The BJJ Guide

All about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Learn BJJ

Article published on September 23, 2023.

Many searches for how to learn BJJ, and there are several ways to learn and improve your skills in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. However, the essence of learning BJJ lies in practical training with training partners. Of course, there are ways to learn at home and improve your skills and moments.

In this interview from the Lex Fridman podcast, you can learn some of the essential things John Danher thinks beginners should focus on.

john danaher on Lex Fridman show

Step-by-Step Guide to Learning BJJ

Here are some general steps you can follow to learn BJJ.

  • Find a BJJ school near you. The best way to start with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is by joining a school that offers beginner classes. Choosing a school that offers a beginner’s program will give you a safe start with a very low risk of injuries.
    Beginner classes often emphasize learning the fundamental skills that you can later gradually incorporate into live sparring. Some gyms do not offer beginner classes, and you immediately get thrown in with seasoned BJJ practitioners, which can often lead to injuries.
    If there are no beginner classes, I think it important to see that the coach introduces you slowly to sparring by letting you only roll with high-level belts that he trusts have full control of their movements. If this is done correctly, it is also a safe way to learn BJJ.
  • The next step is to be consistent in your training. Consistency will be one of the most important things over time, and I think long-term.
    Almost all beginners want to learn quickly and ask questions about everything. Learn to be patient, and don’t try to learn all simultaneously. Focusing on learning in small steps at a time will improve your game more than trying to learn all simultaneously.
    There is so much to learn and comprehend that you need to see it as building blocks that you slowly build to get piece by piece until you understand most positions. It has to be done piece by piece, like putting down a puzzle. If you try all the pieces simultaneously, it won’t work. You start maybe in a corner and then work your way from there.
  • Take notes, and you will often feel overwhelmed with information about techniques. Taking notes after a class is a great way to remember what you have learned, and later, you can revisit your notes, which will quickly refresh your memory.
  • Today, there are so many videos on techniques, which can be good and bad. Initially, many try to watch videos to learn as many submissions as possible or fancy techniques. And this can often slow down your progress, and you are focusing on the wrong things.
    The most important thing to learn is the fundamentals. It is these skills you will have with you all the time. And as a black belt, these are still the skills I keep working on the most. So try not to overload your brain with information in the beginning.
    If you want to help speed up your progress, I recommend investing in high-quality BJJ instructionals that cover all the fundamentals, like Enter the System by John Danaher.

Learn BJJ Online

Can you learn BJJ online? You can not only learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu online, the most important aspect of the training is the drilling and sparring with a partner. Without this part of the training, you can not learn to apply the techniques effectively against a resistant opponent.

Learning BJJ online can complement live training. It can be a great way to understand position submissions and develop your skills. The most important thing is to spend as much time as possible doing live training. When you are resting and recovering from training, you can study online to improve your skills and knowledge.

Learn BJJ Summary

Here are the key points when it comes to learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

  • Find a school near you with a beginner’s program
  • Be consistent with your training
  • Don’t try to learn everything at the same time. Slowly build up your skills piece by piece.
  • Take notes. This makes it easier to remember and recall what you learned
  • Don’t overload your brain by watching too many BJJ videos online
  • Use BJJ instructionals and online platforms as a complement to your live training with a partner at the gym
  • There are also several popular BJJ books that you might want to read.

I hope this has given you some insight into how you can learn BJJ both in school and online.

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