I had the opportunity to train with Ethan Crelinsten at Matrix Jiu-Jitsu in Kaiserslautern. The camp was packed with high-level instruction on guard passing, back submissions, and wrestling up from guard — an amazing experience.
A Weekend of High-Level Jiu-Jitsu
Recently, I had the chance to train with Ethan Crelinsten at Matrix Jiu-Jitsu Headquarters in Kaiserslautern, one of the top grappling teams in Germany.
Ethan — a world-class black belt, ADCC veteran, and well-known competitor under John Danaher and the B-Team — brought a technical depth and intensity that made this camp truly special.
The event was fully booked, with practitioners from all over Germany coming together for three days of pure No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu.
The Focus of the Training Camp
The seminar covered some of the most essential aspects of modern No-Gi grappling:
- 🥋 Guard Passing Systems — How to break structure and create dominant angles
- ⚔️ Back Submissions — Trapping mechanics, control, and finishing details
- 🤼 Wrestling Up from Guard — Turning defense into offense and staying aggressive from the bottom
Every session built on the previous one. Ethan has a way of teaching that makes even complex positions feel logical. His transitions and details showed exactly why he’s one of the most respected athletes in the competitive No-Gi scene today.
My Personal Takeaways
Training under someone like Ethan was a reminder that details win matches. His approach to guard passing and wrestling up was precise — every grip, shift, and frame had purpose.
One of my favorite concepts from the weekend was how he uses wrestling principles inside the guard, forcing reactions instead of waiting for openings. It completely changed how I think about staying offensive from bottom positions.
As a coach at Casa de Luta Saarbrücken, I always look for ways to bring new knowledge back to my students. The systems Ethan taught fit perfectly into the modern No-Gi environment we’re developing at our academy.
The Atmosphere at Matrix Jiu-Jitsu
As always, Matrix Jiu-Jitsu (led by my good friend Rene Becker) provided the perfect setting — professional, technical, and full of positive energy.
The mats were packed, but the vibe was focused. Everyone came to learn, and you could feel how much respect there was for Ethan’s skill and teaching style.
Training alongside high-level grapplers from all over Germany made the weekend even better — it reminded me how strong the BJJ community here has become.
Lessons Beyond Technique
Every seminar leaves something behind that goes beyond moves and mechanics.
From Ethan, I learned:
1️⃣ Keep learning like a white belt — even at black belt, there’s always more to study.
2️⃣ Pressure and precision beat speed — control wins, not chaos.
3️⃣ Adapt constantly — No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu evolves fast; staying sharp means always being curious.
These lessons stick with me as both a competitor and a teacher.
Gratitude
A huge thank you to Ethan Crelinsten for sharing his time and knowledge, and to Matrix Jiu-Jitsu Kaiserslautern for hosting another top-level event.
And to everyone who trained alongside me — your energy, questions, and effort made the weekend unforgettable.
Bringing It Back to Casa de Luta Saarbrücken
Back home at Casa de Luta Saarbrücken, we’ve already started integrating many of the concepts from this camp into our AbelBJJ No-Gi curriculum:
✅ Dynamic guard passing drills
✅ Wrestling-based sweeps and recoveries
✅ Back attack control systems
These updates are helping our students develop faster and adapt to the modern competitive style.
📍 Come Train with Us
If you’re in Saarbrücken or nearby, come train at Casa de Luta, home of AbelBJJ.
We welcome all levels and focus on real technical growth, competition preparation, and community.
🥋 Gi & No-Gi Classes
💪 Competition Training
🌍 Seminars and Camps
📧 Contact: abelcasadeluta@gmail.com
📱 Instagram: @abelbjj
📍 Location: Casa de Luta Saarbrücken, Germany
💬 Share Your Experience
Were you at the Ethan Crelinsten camp at Matrix Jiu-Jitsu?
💭 Share your favorite part or what concept helped your game the most!
I’d love to hear how the experience impacted your training — message me on Instagram or comment below.
OSS 🥋