If you’ve found yourself thinking about trying a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu beginners class, there’s no better time than the present.
I took my first BJJ class while I was still on my high school’s wrestling team, and I remember being exposed to a world of new knowledge — new techniques, terminologies, and philosophies. Years later, I found myself living the dream and traveling to learn BJJ in Brazil with the masters.
Stepping onto the mats for the first time can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect in your first week, the core techniques you’ll learn, and how to set yourself up for success.
Whether your goal is self-defense, fitness, or simply to challenge yourself, this article will give you everything you need to start your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey with confidence.
Table of Contents
- What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
- Your First Week of BJJ: What to Expect
- Main Techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Beginners
- Can I Learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Home?
- Tips for Success in Your First Week
- Essential Gear for Beginners
What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, often called BJJ, is a grappling-based martial art that focuses on ground fighting and submission holds. Developed in Brazil by the Helio Gracie and the Gracie family, BJJ emphasizes technique and leverage, allowing smaller individuals to defend themselves against bigger and stronger opponents. Unlike striking martial arts like boxing or Muay Thai, BJJ centers on controlling and neutralizing opponents using holds, submissions, and positional strategies.
Why should beginners choose BJJ?
- It’s one of the most effective martial arts for self-defense.
- It builds full-body strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance.
- It cultivates mental toughness, problem-solving skills, and humility.
- It offers community, and competition opportunities for those interested.
Your First Week of BJJ: What to Expect
What to Wear
If you’re attending your first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class, you’ll need to be prepared with the right attire. Most academies will have loaner gis (the traditional uniform), but if you’re not sure, ask ahead of time. For your first class, wearing regular athletic clothing—like a rash guard and shorts—is a safe bet.
The Warm-Up
Before diving into techniques, classes typically start with a warm-up. Expect exercises designed to improve mobility, flexibility, and overall conditioning, such as:
- Shrimping: A core movement for escaping bad positions.
- Bridging: Used to reverse your opponent or escape from the mount.
- Technical stand-ups: Vital for safely getting back to your feet.
These drills may feel awkward at first, but they form the foundation of your future BJJ progress.
Techniques You’ll Learn
In your first few classes, you’ll be introduced to some fundamental positions and submissions. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolves around controlling your opponent, either by positional dominance or through submissions. Below, we’ll break down these techniques in detail.
Main Techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Beginners
The Guard
The guard is one of the most fundamental positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When you are in guard, you are on your back, controlling your opponent using your legs and hips. Mastering different types of guard allows you to defend yourself and set up submissions or sweeps.
- Closed Guard:
- How to Get There: Start on your back with your opponent inside your legs. Wrap both legs around their waist and cross your feet to lock them in place.
- Objective: Use your legs to keep your opponent from passing your guard. From here, you can attack with submissions or attempt to sweep them onto their back.
- Key Detail: Control their posture by pulling them down using their collar (in Gi) or their head/neck (in No-Gi). This prevents them from standing up or passing your guard.
- Common Submissions from Closed Guard: Armbar, triangle choke, guillotine.
- Open Guard:
- How to Get There: Instead of locking your legs around your opponent, keep them open and use your feet to create distance or control. You may place your feet on their hips, thighs, or biceps.
- Objective: Control your opponent’s movements while setting up sweeps or submissions.
- Key Detail: Keep a constant connection with your opponent using your legs and hands.
- Half Guard:
- How to Get There: One of your legs is in between your opponent’s legs while they are on top of you, often trying to pass. The other leg is free to maneuver.
- Objective: Prevent your opponent from passing while setting up a reversal or sweep.
- Key Detail: Control their far leg with your free arm to prevent them from easily passing your guard.
The Mount
The mount is one of the most dominant positions in BJJ. When you are in mount, you sit on top of your opponent’s chest, with your knees on the ground on either side of them. From here, you have a wide range of attacks available.
- How to Get There: Transition to mount from side control, or sweep your opponent from guard to mount.
- Objective: Control your opponent while looking for submissions or strikes (in MMA).
- Key Detail: Keep your knees close to your opponent’s body and maintain a low posture, making it difficult for them to escape.
- Common Submissions from Mount: Armbar, cross collar choke (Gi).
Side Control
Side control, also known as side mount, is another dominant position. It involves pinning your opponent to the mat while controlling them from the side.
- How to Get There: Pass your opponent’s guard and move to their side, keeping them flat on their back.
- Objective: Maintain heavy pressure on their chest, making it hard for them to breathe or move.
- Key Detail: Use your chest to pin their upper body while maintaining control of their far arm and hips.
- Common Transitions from Side Control: Mount, knee-on-belly.
