Starting your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey as a white belt is both exciting and overwhelming. With so many techniques, concepts, and strategies to absorb, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos. Instead of just “surviving,” focus on these five key areas to build a strong foundation and set yourself up for long-term success.
1. Recognize Positions and Their Goals
Before worrying about fancy submissions, first, understand where you are on the mat. Every position in Jiu-Jitsu has a purpose, and knowing what to do from each one will guide your decision-making.
Dominant positions (mount, back control, side control): Maintain control and work towards submissions.
Neutral positions (guard, half guard): Control your opponent and set up sweeps or attacks.
Defensive positions (bottom of mount, side control, back control): Escape and improve your position.
By focusing on positional awareness, you’ll begin to understand the “why” behind every technique.
2. Learn the Techniques That Facilitate These Goals
Once you recognize the major positions, the next step is knowing which techniques will help you achieve your goals.
Escapes → Improve from bad positions
Sweeps → Reverse the position and get on top
Submissions → Finish the match from dominant positions
Start small—pick one or two techniques for each goal and drill them until they become second nature.
3. Build the Foundation of Your Game Plan
Many white belts focus too much on "surviving" rather than building an actual approach to rolling. Instead of just reacting, start developing a basic game plan based on:
Your preferred position → Do you feel more comfortable on top or bottom?
Your go-to techniques → Have a few reliable sweeps, passes, and submissions.
Your path to improvement → Identify what’s working and adjust accordingly.
Your game plan will evolve over time, but starting with a structure will help you improve faster.
4. Be a Good Training Partner
Jiu-Jitsu is built on teamwork. To get better, you need training partners who trust and want to roll with you.
Don’t use strength over technique – Focus on skill, not brute force.
Respect your partners – Tap early, communicate, and keep ego out of training.
Help others improve – The better your training partners get, the better you get.
Building a strong training reputation early on will benefit your growth in the long run.
5. Train at a Pace Where You Can Recognize Success and Failure
Rolling at full speed every round might feel like you're getting better, but it often prevents actual learning. Instead, train at a pace where you can:
Recreate what worked → Recognize why a technique was successful.
Notice your mistakes → Identify where you went wrong and adjust.
Stay calm and think → Slow training allows you to process decisions in real time.
Jiu-Jitsu is a marathon, not a sprint. By training with intention, you’ll build skills that last a lifetime.
White belt is the time to absorb, experiment, and build habits that will carry you through your BJJ journey. Focus on these five areas, and you’ll develop a strong foundation for success on the mats.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a white belt? Drop it in the comments!
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