The Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Our GB1 Curriculum Explained

Starting any new sport can be tricky with an abundance of rules, strategies and techniques to master in order to build your ability. Jiu Jitsu is no different. Some Jiu Jitsu players might argue that it combines the above with physicality and pressure, such as being held under a side control pin, or fending off joint manipulations and other types of submissions, making it especially challenging, which is half the fun.

For new starters at any academy, this can seem a little overwhelming. That’s why the GB1 curriculum, which every member who is new to the sport will begin on, is so essential. Gaining a thorough understanding of the fundamental movements of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, such as basic positional escapes, entry level sweeps and effective submissions builds critical building blocks at a pivotal point of your Jiu Jitsu journey.

What You Will Cover

So what does the GB1 curriculum look like? Below and on the wall at the academy, you can find a copy of the 16-week GB1 Fundamentals curriculum. 

This covers the key positions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including mount, side control, back control and much more. Each class in the GB1 programme begins with a self defense scenario and technique. These are usually from a standing position, and range from headlocks through to strikes, and provide students with invaluable knowledge on how to use Jiu Jitsu in a practical, real life scenario. This is critical and a key reason why many of our members start their Jiu Jitsu journey - to improve confidence and experience in self defense.

After the self defense part of the class, each lesson moves onto groundwork - the nuts and bolts of Jiu Jitsu. Here you’ll learn key sequences and positions discussed above from different scenarios.

The 16 week programme is wide ranging and comprehensive. No class is identical, so it’s important to maintain consistent attendance as you’ll cover more techniques, and become more fluent in drilling and live training as a result.

Whilst some may find it tempting to dive in at the deep end with high level sequences, these will be easier to implement and more effective once the basics have been mastered. Those with an interest in MMA or who follow grappling sports closely may have also spotted that fundamental movements such as armbars and chokes, are highly effective when applied correctly.

What Happens After Completing the Curriculum?

Many people benefit from attending the GB1 programme more than once. Even experienced grapplers and Jiu Jitsu players need to make time to further improve their own fundamentals because as we’ve mentioned, these are important and effective at every level.

There are almost an unlimited amount of sequences that can occur in a Jiu Jitsu match, and you’ll encounter different scenarios in each class to enable you to build the knowledge and answers needed for every question asked of you during live training (rolling). 

How To Get Started

If you’d like to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, getting started is easy. Simply book a free trial class or get in touch with our team to find out more.