Basic Submissions
- Armbar:
- How to Execute: From mount or guard, isolate your opponent’s arm. Secure their wrist with both hands, swing one leg over their head, and sit back while extending your hips to apply pressure to their elbow.
- Key Detail: Keep your legs tight around their arm to prevent them from escaping.
- Triangle Choke:
- How to Execute: From guard, isolate one of your opponent’s arms and wrap your legs around their neck and the trapped arm. Lock your legs in a triangular shape and squeeze while pulling down on their head.
- Key Detail: Adjust your angle by swiveling your hips to make the choke more effective.
- Rear Naked Choke (RNC):
- How to Execute: From the back, position one arm under your opponent’s chin and grab your own bicep with the opposite hand. Use your other hand to press the back of their head, applying pressure on their neck to cut off blood flow.
- Key Detail: Squeeze your elbows together while applying downward pressure with your head. This choke works quickly when done correctly, so apply pressure gradually.
Sweeps
Sweeps are techniques that allow you to reverse the position, moving from the bottom (guard) to the top (mount, side control, etc.). Sweeps are essential in BJJ, allowing you to turn defense into offense.
- Scissor Sweep:
- How to Execute: From closed guard, control one of your opponent’s sleeves and collar. Open your guard and place one shin across their belly while the other leg is on the mat. Push with your shin while pulling with your arms, sweeping them onto their back as you come on top.
- Key Detail: Timing is key—initiate the sweep as your opponent shifts their weight forward.
- Hip Bump Sweep:
- How to Execute: From closed guard, sit up quickly and bump your hips into your opponent’s chest while posting your hand on the mat. Use the momentum to sweep them backward and take the mount.
- Key Detail: Use a sudden, explosive motion when you bump your hips to unbalance your opponent.
Escapes
Learning how to escape bad positions is just as important as learning how to dominate. As a beginner, focus on these two core escape techniques:
- Shrimping (Hip Escape):
- How to Execute: Start from your back with your opponent on top (side control, mount, or another dominant position). Plant one foot on the mat and push off with your hips, moving them away from your opponent while creating space.
- Key Detail: Keep your elbows tight to your body and aim to create as much distance as possible between your hips and your opponent.
- Bridge and Roll Escape:
- How to Execute: From mount, trap one of your opponent’s arms and the same side leg by grabbing their wrist and hooking their foot. Explosively bridge your hips up, rolling them over to take the top position.
- Key Detail: Make sure to control both their arm and leg before executing the bridge. Without this control, they may adjust and maintain control.
Can I Learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Home?
This is a common question for beginners, especially for those who may not have immediate access to a gym. While you can learn some BJJ basics at home, such as solo drills like shrimping or bridging, it’s difficult to fully grasp the art without a live partner. BJJ is a contact martial art, and much of its effectiveness comes from applying techniques on a resisting opponent.
What You Can Do at Home:
- Solo Drills: Practice shrimping, bridging, and technical stand-ups to help your body adjust to the physical demands of BJJ.
- Conditioning: Work on exercises that improve your flexibility, strength, and stamina, which will help when you transition to the mats.
- Instructional Videos: Use online resources like YouTube or instructional platforms to learn basic techniques. However, remember that nothing replaces real-life mat time with an instructor.
Tips for Success in Your First Week
- Start Slow: BJJ is a complex art, and you won’t master it overnight. Don’t rush—focus on learning and refining the basics before moving on to more advanced techniques.
- Ask Questions: BJJ gyms are filled with experienced practitioners eager to help. Don’t be afraid to ask your instructor or training partners for clarification on techniques.
- Tap Early, Tap Often: Tapping is part of learning—always prioritize safety and tap before you feel pain. It’s better to tap early than to risk injury.
- Stay Consistent: Progress in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can feel slow, especially in the beginning. Attend classes regularly, and you’ll see improvements over time.
- Focus on Defense: In your first week, focus on staying safe and escaping bad positions instead of trying to submit others. A strong defense is the foundation of a successful BJJ journey.
Essential Gear for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Beginners
While it’s important to have the right gear for your training, it shouldn’t be a chief concern for a beginner. Your instructor will let you know what you need, which might include:
- Gi (Kimono): A durable cotton uniform used in BJJ. Many gyms offer Gi and No-Gi classes, so consider which one you’d like to attend.
- Rash Guard: A tight-fitting shirt that reduces friction and prevents mat burns, especially in No-Gi classes.
- Mouthguard: Protect your teeth from accidental strikes during training.
- Board Shorts: A pair of board shorts that won’t stretch or tear with pressure.
This should give you a solid idea of what to expect at the outset of your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training. Your first week will set the foundation for what could be a life-changing practice.
BJJ teaches you more than just how to fight — it instills discipline, builds mental toughness, and connects you with a supportive community of practitioners. Now that you know what to expect, it’s up to you to step on the mat.
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