Understanding The Distance On Top by Gui Mendes

Manage top pressure and distance like a true positional tactician.

Master The Hidden Top Game Concepts Of Distance For Passing Connections And Combinations From One Of The Most Technical And Influential Black Belts Ever, 4-Time World Champion Gui Mendes
Use detailed instruction on far distance, medium distance, and near distance to understand guard passing on a more complete and conceptual level
Gui Mendes is one of BJJ’s most respected black belts, with 4 world championships at black belt and tons of elite students at his academy Art Of Jiu-Jitsu
Get real, useable lessons from Gui breaking down his own rolling, so he can narrate how he is implementing these movements and ideas
Gui will show you not just moves, but systems with strategy behind them that connects everything into one unified game, with hours of footage
Learn mobility drills that Gui has his competition students do so they are ready for fluid and technical guard passing and top work
This series can help grapplers of all levels and styles connect positions and techniques with more focus, strategy, and efficiency than ever.

Buy Now: $197 $24

Course Content

Collapse All Sections

Volume 1

5 Lessons

The Concepts – Introduction

0:00 – 10:03

Using the Knowledge to Strategize

10:03 – 15:25

Far Distance

15:25 – 54:22

Medium Distance

54:22 – 1:47:54

Near Distance

1:47:54 +

Volume 2

3 Lessons

Concepts in Action – Sparring Analysis

0:00 – 8:36

Competition Breakdown

8:36 – 16:59

Mobility Drills

16:59 +

???? Understanding the Distance On Top

A masterclass in pressure-based control—teaching how to manage spatial relationships, timing, and structure from top positions to dominate and neutralize your opponent’s movement.

???? Course Overview

Gui Mendes, a pioneer of structured dominance in grappling, lays out a blueprint for controlling distance from top positions—like side control, knee-on-belly, and mount. Emphasizing subtle weight placement, body connection, and spatial awareness, this program shows how to impose pressure, prevent recoveries, and execute sweeps or submissions without guessing.

???? What You’ll Learn

Spatial Control Principles
Identifying “pressure zones” where your weight collapses the opponent’s space
Hip-to-hip alignment cues that deny recovery posture
Managing head, shoulder, and chest positioning to suppress movement options
Grip and Frame Construction
Strategic anchor points: cross-face, belt control, wrist grips
Micro-adjustments to maintain connection during opponent’s shifts
Pre-emptive grip moves to reinforce control before escapes are initiated
Distance-Based Tactics
Transitioning smoothly between side control, knee-on-belly, and mount based on weight shifts
How to sense and respond to opponent bridging, shrimping, or framing
Flow sequences that dictate spatial dominance throughout the roll
Flow Drills & Resistance Testing
Partner drills built around shifting topology and control retention
Positional sparring emphasizing timing for transitions and counter-removal
Reactive coaching prompts to reinforce spatial judgment and pressure direction

???? Who This Course Is For

Perfect for grapplers who:
• Want to cultivate intelligent, pressure-focused top control
• Prefer flow-first, positional intelligence over brute force
• Train both gi and no-gi and seek control systems that work under live resistance
• Appreciate precision, structure, and the unseen details of spatial championship-level control

✅ Key Benefits

Spatial Pressure Mastery
Learn to control not just position, but environment—closing space and limiting options.
Flow-Driven Transitions
Make top game movement seamless, resilient, and adaptive.
Resistance-Ready Mechanics
Built to function under strong escapes and active grappling.
Championship-Endorsed Concepts
Guided by an elite competitor’s understanding of distance, balance, and control.