. I mean, I don’t know what to tell anybody—I didn’t just wake up and think, ‘Oh, you know, that John Danaher video taught me everything I need to know about Jiu-Jitsu.’ I don’t know why people think we don’t need deep expertise. If we decide to take on the role of an expert, it requires a whole lifetime’s worth of effort.”
Critique of the Current Market and Traditional Instruction
Souders’ criticism extends beyond teaching methodology to the broader BJJ instruction industry. He challenges the billion-dollar instructional video market, arguing that most content merely packages information without facilitating genuine learning.
“The shortcuts are the lie that’s what they’re selling you,”
Souders asserts.
He particularly critiques the industry’s consumer-focused approach:
“Most of the things we share are to maximize their buying potential… We need to create an emotional environment because people purchase and interact based on their emotions.”
