Blog

Open mat is unstructured BJJ training time — no class, just rolling and drilling. Here's how open mats work, the etiquette, what to bring, and how to find one near you.

A practical guide to finding a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gym near you: how to compare schools, what to look for in a first visit, the questions to ask, and red flags to avoid.

A practical framework for picking a gym you'll actually keep training at — covering schedule, drop-ins, vibe, and the things nobody tells beginners.

Everything that happens in your first hour on the mats, in order — from showing up to the front desk to surviving your first roll without panicking.

A no-affiliate-link guide to what a new BJJ practitioner actually needs in year one. Skip the marketing, buy four things, train.

Honest 2026 pricing for monthly membership, drop-ins, gear, and seminars. Where to save and where you'll regret saving.

The honest tradeoffs between training in the gi and training no-gi. What each one teaches, what each one neglects, and how to pick.

The gi versus no-gi debate is one of BJJ's longest-running arguments. Both have distinct advantages, and the answer to which you should train depends entirely on your goals.

Finding the right training frequency balances progress with recovery. Whether you're training twice a week or six days straight, here's how to dial in your schedule for sustainable growth.

Every new BJJ student makes the same mistakes — relying on strength, holding breath, ignoring defense. Here are fifteen of the most common errors and practical fixes for each one.

Mastering positions is the foundation of effective BJJ. From closed guard to the back, here are the ten positions that structure every roll — and why understanding them accelerates everything else.

Picking a BJJ gym is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a grappler. Here's a structured approach to evaluating academies so you find the right fit — not just the closest one.

Everything you need to know before your first BJJ class — from what to wear and what to expect on the mats, to the unwritten rules every new student should understand.