Systematically Attacking the Turtle Position by Gordon Ryan No-Gi Course

By BJJ University Editorial · Published 2026-11-02

8 listed volumesNo-gi curriculum

Our buying assessment

Best for: No-gi players who want top turtle to back control
Buy less if: Less ideal for bottom turtle or gi lapel study
Main tradeoff: Deep top-turtle focus, not a full turtle game

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Based on the seller’s curriculum and cited product sources, checked 2026-10-26. This is a researched guide, not a firsthand review. Study recommendations are our editorial assessment.

In this guide

What it teaches

This course teaches a step-by-step system for attacking turtle from top position, with emphasis on breaking the opponent down, winning upper-body grips, setting traps, handfighting, inserting hooks, and converting turtle into back control or submissions.

The technical map includes closed turtle, open turtle, diagonal control, cross body ride, reverse tight waist, power half nelson, back head-and-arm, rear body lock, crucifix, roll counters, standup counters, and live rolling breakdowns.

Curriculum overview

Closed turtle controls

Builds from closed turtle into upper-body grip categories, side-control breakdowns, seated head-and-arm, wrist and claw grips, diagonal control, and the first hook.

Study this if: You reach turtle but cannot open the shell or establish a first hook safely.

Cross body ride and second hook

Covers cross body ride entries, follow-up breakdowns, second-hook insertion, reactions when turtle opens, power half nelson, and submissions off the ride.

Study this if: You get one hook or a ride but lose the opponent before securing the back.

Open turtle and reverse tight waist

Develops attacks when the opponent opens turtle, including reverse tight waist, cross body ride entries, back takes, calf slice, hammer lock, guillotine, and defense counters.

Study this if: Your opponent opens space, but you do not have a clear route to ride, submit, or take the back.

Elbow dilemmas and rear body lock

Uses open-elbow versus closed-elbow reactions, back head-and-arm, strangles, half nelson, claw grip, near-side wrist control, double wrist ride, and rear body lock.

Study this if: You need a decision tree when the opponent hides elbows, posts, or tries to stand from turtle.

Crucifix and arm traps

Introduces crucifix pathways through near-arm traps, crackdown transitions, Phoenix Eye, rolling strangles, leg-position details, post-hand counters, and high-hip/low-hip reactions.

Study this if: You want to punish posts and arm exposure instead of only chasing both hooks.

Counters and live breakdowns

Addresses shoulder rolls, maki komi rolls, leg-trapped rolls, outside and inside leg standups, then shows rolling footage and narrated breakdowns.

Study this if: Your turtle attacks fail when partners roll, stand, or create scramble reactions.

Who it is for

Consider this course if your main problem is turning top turtle into reliable back exposure in no-gi, especially when opponents stay compact, roll, stand, or deny the second hook.

It may fit grapplers who already get behind turtle but lose control during the transition, because many lessons address rides, diagonal control, wrist and claw grips, rear body lock, and hook sequencing.

Prerequisites

Our assessment is that this is best studied after you understand basic turtle positioning, back control, hooks, and common submission families, because the lesson list moves quickly into ride variations, grip classifications, rolling counters, and submission transitions.

Beginners can still use it as a turtle-attacking reference, but may need outside instruction on foundational back control and safety before focusing on advanced ride reactions and leg-entangling counters such as calf slice and maki komi responses.

Format and ruleset fit

The supplied format is no-gi, and the product page describes digital video with flow chart and visual notes. It also lists rolling footage and rolling breakdown commentary.

Research limitation: the source snapshot verifies no-gi format and the listed curriculum, but it does not let us independently evaluate the teaching quality, production quality, or completeness beyond the product page text.

Strengths

The clearest strength is depth on one high-value scenario: top turtle to back control. The course does not stop at a first hook; it includes second-hook problems, hook insertion when turtle opens, rear body lock, and follow-through on rolls.

Another useful feature is the attention to defensive reactions. Lessons specifically name standups, shoulder rolls, maki komi rolls, reverse tight waist defense, post hands, and low-hip/high-hip reactions, which helps buyers looking for troubleshooting rather than isolated moves.

The inclusion of rolling footage and breakdown commentary may help students connect the technical chapters to live decision-making, since the page lists both narrated rolling breakdowns and separate roll footage.

Limitations

Buy less if you are looking for a bottom turtle escape or turtle-as-guard curriculum. This product is framed around attacking turtle, breaking an opponent down, and getting to the back from top.

It may also be narrower than a general turtle course for gi players, because the verified format is no-gi and the listed attacks emphasize rides, hooks, body locks, claw grips, guillotine-style attacks, juji gatame, triangles, and back strangles rather than lapel-based control.

Suggested study order

Our suggested order is to start with the closed turtle rule set, upper-body grips, diagonal control, and first-hook mechanics before drilling the more complex ride transitions. These are the base chapters that explain how control is built before the opponent opens up or rolls.

Next, study cross body ride, reverse tight waist, power half, and back head-and-arm as connected control families, then add crucifix and submission transitions after your back-take entries are stable.

Finish a study cycle with the reaction chapters and rolling breakdowns. The counters to rolls and standups are most useful once you can recognize the underlying ride and hook positions during live rounds.

Alternatives to compare

The Turtle System by Henry Akins is the broader turtle alternative if you want both bottom and top turtle material. Its listed curriculum includes bottom takedowns, guillotine and D’Arce responses, guard recovery, destabilizing hook attempts, plus top chokes and back entries.

Choose Gordon Ryan’s course over the Akins alternative if your priority is a more focused no-gi top attack system centered on back takes, rides, and hook insertion rather than learning turtle as a two-sided attacking and defensive platform.

Gracie Fundamentals: Turtle Mastery by Rayron Gracie is the fundamentals-oriented alternative. Its curriculum covers getting to turtle from bottom, dogfight, forcing turtle from top, front turtle guillotines, back turtle retention, one-hook attacks, clock choke, rolling, and commentary.

Consider Rayron Gracie’s course instead if you want a broader fundamentals map that includes entries into turtle from guard, passing, standing exchanges, and back turtle retention. Gordon Ryan’s course is the more specialized buy for attacking an already-turtled opponent from top in no-gi.

Purchase assessment

Consider buying if your current top turtle game stalls after initial control and you want a detailed no-gi study plan for grips, rides, dilemmas, hook insertion, back takes, and defensive reactions.

Hold off if you mainly need gi-specific lapel attacks, bottom turtle survival, wrestling-up from turtle, or a general beginner turtle overview; the verified material is concentrated on top turtle attacks and no-gi back-taking mechanics.