BJJ beginner curriculum

Start here if you are new. These units teach the words and ideas that every class uses.

1. Before you roll

Safety comes first: you must know how to tap before your first roll.

• Tap clearly and early, with a hand, a foot or your voice. The Tap ›
• Tell a choke from a joint lock. Chokes and Joint Locks ›
• Know the parts of a class: warm-up, drilling, sparring. How a Class Works ›
• Follow the mat rules: clean kit, short nails, no shoes on the mat. Mat Rules ›
• Know what a white belt may and may not do. Legal at White Belt ›

Read the Before you roll tutorial

2. The map of positions

When you know where you are, you know who is winning and what to do next.

• Rank the positions from best to worst for the top player. Positional Hierarchy ›
• Name back control and know why it is the best position. Back Control ›
• Tell mount from knee on belly. Mount ›
• Tell side control from north-south and kesa gatame. Side Control ›
• Know that standing is where every match starts. Standing ›

Read the Map of positions tutorial

3. Movements you need

These movements are the parts that every escape is built from.

• Bridge high over one shoulder. Bridge ›
• Shrimp your hips away on your side. Shrimp ›
• Stand up safely with the technical stand-up. Technical Stand-Up ›
• Hold space with frames, not with pushing. Frames ›
• Keep your base: wide, low and balanced. Base ›
• Know the main grips in the gi and in no-gi. Grips ›

Read the Movements you need tutorial

4. What a guard is

Beginners spend a lot of time on their back, so you need to know how a guard keeps you safe.

• Explain what a guard is: your legs between you and them. Guard ›
• Tell closed guard from open guard. Closed Guard ›
• Know what an open guard needs: a connection at all times. Open Guard ›
• Know what half guard is. Half Guard ›
• Know when a guard is passed. Guard Passing ›
• Know the difference between keeping a guard and getting it back. Guard Retention and Recovery ›

Read the What a guard is tutorial

5. The language of control

Coaches use these words in every class. Learn them and you will follow each lesson more easily.

• Know base and posture, and why they matter. Posture ›
• Know the crossface and what it does to the head. Crossface ›
• Know the underhook and the whizzer. Underhook ›
• Know the seatbelt and the hooks from the back. Seatbelt ›
• Name the kinds of technique: escape, sweep, pass, takedown, submission. Escapes, Sweeps, Passes, Takedowns and Submissions ›

Read the Language of control tutorial

6. How a match works

The points show which positions matter, even if you never compete.

• Know the points: takedown 2, sweep 2, knee on belly 2, pass 3, mount 4, back 4. Points and Scoring ›
• Hold a position for 3 seconds before it counts. Points and Scoring ›
• Tell a sweep from a reversal. Sweeps and Reversals ›
• Know which moves are illegal at your belt. Illegal Moves by Belt ›

Read the How a match works tutorial