# BJJ Curriculum



## GouRonin

Just a question? Is there a set curriculum per belt level with set material to be learned for BJJ? If so could someone please post some examples?

I'm looking at you Kyle and Icepick.
:shrug:


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## Icepick

Curriculum is individual to the instructor.  For blue belt, Kyle emphasizes escapes from those positions common to untrained opponents and wrestlers, i.e. headlocks, side control, cradles.  He's better to tell you what he's looking for though, because I don't have it.  :wah:


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## GouRonin

A friend of mine says that the first thing he'd do with BJJ if he opened a school would be to make a standarized curriculum.


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## Icepick

From Roy Harris' site:

http://www.royharris.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31


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## arnisador

I understood from the Gracie brothers' recent book that there is a fairly well-set curriculum for the entire art but that they suggest the individual instructor decide which techniques to require for what belt level. They also have a suggested number of escapes, self-defense techniques, chokes, etc. per belt level. The book is sectioned into belt levels. They emphasize that belts are to be awarded more for overall skill than technical knowledge.

I have just begun BJJ under a brown belt student of Wellington "Megaton" Diaz, a 3rd degree black belt representative of Rickson Gracie. In the very few lessons I have had so far the instructor has been focusing on positional play with self-defense techniques covered also.


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## Kyle

The technique groupings in the recent book is worthless, as applied to belt level, as it has no basis in reality.

I don't know of any BJJ instructor that has written criteria of specific techniques.   Every instructor has different expectations.

Roy Harris, my instructor, has written criteria for blue-belt and, I believe, purple-belt.  The article Icepick linked to is an excellent summary.  I, more or less, follow his lead when it comes to my expectations.

As a white-belt in BJJ, your job is to tap    You are developing an awareness of the whole game.   There is an emphasis on escapes, as that is the bedrock of BJJ.  You can expect, with no previous grappling, to take 1 to 2 years to go from white to blue.

Also, technical knowledge is not skill.  Each belt has a certain "look-and-feel" that refers to the skill in applying the techniques.  Each instructor has their own preferred "look-and-feel".  This is very difficult to put into words (i.e. "I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it").

    - Kyle


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## bryans

If I look like a brown belt (because I steal your's) and I feel like a blue belt (because that's what I am)..... then would that make me a purpleish belt


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## Icepick

KYLE!!!

Bryan was surfing the web when he was supposed to be training!

:angel:


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## bryans

No one likes a snitch Icepick 

Yes, I missed calss on Friday but how do you think I bought 5 hours on Sunday to go to the open roll??? Constant negotiations young grasshopper... I giving private lessons if there's interest 

Actually it may have blew up on me because my son is sick now so my time on Sunday may go bye bye


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## arnisador

The BJJ book by the Gracie brothers gives 110 numbered techniques in its curriculum, but some of them are drills and number one is tying the belt and number two is falling.


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## GouRonin

You'd be surprised how many people can't breakfall.

...and no, "My style will protect me" is not a decent answer.


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## arnisador

> _Originally posted by GouRonin _
> *You'd be surprised how many people can't breakfall.*



No argument--I just wanted it to be clear what was meant by "technique".


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## Samurai

How is the new Gracie Book...in general?

I have 2 hours experience in BJJ (I watched 3 of of the Gracie Ju-Jitsu video tapes by Royce).  How would the book be for a raw beginner in the art?
Thanks
Jeremy Bays


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## Kyle

As a reference, it's okay.  The pictures are very nice and the descriptions are adequate.  If you are thinking of learning the techniques from it, forget about it.  Videos are much easier, and even then you'll get better significantly faster and easier under a qualified instructor.

    - Kyle


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## arnisador

> _Originally posted by Samurai _
> *How is the new Gracie Book...in general?
> 
> I have 2 hours experience in BJJ (I watched 3 of of the Gracie Ju-Jitsu video tapes by Royce).  How would the book be for a raw beginner in the art?
> *



I have just started studying BJJ and have had 3 BJJ classes and years ago one short BJJ seminar.

I like the book. It provides a nice mix of history and perspective together with the actual techniques. The production values are excellent. I don't think I could learn BJJ from it but it _is_ quite helpful to me as a student. I recommend it.


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## Nightingale

does anyone else have any more info about BJJ curriculums??


