Gear Lab

If anyone old enough to remember the old tv series “The A-Team” will fondly remember their fearless leader, Col. Hannibal Smith’s catchphrase at the end of every successful mission, “I love it when a plan comes together”.  Well, we could only imagine how happy Hannibal would have been if...

For anyone who has been involved with the grappling arts long enough, it’s pretty common to at some point experience frustration of not having a training partner to drill a technique with over and over again, let along get in a good rolling session. There are plenty of variables...

Well, you could have it, but it will cost you. How much you ask? How’s about $500. That’s the price tag for one of only 100 Vanguard M2W Kimono made from the remaining lot of Cone Mills “White Oak” dark indigo denim. Cone Mills recently closed its doors after...

Whey protein is probably one of, if not the most, popular dietary supplement among jiu-jitsu athletes. Because the rigors of jiu-jitsu can take a pretty heavy toll on our bodies and muscles, we need protein that aids in the overall recovery process. Whey protein is one of the two...

What to transport your jiu-jitsu gis and gear in is a serious dilemma. You could go the cheap route and throw all your gear in a big trash bag, but nobody wants that. You could commingle your gear with the backpack that you might use to carry your laptop...

The need for oxygen is essential, without it we die. In jiu-jitsu that need is even more pronounced. When we’re rolling and putting it all out on the mats in training or in competition, our entire circulatory system is craving more oxygen to keep muscles and nerves firing. As...

Ancient civilizations used natural herbs to treat and cure many ailments, today Eastern medicine continues to use natural herbs with measurable and scientifically proven effects. Lost Empire Herbs was started by three brothers, each of them looking for natural remedies to ease the stresses of weightlifting, grappling, and just...

It’s no secret that most of the world’s gis are made in Pakistan. Many factories churn out gis for various brands made to their client’s specifications. Their clients are the companies that sell these gis under their brand name. Aside from some of the larger companies, these smaller brands...

I’m sure you’ve heard of Zebra Mats before. They’re one of the largest manufacturers of training mats and can be found in several academies. Zebra has developed a portable mat that is useful for several on-the-go situations. This portable mat rolled up measures 24” x 6” x 6” and...