Training, technique, and the culture of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
108 articles
A beginner's map of the main BJJ positions — guard, mount, side control, back control, half guard and turtle — what each one is, who's winning, and why position matters.
The highest-percentage BJJ submissions for beginners — armbar, rear naked choke, triangle, kimura, guillotine and more — what they are and why to learn them first.
How to wash your BJJ gi so it stays clean, odor-free, and the right size: water temperature, drying, fighting shrinkage, killing bacteria, and the mistakes to avoid.
The white belt phase is the hardest in BJJ. Here are 11 honest survival tips — from tapping early to surviving your first rolls — to help you get past it and stay.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling martial art built on leverage and technique. Here's what BJJ is, where it came from, how training works, and how to start.
No, you're probably not too old to start Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Here's the honest case for starting in your 30s, 40s, or 50s — how to train smart, stay injury-free, and find the right gym.
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.
The full BJJ belt order — white to black — with realistic timelines, stripe and degree systems, IBJJF age and time minimums, and the kids' belt ladder. A clear, honest guide.
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.
How to walk into a strange gym, train respectfully, and leave a good impression. The rules nobody publishes — but every host gym notices.
Open mat is where most of the actual progress happens. A guide to what it is, why it matters, and how to use it whether you're new or twenty years in.
An honest map of the BJJ belt system — how long each belt takes, what stripes signify, and how to think about progression without losing your mind.
The social side of BJJ that nobody explains — what it means to be part of a "team," how friendships form on the mats, and why community is the thing that makes the sport stick.
What to look for in a kids jiu-jitsu program, what to avoid, and how to tell whether your child will benefit. The honest parent's guide.
How jiu-jitsu has shifted in the last decade, where it's headed, and what to expect as a new practitioner walking into the sport today.
San Diego is the deepest BJJ city in the United States. Here's a guide to picking the right gym out of the dozens — by neighborhood, lineage, and what you're actually looking for.
LA is the spiritual home of no-gi BJJ in America. Here's how to find the right room, whether you're a beginner or a competitor.
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.
Some techniques define the art. From the triangle choke to the berimbolo, these are the most iconic BJJ techniques — their origins, mechanics, and why they've shaped how the world grapples.