It is important to stretch before you train in any Jiu Jitsu situation. With ordinary technique classes this should be organised by your instructor. Generally you will do the shrimping exercise discussed in the technique classes article along with 2 or 3 other dynamic movements that will prepare you for the class. In my experience this includes guard retention drills and cart wheel guard passes but I’m sure it will vary widely with different Jiu Jitsu instructors. For Rolling classes however it is common for the instructor set aside 5 minutes for you to stretch by yourself before the sparring begins. As a Jiu Jitsu beginner you may not know any stretches thus wasting this time and risking the possibility of sustaining injury while sparring. Here are some stretches I have learned so far that you might want to start with or add to your existing set of stretches.

It is very important that you prioritise hygiene if you intend on training Jiu Jitsu. One of the dangers of training Jiu Jitsu is a skin infection named “Staphylococcus aureus” (commonly abreviated to “Staph”). From what I understand Staph can be contracted from your training partner or training mats when you recieve a cut on your skin which is then infected with bacteria. It can be a very harmful infection which can only be treated with antibiotics. I’d advise you to take a moment to search it on Google images as you will hopefully be disgusted enough to realise the importance of what I am saying. The best way to avoid Staph is to wash yourself regularly before and after training. It is also a good idea to wash your gi regularly. If you use probiotic soap this will also decrease your chances of catching the infection. Ask at your training gym if they sell any; they have recently started selling a brand called “Fight Soap” at my gym.

What’s most worrying is that, in my experience, no-one ever mentions it in classes. I have never once heard anyone talk about it, even my instructors. The only reason I know about Staph is through my own research and talking to my training partner about it. I have never had a Staph infection to date but my training partner has recently. When he discovered the infection he contacted our gym and they cleaned the mats immediately. If you find you have contracted Staph you should contact your gym to stop the continual spread of the infection through your classmates.

I have only shared what I know of the infection so if you want to know more there is plenty of information on wikipedia!

It is important to know how to tie your belt correctly. If your belt is constantly coming loose it can be very annoying and wastes good training and rolling time. The best method of tying a belt that I have found is explained by Rener Gracie in the youtube video below. The prettiest and most complicated variation is the “Superlock” variation but most people use the “Standard” variation as it’s quick and works well enough.

Jiu Jitsu sparring classes consist of back to back rounds of sparring, widely known as “rolling”, with fresh opponents every round. In my experience rounds are normally 5 or 7 minutes long though I assume this varies from gym to gym. In these classes you will quickly understand the effectiveness of Jiu Jitsu and how little you know about submission grappling.

Tap Out

If you expect to improve at Jiu Jitsu you must be prepared to be submitted over and over again. You should treat each of these submissions as a study of how the submission is applied and try to learn how to better defend next time. The good thing about Jiu Jitsu is that you are able to roll at 100% effort with little chance of injury thus mimicking a “real life” combat situation every time you practice. You may experience discomfort if someone applies a submission to you and if you have to give up you must “tap out”. It is important to tap out if you are experiencing pain as you risk being choked unconscious or facing serious injury. This being said you should always allow your partner’s hold to be applied before tapping out when training as this will ensure your partner is using the correct technique. Ensure that you “tap” on your opponent’s body and not the mat as they may not be aware that you are submitting and continue to apply the hold. As a Jiu Jitsu beginner it is a good idea to roll with white belts because blue belts will have a wealth of experience over you and you will find it hard to implement any techniques. Perhaps rolling with a blue belt could be beneficial in developing your ability to escape positions but you will have a far more enjoyable time rolling with people on your level.

Stay Calm

Rolling can be a very tiring practice especially as a Jiu Jitsu Beginner because with less knowledge you are more likely to waste energy trying to do things with the wrong technique (you should focus on staying calm and thinking about technique when rolling). If you feel too tired you can have a break  round but your instructor is likely to encourage you to roll as many rounds as you can.

Don’t Quit!

Rolling classes are a great environment for trying out techniques you have learned and understanding what it feels like to grapple in a realistic situation. Rolling classes can be tough for a Jiu Jitsu beginner but if you stay positive and focus on practicing the techniques you know you can only improve.

As a Jiu Jitsu Beginner you will no doubt be interested to know what takes place in a standard BJJ class. From my experience this normally comprises of a warm up, learning a technique(s) and then drilling what you have learned.

