Your Beginner’s Path to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Hey,

Today’s issue is for anyone just starting jiu-jitsu—or for the veterans who want to send something helpful to the new guy who keeps asking what a “shrimp” is.

If you’ve ever felt lost in your first few months on the mats, trust me… you’re not alone.
Nobody walks into BJJ knowing what they’re doing.
Every black belt you admire once stood on the edge of the mat thinking: “I hope I don’t get folded in half today.”

So this week, we’re breaking down the Beginner’s Path—a simple, clear roadmap that shows you exactly what to focus on in your first weeks and months.

Let’s get into it.

Here’s the truth nobody tells you:

Most beginners don’t fail because the sport is “too hard.”
They fail because they don’t know what to focus on.

YouTube throws a thousand techniques at you.
Advanced students do stuff that looks like magic.
And you roll for the first time and think,
“I have no idea what’s happening.”

The good news?
You don’t need to learn everything.
You just need to learn the right things.

Here’s the blueprint that builds real skill—not chaos, confusion, or spaz-energy.

This is the first skill every grappler needs.
Breakfalls = fewer injuries.
And fewer injuries = more training.
Simple math.

Forget fancy subs.
If you can’t control someone, nothing works.
Guard, side control, mount—that’s your world for now.

Learning to get OUT of bad spots makes you confident.
Confidence makes you dangerous.

Armbar. Triangle. RNC. Americana.
Don’t collect moves. Get GOOD at a few.

Talk to your partners. Ask questions.
Don’t go 100% like you’re fighting for custody.
Roll to learn, not to survive.

These are the moves that show up in 80% of beginner rolls:

Master these, and you’ll feel a massive jump in your confidence.

Let’s save you some frustration.

Fancy moves don’t work without a base.

Strength fades. Technique doesn’t.

No drills = no muscle memory = panic rolling.

If you can’t escape, you can’t attack.

Warm-ups prevent injuries.
Injuries prevent progress.

Here’s the trick to surviving your first months:

Stop seeing losses as failures.
Start seeing them as feedback.

Every time you tap, you learn.
Every time you get smashed, you collect data.

That’s the whole game.

If you don’t know what to do next, follow this:

2–3 classes.
Meet people.
Learn positions.
Don’t worry about “doing well.”

3 classes per week.
Solo drills at home.
Work on closed guard, mount, and side control.

4 classes.
Pick 3–4 techniques to memorize.
Start positional rolling.

This is where everything starts to click.

We’ve built resources specifically for brand-new white belts:

These give you structure when everything feels overwhelming.

What’s been your biggest challenge as a beginner?
Shrimping? Breathing? Cardio? Remembering techniques?

Hit reply and tell me.
Your experience will help shape future issues.

And if you know someone who’s starting BJJ soon… forward this to them. It’ll save them months of confusion.

Talk soon,

Ben—The Grappler's Toolkit.