The BJJ Beginner Guide: Surviving to Thriving

Course Structure

The Philosophy of BJJ

This section will give you the big picture view of what BJJ is, what development looks like, and the lessons you will learn on your journey. It will address how you as a beginner will fit into the puzzle and the changes you must undergo. Training is fun, but having an idea of objectives of the various timeframes will certainly help one become more intentional in the steps they take to improve. I will share with you the key items on your BJJ grocery list that you should keep in mind at all times. I focus on topics that are often overlooked, those which students always learn about the hard way, such as: finding that ideal rolling intensity, dos and don'ts on the mat, indicators of progress and stagnation, and of course building the right mindset for success on the mats. The compounding effect of many small recurring correct choices on your journey is hard to believe, by the time most realize it, many years have passed. This section will highlight some 'universals': ideas to apply in many/all situations to increase your success, instead of highlighting situation specific answers; this approach allows one to maximize progress per unit time spent practicing.

 "The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."

Training Tips

This section will focus on what you will find within the dojo(s) that you try out. It will guide you in making a decision about where you will probably train for the rest of your life, and what to expect as you become a member at the dojo. It will offer you guidance to prevent you from making bad decisions, such as: finding the right partner to drill and spar with. The right partner(s) can change your entire experience, therefore, it is crucial to know how to spot a good partner. This section will also touch upon the beginner experience as they go through their trial session at an academy. Another topic that is covered in detail are the red flags to watch out for, that should make you question if it is the right atmosphere for you. Many students have quit in the past due to a bad early experience, and then eventually upon trying another gym become life long practitioners. 

"The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do."

Technique

This section is unique, as I believe it is one of the most neglected areas in teaching despite being the most important area for growth and retention. The focus is completely on how to prevent injuries, and was developed based on the most commonly encountered injuries I have witnessed from teaching over a thousand students in the span of over a decade. Injuries have an interesting distribution, the vast majority of injuries fall within a few categories. As people become more experienced (senior belts) they are familiar with how to avoid injuries, so you will often find that the rate of injuries drops significantly with experience. If you can have this knowledge upfront, your odds drastically improve.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

Narrated Rolls

This section will highlight what goes through the mind of a more experienced practitioner as they roll, what they look for, and how they set up attacks. You will notice a common theme in terms of intensity and predictability as you move up the belts. Newer students will roll at very high intensities and telegraph their movements (while not combining movements) versus senior belts who will distract with early attacks to finish follow up attacks, and they will maintain a much safer and more enjoyable intensity. This section is a great example of from theory to practice.

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice."