How to Build a Complete BJJ Game Using Online Instructionals

Online instructionals have revolutionized Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu learning. Platforms like BJJ Fanatics offer thousands of hours of elite-level content, but without structure, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This how to learn BJJ guide shows you how to build a complete game using online instructionals with clarity and purpose.

1. Define Your Game Goals First

Ask yourself:

What’s your belt level and physical style?
Do you prefer top or bottom?
What positions do you want to improve?
Do you use a counter or an offensive game?

Clear goals—like “improve guard retention” or “develop pressure passing”—allow you to filter out distractions and study only what’s helpful to you.

2. Choose One Position at a Time

Don’t bounce between leg locks, berimbolos, and mount escapes in one week. Pick one position—knee shield, side control, or back takes—and go deep for several weeks.

With time, you will circle through all the main positions, and each time you will discover new details about that position.

3. Pick One Instructor per Position

Different instructors teach differently. Once you’ve implemented one coach’s system per position, stick with it to avoid confusion, and layer in others for variety. This is important as there are several ways to deal with certain positions, and various instructors emphasize different things.

Most important here is understanding why you do things and the principles behind the techniques.

4. Drill Immediately After Watching

Watching alone won’t help. Pause, drill the move, and even record yourself. Apply it in rolling using positional sparring. Learning by doing is essential.

Important here is not watching too much each time; to improve your skill, you have to use what you learned online in a live setting, and the hard part is remembering it during live sparring. So, less is better here, so you can implement it during live training.

5. Link Techniques Into Systems

Build chains, not just single moves. Ask:

What’s my follow-up if the opponent defends?
Where do I go from here?
How do I connect this move that works with another one?

Example: From closed guard → armbar → triangle → omoplata. Build predictable reactions into your sequences.

It is essential to focus on building connecting moves, like you lay out a puzzle. Find moves that connect to the previous move and keep building a chain of techniques.

6. Create a Digital Curriculum

Use Notion, Google Docs, or Trello to:

Track each position you’re working on
Link to key videos
Summarize details
Log your results

This turns passive watching into a structured personal training guide.

7. Balance Study with Rolling

Don’t fall into the trap of watching more than you train. For every hour of video, spend 3–5 hours applying it live with your training partners.

8. Be Patient and Consistent

Online instructionals compound over time. Watch less, drill more, review often. You’ll rediscover golden insights as you progress in rank and experience.

Consistency is the most crucial factor in learning anything!

Summary

You don’t need every instructional—you need the right one, used correctly. Focused study, consistent drilling, and system-building will make online content a powerful part of your BJJ evolution.

Use the instructionals as a problem-solving tool. When you encounter problems during live rolls, go back to find solutions.

You can explore instructional videos from all the top coaches with the link below!

BJJFanatics.com