Rating: 
Summary: Brazilian Jiujitsu should be left in the ring
Review: Most of theses techniques will get you hurt..(how to remove a hand from your throat...do it like royce if you want the attacker to take your windpipe with him)..The gracie techniques should be left in the ring...if you want to learn to wrestle with rules study brazilian jiujitsu..if you want to survive go elsewhere
Rating: 
Summary: Great book very realistic.
Review: Needs a little work in the weapons self defense, but the joint locks and chokes are great. Poking eyes is great, but poking eyes, taking your opponent down, and choking them unconcious is better.
Rating: 
Summary: Would give 5 stars if it were better organized
Review: Production value is first rate; pictures are clear and explanations are excellent. This book and it's predecessor, "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:Theory and Technique" are arguably the best martial arts books ever produced in terms of overall quality.Content is good but there is some of repetition of techniques that were shown in the first book, however this time performed without the gi. It is very thorough; responses to nearly any common attack are included- most are quite simple and easy to learn and remember. Defenses against common knife attacks and stick-ups (pistol) are also covered, as are a couple of stick defense and disarms. Caveat to those looking to learn new grappling techniques: there are very few ground fighting techniques in this book other than escapes and counters to common headlocks and the like. Why I gave 4 stars: The organization of this book is just plain bad. There seems to be no logical order that the techniques were grouped in; at least I can't see it. Similar techniques are randomly scattered through the book. If you want to find a particular technique, tou have to scan the list in the TOC or flip through the bok - no index! It would have been better to group similar techniques together into "chapters". Overall pretty darned good, although I would recommend "BJJ:Theory and Practice" as being slightly better in terms of overall techniques and content.
Rating:
Summary: Would give 5 stars if it were better organized
Review: Production value is first rate; pictures are clear and explanations are excellent. This book and it's predecessor, "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:Theory and Technique" are arguably the best martial arts books ever produced in terms of overall quality. Content is good but there is some of repetition of techniques that were shown in the first book, however this time performed without the gi. It is very thorough; responses to nearly any common attack are included- most are quite simple and easy to learn and remember. Defenses against common knife attacks and stick-ups (pistol) are also covered, as are a couple of stick defense and disarms. Caveat to those looking to learn new grappling techniques: there are very few ground fighting techniques in this book other than escapes and counters to common headlocks and the like. Why I gave 4 stars: The organization of this book is just plain bad. There seems to be no logical order that the techniques were grouped in; at least I can't see it. Similar techniques are randomly scattered through the book. If you want to find a particular technique, tou have to scan the list in the TOC or flip through the bok - no index! It would have been better to group similar techniques together into "chapters". Overall pretty darned good, although I would recommend "BJJ:Theory and Practice" as being slightly better in terms of overall techniques and content.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent pics and techniques, but VERY poor organization
Review: Pros:
The pics are great and instructions are short and sweet. Also this is a reasonably good introduction to BJJ techniques, but doesn't suffice as a complete intro by any means. The techniques seem to be well designed and probably effective if you know what you're doing (and ideally if you're practiced them). Cons:
1. The book is VERY poorly organized. They list 103 techniques, but don't organize them in any way. There is no index. The table of contents has no organization of the techniques. Example- There are multiple ways to escape the Guillotine: Techniques 16, 31, 43, 89, 94, and 95.. WHY AREN'T THEY GROUPED TOGETHER? I mean honestly, I've never seen such poor organization of a technical book of this nature.. Ever! 2. ... Being modest tends to be a philosophy taught in most respectable martial arts, and the Gracies have evidently ignored that (I had referenced a statement made by the Gracies here but the local censors removed my reference.) So, I would not recommend this as a standalone how-to guide for defending yourself. The real way to learn self-defense is to take lessons and learn through proper instruction, which is something that the book's authors point out during the introduction. However, this book is a good reference for people either already into JJ, or considering JJ lessons. The 2 stars I'm giving are for the complete lack of any organization whatsoever, and doesn't reflect the quality of the individual techniques, which are pretty well done for the most part.
Rating: 
Summary: A little disappointing...
Review: Pros: 1. This book contains excellent, clear photography. The photos are in color and the right amount of contrast in clothing is utilized. As a result, the techniques demonstrated are easily deciphered. 2. The techniques shown to defeat various types of headlocks and guillotine chokes are very good. Bravo. Cons: 1. The defenses shown against a knife-wielding attacker are poor. When I say poor, what I mean is they may work if you practice them constantly (i.e. they are complicated) and have phenomenal dexterity - but for your average person, I highly doubt their effectiveness. I believe that when one is under extreme stress (e.g. a man is trying to gut you with a knife) you had best stick to defenses which employ gross-motor skills. In other words, practice the K.I.S.S principle (Keep It Savagely Simple). Check out the knife, gun and club defenses employed in the self-defense system Krav Maga for a more realistic way to defend yourself against an armed attacker. 2. Who came up with the layout of the book? There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the way it is put together. Ever hear of a thing called "chapters" guys? 3. As I stated earlier, I believe in the K.I.S.S. principle when it comes to self-defense. Why advocate a complicated lock or throw when a quick jab to the eyes will suffice? Don't get me wrong, there are many effective techniques shown in this text. If you have a couple standard books on self-defense, you'll recognize many of the techniques, because they are common and well known. Just remember when you read this book: simple is better and sometimes there is a much simpler way to deal with a situation than the ones demonstrated in the book. Final analysis: not a bad book, but could have been much better considering the authors.
Rating:
Summary: Find out Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a self-defense martial art
Review: Royce Gracies and Kid Peligros book is the only book completely dedicated to the self-defense aspect of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I found it very useful. The photos are great (maybe the best in all bjj books) and the situations lifely.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: the reader from Evanston, IL United States does not know what he/she is talking about. BJJ has proved to be the most effective martial art. This book is really practical for beginners, and a must for anyone who knows nothing of self defense. Definitely recommended for anyone, also recommended: Renzo and Royler's book.
Rating:
Summary: Very practical and
Review: The techniques in this book are very easy to use and very effective. I am into personal securiy and have tried many martial arts, but they all rely on practicing constantly. The Gracies have proved that their system works. It is very important today to be able to protect yourself quickly and effectively. Law enforcement and the US Army rely on these teechniques so they must be good. I would recommend this to anyone who cares about themselves and their family. The quality of this book is above all the rest that I have seen. Get it and use it!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but not practical
Review: This book contains very good instructions on how to execute the techniques presented, so from that standpoint, it achieves the goal of being able to pass on the knowledge. But the subject matter is questionable. In most cases, it just doesn't seem practical to get tangled up with someone (potentially in the guard or even the mount) if a) the terrain is rough b) weapons are involved and c) there are multiple opponents. Rolling around on the ground over broken glass, trying to get an armbar on a guy with a knife in his hand and his friends standing around delivering soccer kicks to your head doesn't seem very effective. And any self defense system in which 90% of the techniques can be defeated by sticking your thumb in the other person's eye seems lacking. The sport of BJJ is great fun to watch and play with, but as a complete, battlefield martial art, it is lacking.
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