Warm up

The warm up session normally involves, among other excercises, “shrimping”. This is a fundamental movement which is applicable to many situations so it is encouraged for both the jiu jitsu beginner and those more experienced. It involves lying on your back and pushing your body backwards with one foot flat on the mat and the other straight, ending on your side in a “L” shape. Click here for demo. This motion is great for escaping positions off your back. The warm up session may also involve guard retention drills, backwards rolls and even cartwheels all intended to prevent injury during training and reinforce fundamental jiu jitsu techniques. For some warm up techniques you will need a partner so if you’re on your own this is a good time to find someone to train with for the session. It is ideal to find someone who is also a jiu jitsu beginner though to be paired with someone more experienced is also good as they will no doubt give you some knowledge about techniques.

Learning a technique

After the warm up period your jiu jitsu instructor will demonstrate a technique to the class (normally with an experienced member of the class rather than a jiu jitsu beginner). A good teacher will break down the technique slowly, going over it 4 or 5 times increasing in pace and fluidity. For a jiu jitsu beginner it can be very difficult to pick up on every element of a technique so I’d advice you pay close attention. If you feel you’ve missed part of it you can discuss with your partner and/or ask your instructor to go over the technique to you personally. The instructor will often wander around the room giving advice to anyone they see having problems. Typically you will learn a basic version of a technique followed by variations on it.

Drilling

Near the end of the class the instructor my opt for you to begin drilling the technique. This involves attempting to use the learned technique on your partner while they try to resist your attack. If you are unable to achieve the technique your partner should apply less resistance and if you are able to achieve the technique regularly your partner should resist more. This proves that the technique works and may highlight any elements of the technique you have overlooked.

At the end of the class the instructor may recap on what you have learned.

If you’d like to learn some techniques from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Keith Owen click the link below.

Brief background of BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is martial art developed by the Gracie family. It is a grappling art which allows you to use technique and leverage to incapacitate your opponent safely with a submission manuevre. It was derived from Kodokan Judo by Carlos and Helio Gracie. The Gracie family gave open challenges asking anyone to come and fight them at their gym.  When the Ultimate Fighting Championship was formed; Royce Gracie entered and won almost all of his matches against larger, stronger opponents thus showcasing the effectiveness of BJJ to a televised audience. Since then BJJ has been incorporated into the fight strategy of every mixed martial arts fighter solidifying it as a legitimate martial art. It is a worthwhile endevour for anyone trying to develop fitness, discipline, self-defence or for those involved in the sport of mixed martial arts.

The nature of BJJ

BJJ is made up of an endless list of positions, transitions and submissions. For anyone experiencing it for the first time it can be extremely confusing. It is essential when starting Jiu Jitsu that you learn and understand the basic positions which are as follows:

The Guard: This is the best defensive position to be in as you are able to control your opponents body and prevent him from attacking. If an opponent is in your guard then you are lying on your back with your opponent between your legs. Your guard can either be “open guard” (your legs are open) or “closed guard” (your legs are around your opponents body and crossed).

Half Guard: In this position you are more vulnerable to attacks and your opponent has more control than if he is in your guard. If your opponent is in your half guard this means you are lying on your back with one of your opponents legs between your legs.

Side Control: If you are in your opponents side control you are in a dangerous position where you may be submitted or your opponent may transition to the full mount. If you have someone in side control you are in a very advantageous position. If someone has you in side control; you are on your back, chest to chest with your opponent with your opponents legs away from your body.

Full Mount: This is possibly the worst position to be in and the best position to have your opponent. If you have your opponent in this position you should be in full control and depending on your knowledge of this position you will have a good chance of submitting your opponent. If your opponent has you in full mount you are on your back with your opponents seated on your chest with their legs at either side of you in a kneeling position.

Back control: Another great position to have your opponent in and a terrible position for you to be in. From here you have great control over your opponent and their ability to defend is limited. This position is where your opponent is controlling you from your back. This can be a back mount where you are lying on your front and your opponent is seated on your back, similar to full mount position, or where your opponent is lying on their back controlling your body from underneath you.

Belts

How quickly you can achieve a new belt varies from person to person but the order of belt ranking and how long it takes to earn each belt is shown below:

White Belt: Jiu Jitsu beginner belt

Blue Belt: Typically earned after 2 years of training as a white belt

Purple Belt: Typically earned after 2-3 years of training as a blue belt

Brown Belt: Typically earned  after 2 years of training as a purple belt

Black Belt: Typically earned after a total of 10 years of training

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