Influence of DVDs and Instructionals

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, before YouTube existed, instructional tapes and DVDs were a lifeline for practitioners. Athletes like Renzo Gracie, Jean Jacques Machado, and later Marcelo Garcia released detailed breakdowns of their techniques. These materials allowed students to learn directly from top competitors, even if they had no access to high-level academies.

The instructional market not only spread knowledge but also influenced the evolution of the art. Certain positions or strategies gained worldwide popularity after being featured in a widely distributed video series. Today, while streaming has replaced DVDs, the legacy of those instructionals lives on as the first wave of mass technical dissemination.