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## pknox

> _Originally posted by Kyle _
> *As a white-belt in BJJ, your job is to tap    You are developing an awareness of the whole game.   There is an emphasis on escapes, as that is the bedrock of BJJ.  You can expect, with no previous grappling, to take 1 to 2 years to go from white to blue.
> 
> Also, technical knowledge is not skill.  Each belt has a certain "look-and-feel" that refers to the skill in applying the techniques.  Each instructor has their own preferred "look-and-feel".  This is very difficult to put into words (i.e. "I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it").
> 
> - Kyle *



I agree completely, especially the "look and feel" part.  This is basically what I've been told:  

Basically, as a white belt, you are learning familiarity with the different positions, and how it feels to be dominated in each one.  Eventually you learn escapes and achieving positional dominance. "Your job is to tap" as you said, is spot on - at least in the beginning - if you are an advanced white, you may fare a little better.

As a blue, you will learn more techniques and set-ups.  it varies by academy, but basically by the time you're ready to test for purple, you should know most of the techniques in the curicculum.  Depending on your ability, you may begin to develop your submission skills at this point.  Your escapes should be better.  Your still getting by on your strength more than your technique, but that's changing.

As a purple,  you begin to refine the techniques you learned at the previous 2 levels.  You shouldn't learn too many new techniques here (other then the new stuff coming out of Rio, IF you or your instructor has access to it).  You should be developing submissions now, and should be able to escape from most positions.  Your balance and coordination should be noticeably better than the whites and blues.

As a brown, you should have refined your techniques to an expert level.  You should be able to escape from many positions, and often in multiple ways.  Your submission skills should be highly developed, and you should be able to target individual and specific areas effectively against most lower belts (i.e. work for a leglock on the left ankle), even if you tell them you are doing so.  In terms of sheer technique, you should be extremely refined.  if you are going to specialize in a certain area (say leg locks or chokes), you begin to develop those techniques even further, and can usually connect with them on someone close to your level.  You may be developing the ability to think ahead a couple of moves.

As a black,  the issue becomes more strategy than technique.  Your techniques should have been perfected as a brown -- now you should be able to think 2, 3, or even 4 moves ahead and "set up" moves effectively.  You should understand how subtle shifts in body positioning can make a big difference, and have an almost freaky sense of where you are in space, and what your opponent is doing.  Your specialized areas should be developed at a very high level.  You are comfortable fighting from every conceivable position, and know at least a couple of counters for almost anything thrown your way.  You have also learned how to move with a minimum of wasted movement, so you are now using more technique than sheer strength.  When people see you move, words like "powerful", "graceful", and "efficient" should spring forth from their lips.

As for higher levels of black belt, I have no idea -- perhaps you need to be able to turn water into wine or something 

Obviously, you should be able to hold your own when you roll as well.  As a blue belt you should beat most whites most of the time.  As a purple most blues, etc.  You really shouldn't ever lose to someone 2 belts below you (other than some freaky exceptions, like a national champion wrestler or judoka who is also a white belt or something).


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## Pyros

I have been told that in the styles taught here in my town, all the basic techniques are taught on white belt, and then your ability to use, apply and combine them is what is finetuned up the ranks.

Here's a related article: http://bjj.org/articles/harris-progression.html


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## arnisador

My instructor has said something similar, though perhaps not quite as strongly--that by the time you make blue belt you've pretty much seen all the techniques, and the rest is largely a matter of improvement in your ability to use them.


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## gman

I started training at a Ralph Gracie school about a little over a month ago and I agree that for the most part my job has been to "tap".

     I like the new book by the Gracies. For a beginner it helps me quite a bit. After we learn a choke, sweep or whatever I try and find it in the book and see if there are any pointers.

     As for a cirriculum it does seem that there is one, we have practiced moves from wriiten set. i.e. set one has an elbow escape, a basic arm bar, scissor sweep, a choke and a couple others. I have seen 4 sets on the paper we work from. I don't know if this is an association standard or school standard. It's also nothing like my kenpo cirriculum. The one thing I have noticed from my short time in BJJ training is that someone of higher rank is definitly better. I have yet to see any white belt give a bkue belt a run for his money.


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## arnisador

> _Originally posted by gman _
> *The one thing I have noticed from my short time in BJJ training is that someone of higher rank is definitly better. *



Yes, that part _is_ more consistent than it is in many other arts!


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