I do take things I have learned over the past couple years, and see how black belts use the same basics in various videos on the web. But I have have lots of videos on my Favorite grapplers, Andre Galvao, Marcelo Garcia, etc etc. And I find it really hard to take it all in and then recall it during class. So I just take a small section, then try and get the details from an instructor, then slowly add it into the game plan.

I have found this to be very beneficial.

I think different types of websites such as youtube, dailymotion, etc are great tools for exposing yourself and others to new techniques you have not seen before. I know that as an instructor and a student I am always trying to find new techniques and training methods to use with the students and myself. I teach most of our beginner classes here (whites, blues) and one thing that I do with these young students is focus on teaching them a solid foundation of basics but at the same time, expose them to the more “advanced” moves and techniques very early. This is partly because I have seen the effect is has on them and because if I don’t they will go out and find the advanced techniques from other methods. Because of the easily accessible bjj knowledge on the internet and the young jiujitsu players thirst for techniques I have students coming up to me on an almost daily basis asking me about particular moves, positions, submissions or whatever they find on the internet. I usually try to look at the move with them and practice it and let them know what I think of it and I encourage them to try and apply the technique while in class to see how functional it is to their particular bjj game. I encourage the students to be sponges and learn as much as possible from any source that they can (online videos, books, etc) but I do keep the door open so we can look at the techniques together. There are a lot of junk techniques lurking out there on the internet today as well, and I do not want the students to get wrapped up in the techniques that won’t work or aren’t fundamentally sound. One last thing I stress for the students (and myself) is when looking for new techniques, try and find videos of competitions that show this move being applied. If it can be applied in the competition field than it most likely (not always) a solid technique.

I think using the internet for online bjj videos can be a great tool in the jiujitsu players arsenal, but if you are a young jiujitsu player I think it is very important to have an open minded instructor who can help you steer clear of the junk and make sure that you are executing these moves the right way.

DVDs, however, are something I use all the time (hence the numerous reviews).

I wonder if Owen’s training relationship with Ari Bolden has affected his views on the topic at all? Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with that, but Bolden is a well-known creator of BJJ internet videos.