White belt curriculum
The white belt section of the Rolla Path is about survival. You learn to stay safe in bad positions, so you are not submitted.
New students spend most rolls on the bottom. Survival first means you stay safe there and learn from each round.
Do the beginner curriculum first if the words on this page are new.
1. Back survival
Back control is the most dangerous position, so you protect your neck there first.
- Keep your chin down and your elbows tight. Survival Posture ›
- Put both hands on the choking arm. Hand Fighting ›
- Know which side of the seatbelt is the safe side. Seatbelt ›
- Get your back off their chest. Back Control ›
- Know the rear naked choke so you can see it coming. Rear Naked Choke ›
Read the Back survival tutorial
2. All-fours survival
On your knees with them behind you, one mistake gives up your back.
- Make a tight shell: elbows to knees, head low. Turtle ›
- Stop the hooks from coming in. Hooks ›
- Protect your neck from the seatbelt. Seatbelt ›
- Sit out to face them when you can. Sit-out ›
- Know how they take the back from turtle. Back Take from Turtle ›
Read the All-fours survival tutorial
3. Mount survival
Under mount, early posture stops the choke before it closes.
- Set your posture early: elbows in, hands at the collar. Survival Posture ›
- Tell low mount from high mount. High Mount ›
- Stop the collar choke with your hands. Cross Collar Choke ›
- Never push with straight arms. That gives the armbar. Armbar ›
- Know S-mount so you can stop it early. S-Mount ›
Read the Mount survival tutorial
4. Side control survival
Under side control, being flat on your back is what lets them settle.
- Stay on your side, never flat. Frames ›
- Block the crossface. Crossface ›
- Tell side control from kesa gatame and north-south. Kesa Gatame ›
- Keep your arms safe from the americana and kimura. Americana ›
Read the Side control survival tutorial
5. Knee on belly survival
Knee on belly moves fast, so stopping it early is easier than getting out later.
- Frame on their hip and shin before the knee lands. Knee on Belly ›
- Use the running survival posture. Running Escape ›
- Do not push the knee with straight arms. Armbar ›
- Do not turn away with no posture. It gives up the back. Back Control ›
Read the Knee on belly survival tutorial
6. Inside the guard
Inside a closed guard, good posture keeps you safe from most attacks.
- Sit up tall: spine straight, head above hips. Posture ›
- Keep a wide base so you are not swept. Base ›
- Break the collar grips. Grip Breaking ›
- See the triangle early: never one arm in, one arm out. Triangle ›
- Open the guard only after your posture is back. Closed Guard Break ›
Read the Inside the guard tutorial
You are under mount. What do you do first?
Train it on the Path
The Back survival unit turns this into short lessons: you see a position and pick the best move.
The Path goes in order: start free from lesson one and you reach Back survival on the way. With Rolla Plus you can jump straight here.