Fundamental BJJ learning order

[Dismas]

Hi I'm an ex pro boxer and a boxing coach and I've started to learn bjj... However I learn in groups and some stuff is way to advanced or difficult to make sense of. I was wondering if anyone could give me a learning order...

For example when I teach boxing to a beginner I follow the following learning order as it will help them with the next step;

1) stance
2) moving
3) straight shots (attack/blocking)
4)hooks and uppercuts (attack/blocking)
5) bodyshots

Etc etc

Anyone help?

 

[Modern Warrior1]

I'll do my best:

1. basic movements( shrimping, bridging, hip heisting, etc.)
2. basic survival from bad positions
3. basic escapes from bad positions
4. passing guard, and sweeping/ subbing from guard.
5. Top control ( including good back control)
6. Submissions.

The thing with BJJ though, is that all of these will sort of be learned together, just in different percentages. In the beginning, 90% of your time will be spent surviving, but you'll still have 10% spent doing other things. Ya see what I mean?

 

[nodferatu]

Movement drills (shrimps, bridges, hip switches, etc.)
Fundamental Sweeps/guard pass/mount escapes (scissor sweep, elevator etc./cross choke and defense, armbar from guard/defense, kimura/defense

Look at the Pedro Suaer or Alliance curriculum. I learned from the WBJJA and they have an amazing curriculum.

 

[SuperAzn812]

Can I get my hands on those curriculums any where?

 

[Guerilla_Radio]

Can I get my hands on those curriculums any where?

Check out Gracie Barbra fundamental curriculum. Its 4 DVDs with the first 16 weeks focusing on self defense, movement, basic submissions and sweeps. Also covers basic takedowns.

 

[Shemhazai]

I'll do my best:

1. basic movements( shrimping, bridging, hip heisting, etc.)
2. basic survival from bad positions
3. basic escapes from bad positions
4. passing guard, and sweeping/ subbing from guard.
5. Top control ( including good back control)
6. Submissions.

The thing with BJJ though, is that all of these will sort of be learned together, just in different percentages. In the beginning, 90% of your time will be spent surviving, but you'll still have 10% spent doing other things. Ya see what I mean?

Good post.

To add to this, I'd just mention that BJJ is all about position - being able to improve it when it's bad (or when it can get better) and being able to control it when it's good. No submission will ever work against a good opponent without positional dominance in some form. Your time as a white belt (i.e. the first couple of years for most) should IMO be focused mostly on positional wrestling (escapes, sweeps, guard passes and back takes), using only a couple of basic subs, mostly ones that come at the end of having positionally dominated your opponent, e.g. choke or armlock from back control or the mount.

 

[nodferatu]

Can I get my hands on those curriculums any where?

Pretty sure the WBJJA has their white belt curriculum posted on their site. I think Pedro might as well. Not sure about alliance.

 

[Vitamin C]

Good post.

To add to this, I'd just mention that BJJ is all about position - being able to improve it when it's bad (or when it can get better) and being able to control it when it's good. No submission will ever work against a good opponent without positional dominance in some form. Your time as a white belt (i.e. the first couple of years for most) should IMO be focused mostly on positional wrestling (escapes, sweeps, guard passes and back takes), using only a couple of basic subs, mostly ones that come at the end of having positionally dominated your opponent, e.g. choke or armlock from back control or the mount.

It's semantics, but I consider controlling the position to be a constant. Ie, regardless of your position, you want to control it. Even in a bad position, you need to be the one to establish and maintain control in order to survive and escape. Controlling the bottom halfguard to disallow passes or submissions from the top player and to set up sweeps. Controlling the person by pushing their hips low when they are on top mount in order to reverse them/not allow them to get a high mount.

Having the mindset that Control is possible in any situation really helps with keeping calm when under attack as well imo. Without control it's hopeless right? That means he has 100% control over you. No matter where you are, stake your ground.

