“I’m not calling John Danaher specifically, but he says a person needs knowledge to start learning. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. If we needed knowledge to start learning, who learned the first thing?”
In another segment Souders says:
“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.”
“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.”
“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. If we all have access to a foundational framework that allows us to see what’s actually going on, we can start understanding it through our own lens and use that understanding to create practice interventions that help our students acquire what we now know.”
“The way we need to do this is by communicating with the live environment in real time.”
Souders went on to claim that he doubts the applicability of instructional techniques at an universal level:
“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.”
“What if we’re talking about someone whose arms are like noodles because they’ve spent their whole life on a computer, never using their arms for anything but clicking a mouse? They’re not moving your arms either.”
“So, one detail might be groundbreaking for one person but literally useless for another. What do we need to do, universally? We need to move elbows. We don’t start with specifics; we start with the general.”
“I want you to start here: take their elbow and move it there—any way you can. This approach gives you the freedom to experience it for yourself and lets you, in your current capacity, start trying to reach those outcomes. Then, we can adjust the intervention—specifically or generally—if needed.”
Souders went on to add that he has seen Danaher’s material and he found a particular method of interest:
“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.”
“So, it’s eight hours of method built on 5 to 20 minutes of principle. If we train ourselves to focus on those principles, we don’t have to spend eight hours on the variations, as they become almost redundant. He’s essentially repeating the same core ideas over and over, just with slight variations.”
Souders delivered a funny take on Danaher’s leglock dvd:
“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.”
“So, what you need to do is put yourself in one of these three possible positions: feet outside, feet inside, or feet mixed. Place the leg on one side or the other, stay connected, and move your partner’s legs. Start with the false grip, try to keep it, and keep your hands connected. Have your partner try to pull the leg out, stand up, or rotate, all while staying in one of these three positions, moving the leg to one side or the other and capturing the toes.”
“With just that little bit of information, if you start developing the skills as I outlined them, you will be able to break most people’s legs who train because most people don’t train beyond a blue belt level. You’ve now got the secret sauce to heel hook everyone—don’t spend any money.”
The Ecological Dynamics Approach
At the heart of Souders’ methodology is the belief that learning occurs through live, unscripted interaction rather than repetitive technical demonstrations.
“Most of these other interventions like drilling or explicit talking and all the explicit technique is not necessary and I’m arguing not only is it not necessary, largely it’s ineffective for what it says it does,”
Souders explains.
His approach emphasizes understanding fundamental movement patterns through live resistance and exploration. Instead of teaching specific techniques, Souders creates scenarios that allow students to discover solutions organically.
“I’m a guide so what I do is I create a practice that is rich in opportunities for action,”
he describes.
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.”
Practical Implementation
At his academy, students spend minimal time – often just 40-60 minutes daily – engaged in live, unscripted training. The focus is on developing fundamental skills like connection, distance management, and destabilization through constant practical engagement.
“We need to be touching and grabbing bodies more often. We need to engage in that playful competitive interaction that is the base of our sport,”
Souders emphasizes.
His foundation program breaks down learning into key components: making and maintaining connection, managing distance, destabilizing opponents, and understanding body segmentation. Rather than relying on scripted techniques, practitioners develop skills through continuous live rolling and problem-solving.
