The most well-known name among Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaches is John Danaher and the DDS (Danaher Death Squad) team. With students like Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and Eddy Cummings, Danaher became famous for developing an effective leglock system. His students often managed to submit opponents with much more experience.
With the creation of BJJ Fanatics, John Danaher’s Instructional videos quickly became popular. His unique and detailed explanations of techniques helped popularize his leglock system and made him a world-renowned coach.
Who is John Danaher
- Born 7 on April 1967, in the United State,s but grew up in New Zealand
- Started BJJ under Renzo Gracie in the early 90s
- 6th Degree black belt
- His most famous original DDS students were Gordon Ryan and Garry Tonon.
Top 5 John Danaher Quotes
1. On Mastery and Excellence:
– “True mastery is never out of reach, but rather a forever ongoing process. It is the journey that counts, not the destination.”
2. On the Importance of Fundamentals:
– “Fundamentals are the foundation upon which all advanced techniques are built. You cannot truly excel without a strong understanding of the basics.”
3. On Learning and Progress:
– “Consistent, deliberate practice is the key to progress in any field. It’s about improving one aspect at a time and not becoming overwhelmed by the whole.”
4. On Strategy and Tactics:
– “A sound strategy is the cornerstone of effective tactics. You must understand the bigger picture to make the right decisions in the heat of the moment.”
5. On the Mindset of a Champion:
– “Champions are not made in the ring; they are merely recognized there. The true battle happens long before you step into the arena, in your daily habits, discipline, and relentless pursuit of improvement.”
Top 3 Most Popular Podcasts Featuring John Danaher
1. The Joe Rogan Experience
Episode: #1111 – John Danaher
Summary: In this highly popular episode, John Danaher sits down with Joe Rogan to discuss his philosophy on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his approach to teaching, and his experiences training some of the sport’s top athletes. Danaher delves into the mental aspects of BJJ and the importance of innovation in martial arts and shares stories from his coaching career.
2. Lex Fridman Podcast
Episode:** #182 – John Danaher
Summary: John Danaher joins Lex Fridman to explore the deeper intellectual and philosophical elements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the development of Danaher’s famed leg lock system, the concept of mastery in martial arts, and the future of grappling sports. This episode is a favorite among BJJ enthusiasts for its in-depth analysis and thoughtful discussion.
3. Jake Shields’ Fight Back Podcast
Episode: #48 – John Danaher
Summary: In this insightful episode, John Danaher talks with Jake Shields about his systematic approach to teaching BJJ, the principles that underpin his training methods, and his thoughts on discipline and peak performance. Danaher also shares personal anecdotes and lessons learned from years of coaching elite grapplers, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in the science and art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Top Achievements of John Danaher’s Students
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- Gordon Ryan
- Achievement: Multiple-time ADCC World Champion
- Details: Gordon Ryan has become one of the greatest grapplers ever. He has won multiple ADCC World Championships, dominating his weight class and the absolute division.
- Garry Tonon
- Achievement: ADCC Medalist
- Details: Garry Tonon has earned medals at the ADCC World Championships and is known for his aggressive and exciting grappling style. He has also successfully transitioned to a professional MMA career.
- Eddie Cummings
- Achievement: EBI Champion
- Details: Eddie Cummings is renowned for his mastery of leg locks and has won multiple titles at the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI), a prestigious submission grappling tournament.
- Nicky Ryan
- Achievement: Youngest ADCC Competitor and Medalist
- Details: Nicky Ryan made history by becoming the youngest competitor at the ADCC World Championships and has medaled in this elite competition, showcasing his prodigious talent.
- Nick Rodriguez
- Achievement: ADCC Silver Medalist
- Details: With less than two years of BJJ training, Nick Rodriguez stunned the grappling world by winning a silver medal at the ADCC World Championships, demonstrating incredible athleticism and skill.
- Craig Jones
- Achievement: ADCC Silver Medalist
- Details: Craig Jones has consistently been one of the top competitors in international grappling, earning multiple medals at the ADCC World Championships and establishing himself as a top submission artist.
- Nicholas Meregali
- Achievement: ADCC Silver Medalist
- Details: Nicholas Meregali switched to the New Wave team a few years back and has since focused mostly on his no-gi game. On top of the silver medal in ADCC 20222, he has won several Flograppling events against high-level opponents.
- Gordon Ryan
Another rising student of John is the female fighter, Helena, known as HelenaJiuJitsuGirl. She is still not an adult but has been racking impressive wins at the Flograppling events and the ADCC 20224 trials.
Personal Life
After completing his university studies in Auckland, he returned to the United States and continued his education in New York, pursuing a Ph.D. in epistemology. To support his studies, he started working at night as a bouncer. Before coming to America, he had only a limited understanding of stand-up fighting and no experience in ground fighting. On several occasions in various podcasts, he has recounted how he initially didn’t believe in ground fighting until he saw other bouncers with wrestling backgrounds easily take down their opponents to the ground.
However, one of his colleagues at the University sparked his interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after he could control John, who was much bigger than he was, after a short time of training in BJJ. After that, John wanted to learn more about this art form and attended the Renzo Grazie Academy in New York.
When he was a purple belt, he was asked to help with the academy classes because Renzo often had to travel for fights and seminars. This led to his career as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach, which later evolved into a full-time instructor position at the gym, where he ran classes and taught private sessions.
He stayed at the Renzo Academy until 2020, when he and some students decided to move to Puerto Rico and open a school there. A big reason for this was the pandemic, which made it hard for them to train in New York. They never opened the school in Puerto Rico, and the team split in the middle of 2021 when John Danaher moved to Texas and created a new team known as the New Wave.
Please read our article Renzo Gracie and John Danaher to learn more about their early days together.
John Danaher’s Best-Selling Videos
What caught everyone’s attention was how he created a system centered on leglocks and had his students demonstrate how they could finish more experienced fighters using his system. Everyone was eager to learn it, so they were an instant hit when John Danaher’s leglock instructionals came out.
Below are some of the most popular John Danaher videos on BJJ Fanatics.
John Danaher’s instructional videos contain so much information that they have become a go-to for learning all the details about BJJ techniques. There is so much to learn here that it’s often hard to comprehend. To study and learn from his videos effectively, it is best to take notes and break down the learning into smaller, manageable blocks, rather than trying to absorb everything simultaneously.
Buying his videos will leave you with content to learn for years. As a black belt, I often return to his videos to review aspects I missed, such as positions, control, or techniques.
Although the price for these high-quality videos may initially seem slightly pricey, when you consider the amount of knowledge you gain and how long these videos will stay with you, the price becomes more affordable.
Master the Move: John Danhers’ Latest Series
The first video of his latest series was released in July 2024. In the Master the Move series, John will dive deep into the most successful and high-probability moves. With this series, he aims to identify the most significant moves you should focus on to progress more quickly. You can execute these moves even when the opponent knows you are going for that technique.
Head over to BJJ Fanatics and check out this new series by Danaher.
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