 

[Deleted member 407839]

I'll do my best:

1. basic movements( shrimping, bridging, hip heisting, etc.)
2. basic survival from bad positions
3. basic escapes from bad positions
4. passing guard, and sweeping/ subbing from guard.
5. Top control ( including good back control)
6. Submissions.

The thing with BJJ though, is that all of these will sort of be learned together, just in different percentages. In the beginning, 90% of your time will be spent surviving, but you'll still have 10% spent doing other things. Ya see what I mean?

This is a good post indeed.

What MW says isn't my experience though. I am more "learn one move from each category" and then start at the beginning. For example learn one escape (shrimp or get knees in) and one way to pass guard (stand-up and grab pant leg and get side control) and attack from guard (kimura) etc.

But it helps so much to learn the basic movements first: shrimp, forward shrimp, technical get-up, shoulder roll, hip heist, hip switch, bridge (on the balls of your feet), sprawl, kimura sit-ups, hip bump, etc. That's like stance, it's gotta be learned first and then everything is learned at the same time little by little.

It differs a lot from boxing in that way. It's not lineal. Both are tremendous martial arts and both are mastered through constant drilling.

 

[cc023]

This is a good post indeed.

What MW says isn't my experience though. I am more "learn one move from each category" and then start at the beginning. For example learn one escape (shrimp or get knees in) and one way to pass guard (stand-up and grab pant leg and get side control) and attack from guard (kimura) etc.

But it helps so much to learn the basic movements first: shrimp, forward shrimp, technical get-up, shoulder roll, hip heist, hip switch, bridge (on the balls of your feet), sprawl, kimura sit-ups, hip bump, etc. That's like stance, it's gotta be learned first and then everything is learned at the same time little by little.

It differs a lot from boxing in that way. It's not lineal. Both are tremendous martial arts and both are mastered through constant drilling.

^ this is all i wanted to add... drill, drill, drill basic movements.

 

[lechien]

I split the classes into specific positions instead of techniques. It starts with the highest points. It about two classes per week so the topic of that specific position get covered every 6 weeks, eight times a year I guess.
Mount ( control, escapes, submissions)
Back control
Side control, kob, north south
Guard pass
Guard subs
Guard sweeps
Top half guard
Bottom half guard
Turtle
Self defense
Takedowns ( however one takedown is taught at every classes with stand grapple)
Questions and answer

 

[Bellicose]

I'll do my best:

1. basic movements( shrimping, bridging, hip heisting, etc.)
2. basic survival from bad positions
3. basic escapes from bad positions
4. passing guard, and sweeping/ subbing from guard.
5. Top control ( including good back control)
6. Submissions.

The thing with BJJ though, is that all of these will sort of be learned together, just in different percentages. In the beginning, 90% of your time will be spent surviving, but you'll still have 10% spent doing other things. Ya see what I mean?

Another +1

The book Jiu-Jitsu Academy pretty much breaks it down this way as well. Saulo Ribeiro seperates everything into what each belt naturally focuses on through their advancement, while always practicing all the sections. I think he breaks is down like:

White - Survival
Blue - Escape
Purple - Guard
Brown - Guard Passing
Black - Submissions

Gotta say, it's pretty accurate from what I've noticed in my gym.

 

[Gawd]

Found this in a previous thread:

http://bjjlegends.com/maps/whitebeltmindmap_files/whitebeltmindmap.html

 

[Shemhazai]

It's semantics, but I consider controlling the position to be a constant. Ie, regardless of your position, you want to control it. Even in a bad position, you need to be the one to establish and maintain control in order to survive and escape. Controlling the bottom halfguard to disallow passes or submissions from the top player and to set up sweeps. Controlling the person by pushing their hips low when they are on top mount in order to reverse them/not allow them to get a high mount.

Having the mindset that Control is possible in any situation really helps with keeping calm when under attack as well imo. Without control it's hopeless right? That means he has 100% control over you. No matter where you are, stake your ground.

I guess I could have said 'maintain' instead of control. You're right that establishing some form of control is the goal in every position - allowing you to advance to positions that allow even more control (more dominant positions), until finally, your opponent finds himself checkmate.